Early Jewish Writings and New Testament Interpretation

Early Jewish Writings and New Testament Interpretation is a concise guide to important early Jewish writings that inform New Testament interpretation. It highlights five literary categories: wisdom, apocalypses, rewritten scriptural narratives, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the writings of Philo and Josephus. The volume explains their contributions to interpreting theological ideas, socio-historical settings, and literary features of specific New Testament writings, and provides an historically nuanced perspective on what scripture might have looked like prior to the formation of the biblical canon.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 224 pages
Publication date: 19 July 2023
Publisher: Oxford University Press Inc

Early Jewish Writings and New Testament Interpretation is a comprehensive and accessible guide for undergraduates, seminarians, and interested readers seeking to explore the significant early Jewish writings that inform New Testament interpretation. While the literature of Early Judaism is vast, five specific literary categories stand at the forefront of modern New Testament research. These include wisdom writings, apocalypses, rewritten scriptural narratives, the Dead Sea Scrolls, and the writings of Philo and Josephus. Within each chapter, the authors delve into the contributions of these writings to interpreting the theological ideas, socio-historical settings, and literary features of specific New Testament writings. Furthermore, the volume provides a historically nuanced perspective on literary collections that the church later classified as apocrypha and pseudepigrapha, shedding light on what scripture might have looked like before the formation of the biblical canon. By interpreting these writings within their ancient context, readers gain valuable insight into the religious environment in which Judaism and the nascent church were emerging religions, yet to diverge significantly. This understanding enables readers of the New Testament today to appreciate the indebtedness of the New Testament literature to traditions found in contemporary Jewish works while also recognizing the creative and innovative ways in which the church interpreted them.

Dimension: 210 x 140 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780190274597