ABSTRACT Asceticism, the Sage, and the Evil Inclination
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ABSTRACT Asceticism, the Sage, and the Evil Inclination: Points of Contact between Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity David W. Pendergrass, Ph.D. Mentor: Daniel H. Williams, Ph.D. In Jewish Christian comparative studies there exists a need to explore in more detail the ways in which Jews and Christians interacted religiously and socially in late antiquity. The thesis of this dissertation is that asceticism, the sociological and religious role of the sage, and the anthropological belief in the evil inclination are three aspects shared between predominate groups of Jews and Christians in late antiquity. So far no scholarship has joined these three, inter-dependent areas in Jewish-Christian comparative studies. Chapter Two examines the ways that Jews and Christians did not utterly “part ways” religiously or socially in late antiquity. Evidence of their interaction can be seen in adversus Iudaeos literature, catechetical material, liturgies, biblical exegetical practices, civic and ecclesial legislation, and various archaeological remains. Chapter Three examines the foundations of Christian asceticism and monasticism, especially in Egypt. This chapter critiques the traditional historical reconstructions of monastic origins, with special attention given to the theory that monasticism was an effort by ascetics to become living martyrs. Finally this chapter discusses how the Sayings are a product of the long tradition of ascetic wisdom made especially popular from the fourth through sixth centuries across the Roman Empire. Chapter Four examines the ways Jewish literature speaks to the practice of asceticism. The chapter is divided into three sections: pre-rabbinic Jewish ascetic practices, rabbinic ascetic practices, and the theological and sociological roles of the sage. Chapter Five examines the shared anthropological views of the self and the evil inclination within rabbinic Judaism and ascetic Christianity. It can be said that nearly all of Christian ascetic praxis and rabbinic ascetic praxis is an effort to subdue the evil inclination and evil impulses. This dissertation acts as a contribution in the advancement of scholarship concerning Jewish and Christian theology in late antiquity. By studying the ways Jews and Christians shared similar practices, the theological history of both groups is further illuminated and understood. Asceticism, the Sage, and the Evil Inclination: Points of Contact between Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity by David W. Pendergrass, B.A., M.Div. A Dissertation Approved by the Department of Religion ___________________________________ William H. Bellinger, Jr., Ph.D., Chairperson Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of Baylor University in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy Approved by the Dissertation Committee ___________________________________ Daniel H. Williams, Ph.D., Chairperson ___________________________________ Lidija Novakovic, Ph.D. ___________________________________ Jeffrey S. Hamilton, Ph.D. Accepted by the Graduate School May 2010 ___________________________________ J. Larry Lyon, Ph.D., Dean Page bearing signatures is kept on file in the Graduate School. Copyright © 2010 by David W. Pendergrass All rights reserved CONTENTS LIST OF FIGURES v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS vi DEDICATION vii Chapter ONE INTRODUCTION 1 TWO INTERACTION BETWEEN JEWS AND CHRISTIANS 8 IN LATE ANTIQUITY Models of Their Relationship Traditional Model: A “Parting of Ways” Revisionist Model: Ways that Barely Parted Assessment Evidence of Jewish-Christian Interaction Christian Literary Evidence Ecclesiastical and Imperial Law Greco-Roman Culture Rabbinic Literature Conclusion THREE EGYPTIAN AND PALESTINIAN ASCETICISM AND 60 MONASTICISM IN LATE ANTIQUITY Asceticism and Monasticism in Egypt and Palestine Formation of the Sayings Conclusion FOUR JEWISH ASCETICISM AND THE ROLE OF THE SAGE 123 Jewish Ascetic Practices Apocrypha/Pseudepigrapha Therapeutae Rabbinic Literature The Sage Conclusion FIVE ANTHROPOLOGY AND THE EVIL INCLINATIONS 183 Anthropology: The Self as Body and Soul Rabbinic Literature The Sayings iii Conclusion The Evil Inclination Rabbinic Literature The Sayings Conclusion SIX CONCLUSION 234 BIBLIOGRAPHY 239 iv LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. A pictorial representation of anthropology in the Sayings. 