The Jewish Annotated New Testament (176 page)

hosanna
a Hebrew phrase (
hosha ‘na’
), meaning “Save!,” used as a cry of acclamation (Ps 118.26; Mt 21.9).

Hoshanah Rabbah
(Heb “great Hosanna”) the seventh day of
Sukkot
when the worshipers ask for salvation; it marks the end of the days of judgment that began on
Rosh Ha-Shanah
.

household code
(German
haustafeln
) prescribed behaviors for the members of an extended family. See, e.g., Eph 5.22–6.9.

hypostatization
speaking of an abstract quality as if it were an object or being.

I

idolatry
worship of anything other than what the worshiper defines as the true God.

Idumea
Greek form of “Edom”; country located south of Judea between the Dead Sea and the Mediterranean.

Ignatius
bishop of Antioch (ca. 35–ca. 107). On his way to martyrdom in Rome, Ignatius wrote
epistles
addressed to the Ephesians, Magnesians, Trallians, Romans, Philadelphians, and Smyrnians, as well as to Polycarp, bishop of Smyrna.

incarnation
(Lat “enfleshment” from
carne
,
carnis
, “flesh,” translation of Gk
sarx
) the taking on of human flesh (becoming human) by the divine.

inerrancy
doctrine that the Bible is without error. In its most expansive form, inerrancy asserts that the Bible’s original manuscripts contain no errors—theological, historical, or scientific. A more restrained version claims that the Bible is inerrant in matters of faith, but that it may contain material that cannot be reconciled with science.

inspiration
belief that the words uttered by a human being are really the words of a divine being. Christian tradition applies the notion to the Bible (see 2 Tim 3.16, “All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness”).

intercalation
(1) Adding an extra time unit (day or month) to a calendar to compensate for the inexact fit between the solar year and the lunar cycle. See
Adar
. (2) The sandwiching of one story into another, e.g., the hemorrhaging woman and Jairus’s daughter.

interpolation
an insertion of material into a previously existent text. Absent textual evidence, e.g., differing manuscript readings, interpolation must be inferred and is often the subject of scholarly disagreement (examples include Jn 8.1–11 and possibly 1 Cor 14.33b–36; 1 Thess 2.14b–16).

intertextuality
the interrelationship between one part of a text (or collection of texts) and other parts created by recurrent images (the vineyard in Isa 5.1–10 and 27.2–4), quotation and/or inner biblical interpretation (Jer 25.11–12 is partly quoted in Dan 9.2 before it is reinterpreted; 1 Cor 3.20 quotes Ps 94.11), or allusion (Matthew’s Sermon on the Mount [chs 5–7] alludes to the Sinaitic covenant).

Isis
the Egyptian mother-goddess.

J

Jerome
(ca. 340–420) Christian theologian who produced in 405 a Latin version of the Old Testament, the
Vulgate
, based on the Hebrew.

Jerusalem Talmud
also called the Palestinian Talmud. This Talmud, mostly reflecting traditions of the Galilean
amoraim
of the third and fourth centuries, is a commentary on several Mishnaic tractates. In Judaism, it is less authoritative than the longer, more comprehensive, and more carefully edited
Babylonian Talmud
. See
Talmud
.

Johannine
pertaining to writings traditionally ascribed to John: the Gospel of John and 1, 2, and 3 John, and the book of Revelation.

Joseph and Aseneth
a romance (dating ca. second century BCE to first century CE) which recounts the love of the Egyptian Aseneth for Joseph; her conversion to his religion, their marriage; the plot of Pharaoh’s son to kill Joseph and abduct Aseneth; and Joseph’s appointment as ruler of Egypt.

Josephus
Hellenistic Jewish historian ca. 37–100 CE. His extant writings are
The Jewish War
, an account of the rebellion against Rome in 66–70 CE, with background information starting at about 200 BCE;
The Antiquities of the Jews
, a complete history from the creation up to the point where
The Jewish War
begins;
Against Apion
, a defense of Judaism; and an autobiography,
Life
.

Jubilees
,
book of
a book, pseudonymously attributed to Moses, retelling much of Genesis and Exodus and representing itself as a hidden revelation from the Angel of the Presence. It was most likely written in Israel in the third or second century BCE.

Judaizers
followers of Jesus who maintained, or were accused of maintaining, Jewish practices such as circumcision and dietary restrictions.

Justin Martyr
early Christian author (b. 103) of two
Apologies
,
Dialogue with Trypho
, a (fictional) debate with a Jewish critic, and a fragment of a work on the resurrection. He was executed by Rome in 165.

