Books in the The Library of Second Temple Studies series

Proposes a reconstruction of the Temple, which differs from conventional descriptions in Jewish literary sources during the First and Second Temple eras. This book examines the individual descriptions of the Temple and considers the influence of the descriptions on subsequent ones.

The Second Temple period is an era that marked a virtual explosion in the world of literature, with the creation, redaction, interpretation, and transmission of Jewish texts that represented diverse languages and ideologies. The creation of many of these writings coincided with the growth of the Jewish community beyond the borders of Israel; therefore, among those for whom the Temple played a diminishing role. The transition period from Temple to texts was accompanied by conflicting interpretations about the role of the Temple as well as diverse theological understandings about God and the Jewish people. Drawing on the expertise of leading specialists in Second Temple Judaism, Temple, Texts, and Traditions explores the rich traditions of the Jewish people as they were expressed and interpreted in their writings in that period, which included writings that later became recognized as Scriptures.

"Chang investigates the articulation of the concepts of priesthood and covenant in late Second Temple period Jewish and Jewish-Christian texts"--

Scribes and Their Remains begins with an introductory essay by Stanley Porter which addresses the principal theme of the book: the text as artifact. The rest of the volume is then split into two major sections. In the first, five studies appear on the theme of ''Scribes, Letters, and Literacy.'' In the first of these Craig A. Evans offers a lengthy piece that argues that the archaeological, artifactual, and historical evidence suggests that New Testament autographs and first copies may well have remained in circulation for one century or more, having the effect of stabilizing the text. Other pieces in the section address literacy, orality and paleography of early Christian papyri. In the second section there are five pieces on ''Writing, Reading, and Abbreviating Christian Scripture.'' These range across numerous topics, including an examination of the stauros (cross) as a nomen sacrum. The volume concludes with reflections by co-editor Peter Arzt-Grabner incorporating his longstanding expertise in the study of documentary papyri, especially as these ancient documents relate to New Testament research. From the perspective of a papyrologist, Arzt-Grabner discusses how New Testament scholars use documentary papyri today and recommends some future directions.

An analysis of the perspective on retribution displayed in the Book of Tobit.

Written by one of the world's leading authorities on the Dead Sea Scrolls, these groundbreaking essays explore the significance of the scrolls for our understanding of the New Testament and Christian Origins.

Provides an approach to the book of "Tobit" from a range of disciplines: literary, feminist, anthropological, imagination, theological, textual and historical. This book considers some Latin manuscripts, encompassing an article introducing a print of the Ceriani Latin text, and includes an overview of the Old Latin textual tradition and context.

Surveys ten Jewish literary works composed in Hebrew, Aramaic, or Greek between the 8th and the mid-2nd century BCE, and shows that each deals with major problems of the Jewish populations in the Land of Israel or in the dispersions. This title provides insightful explorations of the purpose behind these texts.

For 2000 years, Judaism and Christianity have been at odds with one another. The problem at the heart of the division is the concept of messiah. This title looks at the concept of messiah from an historical perspective and examines its roots in ancient Jewish literature, and its development within the Christian tradition.