DOCSLIB.ORG

Ill Coypright Page

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Ill Coypright Page This material has been provided by Asbury Theological Seminary in good faith of following ethical procedures in its production and end use. The Copyright law of the united States (title 17, United States code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyright material. Under certain condition specified in the law, libraries and archives are authorized to finish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specific conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be “used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research.” If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of “fair use,” that user may be liable for copyright infringement. This institution reserves the right to refuse to accept a copying order if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. By using this material, you are consenting to abide by this copyright policy. Any duplication, reproduction, or modification of this material without express written consent from Asbury Theological Seminary and/or the original publisher is prohibited. Contact B.L. Fisher Library Asbury Theological Seminary 204 N. Lexington Ave. Wilmore, KY 40390 B.L. Fisher Library’s Digital Content place.asburyseminary.edu Asbury Theological Seminary 205 North Lexington Avenue 800.2ASBURY Wilmore, Kentucky 40390 asburyseminary.edu SYNCRETISM, GNOSTICISM AND JUDAISM A STUDI IN NETiT TESTAMENT BACKGROUND A Thesis Presented to the Faculty of Ashury Theological Seminary In Partial Pulfillm.ent of the Requirements for the Degree Master of Theology ^y S. B, Alexander February ig6"8 SYNCRETISM, GNOSTICISM AND JUDAISM A STUDI IN NE� TESTAMENT BACKGROUND A Tlie sis- Presented to the Faculty of Asbury Theological Seminary Partial Fulfillment of the Degree Master of Theology Approved : First Reader'^ by S. B. Alexander February 1968 ACKNO^rLEDGMENTS Througfiout the thesis, unless otherwise indicated, English Biblical references are taken from the American Standard Version and Greek references, from the Nestle 's Text. The author wishes to express his deep appreciation to the following persons: To Dr. Dayton for his encouragement and contributions to the writing of this thesis; To Dean Traina for his personal interest; To Mr- Onva Boshears for his advice as to the format; To Mrs. William Cessna for her work on the composition of the material and typing thereof; To World Gospel Mission for the opportunity to be in volved in this research; And most of all to my long suffering wife, Ruth, who hasn't known me when I did not have this thesis to complete. TABLE OF CONTENTS. CHAPTER PAGE I. INTRODUCTION 1 The Problem 2 Justification of the Study 5 Definitions 5 Procedure 6 Limitations 8 II. ANCIENT ISRAEL - SYNCRETISTIC PATTERN ESTABLISHED IQ The Standard Established 11 Leadership under Torah 13 Priests 13 Prophets 15 Rulers 15 The Syncretlstic and Oscillatory Pattern of Isra.pl 's Faith l6 False Leadership 24 Priests 24 Prophets 27 Shepherds 31 Summary 32 III. EARLY JUDAISM SYNCRETISTIC PATTERN CONTINUES . 34 Oriental Period 35 Fall of Jerusalem 35 V CHAPTER PAGE Post War Conditions 35 Tfie Return 36 Ezra and Nehemiah - Torah Enthroned 38 The Hellenistic Era 43 The Greek Influx 43 Antlochus IV Epiphanes 45 Maccabees and the Hasmonean. Dynasty 46 The Herods and the Romans 48 Summary 49 IV. HELLENIZATION OF PALESTINE: THE CLIMATE OF SYNCRETISM 5Q Normative Judaism 51 The Rabbinic and Biblical Evidence 53 Jewish Greek Literature 59 Non-Jewish Testimony ... 59 Archaeology 60 Funerary Evidence 61 Synagoglc Evidence '63 Magical Material 65 Summary 67 V. JEWISH SECTARIANISM - MODULATIONS OF JEWISH HELLENISM 69 The Pdur Main Sects 70 The Sadducees 70 vi CHAPTER PAGE Pharisees. 72 Essenes 75 Zealots 78 Baptist Nonconformist Movement 78 Justin's List of Sects 78 Hegesslpus' List of Sects 80 Eplphenlus' List of Sects 82 Synthesis: Clue to Widespread Movement ... 