Transcript Lucian, “True History” (written ca 180 CE)

Lucian, “True History”
(written ca 180 CE)
"...as I have no truth to put on record, having
lived a very humdrum life, I fall back on
falsehood (τὸ ψεῦδος) -- but falsehood of a
more consistent variety; for I now make the
only true statement you are to expect, that I
am lying (ὅτι ψεύδομαι). This confession is, I
consider, a full defence against all imputations,
for I am saying nothing that is true (ὁμολογῶν
μηδὲν ἀληθὲς λέγειν). My subject is, then, what
I have neither seen, experienced, nor been told,
what neither exists nor could conceivably do so.
I humbly solicit my readers' incredulity
(μηδαμῶς πιστεύειν αὐτοῖς)."
“the tyrrany of canonical assumptions"
and "textual myopia"
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Further on these subjects, see my 2006
SBL Presidential Address, "Para-Mania:
Beside, Before, and Beyond Bible Studies"
(at “image 20” in the electronic version).
Qohelet (Ecclesiastes) 12.12
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MT-RSV
My son, beware of anything beyond these.
Of making many books, there is no end,
and much study is a weariness of the flesh.
OG
My son, guard against making many books;
There is no end, and much diligence is
weariness of the flesh.
Explicitly Mentioned “Books”
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Book of the Covanant (Exodus 24.7; see 2 Kings 23.21, 2 Chronicles 34.30)
Book of the Wars of the LORD (Num 21.14)
Book of Jashar, "lament of the bow" (Joshua 10.13 and 2 Sam 1.18)
Book of the Law of God (Joshua 24.26 -- Joshua records things in)
Book of the Acts of David (1 Chronicles 27.24)
Book of the Acts of Solomon (1 Kings 11.41)
Book of the Acts of the Kings of Israel [23] (1 Kings 14.19 et passim)
Book of the Acts of the Kings of Judah [15] (1 Kings 14.29 et passim)
Book of the Kings of Israel and Judah [4] (1 Chronicles 9.1 et passim)
Acts of Samuel the seer (1 Chronicles 29.29)
Acts of Nathan the prophet (1 Chronicles 29.29)
Acts of Gad the seer (1 Chronicles 29.29)
Commentary [Midrash] on the Book of the Kings (2 Chronicles 24.27)
Acts of Hozai [or, of the Seers] (2 Chronicles 33.19)
Book of the Acts (Nehemiah 12.23)
Book of the Acts [of Persian Kings] (Esther 2.23 & 10.2)
“Many previous accounts” (Luke 1.1-4)
“I made you sorry with my letter” (2 Corinthians 7.8)
Letter to the Laodiceans (Colossians 4.16)
Letter purportedly from Paul's group (2 Thessalonians 2.2)
Paraleipomena Titles
(Greek = “leftovers” [Hebrew “diaries”])
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= Greek title for canonical books of
Chronicles, already by the end of the
second century (Melito, Origen)
Paraleipomena Jeremiou
Testament of Job
40.14 the lament over Job’s wife can be
found in the Paraleipomena
41.6 Paraleipomena of Eliphas
Polycarp-Barnabas
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[Polycarp, Philippians 9.2a)
For they did not love the present world,
but him who died on our behalf, ||
having prepared the new people, he might
show them while he is on earth that when
he has made the resurrection, he will
judge.
[Barnabas 5.7b]
The Two Ways
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A Latin version exists as a separate work
Greek Barnabas has it as chs 18-21
[But it is lacking in the Latin version]
But let us move on to another gnosis and
teaching: There are two ways of teaching
and authority -that of light, and that of darkness.
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Greek Didache has it in chs 1-6
There are two ways -one of life, and one of death.
