Hayim Lapin

2115 FSK

Ext. 54296

Office Hours:
Tues. 9–10:30
Thu 2:30–3:30

HIST219C/JWST219C

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.

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.

Quizzes (20%): 9/27; 11/10.
These will be 10 to 15 minute quizzes. The goal will be to make sure you have kept up with the readings, and have a basic understanding of their contents and implications.

Written assignments (50%), due 9/20; 11/3
The assignments are described at the end the print version of the syllabus and are available on the Assignment 1, Origins of Hanukah; Assignment 2, Apocalypic and History), and will be available on the Web. The submitted papers should be 1500 words each (about five double-spaced pages).

Final Exam (25%), Thursday 12/15, 8:00–10:00 AM (sorry!)

Readings:

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

VanderKam, James. Introduction to Early Judaism. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004.

Cohen, Shaye J. D. From the Maccabees to the Mishnah. Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1988.

Vermes, Geza. The Complete Dead Sea Scrolls in English. London: Penguin, 2004.

Josephus. The Jewish War. Trans. G. Williamson; Rev. E. M. Smallwood. London: Penguin, 1981.

HarperCollins Study Bible. Ed. Wayne Meeks. San Francisco: Harper San Francisco, 1993.

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:

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)

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

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

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


Outline of Classes and Assignments

 

I. History and Society

 

 

For this unit (by Sept. 27):

VanderKam, Introduction, 1–52

Cohen, Maccabees, 3–59

1.     Introduction and overview

9/1

No reading assignment

 

2.     The Persian Period

9/6

2 Kings (Bible) 24–25

Jeremiah (Bible) 39:1–10; 52

Ezra, Nehemiah (Bible)

 

3.     Palestine under the Hellenistic Dynasties; The Hamonaean Revolt

9/8, 13

1 Maccabees (Apocrypha), 1–9:22

2 Maccabees (Apocrypha), 3–10

VanderKam, Introduction, 142–146, 62–69

4.     Later Hasmonaean Dynasty, Early Roman Period

9/15, 20

1 Maccabees (Apocrypha), 9:23–16

Josephus, War, 1.1–2.270 (Penguin, Prol.–Ch. 7, pp. 27–148)

 

5.     Hellenistic and Early Roman Diaspora

9/22, 27

VanderKam, Introduction, 49–52

Quiz in class

 

6.     Revolt Against Rome 66–74 CE

9/29, 10/6

Josephus, War, 4.84–439, 5.418–7.end (Penguin Ch. 14–15, pp. 240–69; Ch. 19–23, pp. 322–408)

 

10/4

Class cancelled: Rosh Hashanah

 

II. Genre and Society

7.     Rise of the Bible

10/11

What is ÒThe BibleÓ?

Cohen, Maccabees, 174–213

10/13

Class cancelled: Yom Kippur

 

10/18

Class cancelled: Sukkot

 

10/20, 27

Ben Sira (Apocrypha), prologue

Letter of Aristeas, 1–51, 120–202, 301–32

Jubilees 1–2, 17–22, 47–50
Read or scroll past the introduction

Testament of Levi
The link is to the "Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs." Scroll down to the "Testment of Levi"

Genesis Apocryphon (Qumran)  Cols II–IV, Vermes, 481–484.

Examples of Qumran Pesher

Nahum, Vermes, 504–508

Habbakuk, Vermes, 509–16

Psalms, Vermes, 519–23

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

VanderKam, Introduction, 115–118

VanderKam, Introduction, 81–85

VanderKam, Introduction, 97–100

VanderKam, Introduction, 94–97, 100–107

10/25

Class cancelled: Shemini Atzeret

 

8.     Wisdom Literature

11/1

Proverbs (Bible) 8–9

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

Wisdom of Solomon (Apocrypha), 6–9

 

 

 

VanderKam, Introduction, 124–127

9.     Apocalyptic

11/3, 8

Daniel (Bible), 7–12

1 Enoch 85–90, 93

4 Ezra (=2 Esdras) 3–5:20, 9:26–14

Third Sybilline Oracle, 1–161 [Charlesworth, ed.: 1–93], 268–475  [218–380], 484–1031 [601–829]

VanderKam, Introduction, 103–107

 

VanderKam, Introduction, 107–110

10.  Devotional and Penitential Literature

11/8

Baruch (Apocrypha)

Prayer of Manasseh (Apocrypha)

Payer of Azariah and Song of the Three Young Men (Apocrypha)

4 Maccabees (printed with Apocrypha)

Ps. 151 (printed with Apocrypha)

Thanksgiving Hymns [=Hodayot scroll] (Qumran) nos. 1 (23), 2 (24), 4 (21), 5 (22), 7–11 (1–6), Vermes, 250–69.

 

Review: Ezra 8–10, Nehemiah 8–10

VanderKam, Introduction, 121–123

VanderKam, Introduction, 132–133

VanderKam, Introduction, 133–134

 

11.  Women and Gender in Second Temple Judaism

TBA

Additional Session

Tobit (Apocrypha)

Judith (Apocrypha)

Joseph and Aseneth, 1–2

Testament of Job, 1–7, 21–26, 46–50

 

VanderKam, Introduction, 69

VanderKam, Introduction, 69­–72

12.  Literature and Culture in Egypt

11/10

3 Maccabees (printed with Apocrypha)

Philo, On the Creation of the World, I (1)–X (37), XLVII (136)–end
Read or scoll through the introduction

*Ezekiel the Tragic Poet (fragments), Charlesworth II 808–819

Review 3 Sibylline Oracle

VanderKam, Introduction, 78–81

VanderKam, Introduction, 138–142

 

Quiz in class

 

III. Social Movements and their Literatures

13.  Religious and Cultural Institutions

11/15, 17

Cohen, Maccabees, 104–123

VanderKam, Introduction, 175–212

 

14.  Pharisees and Saducees

11/22, 29

Cohen, Maccabees, 124–213

Josephus, War, 2.117–165, Penguin Ch. 7, pp. 132–138.

 

11/24

Thanksgiving Day, no classes

 

15.  Essenes and the Dead Sea Sect

12/1, 6, 8

Community Rule (Qumran), Vermes, 98–117

Damascus Document (Qumran), Vermes, I–XIV, 129–138

Messianic Rule (Qumran), Vermes, 159–62

War Rule (Qumran), I­II, X–XIX, Vermes, 165–167, 175–85.

Songs for the Holocaust [i.e. Burnt Offering] of the Sabbath (Qumran), Vermes, 332–333 (4Q 403)

 

Review Josephus on Essenes (previous unit)

Review Commentaries (Pesher) to Nahum and Habbakuk

Vermes, Dead Sea Scrolls in English, Introduction, 26–90

 

16.  Early Christianity—the Jesus Movement

TBA

Additional session

Gospel of Matthew (New Testament), entire

 

V. Unfinished business and Review

12/13

Unfinished business and review

 

VI. Final Exam

12/15
8–10 AM

Final exam, set by University. Subject to change.