Rhetoric, Spatiality, and the First-Century Synagogue

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Rhetoric, Spatiality, and the First-Century Synagogue RHETORIC, SPATIALITY, AND THE FIRST-CENTURY SYNAGOGUE: THE DESCRIPTION AND NARRATIVE USE OF JEWISH INSTITUTIONS IN THE WORKS OF FLAVIUS JOSEPHUS By ANDREW R. KRAUSE, BA, MCS A Thesis Submitted to the School of Graduate Studies in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree Doctor of Philosophy McMaster University © Copyright by Andrew R. Krause, April, 2015 Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies McMaster University DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY (2015) Hamilton, ON (Religious Studies) TITLE: Rhetoric, Spatiality, and the First-Century Synagogue: The Description and Narrative Use of Jewish Institutions in the Works of Flavius Josephus AUTHOR: Andrew Robert Krause BA (Columbia Bible College), MCS (Regent College) SUPERVISOR: Anders Runesson PAGES: xii, 360 ii Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies ABSTRACT The information about the first-century synagogue provided by Flavius Josephus must be handled with care when used in historical reconstructions. Josephus was a skilled rhetorician who was ideologically invested in the presentation of this institution. Due care must therefore be placed on understanding the context of his various mentions of synagogues within the overall rhetorical context of his works if we are interested in historical reconstruction of this Jewish institution. However, the tendentious nature of Josephus’ writings does not preclude historical study, not least because the assumptions and ideologies inherent in this tendenz are themselves historical. Especially in his later works (Antiquitates judaicae, Vita, and Contra Apionem), we find a deliberate presentation of the synagogue as a viable, supra-local rallying point for the Jews throughout the known world, as this institution represents an assembly in which the customs and Law of Judaism may be practiced and disseminated following the loss of the Temple and the Land. Even in the earliest work of Josephus, Bellum judaicum, we find a tendentious presentation of the synagogue as a ‘holy place’ whose precincts were breached due to the impiety of the Jewish insurgents and certain non-Jewish troublemakers. Due to the rhetorical nature of Josephus’ writings and the many hermeneutical issues that arise when we deal with space, the language of Edward Soja’s spatial theory is utilized, where heuristically profitable, in order to distinguish between the ‘spaces themselves’ (firstspace), the ideals held by the author regarding the institution (secondspace), and the combination of the two in the experience represented in the iii Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies passages (thirdspace). It is precisely the rhetoric with which Josephus presents the synagogue that will lead us to a better understanding of the ideological importance that synagogues had in the lives of the communities and individuals inhabiting these spaces during the period in question. iv Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Of making many books there is no end, and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Qohelet 12:12, NRSV) Given the truth of the latter stanza, it is amazing that the former could still be true. As with any who seek to write a book of any substance, I have come to know just how much a writer needs the support and guidance of many in order to complete this task. I have been immeasurably helped along by a rich and giving academic community. First and foremost, I would like to thank my supervisor, Anders Runesson. His giving and affable nature has made our collaboration a joy. Every page of this work is marked by his guidance, influence, and friendship. I would also like to thank the other members of my committee, Eileen Schuller and Dan Machiela. Both have been sources of warmth, candor, and invaluable instruction throughout my time at McMaster. Special mention should also be made of the help offered by our immensely gracious department administrators, Sheryl Dick, Doreen Drew, and Jennifer Nettleton. I have been fortunate to have an extraordinary group of fellow students with whom to share my time in Hamilton, especially Andy Perrin, Ian Koiter, Matt Walsh, Jeremy Penner, Anthony Meyer, Nick Meyer, Ralph Korner, Miriam DeCock, Whitney Ross, Dan Opperwall, and Eric Montgomery. Moreover, our department has enjoyed a warm and collaborative working relationship with the University of Toronto and Toronto School of Theology. Among the many people involved, I would especially like to thank Judith Newman, Sarianna Metso, Terence Donaldson, Nathalie LaCoste, Eva Mroczek, and Carmen Palmer for enjoyable and profitable