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Temple and Synagogue in Late Antiquity

  • Géza G. Xeravits
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Various Aspects of Worship in Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature
This chapter is in the book Various Aspects of Worship in Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature

Abstract

The synagogue-an institution which can be traced back archaeologically and textually to as early as the turn of the second century BCE Egypt-was not intended to substitute for the Jerusalem Temple in any way. This is clear from the basic differences in the cultic activities, which were performed in them. However, it seems that after the fall of the Temple in 70 CE the synagogue remained the sole place of Jewish communitarian worship. What sort of connections can we discover between the synagogue and the only legitimate cultic place, the Temple, which was eventually destroyed? This paper touches upon the following aspects: alternative places of worship; the synagogue during the time of the Temple; Temple and synagogue: written sources and archaeological remains.*

Abstract

The synagogue-an institution which can be traced back archaeologically and textually to as early as the turn of the second century BCE Egypt-was not intended to substitute for the Jerusalem Temple in any way. This is clear from the basic differences in the cultic activities, which were performed in them. However, it seems that after the fall of the Temple in 70 CE the synagogue remained the sole place of Jewish communitarian worship. What sort of connections can we discover between the synagogue and the only legitimate cultic place, the Temple, which was eventually destroyed? This paper touches upon the following aspects: alternative places of worship; the synagogue during the time of the Temple; Temple and synagogue: written sources and archaeological remains.*

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface of the Editorial Board of Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Yearbook vii
  3. Preface ix
  4. Contents xi
  5. How did Early Judaism Understand the Concept of ʿAvodah? 1
  6. The Garland: A Sign of Worship and Acknowledgement 17
  7. Temples and Sanctuaries within Their Apocalyptic Setting 41
  8. Solomon’s Temple and Israel’s Earlier Cultic Traditions in 2 Chronicles 1−8 63
  9. Sirach Chapter 2 and the Temple 77
  10. Ben Sira on the Piety of Men and the Piety of Women 107
  11. Word and Prayer in the Book of Ben Sira 117
  12. Worship in the Restored Second Temple in Sirach 50 141
  13. The Temple as a Place of Worship and the God of Heaven in 2 Maccabees 167
  14. A Narrative-Therapeutic Reading of the Martyr Narrative in 2 Maccabees 6 and 7 181
  15. Bodily Signs of Penitence in the Book of Baruch 197
  16. Piety without the Temple according to the Book of Baruch 215
  17. Babylonian Priests in the Description of the Epistle of Jeremiah 225
  18. No Place for Worship 247
  19. Gestures and Locations of Worship in the Book of Tobit 261
  20. Charity and Cult in the Book of Tobit 277
  21. Worship and Holy Places in the Wisdom of Solomon 289
  22. Aspects of Worship in the Letter of Aristeas 305
  23. Die kosmische Bedeutung des jüdischen Hohenpriesters im Denken Philos von Alexandrien 319
  24. Temple and Synagogue in Late Antiquity 341
  25. Worship in Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum 365
  26. Worship and Creation 389
  27. Contributors 421
  28. Index of References 423
https://doi.org/10.1515/9783110467406-022

Chapters in this book

  1. Frontmatter i
  2. Preface of the Editorial Board of Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Yearbook vii
  3. Preface ix
  4. Contents xi
  5. How did Early Judaism Understand the Concept of ʿAvodah? 1
  6. The Garland: A Sign of Worship and Acknowledgement 17
  7. Temples and Sanctuaries within Their Apocalyptic Setting 41
  8. Solomon’s Temple and Israel’s Earlier Cultic Traditions in 2 Chronicles 1−8 63
  9. Sirach Chapter 2 and the Temple 77
  10. Ben Sira on the Piety of Men and the Piety of Women 107
  11. Word and Prayer in the Book of Ben Sira 117
  12. Worship in the Restored Second Temple in Sirach 50 141
  13. The Temple as a Place of Worship and the God of Heaven in 2 Maccabees 167
  14. A Narrative-Therapeutic Reading of the Martyr Narrative in 2 Maccabees 6 and 7 181
  15. Bodily Signs of Penitence in the Book of Baruch 197
  16. Piety without the Temple according to the Book of Baruch 215
  17. Babylonian Priests in the Description of the Epistle of Jeremiah 225
  18. No Place for Worship 247
  19. Gestures and Locations of Worship in the Book of Tobit 261
  20. Charity and Cult in the Book of Tobit 277
  21. Worship and Holy Places in the Wisdom of Solomon 289
  22. Aspects of Worship in the Letter of Aristeas 305
  23. Die kosmische Bedeutung des jüdischen Hohenpriesters im Denken Philos von Alexandrien 319
  24. Temple and Synagogue in Late Antiquity 341
  25. Worship in Liber Antiquitatum Biblicarum 365
  26. Worship and Creation 389
  27. Contributors 421
  28. Index of References 423
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