84 Dead Sea Scrolls: Supporting Evidence ... 85 Qumran Covenanters 88 Summary 94 VI. JUDAISM AND GNOSIS: THE ORIGINS OP GNOSTIC SYNCRETISM 96 Evidence of the Church Pathers '96 Pseudo-Clementine Studies 103 Letters of Ignatius IO6 Mandaean Studies 108 Hermetlca II6 Nag Hammadi Gnostic Library 117 Summary 120 VI.I. J,EHSH GNOSTIC .THOUGHT:; PRECURSOR OF THE CHRISTIAN PROBLEM 124 The Interrelationship of Nomlstlc and Apocalyptic Judaism 124 vll. CHAPTER PAGE Apocalyptic Literature 127 Rabbinic Literature 131 Pbllo 139 Thematic Studies l40 Summary l42 VIII. THE CONNECTING LINKS: JUDAISM TO CHRISTIANITY, PALESTINE TO ASIA MINOR l44 The Diaspora and Palestine l44 The Extent of the Diaspora l46 Jewish l46 Samaritan 1^7 Karaites 1^7 Diversity In the Diaspora l48 Egypt 148 Elephantine Colony l48 Leontopolls l49 Therapeutae l49 Greek Jews l49 Dositheans . 150 Babylon . , 150 Rome 151 Diaspora Hellenistic 152 Jews in Asia Minor 152 Syncretlstic Cults 153 vili CHAPTER PAGE Magic 155 Sectaries I55 Geographical Considerations of Gnosticism . I60 Christianity Inherited Jewish Variety I63 Christianity in Asia Minor I66 Meander-Lycus Valley I67 Cerinthus I69 Summary 171 IX. THE NEW STANDARD: CONTINUITY BUT CONFRONTATION . 173 Ministry of Jesus 173 Zealots 174 Herodians 174 .�Sadducees 174 Pharisees 175 The Kingdom is Come I76 Jesus' Warnings 177 The New Standard I80 The Early Confrontations of the Standard . I85 Judaism I85 Nomlstlc Judalzers I87 Galatlans I89 Romans 193 Summary 195 X. JEWISH' GNOSTICISM: THE INITIAL CONFLICT WITH SYNCRETISM 197 ix CHAPTER PAGE The Co>i�sslan Heresy I98 The Problem in the Pastoral Epistles 215 Date 215 The Heresy in the Pastorals 2l8 The Johannine Epistles and False Teaching . 227 Summary 233 XI. SUMMARY, CONCLUSIONS AND IMPLICATIONS 235 Summary 235 Conclusions 236 Implications 237 Syncretism 238 Gnosticism 2^3 Further Possible New Testament Studies 246 Epilogue 247 BIBLIOGRAPHY 248 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION The forces of ecumenicity are so strong that many have forg'otten that one of the constant problems of the Church is to maintain identity separate from the world and the other religions, and yet to remain in contact with the world. This situation presents the Church with the problem of syncretism - that is, assimilation of or into the culture and local religion. Related to this Is the doctrinal issue of false teaetiiing. False teaching. If allowed to continue, may lead to its acceptance and finally to a loss of nerve in a church or denomination tolerating it. Interest in this study arose out of discussions, first with an ecumenical theologian who had ho answer to the question: "What do the ecumenical theologians do with the New Testament teaching on false doctrine?" and second, with one versed in separationlst doctrine who seemingly had scriptural warranty for his position on the same question. The intention was to determine the New Testament attitude to false teaching. In the actual pursuit of this research, however, the realiza tion of the constant danger of syncretism and the applicability to missions and contemporary theology became the dominant concern. S'yncretism was seen to be the essential problem. 2 I. THE PROBLEM The hypothesis of this study is that false teaching in the form of syncretlstic gnosticism appeared early In the New Testament Churches by assimilation from Judaism rather than purely Hellenistic sources. Therefore, it will be necessary to examine the evidences for the existence of syncretism in Jewish religion which could eventually take the form of an incipient gnosticism in New Testament times. It is hoped that this hypothesis, if it can be sustained, will then present the best explanation for (a) the type of error opposed in certain por tions of the New Testament, and for (b) the early appearance of syncretlstic gnosticism in the Church. If so, Christianity will be shown to have derived from Jewish sources not only its initial