discussions. Steve Mason, Al Baumgarten, and v Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies Markus Öhler have also been extremely giving in terms of time and counsel at various points of this project. Finally, during the preliminary stages of this dissertation, I had the honor and privilege to study at the École Biblique et Archaeologique, Jerusalem, for a portion of a summer. The faculty, librarians, and entire community at the École were great hosts and discussion partners during this formative time. Thanks are especially due to the Canadian Friends of the École Biblique et Archaeologique for their generous support during this time abroad. Financial support from McMaster University and the Ontrario Graduate Scholarship sustained this project throughout. Beyond my academic work, I have been blessed by a large, close family my entire life. In all hardship, joy, and everything in between, my many aunts, uncles, and cousins have been there to help and to encourage me. This is a debt that can never be repaid. My brothers, Shane and Ben, have been challenging interlocutors and fast friends for as long as I can remember. My parents, Cathy, Murry, and Brian, have raised me to aspire to great things, and have made sure that I am able to chase these dreams. Finally, though most importantly, my wife Tracey has been a constant source of every form of support imaginable. I have no illusion that this project and I have always been easy to live with, though she has met this challenge with her usual grace, love, and aplomb. She and her love amaze me daily. vi Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies ABBREVIATIONS 1. Collections ASSB Runesson, Binder and Olsson, 2007 CIG Boeckh, Franz, 1828–59. CIJ Frey, 1936–52. CIL Mommsen, et al., 1863–1974. CPJ Tcherikover and Fuks, 1960. GCRE Oliver, 1989. IDelos Roussel and Launey, 1937. IG II2 Kirchner, 1913–40. IG V1 Kolbe, 1913. IGLAM Le Bas and Waddington, 1870. IGR Cagnat, et al, 1911–27. IJO Noy, et al., 2004. IKyme Engelmann, 1976. ILS Dessau, 1892–1916. IPriene Gaertringen, 1906. JIGRE Horbury and Noy, 1992. LCL Loeb Classics Library, 1929–. OGIS Dittenberger, 1903–5. PLond Kenyon, Bell, and Skeat, 1893–1974. PTebtunis Grenfell, Hunt, and Goodspeed, 1902–76. SEG Roussel, 1923–. SIG3 Dittenberger, 1915–24. 2. Ancient Authors and Works Arr. Arrian Epict.diss. Epicteti dissertationes Cic Cicero Att. Epistulae ad Atticum Clu. Pro Cluentio Dom. De domo suo Flacc. Pro Flaccus Mil. Pro Milone Or. De oratore Phil. Orationes phillippicae Rep. De repubulica Tusc. Tuscalanae disputationes vii Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies Vat. In Vatinium Dio Cas. Dio Cassius Dio Chrys. Dio Chrysostom Or. Orationes Diod. Sic. Diodorus Siculus Dion. Hal. Dionysius of Halicarnassus Ant. Rom. Antiquitates romanae Dem. De Demosthene Thuc. De Thucydide Eus. Eusebius of Caesarea Praep. Evang. Praeparatio evangelica Herod. Herodotus Hist. Historiae Hippolyt. Hippolytus Haer. Refutatio omnium haeresium Jos Josephus AJ Antiquitates judaicae BJ Bellum Judaicum C.Ap. Contra Apionem Vita Vita Just. Justinian Cod. Just. Codex justinianus Juv Juvenal Sat. Satirae Luc. Lucian Peregr. De morte Peregrini Philo Philo of Alexandria Conf. De confusione linguarum Decal. De decalogo Deus Quod Deus sit immutabilis Ebr. De ebrietate Flacc. In Flaccum viii Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies Her. Quis rerum divinarum heres sit Hypoth. Hypothetica Leg. Legum allegoriae Legat. Letatio ad Gaium Migr. De migratione Abrahami Mos. De vita Mosis Mut. De mutatione nominum Post. De posteritate Caini Prob. Quod omnis probus Somn. De somniis Spec. Leg. De specialibus legibus Virt. De virtutibus Plato Rep. Respublica Pliny the Elder Nat. Hist. Naturalis historia Pliny the Younger Ep. Epistulae Plut. Plutarch Aem. Aemilius Paulus Ag. Cleom. Agis et Cleomenes Caes. Caesar Cam. Camillus Cat. Min. Cato Minor Cor. Marcius Coriolanus Lyc. Lycurgus Mar. Marius Tim. Timoleon Polyb. Polybius of Megalopolis Hist. Historiae Pseudepigrapha Let. Aris. Letter of Aristeas Quin Quintilian Inst. orat. Institutio oratoria Rabbinic Materials b. Meg. Talmud Bavli, Tractate Megillah ix Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies Gen.Rab. Genesis Rabbah Midr. Ps. Midrash on the Psalms m. Erub. Mishnah Erubim m. Meg. Mishnah Megillah t. Suk. Tosefta Sukkah y. Šeqal. Talmud Yerushalmi, Tractate Šeqalim Sen. Seneca Ep. Epistulae morales Suet. Suetonius Dom. Domitianus Jul. Divus Julius Tib. Tiberius Vesp. Vespasiunus Tac. Tacitus Hist. Historiae Thuc. Thucydides Vit. Vitruvius Arch. De architectura x Ph.D. Thesis – Andrew R. Krause; McMaster University – Religious Studies INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................................................................
