Four Powers in Heaven (JSP Supplements)

This book explores the influence of Daniel 7 on the Testament of Abraham, a late first-century Jewish text. Just as the early Jesus communities made use of apocalyptic passages, so, too, other Jewish communities, like that behind the Testament of Abraham, worked to interpret the same enigmatic passages. This intra-Jewish interest was rooted in pre-Christian speculations about exalted biblical figures and fuelled by a dependence on the same scriptures. Their diverse interpretations reflect the traditions held dear by each community and illustrate how they associated their revered figures with ambiguous biblical texts.