revelation, but also some of its major problems. There is a continuity between the Old Covenant and the New; the people of Israel and the Church, which is the New Israel. The God of the Old Testament is the Christian God revealed in Jesus Christ. To a certain extent there is also continuity in the problems faced. It was natural that the Church should in herit the Jewish problem, before facing it in greater measure directly. Revealed religion was always being corrupted by the instinct of man for a closed world view of the senses. The One in cultlc worship tended to become the Many. Two opposite tendencies are to be found in religion: one moves from polytheism to monotheism, the other moves from monotheism to 3 polytheism. "By the hypostatization of qualities and functions a single god can disintegrate into many while by various pro cesses many may give place to one...."-'- The constant tendency within Israel was to provide Jehovah with consorts and in corporate Baal worship into the cult. Later, the problem for Judaism was Its assimilation into Hellenism. The Maccabean Revolt was the conservative reaction to this process. However, Hellenization was so pervasive that under the Hasmoneans, successors to the Maccabees, Judaism was not immune to its influence. One view held by many, is that Judaism was a monolithic structure developed under Ezra and Nehemiah, a force which withstood the onslaught of Hellenistic syncretism, but Increasingly this view is being rejected. Judaism may not have been assimilated into Hellenism, but It received much of Hellenistic culture. Many have said that Judaism was a religion of heterodoxy yet orthopraxy. Now, especially since the Dead Sea discoveries, it is being recognized that Judaism was varied both In dogma and practice. One of the products of the Hellenization process was Gnosticism of the second century A.D. which had many features. %. H. Rowley, From Moses to Qumran (New York: Association Press, 1963), p. ^0 . 4 although scholars cannot agree on its exact composition. There were various types of gnostic groups; some were magical, others were more philosophical.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Charts on the Book of Revelation Is a Useful Supplement to Courses on the Book of Revelation in Both the Church and the Academy
    “Charts on the Book of Revelation is a useful supplement to courses on the book of Revelation in both the church and the academy. Wilson’s charts cover a range of historical, literary, rhetorical, and interpretive issues that will guide the careful student in making more viable interpretations of this difficult yet enriching book. An excellent resource to use with today’s visual learners as they approach this highly visual book for study.” —ROBERT WALTER WALL The Paul T. Walls Professor of Biblical and Wesleyan Studies Chair, Department of Christian Scriptures Seattle Pacific University Author of Revelation in the New International Biblical Commentary series “This is an enormously helpful book, bringing together in visual form extensive comparative data both from and about Revelation. Not to be confused with prophecy charts of a bygone era, here we find charts on everything from various views of authorship and date to extensive lists of scriptural allusions and verbal parallels, from John’s use of symbols and numbers to all references to angels and demons—and much else—seventy-nine in all. Each is carefully annotated with the source of the information. While the parallels are not always convinc- ing, they always provide an interesting place to start and will save the reader much time in collecting data.” —DAVID L. BArr Brage Golding Distinguished Professor Wright State University Editor of Reading the Book of Revelation “Wilson’s Charts on the Book of Revelation synthesizes an enormous amount of material relevant to the study of the Revelation of John and makes it available in a clear, useful, and unusual format for students of the Bible.” —DAVID E.