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    Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament Herausgeber / Editor Jörg Frey (Zürich) Mitherausgeber / Associate Editors Friedrich Avemarie † (Marburg) Markus Bockmuehl (Oxford) James A. Kelhoffer (Uppsala) Hans-Josef Klauck (Chicago, IL) Tobias Nicklas (Regensburg) 300 Daniel R. Schwartz Reading the First Century On Reading Josephus and Studying Jewish History of the First Century Mohr Siebeck Daniel R. Schwartz, born 1952; 1980 PhD, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem; since 1995 Professor of Jewish History at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. ISBN 978-3-16-152187-4 ISSN 0512-1604 (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament) Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche Nationalbibliogra- phie; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http://dnb.dnb.de. © 2013 by Mohr Siebeck, Tübingen, Germany. www.mohr.de This book may not be reproduced, in whole or in part, in any form (beyond that permitted by copyright law) without the publisher’s written permission. This applies particularly to reproductions, translations, microfilms and storage and processing in electronic systems. The book was typeset by Martin Fischer in Tübingen, printed by Gulde-Druck in Tübin- gen on non-aging paper and bound by Buchbinderei Spinner in Ottersweier. Printed in Germany. Arnaldo Dante Momigliano (1908–1987) In Memoriam Preface The movement toward reading Josephus through, and not merely reading through Josephus to external realities, now pro- vides the dominant agenda.1 The historian is not an interpreter of sources, although interpret he does. Rath- er, he is an interpreter of the reality of which the sources are indicative signs, or fragments.2 The title of this volume, “Reading the First Century,” is deliberately para- doxical, for what we in fact read are texts, not a period of time.
  • Caiaphas, Johannes Romanus: John's Imperial Roman

    Caiaphas, Johannes Romanus: John's Imperial Roman

    CAIAPHAS, JOHANNES ROMANUS: JOHN’S IMPERIAL ROMAN AUDIENCE by Andrew Simmonds In 1930s, alarmed by the Nazis’ embrace of the Gospel of John, Ernest Cadman Colwell1 advanced the thesis that John was written to appeal to cultured, wealthy, anti-Semitic, patriotic citizens of the Roman Empire.2 This article advances a related but more focused thesis, that John was written for the imperial court and administration, at a time when it was unprecedentedly anti-Semitic,3 and Judaism or Jewish-Christianity had infiltrated its highest echelons (Clemens’ and Domitilla’s children were the heirs to the throne).4 In his anti-Semitism and much else, Domitian was unlike his father, Vespasian, and brother, Titus, practical military men, who enjoyed good relations with such prominent Jewish 1 Colwell served as President of the University of Chicago from 1945 to 1951 and President of the Society of Biblical Literature in 1947. 2 Ernest Cadman Colwell, “The Fourth Gospel and the Struggle for Respectability,” JR 14:3 (1934): 298 (“Nazi Official . in summer of 1933, announced that Christianity in the Third Reich would be based upon the Gospel of Love, i.e. John”), 301 (“the most patriotic Roman citizen would find nothing to suggest that Christianity was a seditious movement”); Idem, John Defends the Gospel (Chicago: Willett, Clark, 1936), 43 (“the church is the enemy of” and “stand(s) outside Judaism;” “the pagan who approached Christianity through the pages of the Fourth Gospel would not suppose for a moment that Christianity was a Jewish movement”); 47 (“The cultured pagan who disliked the Jews would have no reason for disliking the Jesus of the Fourth Gospel”), 150; Alan Davies, “Racism and German Protestant Theology: A Prelude to the Holocaust,” Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 450 (1980): 28 and n.