Vicarious Kingship : A Theme in Syriac Political Theology in Late Antiquity

Manolis Papoutsakis explores the conception of "vicarious kingship," a theme in Syriac political theology in Late Antiquity. Although the idea that the ruler on earth serves as the vicegerent of God in heaven is not an invention of Syriac writers, it appears that, within the Christian tradition, Syriac poets and homilists between the fourth and sixth centuries - the period covered in this monograph - are the first to introduce "vicarious kingship" into a carefully thought-out and consistent eschatological pattern. These learned intellectuals elaborate on the imperial office by commenting on, and alluding to, biblical narratives and by manipulating traditional idiom. Their thinking can be reconstructed and their compositions fully appreciated only after their exposition of the Bible has been carefully studied and their lexicon precisely understood. Early Syriac writings may thus provide answers to long-standing problems in fields that go well beyond that of Syriac studies. Cover Titel Acknowledgments Table of Contents Introduction Chapter I: The vicarious kingship of David 1. Messianic language in JSTamar 45–46 2. Peshitta Jer 33:14–26: The drawing of a contrast and the promise of a covenant 3. Gen 49:8b: The grant of land and the diction of its interpretation 4. Gen 49:10a: The grant of dynasty and the diction of its interpretation 5. CommGen on Gen 15 in light of Hebrews 11:8–16 6. “Inheritance” versus “Promised Land” 7. Aphrahat, Demonstration V (“On the Wars”), 23–24: Annotated translation and commentary 8. Ephrem, Commentary on Genesis 112:29–114:11 (on Gen 49:8–11): Annotated translation and commentary Chapter II: Towards a historicization of biblical exegesis Introduction 1. nāṭar dukktā 2. Erik Peterson on οἰκονόμος at 1 Cor 4:1–2 3. yubbālā / διαδοχὴ 4. Fidelity 4.1 The fidelity of Abraham 4.2 The fidelity of David 5. Towards a historicization of biblical exegesis 5.1 The Julian / Herod comparison in HNat VI, 19–20 5.2 Why “Apostate”? Chapter III: The vicarious kingship of Adam 1. The vicarious kingship of Adam 2. Gen 1:26–27 read in light of Gen 49:10a–b at JSTamar 45–46 3. Vicarious priesthood: vicariousness within and without succession 3.1 Two patterns a) “Justice” (kenutā) versus “Perfection” (gmirutā) with Jacob of Serugh b) “Justice” (kenutā) versus “Grace” (ṭaybutā) with Ephrem 3.2 Why should Romanos use the Delphic maxim in kontakion XVI? 4. Adventus formulations in JSTamar 5. Noah the ἀντάλλαγμα Conclusion Appendix: Jacob of Serugh, Homily on Daniel 4: JSB 4:538:14–541:21 Bibliography and Abbreviations Index of Biblical References Index of Modern Authors Manolis Papoutsakis untersucht das Konzept des »stellvertretenden Königtums«, einem Motiv der politischen Theologie im Syrien der Spätantike. Obwohl die Vorstellung, dass der Machthaber auf Erden als Stellvertreter Gottes im Himmel diente, keine Erfindung der altsyrischen Schriftgelehrten war, scheint es, als ob die altsyrischen Dichter und Homiletiker innerhalb der christlichen Traditionen die ersten waren, die zwischen dem vierten und dem sechsten Jahrhundert (dem Zeitraum, der in diesem Band abgedeckt wird) das »stellvertretende Königtum« in ein vorsichtig durchdachtes und konsistentes eschatologisches Schema brachten. Diese Gelehrten verarbeiteten das kaiserliche Amt, indem sie biblische Erzählungen darauf bezogen, kommentierten und dadurch traditionelle Redensarten beeinflussten. Erst nachdem man ihre schriftliche Bearbeitung der Bibel sorgfältig geprüft und ihren Wortschatz genau verstanden hat, können ihre Gedanken rekonstruiert und ihre Kompositionen gewürdigt werden. Frühe altsyrische Schriften können somit vielleicht Antworten auf Fragen in Fachgebieten liefern, die weit über das Altsyrische hinausgehen In Late Antiquity, the biblical text served as the fundamental source of reference for Syriac intellectuals in their thinking about political power. Manolis Papoutsakis takes this point seriously and explains in detail the different exegetical steps by which certain attitudes to imperial power were reached. Publisher