From Joshua to Caiaphas

by James C. VanderKam

Customers in North America who wish to purchase this publication, please contact Augsburg Fortress Press.

From Joshua To High Priests After The Exile by James C. VanderKam (John A. O'Brien Professor of Hebrew Scriptures, University of Notre Dame) is a comprehensive, 548-page history of the high priests who served in the Second Temple period of Israel and their influence and importance in understanding early Judaism. A masterpiece of scholarship and research, Professor VanderKam writes with a distinctive clarity that allows even the non-specialist general reader to come away with a comprehensive and coherent understanding of Temple Judaism as represented by the fifty-one men who served as high priest from about 515 BCE down to 70CE when the Jerusalem temple was destroyed by the Romans. No Old Testament Studies, Israelite History, or Judaic Studies collection can be considered either comprehensive or complete without the inclusion of this impressive and seminal work. Also very highly recommended are Professor VanderKam's previous The Dead Sea Scrolls Today (1994); An Introduction To Early Judaism (2001); The Book Of Jubilees (2001); and The Meaning Of The Dead Sea Scrolls (which was co-authored with Peter Flint, 2002).

Genres: Biblical Studies

568 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 2004

Reviews

[Nakhati Jon · Rating 4 out of 5]

A hallmark of mystery in which the history of the High Priests comes into the open. The book is a treasure trove of insights into the High Priests between the time of the book of Zechariah till the Lord Jesus' coming. His insights on the Maccabean period and writings - are worth the cost of the book, especially with his explanations of the historical influences and activities before the time of Christ.

This book helped me realize how much the High Priests during the intertestamental period compromised with the political rulers to gain standing. But unfortunately, the result opened the way for Herod the Great to dominate the scene.

[Nancy Kuehl · Rating 5 out of 5]

From Joshua To Caiaphas is an excellent tool for anyone researching the priestly families, and especially the priestly oligarchy of the Herodian Age (37 BCE to 70 CE). Vanderkam has described, in order, the priesthoods of various family members from numerous sources, including the works of Josephus, the Talmud, and Tosefta, as well as providing excellent footnotes on passages from other scholarly works on each subject. He covers the four families of the oligarchy including Hanan, Boethus, Kithros, and Fiabi (the oligarchy) quite well and discusses the name "Cantheras" as a Semitic form of qayyaph (or Caiaphas), relating it to a "basket person". What he does not do is tie the word in with the spice trade. A "basket" person was generally someone who imported and exported perfume baskets or someone involved in the incense trade. The Kithros family is also tied to the names Cantheras and Caiaphas, and it is well known that the family of Kithros were involved in the spice trade. The four families appear to have been related in some manner although the author does not make that connection.

All in all, the book is excellent and well worth the read for any scholar of early Christianity or early Judaism.