    [Show full text]
  • What the Religions Named in the Qur'ān Can Tell Us
    WHAT THE RELIGIONS NAMED IN THE QUR’ĀN CAN TELL US ABOUT THE EARLIEST UNDERSTANDING OF “ISLAM” A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Humanities By Micah David Collins B.A., Wright State University, 2009 2012 Wright State University WRIGHT STATE UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF GRADUATE STUDIES June 20, 2012 I HEREBY RECOMMEND THAT THE THESIS PREPARED UNDER MY SUPERVISION BY Micah David Collins ENTITLED What the Religions Named In The Qur’an Can Tell Us About The Earliest Understanding of “Islam” BE ACCEPTED IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE DEGREE OF Masters of Humanities. _______________________ Awad Halabi, Ph.D. Project Director _______________________ Ava Chamberlain, Ph.D. Director, Masters of Humanities Program College of Liberal Arts Committee on Final Examination: _______________________ Awad Halabi, Ph.D. _______________________ David Barr, Ph.D. _______________________ Mark Verman, Ph.D. _______________________ Andrew T. Hsu, Ph.D. Dean, School of Graduate Studies ABSTRACT Collins, Micah. M.A. Humanities Department, Masters of Humanities Program, Wright State University, 2012. What The Religions Named In The Qur’ān Can Tell Us About The Earliest Understanding of “Islam”. Both Western studies of Islam as well as Muslim beliefs assert that the Islamic holy text, the Qur’ān, endeavored to inaugurate a new religion, separate and distinct from the Jewish and Christian religions. This study, however, demonstrates that the Qur’ān affirms a continuity of beliefs with the earlier revealed texts that suggest that the revelations collected in the Qur’ān did not intend to define a distinct and separate religion. By studying the various historical groups named in the Qur’ān – such as the Yahūd, Ṣabī’ūn, and Naṣārā – we argue that the use of the term “islam” in the Qur’ān relates more to the general action of “submission” to the monotheistic beliefs engaged in by existing Jewish and Nazarene communities within Arabia.
    [Show full text]
  • Why Two Swords Were Enough: Israelite Tradition History Behind Luke 22:35-38
    University of Denver Digital Commons @ DU Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate Studies 1-1-2009 Why Two Swords Were Enough: Israelite Tradition History Behind Luke 22:35-38 Kevin Lee Moore University of Denver Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd Part of the Biblical Studies Commons Recommended Citation Moore, Kevin Lee, "Why Two Swords Were Enough: Israelite Tradition History Behind Luke 22:35-38" (2009). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 445. https://digitalcommons.du.edu/etd/445 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Studies at Digital Commons @ DU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ DU. For more information, please contact [email protected],[email protected]. Why Two Swords Were Enough: Israelite Tradition History Behind Luke 22:35-38 ______ A Dissertation Presented to the Faculty of the University of Denver and the Iliff School of Theology Joint PhD Program University of Denver ______ In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy ______ by Kevin L. Moore June 2009 Advisor: Professor Gregory A. Robbins © Kevin L. Moore 2009 All Rights Reserved Author: Kevin L. Moore Title: Why Two Swords Were Enough: Israelite Tradition History Behind Luke 22:35-38 Advisor: Dr. Gregory A. Robbins Degree Date: June 2009 ABSTRACT Jesus’ charge in Luke 22:35-38 that his apostles should buy swords is one of the most enigmatic texts in the gospels. Although previous studies made use of a wide range of standard critical methods, none of these approaches satisfactorily revealed the pericope’s meaning.
