Pseudepigrapha: an Account of Certain Apocryphal Sacred Writings of the Jews and Early Christians
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Pseudepigrapha: An Account of Certain Apocryphal Sacred Writings of the Jews and Early Christians Author(s): Deane, William John (1823-1895) Publisher: Grand Rapids, MI: Christian Classics Ethereal Library Description: In Pseudepigrapha, William Deane surveys the Psalter of Solomon, the Book of Enoch, the Assumption of Moses, the Apocalypse of Baruch, the Testaments of the Twelve Patri- archs, the Book of Jubilees, the Ascension of Isaiah, and the Sibylline Oracles.These books are pseudepigraphous, which means they were falsely authored before and during the early Christian era under famous names to promote publicity. These books were never included in the Jewish Canonical Scriptures and are examined less frequently than the other apocryphal writings. The pseudepigraphical texts are organ- ized into four different groups: lyrical, apocalyptical and prophetical, legendary, and mixed. Deane intended this book to give a succinct account of these controversial books for readers who are not familiar with them. Despite their biblical inauthenticity, these books can greatly enrich our knowledge of the ancient Jewish belief system. Emmalon Davis CCEL Staff Writer Subjects: The Bible Old Testament Special parts of the Old Testament i Contents Title Page 1 Preface 2 Original Table of Contents 3 Introduction 4 I. Lyrical 17 The Psalter of Solomon 18 II. Apocalyptical and Prophetical. 32 The Book of Enoch 33 The Assumption of Moses 57 The Apocalypse of Baruch 77 The Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs. 94 Legendary 110 The Book of Jubilees 111 The Ascension of Isaiah 134 IV. Mixed 154 The Sibylline Oracles. 155 Subject Index 191 Indexes 198 Index of Scripture References 199 Greek Words and Phrases 203 Hebrew Words and Phrases 209 Latin Words and Phrases 210 Index of Pages of the Print Edition 214 ii This PDF file is from the Christian Classics Ethereal Library, www.ccel.org. The mission of the CCEL is to make classic Christian books available to the world. • This book is available in PDF, HTML, Kindle, and other formats. See http://www.ccel.org/ccel/deane/pseudepig.html. • Discuss this book online at http://www.ccel.org/node/3185. The CCEL makes CDs of classic Christian literature available around the world through the Web and through CDs. We have distributed thousands of such CDs free in developing countries. If you are in a developing country and would like to receive a free CD, please send a request by email to [email protected]. The Christian Classics Ethereal Library is a self supporting non-profit organization at Calvin College. If you wish to give of your time or money to support the CCEL, please visit http://www.ccel.org/give. This PDF file is copyrighted by the Christian Classics Ethereal Library. It may be freely copied for non-commercial purposes as long as it is not modified. All other rights are re- served. Written permission is required for commercial use. iii Title Page Title Page PSEUDEPIGRAPHA: i AN ACCOUNT OF CERTAIN APOCRYPHAL SACRED WRITINGS OF THE JEWS AND EARLY CHRISTIANS. BY THE Rev. WILLIAM J. DEANE, M.A., RECTOR OF ASHEN, ESSEX; AUTHOR OF “THE BOOK OF WISDOM, WITH PROLEGOMENA AND COMMENTARY (OXFORD: CLARENDON PRESS), ETC. ETC. EDINBURGH: T. & T. CLARK, 38 GEORGE STREET. 1891. PRINTED BY MORRISON AND GIBB, ii FOR T. & T. CLARK, EDINBURGH. LONDON, . HAMILTON, ADAMS, AND C0. DUBLIN, . GEORGE HERBERT. NEW YORK, . CHARLES SCRIBNER’S SONS. 1 Preface Preface PREFACE. The present work consists chiefly of a reproduction of certain articles (with additions and corrections) contributed by me to various religious periodicals during the last few years. iii It treats of some curious Pseudepigraphal Jewish and Christian writings composed in the times immediately preceding or following the commencement of the Christian era, and aims at giving a succinct account of these productions for readers who are not familiar with the originals. The books comprised in our English Bibles under the name of “Apocrypha” are excluded, as they have been sufficiently examined of late years, and commentaries upon them are readily available. Some of the works treated in this volume are comparatively un- known to English readers, but those (like the Book of Enoch) which have obtained more currency among us could not be omitted from our survey, especially as they form an integral part of the literature of the period, and are often referred to and cited. The whole of the writings here examined have not hitherto been collected into one volume. The original text or versions of some of them have been printed in Fabricius’ Codex Pseudepigraphus Veteris Testamenti; and in Fritzsche’s Libri Apocryphi Vet. Test.; the others have been published by various editors at various times, as noted in the following accounts. iv 2 Original Table of Contents Original Table of Contents CONTENTS. Introduction, 1 v I. Lyrical— The