mrsonic

did greek culture have negative affect on judaism? if jesus existed, would he be bothered about the corrupt greek translation of the torah?

DCHindley

"Negative effect" introduces a value judgement, which is something I don't like to do. It unquestionably had an effect on Judaism. Cultures in contact always rub off on one another, to one degree or another.

We know for sure from ancient literature that many Roman elites recognized and even respected the tenacity that Judeans of the Diaspora doggedly clung to their ancestral traditions, but still disapproved of Romans or Greeks adopting them as well, as these traditions seemed barbaric to them. There were Jews as well who recognized, and even respected, Greek/Roman traditions, but did not approve of adopting them.

However, integrating some of these customs where it seemed convenient, yet without surrendering core values, will also happen in the case of individuals, and as the numbers increase, on the culture itself. An example is the Book of Watchers found in 1 Enoch. Even though composed in Aramaic by 3rd century BC Jews, R H Charles noted that "... Chapters [17-19] are foreign to the rest of this section [i.e., the Book of Watchers]. They are full of Greek elements, e.g., Pyriphlegethon, Styx, Acheron and Cocytus (xvii. 5,6); the Ocean Stream (xvii. 5,7,8; xviii. 10); Hades in the West (xvii. 6). [Shows two other inconsistencies when these chapters are compared to other passages in the Book of Watchers] Still, these chapters do belong to the Enoch tradition." (APOT, vol 2, pg 199). It might also be mentioned that the Maccabeans who revolted against the Syrian king's forced Hellenization of Judeans also established a dynasty which had adopted many Hellenized elements, especially in the organization of their kingdoms and powers they assumed as political leaders.

Most Jews weren't competent enough in both Hebrew and Greek to be able to identify those passages that differed, and the few who did seemed to use the Greek text, even when it had a different sense than the Hebrew, to argue that the Jewish scriptures were as ancient as, and Jewish customs just as valid as, those of other nations, including Greek and Roman (ancient Jews did not have a problem with being "separate but equal" when it came to their traditions). My guess would be that Jesus would have felt the same way.

DCH

stephan huller

Greek culture had two different affects on two different Jewish communities. In Alexandria it made Jews more reasonable. In Judea it made them more unreasonable (i.e. as a reaction against the cosmopolitan values of Hellenistic-Roman culture). Yes that's a value judgment but so what. Where ignorance is a tonic for the irrational, it is harmful to the more sensitive, delicate beasts.

The affect on Palestinian Judaism was similar to the reaction that liberal culture seems to have had in the rest of America in contemporary history - i.e. creating a sense of pride in being stupid among the retarded.