Studies in the cult of Yahweh. / Volume 2, : New testament, early Christianity, and magic / / by Morton Smith ; edited by Shaye J.D. Cohen.

• Superior document: Religions in the Graeco-Roman World, Volume 130, 2
• VerfasserIn: Smith, Morton, 1915-1991,
• TeilnehmendeR: Cohen, Shaye J. D.,
• Place / Publishing House: Leiden, [Netherlands] ;, New York ;, Köln, [Germany] : : E.J. Brill,, 1996.; ©1996
• Year of Publication: 1996
• Language: English
• Series: Religions in the Graeco-Roman world ; Volume 130, 2.
• Physical Description: 1 online resource (304 pages).

These two volumes collect some of the most influential and important scholarly essays by the late Morton Smith (1915-1991), for many years Professor of Ancient History at Columbia University in New York City. Smith was admired and feared for his extraordinary ability to look at familiar texts in unfamiliar ways, to re-open old questions, to pose new questions, and to demolish received truths. He practiced the \'hermeneutics of suspicion\' to devastating effect. His answers are not always convincing but his questions cannot be ignored. The essays of Volume I center on the Hebrew Bible (\'Old Testament\'), Ancient Israel and Ancient Judaism, of Volume II on the Christian Bible (\'New Testament\'), Early Christianity and Ancient Magic. Volume II also contains an assessment of Smith's scholarly achievement and a complete list of his publications.

Table of Contents

Preliminary material -- PROLEGOMENA TO A DISCUSSION OF ARETALOGIES, DIVINE MEN, THE GOSPELS AND JESUS -- ON THE HISTORY OF THE 'DIVINE MAN' -- MESSIAHS: ROBBERS, JURISTS, PROPHETS -- ASCENT TO THE HEAVENS AND THE BEGINNING OF CHRISTIANITY -- TWO ASCENDED TO HEAVEN–JESUS AND THE AUTHOR OF 4Q491 -- THE ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF THE TRANSFIGURATION STORY -- THE REASON FOR THE PERSECUTION OF PAUL AND THE OBSCURITY OF ACTS -- PAULINE WORSHIP AS SEEN BY PAGANS -- PAUL'S ARGUMENTS AS EVIDENCE OF THE CHRISTIANITY FROM WHICH HE DIVERGED -- TRANSFORMATION BY BURIAL (1 COR 15:35-49; ROM 6:3-5 AND 8:9-11) -- SALVATION IN THE GOSPELS, PAUL, AND THE MAGICAL PAPYRI -- THE ACCOUNT OF SIMON MAGUS IN ACTS 8 -- PLUTARCH, DE SUPERSTITIONE (MORALIA 164E-171F) -- THE HISTORY OF THE TERM GNOSTIKOS -- ON THE HISTORY OF AΠOKAΛYΠTΩ AND AΠOKAΛYΨIΣ -- HOW MAGIC WAS CHANGED BY THE TRIUMPH OF CHRISTIANITY -- THE EIGHTH BOOK OF MOSES AND HOW IT GREW (PLEID. J 39 -- P LEID J 395 (PGM XIII) AND ITS CREATION LEGEND -- A NOTE ON SOME JEWISH ASSIMILATIONISTS: THE ANGELS (P. BERLIN 5025b, P. LOUVRE 2391) -- THE JEWISH ELEMENTS IN THE MAGICAL PAPYRI -- WRITINGS OF MORTON SMITH -- IN MEMORIAM MORTON SMITH -- INDEX -- RELIGIONS IN THE GRAECO-ROMAN WORLD.