Reviews’ Digest
Daniel Stökl Ben Ezra, The Impact of Yom Kippur on Early Christianity. The Day of Atonement from the Second Temple to the Fifth Century (Wissenschaftliche Untersuchungen zum Neuen Testament 163; Tübingen: Mohr-Siebeck, 2003). [pp. XX, 445].
From the advertisement: The Day of Atonement (Yom Kippur) was the most important festival of late-antique Judaism, but its influence on Christianity was not generally recognized. Daniel Stökl Ben Ezra here not only reveals the profound influence of Yom Kippur on early Christianity up to the fifth century but also offers the first detailed analysis of the festival itself. He examines the rituals of and the concepts underlying Yom Kippur in various types of Second Temple and rabbinic Judaism. In detailed analyses of many New Testament and extra-canonical writings, as well as Gnostic and early mystical texts, the author portrays the sweeping influence of the high priest, Holy of Holies, blood sacrifice and scapegoat ritual on early Christian thought and practice. In the final part he examines Christian exegesis of Leviticus 16, Christian-Jewish polemics and the impact of Yom Kippur on Christian liturgy.
[Home] [Table of contents (pdf)] [Conclusions (pdf)]
Gager, Adamantius 9 (2003) 262-263: “This dissertation presupposes and advances several revolutionary themes in recent scholarship…”, “…this dissertation is a model not just of graduate education at its best but even more of new directions in the study of relations between Jews and Christians, Judaism and Christianity, in Late antiquity. This is a major and exemplary achievement in the study of an important and neglected area of Late Antiquity. The author is able to use scholarly literature, and ancient texts, in all of the relevant languages, a rare feat these days. His argumentation, while bold, is careful and respectful…”
Eguiarte, Mayeutica 68 (2003) 528-530: “An essential work for any study of the Bible…The edition…is excellent and the critical apparatus and the bibliography could not be better” (“Una obra de lectura imprescindible para todo estudioso de la Biblia así como un elemento que puede enriquecer las bibliotecas de los centros de estudio teológico y bíblico. La edición de la misma, como es ya consuetudinario en la editorial Mohr Siebeck es excelente, el aparato crítico y bibliográfico es inmejorable.”)
van de Sandt, Tijdschrift voor Theologie 44 (2004) 303: “In brief, an outstanding work that presents many new [theses].” (“Kortom, een uitstekend werk dat veel nieuws te bieden heeft.”)
Grappe, Revue d'histoire et de philosophie 84 (2004) S.230-232: “The publication is exceptionally comprehensive. Far from limiting himself to a single field, the author has managed to interrelate several, proceeding from the study of Judaism to the New Testament and then to the Church Fathers. […] Especially interesting seem to us the results, the author reaches with regard to the apocalyptic imaginaire. […] Daniel Stökl Ben Ezra has produced a major work, largely original since never a comparable synthesis has been undertaken…His work is an important contribution for the history of the liturgy as well as for those of Judaism and Christian origins” (“l’ouvrage est particulièrement englobant. Loin de se limiter à un seul champ, l’auteur s’emploie à en faire communiquer plusieurs, passant de la prise en compte du judaïsme, à celle du Nouveau Testament puis de la Patristique” ; “Particulièrement intéressants nous paraissent les résultats auxquels parvient l’auteur à propos de l’imaginaire apocalyptique.” ; “Daniel Stökl ben Ezra a produit une œuvre majeure, largement originale puisque jamais pareille synthèse n’avait été réalisée. Complété par une abondante bibliographie et par de précieux indices (des textes anciens, des auteurs modernes, thématique), son ouvrage est une contribution importante tant à l’histoire de la liturgie qu’à celle du judaïsme et des origines du christianisme.”)
Nodet, Revue Biblique 111 (2004) 282: “L'exposé est remarquablement documenté, bien présenté et accompagné des index utiles.”
