Early Christology must focus not simply on historical but also on theological ideas found in contemporary Jewish thought and practice. In this book, a range of distinguished contributors considers the context and formation of early Jewish and Christian devotion to God aloneGCothe emergence of GCGBPmonotheismGC[yen]. The idea of monotheism is critically examined from various perspectives, including the history of ideas, Graeco-Roman religions, early Jewish mediator figures, scripture exegesis, and the history of its use as a theological category. The studies explore different ways of conceiving of early Christian monotheism today, asking whether monotheism is a conceptually useful category, whether it may be applied cautiously and with qualifications, or whether it is to be questioned in favor of different approaches to understanding the origins of Jewish and Christian beliefs and worship. This is volume 1 in the Early Christianity in Context series and volume 263 in the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series

The volume is a commentary on 1 Enoch chapters 91-108 that begins with the Ethiopic text tradition but also takes the Greek and Aramaic (Dead Sea Scrolls) evidence into account. This section of 1 Enoch, which contains material from at least five different documents composed some time during the 2nd century BCE, provides a window into the early stages of the reception of the earliest Enoch tradition, as it was being negotiated in relation to elitist religious opponents, on the one hand, and in relation to other Jewish traditions that were flourishing at the time. The commentary, at the beginning of which there is an extensive introduction, is structured in the following way: there is a translation for each unit of text (including the Greek and Aramaic where it exists, with the Greek and Ethiopic translations presented synoptically), followed by detailed textual notes that justify the translation and provide information on a full range of variations among the manuscripts. This, in turn, is followed by a General Comment on the unit of text; after this there are detailed notes on each subdivision of the text which attempt to situate the content within the stream of biblical interpretation and developing Jewish traditions of the Second Temple period. The five documents in 1 Enoch 91-108 are dealt with in the following order: (1) Apocalypse of Weeks (93:1-10; 91:11-17); (2) Admonition (91:1-10, 18-19); (3) Epistle of Enoch (92:1-5; 93:11-105:2; (4) Birth of Noah (106-107); and (5) the Eschatological Appendix (108).

Leading international contributors on biblical texts, including the New Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls, intersect with the work of James H. Charlesworth and examine Charlesworth's vast contribution to the field of biblical studies, honoring the work of one of the most significant biblical scholars of his generation. Divided into five sections, this volume begins with a section on the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament texts, with particular focus on the Gospel of John and Jesus studies. The contexts of these texts are considered, with a focus on the Greco-Roman and Jewish worlds, and the varying intersections between texts and the worlds that created them. The contributors then focus on the most significant body of Charlesworth's work, the apocrypha/pseudepigrapha and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the journey concludes with an assessment of the history of scholarship on the core areas addressed across the book.

Basics of Ancient Ethiopic by Archie Wright introduces students to the basic grammar of ancient Ethiopic (Ge'ez) while approaching the language through its wider cultural and literary context, and its historical legacy. As part of the widely-used Zondervan Language Basics series of resources, Wright's Ethiopic grammar is a student-friendly introduction. It helps students learn by: Minimizing technical jargon Providing only the information needed to learn the basics Breaking the grammar of language down into manageable and intuitive chunks Illustrating the grammar in question by its use in rich selections from ancient Christian and the Second Temple Jewish books of 1 Enoch and Jubilees Providing grammar, readings, exercises, and a lexicon all in one convenient volume Basics of Ethiopic provides an ideal first step into this important language and focuses on getting the student into texts and translation as quickly as possible.

One "apocalyptic" reading of Paul's letter to the Galatians has been attempted before and is now widely accepted, but that reading is not based on a thorough engagement with Jewish apocalyptic traditions of the Second Temple period. In this book, James M. Scott argues that there is an essential continuity between Galatians and Paul's Jewish past, and that Paul uses the apocalyptic Epistle of Enoch (1 Enoch 92-105) as a literary model for his own letter. Scott first contextualizes the Epistle of Enoch using the entire Enochic corpus and explores the extensive similarities (and some differences) between the Enochic tradition and early Stoicism. Then he turns to deal specifically with Paul's letter to the Galatians, showing that, despite their obvious differences, the two apocalyptic letters have some remarkable features in common as well. This approach to the interpretation of Galatians fundamentally stands to change the way biblical scholars understand Paul's letter and the gospel that he preached. Paul is "within Judaism," if the net for what is included in "Judaism" is wide enough to encompass the Enochic tradition.

