An Introduction to Early Judaism.

• Author: Wright, J. Edward
• Position: Brief Reviews of Books

An Introduction to Early Judaism. By JAMES C. VANDERKAM. Grand Rapids, Mich.: WM. B. EERDMANS PUBLISHING Co., 2001. Pp. xii + 234. $18 (paper).

Writing an introductory textbook that can be used profitably in a variety of contexts is a daunting task-many try, but few are successful. James C. VanderKam, however, has ac complished that feat with great success on many levels. This is a succinct, clearly written textbook that will serve the needs of undergraduate courses quite well. Moreover, anyone from layperson to scholar seeking a general introduction to early Jewish history, literature, and religion will find this book most helpful.

The book begins with an historical survey of the Second Temple Period, roughly the period from 538 B.C.E. to 135 C.E. (pp. 1-52). This survey highlights the signal historical events and personalities as expected of any introductory textbook. VanderKam's account, however, does not simply recite or catalogue events over a nearly 600-year period: his narrative also addresses the larger socio-religious and geo-political themes that were in play and their impact on the course of Jewish history and the evolution of Jewish religious thought. This is clearly one of the book's strengths from a pedagogical perspective. Readers encounter a historical survey that carefully highlights the importance of the events or personages and what they contribute to understanding the important features of and developments in early Jewish history and religion.

The second chapter surveys Jewish literature of the Second Temple Period (pp. 53-173). Following a helpful introduction to early Jewish apocrypha and pseudepigrapha, this chapter is divided into sections according to literary genre. These sections provide definitions, overviews, examples, and explanations of several different genres of early Jewish literature. These introductions to the various genres and the texts in those genres provide just enough information about the texts to prepare readers to read the texts on their own.

The second chapter is also the longest chapter in the book, over twice as long as the other two chapters. This obvious difference in chapter length gives the book a sense of structural imbalance. This is my only criticism of the book, and, to be honest, this may be just a matter of personal preference. The...