Prophetic figures in late Second Temple Jewish Palestine : the evidence from Josephus / Rebecca Gray.

Includes bibliographical references (pages 213-221) and indexes.

Based on a revised Oxford University doctoral dissertation, this work examines the evidence from Josephus for prophetic figures in Jewish Palestine in the late Second Temple period, approximately 150 BCE to 70CE. Recent years have seen renewed interest in the question of how Jesus of Nazareth should be classified in terms of religious or social "type." Was he a teacher, prophet, miracle-worker, magician, charismatic or militant revolutionary? Although there is no real consensus among New Testament scholars on this question, "prophet" is probably the leading contender. If this designation is to be meaningful, however, a clearer picture of first-century Jewish prophecy in general is essential. The present work is intended as a contribution towards a better understanding of Jewish prophecy around the time of Jesus. Josephus is without question our most important source of information about events in Palestine in this period. Although Josephus is often cited in works on early Jewish prophecy, however, there has until now been no separate study of this material.; Gray here not only offers the first comprehensive examination of Josephus' writings on specific prophetic figures, but also analyses in detail his general views on prohecy and the prohetic claim he makes for himself.

Print version record.

Josephus and the Belief that Prophecy Had Ceased -- Evidence that Josephus Believed that Prophecy Had Ceased -- Against Apion 1.41: Prophecy and the Writing of History -- Antiquities 3.218: John Hyrcanus and the End of Priestly Divination -- Josephus' Use of [characters not reproducible] and Related Terms -- The Continuation of Prophecy After Its Supposed Cessation -- Dreams and Prophetic Inspiration -- Prophecy as Prediction -- Josephus as Prophet -- The Revelation at Jotapata -- The Content of the Revelation -- The Apologetic Purpose of the Narrative -- Josephus' Defense of His Decision to Surrender -- The Revelatory Experience Described in War 3.351-54 -- Priestly Expertise in the Interpretation of Scripture -- Revelatory Dreams and Visions and Their Interpretation in Josephus -- The Mechanics of Interpretation in War 3.351-54 -- Typological Correspondences Between Josephus and the Ancient Prophets -- Jeremiah -- Daniel -- Joseph -- The Essenes -- The General Statement in War 2.159 -- The Study of "Sacred Books" -- The Meaning of the Phrase "Various Purifications" -- The Study of "Sayings of Prophets" -- Josephus' Reports Concerning Individual Essene Prophets -- Judas (War 1.78-80; Antiquities 13.311-13) -- Menahem (Antiquities 15.373-79) -- Simon (War 2.112-13; Antiquities 17.345-48) -- Josephus' Essene Prophets and Pesher Interpretation at Qumran -- Josephus' Use of [characters not reproducible]-Terminology in Connection with the Essenes -- The Sign Prophets -- Josephus' Reports Concerning the Sign Prophets.

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