The Lord God of Gods: Divinity and Deification in Early Judaism

Silviu Bunta

Published by Gorgias Press 2021

The Lord God of Gods

Divinity and Deification in Early Judaism

Silviu Bunta

Volume 35 in the series Perspectives on Hebrew Scriptures and its Contexts

https://doi.org/10.31826/9781463243340

Overview
Contents

About this book

The investigation of this book into early Jewish experiences of God begins with calls to discard any categorical and definitional approaches to the literature of early Judaism, and several enduring preconceptions about its mysticism and theology (particularly the relegation of its mysticism to particular texts and themes, and the molding of its theology in the image of medieval and post-medieval Jewish and Christian monotheisms). With this abandonment, the symbolic language of early Jewish texts gives sharper contours to a pre-formal theology, a theology in which God and divinity are more subjects of experience and recognition than of propositions. This clarity leads the investigation to the conclusion that early Judaism is thoroughly mystical and experiences a theology which is neither polytheistic, nor monotheistic, but deificational: there is only one divine selfhood, the divinity of “God,” but he shares his selfhood with “gods,” to varying degrees and always at his discretion. With some important differentiations which are also introduced here, this theology undergirds almost the entirety of early Judaism—the Bible, post-biblical texts, and even classical rabbinic literature. The greatest development over time is only that the boundaries between God and gods become at once clearer and less rigid.

Topics

Frontmatter Publicly Available Download PDF	i
TABLE OF CONTENTS Publicly Available Download PDF	vii
Acknowledgments Publicly Available Download PDF	ix
Chapter One. Introduction Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	1
PART ONE: DIVINITY AND DEIFICATION BEFORE THE EXILE
Chapter Two. The Biblical Features of Divinity Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	29
Chapter Three. The Ancient Near Eastern Context of Judahite Theologies Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	45
Chapter Four. The Other Gods—Inclusion and Exclusion in the Godhead Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	57
PART TWO: THE EMERGENCE OF THEOMORPHIC ANTHROPOLOGIES AND THE EXCLUSION OF HUMANITY FROM DIVINITY IN THE EXILIC AND PERSIAN PERIOD
INTRODUCTION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	75
Chapter Five. Exilic and Postexilic Reassessments of the Divine Presence Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	77
Chapter Six. The Emergence of Theomorphism and the Exclusion of Humanity from the Godhead in Ezekiel 28 and 31 Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	87
Chapter Seven. (Non-)divine “Mediators” and the Angelification of YHWH’s Council Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	109
PART THREE: EZEKIEL THE TRAGEDIAN, DANIEL 2–4, PSEUDO-ORPHEUS, AND THE MERGING OF THE WAYS
INTRODUCTION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	125
Chapter Eight. Hellenization and the (Re)definition of Jewishness Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	127
Chapter Nine. The Deified Moses in Ezekiel the Tragedian’s Exagoge Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	131
Chapter Ten. The Deified Daniel in Daniel 2-4 Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	157
Chapter Eleven. Boundaries and Crossings in Pseudo- Orpheus: Moses as a God Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	173
Chapter Twelve. Crossing the Divine Borders in 4Q491c and 4Q427 7 I Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	181
PART FOUR: DEIFICATION IN LATE ANTIQUITY JUDAISM: CONTINUITIES AND DEVELOPMENTS
INTRODUCTION Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	193
Chapter Thirteen. The Inclusion and Exclusion of Humanity and Angels in the Divine in Rabbinic Judaism Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	197
Chapter Fourteen. Adam and the Kabod Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	219
Chapter Fifteen. Adam-Light Speculations Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	225
Chapter Sixteen. The Enormous Body of Adam Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	243
Chapter Seventeen. Adam’s Body of Knowledge Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	259
Chapter Eighteen. The Angelic Veneration of Adam Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	267
Chapter Nineteen. Conclusions Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	281
Select Bibliography Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	287
Indices Requires Authentication Unlicensed Licensed Download PDF	321

(Deutsch)

Language: English
Publisher: Gorgias Press
Audience: College/higher education;
Pages
- Main content: 357
Keywords: General; Judaism; Religion

eBook

Published: December 21, 2021
ISBN: 9781463243340