The Biblical Annals

Report on the Symposium “From the Book of Enoch to Book IV of the Sibylline Oracles. Old Testament Apocrypha – between Tradition and Innovation”

Michał Klukowski — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Noah in the Animal Apocalypse (1 En. 89:1-9)

Henryk Drawnel — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The Aramaic description of the flood in 1 En. 89:1–9 has survived in two fragments from Qumran (4Q206 frg. 8 I and frg. 9), which contain a shorter text than the Ethiopic translation. This article is an analysis of the presentation of the figure of Noah in the longer version of the Ethiopic Animal Apocalypse in the context of the Ethiopic Book of Enoch and in relation to Mesopotamian traditions associated with the flood. After being told the secret about the flood by a “man” (an angel), Noah, the white bull, works as a carpenter and builds a huge boat. After the flood, transformed into a “man” (a supernatural figure in the symbolism of the Animal Apocalypse), he leaves his three sons. This description of Noah brings him closer to the main characters of the flood in Mesopotamian sources.

Prince Mastema and His Army in the Book of Jubilees

Antoni Tronina — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The Book of Jubilees is a valuable testimony of the “intertestamental” literature from the time of the Maccabean struggles for the religious and national sovereignty of Israel. The topic under discussion concerns the term which describes the leader of the evil spirits as “Prince Mastema.” “Mastema” is not so much a personal name, but rather a designation of function in the world. The term “Lord of Hostility” is not presented here as an opponent of God, but rather as the commander of an army of evil spirits that will wage war against God-faithful spirits in the end times.

Exorcism in the Genesis Apocryphon (1Q20ar) in the Light of Biblical Demonology

Wojciech Kardyś — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

In the Genesis Apocryphon (1Q20ar), there is a story containing a description of an exorcism (col. 20). In that text, Abraham is asked to free Pharaoh who is plagued by a “spirit of pestilence”. By becoming an exorcist, the patriarch causes the demon to be banished. The aim of the article is to show this story against the background of biblical demonological texts. After presenting the figure of the evil spirit and its activity in 1Q20ar, the issue of the presence of demons in the Holy Scriptures is discussed (the evil spirit that harms Pharaoh most resembles the “lying spirit” from 1 Kings 22:19–22 and Satan from the Book of Job). The course of exorcism in the apocryphon and the means used by Abraham are also described, followed by a review of exorcisms in the Old and New Testaments. It turns out that the story about the expulsion of the demon in 1Q20ar differs from the one found in the Book of Tobit and in the descriptions present in the Gospels. In recapitulation, the conclusion is reached that despite some similarities in this field, the story in 1Q20ar retains its original and incomparable character. Perhaps it is a form of bridge between the “restrained” demonology of the Old Testament and the more developed doctrine of evil spirits in the New Testament.

The Apocalyptic Character of the Testament of Moses

Marek Parchem — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The document entitled Testament of Moses takes the form of a farewell speech inspired by the Book of Deuteronomy, addressed by Moses before his death to Joshua. The original document, dating from the time of the Maccabees (mid-2nd century BC), was rewritten and updated at the beginning of the first century AD. It is preserved in only one Latin manuscript from the sixth century. The Latin text is a translation from Greek (ca. 5th century) which in turn is a translation of a text that was probably written in Hebrew. Although the Testament of Moses is dominated by a Deuteronomistic theology of history, its message focuses on determinism of an apocalyptic nature. Hence, the existing apocalyptic elements in the document play an important role, which is particularly highlighted by the eschatological hymn in Chapter 10, which shows many parallels with Dan 12:1–3. The eschatological events are portrayed as the time of the establishment of the kingdom of God and the annihilation of the devil. Before this happens, however, a variety of cataclysms of cosmic proportions and an intervention by God will occur, resulting in the final defeat of the forces of evil and the exaltation of Israel and its inclusion in a community with heavenly beings.