Psalter of So- 25 lomon, II. Apocalyptical and Prophetical— The Book of Enoch, 49 The Assumption of 95 Moses, The Apocalypse of 130 Baruch, The Testaments of the 162 Twelve Patriarchs, III. Legendary— The Book of Jubilees, 193 The Ascension of Isai- 236 ah, IV. Mixed— The Sibylline Oracles, 276 vi 3 Introduction Introduction INTRODUCTION. In the times immediately preceding and succeeding the commencement of the Christian era there arose among the Jews a style of writing to which the name Pseudepigraphic has 1 been given, because most of the works so composed appeared under the assumed name of some famous person. They must not be considered in the light of literary forgeries; they are not like Macpherson with his Ossian, or Chatterton with his Rowley, fraudulent attempts at imposture; but the authors, having something to say which they deemed worthy of the attention of contemporaries, put it forth under the ægis of a great name, not to deceive, but to conciliate favour. A writer who ventured to appropriate a celebrated title would take care to satisfy the expectations raised by his pseudonym, and readers would believe that no one would dare to challenge comparison with a great original who was not qualified to sustain the character assumed. The most familiar instance is, perhaps, the book known as the Wis- dom of Solomon, wherein the writer assumes the person of the great Israelite king, certainly with no idea of deceiving his readers (for the language of the treatise, the date and place of its composition, alike forbid any notion of fraud), but with the view of supporting his opinions by the highest authority, and as embodying sentiments which are such as the son of David might have enunciated. A similar impersonation is familiar to us in the Book of Ecclesiastes, where Koheleth utters his varied experiences through the mouth of Solomon, 2 “son of David, king in Jerusalem.” Such a use of fiction has been common in all ages; it is found in classical authors. Plato and Cicero introduced real characters as vehicles for sup- porting or opposing their views. The Apologies of Socrates, the speeches in Thucydides and Livy, are never deemed to be intentional deceptions; the animus decipiendi is lacking; and though they utter the words of the writers, and not those of the persons represented, no one sees in them fraud and chicanery, but every one regards them as legitimate examples of dramatic personation. The Old Testament authors do not prefix their names to their works, as they write, not for self-glorification, but to serve far higher purposes. The only exception to this rule is found in the case of the prophets, whose names and credentials were necessarily required, in order to give weight and credibility to their announcements. In accordance with this practice the uninspired apocalyptic writers publish their visions, and lucubrations under the appellation of some earlier worthy, whom with transparent impersonation they introduce into their compositions. They might also claim the authority of the titles of many books in the Old Testament which are presented under the names of authors who certainly did not write them. No one supposes that Ruth or Esther composed the books which bear their names, and very little of the two books of Samuel are the work of that great prophet. The Psalmists adopted the designations of David, or Asaph, or the sons of Korah, because they echoed the spirit or employed the forms found in their prototypes. Those who followed the footsteps of these great predecessors, without their claim to inspiration, thought them- 3 4 Introduction selves justified in winning attention to their utterances by adventitious means, and boldly personated the eminent characters in whose spirit they wrote.1 At the cessation of prophecy among the Jews, when no longer the utterances of inspired seers denounced abuses, pointed the right way, proclaimed the will of God, great attention was paid by devout men to the study and interpretation of canonical Scripture. In contrast with the heathenism of surrounding nations, the Hebrew pored over his Heaven-sent law, and, by attention thereto, confirmed his abhorrence of idolatry and his adherence to his monotheistic faith. The degradation of Israel under its pagan oppressors, and the temporary triumph of the chosen people in the Maccabean period, gave rise to the apocalyptic literature of which we are speaking. An unswerving zeal for the Law, and a glowing hope of a happy future, formed the character istics of this period. From the storm and tumult and confusion of their own times good men looked forward to a reign of peace and happiness, and strove to impart their own hopes to their desponding countrymen. Taking their tone from, and founding their views upon, the ancient prophets, and more especially employing the imagery and developing the annunciations of Daniel, these writers, under various forms, and with very different success, gradually put forth their notions of the future, and anticipate the kingdom of Messiah.