Hayim Lapin

2102Q FSK

301 405 4296

hlapin@ umd.edu

Office hours: Tu, Th 11–12

 

HIST219C/JWST231

Introduction to the Texts and Cultures of Second Temple Judaism

In this course we will be examining the history and literature of Judaism in the Second Temple Period. Our goal will be to understand the Second Temple Period as one of great change and diversity, one that saw the origins of both contemporary Judaism and Christianity. We will be reading both modern works (introductory textbooks) and, more importantly, a variety of primary documents produced by Jews (and occasionally by non-Jews about Jews) that illustrate cultural developments of this important period. A special focus of the course will be on the Dead Sea Scrolls

Graded Work:

Participation (5%):
You are expected to come to every class, to have read the material, and to be prepared to discuss the material.

Midterm Exams (40%, 20% each), due Feb. 20 and April 5

Written assignment (25%, 20% for paper and 5% for Table), March 8
The submitted paper should be 1500 words each (about five double-spaced pages), and is described at the end of the syllabus.

Bibliography Study 10%, due April 19
Two pages (500–700 words).

Final Exam (20%), Friday May 18, 8:00 AM (Sorry!)
Note: The exam schedule is set by the University; exemptions will only be given for urgent reasons. Non-refundable airplaine tickets do not qualify. Please plan accordingly.

Readings:

1. The following have been ordered at the campus bookstores.

Cohen, Shaye, From the Maccabees to the Mishnah, 2d edition.
Note: The bookstore purchased copies of both editions. Substance differs as do pages. Please TRY to get the second edition if you can. I will give pagination to both editions.

Nickelsburg, George, Jewish Literature Between the Bible and the Mishnah 2 ed. (with CD)

VanderKam, James, Dead Sea Scrolls Today

Vermes, Geza, Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English

Recommended Book (also ordered)

HarperCollins Study Bible New ed.

2. Almost all additional readings are available on the Web. Exceptions will either be posted on the Web or distributed in class.

3. The following web resources may be useful to you:

Bible (Old Testament, New Testament, Apocrypha, Revised Standard Version) at Electronic Text Center, UVA (http://etext.virginia.edu/rsv.browse.html)

Early Jewish Writings (http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com)

Wesley Center Online (Northwest Nazarene University) (http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies)

Christian Classics Ethereal Library (http://www.ccel.org)

Douglas BinderÕs Second Temple Synagogue site (http://www.pohick.org/sts)

Ancient World Mapping Center (http://www.unc.edu/awmc)

 

Outline of Classes

1/25

Introduction to the Course

 

I. Historical Background and Historical Writing

1/30

The Persian Period

2 Kings (Bible) 24–25

Jeremiah (Bible) 39:1–10; 52

Ezra, Nehemiah (Bible)

Nickelsburg, 8–15

Cohen, O1–34/N1–26

2/1, 6

Judaea under Hellenistic Rule and the Hasmonaean Revolt

1 Maccabees (Apocrypha), 1–9:22

2 Maccabees (Apocrypha), 3–10

Nickelsburg, 41–43, 67–9, 102–110

2/8, 13

Hasmonaean Dynasty and the Early Roman Period

1 Maccabees (Apocrypha), 9:23–16

Josephus, Jewish War 1.4.1–1.7.7, 1.14.1–4, 1.20.1–4 (Whiston ed.)
http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-1.htm

Nickelsburg, 91–94, 231–237, 288–294

2/15

Diaspora Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic, and Roman Periods

***E. Mary Smallwood, ÒThe Diaspora in the Roman Period Before CE 70,Ó Cambridge History of Judaism III UMStudentDownload

2/20

Exam I

 

II. Society, Genres, and Texts

2/22, 27

Hellenization, Religion, and Institutions

Cohen, O34–124/N27–118

3/1, 6

The Bible

Cohen, O174–213/N167–203

VanderKam, 121–133

Texts illustrating the emergence of the Bible:

Ben Sira (Apocrypha), prologue

Letter of Aristeas, 1–51, 120–202, 301–322
http://www.ccel.org/c/charles/otpseudepig/aristeas.htm

