The origins of Christianity; sources and documents. [print]

Includes bibliographical references.

Introduction -- HISTORICAL SOURCES. POLITICAL HISTORY. Judaism. I Maccabbees (from the rise of the Maccabees to the decline of the Hasmoneans) -- Josephus: antiquities of the Jews (the end of the Hasmoneans and the conquest of Palestine by Rome ; Antipater and the Herodian line) -- Josephus: Jewish Wars (Jewish nationalism: the first and second revolts against Rome) -- Roman policy in the Eastern provinces. (Toward Judaism) -- Josephus: antiquities (Caesar Augustus' political arrangements in Palestine) -- Philo of Alexandria: ad Gaium (conflict between Jews and Gaius Caligula) -- (Toward Christianity) -- Pliny's letter to the Emperor Trajan -- RELIGIOUS HISTORY. Jewish religious institutions and practices. The feasts: Passover-Mishnah: Mo'ed (Pashin) ; Hanukah-Mishnah: Mo'ed (Megilla) -- The temple -- Josephus: Jewish Wars -- The Scriptures for the Diaspora -- letter of Aristeas -- The imperial cult in the east. Decree of the Synod of the province of Asia -- Popular religion in the early empire (initiation into the mysteries and syncretistic savior cults). Apuleius: Metamorphoses -- Dedicatory inscription -- Letter honoring Serapis -- Magical incantations. The Church in the apostolic age. Eusebius: ecclesiastical history -- MEANING IN HISTORY -- Jewish apocalyptic: Jubilees. Jewish mystical: Philo of Alexandria. Hellenistic Ethical: IV Maccabees. Roman Eschatological: Virgil Eclogue IV.

LITERARY TEXTS AND FOLK-LITERARY SOURCES. LITERARY TEXTS. Wisdom and its mediators. Wisdom of Ben Sira -- Wisdom of Solomon -- Jewish interpretation of Scripture. Paraphrases and expansion of the Scriptural narratives. Targum of pseudo-Jonathan -- Midrash Sifre on Numbers -- Midrash Mechlita on Exodus -- Allegorical interpretation of Scripture: Philo on the cherubim non-rabbinic midrash: Genesis Apocryphon -- Midrash Pesher -- Biblical antiquities of pseudo-Philo -- Jewish legal interpretation. Concerning proselytes -- The poor, the rich, and the wicked -- Authority in interpretation -- Oral law -- Judicial procedures -- Death penalty -- Eschatological texts. Pharisaic nationalistic texts: the psalms of Solomon -- Apocalyptic texts: testaments of the twelve patriarchs, I Enoch, IV Ezra, Qumran texts: The Dead Sea scrolls, The war of the children of light and the children of darkness -- Popular tales and biographical narratives. Popular 'lives' of great men (Chria): (Diogenes Laertius: Socrates; Digogenes of Sinope, Rabbinic anecdotes, Philostratus: life of Apollonius of Tyana, Lucian of Samosata: Alexander the false prophet) -- Miracle stories: (rabbinic miracle stories, Philostratus: Apollonius of Tyana -- Parables: (Talmudic sources) -- Hellenistic ethical and philosophical texts. Diogenes Laertius: Zeno -- Epictetus -- Revelatory and gnostic texts. Hermetica -- The Odes of Solomon -- The Gospel of Thomas -- The acts of Thomas (hymn of the pearl) -- NONLITERARY MATERIAL FROM THE EASTERN MEDITERRANEAN. Inscriptions from the Eastern Mediterranean. Personal letters.

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