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FROM PATRIARCH to PILGRIM: the Development of the Biblical Figure of Abraham and Its Contribution to the Christian Metaphor of Spiritual Pilgrimage

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FROM PATRIARCH to PILGRIM: the Development of the Biblical Figure of Abraham and Its Contribution to the Christian Metaphor of Spiritual Pilgrimage FROM PATRIARCH TO PILGRIM: The Development of the Biblical Figure of Abraham and its Contribution to the Christian Metaphor of Spiritual Pilgrimage Daniel John Estes Clare Hall A Thesis Submitted to the University of Cambridge for the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy April 1988 TABLE OF CONTENTS Chapter 1 - INTRODUCTION 1 1 .1 The Concept of Pilgrimage 1 1.11 Pilgrimage as a Literary Theme 1 1.12 Pilgrimage as a Christian Theme J 1.2 Review of Literature on Abraham 4 1.J Rationale for the Study 10 1.4 Thesis of the Study 12 1.5 Plan for the Study 1) Chapter 2 - ABRAHAM THE SOJOURNER IN GENESIS 12-25 15 2.0 Introduction 15 2,1 Verbs of Movement in the Abrahamic Narratives 15 2.11 Verbs of Geographical Movement 15 2.12 Verbs Related to Tent Dwelling 17 . .. :iUI') and .).w\J,l 2 .1J -T T 25 2 .14 "'\·\ ·~ and ':~ 27 2 .15 -~~ and ~~~~i,\ JJ 2 .16 Conclusion 39 2.2 Analysis of Specific Texts 41 2.21 Genesis 12:1-9 46 2.22 Genesis 12110 and 1)11,3 53 2,23 Genesis 13112,17,18 55 2,24 Genesis 15:13 56 2,25 Genesis 1613 56 2.26 Genesis 17:1 57 2.27 Genesis 2011,15; 21123,34; 22119 58 2.28 Genesis 23:4 59 2,29 Genesis 24:3,37,40 60 2,3 Relationship of the Abrahamic Narratives to Genesis 1-11 61 2,31 Literary Integration in Genesis 11-12 63 2,32 Genesis 12:1-3 as a Response to Genesis 1-11 64 2.33 Recurrent Motifs in Genesis 11 and 12 67 2.4 Relationship of the Abrahamic Narratives to the Succeeding Biblical Corpus 70 2,5 Conclusion 72 Chapter 3 - ABRAHAM AS AN EXAMPLE OF SOJOURNING IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 74 3.0 Introduction 74 3.01 References to Abraham in the Old Testament 74 3.02 Abraham as an Example in the Old Testament 75 3.03 The Godly Individual in the World in the Old Testament 77 3.1 Explicit References to Abrahamic Sojourning 78 3.11 Genesis 35:27 78 3.12 Genesis 48: 15 79 3.13 Joshua 24:2-3 80 3,14 Nehemiah 9:7 82 3 .15 Isaiah 41:8 SJ 3 .16 Isaiah 5112 84 3 .17 Psalm 105 J,2 References to Patriarchal Sojourning 89 3.21 Genesis 4719 9C 3.22 Exodus 6:4 92 3.3 Psalm 39:12(13) 93 3.4 1 Chronicles 29:15 101 3,5 Conclusion 107 Chapter 4 - ABRAHAM AS AN EXAMPLE OF SOJOURNING IN THE EARLY JEWISH LITERATURE 110 4.0 Introduction 110 4.1 Jewish Biblical Paraphrase 111 4.11 Jubilees 111 4.12 Pseudo-Philo 112 4.13 Josephus 114 4.2 Old Testament Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha 115 4.3 Philo 118 4.31 Influences upon Philo 118 4.32 Philonic Exegesis 121 4.33 The Effect of Philo upon Jewish and Christian Thought 12) 4.34 Philonic References to the Sojourning of Abraham 12.5 4.4 Qumran Literature 127 4,5 Early Rabbinic Literature 129 4.51 Early Rabbinic Exegesis 129 4.52 Mishnah and Talmud 1)1 4.53 Midrashim 132 4.6 Lexical Development of the Sojourner Image in Early Jewish Literature 1)4 4.7 Conclusion 117 Chapter 5 - ABRAHAM AS AN EXAMPLE OF SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE IN HEBREWS 11:8-16 140 5.0 Introduction 140 5.01 The Portrayal of Abraham in Acts 7 140 5.02 Spiritual Pilgrimage in 1 Peter 145 5.1 The Literary Background of the Epistle to the Hebrews 152 5.11 Literary Dependence 153 5.12 Greek Literature 156 5.13 Philonic Literature 160 5 .14 Gnostic Literature 166 5 .15 Qumran Literature 167 5 .16 The Old Testament 169 5.2 The Literary Context of Hebrews 11:8-16 172 5.3 Analysis of Hebrews 11:8-16 175 5.31 Hebrews 11:8 175 5.32 Hebrews 11:9-10 178 5,33 Hebrews 11:11-12 189 5.34 Hebrews 11:13-14 191 5.35 Hebrews ll:15-16a 197 5.36 Hebrews ll:16b 198 5,4 Conclusion 199 Chapter 6 - ABRAHAM AND SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE IN THE EARLY CHRISTIAN LITERATURE 202 6.0 Introduction 202 6.1 Early Christian Biblical Interpretation 203 6.11 Relation to Greek Thought 204 6.12 Relation to Jewish Thought 205 6.1J Early Christian Use of the Old Testament 206 6.2 The First and Second Centuries 208 6.J Catechesis and Apology to 450 C.E. 214 6.4 Homily and Commentary to 450 C.E. 224 6.5 Augustine 230 6.6 Conclusion 2J4 Chapter 7 - ABRAHAM AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE CHRISTIAN METAPHOR OF SPIRITUAL PILGRIMAGE 236 7,0 Introduction 236 7.1 Summary of Textual Evidence 237 7,2 Sociological Factors 240 7,3 Redactional Factors 244 7,4 Literary Factors 246 7,41 Literary Symbols 247 7,42 Literary Development 249 7,5 Conclusion 255 BIBLIOGRAPHY 260 PREFACE Although this