Nickelsburg, 53–66, 196–199

3/8

Apocalyptic Literature

Daniel (Bible), 7–12

1 Enoch 85–90, 93

4 Ezra (=2 Esdras) (printed with Apocrypha) 3–5:20, 9:26–14

Nickelsburg, 43–52, 67–90, 110–118, 270–288

Writing Assignment

3/13

Wisdom Literature

Proverbs (Bible) 1, 8–9

Wisdom of Jesus Ben Sira (Apocrypha: Sirach), 1, 9–11, 24–26, 36, 44–50

Wisdom of Solomon (Apocrypha), 6–9

3/15

Literature and culture in Egypt

3 Maccabees (printed with Apocrypha)

Philo, On the Creation of the World, I (1)–X (37), XLVII (136)–end
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text/philo/book1.html

(Read or scroll through the introduction)

Third Sybilline Oracle, 1–161 [Charlesworth, ed.: 1–93], 268–475  [218–380], 484–1031 [601–829]
http://www.sacred-texts.com/cla/sib/sib05.htm

Nickelsburg, 191–230

3/20, 3/22

Spring Break, no classes

 

III. Sects and Parties and their Literatures

3/27, 29

Pharisees, Saducees, and Essenes

Handout

Cohen, O124–173/N119–166

Josephus, Jewish War (Whiston ed.) 2.8 (entire)
http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-2.htm

Pliny the Elder, Natural History 5.73 (Bostock, Riley ed. 5.15 (17)
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Plin.+Nat.+5.15

Philo, Hypothetica 11.1–18
http://www.earlyjewishwritings.com/text/philo/book37.html

(Scroll through or read the introduction to section 11)

4/3

1st day of Passover (class will be rescheduled)

4/5

Exam II

Midterm Review

4/10

8th day of Passover (will be rescheduled)

4/12, 17

Dead Sea Sect: History, Background, Controversy

VanderKam, 1–28, 71–117

Vermes 1–66

Qumran Ostraca, Vermes, 634–635

4/19

Texts and Religious Ideas of the Qumran Community

VanderKam, 29–69

Vermes, 67–90

Assignment II due

4/24, 26, 5/1

Selected Dead Sea Scrolls and Related Literature

Note: For discussion of the individual texts review VanderKam and see the relevant sections in Nickelsburg

 

Community Rule, Vermes, 98–117

Damascus Document, Vermes, I–XIV, 129–138

Messianic Rule (Qumran), Vermes, 159–62

War Rule, I–II, X–XIX, Vermes, 165–167, 175–85.

Temple Scroll (11QT) Cols. II, XVII–XXII, Vermes, 193, 195–198

Halakhic Letter (=4QMMT), Vermes, 221–30

Thanksgiving Hymns (=Hodayot, 1QH), selections, Vermes 249–252, 253–258, 263–268

Songs for the Holocaust [i.e. Burnt Offering] of the Sabbath (=4Q 403), Vermes, 332–336

Calendar of Priestly Courses (=Mishmarot A, 4Q320), Vermes 347–52

Sapiential Work (ii) (=4QInstruction), Vermes, 434–438

Examples of Qumran Pesher:

¥Nahum, Vermes, 504–508

¥Habbakuk, Vermes, 509–16

 

Jubilees 1–2, 17–22, 47–50
http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/ot/pseudo/jubilee.htm

(Read or scroll past the introduction)

Testament of Levi
http://www.earlychristianwritings.com/text/patriarchs-charles.html

(Scroll to Testament of Levi)

 

Additional Session (TBA)

Earliest Christianity as a Jewish Movement

Gospel of Matthew (New Testament), entire

Paul, First Letter to the Thessalonians (New Testament), entire

Paul, Letter to the Galatians (New Testament), entire

 

IV. Revolts against Rome, Responses

5/3

Revolts 66–70, 115–117, 132–135 CE

Josephus, Jewish War (Whiston ed.) 2.17 (entire), 2.20.1–6;
http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-2.htm

Josephus, Jewish War (Whiston ed.) 6.4.3–8
http://www.ccel.org/j/josephus/works/war-6.htm

Tacitus Histories, 5.1–13
http://www.perseus.tufts.edu/cgi-bin/ptext?lookup=Tac.+Hist.+5.1

(On the left select ÒDisplay text chunked by bookÓ)

also available at: http://classics.mit.edu/Tacitus/histories.5.v.html (faster, but paragraph numbers are not marked)

5/8

Responses to Destruction

Nickelsburg, 263–288

Cohen, O214–231/N205–224

5/10

Unfinished business

5/18

Final Exam, 8:00–10:00 AM (sorry!)