Exegesis of the Pentateuch in the Pseudo-Clementine <i>Homilies</i>Syriaca.org: The Syriac Reference PortalThe National Endowment for the HumanitiesThe International Balzan Prize FoundationDavid A. Michelsoncbsc_adminRecord added to Zotero bycbsc_adminSyriaca.org: The Syriac Reference Portalhttp://syriaca.org/cbss/IXK7UYF5/tei
Distributed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License.
2024-08-15-04:00
Born digital.
CREATED: This bibl record was autogenerated from a Zotero record.Donald HenryCarlsonExegesis of the Pentateuch in the Pseudo-Clementine <i>Homilies</i>http://syriaca.org/cbss/IXK7UYF5https://www.zotero.org/groups/a_comprehensive_bibliography_on_syriac_studies/items/IXK7UYF5https://www.zotero.org/groups/4861694/items/IXK7UYF52012The Pseudo-Clementine Homilies represent an important witness to 'Jewish Christianity' during the third and fourth centuries, and likely they preserve traditions from an even earlier era. This peculiar body of writings offers a distinct approach to the interpretation of the Pentateuch. It is the goal of this study to give a detailed account of the theory of exegesis as it is put forth in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies.
An integral component of the Homilist's exegesis is his theory that, as it exists in its written form, the Pentateuch is contaminated with 'false pericopes'. These falsehoods, enmeshed as they are throughout the Pentateuch, are not always easy to detect. But it is essential for any who would interpret the Scriptures 'correctly' that they must be able to recognize them and then deal with them appropriately. It is proposed that, drawing upon both 'traditional' and 'philosophical' resources, in an effort to attain the goal of a correct interpretation, the Homilist envisions three distinct 'external criteria' to deal with the Pentateuch's enmeshed falsehoods: (1) the True Prophet's teaching and (2) the oral tradition, in cooperation with (3) the 'harmony' criterion. The first two derive from 'traditional' resources, while the third derives from 'philosophy'. From the Homilist's presentation of True Prophet's teaching we learn something about the Homilist's 'Christian' leanings, whereby the words of Jesus are deemed essential for evaluating the Scriptures. His accent upon the oral tradition displays something of the Homilist's 'Jewish' affinities, whereby appeal is made to emulate an oral tradition akin to that of the Rabbis in order to ensure correct interpretation of the Scriptures. Finally, the 'harmony' criterion--based on the idea that the Scriptures are 'in harmony' with creation and with God, and are therefore to be checked against both--is an expression of the Homilist's philosophical outlook, his cosmopolitan sensitivities, and his ethical orientation. All three external criteria--the True Prophet's teaching, the oral tradition, and the harmony criterion--are employed by the Homilist in his unique approach to the Pentateuch in general, and his evaluation of its falsehoods in particular. Thus constitutes the theory of the exegesis of the Pentateuch as it is put forth in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies.
Carlson, Donald Henry. “Exegesis of the Pentateuch in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies.” Ph.D. dissertation, Hebrew Union College / Jewish Institute of Religion, Ohio, 2012.
Donald Henry Carlson, Exegesis of the Pentateuch in the Pseudo-Clementine Homilies” (Ph.D. dissertation, Hebrew Union College / Jewish Institute of Religion, Ohio, 2012).I-III CEJewish ChristianityNT apocryphaOld TestamentPseudo-Clementinesallegoryexegesisfalsificationhermeneuticsoralityprophecy