Metaphtonymy of ἀστέρες πλανῆται in the Epistle of Jude 13 in the Light of the First Book of Enoch

Dorota Muszytowska — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

This article aims to elucidate the precise meaning of the expression ἀστέρες πλανῆται in the Epistle of Jude 13. The expression occurs within a series of metonymies (Jude 12–13) used by the author of the epistle to depict the wicked ( ἀσεβεῖς) who are under critique. Commentators highlight the challenge of interpreting the expressions appearing in those passages due to their metaphorical nature and the vagueness of their contextual origins. The metaphtonymy of ἀστέρες πλανῆται has been examined considering how metaphtonymy is defined in cognitive linguistics. Firstly, the sense resulting from the use of substitution (metonymy) was analysed. Attention was then given to the possible metaphorical meanings of the metonymy. Particular focus was given to the mechanisms of metaphor production, as the expression bears the characteristics of both a general metaphor, derived from experience, and a contextual metaphor, produced for a specific discourse. To characterise the domain of the expression within a given discourse, the Epistle of Jude was analysed as the primary context. Additionally, the First Book of Enoch (1 Enoch) was examined as a potential intertext that could reveal the mechanism of figurative language production in the expression ἀστέρες πλανῆται, as well as its meaning. The starting point was the assumption that there is a dependency relationship between Jude and the 1 Enoch. An analysis of the extant sources (Greek-language versions of 1 Enoch) has led to the conclusion that it is not possible to demonstrate hypoand hypertextual relationships for the expression ἀστέρες πλανῆται due to the lack of material evidence. An analysis of the meanings of the constituent expressions included in the metaphtonymy in question, as well as of the contexts in 1 Enoch, allows the conclusion that the authors of both texts and probably also the presumed primary recipients of the Epistle of Jude have a similar way of thinking and speaking. 1 Enoch makes it possible to better define both the use of this expression by the author of Epistle of Jude and understand the mechanism of figurative language production significantly influenced by the context of apocalyptic ideology.

Circulation of the Old Testament Apocrypha in Coptic Literature

Przemysław Piwowarczyk — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

The article surveys the Old Testament Apocrypha in Coptic literature. After problematizing the nature and list of Apocrypha, specifically in the Egyptian context, it pragmatically uses Clavis apocryphorum Veteris Testamenti as a reference point. The analytic part shows that MSS containing Apocrypha constitute the very margin of the Coptic literary production. Such texts were relatively popular until the fifth century CE, but their popularity waned, and only some selected motifs were reworked in new compositions, mainly of homiletical nature. Moreover, the analysis of extant library catalogues and book lists on papyri, ostraca, and inscriptions proves the almost complete absence of Apocrypha, at least among the monastic readings. The interpretative part underlines the rise of the monasticization of Coptic Christianity and the tightening of episcopal control as crucial factors in the decline of apocryphal production.

Genesis 5:24 in Karaite Exegesis: Printed Commentaries

Piotr Muchowski — Fri, 28 Jun 2024 00:00:00 +0200

This article addresses the niche problem of interpreting the text of Gen 5:24 “Enoch walked with God and he was not, for God took him” in Karaite exegetical literature. It aims to investigate with what technique this crucial text for Enochian literature was read and explained in biblical commentaries belonging to the canon of Karaite exegetical literature, and especially how the meaning of the verb “took” was interpreted. The subject of this study is the passages concerning the character of Enoch that are attested in three Hebrew-language commentaries published in print, dating from the 13th, 14th, and 19th centuries. These are Sefer ha-mivḥar ve-tov ha-misḥar by Aaron ben Joseph, Sefer keter Torah by Aaron ben Elijah, and Tirat kesef by Joseph Solomon ben Moses Lutski. All these commentaries were printed by the Karaite printing press in Gozleve (Eupatoria) in the 19th century and were used for educational purposes, including in the Polish-Lithuanian Karaite communities. Except for small fragments, these commentaries have never been translated or critically edited. The editions of the commentaries on Gen 5:24 included in this article provide a representative illustration of the peculiarities of Karaite biblical exegesis in the period from the late Middle Ages onward.

Sebastiano Pinto, Sapienza. Nuova versione, introduzione e commento (I libri biblici. Primo Testamento 34; Cinisello Balsamo: Paoline 2022)

Marcin Zieliński — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200

Review of the book: Sebastiano Pinto, Sapienza. Nuova versione, introduzione e commento (I libri biblici. Primo Testamento 34; Cinisello Balsamo: Paoline 2022). Pp. 420. € 49. ISBN 978-88-315-5189-2

Promotor nauk biblijnych i animator dialogu z judaizmem w Polsce – Ksiądz Profesor Ryszard Rubinkiewicz

Henryk Witczyk — Fri, 19 Jul 2024 00:00:00 +0200