study is my own original work, it could not have been completed without the support and assistance of many other people. To them I give my grateful acknowledgement and ap­ preciation. Throughout my period of research in Cambridge I have been supported financially by Cedarville College, Clintonville Baptist Church, and Tyndale House. The love and fellowship which I have experienced in each of these institutions have sustained me through the rigors of the past two years. My supervisor, Dr William Horbury, has given generously of his time in directing me in this project. His erudition, wis­ dom and kindly spirit have been to me a model of the Christian scholar. I am thankful to my wife, Carol, and to our children, Jonathan, Christiana and Joel, for their cheerful encouragement during the challenges of my doctoral program. They more than all have shared the pressures of my work and have had to sacrifice most for its completion. My mother, Katherine Estes, and my wife's parents, Leslie and Alice Towle, have been continually supportive, even though this project required a lengthy period of separation. This book is dedicated to the memory of my father, Rev Ernest Estes, a stalwart pilgrim who taught me by his words and showed me by his life the Christian walk. He has entered already the City for which he looked. May this thesis be a small token of my love and thankfulness for him. ABBREVIATIONS For biblical, Jewish and patristic references standard abbreviations have been employed. In addition, the following ab­ breviations are used in the text of the thesis. Full bibliograph­ ic information may be found at the end of the study. A Aquila BDB A Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament. Ed. Francis Brown, S. R, Driver and Charles A. Briggs. BHS Biblia Hebraica Stuttgartensia BT al The Babylonian Talmud CAD The Assyrian Dictionary DB Dictionnaire de la Bible DBS Supplement au Dictionnaire de la Bible GKC Gesenius' Hebrew Grammar IDB The Interpreter's Dictionary of the Bible JB Jerusalem Bible JTal Le Talmud de Jerusalem KJV King James Version LAB Pseudo-Philo. Liber Antiguitatum Biblicarum. LXX Septuagint MM The Vocabulary of the Greek Testament. Ed. James Hope Moulton and George Milligan. MT Masoretic Text NASB New American Standard Bible NEB New English Bible NIDNTT The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology NT New Testament OT Old Testament OTP The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. Ed. James H. Charlesworth. Ps-Philo Pseudo-Philo RAC Reallexicon fur Antike und Christentum RSV Revised Standard Version l Symmachus SP Samaritan Pentateuch TDNT Theological Dictionary of the New Testament TDOT Theological Dictionary of the Old Testament TestAbr Testament of Abraham TestDan Testament of Dan TestJacob Testament of Jacob TestLevi Testament of Levi THAT Theologisches Handworterbuch zum Al ten Testament TRE Theologische Realenzyklopadie UBS The Greek New Testament. Ed. Kurt Aland, et al. CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 The Concept of Pilgrimage 1.11 Pilgrimage as a Literary Theme The pilgrimage theme is an image which in various forms has pervaded the literature of diverse cultures. 1 The frequent employment of the motif of pilgrimage has led to its use in three primary spheres of reference. 2 The literal use speaks of a "jour­ ney to a shrine or sacred place as an act of religious devotion.") Allegorically, "life can be viewed as a pilgrimage, that is, as a journey fraught with obstacles and difficulties through this world to the world beyond." The concept of spiritual pilgrimage denotes "an essentially interior journey toward some goal or ideal." These three uses have often been employed in conjunction with one another, as in The Odyssey and in The Divine Comedy, to represent intellect­ ual or spiritual progress by the literary vehicle of a spatial Journey.. 4 1 Pilgrimage is part of a cluster of closely related fig­ ures. It is in particular related to the quest theme (cf. Frye, Fables of Identity 17) and the image of the way (cf. Schnapper, The Inward Odyssey 17), Though these evaluations probably over­ state the evidence by ascribing to the motifs preeminent status, it is nontheless true that both the quest and the way figure prominently in much imaginative and religious literature. 2 The three distinctions here cited are defined by Olin, "The Idea of Pilgrimage in the Experience of Ignatius Loyola" J87- J88. J This literal aspect is traced thoroughly in the patris­ tic period by Kotting, Peregrinatio Religiosa. Sauser, "Pilgrimage" 26-28 discusses pilgrimage as a religious journey, but links it with the theological concept of the Church as a pilgrim community.
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