The question of the extent to which the Septuagint reflects an evolution in messianic belief in comparison with the Masoretic Text has come into prominence in recent years, and in view of the role played by messianism in Jewish belief of the late Second Temple period and in early Christianity it seemed very appropriate that "The Septuagint and Messianism" should be chosen as the theme of the 2004 Colloquium Biblicum Lovaniense. This volume contains the papers given at the Colloquium, which are concerned both with methodological issues and with the interpretation of specific texts (in practice the majority of the texts in the Septuagint for which a messianic interpretation has been claimed). The papers are very far from all reflecting the same approach, and it has frequently happened that the same texts have been treated by different contributors from very different viewpoints. But the fact such different viewpoints are expressed is a proper reflection of the complexity of the issues involved in the question of the extent of messianic belief in the Septuagint, and of the fact that the question requires a nuanced answer. It is in any case hoped that the varied approaches reflected in the papers will serve to make clear the underlying reasons for the differences between those who take a "minimalist" and those who take a "maximalist" view on the subject of the Septuagint and Messianism.

Students and scholars now widely recognize the importance of the Septuagint to the history of the Greek language, the textual development of the Bible, and to Jewish and Christian religious life in both the ancient and modern worlds. This handbook is designed for those who wish to engage the Septuagint in their research, yet have been unsure where to turn for guidance or concise, up-to-date discussion. The contributors break down the barriers involved in the technical debates and sub-specialties as far as possible, equipping readers with the tools and knowledge necessary to conduct their own research. Each chapter is written by a leading Septuagint scholar and focuses upon a major area of research in the discipline, providing an overview of the topic, key debates and views, a survey or demonstration of the methods involved, and pointers towards ongoing research questions. By exploring origins, language, text, reception, theology, translation, and commentary, with a final summary of the literature, this handbook encourages active engagement with the most important issues in the field and provides an essential resource for specialists and non-specialists alike.

This volume contains a bibliography of the research on the Dead Sea Scrolls published during the last 25 years, and as such it provides scholars with an indispensable tool for further research. Although originally planned as a continuation of B. Jongeling's A Classified Bibliography of the Finds of the Desert of Judah 1958-1969, the materials are presented in a different way in order to avoid unnecessary duplications of entries. Each bibliographical entry is alphabetically listed in the first part of the book and is provided with an identification number which allows for multiple classifications. The second part offers a sophisticated classification of the materials by themes, topics and key words, but also by manuscript numbers and titles of the compositions as well as by authors.

This volume contains a bibliography of the research on the Dead Sea Scrolls published during the last 25 years. All entries are alphabetically listed, provided with an identification number, and systematically classified by topics and key words as well as by manuscripts numbers and title of the compositions.

Through this comprehensive Handbook, the reader will obtain a balanced and cohesive picture of the Early Church. It gives an overall view of the reception, transmission, and interpretation of the Bible in the life and thought of the Church during the first five centuries of Christianity.

Written by known experts and edited by Craig A. Evans and Stanley E. Porter, this reference work with its full bibliographies and cross-references to other volumes in the series is the best for researching the New Testament in its ancient setting.

Altogether 46 essays in honour of Professor Raija Sollamo contribute to explore various aspects of the rich textual material around the turn of the era. At that time Scripture was not yet fixed; various writings and collections of writings were considered authoritative but their form was more or less in transition. The appearance of the first biblical translations are part of this transitional process. The Septuagint in particular provides us evidence and concrete examples of those textual traditions and interpretations that were in use in various communities. Furthermore, several biblical concepts, themes and writings were reinterpreted and actualised in the Dead Sea Scrolls, illuminating the transitions that took place in one faction of Judaism. The topics of the contributions are divided into five parts: Translation and Interpretation; Textual History; Hebrew and Greek Linguistics; Dead Sea Scrolls; Present-Day.

This volume contains thirty-eight studies devoted to the Septuagint written by an internationally recognised expert on that version and its relation the Hebrew Bible. The author's experience on these topics is based on more that three decades of work within the Hebrew University Bible Project, the Computer Assisted Tools for Septuagint Studies project, and annual courses on the Septuagint given at the Hebrew University. These studies, originally published between 1971 and 1997, deal with the following subjects: general topics, lexicography, translation technique and exegesis, the Septuagint and textual and literary criticism of the Hebrew Bible, and the revisions of the Septuagint. All the studies included in this monograph have been revised, expanded, or shortened, in some cases considerably, and they integrate studies which appeared subsequent to the original monographs.

Having long served as a standard introduction to the world of the early church, Everett Ferguson's Backgrounds of Early Christianity has been expanded and updated in this third edition. The book explores and unpacks the Roman, Greek, and Jewish political, social, religious, and philosophical backgrounds necessary for a good historical understanding of the New Testament and the early church. New to this edition are revisions of Ferguson's original material, updated bibliographies, and fresh discussions of first-century social life, of Gnosticism, and of the Dead Sea Scrolls and other Jewish literature.