The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism: A New Theory of People, Exile, and Israelite Identity

Jason A. Staples proposes a new paradigm for Israel's development in Early Judaism and its impact on Jewish apocalyptic hopes, challenging conventional assumptions about Israelite identity in antiquity. His book demonstrates that restoration aspirations remained central to Jewish conceptions of Israelite identity throughout the final centuries before Christianity and into the early Common Era, and that Israelite identity was more diverse than previously thought.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 450 pages
Publication date: 01 September 2022
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Jason A. Staples presents a novel perspective on the evolution of the biblical concept of Israel in Early Judaism and its profound impact on Jewish apocalyptic aspirations for restoration following the Babylonian Exile. By conducting a comprehensive examination of a vast array of biblical and other early Jewish literature and material evidence, Staples challenges prevailing notions of Israelite identity in antiquity. He demonstrates that the desire for Israel's restoration persisted amidst the diaspora and imperial domination, remaining a central aspect of Jewish conceptions of Israelite identity throughout the final centuries before Christianity and even into the early part of the Common Era. Furthermore, Staples reveals that Israelite identity in antiquity was more diverse than commonly acknowledged in modern scholarship. His book provides a solid foundation for a deeper comprehension of the so-called "parting of the ways" between Judaism and Christianity and sheds light on how earliest Christianity emerged from the same roots as Israel's restoration hopes.

ISBN-13: 9781108822893