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Christ As the Covenant: Justin Martyr's Interpretation of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31.31-32

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Christ As the Covenant: Justin Martyr's Interpretation of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31.31-32 Durham E-Theses Christ as the Covenant: Justin Martyr's Interpretation of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31.31-32 TOMITA, YUJI How to cite: TOMITA, YUJI (2012) Christ as the Covenant: Justin Martyr's Interpretation of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31.31-32, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/3433/ Use policy The full-text may be used and/or reproduced, and given to third parties in any format or medium, without prior permission or charge, for personal research or study, educational, or not-for-prot purposes provided that: • a full bibliographic reference is made to the original source • a link is made to the metadata record in Durham E-Theses • the full-text is not changed in any way The full-text must not be sold in any format or medium without the formal permission of the copyright holders. Please consult the full Durham E-Theses policy for further details. Academic Support Oce, Durham University, University Oce, Old Elvet, Durham DH1 3HP e-mail: [email protected] Tel: +44 0191 334 6107 http://etheses.dur.ac.uk 2 Christ as the Covenant: Justin Martyr’s Interpretation of the New Covenant in Jeremiah 31.31-32 Yuji Tomita Abstract This thesis attempts to reveal a neglected facet of Justin Martyr‟s idea of the new covenant (NC), with a focus on Justin‟s identification of the new covenant with Christ. It is an effort to seek its Jewish origins. Justin‟s interpretation of the NC in Jeremiah 31(38).31-32 is indebted to an early liturgical tradition preserved in Luke 22 and 1 Corinthians 11. This interpretation of the NC as the Sacrament is linked with his identification of the NC with Christ, since Justin views the Eucharist as the embodiment of the divine Logos, which Justin considers to be equal to Christ. Justin‟s NC does not only refer to the Eucharist, but baptism as well. Although Justin‟s identification might have been partly influenced by the Kerygma Petri, which identifies the Law with the Lord, it is rather significantly influenced by the Jewish traditions. This element in Justin‟s use of the NC is shaped by the textual/exegetical traditions of the OT/Hebrew Bible such as LXX, a Jewish recension (a θαίγε type/„Theodotion‟, or Aquila), and the PT tradition in its oral stage. Particularly, Justin detects the theme of the in Isaiah 2.3/51.4 and the Book of the Covenant—the ‟תודה/תורה coming/going out of„ context of the NC text of Jeremiah (30-31 [37-38])—with his knowledge of a Hebraizing reading of Jeremiah 30.19 attested in the version of Aquila; Justin‟s juxtaposition of these in Isaiah 2.3 and 51.4 as תורה verses in Dialogue 11 and 24 indicates that he views εὐραξηζηία in Jeremiah 30.19. Moreover, Justin learned the Midrashic/תודה identical with tradition on the water of Marah, which involves Jewish metaphors of „tree (of life)‟ and „water‟ as the Torah, orally from the early PT tradition. Justin‟s knowledge of this Midrashic tradition, together with his recognition of LXX Jeremiah 11.19 which associates „tree‟ with „bread‟, and LXX Exodus 23.25 which juxtaposes „bread, water, and wine‟, has facilitated his identification of Christ with the new Law/covenant, namely the Sacraments. The identification of the messianic symbol of „ruler‟s staff‟ with the „covenant of kingship‟ in 4Q252 strengthens our view that Justin‟s identification of the NC with Christ is rooted in Jewish traditions, since in Dialogue 86, Justin also associates „sceptre/rod‟ with the „tree of life‟, which is the new Law/covenant and Christ. The findings of this thesis have an implication on the scholarly view of Justin‟s use of the testimony sources. This study confirms the fact that Justin‟s OT texts are often quoted from secondary sources. As far as his use of Jeremiah 31.31-32 and his OT citations in Dialogue 86 are concerned, however, his combinations and alterations of the biblical texts are related to his theological view of the NC, so that they may indicate Justin‟s reworking of the OT/source material; the influence of contemporary Jewish traditions can be traced even in the upper layer of Justin‟s source material. 