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An Examination of the Motifs of Israel's Re-Gathering and the Fate of the Nations in Early Jewish Literature and Luke-Acts

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An Examination of the Motifs of Israel's Re-Gathering and the Fate of the Nations in Early Jewish Literature and Luke-Acts Durham E-Theses The Tradition of restoration: An examination of the Motifs of Israel's re-gathering and the fate of the nations in early Jewish literature and Luke-Acts Fuller, Michael E. How to cite: Fuller, Michael E. (2005) The Tradition of restoration: An examination of the Motifs of Israel's re-gathering and the fate of the nations in early Jewish literature and Luke-Acts, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/2859/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 The Tradition of Restoration: An Examination of the Motifs of Israel's Re-gathering and the Fate of the Nations in Early Jewish Literature and Luke-Acts Michael E. Fuller A copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published without his prior written consent and information derived from it should be acknowledged. Toward the Fulfillment of the Requirements of the Degree oi Doctor of Philosophy The University of Durham, United Kingdom Department of Theology 2005 2 1 JUN 2005 ABSTRACT The Tradition of Restoration: An Examination of the Motifs of Israel's Re-gathering and the Fate of the Nations in Early Jewish Literature and Luke-Acts By Michael E. Fuller This thesis identifies and examines the tradition of restoration. Particular attention is given to its expression in—what is identified in the present study—as the exilic model of restoration. This model provided one framework through which Jews in the Greco- Roman period could express their dilemmas as well as their hopes and ideas of the future. This particular expression of Israel's restoration is characterized by the features of: Israel's re-gathering, the fate of the nations/enemies, and the establishment of a new Temple. The present study focuses primarily on the first two features (i.e., the re- gathering of Israel and the fate of Israel's enemies) of the exilic model of restoration. The features are identified in a wide number of early Jewish documents and examined for their interpretation. In Chapter One, we examine and submit to critique the most important scholarly work on the use of the pattern of 'exile and return' in early Jewish ideas of restoration. In Chapter Two (The Re-gathering of Israel), we identify and discuss various early Jewish sources that represent the diverse interpretations given to the motif of Israel's eschatological return. In Chapter Three (The Defeat of Israel's Enemies), we examine a number of early Jewish documents that represent the variety of interpretations and emphases given to the hope for the defeat of Israel's adversaries. In Chapter Four (The Restoration of Israel in Luke-Acts), we explore the influence of these early Jewish ideas of restoration on the self-identity and hopes of a formative Christian community. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The present thesis could not have been written without the crucial involvement and support of a number of people. First of all, I must thank my Ph.D. supervisor, Prof Loren T. Stuckenbruck, who has provided me with guidance and support for which all prospective Ph.D. students hope in their programs. Prof. Stuckenbruck has been both a mentor and a friend. Moreover, he, his spouse (Lois) and children were like an extended family to me and my spouse (Shelia) while we lived in England. Also appreciation is due to Prof James D. G. Dunn, for serving as my temporary supervisor while Prof. Stuckenbruck was on Sabbatical leave, and to Prof C.T.R Hayward, for many stimulating and helpful discussions. I wish also to thank the two examiners of the present thesis. Prof John Barclay (internal examiner [University of Durham) and to Dr. Steve Walton (external examiner [London School of Theology]). They provided an invigorating viva and gave me much to consider in my future research. Other scholars with whom I have had meaningful conversations while at Durham include Doron Mendels, Shemaryahu Talmon, and N.T. Wright. The renovmed Durham Theology seminar provided the context for many of these discussions. I must also thank the secretarial staff of Durham, especially Margaret Parkinson and Anne Parker, who have been so helpful and friendly through the years. I am grateful for the Overseas Research Scholarship (1997-98; 1998-99) granted by the British Government, which made my study at Durham possible. My appreciation goes out to Lee University, which has provided me with a wonderful environment to work and great collegiality. A special word of thanks must go to Dr. Paul Coim (President of Lee University), who provided me a faculty post, and who has been so generous with his support