Durham E-Theses THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE EAR: THE MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF A METAPHOR IN ITS CONTEXT IN SECOND TEMPLE AND EARLY CHRISTIAN TEXTS THOMASON, BRENT,ASHTON How to cite: THOMASON, BRENT,ASHTON (2016) THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE EAR: THE MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF A METAPHOR IN ITS CONTEXT IN SECOND TEMPLE AND EARLY CHRISTIAN TEXTS, Durham theses, Durham University. Available at Durham E-Theses Online: http://etheses.dur.ac.uk/11388/ 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 DURHAM UNIVERSITY THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE EAR: THE MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF A METAPHOR IN ITS CONTEXT IN SECOND TEMPLE AND EARLY CHRISTIAN TEXTS A THESIS SUBMITTED TO THE FACULTY OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES IN CANDIDACY FOR THE DEGREE OF DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY DEPARTMENT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGION BY BRENT ASHTON THOMASON DURHAM, UK MARCH 2015 ABSTRACT THE CIRCUMCISION OF THE EAR: THE MULTIPLE MEANINGS OF A METAPHOR IN ITS CONTEXT IN SECOND TEMPLE AND EARLY CHRISTIAN TEXTS By Brent Ashton Thomason Among Second Temple and Early Christian texts, 1QHodayota, Luke-Acts, and the Epistle of Barnabas reference an ear-circumcision metaphor, recalling to mind the sobering statement of Jer 6:10: “To whom shall I speak and give warning, that they may hear? Behold, their ears are uncircumcised, and they cannot listen. Behold, the word of the LORD has become a reproach to them; they have no delight in it.” In each of these three works, the author has juxtaposed an ear-circumcision and heart metaphor—uncircumcised ears and heart of stone (1QHodayota), uncircumcised in hearts and ears (Luke-Acts), and circumcised hearing and hearts (Epistle of Barnabas). From critical treatments in monographs to cross-references in footnotes, scholars’ treatments have tended to fall short: (1) they generalize the ear-circumcision metaphor’s meaning appealing to its meaning in Jer 6:10; (2) they offer inadequate analyses of the metaphor in favor of the more frequent, juxtaposed heart metaphor. My thesis seeks to shed additional light on the ear-circumcision metaphor by offering detailed analyses to show its multifaceted meaning, which is contingent in each case upon its context. Further, the thesis reveals the significant ear motif woven throughout each ancient source and the function of the metaphor in shaping the structure of the literary piece. In order to accomplish this, the thesis examines the ear-circumcision metaphor from a study of the LXX and Targumim interpretations of the Hebrew text (Ch. 2) and reviews other related metaphors from the Second Temple and Early Christian era (Ch. 3). Next, the study turns to analyze separately the metaphor’s meaning and its role in the literary structure of 1QHodayota (Ch. 4), Luke-Acts (Ch. 5), and the Epistle of Barnabas (Ch. 6). Chapter 7 compares the analyses of these metaphors. Finally, I make some concluding comments and propose future research (Ch. 8). ii DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT This thesis is the product of my own work and does not include work that has been presented in any form for a degree at Durham University or any other university. All quotations from, and references to, the work of persons other than myself have been properly acknowledged throughout. The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. No quotation from it should be published in any format, including electronic and the Internet, without the author’s prior written consent. All information derived from this thesis must be acknowledged appropriately. Copyright © 2015 by Brent Ashton Thomason All rights reserved iii Für meine Frau iv TABLE OF CONTENTS ABSTRACT .......................................................................................................................................... ii DECLARATION AND COPYRIGHT ......................................................................................... iii LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ........................................................................................................... ix ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ................................................................................................................ x ABBREVIATIONS ............................................................................................................................ xi CHAPTER 1 INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................... 1 1.1 Nina Livesey’s Circumcision as a Malleable Symbol ............................................................... 1 1.2 Aim and Scope of the Study ............................................................................................... 2 1.3 Metaphor Theory ................................................................................................................. 4 1.3.1 Comparative Model ................................................................................................. 4 1.3.2 Interactive Model ..................................................................................................... 5 1.3.3 Conceptual Model ................................................................................................... 6 1.3.4 Definition of Metaphor .......................................................................................... 8 1.4 Metaphors of the Ear and Circumcision........................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2 RELEVANT OLD TESTAMENT METAPHORS OF THE EARS, HEART, AND LIPS .................................................................................................................. 12 2.1 Circumcision as a Source Domain ................................................................................... 12 2.2 Circumcision as a Metaphor ............................................................................................. 14 2.3 Circumcision of the Ears ................................................................................................... 14 2.4 Circumcision of the Heart................................................................................................. 19 2.4.1 Deuteronomy 10:16 ............................................................................................... 19 2.4.2 Leviticus 26:41 ....................................................................................................... 21 2.4.3 Deuteronomy 30:6 ................................................................................................. 23 2.4.4 Jeremiah 4:4 ............................................................................................................ 25 2.4.5 Jeremiah 9:25 .......................................................................................................... 27 2.4.6 Ezekiel 44:7, 9 ........................................................................................................ 28 2.4.7 Summary and Conclusion ..................................................................................... 29 2.5 The Heart of Stone ............................................................................................................ 31 2.5.1 Ezekiel 11:19 .......................................................................................................... 31 2.5.2 Ezekiel 36:26 .......................................................................................................... 33 2.6 Circumcision of the Lips ................................................................................................... 33 2.6.1 Exodus 6:12, 30 ..................................................................................................... 34 CHAPTER 3 RELEVANT SECOND TEMPLE AND EARLY CHRISTIAN METAPHORS OF THE HEART AND LIPS ..................................................................... 38 3.1 Circumcision of the Heart................................................................................................. 38 3.1.1 Qumran ................................................................................................................... 39 3.1.2 Jubilees ....................................................................................................................... 46 3.1.3 Philo ......................................................................................................................... 47 v 3.1.4 Romans ................................................................................................................... 51 3.1.5 Odes of Solomon ......................................................................................................... 52 3.1.6 Justin ........................................................................................................................ 54 3.1.7 Letter to Flora ........................................................................................................... 57 3.1.8 Other Related Circumcision Texts .....................................................................