The Failed Jewish Reform at the Time of Antiochus IV. and Paul’s Missionary Strategy

Full title
The Failed Jewish Reform at the Time of Antiochus IV. and Paul’s Missionary Strategy
Updated By
Research notes

OT/not checked/31/08/2020 YKC/reader checked/20/01/2022

Reference type
Author(s)
Gaß, Erasmus
Year
2020
Journal / Book Title || Series Title
Biblische Zeitschrift
Volume
64
Issue / Series Volume
2
Pages
244–276
Work type
Label
14/09/2020
Abstract

The reform at the time of Antiochus IV. Epiphanes was a serious intervention in the religious system of the Jews. Though being judged as anachronistic and archaic from the outside, the Jewish identity markers could not be given up at that time since they were theologically loaded. Paul and the emerging Christian communities took over the Seleucid-Maccabean challenge and sustainably reformed the Jewish identity markers. Circumcision was good for Jews, but irrelevant for Gentile believers. The abomination of swine was no longer useful since purity had to be understood in an ethical sense. Last but not least, the Sabbath commandment was accepted because this rule was explained by creation theology and, thus, had social implications. The requirements of the failed reform at the time of Antiochus worked about 200 years later, in a different context (Syria) and in an eschatological setting (imminent parousia).