    [Show full text]
  • Orientalia Christiana Periodica
    YOLUMEN 57 FASCICULUS I 1991 ISSN 0030-5375 ORIENT ALI A CHRISTIANA PERIODICA COMMENTARII DE RE ORIENT ALI AETATIS CHRISTIANAE SACRA ET PROFANA EDITI CURA ET OPERE PONTIFICII INSTITUTI ORIENTALIUM STUDIORUM PONT. INSTITUTUM ORIENTALIUM STUDIORUM PIAZZA SANTA MARIA MAGGIORE, 7 ROMA 1991 SIGLA AASS Acta Sanctorum (Antverpiae et alibi 1643 ss.) AB Analecta Bollandiana ACO Eduardus Schwartz, Acta Conciliorum Oecumenicorum (Berolini 1914 ss.) AfO Archiv fur Orientforschung Assemani, BO Josephus Simonius Assemanus, Bibliotheca Orientalis Clementino- Vaticana (Roma 1719, 1721, 1725, 1728) (rep. Hildesheim 1975) AOC Archives de 1’Orient Chretien BHG FranIois Halkin, Bibliotheca Hagiographica Graeca (Bruxelles 19573) BHO Paul Peeters, Bibliotheca Hagiographica Orientalis (Bruxelles 1910) BO Bibliotheca Orientalis Brightman Frank Edward Brightman, Liturgies Eastern and Western, I: Eastern Liturgies (Oxford 1896) BSAC Bulletin de la Societe d’Archeologie Copte BV Bogoslovskij Vestnik Byzantion Byzantinische Zeitschrift CCG Corpus Christianorum, Series Graeca (Tumhout 1971 ss.) CCL Corpus Christianorum, Series Lalina (Tumhout 1953 ss.) CerVed Cerkovnye Vedomosti Chr6t Christianskoe Clenie CICO Codex Iuris Canonici Orientalis (Citta del Vaticano 1957-1958) COD Conciliorum Oecumenicorum Decreta (Bologna 19733) ConcR Concilium Florentinum. Documenta et Scriptores voll. I-XI (Roma 1940-1976) , CPG Mauritius Geerard, Clavis Patrum Graecorum (Tumhbut 1974 ss.) CSCO Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium (Louvain 1903 ss.) CSEL Corpus Scriptorum Ecclesiasticorum
    [Show full text]
  • Orthodoxy and Heresy in Earliest Christianity
    ORTHODOXY AND HERESY IN EARLIEST CHRISTIANITY by Walter Bauer 1934 [Second German Edition by Georg Strecker] OPINIONS Walter Bauer’s Orthodoxy and Heresy has established itself as a classic refutation of the "myth" that "in the beginning" orthodoxy was there first and heresy was a deviation from the norm. Whatever one thinks of the thesis, one cannot bypass Bauer on early heresy any more that one can bypass Bultmann on Form Criticism or Harnack on the development of dogma. Today, it remains a good introduction to Christianity at the end of the first century and the beginning of the second century. Gerald Christianson Professor of Church History Gettysburg Lutheran Seminary This brilliant and pioneering monograph inaugurated a new era of scholarship in the study of the New Testament and Christian origins, especially in America. It argued that early Christianity did not begin with a unified orthodox belief, from which heresies broke off at a later time. Rather, Bauer demonstrated that diversity stood at the beginning, while an orthodox church emerged only after long controversies during the early centuries. During recent decades, the investigation of newly discovered texts, such as the Gnostic Library of Nag Hammadi in Egypt, have fully confirmed Bauer’s insights. There may be numerous details, which scholars today would see differently than Walter Bauer, whose word was first published in Germany sixty years ago. Nevertheless, Bauer’s book has remained the foundation for all modern scholarship in this field, and it is must- reading for all who want to explore early Christian Communities. It is still challenging, fresh, fascinating, and thought-provoking -- without any question of the truly great masterpieces of New Testament scholarship.
