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The Significance of Ancient Midrashic Expositions on Genesis 15:1-6

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The Significance of Ancient Midrashic Expositions on Genesis 15:1-6 Andrews University Digital Commons @ Andrews University Dissertations Graduate Research 1988 Protection and Reward: the Significance of Ancient Midrashic Expositions on Genesis 15:1-6 Aecio E. Cairus Andrews University Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations Part of the Biblical Studies Commons, and the Jewish Studies Commons Recommended Citation Cairus, Aecio E., "Protection and Reward: the Significance of Ancient Midrashic Expositions on Genesis 15:1-6" (1988). Dissertations. 20. https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/dissertations/20 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate Research at Digital Commons @ Andrews University. It has been accepted for inclusion in Dissertations by an authorized administrator of Digital Commons @ Andrews University. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in the Andrews University Digital Library of Dissertations and Theses. Please honor the copyright of this document by not duplicating or distributing additional copies in any form without the author’s express written permission. Thanks for your cooperation. INFORMATION TO USERS The most advanced technology has been used to photo­ graph and reproduce this manuscript from the microfilm master. UMI films the text directly from the original or copy submitted. Thus, some thesis and dissertation copies are in typewriter face, while others may be from any type of computer printer. The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. Broken or indistinct print, cclored or poor quality illustrations and photographs, print bleedthrough, substandard margins, and improper alignment can adversely affect reproduction. 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University Microfilms International A Beil & Howell Information Company 300 Mor“- Zoct On?"! Ann Arbor Ml 48106-1346 USA 313 761 —TOG ouG 521-0600 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Order Number 8922838 Protection and reward: The significance of ancient midrashic expositions on Genesis 15:1-6 Cairus, Aecio Esteban, Ph.D. Andrews University, 1989 Copyright ©1989 by Cairus, Aecio Esteban. All rights reserved. UMI 300 N. Zeeb Rd. Ann Arbor. MI 48106 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Andrews University Seventh-day Adventist Theological Seminary PROTECTION AND REWARD: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF UCIENT MIDRASHIC EXPOSITIONS ON GENESIS 15:1-6 A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy by Aecio E. Cairus October 1988 Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. PROTECTION AND REWARD: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANCIENT MIDRASHIC EXPOSITIONS ON GENESIS 15:1-6 A dissertation presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree Doctor of Philosophy by Aecio E . Cairus APPROVAL BY THE COMMITTEE: Faculty Advisor: Jacques Doukhan er/iard F. Hasel, Dean Professor of Old Testament Theological Seminary /2- Z)EC I*? 86* Robert M. Johnston, Professor of Date Approved New Testament and Christian Origins <r£ William Shea, Adjunct Professor of Archaeology and History of Antiquity--- 'L 3_____________ Abraham Terran, Professor of Intertestamental and Early Christian Literatures Andre Lacocque, Professor of Old Testament Chicago Theological Seminary Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. (c) 1988 by Aecio E. Cairus All rights reserved Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT PROTECTION AND REWARD: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANCIENT MIDRASHIC EXPOSITIONS ON GENESIS 15:1-6 by Aecio E. Cairus Faculty adviser: Jacques B. Doukhan Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. ABSTRACT OF GRADUATE STUDENT RESEARCH Ph.D. Dissertation Andrews University Theological Seminary Title: PROTECTION AND REWARD: THE SIGNIFICANCE OF ANCIENT MIDRASHIC EXPOSITIONS ON GENESIS 15:1-6 Researcher: Aecio E. Cairus faculty adviser: Jacques B. Doukhan, D.H.L, Th.D. Date completed: October 1988 Genesis 15:1-6, because of its content, provides singular opportunities for the study of ancient midrashic documents. This kind of study is being increasingly performed, and has interest from a theological, historical and— especially— exegetical viewpoint. Chapter 1 attentively analyzes the treatment of the entire unit in midrashic documents (Jubilees, Genesis Apocryphon, Philo, Josephus, the Targumim, and Genesis Rabbah) , identifies their individual theological and exegetical concerns, and shows their progression over time. The most ancient ones are found to emphasize the covenantal aspects of the passage, while later documents stress the escnatoiogical reward of Abraham as a fruit of his good works. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. Chapter 2 exegetes the unit by means of structural analysis, as well as historical and lexicographical research. The results confirm ancient insights on the covenantal character of the passage and on Abraham's faith as a reaction to the opening premises of protection rather than to the promise of offspring. The characteristics of ancient grant-covenants are employed to shed light on terms of theological significance in the unit, such as "protec­ tion,” "reward,” "offspring," "trust," and "righteousness." A comparison with the gains of chapter 1 then shows how the ancient documents anticipated both the identification and the solution of several exegetical difficulties in the passage, including text, language and theology. These findings tend to substantiate recent recommendations to use ancient midrashim as valid inter­ locutors at each step in the exegetical tasks. The progression, over time, of exegetical stances and theological ideas in those documents is shown to have implications for certain issues of the history of Judaism in current debate * The ins ights gained from the study of ancient midrashim and the historical setting of the unit contribute to a better grasp of its import. In redirecting the interpretation away from a doctrinaire attitude to one more historically determined, these insights are also able to lead scholars of different persuasions towards common grounds of understanding for the passage. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. To my father, who taught me the love of Scripture. Reproduced with permission of the copyright owner. Further reproduction prohibited without permission. TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ..................................... 1 Problem Background .......................... 1 Problem Selection and Scope for Study .... 3 Methodology and Definitions ................. 12 Definitions................................. 12 Exegetical Procedures ................... 14 Results ............................... 15 I. GEN 15:1-6 IN ANCIENT MIDRASHIC EXPOSITIONS. 16 Apocryphal and Pseudepigraphical Literature . 19 S c o p e ........................................19 J u b i l e e s ................................... 23 Qumran Literature: lQapGen ................. 39 The Document as a Whole .................... 39 Relevant Passage.............................41 The Exegesis of Gen 15:1-6 in lQapGen . 52 Theological Ideas ........................ 54 S u m m a r y ..................................... 58 The Hellenistic Writers ...................... 58 S c o p e ........................................58 P h i l o ........................................59 Flavius Josephus ........................ 79 The Targums .................................... 100 Scope of Literature ....................... 100 The Literal Targums ....................... 102 Targum Onqelos .......................... 102 The Samaritan Targum ................... 120 The Palestinian Targums ................. 133 The Rabbinical Midrashim ................... 189 Scope of Literature....................... 189 Genesis Rabbah .......................... 191 Chapter Summary and Conclusion ............. 219 Exegesis of Gen 15:1-6 in Ancient Midrash 219 Theological Ideas ........................ 223 Conclusion
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