Bibliography
| Title: The Jewish Temple. A Non-biblical Source-book Type: Book Year: 1996 Abstract: Grabbe, Lester L. in: JJS 48.2 (1997), 357-358: "Dr Hayward has written a very useful sourcebook; indeed, one is surprised that none had taken up the task before, since it is such a helpful volume and clearly fills a gap. The basic aim is to collect all references in Second Temple Jewish sources which talk about the meaning of the temple and its service. He is not trying to give a description of the temple area and of its rites (though he does note some secondary studies for those who are interested). Much of the work is made up of a (fresh) translation of and commentary on the passages in question. These are given in eight chapters: Hecataeus of Abdera, Letter of Aristeas, Ben Sira in Hebrew, Ben Sira in Greek, Jubilees, Philo of Alexandria, Josephus, and Pseudo-Philo (Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum). There is no concluding chapter since the main themes are already laid out in the introduction; these include: the stability and order of the cosmos (with the earthly cult symbolizing the worship that takes place in heaven); the temple as symbolic of the cosmos (the high priest's dress and other apparatus of the temple representing the universe); the temple and angelic worship (the earthly priests representing the activities of angels); invocation of the Lord on Israel's behalf; and light. A number of these overlap because they are different aspects of the same symbolism. Giving this synthesis in the introduction works well, for the most part, but it has one potential weakness. As Hayward's commentary makes clear, the texts do not necessarily agree in their explanation or conceptualization of the symbolism; each handles the question in its own way. In some cases, a text may be developing an inherited tradition, but in others a common subject is addressed in unrelated ways. Philo, for example, often uses symbolism in a unique way, suggesting lack of connection with traditions known from elsewhere. These differences of approach would have been best noted and dealt with in a concluding synthesis. One of the enduring values of this book will be detailed commentary on the passages selected. It gives a good deal of information, focusing on but not limited to the question of temple symbolism, and will serve as a useful supplement to other available commentaries. There is only one drawback: the annoying practice of using endnotes instead of footnotes (which seems to be a feature of Routledge books but needs to be changed). If footnotes were not to be used, the data from them should have simply been included in the commentary, which is meant, in any case, to contain technical data. In some instances, one has to go from commentary to endnote to the bibliography, which becomes rather awkward. Although Hayward specifically excludes descriptions of the temple or its actual service from his concern, his commentary often deals in detail with such matters when they are part of a textual selection. For this reason, it seems a shame that he did not take a few more pages to summarize these data as well. Granted, they would have been incomplete because of the limited number of texts treated, but it is mainly from known Second Temple sources that we are likely to gain the best idea of how the temple and its cult actually functioned. The one section where Hayward does not make his own translation is on Jubilees. Why he uses the century-old translation of R. H. Charles is not discussed, but he does not seem to be aware of the recent new critical edition and translation, including the Qumran and other data, of J. C. VanderKam, The Book of Jubilees: Text and English Translation (2 vols; CSCO 510-11, Scriptores Aethiopici 87-88; Peeters, Leuven, 1989). But these are minor criticisms (suggestions?) and do not take away from the overall value of this useful book, which does well what it aims to do".
in: NTAb 42.2 (1998), 420: "Hayward, reader in theology at the University of Durham seeks to investigate afresh writings that may convey something of what the Jerusalem Temple service meant to Jews of Second Temple times who supported it and held it in h
igh regard. After a seventeen-page introduction, he considers how the Jerusalem Temple was portrayed by Hecataeus of Abdera, letter o Aristeas, the Wisdom of Jesus Ben Sira in Hebrew and in Greek, Jubilees, Philo of Alexandria, Josephus, and ps.-Philo's biblical Antiquities. In each chapter he proved an introduction, translations of the pertinent texts, ad comments on them". Keywords: Cultural and Religious History of Ancient Judaism |