The mythical story of fallen angels preserved in 1 Enoch and related literature was influential during the Second Temple period. This myth, initially attested in the Enochic Book of Watchers and picked up in further parts of 1 Enoch, was received in writings composed in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek, and had a profound impact on streams of religious thought in the western and oriental world, as well as in Africa. This volume collects studies by Loren T. Stuckenbruck that explore aspects of this influence in some of the literature and demonstrate how it was reused and adapted to address new cultural and religious contexts ( Book of Giants, Book of Jubilees, Dead Sea Scrolls, Book of Tobit, Book of Daniel, Genesis Apocryphon, Philo). In addition, apart from whether influence of the fallen angels' tradition can be established, Stuckenbruck analyses the degree to which it offers a theological framework through which to reconsider theological approaches to several New Testament texts (Synoptic Gospels, Gospel of John, Acts, Pauline texts, and the Book of Revelation). Themes covered in the essays include demonology, prominent evil figures, giants, exorcism, petitionary prayer, the birth and activity of Jesus, the holy Spirit, conversion of Gentiles, "apocalyptic" and the understanding of time, and theological anthropology.

The Lord's Prayer belongs at the core of Christian tradition. There is hardly any text of the New Testament more frequently cited in liturgical, group, and private settings. The contributions in this volume are the fruitful result of an international symposium held at the University of Tubingen in early October 2018. The volume examines the Lord's Prayer in conversation with Jewish tradition, situates it in relation to New Testament theology, and explores its reception history in early Christianity. Thus, the articles in this volume demonstrate the richness of the Lord's Prayer and its relevance for both Jewish and Christian identity.

Reading Revelation in Context brings together short, accessible essays that compare and contrast the visions and apocalyptic imagery of the book of Revelation with various texts from Second Temple Jewish literature. Going beyond an introduction that merely surveys historical events and theological themes, Reading Revelation in Context examines individual passages in Second Temple Jewish literature in order to illuminate the context of Revelation's theology and the meaning and potency of John's visions. Following the narrative progression of Revelation, each chapter (1) pairs a major unit of the Apocalypse with one or more sections of a thematically related Jewish text, (2) introduces and explores the historical and theological nuances of the comparator text, and (3) shows how the ideas in the comparator text illuminate those expressed in Revelation. In addition to the focused comparison provided in the essays, the book contains other student-friendly features that will help them engage broader discussions, including an introductory chapter that familiarizes students with the world and texts of Second Temple Judaism, a glossary of important terms, and a brief appendix suggesting what tools students might use to undertake their own comparative studies. At the end of each chapter there a list of other thematically relevant Second Temple Jewish texts recommended for additional study and a focused bibliography pointing students to critical editions and higher-level discussions in scholarly literature. Reading Revelation in Context brings together an international team of over 20 New Testament experts including Jamie Davies, David A. deSilva, Michael J. Gorman, Dana M. Harris, Ronald Herms, Edith M. Humphrey, Jonathan A. Moo, Elizabeth E. Shively, Cynthia Long Westfall, Archie T. Wright, and more.

The T&T Clark Encyclopedia of Second Temple Judaism provides a comprehensive reference resource of over 600 scholarly articles aimed at those studying Judaism in the Second Temple Period, and the numerous texts and artefacts related to it. The work is split into four parts across two volumes. Part One locates the discipline in relation to other relevant fields (for example the Hebrew Bible, Rabbinics, Christian Origins) and provides an orientation to the discipline's distinctive nomenclatures and debates. The history of research in the area is also presented in full. Part Two presents an overview of respective contexts of the discipline set within the broad framework of historical chronology. Social/cultural, literary, linguistic, geographical, political, and religious contexts are all explained, from the time period of the conquests of Alexander the Great (332 B.C.E.) through to the reign of Hadrian (135 C.E.). Part Three focuses specifically on the literature of the Second Temple period, summarizing the content of key texts, and examining their similarities and differences with other texts of the period. This section includes surveys of scholarship on date, provenance, location, language(s), and interpretative issues. The reception history of texts is considered. Part Four addresses topics, specifically those relevant to Second Temple literature such as places, practices, historical figures and artefacts. The volumes include 14 specially created color maps and over 60 charts and illustrations.

The public worship of the risen Christ as depicted in John's Apocalypse directly contradicts the guidingangel's emphasis that only God should be worshiped (Revelation 19:10; 22:8-9). In Angel Veneration and Christology , Loren Stuckenbruck explores this contradiction in light of angelveneration in Early Judaism. Stuckenbruck surveys a wide variety of Jewish traditions related to angelic worship and discovers proscriptions against sacrificing toangels; prohibitions against making images ofangels; rejections of the "two powers"; second-century Christian apologetic accusations specifically directed against Jews; and, most importantly, the refusal tradition, widespread in Jewish and Jewish-Christian writings, wherein angelic messengers refuse the veneration of the seer and exhort the worship of God alone. While evidence forthe practice of angelvenerationamong Jews of antiquity (Qumran, pseudepigraphal literature, and inscriptions from Asia Minor) does not furnish the immediate background for the worship of Christ, Stuckenbruck demonstrates that the very fact that safeguards to a monotheistic framework were issued at all throws light on the Christian practice of worshiping Jesus. The way the Apocalypse adapts the refusal tradition illuminates Revelation's declarations about and depictions of Jesus. Though the refusal tradition itself only safeguards the worship of God, Stuckenbruck traces how the tradition has been split so that the angelophanic elements were absorbed into the christophany. As Stuckenbruck shows, an angelomorphicChristology, shared by the author of Revelation and its readers, functions to preserve the author's monotheistic emphasis as well as to emphasize Christ's superiority over theangelsasetting the stage for the worship of the Lamb in a monotheistic framework that does not contradict the angelic directive to worship God alone.