2 Contents Abstract 2 Contents 3 INTRODUCTION 8 A. Topic 8 B. Preceding studies 1: Justin‟s notion of the new covenant 8 1. Scarce attention given to the idea of covenant 8 2. Everett Ferguson 9 3. Knut Backhaus 12 4. Directions for further studies on Justin‟s notion of the new covenant 13 C. Preceding studies 2: Jewish influence on Justin 15 1. Parallels between Jewish sources and Justin 15 2. Jewish traditions of the Hebrew Bible 16 3. Testimony hypotheses 19 4. Directions for further studies on Jewish influence on Justin‟s OT interpretation 22 D. Objectives 22 E. Scope and methods 23 F. Some clarifications 25 PART ONE EARLY CHRISTIAN NOTIONS OF THE NEW COVENANT 29 Chapter I. Jeremiah‟s new covenant before the time of Justin 30 A. Introduction 30 B. New Testament documents 32 1. Synoptic accounts of the Last Supper 32 a. Mark 14.22-24 and Matthew 26.26-28 33 b. Luke 22.15-20 36 2. Pauline epistles 39 a. 1 Corinthians 11.23-26 40 3 b. 2 Corinthians 3.1-6 41 c. Romans 11.26-27 44 3. The Letter to the Hebrews 47 B. Apostolic Fathers 50 1. The Shepherd of Hermas 50 2. The Epistle of Barnabas 52 C. The Kerygma Petri (KP) 56 D. Concluding remarks 58 Chapter II. Preliminary observations of Justin‟s notion of the new covenant 61 A. Introduction 61 B. Absence of δηαζήθε in the Apologies 63 C. Jeremiah 31(38).31-32 in the Dialogue 65 1. Dialogue 11-12 65 2. Dialogue 22 67 D. Justin‟s usage of δηαζήθε 71 E. Early Christian influence on Justin‟s notion of the new covenant 74 1. Influence of NT documents 74 2. Justin and the Apostolic Fathers 76 3. Justin‟s possible contact with KP 78 a. KP fr. 5 and Dialogue 67.9 78 b. Identification of Law with Lord in KP fr. 1 80 F. Concluding remarks 82 Chapter III. The new covenant in early Fathers after the time of Justin 84 A. Introduction 84 B. Irenaeus 85 1. Γηαζήθε/Testamentum 86 2. Jeremiah 31(38).31-34 87 3. Summary 89 C. Tertullian 90 1. Testamentum 90 4 2. Jeremiah 31(38).31-34 92 3. Summary 94 D. Clement of Alexandria 95 1. Γηαζήθε 95 2. Jeremiah 31(38).31-34 98 3. Summary 100 E. Concluding remarks 101 PART TWO THREE PASSAGES OF THE OT/HEBREW BIBLE IN DIFFERENT TRADITION 103 Chapter IV. Jeremiah 30-31 (37-38) 106 A. Introduction 106 B. Two texts of Jeremiah 106 C. Jeremiah 30-31 (MT) 109 112 ברית D. LXX translation of E. LXX Jeremiah 37-38 117 F. „Theodotion‟ and Aquila 123 1. Barthélemy‟s Devanicers d‟Aquila 123 2. Book of the covenant in ζʹ and αʹ Jeremiah 126 G. Tg Jeremiah 30-31 128 H. Influence of Jeremiah 30-31 (37-38) on Justin Martyr 134 I. Justin‟s use of the metaphors of „tree‟ and „water‟ 138 1. Justin‟s use of the metaphor of „tree‟ 140 a. „Tree‟ as true Israel 140 b. Pauline use of „tree‟ 142 c. Fusion of Pauline metaphor and Midrashic traditions 144 d. Further Jewish influence on Justin‟s use of „tree‟ 146 e. „Tree‟ as Eucharistic element 150 f. Sacraments as channels of mysterious power 151 2. Justin‟s use of the metaphor of „water‟ 153 3. Justin‟s source of the metaphors of „tree‟ and „water‟ 156 5 J. Concluding remarks 159 Chapter V. Exodus 19-24 163 A. Introduction 163 B. The Masoretic Text 163 C. The Septuagint 166 D. „Theodotion‟ and Aquila 172 E. Aramaic Targums 173 1. Common features 173 2. Targum Psuedo-Jonathan 179 3. Targum Neofiti 1 181 F. Exodus 19-24 in Justin Martyr 183 1. Exodus 23.20-21 in Dialogue 75 184 2. Exodus 19.21; 24.17 in Dialogue 127-128 186 3. King and priest (Exod 19.6) 189 4. Bread, wine and water (LXX Exod 23.25) 190 5. Justin‟s use of „blood‟ 191 G. Concluding remarks 197 Chapter VI. Genesis 17 201 A. Introduction 201 B. The Masoretic Text 201 C. The Septuagint 204 D. Genesis 17 in Justin Martyr 205 1. „Father of many nations‟ (Gen 17.4b) 206 2. Justin‟s polemic against circumcision 208 E. Concluding remarks 209 PART THREE JEWISH SOURCES IN THE SECOND TEMPLE PERIOD 211 Chapter VII. Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum and 4Q252 V 213 A. Introduction 213 6 B. Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum 213 C. „Ruler‟s staff‟ in 4Q252 V 218 D. Concluding remarks 222 Excursus: Philo of Alexandria 223 CONCLUSION 229 A. Results 229 B. Implications 236 C. For further enquiries 239 Appendix: Early Christian usages of διαθήκη/testamentum 239 1. Classification of δηαζήθε in Justin Martyr 239 2. Classification of δηαζήθε/testamentum in Irenaeus 240 3. Classification of testamentum in Tertullian 241 4. Classification of δηαζήθε in Clement of Alexandria 242 Abbreviations 245 Bibliography 253 7 INTRODUCTION A. Topic The topic of this thesis is Justin Martyr‟s interpretation of the new covenant (NC) in Jeremiah 31.31-32. It will focus on the identification of the NC with Christ (e.g. Dial. 11-12; 24.1-2).
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