Judaisms and Their Messiahs at the Turn of the Christian Era

Neusner, Jacob, William Scott Green and Ernest S. Frerichs, Eds.

ISBN 10: 0521349400 / ISBN 13: 9780521349406

Published by Cambridge University Press, 1987

About this Item

Paperback. Infrequent red ink markings. Previous owner name to half title. Wrappers are edge worn, curled and scuffed. Creased to spine and front wrapper. 299 pp.

Seller Inventory # 699524

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Judaisms and Their Messiahs at the Turn of the Christian Era
• Publisher: Cambridge University Press
• Publication Date: 1987
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0521349400
• ISBN 13: 9780521349406
• Binding: Soft cover

About this title

Synopsis

While Jews in ancient Israel had much in common, in fact there existed no such thing as an orthodox Judaism. Diverse Judaisms, each with its own way of life, world view, and definition of the social entity (or Israel) to whom it spoke, flourished. Since there was no single Judaism, there was no single Messiah-idea or Messianic doctrine. Various readings of the Messiah theme reached definition in the various unrelated religious systems or Judaisms produced by those Jews--hence "Judaisms" and "their Messiahs." In this book, distinguished specialists in late antiquity Judaisms, including Christian scholars, take up the differing place and role of the Messiah-idea. Dealing with the best-documented Judaic systems--the Essene community at Qumran, Christian Judaisms represented by Matthew and Mark, the nascent rabbinic Judaism portrayed in the Mishnah, the Judaic system implicit in the writings of Philo--each author works out how a given system treats the Messiah theme.

From the Back Cover

In this book, distinguished specialists in various Judaisms of late antiquity, including Christian scholars, take up the differing roles of the Messiah-idea in the various traditions examined. Dealing with the best-documented Judaic systems-the Essence community at Qumran, Christian Judaisms represented by Mark and by Matthew, the nascent rabbinic Judaism portrayed in the Mishnah, the Judaic system implicit in the writings of Philo-the authors work out how a given system treats the Messiah theme.