'חלק ה' עמו': על מיתוס בחירת ישראל בגורל והויכוח הגנוסטי-הנוצרי-הפגני-היהודי

Updated by: 
Shiran Shevah
Research notes: 
reader checked 05/01/2012 AL
Reference type: 
Journal Article
Author(s): 
Bar-On, Shraga
Paz, Yakir
year: 
2010-1011
Full title: 

'חלק ה' עמו': על מיתוס בחירת ישראל בגורל והויכוח הגנוסטי-הנוצרי-הפגני-היהודי

Translated title: 
'The Lord's Allotment is His People': The Myth of the Election of Israel by Casting of Lots and The Gnostic-Christian-Pagan-Jewish Polemic
Journal / Book Title || Series Title: 
Tarbiz
Volume: 
79
Issue / Series Volume: 
1
Pages: 
23-61
Abstract: 

In a few late midrashim the election of Israel is described as a result of the casting of lots by God and his angels. How did such a radical concept of arbitrary election arise, in contrast to the more common model of election by merit? Through a close analysis of Deut 32:8-9, we may discern that the myth of election by divine lot is an ancient one, alluded to in the early versions of these verses but already obscured in inner-biblical commentary on them, and all but ignored by the early Jewish and Christian commentators. However, the myth appears in Gnostic texts that reverse its meaning and use it to undermine the idea of the election of Israel by ascribing the election to the result of a casting of lots between the rebellious angels, headed by the arrogant god of the Jews. Later, pagan polemicists such as Celsus and Julian reintroduced this myth by fusing the Platonic myth of primordial division with these verses from the Song of Moses. This formed part of their attack on the new Christian concept of election, which undermined the ancient world order. The adoption of this developed myth by the later midrashim may be understood, so this article argues, against the backdrop of the pagan—Christian debate, as an attempt to secure the claim that the connection between God and Israel is decisive and cannot be revoked — precisely because of its randomness.

Language: 
Hebrew
Hebrew bible: 
Book: 
Deuteronomy
Chapter(s): 
32
Primary Texts: Judean Desert Documents: 
Scroll / Document: 
4Q215
Section type: 
Fragment
Passage: 
1 ii
URL: 
http://www.jstor.org/stable/23607118
Record number: 
503