The Despoliation of Egypt: in Pre-Rabbinic, Rabbinic and Patristic Traditions
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...
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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.
Pt. 1 Pre-Rabbinic Interpretations1 The Septuagint 192 The Book of Jubilees 293 Artapanus 454 Ezekiel the Tragedian 595 The Book of Wisdom 756 Philo's Life of Moses 917 Philo's Who is the Heir? 1078 Josephus 1199 Excursus: The Social Background of the "Fair Wage" Interpretation 137Pt. 2 Rabbinic Interpretations1 Midrashic Pondering the Plunder 149Pt. 3 Patristic Interpretations1 Irenaeus 1812 Tertullian 1953 Origen 2114 St. Augustine 2355 The Despoliation: Others Patristic Texts 261Conclusions and Ramifications 273Bibliography 281Index of Author 299Index of Subject 303
