The Despoliation of Egypt in Pre-Rabbinic, Rabbinic and Patristic Traditions (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae 92).

Allen, Joel Stevens

ISBN 10: 9004167455 / ISBN 13: 9789004167452

Published by Brill, 2008

About this Item

Leiden [etc.]: Brill, 2008. Hardback, (viii) 305 p. EAN: 9789004167452.

Seller Inventory # 09966

Bibliographic Details

• Title: The Despoliation of Egypt in Pre-Rabbinic, Rabbinic and Patristic Traditions (Supplements to Vigiliae Christianae 92).
• Publisher: Brill
• Publication Date: 2008
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 9004167455
• ISBN 13: 9789004167452
• Binding: Hardcover
• Condition: As New
• Seller catalogs:
  • Patristics

About this title

Synopsis

This work examines the role played by the biblical motif of the despoliation of Egypt in the understanding Gentiles had of Jews, and how Jews defended themselves, their heroes and their God in the face of anti-Jewish slander. It also examines the manner in which Christians learned from their rabbinic counterparts how to defend Moses and his God against the gnostic challenge. Beginning with Philo and based on haggadic additions, the embarrassment of the episode was 'healed' through allegory and became a critically important biblical justification for the Christian appropriation of the 'Egyptian treasures' of their Greco-Roman cultural heritage. This work describes how Christians borrowed exegetical traditions from rabbis not only to defend their sacred texts against gnostic attacks but to justify their interest in and appropriation of non-Christian philosophy in their theological understandings.

About the Author

Joel S. Allen, Ph.D. (2006) in History of Biblical Interpretation, Hebrew Union College of Cincinnati, is pastor of the First United Methodist Church of Barbourville Kentucky. He also teaches History and Religion at Union College and Bible at the Appalachian Local Pastors School.