Questions on the Octateuch, Volume 2: On Levitcus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth (Library of Early Christianity) by Theodoret Of Cyrus (2007) Paperback

by John F. Petruccione

This is the second of two volumes of translations of Theodoret of Cyrus's The Questions on the Octateuch. The first volume presents his writings on Genesis and Exodus; the second volume on Leviticus, Numbers, Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, and Ruth.Shortly before his death (ca.460), as his health was failing, Theodoret decided to undertake a monumental project of exegesis. In the more than two decades of his episcopacy, he had commented on both the prophets and the sapiential literature of the Hebrew Scriptures. Now he would expound the historical books. For his commentary on the Octateuch, he adopted the format of question and answer. This divide allowed the expositor to focus attention on particularly challenging passages that could give rise to misunderstanding. Long experience had taught him that "careless reading of holy Scripture is the cause of error among ordinary people." Intimately acquainted with every detail of the text, well-informed about contemporary Judaism, and steeped in the works of previous interpreters, he makes his way through a massive body of text with concision, a sure sense for the significant and the controversial, and a thoughtful moderation respectful of the accomplishments of Alexandrian, as well as Antiochene, biblical scholarship.

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First published January 1, 2007