    [Show full text]
  • Purity, Community, and Ritual in Early Christian Literature
    OUP CORRECTED PROOF – FINAL, 29/03/17, SPi OXFORD STUDIES IN THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS General Editors Adam J. Silverstein Guy G. Stroumsa OUP CORRECTED PROOF – FINAL, 29/03/17, SPi OXFORD STUDIES IN THE ABRAHAMIC RELIGIONS This series consists of scholarly monographs and other volumes at the cutting edge of the study of Abrahamic Religions. The increase in intellectual interest in the comparative approach to Judaism, Christianity, and Islam reflects the striking surge in the importance of religious traditions and patterns of thought and behaviour in the twenty-first century, at the global level. While this importance is easy to detect, it remains to be identified clearly and analyzed from a comparative perspective. Our existing scholarly apparatus is not always adequate in attempting to understand precisely the nature of similarities and differences between the monotheistic religions, and the transformations of their “family resemblances” in different cultural and historical contexts. The works in the series are devoted to the study of how “Abrahamic” traditions mix, blend, disintegrate, rebuild, clash, and impact upon one another, usually in polemical contexts, but also, often, in odd, yet persistent ways of interaction, reflecting the symbiosis between them. Titles in the series include: The Making of the Abrahamic Religions in Late Antiquity Guy G. Stroumsa Judaism, Sufism, and the Pietists of Medieval Egypt A Study of Abraham Maimonides and His Times Elisha Russ-Fishbane Islam and its Past Jāhiliyya, Late Antiquity, and the Qur’an Edited by Carol Bakhos and Michael Cook OUP CORRECTED PROOF – FINAL, 29/03/17, SPi Purity, Community, and Ritual in Early Christian Literature MOSHE BLIDSTEIN 1 OUP CORRECTED PROOF – FINAL, 29/03/17, SPi 1 Great Clarendon Street, Oxford, OX2 6DP, United Kingdom Oxford University Press is a department of the University of Oxford.
    [Show full text]
  • The City Record. Official Journal
    THE CITY RECORD. OFFICIAL JOURNAL. VOL. XIX NEW YORK, MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 28, 1891. NUMBER 5,590. REPUl ILICAN. First Assembly District. Io, John Martin, foreman, 173 Elizabeth at. I. Isaac M. Cubberly, canvasser, 212 Greenwich George Connelly, leisure, 191 Mott st. street. I i. Robert Kennedy, clerk, 167 Hester st. James O'Connor, boatman, 14 Moore st. M. H. Smith, cigars, 404 Broome St. 2. \Villiam J. Thornton, clerk, ioo Broad st. 12. \Vnt. II.Rooney, clerk, 53 E. I louston St. R'illiain H. Cross, clerk, 43 N. Moore st. 'Theodore C. Gillen, printer, 275 Mulberry st. 13. 3. Thomas Fox, fishntan, 309 Pearl st. Arthur T. Soudant, clerk, t46 Mulberry St. Frank 1'. Carter, fruit dealer, 20; Front st. \V. H. Brandon, driver, 65 E. Houston St. 4. Patrick Dwyer, clerk, lot \Vashington st. 14. Joseph Murphy, fitter, 242 Mulberry st. Arthur Pezold, bottle dealer, 143 Franklin at. James Cusick, fireman, 32 Spring St. 5. Philip Dwyer, railroad, 38 \Vashington st. 15. Henry Hartfield, costumer, 294 Bowery. Patrick J. Donovan, carpenter, 7 Harrison st. \\- nt. C. Hoffman, teamster, So E. Houston St. 6. John McKenzie, clerk, 38 \Vashington st. 16. \V, J. Stickle, manufacturer, 658 Broadway. John Galvin, bartender, t \Vest st. William Moore, printer, 61 I3leecker St. 7. James \V. Ford, backrnan, 150 Greenwich st. 17. Alexander Sautek, shoes, 83z Broadway. Henry Michaels, clerk, tzS Greenwich St. Edwin Pulis, agent, 69 Fourth ave. 8. Tohmas Farrell, driver, 15 Thames St. i8. Chas. H. Beech, Jr., clerk, 5o Third ave. POLICE DEPARTMENT. Thomas J. Powers, janitor, 23 Thames st, Iferman \Vitter, clerk, 122 E.