194 v ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to express my gratitude to several people for their help throughout my dissertation process. Foremost, I thank my dissertation supervisor, Professor Daniel H. Williams (Baylor University), for his relevant and judicious critiques of my research at each stage of its development. His facility in patristic literature is both far-reaching and astute. I also thank the Readers on my Dissertation Committee for their time and helpful comments: Professor Lidija Novakovic (Baylor University) and Professor Jeffrey S. Hamilton (Baylor University). I also especially thank Professor Michael W. Graves (Wheaton College) for helpful comments concerning my dissertation. I wish to thank the Baylor University Library system, which was extremely helpful in allowing a distance education student get relevant material in a punctual manner. This dissertation is dedicated to my family and the risen Christ who enabled me to undertake this three-year process. My wife’s unconditional support through many absent days and nights, and my children’s welcomed interruptions, kept my eyes “focused on the prize.” vi ouv ga,r evstin diastolh. VIoudai,ou te kai. {Ellhnoj( o` ga.r auvto.j ku,rioj pa,ntwn( ploutw/n eivj pa,ntaj tou.j evpikaloume,nouj auvto,n Romans 10:12 vii CHAPTER ONE Introduction An exciting area of research exists in the relationship of Judaism and Christianity in late antiquity. While work has been done highlighting the similarities, and especially the differences, of each religion on particular issues, patristic scholarship overall has not paid enough attention to their relationship.1 Scholars in the previous few decades have taken note of this lack of attention. Robert Wilken has warned us that patristic “scholars have grown so accustomed to interpreting the development of patristic theology in relation to Hellenism that they may have overlooked the role of Judaism.”2 Philip Rousseau has noticed how “the historian of Christianity must more and more take account of the Jewish past.”3 The scholar must certainly take the entire historical context into account. Yet, some historical influences were stronger than others, depending upon the region, time, and circumstances of the literature and people involved. “[W]e must investigate a wealth of antecedent: pagan, of course; but heterodox also; and above all, Jewish. These are the areas of inquiry that should stimulate the history student today.”4 Naturally, not considering the role of Christianity in the history of Judaism can be deleterious for Judaic studies. James Montgomery notes this well: 1 Relevant bibliographic references will be given in each respective chapter, depending upon the argument being made. 2 Robert Wilken, Judaism and the Early Christian Mind: A Study of Cyril of Alexandria‟s Exegesis and Theology (New Haven: Yale University Press, 1971), 2. 3 Philip Rousseau, “Christian Asceticism and the Early Monks,” Early Christianity (1991): 121. 4 Rousseau, “Christian Asceticism and the Early Monks,” 122. 1 [T]here is the exposition of a profound element common to both Judaism and Christianity, in lack of recognition of which justice is ill done to both; for the Christian is misled as to his origins, and the Jew falls short of his own religious tradition. No historian may be able to calculate the respective proportions of this dynamic element in the long histories of Synagogue and Church. Whatever his prejudices and preconceptions and those of his age, he has to reckon with its tremendous weight in praxis and theory in the life of both.5 This problem is especially seen when one examines how studies have typically presented an anti-ascetic, or non-ascetic, view of (especially rabbinic) Judaism. Eliezer Diamond responds to this correctly: “[G]iven the Jewish predilection to see itself as nonascetic [sic], it is necessary and important to establish a continuum between Christian behaviors commonly labeled as ascetic and rabbinic ascetic praxis, which . share the same sensibility of self-denial in the pursuit of spiritual excellence.”6 Therefore, it is clear that comparative studies7 within Judaism and Christianity have room for growth. One area of research that deserves more attention is asceticism. The thesis of this dissertation is that asceticism, the perception and role of the sage, and the anthropological belief in the evil inclination are three aspects shared between predominate groups of (but not all) Jews and Christians in late antiquity.8 So far no 5 James Montgomery, “Ascetic Strains in Early Judaism,” JBL 51 (1932): 213. 6 Eliezer Diamond, Holy Men and Hunger Artists: Fasting and Asceticism in Rabbinic Culture (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2004), 20. This dissertation will explore more than rabbinic texts. 7 John Walton‟s definition of “comparative studies” is helpful: “Comparative studies constitutes a branch of cultural studies in that it attempts to draw data from different segments of the broader culture (in time and/or space) into juxtaposition with one another in order to assess what might be learned from one to enhance the understanding of another,” Ancient Near Eastern Thought and the Old Testament (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 2006), 18. His ten principles of comparative study are