Demons of Change

Andrei A. Orlov

Description

Antagonistic imagery has a striking presence in apocalyptic writings of Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity. In these visionary accounts, the role of the divine warrior fighting against demonic forces is often taken by a human adept, who becomes exalted and glorified as a result of his encounter with otherworldly antagonists, serving as a prerequisite for his final apotheosis. Demons of Change examines the meaning of these interactions for the transformations of the hero and antihero of early Jewish and Christian apocalyptic accounts. Andrei A. Orlov traces the roots of this trope to ancient Near Eastern traditions, paying special attention to the significance of conflict in the adept's ascent and apotheosis and to the formative value of these developments for Jewish and Christian martyrological accounts. This antagonistic tension plays a critical role both for the exaltation of the protagonist and for the demotion of his opponent. Orlov treats the motif of the hero's apotheosis in the midst of conflict in its full historical and interpretive complexity using a broad variety of Jewish sources, from the creational narratives of the Hebrew Bible to later Jewish mystical testimonies.
Preface
Abbreviations

Introduction

1. Between God and Satan: Inauguration into the Divine Image in Early Jewish and Christian Accounts

2. Furnace that Kills and Furnace that Gives Life: Fiery Trials and Martyrdom in the Apocalypse of Abraham

3. Leviathan's Knot: The High Priest's Sash as a Cosmological Symbol

4. Apocalyptic Scapegoat Traditions in the Book of Revelation

5. Azazel's Will: Internalization of Evil in the Apocalypse of Abraham

6. Glorification through Fear in 2 Enoch

Conclusion

Notes
Bibliography
Index

Sujets

• Christianity
• Judaism
• Theology

Informations

• Publié par: State University of New York Press
• Date de parution: 01 décembre 2020
• Nombre de lectures: 1
• EAN13: 9781438480909
• Langue: English