of my research. Also, 1 am grateful to Dr. Carolyn Dirksen (Vice President of Academics) who has helped me in finding space, time, and finances to finish the writing of the thesis. She has been such a friend as well. My appreciation goes out to a number of friends: Chuck Robertson, Doug Mohrmarm, Stephen and Linda Wright, Florian Schwaab, Pierpaolo Andriani, Franek Siedlok, and Marco Conti. I wish to acknowledge as well my friend and colleagues here at Lee University. Their collegiality and friendship has been vital to the completion of the thesis. Thanks to Brad Frazier, Todd Hibbard, Barbara Searcy, Terry Cross, Dale Coulter. Jean Corey and Edley Moodley. Three special friends must be singled out: Mohammed Al-Masri is the friend one needs in far away places. He remains a close comrade, who friendship is of inestimable value to me. I miss the long nights of conversation, despair, laughter, and Laguvulin. Together, we believed together that 'the end was (always) near.' Emerson Powery has been a friend for over 17 years. He is more a brother than a friend. I could not have finished the dissertation without his friendship and support. Thanks for sharing your sabbatical in 2003-2004. Tom Waits is a friend I've never met. However, his lyrics have provided the precise articulation of pain, love, sadness, bliss (and occasional insanity) that accompany the writing of a Ph.D. thesis. Of course, my family has provided me with an endearing and endless amount of love and support. I have been blessed with the love of: my mother (Pat Fuller) and father (John Fuller), and five siblings (John, Karen, Tonya, Chastity, and Keelan). (No more missed family gatherings!) Most of all 1 am indebted to my wife, Shelia. She is my 'all in all.' She has gotten up early with me; she has stayed up late until I got home. She has cried and laughed with me. But most of all, she has continued to believe in me. In tough times, she retained the faith that we could see this thesis through. And how could I have finished the Ph.D. without my little Abbey, who was bom to us in Durham? She has brought so much life and love to our home. Her name will always evoke memories of a place I will recall fondly. Abbey House, Dept. of Theology, University of Durham (Michaelmas Term, October 2004). DECLARATION None of the material contained in this thesis has previously been submitted for a degree in this or any other country. Michael Fuller STATEMENT OF COPYRIGHT The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No extensive quotation from it should be published without prior written consent, and information derived from it should be acknowledged. ABBREVIATIONS Except where noted in the thesis, all abbreviations follow' that of: The SBL Handbook of Style: For Ancient Near Eastern, Biblical, and Christian Studies. Edited by Patrick H. Alexander, ed. et al (Peabody, Ma.: Hendrickson, 1999). In the citation of the Dead Sea Scrolls, a number of translations were consulted; these are abbreviated in the thesis, but given here for convenience. The texts and translations of Florentino Garcia Martinez and Eibert Tigchelaar, The Dead Sea Scrolls Study Edition (Leiden: Brill, 1997-1998) is abbreviated as DSSSE. The translation of Florentino Garcia Martinez, The Dead Sea Scrolls Translated: The Qumran Texts in English (2"'^ edit.; Leiden: Brill, 1996) is abbreviated as DSST. The texts and translations of the multi-volume work by James H. Charlesworth, (ed.) The Dead Sea Scrolls: Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek Texts with English Translations (The Princeton Theological Seminary Dead Sea Scrolls Project; Westminster/John Knox: Louisville, 1993-ongoing) are abbreviated as PDSSP. TABLE OF CONTENTS 1 INTRODUCTION 3 1.1 The Problem 3 1.2 Important Studies on the Idea of Exile and Israel's Future Restoration in EJL 6 1.3 Approach and Method 14 2 THE RE-GATHERING OF ISRAEL 17 2.1 Introduction 17 2.2 Israel's Re-gathering in the Sixth Century BCE 19 2.2.1 Haggai and Zechariah: Hope for a Greater Restoration 20 2.2.2 Ezra-Nehemiah: The Persian Restoration of Israel 21 2.3 Israel's Re-gathering(s) after the Sixth Century BCE Restoration 29 2.4 The Return of the Diaspora as the End otAll Israel's Captivity 31 2.4.1 The Book of Tobit: Re-gathering to the Safe Haven of the Land 32 2.4.2 Sirach: The Re-gathering to the Land Where Wisdom Dwells 39 2.4.3 Second Maccabees 1-2; The Re-gathering as the Completion of Israel's Restoration 50 2.5 The Re-gathering of Israel from Israel 56 2.5.1 Damascus Document: The True Return from Babylon 61 2.5.2 The Animal Apocalypse: The Return from Apocalyptic Exile 70 2.5.3 Fourth Ezra: The Return of the Hidden and Righteous Ten Tribes 87 2.6 The Diaspora as Holy Land 97 2.6.1 Philo of Alexandria: Israel's Re-gathering as a Universal Pilgrimage 99 3 THE DEFEAT OF ISRAEL'S ENEMIES 118 3.1 Introduction 119 3.2 E.P.
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