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The Formation of the Jewish Canon (The Anchor Yale Bible Reference Library | AYBRL)

Publisher:
, 2013
ISBN: 9780300164343
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Overview

Timothy Lim here presents a complete account of the formation of the canon in Ancient Judaism from the emergence of the Torah in the Persian period to the final acceptance of the list of 22/24 books in the Rabbinic period. Using the Hebrew Bible, the Scrolls, the Apocrypha, the Letter of Aristeas, the writings of Philo, Josephus, the New Testament, and Rabbinic literature as primary evidence he argues that throughout the post-exilic period up to around AD 100 there was not one official “canon” accepted by all Jews; rather, there existed a plurality of collections of scriptures that were authoritative for different communities. Examining the literary sources and historical circumstances that led to the emergence of authoritative scriptures in ancient Judaism, Lim proposes a theory of the majority canon that posits that the Pharisaic canon became the canon of Rabbinic Judaism in the centuries after the destruction of the Jerusalem Temple.

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Resource Experts
  • Presents a complete account of the formation of the canon in Ancient Judaism
  • Argues that up to around AD 100 there was not one official “canon” accepted by all Jews
  • Proposes a theory of the majority canon
  • Modern and Ancient Views of the Canon
  • The Emergence of the Canon Reconsidered
  • The Earliest Canonical Lists and Notices
  • The Torah in the Persian and Early Hellenistic Periods
  • The Letter of Aristeas and Its Early Interpreters
  • The Wisdom of Jesus ben Sira and 2 Maccabees
  • The Dead Sea Scrolls and Authoritative Scriptures
  • The Holy Books of the Essenes and Therapeutae
  • Canon in the Gospels and Pauline Letters
  • The Formation of the Jewish Canon

Top Highlights

“By the end of the first century CE, there was a canon that most Jews accepted. I emphasize most and not all because the search for a universally accepted canon is illusory. Disagreements existed in the past and continue in the present. When this canon actually closed is not clear, but a rough estimate of between 150 and 250 CE would not be far off the mark.” (Page 180)

“Before there was one common canon, there were several collections of authoritative scriptures held by different groups.” (Page 179)

“The essence of the problem is that ancient Jews did not use a term equivalent to ‘canon’ or ‘authoritative scriptures,’ but they did have the concept. Implied in the titles ‘the books of Moses’ and ‘the books of the Prophets’ is the idea of a collection, which is an important element of a canonical or authoritative list. Moreover, Rabbinic Judaism used the term ‘outside books’ (ספרים החיצונין) to describe ‘heretical books’ (e.g., m. Sanh. 10:1).” (Page 4)

“For traditional Jews, authority is established by the acceptance of the community in matters of religious belief and practice and is binding for all time. This authority is thought to have its origins in divine inspiration and is manifest in the command to study the books and to comment on their meaning.” (Page 5)

“Line 15 is badly mutilated, but it seems to move on to the topic of the appointed ‘day’ and the roles of the prophets and anointed figure. The ‘day’ may be restored to ‘the day of vindication,’ given that Isa 61:2 is cited subsequently in lines 19 and 20. The broaching of the prophets is made through an interpretation of Isa 52:7 and the figurative identification with ‘the mountains’ (lines 15–17). The Isaianic ‘messenger’ is then recognized as the anointed one of Dan 9:26 who, moreover, is understood to be the one who announces the day of vindication when God will also comfort the mourners, as stated in Isa 61:2.” (Page 137)

His argument is intelligent, balanced, and non-polemical.

—Eugene Ulrich, John A. O’Brien Professor of Hebrew Scripture and Theology, University of Notre Dame

With great learning and great clarity, Timothy Lim studies the origins and significance of the canon of the Hebrew Bible. This book instantly becomes the point of departure for all future discussions of the subject.

—Shaye J. D. Cohen, Littauer Professor of Hebrew Literature and Philosophy, Harvard University

In this cogently argued book, Timothy Lim’s important and fresh interpretations of all of the pivotal ancient texts are informed by his considerable knowledge of the relevant ancient languages and his advanced awareness of both canonical and non-canonical literature.

—Lee Martin McDonald, professor of New Testament studies, Acadia Divinity University, Nova Scotia

Lim has written a disciplined, substantive study of the evidence from ancient texts regarding the development of a Jewish canon and the many modern publications about the topic. The result is a valuable, up-to-date addition to the literature on this fascinating subject.

—James C. VanderKam, John A. O’Brien Professor of Hebrew Scriptures, University of Notre Dame

Lim is a confident guide through the sources and the debates regarding the formation of the Jewish canon. In this essential and readable book, he deftly explores the problems of interpretation and recovery, cogently arguing for a persuasive yet nuanced position of his own.

—Judith M. Lieu, Lady Margaret’s Professor of Divinity, University of Cambridge

Timothy H. Lim is professor of Hebrew Bible and Second Temple Judaism at the School of Divinity, University of Edinburgh.

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