Jeremiah Corpus
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Origen: Jeremiah with Lamentations and
the Epistle in one book
Athanasius & Cyril of Jerusalem: Jeremiah
and with it Baruch, Lamentations, Epistle
(see also codex Alexandrinus)
Epiphanius: “book 22” = Jeremiah the
prophet with Lamentations and the Epistle
and Baruch
Treated as separate books in codex
Vaticanus
“2 Esdras” (AV, RSV, NRSV)
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Chapters 1-2 = “5 Ezra”
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Chapters 3-14 = “4 Ezra” (Apocalypse)
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Chapters 15-16 – “6 Ezra”
The word of the Lord came to me
I Salathiel, also called Ezra, …saw…
The Lord says, … speak
Minor Prophets
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MT: Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah,
Micah …
Vaticanus & Greek MSS: Hosea, Amos,
Micah, Joel, Obadiah, Jonah …
Melito: “the twelve prophets in one book”
Psalms and 11Q5 (Col. 18ff)
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Col 18 = “Psalm 154” (see Syriac #2)
Col 19 = “Plea for Deliverance”
Cols 20-21a = Psalm 139, then 137-138
Col 21b = Psalm // Sirach 51.13-19 + 30
Col 22a = “Hymn to Zion”
Col 22b-23 = Pss 93 + 141 + 133 + 144
Col 24 = “Psalm 155” (see Syriac #3)
Col 24b-26a = Pss 142-143 + 149-150
Col 26b = “Hymn to the Creator”
Col 26b-27a = 2 Samuel 23.[1-]7 psalm
Col 27b = Pss 140 + 134
Col 28 = Psalm 151 (longer form)
David’s Compositions
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11QPsalmsa 27.4-11:
David wrote 3,600 psalms,
364 daily liturgical songs,
52 sabbath liturgical songs,
30 festal liturgical songs, and
4 exorcistic songs –
for a total of 4,050 –
all through the spirit of prophecy.
Jeremiah Order of Sections
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1.1 – 25.13 identical in MT = OG
25.15 - 44.5 MT = 32.1 – 51.35 OG
46 MT = 26 OG
47-51 // 27-31 but with different order
52 MT = 52 OG
MT 45.1 = OG 51.31, and the conclusion
in MT 51.64 [cf OG 28.64 var] is followed
by an appended contextualizing narrative
much like Isaiah 39 -- Jeremiah 52 =
2 Kings 24.18 - 25.30)
A Library of Proverbs
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1.1 The Proverbs of Solomon
10.1 The Proverbs of Solomon
22.17 The Words of the Wise
24.23 More Words of the Wise
25.1 Proverbs of Solomon by way of the
men of Hezekiah
30.1 Words of Agur, son of Jakeh
31.1 Words of Lemuel, … which his
mother taught him
Evidence of Seams in Isaiah
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There is an obvious narrative break at
chapters 36 - 39 (= 2 Kings 18.13 - 20.19),
interrupted by the lament/thanksgiving of
king Hezekiah in Isaiah 38.9-20,
and also a change of subject and perspective
in what follows;
Did Kings use Isaiah, or vice-versa, or did
both use a common source?
Where did the Hezekiah psalm come from?
1 Esdras (OG) = 3 Esdras (Vg)
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Ch 1: see 2 Chronicles 35.1 – 36.21
2.1-5a = 2 Chronicles 36.22-23 = Ezra 1.1-3a
Ch 2: see Ezra 1.1-11 plus 4.7-24a
3.1 - 5.3 (Darius’ three young bodyguards –
see also Josephus Ant 11.[3.2-9].33-67 for
another version of this section)
5.(4)7-73: see Ezra 2.1 – 4.5 (4.24b)
6.1 – 7.15: see Ezra 5.1 – 6.22
Chs 8-9: see Ezra 7-10 and Nehemiah 7.738.12
“1 Enoch” Library Indications
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1.1 The blessing of Enoch
37.1 The vision which Enoch saw, the second
time
72.1 The book of the itinerary of the
luminaries of heaven
83.1 Now my son Methuselah, I will show you
all the visions that I saw…
92.1 That which is written by Enoch
93.1 Enoch began to recount from the books
108.1 Another book of Enoch
Paraleipomena Jeremiou
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Chs 1-4 Destruction of Jerusalem
Ch 5 Abimelech’s long sleep
Chs 6-7 Baruch’s letter to Jeremiah in
Babylon
Ch 8 Jeremiah leads return from Babylon
Ch 9 Martyrdom of Jeremiah
Some Synoptic Problems
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Assuming some sort of relationship, which
is earlier, Matthew, Mark, Luke?
Where did Matthew and Luke get their
“sayings of Jesus” information?
Where did material unique to Matthew
come from? (Note, e.g., “fulfillment” texts)
Where did material unique to Luke come
from? (Note, e.g., opening explanation)
How does the existence of all three
complicate the textual transmission
through cross-fertilization, etc.?
Some Transitions in Acts
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8.4: Now those who were scattered went
about preaching …
11.19: Now those who were scattered …
traveled …
16.6-40 (et passim): … They went down
to Troas…. Setting sail from Troas, we
voyaged. …We were met. … They
departed.