    [Show full text]
  • A Cure for Rabies Or a Remedy for Concupiscence? a Baptism of the Elchasaites
    AperTO - Archivio Istituzionale Open Access dell'Università di Torino A Cure for Rabies or a Remedy for Concupiscence? A Baptism of the Elchasaites This is the author's manuscript Original Citation: Availability: This version is available http://hdl.handle.net/2318/83216 since 2018-02-10T21:44:47Z Published version: DOI:10.1353/earl.0.0232 Terms of use: Open Access Anyone can freely access the full text of works made available as "Open Access". Works made available under a Creative Commons license can be used according to the terms and conditions of said license. Use of all other works requires consent of the right holder (author or publisher) if not exempted from copyright protection by the applicable law. (Article begins on next page) 27 September 2021 A Cure for Rabies or a Remedy for Concupiscence?: A Baptism of the Elchasaites Andrea Nicolotti Journal of Early Christian Studies, Volume 16, Number 4, Winter 2008, pp. 513-534 (Article) Published by Johns Hopkins University Press DOI: https://doi.org/10.1353/earl.0.0232 For additional information about this article https://muse.jhu.edu/article/256166 Access provided by Universita Studi di Torino (10 Feb 2018 20:38 GMT) A Cure for Rabies or a Remedy for Concupiscence? A Baptism of the Elchasaites ANDREA NICOLOTTI The author of the Elenchos attributes to Alcibiades of Apamea, an Elchasaite who had arrived in Rome around 220 c.e., the preaching of a baptism for the remission of sin, and of ablutions for those that had been bitten by a rabid dog, the sick with consumption, and the possessed by demons.
    [Show full text]
  • Philosophumena; Or, the Refutation of All Heresies, Formerly Attributed To
    Dear Reader, This book was referenced in one of the 185 issues of 'The Builder' Magazine which was published between January 1915 and May 1930. To celebrate the centennial of this publication, the Pictoumasons website presents a complete set of indexed issues of the magazine. As far as the editor was able to, books which were suggested to the reader have been searched for on the internet and included in 'The Builder' library.' This is a book that was preserved for generations on library shelves before it was carefully scanned by one of several organizations as part of a project to make the world's books discoverable online. Wherever possible, the source and original scanner identification has been retained. Only blank pages have been removed and this header- page added. The original book has survived long enough for the copyright to expire and the book to enter the public domain. A public domain book is one that was never subject to copyright or whose legal copyright term has expired. Whether a book is in the public domain may vary country to country. Public domain books belong to the public and 'pictoumasons' makes no claim of ownership to any of the books in this library; we are merely their custodians. Often, marks, notations and other marginalia present in the original volume will appear in these files – a reminder of this book's long journey from the publisher to a library and finally to you. Since you are reading this book now, you can probably also keep a copy of it on your computer, so we ask you to Keep it legal.
    [Show full text]
  • Jewish Apocryphon, Known from Various Patristic Sources.I7 The
    JEWISH SOtJRC‘t:S IN GNOS’I I(‘ t,t’t’ERA’t URE JEWISH SOURC‘ES IN GNOSTIC‘ LITERATURE I Jewish apocryphon, known from various patristic sources.i7 The same apocryphon under that name now extant in Slavonic.26 It is more likely, group used a ‘Gospel of Eve’ and ‘many books in the name of Seth’ (Haer. however, that the Sethian Apocalypse of Abraham was a Gnostic work, in 26:8, 1). The latter would certainly have included strictly Gnostic material view of the very interesting (though late) information supplied by (‘Ialdabaoth’ is mentioned in connection with them, ibid.) and a number of Theodore Bar Konai (8th century) regarding the Audians, a Gnostic sect books in the name of Seth are now to be found in the Nag Hammadi which seems to have been closely related to the Sethian Gnostics, and who Corpus.l8 Non-Gnostic Jewish books in the name of Seth also circulated in used ‘an apocalypse under the name of Abraham’. This apocryphal work, late antiquity, lg though we have no way of knowing whether such were in typically Gnostic fashion, attributed the creation of the world to ‘Dark- included in the Nicolaitan library. 2o A book of ‘Noria’ is said to have been ness’ and six other ‘powers’.27 used among these same Gnostics (Haer. 26: 1,4-9), consisting of a fanciful The church father Hippolytus does not provide much information of use retelling of the story of Noah’s ark, ‘Noria’ in this instance being Noah’s to us in the present connection, but his notices about the Paraphrase of Seth wife.21 (Ref 5: 19, l-22, 1) in use among the Sethian Gnostics should be mentioned Epiphanius records that books in the name of Seth and Allogenes (= here, as well as his discussion of the Gnostic book entitled Buruch (Ref: Seth) were in use among the Sethians and the closely-related Archontics 5:26, l-27, 5).
