Papers by Tessel Jonquiere
Prayer in Josephus
This section of the book Prayer in Josephus lists the work of ancient Judaism and early Christian... more This section of the book Prayer in Josephus lists the work of ancient Judaism and early Christianity. The prayers to be found in Josephus' work are not liturgical in character, they tend to occur within a narrative context; they are uttered by a (historical) personage as part of the narrative process. The author, however, has in effect used the prayers as opportunities to add something personal, because they are distinct units within the narrative. It is clear from those parts of his work, for which Josephus has used a known source, that when it comes to prayers, he hardly ever sticks to the content of this source. The prayers are used as literary devices; they may be taken on their own merits, and yet form part of the narrative whole.Keywords: Christianity; Josephus; Judaism; prayers
Choice Reviews Online, 2014
BRILL eBooks, 2014
Josephus' Samson cycle follows the elements of the story in Judges quite closely: Samson'... more Josephus' Samson cycle follows the elements of the story in Judges quite closely: Samson's birth after the message of an angel, the riddle with the lion and the honey, Samson's arson, his thirst, Delilah's betrayal and Samson's death by his own doing. Only is the placing of the story slightly different because of a shift Josephus made. The consequence of this shift is that the Samson story concludes Josephus' rendering of Judges and is directly followed by his account of the book of Ruth. This chapter argues that these differences are connected to the way Josephus wants to portray Samson. It discusses the major differences one by one, followed by a theory on Josephus' handling of the Samson cycle and his portrayal of Samson. The chapter deals with a recent academic debate on the issue of Josephus' portrait of Samson. To Josephus, Samson is a brave character from Jewish history. Keywords: Delilah; Jewish history; Josephus; Samson cycle
Journal for the study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman period, 2012
BRILL eBooks, 2007
This appendix section of the book Prayer in Josephus presents a list of prayer subjects. A study ... more This appendix section of the book Prayer in Josephus presents a list of prayer subjects. A study of prayer in Flavius Josephus' writings can represent a new approach to the study of Josephus' life and work. It can offer answers to questions about his views on history and theology. The book focuses on Josephus' views on prayer, the manner in which he uses prayers in his narrative and the ideas which emerge from his prayers.Keywords: corpus of prayers; Flavius Josephus
BRILL eBooks, 2007
This section of the book Prayer in Josephus tabulates a list of prayers and indicates the subject... more This section of the book Prayer in Josephus tabulates a list of prayers and indicates the subject matter in each case. The table also shows that the prayers fall into four categories: firstly, prayers for which there are parallel prayers in a source text; secondly, prayers for which there are no such parallels, but the story-setting of which does occur in a source text; thirdly, prayers for which there is no known source text; and finally, prayers in a source text for which there is no parallel in Josephus' text.Keywords: Josephus; prayers
BRILL eBooks, 2007
This chapter begins with a review of previous studies concerning prayer in ancient literature. Th... more This chapter begins with a review of previous studies concerning prayer in ancient literature. The scientific study of prayer may be said to have begun in 1918 with the publication of an impressive work by Friedrich Heiler entitled, Das Gebet. Next, the chapter addresses the question: what is a prayer. English dictionaries say that prayer is "a solemn request to God or an object of worship". Moreover, they point out correctly that a prayer may take the form not only of an address (with text) but also of a mere gesture. Then, the chapter talks about 32 of the 134 prayers which were collected by reading through Flavius Josephus' work. These 32 were selected according to several criteria: length, content and, if they had a parallel in a source text, the extent to which they differed from that source.Keywords: biblical prayer; Flavius Josephus; Greek gods
BRILL eBooks, 2007
This chapter systematises concepts such as invocations, epithets, attributes and philosophical id... more This chapter systematises concepts such as invocations, epithets, attributes and philosophical ideas, in order to focus on the theology that emerges from the prayers. The attributes and designations used by Josephus in the prayers can be divided into three main categories. One category comprises all the epithets relating to God as the origin of the universe. This is an umbrella category, since the concepts that define the other two categories can be considered as aspects of God as origin of the universe. The second category is God as ruler, and the third is God as helper and protector. In Josephus' work, the "spirit of God" occurs only in Antiquitates. At AJ 4.118-119 Josephus relates the story of Balaam and tells how he was overcome by the divine spirit and was powerless but to deliver the message God wanted him to deliver.Keywords: Antiquitates; attributes; epithets; Flavius Josephus; God; invocations; philosophical ideas
BRILL eBooks, 2007