Extrait

Demons of Change
Demons of Change
Antagonism and Apotheosis in Jewish and Christian Apocalypticism
Andrei A. Orlov
Cover: “Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons” engraving by Martin Schongauer, courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.
Published by State University of New York Press, Albany
© 2020 State University of New York
All rights reserved
Printed in the United States of America
No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without written permission. No part of this book may be stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, electrostatic, magnetic tape, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without the prior permission in writing of the publisher.
For information, contact State University of New York Press, Albany, NY
www.sunypress.edu
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Orlov, Andrei A., 1960– author.
Title: Demons of change : antagonism and apotheosis in Jewish and Christian apocalypticism / Andrei A. Orlov.
Description: Albany : State University of New York Press, [2020] | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2020023193 (print) | LCCN 2020023194 (ebook) | ISBN 9781438480893 (hardcover : alk. paper) | ISBN 9781438480909 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Theomachy in the Bible. | Apocalyptic literature—History and criticism. | Apocryphal books (Old Testament—Criticism, interpretation, etc.) | Apocalypse of Abraham—Criticism, interpretation, etc. | Bible. Revelation—Criticism, interpretation, etc.
Classification: LCC BS1199.T447 O75 2020 (print) | LCC BS1199.T447 (ebook) | DDC 220/.046—dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020023193
LC ebook record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2020023194
10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
If there were no accuser, the righteous would not inherit the supernal treasures that they are to possess in the world to come. Happy are they who have met the accuser, and happy are they who have not met him.
—Zohar II.162b–163b
Contents
Preface
Abbreviations
Introduction
Chapter One: Between God and Satan: Inauguration into the Divine Image in Early Jewish and Christian Accounts
Chapter Two: Furnace that Kills and Furnace that Gives Life: Fiery Trials and Martyrdom in the Apocalypse of Abraham
Chapter Three: Leviathan’s Knot: The High Priest’s Sash as a Cosmological Symbol
Chapter Four: Apocalyptic Scapegoat Traditions in the Book of Revelation
Chapter Five: Azazel’s Will: Internalization of Evil in the Apocalypse of Abraham
Chapter Six: Glorification through Fear in 2 Enoch
Conclusion
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Preface
An earlier version of the chapter “Glorification through Fear in 2 Enoch ” was previously published in the Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha 25.3 (2016), 171–188. I am thankful to Sage Publishing for permission to reuse the material. The format and style of the essay have been changed to comply with the standards of this book.
I am grateful to my research assistants, Patrick Bowman, Joshua Miller, Hans Moscicke, and Daniel Mueller, who worked very hard through different versions of the manuscript to help improve the text in both style and substance.
I am thankful to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York for permission to use a digital reproduction of Martin Schongauer’s engraving “Saint Anthony Tormented by Demons” as the cover image.
Last, though not least, I offer my sincere thanks to Rafael Chaiken, Ryan Morris, and the editorial team of SUNY Press for their diligent support and patient professionalism during the preparation of this book for publication.
—Andrei A. Orlov
Milwaukee
The Feast of the Exaltation of the Holy Cross, 2019
Abbreviations AB Anchor Bible AGAJU Arbeiten zur Geschichte des antiken Judentums und des Urchristentums AJEC Ancient Judaism and Early Christianity AOAT Alter Orient und Altes Testament: Veröffentlichungen zur Kultur und Geschichte des Alten Orients und des Alten Testaments ArBib Aramaic Bible ASE Annali di storia dell’ exegesi AUSS Andrews University Seminary Studies AYB Anchor Yale Bible BAR Biblical Archaeology Review BJRL Bulletin of the John Rylands Library BJSUC Biblical and Judaic Studies of the University of California BR Bible Review BRLJ Brill Reference Library of Judaism BS Biblical Seminar BZAW Beihefte zur Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft CBQ Catholic Biblical Quarterly CBQMS Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series CBR Currents in Biblical Research CEJL Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature CRINT Compendia Rerum Iudaicarum ad Novum Testamentum CSCO Corpus Scriptorum Christianorum Orientalium EB Eichstätter Beiträge EE Estudios eclesiásticos EJL Early Judaism and Its Literature EKKNT Evangelisch-Katholischer Kommentar zum Neuen Testament ErJb Eranos Jahrbuch EstBib Estudios biblicos FAT Forschungen zum Alten Testament FRLANT Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments FS Frühmittelalterliche Studien GCS Die Griechischen Christlichen Schriftsteller der ersten drei Jahrhunderte GUS Gorgias Ugaritic Studies HDR Harvard Dissertations in Religion HNT Handbuch zum Neuen Testament HR History of Religions HSM Harvard Semitic Monographs HTR Harvard Theological Review HUCA Hebrew Union College Annual ICC International Critical Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments IHC Islamic History and Civilization JAJS Journal of Ancient Judaism Supplements JANES Journal of the Ancient Near Eastern Society of Columbia University JAOS Journal of the American Oriental Society JBL Journal of Biblical Literature JCTCRS Jewish and Christian Texts in Contexts and Related Studies JJS Journal of Jewish Studies JQR Jewish Quarterly Review JR Journal of Religion JSHRZ Jüdische Schriften aus hellenistisch-römischer Zeit JSJ Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period JSJSS Journal for the Study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman Period: Supplement Series JSNT Journal for the Study of the New Testament JSNTSS Journal for the Study of the New Testament. Supplement Series JSOTSS Journal for the Study of the Old Testament. Supplement Series JSPSS Journal for the Study of the Pseudepigrapha. Supplement Series JTI Journal of Theological Interpretation JTS Journal of Theological Studies JZWL Jüdische Zeitschrift für Wissenschaft und Leben LCJP Library of Contemporary Jewish Philosophers LCL Loeb Classical Library LNTS Library of New Testament Studies LSTS Library of Second Temple Studies NHS Nag Hammadi Studies NIVAC NIV Application Commentary NovTSup Supplements to Novum Testamentum NSBT New Studies in Biblical Theology NTOA Novum Testamentum et Orbis Antiquus NTS New Testament Studies NTTS New Testament Tools and Studies OBO Orbis biblicus et orientalis OP Oriental Publications OTF Oriental Translation Fund OTL Old Testament Library PVTG Pseudepigrapha Veteris Testamenti Graece RB Revue biblique ResQ Restoration Quarterly RevQ Revue de Qumrân RSR Recherches de sience religieuse SBL Studies in Biblical Literature SBLDS Society of Biblical Literature Dissertation Series SBLSP Society of Biblical Literature Seminar Papers SC Sources chrétiennes SGTK Studien zur Geschichte der Theologie und der Kirche SHR Studies in the History of Religions SJ Studia Judaica SJJTP Supplements to the Journal of Jewish Thought and Philosophy SJLA Studies in Judaism in Late Antiquity SJS Studia Judaeoslavica SOTBT Studies in Old Testament Biblical Theology SPB Studia Post Biblica SSEJC Studies in Scripture in Early Judaism and Christianity STDJ Studies on the Texts of the Desert of Judah SVC Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae SVTP Studia in Veteris Testamenti Pseudepigrapha TBN Themes in Biblical Narrative TCS Text-Critical Studies TED Translations of Early Documents ThZ Theologische Zeitschrift TSAJ Texte und Studien zum antiken Judentum UNT Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament VC Vigiliae Christianae VetTSup Vetus Testamentum Supplements VT Vetus Testamentum WBC Word Biblical Commentary WMANT Wissenschaftliche Monographien zum Alten und Neuen Testaments WUNT Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament WZKM Wiener Zeitschrift fur die Kunde des Morgenlandes YJS Yale Judaica Series ZAW Zeitschrift für die alttestamentliche Wissenschaft ŹM Źródła i monografie ZNW Zeitschrift für die neutestamentliche Wissenschaft und die Kunde der älteren Kirche
Introduction
Scholars of Second Temple Judaism and early Christianity have long identified the presence of antagonistic imagery in early Jewish and Christian apocalypses. One of the traditional avenues for the exploration of such symbolism has been research on the so-called Chaoskampf motif, which stems from the groundbreaking study of Hermann Gunkel’s Schöpfung und Chaos in Urzeit und Endzeit . 1 Although some of Gunkel’s positions later came under criticism, 2 his intuitions about antagonistic imagery in ancient Near Eastern and Jewish materials have proven their lasting methodological value. Reflecting on Gunkel’s legacy, John Collins notes that “since the discoveries at Ugarit, Gunkel’s theory of Babylonian influence has been seen to be exaggerated, but his insight into the importance of the conflict motif has been vindicated.” 3 Indeed, with Peter Machinist we must say that scholarly recognition of its importance is “due to the impetus and commanding analysis offered by Gunkel’s volume.” 4
Gunkel’s research into patterns of primordial conflict was later appropriated and developed in a large number of further contributions to the field, all of which helped to elucidate various aspects of su