Bibliography
| Title: Josephus's Portrayal of the Disappearances of Enoch, Elijah, and Moses. Some Observations Secondary Title: JBL Volume: 109 Pages: 691-693 Type: Journal Article Year: 1990 Abstract: Barré, Michael L.: "B. responds to an article by J. D. Tabor (JBL 108 [1989] 225-38; see OTA 13 [1990]) dealing with Josephus's account of the extraordinary ends of Enoch, Elijah, and Moses. With regard to Elijah, Tabor had claimed Josephus worded his account with deliberate vagueness. B. counters that the use of the verb aphanizomai in this case (Ant. 9.2.2 _28), one of Josephus's preferred terms, characteristically denoted Entrückung (translation to the heavenly world) in Hellenistic authors. This is confirmed by his statement that Enoch and Elijah had "become invisible [aphaneis]"--another piece of Entrückung vocabulary. As for Moses, Tabor had asserted that although Josephus seems to describe a Mosaic apotheosis initially, he ends by stating that he died. A closer look at Josephus's statement shows he meant that Moses describes himself as having died--not Josephus (Ant. 4.8.48 -326). That Moses did so accords with the emphasis on Moses' modesty which runs through Josephus's account. Thus "Josephus affirms an Entrückung for each of the three figures--Enoch, Elijah, and Moses" (p. 693)".
Harrington, Daniel J.: "Contrary to J.D. Tabor [§ 34-472], Josephus affirmed a transfer to the divine realm not only for Enoch (Ant. 1:85) but also for Elijah (Ant. 9:28) and Moses (Ant 4:326; see 3:212)".
"Josephus bekräftigt die Entrückung der drei Gestalten. Sie dient ihm als apologetisches Mittel gegenüber heidnischen Erzählungen von der Apotheose großer Männer: Auch das Judentum hat solche Fälle aufzuweisen!" - RM Keywords: Antiquities |