Preface; Abbreviations; Introduction: investigating the idea of Israel; Part I. Israel's Disputed Birthright: 1. Jews and Israelites in antiquity: the need for a new paradigm; 2. The other Israelites: Samaritans, Hebrews, and non-Jewish Israel; Part II. Restoration Eschatology and the Construction of Biblical Israel: 3. Judah's bible and the narrative construction of biblical Israel; 4. Between disaster and restoration: the prophets, exile, and restoration eschatology; 5. The restoration of Israel in the Persian and Hellenistic periods: incomplete, delayed, failed; Part III. Israel and Restoration Eschatology in the Diaspora: 6. Exile and Diaspora theology; 7. Israel, Jews, and restoration eschatology in Josephus; 8. Israel and restoration in Philo of Alexandria; 9. Exile and Israel's restoration in the dead sea scrolls; 10. Israel, Jews, and restoration in other second temple narrative literature; 11. Israel in second temple eschatological and apocalyptic literature; 12. Israel, Hebrews, Jews, and restoration eschatology; Bibliography; Index of primary sources; General index.
A new paradigm for how the biblical concept of Israel impacted early Jewish apocalyptic hopes for restoration.
Jason A. Staples is Assistant Teaching Professor in the Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies at North Carolina State University. He is a 2008 recipient of at the Jacob K. Javits Fellowship and the author of numerous articles on ancient Judaism and early Christianity.
'Jason Staples, in The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism,
takes a fresh approach to aspects of this subject. He states that
his purpose is to explore the concept, “examining how the concept
of Israel was developed.' Rabbi Dr Charles, Church Times
'This is an important and valuable book … Highly recommended.' J.
S. Kaminsky, Choice Magazine
'… The Idea of Israel in Second Temple Judaism is convincing and
significant: it will affect everyone working in this field for
decades and will likely be cited as a watershed moment for the
topic … For those interested in biblical studies, history, or
theology, this book is an important read.' Luke Beavers, Southern
Theological Review
'His ambitious study should accomplish nothing less than a paradigm
shift in the way many in the guild think about Israelite identity.
… Scholars who opt for an alternate construal of 'Israel' language
and/or downplay the significance of the ongoing perdurance of 'the
age of wrath' in Second Temple literature, including the New
Testament, must now grapple afresh with Staples's arguments to do
so.' Paul T. Sloan, Bulletin for Biblical Research
'Scholars of the period will find in this book much with which to
engage and also contend.' George Nicol, Journal for the Study of
the Old Testament
'The Idea of Israel is an excellent resource … Although technical,
the book remains readable and engaging. Students of biblical
theology will profit from the implications for understanding Israel
in both the Old and New Testament - especially in relation to
Israel, the church, and their relationship. Pastors will profit
from consulting the book when preaching from texts as diverse as
the Major and Minor Prophets, Ezra-Nehemiah, Esther, Ephesians 2-3,
and Romans 9-11.' G. Kyle Essary, Themelios
'This study of the term 'Israel' is welcome and convincing, because
it allows us to flesh out a remarkable literary fact: for the
pre-exilic period, the Hebrew Bible provides a large number of
elements that allow us to create a continuous narrative from the
creation, let's say, Israelite. On the contrary, after the exile,
the relationships given by the Ezra-Nehemiah narrative are entirely
confused, and we can no longer establish a true narrative: Israel
is no longer directly visible.' Etienne Nodet, Revue Biblique
'This book is an impressive work of scholarship that adds to the
literature concerning understandings of the term Israel throughout
history and the emergence of Judaism in the postexilic period
through to just beyond the destruction of the Second Temple. The
proposal of an Israelite restoration theology that is discernible
in the texts is also an exciting avenue for future study.' Michelle
Eastwood, Review of Biblical Literature
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