Bazzana, Adamantius 11 (2005): “The third part of the work…is dedicated to the impact of Yom Kippur on Christianity between the third and the fifth century CE: In this section, Stökl Ben Ezra shows his great erudition in the unusual ability to treat sources often outside of the expertise of students of Christianity… Stökl Ben Ezra’s book is particularly significant for the relatively complex methodological questions that the author chooses to address in an investigation that crosses many religious worlds and numerous disciplines…In this regard, it is important to state how Stökl Ben Ezra’s book offers not only an exceptionally complete repertoire…about Yom Kippur but also stimulates in the reader reflections and the possibility to connect with other fields of research… To conclude, …[this book is] an exemplary investigation not only for its wide horizon and its methodological rigor, but also for its perspective that leads to a more profound [appreciation] of the mutual influences of Judaism and Christianity, not longer limited only to the aspect of theological controversy.”(“La terza parte del lavoro… è dedicata all’influsso dello Yom kippur sul cristianesimo nei secoli dal terzo al quinto dell’era volgare: in questa sezione Stökl Ben Ezra mostra la sua grande erudizione e la inusuale abilità nel trattare fonti spesso al di fuori della conoscenza degli studiosi di cose cristiane…Il volume di Stökl Ben Ezra appare particolarmente significativo per le questione metodologiche, assai complesse, che l’autore sceglie di affrontare in un’indagine che attraversa tanti mondi religiosi e tanti campi di studio. (497)…In questo senso, è importante osservare come il volume di Stökl Ben Ezra, oltre ad offrire un repertorio di eccezionale completezza (cui contribuiscono anche gli indici estremamente ampi ed accurati) sullo Yom kippur, stimoli nel lettore una messe di riflessioni e possibilità di collegamento con altri campi di ricerca. … In conclusione, va ribadito il giudizio che riconosce in questo volume l’esito di una ricerca esemplare non solo per l’ampiezza di orizzonti ed il rigore metodologica, ma anche per le prospettive che schiude ad un approfondimento dei reciproci influssi di giudaismo e cristianesimo non più solo limitato all’aspetto della controversia teologica. (498)”)
Guy Stroumsa, evaluation of dissertation: “This rich study [the first part on Yom Kippur in Ancient Judaism] is a unit standing on its own, a substantial contribution to the study of Judaism. […] The power of the overall study does not derive from the fact that every single point convinces at the same level, but from the fact, that the numerous discoveries, on various levels, reconstruct in a convincing manner an entire mosaic and revealed for the first time to our eyes. […] This fascinating and impressive study demonstrates clearly to which extent Judaism and Christianity were mutually linked in late Antiquity, despite the orthodox attempts from both sides to define the fluctuant borders between both. It is difficult to deal with the study of the foundations of a living religion, and it is all the more difficult to do so in a comparative manner and to distill the foundational myths of your own religion. Stökl succeeded to do this in this impressive manner, also because he knew how to use to the optimum the advantages of both scholarly worlds in which he has been nurtured, in the Hebrew University and in the German universities at which he studied before he came to us. […] I am honored to have been tied to this outstanding work and recommend to approve it with summa cum laude.”
David Satran, evaluation of dissertation: “The structure of the work is clear and logical, written lucidly and displays a very wide range of primary sources and scholarly literature. Stökl’s careful treatment of thousands of details assembled from hundreds of sources of various genres is clearly discernable. Also, there is hardly any study on the subject discussed that has not been taken into account in order to facilitate the investigation of the problem. Stökl proves his central claim to my satisfaction regarding the decisive influence of Yom Kippur on the development of believes and rites in the Early Church. In addition to this claim, the author convinces the reader also with regard to his principle methodological assumption: The influence of Yom Kippur is not restricted to the textual realm but finds its richest expression in the world of images and rites. Through the work it is possible to enjoy not a small number of fascinating discussions. […] …before us is an outstanding work in both, the maturity of the analysis and the transparency of the discussion. The dissertation is not less impressive for its coherent and consistent character. It is not a collection of individual studies, as so often in Ph.D. dissertations except the best among them, but it is an integral composition with clear logic and well clarified aims. Parts of the study have already been published in honorable forums. In light of the general level and the great importance for various fields, Stökl should be urged to publish the study in its entirety.”
John Gager, evaluation of dissertation: “his ability to move from Biblical texts to later Jewish apocalypses to canonical and non-canonical texts is most impressive. […]Overall, I would assess Stoekl’s dissertation as fully succeeded and convincing. One measure that I apply in reaching such judgments is whether I have learned anything from reading the work. I learned a great deal from reading this dissertation. […]I was particularly impressed by his use of the term imaginaire to describe the totality of beliefs and practices in a given community relating to a particular rite. It enables him to avoid the common danger over-intellectualizing (excessive focus on religious ideas) and make sit possible for him to stress both conservative and innovative elements in religious traditions. […]This section [on the historical value of Mishnah Yoma] could easily serve as a model for the treatment of dating issues in the Msihnah in general. […]The lengthy, central section on early Christianity shows a combination of restraint and imagination. The danger to be avoided here is that of ‘going overboard,’ i.e., trying to finds traces of Yom Kippur everywhere. And he succeeds admirably. […]His most convincing case involves the Autumn Festivals at Rome in the 5th century Her he is able to show that the observance of fasting rites, the date of these expiatory festivals in September and the lections read at the festivals all point to clear influences on Roman Christian practice long after the supposed ‘final break’ between Jews and Christians. […] Overall, a most impressive dissertation, which bodes well for Stoekl’s future as a scholar. A major achievement.”
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