Le judaïsme avant Jésus-Christ (1931 Lagrange), book

Le judaïsme avant Jésus-Christ (1931) is a book by Marie-Jospeh Lagrange.

Abstract

The goal of this work is to presents in general way some facts and aspects of Judaism. Lagrange presents the history of the Jewish people from the captivity in Babylon until the end of first century CE. In begin Lagrange exposes the traditional point of view about the foundation of Judaism and about edition of Pentateuch's books. The law given by God to Moses, and the special relationship between the people and his God, are definitively settled in the times of Nehemiah, except acts deprived of idolization. The Judaism is ready for to face the spirit of Hellenism. Thus Lagrange exposes the Greek and Hellenistic religion, and the mains historical facts. He analyzes the consequences of Hellenistic influence in Judaism, in particular the apocalyptic literature. Through these texts and through other apocryphal, historical and pseudo-epigraphical texts, he explains the historical, religious and sociological situation of Judaism, his movements, his institutions, his thoughts. Lagrange exposes also the foreign influences on Judaism by the Iranian, Babylonian, Greek and Egyptian religions. He ends with an exposition of some development of the Jewish late theological reflection and the Judaism in Egypt, his history, his main personalities. He concludes with a apologetical view of Christianity's revelation, in contrast with the rabbinic religion, who, refusing this revelation, has not been faithful with Old Testament's roots. Thus his thought is compatible with Catholic dogma, also his analysis, even if he uses a critical method. - Matteo Silvestrini, University of Lausanne -