4th Gospel Problems
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1.1-18 Poetic Prologue
7.53 – 8.11 (not found in some ancient
witnesses; others have it after 7.36 or
after 21.25 [end of text] or after Luke 21)
The adulterous woman forgiven
Ch 21: Appended after the concluding
words in 20.30-31
Some Lost Books (Goodspeed-Grant)
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Traditions of Matthias [quoted in Clem.Alex]
Gospel of Basilides [mentioned by Origen]
Questions of Bartholomew [Galasian Decree]
Gospel of Andrew [Galasian Decree]
Gospel of Apelles [mentioned by Jerome]
Gospel of Cerinthus [mentioned by Epiphanius]
Journeys of Peter [cited in ps-Clem. Homilies]
Ascents of James [cited in ps-Clem. Homilies]
Pliny’s Author Lists
(Natural History book 9)
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book 9:
[Latin] Turranio Gracile. Trogo. Maecenate.
Alfio Flavo. Cornelio Nepote. Laberio
mimographo. Fabiano. Fenestella.
Muciano. Aelio Stilone. Seboso. Melisso.
Seneca. Cicerone. Macro Aemilio. Messala
Corvino. Trebio Nigro. Nigidio.
[Greek] Aristotele. Archelao rege.
Callimacho. Democrito. Theophrasto.
Thrasyllo. Hegesidemo. Sudine. Alexandro
polyhistore.
DSS Categories
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Traditional Jewish scriptural texts
Texts that parallel traditional scriptures
Texts that supplement traditional scriptures
Rules and other “way of living” texts
Commentaries and Excerpts
Texts with special eschatological focus
Psalms and Hymns
Liturgical and Calendric materials
Wisdom and mysteries
Philo’s Moses-centric Authorities
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The book entitled the Book of Judgment
(Conf.Lang. 128-130 from Judg. 8.9 )
The first book of the Kingdoms (1 Sam)
In the kingly books (unclear reference)
As Job says (Job 14.4)
One of the friends of Moses (Ps 30/31.19)
The Hymnographer, the Psalmist
In Proverbs (Prov 3.4)
One of the Prophets of old (Isa 5.7)
Jeremiah the prophet (Jer 3.4)
One of the companions of Moses (Zech 6.12)
Philo’s Moses
(Life of Moses 1.331-332 see Num 32?)
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And Moses answered with a mild look and even
still gentler voice, "If you speak the truth and
behave honestly, the allotments which you have
asked for shall remain assured to you. Leave
behind you now, … your wives and children, and
flocks and herds, and go across Jordan in your
ranks with the rest of the soldiers in full armor,
arrayed for battle…. And hereafter when all our
enemies are destroyed, and when, … we have
made ourselves masters of the whole country, an
have begun to divide it among ourselves, then
you also shall return to your families … and to
Philo’s Therapeutae
(On the Contemplative Life 28-29)
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They interact with the holy scriptures … by
allegorizing…. They also have writings of
ancient men, the founders of their group, who
have left behind them many memorials of the
allegorical mode of thought, which they take
as a kind of archetype, imitating the manner
of their perspective; so they do not occupy
themselves solely in contemplation, but they
also compose psalms and hymns to God in
every kind of meter and melody, which they
inscribe necessarily in more dignified rhythms.
Josephus on Jesus
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Antiquities 18.[3.3].63-64: …Jesus, a wise
man, if it is appropriate to call him a man,
for he did marvelous deeds …. He was
Messiah, and when Pilate … had
condemned him to be crucified, those who
loved him did not abandon him, for he
appeared alive again to them on the third
day, as the divine prophets had foretold….
Josephus’ Padded Pentateuch
(Ant 2.[1].58-59 // Gen 4.11-16)
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God made Cain accursed, and threatened
his posterity in the seventh generation. He
also cast him, together with his wife, out
of that land. (59) And when he was afraid
that in wandering about he should fall
among Wild beasts, and by that means
perish, God bid him not to entertain such
a melancholy suspicion, and to go over all
the earth without fear of what mischief he
might suffer from wild beasts; and setting
a mark upon him, that he might be
known, he commanded him to depart.
Josephus’ Parabiblical Moses
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Antiquities 2.[10].238-253: Moses’ first
adult act: as an Egyptian general he
overcomes serpents, defeats the
Ethiopians and takes the king’s daughter
as his bride [in place of Exod 2.11-15a,
where Moses kills the Egyptian!]
