Targums, The

By Paul Virgil McCracken Flesher

Book Description

For those drawn to understanding the deeper layers of sacred text and spiritual tradition, this comprehensive exploration opens doorways into ancient wisdom that has shaped both Jewish and Christian thought for centuries. The targums represent a fascinating bridge between languages and cultures, offering Aramaic interpretations and expansions of Hebrew biblical texts that reveal how ancient communities understood and lived their faith.

Drawing upon six decades of scholarly discovery, including recently unearthed manuscripts and newly translated materials, this work illuminates how these ancient texts developed over time and influenced the spiritual landscape of early Judaism and Christianity. Readers will discover how the targums served not merely as translations but as living documents that reflected the theological insights and interpretive methods of their communities.

The authors provide essential guidance for understanding the historical context, linguistic significance, and spiritual implications of these texts. Rather than presenting dry academic analysis, they reveal how the targums functioned as vehicles for transmitting wisdom, preserving tradition, and adapting ancient teachings for new generations.

This exploration offers valuable insights for anyone seeking to understand how sacred texts evolve within spiritual communities and how interpretation itself becomes a form of spiritual practice. The work demonstrates how ancient seekers grappled with timeless questions of meaning, faith, and divine revelation through their careful engagement with scripture.

Who Is This For?

📖 Reading Level: Long (> 400 pages) (~16 hours)

📄 Length: 576 pages

What You'll Discover

✓ Explore History and criticism
✓ Explore Primitive and early church
✓ Explore Rabbinical literature, history and criticism
✓ Explore Versions
✓ Explore Church history
✓ Explore Criticism, interpretation
✓ Study Bible from spiritual perspective
✓ Explore Church history, primitive and early church, ca. 30-600

Topics Covered

History and criticism Primitive and early church Rabbinical literature, history and criticism Versions Church history Criticism, interpretation Bible Church history, primitive and early church, ca. 30-600 Relation to the Old Testament Criticism, interpretation, etc., Jewish Post-exilic period (Judaism) Bible, versions Judaism Judaism, history, post-exilic period, 586 b.c.-210 a.d. Rabbinical literature History Bible, criticism, interpretation, etc., o. t.