Greek

Abstract

Christian authors and scribes are mainly responsible for the relatively intact survival of the writings of Philo and Josephus, along with the scattered fragments from various other Hellenistic Jewish apologists, commentators, historians, and poets. Byzantine Christianity is also a valuable witness to the Greek text of Second Temple parabiblical writings. Among other things, Christian authors found in these sources insights into the meaning of the biblical text, confirmation of the truth and antiquity of Christian teachings, and raw material for historiography. Christian authors and scribes are mainly responsible for the relatively intact survival of the writings of Philo and Josephus, along with scattered fragments from Jewish apologists, commentators, historians, and poets of the Hellenistic age. Clement, Origen, and Eusebius of Caesarea (among others) found in these sources confirmation of the truth and antiquity of Christian teachings, and raw material for historiography. While official categorization of parabiblical works from Second Temple Judaism as “apocrypha” may have eroded confidence in their authority, it did not ensure their demise. As late as the 12th century, Byzantine chroniclers and commentators continued to cite approvingly from the Book of Enoch and the Book of Jubilees.