Thesis (MPhil (Ancient Studies))--Stellenbosch University, 2008. / This thesis seeks to investigate the possible influence of Iranian apocalyptic on the
Judaean apocalyptic literature, which was widely disseminated in the Near East
during the Hellenistic and Roman phases of the Second Temple Period (c. 539 BCE-
70 CE).
The similarities between Zoroastrianism and Judaism have been the object of
scholarly study for more than a century. Iranologists such as Zaehner, Widengren and
Boyce were particularly partial to the notion that Zoroastrianism influenced Judaism.
They felt such influences were an inevitable consequence of the Judaeans living under
Achaemenian rule for almost two centuries, and in close proximity of Persian
communities for some centuries after the demise of the Achaemenid Empire. They
based their conclusions on literary parallels between some key biblical passages and
Persian literature, linguistic evidence and the obviously dualistic nature of both
religions. Recently, however, this point of view has come in for criticism from
biblical scholars like Barr and Hanson, who have pointed out that many seemingly
Iranian concepts could as easily have emanated from other Near Eastern influences or
evolved from within the Judaean tradition.
The similarities between the Iranian and Judaean world-view are particularly apparent
when considering the apocalyptic traditions from Zoroastrianism and Judaism: Both
traditions view the course of history as a pre-determined, linear process in which good
and evil are in constant conflict on both a physical and metaphysical level, until a
great eschatological battle, introduced by a “messiah” figure, will rid all creation of
evil. A judgment of all humanity and resurrection are envisaged in both traditions, as
well as an utopian eternal life free of evil.
However, it is very difficult to prove that these two apocalyptic traditions are in any
way related, as most of the apocalyptic works from Iran are dated considerably later
than the Judaean apocalypses, which mostly originated during the Hellenistic period.
The apocalyptic phenomena within the two traditions are also not always entirely
similar, raising the possibility that they are indeed not the result of cultural interaction
between the Iranians and Judaeans. Furthermore, one must also consider that many phenomena constituting apocalyptic occurred widely during the Second Temple
Period in the Ancient Near East, on account of the general state of powerlessness and
disillusionment brought about by the Macedonian conquest of the Achaemenid
Empire and the resulting political unrest.
This study investigates the relations between Judaeans and Iranians under
Achaemenian rule, the political and religious background and apocalyptic traditions
of both these peoples in an attempt to ascertain whether Iranian beliefs did indeed
influence Judaean apocalypticism. These investigations will show that, given the
cultural milieu of the Ancient Near East in the Second Temple period, contemporary
Greek evidence of Zoroastrian beliefs and the interpretative bent of Judaean scribal
and priestly classes, there is a strong likelihood that seemingly Iranian concepts in
Judaean apocalypticism were indeed of Iranian origin.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:sun/oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/1962 |
| Date | 03 1900 |
| Creators | Van der Merwe, Jeanne |
| Contributors | Cook, Johann, Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences. Dept. of Ancient Studies. |
| Publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en_ZA |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Thesis |
| Format | 795114 bytes, application/pdf |
| Rights | Stellenbosch University |
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