-
Preface
- Augsburg Fortress Publishers
- Chapter
- Additional Information
PREFACE This book presents the authors’ translations of two, very significant apocalypses, written a few decades after the destruction of the Second Temple in the year 70 ce. The two works are close to one another, and they share many concepts and turns of phrase. Their pseudepigraphic authors are not figures from remote antiquity, like Adam or Enoch, nor are they drawn from the heyday of biblical prophecy, like Elijah or Isaiah. Instead, both Baruch and Ezra played their roles, according to the Bible, in the last days of the Kingdom of Judea and in the return from the Babylonian exile. It seems that the authors of these book felt that they were at the turn of an age, and chose their pseudepigraphical authors accordingly. The authors’ thanks are expressed to George W. E. Nickelsburg and Neil Elliott who played a considerable role in the conception of this book. Michael Stone would like to express his thanks to the two of his teachers who encouraged him to undertake the study of 4 Ezra, Professor Joshua Guttmann of the Hebrew University, and Professor Frank Moore Cross Jr. In addition, thanks to my research assistant, Oren Ableman, whose contribution is notable. Matthias Henze is grateful to Albrecht Döhnert, editorial director in religious studies, and Taziana Ziesing, director of rights and licenses, both of Walter de Gruyter, for allowing him to publish his translation of 2 Baruch from his forthcoming commentary in the Commentaries of Early Jewish Literature series. My special gratitude to Liv Ingeborg Lied and Eugen Pentiuc for navigating the Syriac text of 2 Baruch with me, and to Barry Stiles and Jason Ford for their help with the manuscript. We dedicate this book to Nira Stone, Michael’s life-long wife and collaborator for 52 years, who passed away on 26 June, 2013. She lived with 4 Ezra as a constant companion for about 30 of those years. Her absence is sorely felt. ix Today, we live in an era of change and transformation. These two books reflect the profound soul-searching of an earlier such period. We pray that this presentation of the books will provide insights into the way they struggled with a message both of despair and of hope. Michael E. Stone, Jerusalem Matthias Henze, Houston x | 4 Ezra and 2 Baruch ...