Nuptial Symbolism in Second Temple Writings, the New Testament and Rabbinic Literature: Divine Marriage at Key Moments of Salvation History

503 Pages·2016·2.039 MB·English

by  André Villeneuve

Nuptial Symbolism in Second Temple Writings, the New Testament and
Rabbinic Literature
Ancient Judaism and
Early Christianity
Arbeiten zur Geschichte des antiken Judentums
und des Urchristentums
Founding Editor
Martin Hengel † (Tübingen)
Executive Editors
Cilliers Breytenbach (Berlin)
Martin Goodman (Oxford)
Editorial Board
Lutz Doering (Münster) – Pieter W. van der Horst (Utrecht)
Tal Ilan (Berlin) – Judith Lieu (Cambridge)
Tessa Rajak (Reading/Oxford ) – Daniel R. Schwartz ( Jerusalem)
Seth Schwartz (New York)
VOLUME 92
The titles published in this series are listed at brill.com/ajec
Nuptial Symbolism in Second
Temple Writings, the New
Testament and Rabbinic Literature
Divine Marriage at Key Moments of Salvation History
By
André Villeneuve
LEIDEN | BOSTON
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Names: Villeneuve, André (Assistant Professor of Theology), author.
Title: Nuptial symbolism in Second Temple writings, the New Testament, and Rabbinic literature : divine
marriage at key moments of salvation history / by André Villeneuve.
Description: Boston : Brill, 2016. | Series: Ancient Judaism and early Christianity, ISSN 1871-6636 ;
Volume 92 | Includes bibliographical references.
Identifiers: LCCN 2016011218 (print) | LCCN 2016011508 (ebook) | ISBN 9789004316034 (hardback : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9789004316263 (E-book)
Subjects: LCSH: Mystical union—History of doctrines. | Salvation—Judaism. | Salvation—Christianity—
History of doctrines. | Marriage—Religious aspects—Christianity. | Marriage—Religious aspects—
Judaism.
Classification: LCC BT767.7 .V55 2016 (print) | LCC BT767.7 (ebook) | DDC 231.7/6—dc23
LC record available at http://lccn.loc.gov/2016011218
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issn 1871-6636
isbn 978-90-04-31603-4 (hardback)
isbn 978-90-04-31626-3 (e-book)
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Contents
Acknowledgements ix
Abbreviations xi
1 Introduction 1
1.1 Thesis: The Marriage between God and His People 1
1.2 Background (A): Nuptial Symbolism in the OT Prophets 4
1.3 Background (B): Nuptial Symbolism in Wisdom Literature 23
1.4 Aims of the Present Study: Exploring Four “Nuptial Moments” 35
1.5 Current State of Research and Originality of the Present Study 38
1.6 General Outline, Sources and Method of Research 48
2 Lady Wisdom’s Hymn of Praise (Ben Sira 24) 56
2.1 Ben Sira: Introduction 56
2.2 Lady Wisdom’s Origin and Universality (vv. 1–7) 57
2.3 Lady Wisdom’s Indwelling in Israel (vv. 8–12) 59
2.4 Lady Wisdom, Trees and Spices (vv. 13–17) 61
2.5 Excursus: Lady Wisdom’s Costly Fruit (v. 17) 70
2.6 Lady Wisdom’s Banquet (vv. 19–22) 73
2.7 Lady Wisdom as Torah Personified (vv. 23–34) 76
2.8 Creation, Tabernacle, and Wisdom’s “Incarnation” 83
2.9 Summary: Lady Wisdom in Sirach 24 92
3 Philo and the Embracing Cherubim 93
3.1 The Memory of the Cherubim from Eden to the Exile 93
3.2 The Mystery of the Holy of Holies in the Second Temple 96
3.3 The Embracing Cherubim in the Holy of Holies 98
3.4 Summary: The Cherubim and Philo’s Nuptial Symbolism 106
4 Nuptial Symbolism in the New Testament 109
4.1 The New Testament: Introduction 109
4.2 The Gospel of Matthew: The Bridegroom and the Kingdom 109
4.3 The Gospel of John: Wedding, Bridegroom, and New Temple 120
4.4 The First Epistle to the Corinthians: The Body as Temple 189
4.5 T he Second Epistle to the Corinthians: Living between the
Times 203
4.6 The Epistle to the Ephesians: One Flesh 213
4.7 The Apocalypse: The Wedding Feast of the Lamb 247
4.8 Summary: Nuptial Symbolism in the New Testament 265
vi Contents
5 Nuptial Symbolism in Pseudepigraphical Texts 268
5.1 Pseudepigraphical Texts: Introduction 268
5.2 Joseph and Aseneth 268
5.3 The Odes of Solomon 276
5.4 Fourth Ezra 279
5.5 The Shepherd of Hermas 283
5.6 The Second Epistle of Clement 286
5.7 Summary: Pseudepigraphical Texts 290
6 Nuptial Symbolism in Rabbinic Literature 292
6.1 The Song of Songs and its Allegorical Interpretation 292
6.2 Tannaitic Midrashim 295
6.3 Amoraitic Midrashim 309
6.4 Canticles Rabbah 327
6.5 The Targum on Canticles 340
7 From Texts to Theology: Thematic Analysis 357
7.1 Foundational Concepts and Golden Threads 357
7.2 Four Key Moments of Salvation History in Ancient Judaism 365
7.3 Nuptial Theology at Four Key Moments in Early Christianity 397
8 Conclusion and Epilogue 402
8.1 Synopsis 402
8.2 A Foundation for the Patristic Interpretation of the Song of Songs? 404
8.3 Epilogue: From Nuptial Symbolism to Real Marriage 406
Appendices
A.  Plants and Spices in Sirach 24: Intertextuality with Motifs of
Salvation History 420
B.  Precious Metals and Stones Related to Wisdom, Love, Eden, Temple,
and Eschaton 424
C.  Intertextuality of Genesis 1–2, Exodus 25–31, Sirach 24, and
Sirach 50 426
D.  The 7 Days of the Sinai Theophany: Targum and Fourth Gospel 430
E.  Nuptial Symbolism in Pseudepigraphal and Apocryphal Texts 434
contents vii
Bibliography 435
Primary Sources, Ancient and Medieval Commentaries 435
Secondary Sources 438
Index of Authors 457
Index of Sources 460
Index of Subjects 485

