Talk:Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs
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This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, now in the public domain. |
[edit] Incorrect introduction
The information on the page is hopelessly outdated, stating scholarly opinions from the beginning on the 20th century as fact. This is my reworking of the introduction with the outdated information removed. I would suggest using this, and adding to it:
Testaments of the Twelve Patriarchs is an important constituent of the apocryphal scriptures connected with the Old Testament, comprising the dying commands of the twelve sons of Jacob. It is part of the Oskan Armenian Orthodox Bible of 1666. Fragments of similar writings were found at Qumran, opinions are divided if these are the same texts. It is considered Apocalyptic literature.
The testaments were written in Greek, probably by a hellenised Jew. The books were later (first or second century) thoroughly reworked by a Christian author/editor. For several centuries it was wholly lost sight of, and it was not till the 13th century that it was rediscovered through the agency of Robert Grosseteste, bishop of Lincoln, who translated it into Latin, under the misconception that it was a genuine work of the twelve sons of Jacob, and that the Christian interpolations were a genuine product of Jewish prophecy.
The advent of the Reformation brought in critical methods, and the book was unjustly disparaged as a mere Christian forgery for nearly four centuries. Scholarly opinions are divided if the books are Christian rewritings of earlier Jewish writings, or Jewish writings with Christian interpolations.
- Note: The above unsigned comment was made by User:66.124.207.33 (talk). And I've gotta say: good job! I just noticed that you made changes to the page itself too, & it does look liked you've improved the article. Although I'm not knowledgeable about this particular book of the Apocrypha, I'm pretty knowledgeable about biblical topics in general (actually, I've got an undergrad degree in Religion), & looks like you know your stuff. Thanks for your contribution. --Yksin 17:39, 5 April 2007 (UTC)