The mythical story of fallen angels preserved in 1 Enoch and related literature was profoundly influential during the Second Temple period. In this volume renowned scholar Loren Stuckenbruck explores aspects of that influence and demonstrates how the myth was reused and adapted to address new religious and cultural contexts. Stuckenbruck considers a variety of themes, including demonology, giants, exorcism, petitionary prayer, the birth and activity of Jesus, the Holy Spirit, the conversion of Gentiles, "apocalyptic" and the understanding of time, and more. He also offers a theological framework for the myth of fallen angels through which to reconsider several New Testament texts-the Synoptic Gospels, the Gospel of John, Acts, Paul's letters, and the book of Revelation.

Early Christology must focus not simply on "historical" but also on theological ideas found in contemporary Jewish thought and practice. In this book, a range of distinguished contributors considers the context and formation of early Jewish and Christian devotion to God alone-the emergence of "monotheism". The idea of monotheism is critically examined from various perspectives, including the history of ideas, Graeco-Roman religions, early Jewish mediator figures, scripture exegesis, and the history of its use as a theological category. The studies explore different ways of conceiving of early Christian monotheism today, asking whether monotheism is a conceptually useful category, whether it may be applied cautiously and with qualifications, or whether it is to be questioned in favor of different approaches to understanding the origins of Jewish and Christian beliefs and worship. This is volume 1 in the Early Christianity in Context series and volume 263 in the Journal for the Study of the New Testament Supplement Series

While there has been much scholarly attention devoted to the Enochic Book of the Watchers, much less has been paid to the Book of Giants from Qumran. This volume is the proceedings of a conference that convened in Munich, Germany, in June 2014, which was devoted to the giants of Enochic tradition and in particular the Qumran Book of Giants. It engages the topic of the giants in relation to various ancient contexts, including the Hebrew Bible, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and ancient Mesopotamia. The authors of this volume give particular attention to Manichaeism, especially the Manichaean Book of Giants, fragments of which were found in Turfan (western China). They contribute to our understanding of the range of stories Jews told in antiquity about the sons of the watchers who descended to earth and their vibrant Nachleben in Manichaeism.

Leading international contributors on biblical texts, including the New Testament and the Dead Sea Scrolls, intersect with the work of James H. Charlesworth and examine Charlesworth's vast contribution to the field of biblical studies, honoring the work of one of the most significant biblical scholars of his generation. Divided into five sections, this volume begins with a section on the Hebrew Bible and the New Testament texts, with particular focus on the Gospel of John and Jesus studies. The contexts of these texts are considered, with a focus on the Greco-Roman and Jewish worlds, and the varying intersections between texts and the worlds that created them. The contributors then focus on the most significant body of Charlesworth's work, the apocrypha/pseudepigrapha and the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the journey concludes with an assessment of the history of scholarship on the core areas addressed across the book.

The volume brings together essays that explore the topic of memory and remembrance in the ancient world, taking into account the Hebrew Bible (Deuteronomy, 1 and 2 Kings), ancient Judaism (1 and 2 Maccabees, Psalms of Solomon, Dead Sea Scrolls), the classical world, the New Testament (Jesus, Synoptic Gospels and Acts, Gospel of John, Pauline letters) and Early Christianity (Petrine tradition). The essays, which focus on a wide range of sources from antiquity, open up new questions about the social and religious function of memory. As a collection, they demonstrate how much social memory theory can contribute to the understanding of the ways ancient texts were, on the one hand, shaped by conventions of memory and, on the other hand, participated in and contributed to evolving strategies for reading "the past".

The Dead Sea Scrolls represent the remains of an ancient Jewish library which antedates 68 C.E. It is the most significant discovery of biblically related ancient manuscripts, and represents more than 600 ancient Jewish documents. The series being published by J. C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck) and Westminster/John Knox Press will present an introduction, critical text, and literal English translations of all Dead Sea Scrolls which are not copies of books in the Hebrew Bible. This series is the defenitive collection of the Dead Sea Scrolls and will conclude with a volume on the Biblical Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha, and a concordance to the collection. Thirty-eight scholars from Canada, Germany, Israel, the United States, and other countries serve as subeditors in the series.The first volume contains the first improved edition of 1QS with a critical apparatus, all the fragments of the Rule of the Community found in Caves IV and V a literal translation to each of these, which is prepared so that the Hebrew is on the left page and the translation on the right. Critical notes help the scholar understand the text, the variants, philological subtleties, and explain the translations. Documents related to the Rule of the Community are olso contained in the first volume of this series.