The Jewish Pseudepigrapha: An Introduction to the Literature of the Second Temple Period by Susan Docherty

Abstract

Reviewed by: The Jewish Pseudepigrapha: An Introduction to the Literature of the Second Temple Period by Susan Docherty Bradley C. Gregory susan docherty The Jewish Pseudepigrapha: An Introduction to the Literature of the Second Temple Period ( Minneapolis: Fortress, 2015). Pp. x + 180. Paper $49. In this well-written primer, Docherty provides an engaging introduction to some of the most important Jewish works from the Second Temple period that were not included in most canonical collections. In the introduction, she provides a brief overview of the [End Page 324] historical background to this literature and explains her rationale for the book's structure, which groups these Jewish works by genre rather than by chronology or geography. In chap. 2, D. treats "rewritten Bible," covering Jubilees and Pseudo-Philo; in chap. 3, she explores Joseph and Aseneth and the Life of Adam and Eve as examples of parabiblical literature. In chap. 4, she discusses the non-narrative works of Ezekiel the Tragedian, the Psalms of Solomon, and the Sibylline Oracles and, in chap. 5, treats testaments, including the Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs, the Testament of Job, the Testament of Abraham, and the Testament of Moses. Finally, she discusses the apocalyptic works of 1 Enoch, 4 Ezra, and 2 Baruch. Each chapter includes an introduction to the genre, a discussion of the selected representatives, a brief section on other examples of pseudepigraphical works in the genre and on the significance of these works for understanding both Judaism and Christianity in antiquity. Each chapter concludes with a short bibliography for further reading. The strength of this volume is that the discussions of these Jewish works go beyond simply a survey of the contents of the literature to provide an interesting, up-to-date, and judicious introduction. Throughout, but especially in the conclusion to the volume, D. highlights three important implications: the close relationship between these works and those that were or would become Scripture, the ways in which these works witness to the rich diversity of Judaism during the Second Temple period (and slightly later), and the way they probe in interesting ways some of the perennial theological issues such as the problem of innocent suffering and the specter of death. This primer is not intended to be a comprehensive introduction to the Jewish Pseudepigrapha, since some works are not treated (or even mentioned in the "other examples" section of each chapter), but the volume would serve well as an orientation for students to the different kinds of Second Temple literature and their most important representatives. Unfortunately, there is no separate treatment of wisdom literature in the book. Further, in relating wisdom and apocalypticism in the final chapter a few claims are problematic. The statement that wisdom and apocalyptic literature share a view of history as predetermined (p. 126) is puzzling, and the attribution to Sirach of the view that "wisdom is to be solely and completely identified with the Torah" (p. 135) is an overstatement to the point of being incorrect. In addition, the placing of Joel, Zechariah, and 1–2 Thessalonians alongside Daniel and Revelation as representatives of the genre of apocalypse (p. 155) needs significant qualification. Nevertheless, this volume is recommended as a valuable introduction to this important body of literature, especially as a potential textbook for undergraduates. Bradley C. Gregory The Catholic University of America, Washington, DC 20064 Copyright © 2017 The Catholic Biblical Association of America