The Torah in 1Maccabees: A Literary Critical Approach to the Text

369 Pages·2014·3.76 MB·English

by  Francis Borchardt

DE GRUYTER
Francis Borchardt
THE TORAH IN
1MACCABEES
A LITERARY CRITICAL APPROACH TO THE TEXT
Francis Borchardt
The Torah in 1Maccabees
Deuterocanonical and
Cognate Literature Studies
Edited by
Friedrich V. Reiterer, Beate Ego and Tobias Nicklas
Volume 19
Francis Borchardt
The Torah in
1 Maccabees
A Literary Critical Approach to the Text
DE GRUYTER
ISBN978-3-11-032298-9
e-ISBN978-3-11-032348-1
ISSN1865-1666
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For Nele, Alexandra, Sophia, and Erasmus

Acknowledgements
Throughout the process of preparing this book I have received invaluable guid-
ancefromvariousprofessorsinthedepartmentofBiblicalStudiesattheUniver-
sityof Helsinki. Professor Raija Sollamo has overseen the workfromthe begin-
ning, and shepherded me through the entire doctoral process. I owe her many
thanks. Professor Anneli Aejmelaeus has, especially in the context of meetings
andcolloquia,offeredgreatsupport andinsightfulcommentsonvarious issues
withinthetext.HerinputwasalwayshighlyvaluedasIworkedthroughthede-
tailsofmyargument.ProfessorMarttiNissinenhasbeenextraordinarilysuppor-
tiveinavarietyofways,evenprecedingthecommencementofmydoctoralstud-
ies. I am happy to have him as a professor and friend. Special thanks must be
extendedtoProfessorChristophLevinofLudwigMaximilianUniversityinMün-
chen,who willingly and skillfully took up the task of forming my kernel of an
idea into a workable and pertinent thesis.Without his aid, the literary critical
sections of this study would have been far more daunting.
Dr.JuhaPakkalahasbeenhelpfulandsupportiveincountlesswaysthroughout
this process. From helping me to wind my way through the foreign university bu-
reaucracy to providing me with funding through the European Young Investigator
(EURYI)awardhereceivedfortheBirthandTransmissionofHolyTraditionproject.
This allowed me opportunities to travel, research, and participate in conferences
thatwouldhavebeenotherwiseimpossible.Moreimportantthanthefunding,how-
ever,wastheopportunityDr.Pakkalaofferedtoparticipateinthedynamicresearch
groupheformed.ThemembersoftheBirthandTransmissionofHolyTraditionproj-
ecthelpedmetoentirelychangemyperspectiveonsomeofthemostfundamental
questionsin biblicalstudies,andI alwaystreasuretheirinput.
I received further financial support from the University of Helsinki in the
formofresearchandtravelgrantsthathelpedtobringthisstudytocompletion.
My family, however, has been my greatest strength and most valuable asset
throughout my period of study. The support offered first by my mother, father
and brother, and later by my wife and children has never waned. I especially
must thank my wife Nele, and my daughters Alexandra and Sophia, for being
so eager to lead a life of continent hopping and library visiting. It’s not always
easy, but they constantlygreet this life with a smile. It is to them that this book
isdedicated.
On To Fung Shan (the Christian mountain), Hong Kong, March 2012
F. B.

Contents
Part I 1
I Introduction: The Torah in 1Maccabees 3
I. Aim 3
I. Previous Studies 5
I.. The Law in Scholarship of 1Maccabees 6
I.. The (dis)Unity of 1Maccabees in Scholarship 31
I. A Restatement of Aims 41
I. Methods and Premises 42
Partitio 45
II Literary Criticism of 1Maccabees 47
II. 1Macc 1 47
1:11–15 48
1:43 49
1:52 51
1:62–63 52
Implications 53
II. 1Macc 2 55
2:23–26 56
2:42–44 58
Implications 60
II. 1Macc 3 62
3:3–9 63
Implications 65
II. 1Macc 5 67
5:55–62 67
5:18–19 72
Implications 73
II. 1Macc 6 74
6:21–27 74
6:42–46 78
Implications 81
II. 1Macc 7 82
7:5–7 86
7:9* 87