The significance of parallels between the 'Testament of Solomon' and Jewish literature of late antiquity (between the closing centuries BCE and the Talmudic era) and the New Testament
Abstract
The TSol is a Christian composition of late antiquity which narrates the story
about how King Solomon built the Temple of God with the aid of demons he
subjugated. Comparative analysis between the TSol and Jewish literature of late
antiquity (between the closing centuries BCE and the Talmudic era), and the
New Testament is primarily to establish any literary dependence and explore the
nature of contact between the TSol and these materials; and also to isolate
Jewish elements in the TSol. The Jewish materials discussed are the Hebrew
Bible, the LXX, Tobit, Wisdom of Solomon, Pseudo-Philo, certain Qumran
documents (11 PsApa and the Copper scroll), Josephus' Jewish Antiquities,
Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, Song of Songs, rabbinic literature, and certain Aramaic
incantation texts. My research has shown that parallels do exist between the
TSol, the Jewish literature discussed and the New Testament. The parallels
between the TSol and the aforementioned literature are twofold: verbal and
conceptual. Verbal parallels occur in the form of technical terminology;
quotations, allusions and echoes. The second type of parallels appears in the
form of motifs, themes, structural elements and ideas. These parallels seem to
dominate in my analysis. There is no need to explain the parallels between the
TSol and the literature discussed in terms of literary dependence. I have
attempted to demonstrate that these parallels in most of the literature are
indicative of indirect influence through shared use of the biblical tradition: motifs,
stories and themes regarding King Solomon; a common fund of oral tradition(s)
regarding Solomon's magical power over demonic world; shared literary
language, milieu, and cultural conventions. Moreover, the author of the TSol
seems to have recycled Jewish materials pertaining to Solomon and related
motifs in his work. Apart from the New Testament, the best case for a direct
influence of a Jewish work on the TSol is Tobit.
Type
Thesis, PhD Doctor of Philosophy
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