Acknowledgements
The present work has had a long and arduous journey that lasted more than a
decade: it began with my acceptance as a Ph.D. student at the Hebrew
University in Jerusalem in the Fall of 2005. Two and a half years later, in May
2008, I completed a preliminary thesis entitled “Mystical Marriage and Temple
Imagery in the New Testament: A Case of Mystagogy in Scripture,” which laid
the foundations for the present volume. In December 2009, I submitted a for-
mal proposal to the Hebrew University requesting to write my dissertation on
the topic of nuptial symbolism at key moments of salvation history. Once the
proposal was accepted, my years in Jerusalem were taken up by intense
research and writing, along with taking theology classes at the Ratisbonne
Salesian seminary, volunteering with the Franciscan Media Center, and pray-
ing with the Hebrew-speaking Catholic community. I submitted the disserta-
tion on May 2, 2012, and soon after moved to Denver, Colorado, to begin
teaching Scripture at the St. John Vianney Theological Seminary. It is there, on
January 13, 2013, that I was notified that my dissertation had been approved
and I was granted the degree “Doctor of Philosophy.” It would be another three
years until the publication of my work with Brill. I would like to extend my
appreciation and thanks to the editorial staff there, particularly to Tessa Schild
and Renee Otto, for making this work possible.
This long journey would not have been possible without the contribution
of many dear friends and colleagues at the Hebrew University, in Jerusalem, in
Israel and across the world, who have each played a unique part along the way.
My heartfelt thanks goes first and foremost to my advisors, Professors Israel
Yuval and Justin Taylor, who gracefully and patiently accompanied me on the
way, providing invaluable feedback and assistance as they read and re-read
my manuscripts countless times. Thank you to the members of the academic
committee, Prof. Shlomo Naeh, Dr. Serge Ruzer, and Dr. Oded Ir-Shai, to the
faculty and students of the Religious Studies department at Hebrew University,
and to Dr. Bruria Biton-Ashkeloni who was my first contact there when I first
ventured on Mount Scopus in September 2005. Thank you also to Professors
Michal Biran and Maren Niehoff for their dedicated work in running the
President’s Scholarship program, to Maren for helping me write my research
proposal, and to Yifa Yaakov for her outstanding job in translating the abstract
into Hebrew. My appreciation goes to all of you as well as to the many friends
that I have made at Hebrew University over the years.
My years in Jerusalem would not have been the same without a few
individuals and religious communities that became “home” to me in one