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RE: orion translation central?
On Wed, 10 Dec 1997, Jennifer K. Wees wrote:
> Secondly, to respond to the statement below - wasn't Josephus trying
to legitimize Judaism and its place in his work "Against Apion"?
Certainly Josephus was trying to legitimate Judaism "and its place," both
in "Jewish Antiquities" primarily, but this "place" has nothing to do
with square mileage. The kind of legitimation he pursues is not of land rights.
For want of a better word, he is trying to justify the cultural validity
of Judaism. Its pretty obvious that the background of the book is the
generally assumed superiority of the Hellenistic culture, and that
Josephus wants to prove that Judaism at the very least has something to
say as well. The point about antiquity of Judaism is precisely aimed at
the Hellenistic assumption that ancient cultures (Mesopotamia, Egypt) were
possesors of valuable knowledge. Antiquity and knowledge, however did not
translate into any kind of land rights at the relevant period - neither
for Egypt nor for Judea.
Another point to note is how obvious the appologetic purpose is in Josephus,
and how entirely absent it is from DSS.
Best, Asia Lerner