In Contra Apionem, Flavius Josephus begins with a discussion of the nature of God, and discusses ... more In Contra Apionem, Flavius Josephus begins with a discussion of the nature of God, and discusses God's qualities and being, and affirms that there is but one God (2.190-193). As there is only one God, there is also only one Temple: just as God is common to all, so too is there one Temple common to all (2.193). The priests are continually engaged in worship and service to God. The priests perform sacrifices and they ensure that the law is observed and act as judges meting out punishment to those who fail to observe it. There are two passages in which prayer receives substantial treatment. Firstly there is the passage in Contra Apionem dealing with liturgical prayer and the regulations regarding how to comport oneself and for what to pray. Secondly, there is the reference to daily prayers in AJ 4.212, instructing people to give thanks to God twice daily.Keywords: Contra Apionem; Flavius Josephus; prayer
BRILL eBooks, 2007
This chapter defines and lists different functions of the prayers in order to determine the ends ... more This chapter defines and lists different functions of the prayers in order to determine the ends to which Josephus employed the prayers. Prayers are religious utterances. However, in some cases the prayers appear to have been used to express theological ideas or to underline Jewish identity by referring to specifically Jewish concepts. The prayer said by the people at Mount Sinai with their request to give Moses a gift by which they could live well is an expression of Jewish identity. Josephus uses Mordecai's prayer as an expression of the bond between God and the Jewish people, but in a different manner to that in which it is presented in the Septuagint. A very Jewish concern is expressed in the prayer by Onias. Izates' prayer, with its biblical phraseology, is a particular expression of Jewish identity.Keywords: Izates; Jewish identity; Mount Sinai; Onias; prayers
BRILL eBooks, 2007
This chapter focuses on remarks that are concerned with prayer, and provides a comparison between... more This chapter focuses on remarks that are concerned with prayer, and provides a comparison between the rules Flavius Josephus laid out theoretically in Contra Apionem and the practice he depicted in De bello Judaico and Antiquitates. The prayers in Josephus' work discussed in the chapter were made in combination with sacrifice. The first prayer is Noah's prayer after the Flood. As in Genesis Noah sacrifices with burnt offerings intended to please God with their smell. The author's discussion of Moses and Aaron's prayer mentions how Josephus describes their rigorous adherence to the rule, saying that while they were under attack from the crowd they prayed to God "not for their own safety". David's prayer for Solomon seems to be more in line with the ideas of Maximus and Juvenal. In conclusion, most of the time Josephus seems to depict the people in his account praying in the proper way.Keywords: Antiquitates; Contra Apionem ; De bello Judaico; Flavius Josephus; Genesis; prayer
... Dream Reports in the Writings of Josephus. A year later, Christine Gerber published Ein Bild ... more ... Dream Reports in the Writings of Josephus. A year later, Christine Gerber published Ein Bild des Judentums von Flavius Josephus, which deals entirely with Josephus' Contra Apionem. 1998 saw the publication both of Paul ...
Journal for the study of Judaism in the Persian, Hellenistic and Roman period, 2012
Journal for the Study of Judaism, 2011
Samson: Hero or Fool?, 2014
Josephus' Samson cycle follows the elements of the story in Judges quite closely: Samson'... more Josephus' Samson cycle follows the elements of the story in Judges quite closely: Samson's birth after the message of an angel, the riddle with the lion and the honey, Samson's arson, his thirst, Delilah's betrayal and Samson's death by his own doing. Only is the placing of the story slightly different because of a shift Josephus made. The consequence of this shift is that the Samson story concludes Josephus' rendering of Judges and is directly followed by his account of the book of Ruth. This chapter argues that these differences are connected to the way Josephus wants to portray Samson. It discusses the major differences one by one, followed by a theory on Josephus' handling of the Samson cycle and his portrayal of Samson. The chapter deals with a recent academic debate on the issue of Josephus' portrait of Samson. To Josephus, Samson is a brave character from Jewish history. Keywords: Delilah; Jewish history; Josephus; Samson cycle
Interpretation and History
The episode about Josephus at Jotapata (War 3.340392) has been a subject of discussion for as lon... more The episode about Josephus at Jotapata (War 3.340392) has been a subject of discussion for as long as people have been studying Josephus or even reading his writings. In the story, Josephus presents himself differently from other stories, in three ways: as a prophet, a priest and as a praying person. Prophet, priest, prayer: three words related to religion; all three particulars in a story used by Josephus as justification for his actions. Prophets and priests are prominent members of the Jewish community. Stressing that he himself is both must have seemed especially convincing to him; and saying that the prophecy he made to Vespasian was already present in Jewish scripture, and that he explained it by way of the sacred books, added to this. Keywords: Jewish scripture; Josephus; Jotapata; praying person; priest; prophet
Journal for The Study of Judaism, 2012
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Papers by Tessel Jonquiere