Recent research on the so-called Life of Joseph also known as In pulcherrimum Ioseph
In pulcherrimum Ioseph (IpJ), a retelling of the life of “the most beautiful Joseph,” appears among the Greek writings of the Syriac Church Father Ephraem and is preserved in at least seven languages: Greek, Latin, Coptic, Armenian, Arabic, Slavonic, and Georgian. Most scholars agree that The Life o...
Main Author: | |
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Format: | Electronic Article |
Language: | English |
Check availability: | HBZ Gateway |
Journals Online & Print: | |
Fernleihe: | Fernleihe für die Fachinformationsdienste |
Published: |
Sage
2024
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In: |
Journal for the study of the pseudepigrapha
Year: 2024, Volume: 33, Issue: 4, Pages: 288-302 |
Standardized Subjects / Keyword chains: | B
Josephus, Flavius 37-100, Josephi vita
/ Greek language
/ Judaism
/ Research
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IxTheo Classification: | HB Old Testament |
Further subjects: | B
CPG 3938
B Genesis 37–46 B Greek Ephraem B Joseph B Rachel B Joseph and Aseneth B Benjamin B Joseph-Christ typology B Life of Joseph B textual fluidity and storytelling |
Online Access: |
Volltext (kostenfrei) |
Summary: | In pulcherrimum Ioseph (IpJ), a retelling of the life of “the most beautiful Joseph,” appears among the Greek writings of the Syriac Church Father Ephraem and is preserved in at least seven languages: Greek, Latin, Coptic, Armenian, Arabic, Slavonic, and Georgian. Most scholars agree that The Life of Joseph/In pulcherrimum Ioseph was neither written by Ephraem nor in Syriac but was originally written in Greek. Some find, however, a substantial overlap with the Syriac Joseph traditions. A Greek papyrus from the sixth to seventh century provides the earliest material evidence. Beyond the first 120 lines of the Joseph-Christ typology, the retelling of the Joseph story contains no unambiguous Christian features. This article argues that the text is likely a composition of three different parts. After introducing IpJ and its characteristics, I present an overview of manuscripts and editions to illustrate its extraordinary popularity and several Sitz im Leben of this particular Joseph story. Finally, I will return to the question of provenance and place this specific retelling of Gen 37–46 within Jewish and Christian debates on the biblical Joseph. |
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ISSN: | 1745-5286 |
Contains: | Enthalten in: Journal for the study of the pseudepigrapha
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Persistent identifiers: | DOI: 10.1177/09518207241252540 |