Testament of Abraham (Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature)

544 Pages·2003·14.132 MB·English

by  Dale C. Jr. Allison

Dale C. Allison, Jr.
Testament of Abraham
w
DE
G
Commentaries on
Early Jewish Literature
(CEJL)
Edited by
Loren T. Stuckenbruck
and
Pieter W. van der Horst · Hermann Lichtenberger
Doron Mendels · James R. Mueller
Walter de Gruyter · Berlin · New York
2003
Dale C. Allison, Jr.
Testament of Abraham
Walter de Gruyter · Berlin · New York
2003
Θ Printed on acid-free paper which falls within the guidelines
of the ANSI to ensure permanence and durability
Libraty of Cong-ess — Cataloging-in-Publication Data
A CIP catalogue record for this book is available from the Library of Congress
ISBN 3-11-017888-5
Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Bibliothek
Die Deutsche Bibliothek lists this publication in the Deutsche
Nationalbibliografie; detailed bibliographic data is available in
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© Copyright 2003 by Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co. KG, 10785 Berlin, Germany
All rights reserved, including those of translation into foreign languages. No part of this book
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permission in writing from the publisher.
Printed in Germany
Cover Design: Christopher Schneider, Berlin
Typesetting: Readymade, Berlin
Printing and binding: Hubert & Co, Göttingen
For John Matthew
In remembrance of so many stories read together, including this one

Preface
Several years ago, I read some of the Pseudepigrapha to my children, who
were then 6, 8, and 10. They hated Joseph and Aseneth. They liked the
Testament of Job. But they loved the Testament of Abraham. Their delight
in the latter, and a later request to hear it again, solidified my conviction
that the Testament of Abraham is a wonderful story with potentially wide
appeal. So when an invitation came to write a serious commentary upon
the book, I eagerly accepted. As things have turned out, two years spent
working on something other than the New Testament, my usual focus, has
been both very enjoyable and very profitable; and I modestly hope that my
efforts herein will contribute not only something to the academic under-
standing of early Judaism but that they might also help others to appreciate
more a very entertaining and humane book—one which, in a better world,
might have made it into the canon.
It remains for me to thank the following people: James H. Charlesworth,
who first introduced me to the Testament of Abraham during graduate
school at Duke University; Loren Stuckenbruck, who asked me to contrib-
ute to the series, Commentaries on Early Jewish Literature; Pieter van der
Horst, the editor for this volume, who kindly read through the manuscript
and offered learned suggestions for improvement; Claus-Jürgen Thornton,
who expertly hastened the book through the publication process; Anita
Johnson and the staff of the Barbour Library at Pittsburgh Theological
Seminary, who diligently obtained sometimes obscure, hard-to-get publica-
tions; Kathy Anderson, my much-appreciated secretary, who happily helped
me with a million things, both large and small; and my wife, Kristine, and
our children, Emily, Andrew, and John, who display constant love and—
like the author of the Testament of Abraham—good humor.
Dale Allison

Contents
Preface vii
Abbreviations xiii
INTRODUCTION
I. The Greek Texts 4
II. The Other Versions 8
III. The Relation of the Two Greek Recensions 12
IV. Jewish or Christian? 28
V. Local Origin 32
VI. Date 34
VII. Genre 41
VIII. Structure 43
IX. Literary Themes and Leading Ideas 48
X. Bibliography 53
COMMENTARY
Chapter 1
Abraham's Virtues, Michael's Assignment 63
Chapter 2
Michael and Abraham meet Each Other 82
Chapter 3
Signs and Wonders 101
Chapter 4
God commissions Michael again 125
Chapter 5
Isaac's Dream 147
Chapter 6
Recognition of Michael's Identity 157
χ Contents
Chapter 7
Isaac's Dream, Michael's Interpretation, Abraham's Refusal 171
Chapter 8
God's Speech 186
Chapter 9
Abraham strikes a Bargain 199
Chapter 10
Abraham surveys the World 216
Chapter 11
Two Ways and Two Gates 236
Chapter 12
The Postmortem Judgment 253
Chapter 13
The Judgment Interpreted 274
Chapter 14
Abraham Repents and Intercedes 294
Chapter 15
Abraham reneges 307
Chapter 16
God sends Death to Abraham 319
Chapter 17
Death reveals Himself 333
Chapter 18
The Resurrection of Abraham's Servants 359
Chapter 19
The Interpretation of Death's Self-Revelation 368
Chapter 20
Abraham's Death 381