K

kabbalah
“what is received,” i.e., matter handed down. In the twelfth century,
kabbalah
came to mean esoteric or mystical teaching.

Kaddish
(Aram “holiness,” “sanctification”) prayer in praise of God that is recited at the conclusion of a principal section of the synagogue service; a special Kaddish is recited in memory of the deceased.

kashrut
see
kosher
.

kavod
Heb “glory,” usually as a divine attribute.

Kedushah
(Heb “holiness”) prayers of sanctification of God, esp. the third blessing of the
Amidah
, including the words “Holy, holy, holy …” (Isa 6.3).

Ketuvim
The Writings, the third division of the
Tanakh
.

Kiddush
short for
kiddush ha-yom
, “sanctification of the day,” both the ceremony and the prayer that proclaims the holiness of the Sabbath (or festival), recited over wine before the Sabbath (or festival) meal.

kiddush ha-Shem
(Heb “sanctify the Name”) the duty to guard the honor of God and God’s name (Lev 22.32) even under threat of martyrdom.

Kimchi, Rabbi David
see
Radak
.

kingdom of God/kingdom of heaven
in the NT sometimes regarded as aspect of the
eschatological
age (e.g., 1 Cor 15.23–28; Mk 14.25), sometimes as realized in the present (Lk 17.21; Col 1.13).

King James Version (KJV)
an English translation of the Bible, published first in 1611.

Kislev
third month (November/December) in the Jewish calendar;
Hanukkah
begins on 25 Kislev.

kohen
(pl.
kohanim
) (Heb “priest”) a member of the hereditary group traditionally descended from
Aaron
.

koinonia
Gk “community,” “fellowship.”

korban
(Heb “offering,” “oblation,” “sacrifice”) a general term for the offering of sacrifice (e.g., Lev 1.2).

kosher
(Heb “fit” or “proper”) a general term used in post-biblical texts for food permitted under Jewish dietary laws.

kyrios
Gk, a title of respect: “lord” or “sir,” used in
LXX
in place of the
tetragrammaton
, and applied to Jesus in the NT.

L

L
designation for the source of materials unique to Luke’s Gospel, such as the parable of the prodigal son (Lk 15.11–32).

Last Supper
meal that Jesus and his disciples shared the night before his crucifixion; dated by Matthew (26.17), Mark (14.12), and Luke (22.7–8), but not John (13.1; 19.14,31) to the first night of
Pesach
. See
Eucharist
.

Latter Prophets
section of
Nevi’im
comprised of the books of Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Book of the Twelve.

law
usual English translation of
Torah
. The
Septuagint
uses the word
nomos
, usually meaning “law,” to translate
Torah
, and the NT writers follow the Septuagint.

lectionary
a list of scriptural readings for Sundays, holy days, and sometimes weekdays (in Christianity). In many churches, readings from the Old Testament, a psalm, a Gospel text, and another NT document, usually a letter.

legalism
a pejorative label and stereotype used by Christian writers to indicate that Jews adhere to Torah in a rote manner, unconcerned with mercy or personal spirituality.

legate
an official representative.

legion
the basic unit of the Roman army, consisting of up to 6,000 men.

Letter of Aristeas
see
Aristeas, Letter of
.

lev, levav
Heb “heart,” “mind”; the inner person.

levirate marriage
(from Lat
levir
, “husband’s brother”) the provision that if a man died without an heir, his brother would marry the widow and the first son she bore would be regarded as the dead brother’s heir (Deut 25.5–10). By rabbinic times
ḥ
alitzah
, the ceremony that released the levir from this obligation, was preferred.

Levite
a member of the tribe of Levi, one set aside for service to God (Deut 18.2); by
Second Temple
times, Levites were Temple functionaries of secondary importance to priests.

lex talionis
(Lat “law [of retribution] in kind”) punishment fitting the crime, e.g., “an eye for an eye.”

litotes
a figure of speech negating the opposite of what is meant; emphasizes by understatement.

liturgy
the form or rite for communal, public worship.

Logos
Gk “word,” “reason”; the organizing principle of the cosmos; the rational basis of thought. See Jn 1.1,14; cf. Aram
memre
.

Lord’s Prayer
prayer given by Jesus as a model for his followers (Mt 6.9–13; Lk 11.2–4).

Lord’s Supper
see
Eucharist
.

LXX
the Roman numeral 70, abbreviation for the
Septuagint
.

lytron
Gk “ransom,” “payment to secure release from captivity.”

M

M
designation for the source of materials unique Matthew’s Gospel, such as the account of the Magi (2.1–12).

Maccabees
see
Hasmonean Revolt
.

maḥloket
dispute or argument.