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Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia

Thesis (DPhil (Ancient Studies)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.

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Main Author: Lizorkin, Ilya
Other Authors: Cook, J.
Format: Thesis
Language:en_ZA
Published: Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch 2009
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access_status_str Open Access
author Lizorkin, Ilya
author2 Cook, J.
author_browse Cook, J.
Lizorkin, Ilya
author_facet Cook, J.
Lizorkin, Ilya
author_sort Lizorkin, Ilya
collection Thesis
dc_rights_str_mv University of Stellenbosch
description Thesis (DPhil (Ancient Studies)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009.
format Thesis
id oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2998
institution Stellenbosch University (South Africa)
language en_ZA
last_indexed 2026-06-10T12:40:58.715Z
license_str Other — see source repository
provenance_str_mv Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
publishDate 2009
publishDateRange 2009
publishDateSort 2009
publisher Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
publisherStr Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
record_format dspace
source_str SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository
spelling oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/2998 Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia Lizorkin, Ilya Cook, J. University of Stellenbosch. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies. Aphrahat Demonstrations Conversation Jews Dissertations -- Ancient studies Theses -- Ancient studies Aphraates, the Persian sage, fl. 337-345 Aphraates, the Persian sage, fl. 337-345. Taḥṿeyata Thesis (DPhil (Ancient Studies)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Various opinions on the nature of Aphrahat‟s interactions with the Jews have essentially revolved around either accepting or rejecting the claim that the Persian Sage had contact with (Rabbinic) Jews and/or may have been influenced by them. While some significant research went into determining the precise nature of these relationships, the issue was never settled. This dissertation contributes to this ongoing discussion by posing and attempting to answer two primary research questions: 1) Did Aphrahat encounter actual Jews during his own lifetime or did he Simply project/imagine them into his Demonstrations from reading the New Testament collection? If the first question is answered in the affirmative, the focus of the dissertation becomes the following question: 2) Were the Jews whom Aphrahat encountered Rabbinic/Para-Rabbinic or not? To provide answers to these questions the author uses a textual comparative methodology, juxtaposing texts from both sources and then seeking to analyze them in relation to each other. Every section that deals with such comparison is organized into three sub-sections: 1) agreement, 2) disagreement by omission; and 3) disagreement by confrontation (this pattern is consistently followed throughout the study). The author concludes that the answer to both of these questions can be given in the affirmative. First, Aphrahat did not imagine nor project the Jews in his Demonstrations from his reading of the New Testament, but he (and his community) encountered the Jews on the streets of Ancient Northern Mesopotamia. Second, Aphrahat (and his community, sometimes only via his community) indeed had interactions with Rabbinic (or more accurately Para-Rabbinic) Jews. AFRIKAANSE OSOMMING: Verskeie menings oor die aard van Afrahates se interaksies met die Jode het in hoofsaak gedraai om óf aanvaarding óf verwerping van die aanspraak dat die Persiese wysgeer kontak gehad het met (Rabbynse) Jode en/of deur hulle beïnvloed kon gewees het. Terwyl sekere beduidende navorsing ondersoek ingestel het na bepaling van die presiese aard van hierdie verhoudings, is die aangeleentheid nooit die hoof gebied nie. Hierdie verhandeling dra by tot hierdie voortgaande bespreking en poog om twee primêre navorsingsvrae te vra en te probeer beantwoord: 1) Het Afrahates werklike Jode gedurende sy eie leeftyd teëgekom of het hy hulle eenvoudig in sy “Demonstrationes” na aanleiding van die lees van die Nuwe Testament-versameling geprojekteer/gewaan? Indien die eerste vraag bevestigend beantwoord word, raak die fokus van die verhandeling die volgende vraag: 2) Was die Jode wat Afrahates teëgekom het, Rabbyns/Para-Rabbyns of nie? Om antwoorde op hierdie vrae te kan gee, gebruik die skrywer ʼn tekstueel vergelykende metodologie, deur tekste van beide bronne langs mekaar te plaas en hulle dan in verhouding tot mekaar te probeer analiseer. Elke afdeling wat met sodanige vergelyking te make het, word in drie onderafdelings georden: 1) ooreenkoms, 2) verskil deur weglating, en 3) verskil deur konfrontasie (hierdie patroon word konsekwent dwarsdeur die studie gevolg). Die skrywer kom tot die gevolgtrekking dat albei hierdie vrae bevestigend beantwoord kan word. Eerstens, Afrahates het nie die Jode in sy “Demonstrationes” na aanleiding van sy lees van die Nuwe Testament gewaan of geprojekteer nie, maar hy (en sy gemeenskap) het die Jode in die strate van Antieke Noord-Mesopotamië teëgekom. Tweedens, Afrahates (en sy gemeenskap, partymaal slegs via sy gemeenskap) het inderdaad interaksies met Rabbynse (of meer presies Para-Rabbynse) Jode gehad. Doctoral 2009-11-11T12:57:07Z 2010-06-01T09:03:31Z 2009-11-11T12:57:07Z 2010-06-01T09:03:31Z 2009-12 Thesis http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2998 en_ZA University of Stellenbosch application/pdf Stellenbosch : University of Stellenbosch
spellingShingle Aphrahat
Demonstrations
Conversation
Jews
Dissertations -- Ancient studies
Theses -- Ancient studies
Aphraates, the Persian sage, fl. 337-345
Aphraates, the Persian sage, fl. 337-345. Taḥṿeyata
Lizorkin, Ilya
Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia
title Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia
title_full Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia
title_fullStr Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia
title_full_unstemmed Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia
title_short Aphrahat's demonstrations : a conversation with the Jews of Mesopotamia
title_sort aphrahat s demonstrations a conversation with the jews of mesopotamia
topic Aphrahat
Demonstrations
Conversation
Jews
Dissertations -- Ancient studies
Theses -- Ancient studies
Aphraates, the Persian sage, fl. 337-345
Aphraates, the Persian sage, fl. 337-345. Taḥṿeyata
url http://hdl.handle.net/10019.1/2998
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