Bonus: Uzziah’s earthquake in Ant
9.[10.4].222, also alluded to in Amos 1.1
and Zech 14.5, but not mentioned in
2 Chron 26.16-21
Josephus on Maccabees
(Ant 5.[3].246 // 1 Macc 1.20-28)
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King Antiochus returning out of Egypt for
fear of the Romans, made an expedition
against the city Jerusalem; and when he
was there, in the hundred and forty-third
year of the kingdom of the Seleucids, he
took the city without fighting, those of his
own party opening the gates to him. And
when he had gotten possession of
Jerusalem, he slew many of the opposite
party; and when he had plundered it of a
great deal of money, he returned to
Antioch.
Josephus on Solomon
(Ant 8.[2.5].44-46)
He also composed books of odes and songs a
thousand and five, of parables and similitudes
three thousand; for he spoke a parable about
every sort of tree [and] creature ….
And in like manner God also enabled him to learn
that skill which expels demons, which is a
science useful and healing to men. He
composed such incantations also by which
distempers are alleviated. And he left behind
him the manner of using exorcisms, by which
they drive away demons, so that they never
return; and this method of cure is of great force
unto this day.
Ps-Philo, LAB (sample)
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3.9 [after Noah’s flood]: And God said, “I
will never again … destroy all living
creatures at one time as I have done. But
when those inhabiting the earth sin, I will
judge them by famine or by the sword or
by fire or by death; and there will be
earthquakes, and they will be scattered to
uninhabited places. But no more will I
destroy the earth by the water of the
flood. And in all the days of the earth,
[order] … will not cease until the
appointed times are fulfilled.”
The Main Jewish “Apocrypha”
(also known as “Deuterocanonical’)
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1 Esdras
Tobit & Judith
Wisdom of Solomon
Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira (= Sirach)
Baruch & Letter of Jeremiah
Supplements to Esther and Daniel
1-2 Maccabees, 4 Maccabees
3 Maccabees
Prayer of Manasseh & “2 Esdras”
Semitic “Matthew”
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Papias (ca 130) [in Eusebius HE 3.39.16]:
Matthew wrote down the oracles (logia) in
Hebrew and each person translated them
as he was able
Irenaeus AH 3.1.1 (ca 180):
Matthew published a written gospel for
the Hebrews in their own tongue
Pantaenus (ca 180; similarly)
[in Eusebius HE 5.10.3]
Origen (ca 220; similarly)
[in Eusebius HE 6.25.4]
Acts of Pilate
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Justin Apology 35 & 48: you may learn
from the "Acts" which were recorded
under Pontius Pilate.
That He performed these miracles you
may easily be satisfied from the "Acts" of
Pontius Pilate.
Tertullian Apology 21: Pilate [now a
believer] sent word of [Jesus] to the
reigning Caesar, who was at the time
Tiberius
Eusebius HE 9.5.1 (forged recently, under
the emperor Maximin)
Other Letters Attributed to Paul
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2 Corinthians 2.3-4: I wrote you … with
many tears …. (possibly chs 10-13)
2 Thessalonians 2.1-2: Don’t get all hyped
up … because of a spirit or message or
letter claiming to be from us….
Colossians 4.16: Cause this letter also to
be read in the church of the Laodiceans,
and read also the letter from Laodicea.
Also extant: Laodiceans, 3 Corinthians;
and not preserved “To the Alexandrians.”
So What? Now What?
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What became of such materials?
Might we have such early lost materials
reflected or even embedded in what we
know as parascriptural locations (known
texts) or elsewhere (comments, exerpts)?
Have we lost sight of that world full of
books, and traditions, and thus weakened
or distorted our scholarly endeavors?
“Deuterosis”
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Eusebius, Demonstration of the Gospel 6.18.36:
This is what the Book of Kingdoms presents
[sic; see 2 Chron 26.16ff]. But Josephus [Ant.
9.(10.4).224f] also carefully studied the
"outside" Judaic "deuteroseis" [pl] accurately,
being a Hebrew of the Hebrews, so hear his
description of the events of those times ….
Epiphanius, Panarion 1.(2).33.9.2-6: the
traditions of the elders are called "deuteroseis"
among the Jews. And these are four: (1) that
passed along in the name of Moses, (2) that of
so-called Rabbi Akiba, (3) Adda or Iouda, (4) of
the sons of Asmonaios. . . .
Some Ways Information Survives
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Mouth to ear only (“oral transmission”)
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Ear to writing (recorded report/tradition)
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Writing to eye to mouth (reported record)
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Writing to eye to writing (direct copy)
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Writing to eye to ear to writing (dictation)