Synopsis
Excerpt from The Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha of the Old Testament in English, Vol. 1: With Introductions and Critical and Explanatory Notes to the Several Books
For students both of the Old and New Testaments the value of the non-Canonical Jewish literature from 200 B. C. to A. D. 100 is practically recognized on every side alike by Jewish and Christians scholars. but hitherto no attempts has been made to issue an edition of this literature as a whole in English. Indeed, such an undertaking would have been all but impossible at an earlier date, seeing that critical editions of some of the Apocrypha and Pseudepigrapha have not been published till within the last few years.
The method observed in this work.
In all the contributions once and the same method has been observed. Each contribution consists of an introduction, an English translation from the best critical text - in a few cases the Revised version has been adopted and emendations suggested in the notes - and of a critical and exegetical commentary. As regards the introductions, the subjects dealt with in them have, so far as possible, been treated in the same order to facilitate the use of the work. Though a large discretion has naturally been given to the various editors, the following order has more or less been observed as a guide or been actually carried out.
1. Short account of the book, embodying its leading features and the editor's chief conclusions.
2. Title of the book.
3. The MSS.
4. The Ancient Versions.
5. Date of (a) the original text, (b) of the Ancient Versions.
6. Integrity or composite nature of the text.
7. Authorship.
8. Influence of the book on later literature - (a) Jewish: (b) Christian.
9. Theology of the book.
10. Bibliography -
(a) Chief editions of the text (and of the Ancient Versions).
(b) Chief critical inquiries.
(c) Chief editions of the book.
Présentation de l'éditeur
The extent of tJ ie presetit work. The first volume contains what is generally known as the Apocrypha Proper, which constitutes the excess of the Vulgate over the Hebrew Old Testament, which excess was in turn borrowed from the LXX. But this volume differs from the Apocrypha Proper at once in the way of excess and in the way of defect. 3M accabees has been added after 2M accabees, since it is contained in many MSS. of the LXX, and 4E zra has been transferred to Volume ii since it is essentially a Pseudepigraph. Volume ii contains all the remaining extant non-C anonical Jewish books written between 200 B.C. and A.D. 100 with possibly one or two exceptions. The greater part of these books have hitherto been accessible only in expensive editions such as Jubilees, iE noch, Testaments of the XII Patriarchs, 2B aruch, 4E zra, Psalms of Solomon, Pirke A both, theS tory of A hikar, c. As regards the last two, it is not necessary to make any apology for their introduction into the present work, although they do not properly fall within the true limits above defined, but they were used, at all events partially, by Jewish readers within this period, nor can they be rightly designated Pseudepigraphs. The Fragments of aZ adokite Work arc of an historical character, and are valuable in throwing light on a lost chapter of Jewish religious history. They contain likewise apocalyptic material of an interesting nature. The General Editor, in conclusion, wishes to express his thanks to theD elegates of the Press for undertaking this work, and to theO fficers of the Press, whose help and counsel were always ready to meet each difficulty as it arose. The Editor is also under deep obligations to the many scholars who, notwithstanding the pressure of other duties, have yet given themselves so unsparingly to the tasks they had undertaken, that in every instance most valuable service
(Typographical errors above are due to OCR software and don't occur in the book.)
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