Midrashic Traditions, Literary Editing, and Polemics in Midrash Tehillim 22: Between Judaism and Christianity
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Abstract
In this article I demonstrate how a careful reading of the text of Midrash Tehillim 22 reveals a clear distinction between its different developmental layers. While we do find the identification of particular verses with Esther in the early stages of the midrash’s development, there is no reason to assume that this identification was rooted in an anti-Christian polemic. On the other hand, in the later layers of the midrash, we find clear echoes of the systematic creation of a continuous exegesis that focuses on identifying the entire Psalm with Esther. The background for this trend was a polemical confrontation with the Christian interpretation which viewed the Psalm as a prefiguration for Jesus’s crucifixion. The midrash also serves as a Jewish counter to the Christian liturgy created in the wake of the Christological reading.
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Midrashic Traditions, Literary Editing, and Polemics in Midrash Tehillim 22: Between Judaism and Christianity
In: Journal for the Study of JudaismSearch for other papers by Arnon Atzmon in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Abstract
In this article I demonstrate how a careful reading of the text of Midrash Tehillim 22 reveals a clear distinction between its different developmental layers. While we do find the identification of particular verses with Esther in the early stages of the midrash’s development, there is no reason to assume that this identification was rooted in an anti-Christian polemic. On the other hand, in the later layers of the midrash, we find clear echoes of the systematic creation of a continuous exegesis that focuses on identifying the entire Psalm with Esther. The background for this trend was a polemical confrontation with the Christian interpretation which viewed the Psalm as a prefiguration for Jesus’s crucifixion. The midrash also serves as a Jewish counter to the Christian liturgy created in the wake of the Christological reading.
| All Time | Past 365 days | Past 30 Days | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Abstract Views | 578 | 71 | 6 |
| Full Text Views | 125 | 9 | 0 |
| PDF Views & Downloads | 249 | 17 | 0 |
