The origin of evil spirits : the reception of Genesis 6:1-4 in early Jewish literature / Archie T. Wright.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Wright, Archie T., author.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Bible. Genesis, VI, 1-4--Criticism, interpretation, etc.

Bible.

Jewish demonology.

Physical Description:

xvi, 258 pages ; 23 cm

Edition:

Revised edition.

Fortress Press edition.

Place of Publication:

Minneapolis : Fortress Press, [2015]

Summary:

How do we account for the explosion of demonic activity in the New Testament? Archie T. Wright's work traces the development of the concept of evil spirits from the Hebrew Bible through postbiblical Jewish literature. Wright is concerned with the reception history of Genesis 6:1-4 (the source of the "Watchers" traditions) in early Enochic and Philonic Judaism during the Second Temple Period. He suggests that the nonspecificity inherent in the biblical text of Genesis 6:1-4 opened the basis for the later emergence of an etiology of evil spirits as Jewish authors engaged with the text. As a result, Genesis 6:1-4 played an important part in the development of demonologyin Second Temple Judaism. Chapters examine 1 Enoch 1-36 (the Book of the Watchers) and the reception of the Watchers tradition in the Dead Sea Scrolls and Philo of Alexandria and draw conclusions about the background of the New Testament conceptions of demons and demon possession. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 Enoch 1-36 : the Book of watchers : a review of recent research

Strategies of interpreting Genesis 6:1-4

Reception of the "sons of God" in the Book of watchers

The rebellion motif in the Book of watchers

Reception of the watcher tradition in the Dead Sea scrolls

Philo of Alexandria : interpreting Genesis 6:1-4

Results and conclusions.

Notes:

Previous edition: Tübingen : Mohr Siebeck, 2005.

Originally presented as the author's thesis (doctoral)--University of Durham, 2004 under the title: Breaching the cosmic order : the biblical tradition of Genesis 6:1-4 and its reception in early enochic and philonic Judaism.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 227-243) and index.

ISBN:

9781451490329

1451490321

OCLC:

898167246