Reconstructing the first-century synagogue : a critical analysis of current research / Stephen K. Catto.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Catto, Stephen K.

Series:

Library of New Testament studies ; 363.

T & T Clark library of biblical studies

Library of New Testament studies ; 363

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Synagogues--History.

Synagogues.

History.

Physical Description:

xxi, 226 pages : illustrations, plan ; 24 cm.

Place of Publication:

London ; New York : T & T Clark, [2007]

Summary:

Reconstructing the First-Century Synagogue engages with primary evidence across a wide array of areas in order to assess the positions of current scholarship on the nature of the 'synagogue' in the first century. In addition to a thorough assessment of the literary and archaeological evidence, Catto addresses the range of sacred activities that could have taken place within a first-century 'synagogue', thereby laying a different lens over the issue. He goes on to explore the presentation of the 'synagogue' in Luke-Acts by the means of detailed case studies.

The form and function of the 'synagogue' in the first century CE has been the focus of a great deal of recent academic discussion. A previous generation of scholars would have perceived a reference to a 'synagogue' in a New Testament text as a monolithic institution with clearly defined functions principally involving worship. More recent scholarship has questioned many of these assumptions, pointing out that in the first century CE 'synagogue' should be understood as a reference to a gathering and not a building. Similarly, Catto notes that many of the reconstructions of what happened in a 'synagogue' are built on evidence that dates to a period much later than the first century. This enlightening account draws fascinating conclusions not only useful to the study of the New Testament in general, but specifically to historical Jesus studies.

Contents:

1 Theme 1

2 Methodology 5

3 Overview of Research 10

Chapter 2 Literary Evidence for the 'Synagogue' 14

1.1 Vocabulary Potentially Associated with 'Synagogues' 15

2 Philo 17

2.2 Diaspora 18

2.2.1 Egypt 18

2.2.1.1 Alexandria 18

2.2.1.2 Elsewhere in Egypt 21

2.2.1.3 Conclusion on Egypt 22

2.2.2 Asia Minor 22

2.2.3 Rome 23

2.3 Palestine 23

2.4 References with no Geographical Connection 24

3 Josephus 27

3.2 Diaspora 28

3.2.1 Asia Minor 28

3.2.1.1 Halicarnassus 30

3.2.1.2 Sardis 30

3.2.2 Syria 31

3.2.2.1 Dora 31

3.2.2.2 Antioch 33

3.3 Palestine 34

3.3.1 Caesarea 34

3.3.2 Tiberias 35

4 Other Literary Sources 38

4.1 Non-Jewish Authors 38

4.2 Septuagint 39

4.3 Rabbinic Authors 42

4.4 New Testament 44

Chapter 3 Archaeological Evidence for the 'Synagogue' 49

2 Diaspora 49

2.1 Italy 49

2.1.1 Rome 49

2.1.2 Ostia 52

2.1.2.1 The Mindius Faustus Inscription 59

2.2 Greece 61

2.2.1 Delos 61

2.3 Bosphorus 67

2.4 Asia 68

2.4.1 Acmonia 68

2.5 Egypt 70

2.5.2 Alexandria 71

2.5.3 The Nile Delta Area 72

2.5.3.1 Schedia 72

2.5.3.2 Athribis 72

2.5.3.3 Xenephyris 74

2.5.4 The Fayum 75

2.5.4.1 Arsinoe-Crocodilopolis 75

2.5.4.2 Alexandrou-Nesos 78

2.5.5 No Geographical Location 79

2.5.6 Conclusion on Egypt 79

2.6 Cyrenaica 80

2.6.1 Berenice 80

2.7 Summary of Diaspora Buildings 82

3 Palestine 82

3.1 Judea 82

3.1.1 Jerusalem 82

3.1.2 Jericho 85

3.1.3 Qumran 88

3.1.4 Masada 89

3.1.5 Herodium 92

3.2 Beyond Judea 93

3.2.1 Gamla 93

3.2.2 Qiryat Sefer 96

3.2.3 Modi'in 98

3.2.4 Capernaum 99

3.2.5 Khirbet Qana 102

3.3 Summary of Palestinian Synagogues 103

Chapter 4 Worship Practices 106

2 Sanctity 108

2.2 The Sanctity of the Building 108

2.2.1 Philo and Josephus 108

2.2.2 Inscriptions and Papyri 109

2.3 The Sanctity of the Person 110

2.3.1 Palestine 111

2.3.2 Diaspora 113

2.3.2.1 Philo 113

3 Scripture Reading and Teaching 116

3.2 Qumran 117

3.3 Josephus and Philo 118

3.4 Archaeological Evidence 120

3.5 Targumim 121

4 Prayer 125

4.2 Josephus 126

4.2.1 Asia Minor 126

4.2.1.1 Sardis 126

4.2.1.2 Halicarnassus 127

4.2.2 Palestine 128

4.2.2.1 Tiberias 128

4.2.2.2 Jerusalem 129

4.3 Philo 129

4.3.1 Alexandria 129

4.3.2 Egypt outside Alexandria 132

4.4 New Testament 132

4.5 The Dead Sea Scrolls 133

4.5.1 Conclusion on Qumran 136

4.6 The Shema 136

4.7 The Ma'amad 139

4.9 Conclusion on Prayer 141

5 Sacred Meals 143

5.2 Diaspora 145

5.2.1 Case study of Ostia 145

5.2.2 Elsewhere in the Diaspora 147

5.3 Palestine 147

5.3.1 Jericho 147

5.3.2 Elsewhere in Palestine 148

6 Overall Conclusion 149

Chapter 5 The 'Synagogue' in Luke-Acts 152

3 Is Luke Anachronistic? 154

3.1 The Minimalists' Perspective 154

3.2 The Debate 156

4 Geographical Locations 164

4.2 Palestine 165

4.2.1 Jerusalem 165

4.2.1.1 Acts 6.9 165

4.2.1.2 Acts 24.12 and 26.9-11 168

4.2.2 Galilee 171

4.2.2.2 Capernaum 172

4.2.3 Palestinian Worship Practices 178

4.2.3.2 Luke-Acts 178

4.2.3.3 Luke 4.16-30 179

4.3 Diaspora 186

4.3.1 Philippi 186

4.3.1.1 [characters not reproducible] as a place of prayer 186

4.3.1.2 [characters not reproducible] as a building 187

4.3.2 Pisidian Antioch 190

4.3.3 Diaspora Worship Practices 193.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [202]-222) and index.

ISBN:

0567045617

9780567045614

OCLC:

170035757