    [Show full text]
  • Alma Mater Studiorum – Università Di Bologna
    1 Alma Mater Studiorum – Università di Bologna DOTTORATO DI RICERCA IN STORIA Ciclo XXVII Settore Concorsuale di afferenza: 11/A4 Settore Scientifico disciplinare: 11 – STO/06 TITOLO TESI The Polemic Construction of Judaism at the origins of Christianity: from Paul to Justin Martyr Presentata da: Juan Pablo Sena Pera Coordinatore Dottorato Relatore Prof. Massimo Montanari Prof. Lorenzo Perrone Esame finale anno: 2015 2 To my beloved Barbara and Agatha for completing my life, and to my father Carlo, in memoriam. 3 One of the most difficult tasks at the end of an academic course is to weave thanks to the various persons who helped us on this journey. The difficulty is not on to demonstrate gratitude, but on the impossibility to list all the people who contributed to this moment. Therefore, I would like to state my sincere gratitude to Prof. Lorenzo Perrone, who very kindly volunteered to guide a foreigner who was then unknown. Prof. Perrone and Prof. Antonio Cacciari received me and my wife Barbara with sincere esteem and friendship. Prof. Perrone, besides having faithfully performed his work as advisor correcting my musings and suggesting readings, was a very humane and understanding person about the difficulty of health order I have faced. I also thank Prof. Antonio Cacciari for his friendliness and provinding books difficult to find in libraries. Special thanks also due to Prof. Claudio Gianotto which has been following my research and giving his precious cooments since the first Summer School and now is a member of this commission. I would like to thank also Professors Stefano Boni, Lorenzo Speranza, Angelo Varni and John Kloppenborg for their willingness to compose this comission and their valuable comments and corrections.
    [Show full text]
  • A Tablet from Heaven—Or What? Hardy Housman
    A Tablet from Heaven—Or What? Hardy Housman Abstract In the article, writer-scholar Hardy Housman takes on the Muslim contention that the Qur’an came directly from heaven, and that Muhammad received it without human intervention or influence upon the contents of the book. Rather, Housman demonstrates, it was far more mundane forces that moved Muhammad, influences that included Gnosticism and, to a much greater extent, Jewish sources and heretical Christian sects. (This essay was originally written as a research paper at New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary.) Nay, but it is a glorious Qu‘ran. On a guarded tablet. Surah 85:21-22 ―Muslims have come to accept as dogma that the Qur‘an is tied to a heavenly text, “the preserved table,‘which came directly to Muhammad, tanzil, [i.e.], without passing through any other human hands….’” So writes Lebanese scholar Joseph Azzi. He calls this dogma, ―the foundational doctrine regarding the ultimate source of the Qur‘an.ǁ1 If Mohammed indeed received the Qur‘an intact and verbatim directly from heaven, then it cannot be the case that he complied it by plagiarizing portions and ideas from existing sources that he encountered in his life. Conversely, if the Qur‘an‘s content is drawn from earthly 1 Joseph Azzi, The Priest and the Prophet (Los Angeles, The Pen Publishers, 2005), 136. sources, whether in a small measure or large, then the ―foundational doctrine of Islam and its prophet are a monstrous fraud. In this study we examine that foundational doctrine by critically considering whether the Qur‘an is divine or a human product.
    [Show full text]