4 Esdras in PSEUD-T

[WillT]

My PSEUD-T module only includes a few verses of 4 Esdras. Is this normal?

[Daniel Francis]

I do not have that module but it is part of what we call Second Esdras which may explain why it;s not complexity there...

 

Esdras, Fourth book of. See ESDRAS, SECOND BOOK OF.

Esdras, Second book of ezdruhs. The Second Book of Esdras is a composite book including a pseudonymous Jewish apocalypse (written near the end of the 1 cent. ce), a Christian preface, and a Christian appendix, both added some time later. The entire complex is characterized by the theme of faithfulness and judgment, with the central apocalypse addressing the thorny problem of human and Jewish suffering by means of dialogue with a heavenly being, the transformation of the seer, and a series of eschatological visions. Though visionary in impulse, the book is canonically oriented, directing its readers to the OT, and alluding to both testaments in its Christian sections.

Reception Genre, Structure, and Function Debates Concerning Interpretation Theological and Hermeneutical Issues Bibliography

A. Reception

Second Esdras is an anomaly, both in terms of its character, and in terms of its reception within the Jewish and Christian communities. It is extant in Latin ( our most reliable text), Syriac, Georgian, Ethiopic, Armenian, and Arabic, but was ( at least so far as its central core is concerned) first written in Hebrew, or possibly, Aram. Quotations from the Gk. version, and a fragment in Coptic also survive. Now appearing regularly in extended versions of the Christian Bible as part of the Apocryphal/Deuterocanonical section, it is unique among these texts in that it was not originally grouped with the extended OT writings, but rather was appended to some ancient versions of the NT, notably the Vulgate. Within its complex history of reception, 2 Esdras has sometimes been titled 3 Esdras and 4 Esdras. The core of the book ( i. e., chaps. 3–14) was apparently written in the late 1 cent. or early 2 cent. ce by an anonymous Jewish seer, who gives voice to communal lament for the destroyed Temple, while offering an articulate theodicy and a visionary glimpse of hope. It is by far the most philosophical of the Jewish apocalypses. To this original apocalypse, the Christian community appended two other texts, placing one of these pieces at the beginning, and the other at the end, so that the Jewish work has been set in a Christian frame. The central ( Jewish) composition ( chaps. 3–14) is commonly referred to as 4 Ezra. he Christian texts found in chaps. 1–2 and 15–16 are referred to as 5 Ezra and 6 Ezra, respectively. When the entire corpus is intended, the term Second Esdras is most commonly used. We will treat the central Jewish apocalypse separately, then consider the Christian additions, and the difference that the Christian framework makes in reading the apocalypse.

This apocalypse has been read seriously by Christian theologians throughout the ages, including such noteworthies as Clement of Alexandria, Cyprian and Ambrose. In the English world, the book made an impression upon Spencer, who alludes to it in his Faerie Queene, as well as on Milton, who specifically mentions it in the introduction to the Deucalion. Christopher Columbus appealed to its description of the globe ( 6: 42) in his exploratory efforts. In the 18 cent. some people noted the detailed signs of the closing age ( e. g., 2 Esd 5: 8), believed that these signs were fulfilled in their century, and argued that the end was at hand.

--NIBD

[WillT]

Thanks. I realise that 4 Esdras/Ezra is part of 2 Esdras but it is listed by itself as part of PSEUD-T and the module info suggests that all of 4 Ezra should be there, but I have just a few scattered verses.

[Daniel Francis]

Perhaps it is because a large part of 2ES is not preserved in anything other than Latin, with only snipers here and there in greek. It is possible that accordance only has the greek supported items in that module. I apologize for restating obvious things since I can not be too much help just trying to speculate on what might be behind things hopefully someone with the module or from Accordance will have the answer.

 

-Dan

[WillT]

Dan, that makes perfect sense - if that's the case I hadn't realised just how little remains in Greek. No doubt someone else will be along to confirm.

[David Knoll]

"The Greek version has been lost, save for citations found in several 2nd century a.d. authorities (e.g., Apostolic Constitutions 2.14.9 = 4 Ezra 7:103; 8.7.6 = 4 Ezra 8:23; Clement of Alexandria Stromata 1:22 = 4 Ezra 5:35). "

Michael S. Heiser, Old Testament Greek Pseudepigrapha, 2008

[Rick Bennett]

From the 'read me' for PSEUD-T (found in the Read Me-Modules):

 

This module contains all known Greek texts of the Pseudepigrapha. Other texts of the Pseudepigrapha that do not appear in this module (such as 2Enoch) are not present, because they do not have a Greek manuscript.

[WillT]

Thanks Rick - I read that note and interpreted it to mean that since 4 Esdras does appear in the module it, therefore, has a Greek manuscript (unlike 2 Enoch)! Perhaps it could be modified to say, "where a text is not present or is incomplete..." etc?

[Rick Bennett]

Perhaps it could be modified to say, "where a text is not present or is incomplete..." etc?

 

Good point.