Women of the

Susanna

Pastor Ritva Williams May 2016

THE STORY BEHIND THE TEXT

The story of is preserved only in Greek manuscripts. There do not seem to be any Hebrew originals which is why it is not included in the Protestant (based on the ). The story is found in:

• the (LXX), i.e. the Greek translation of the Hebrew Bible and related texts that was made in Alexandria, Egypt during the reign of King Ptolemy II (r. 285-246 BCE). It became the common version of the HB/OT available in the ancient world. Its the version quoted by the Apostle Paul and other NT authors. In the LXX, the story of Susanna is tacked on to the end of the book of .

• , a Greek speaking Jewish scholar, writing about 150 CE, revised the LXX including an expanded story of Susanna at the beginning of the , as a kind of introduction to the character of Daniel. This is the version we have.

The story of Susanna is best read as edifying fiction and/or as a symbolic narrative, i.e. it is meant to teach a lesson about individual behavior and/or community values. The word “susanna” in Hebrew means lily. During the Persian period Judean coins often depicted a lily — the lily of Jerusalem — a symbol for the Judean community as a whole.

THE STORY IN THE TEXT • The story is set in Babylon, suggesting that the readers is to imagine these events occurring during or, most likely, after the Babylonian Exile (597-539 BCE). The Jewish community is presented as a semi-autonomous self-governing group that have their own courts.

READ VERSES 1-14 • Who are the main characters? What do we learn about them?

• The quote in verse 5 is presented as a saying of the Lord. This saying is not found in the OT but check out Jeremiah 23:14-15 and 29:20-23. What did these sayings of the Lord mean in Jeremiah’s context?

• What is the situation that is developing around Susanna?

1 READ VERSES 15-27 • How do the elders entrap Susanna? What choice is she given?

• What commandment are the elders violating in their pursuit of Susanna? See Exodus 20:17.

• Why does it mean death for Susanna if she gives in to the elders? See Leviticus 20:10 & Deuteronomy 22:22.

• What does she choose to do? Why is this her best/only option? See Deuteronomy 22:23-24.

• How do the elders respond?

READ VERSES 28-45 • The elders order Susanna to be unveiled. In the LXX version she is stripped naked in accordance with ritual Jewish law — see Ezekiel 16:37-39 and Hosea 2:3-10. What is the point of this unveiling?

• The elders place their hands on Susanna’s head, not in an act of blessing, but in an act of condemnation — see Leviticus 24:14.

• Who defends Susanna? Why?

READ VERSES 46-64 • How does Daniel expose the elders as liars?

• Why do Susanna’s parents and husband rejoice?

• What might we learn from this story?

• If Susanna is a symbol for the Jewish community in the Diaspora, what does this story suggest are its main problems?

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