Niehoff Maren R. Jewish Exegesis and Homeric Scholarship in Alexandria

New York: Cambridge University Press, 2011. — XIV, 222 p. — ISBN: 978-1-107-00072-8.Systematically reading Jewish exegesis in light of Homeric scholarship, this book argues that more than 2000 years ago Alexandrian Jews developed critical and literary methods of Bible interpretation which are still extremely relevant today. Maren Niehoff provides a detailed analysis of Alexandrian Bible interpretation, from the second century BCE through newly discovered fragments to the exegetical work done by Philo. Niehoff shows that Alexandrian Jews responded in a great variety of ways to the Homeric scholarship developed at the Museum. Some Jewish scholars used the methods of their Greek colleagues to investigate whether their Scripture contained myths shared by other nations, while others insisted that significant differences existed between Judaism and other cultures. This book is vital for any student of ancient Judaism, early Christianity and Hellenistic culture.
Connects features of Alexandrian Bible interpretation to subsequent phenomena in the Greek tradition as well as with Judaism and Christianity.
Contains references to the nature and conception of the Septuagint as a basis of Jewish Bible interpretation in Alexandria, of interest to specialists in Septuagint studies.
Analyses Jewish interpretations of Scripture, providing an introductory view of Homeric scholarship.Acknowledgements
List of abbreviations
Setting the stage
Early Jewish responses to Homeric scholarship
A conservative reaction to critical scholarship in the Letter of Aristeas
Questions and answers in Aristotelian style: Demetrius’ anonymous colleagues
Aristobulus’ questions and answers as a tool for philosophical instruction
Critical Homeric scholarship in the fragments of Philo’s anonymous colleagues
Comparative mythology
Historical perspectives on Scripture
Traces of text criticism among Alexandrian Jews
The inversion of Homeric scholarship by Philo
Literal methods of Homeric scholarship in Philo’s Allegorical Commentary
Philo’s Questions and Answers as a manual of instruction
Philo’s Exposition of the Law at a significant distance from Alexandrian scholarship
Epilogue
References
Index of Greek terms
Index of sources
Index of modern authors
General index