The apocrypha

The Jewish apocrypha (Old Testament apocrypha) are an indispensable source for knowledge about the second temple Judaism. All inquiries into the Jewishness of the time start as inquiries into, among others, the apocrypha. In a small monograph study, I have dealt with the formative influence of the apocrypha during the period that preceded the emergence of the New Testament writings. Time is gradually becoming right for more specific theses. Some on the agenda:

• The LXX and the apocrypha: earliest common road

Some questions pursued:
— The legend about the LXX in its different phases.
— Parallel provenances with certain pseudepigrapha.
— Greek Judaism.

• History of the Jewish diaspora

Some questions pursued:
— Jason’s highpriesthood.
— Temples at Leontopolis and Elephantine.
— Jewish armies and colonization.

 • The apocrypha in early rabbinic view

Some questions pursued:
— The “renders hands dirty” problematic.
— Aqiva on apocryphic literature.
— Aquila’s literal translation.