The oldest part is the gathas, which includes a collection of hymns and one of the oldest examples of religious poetry attributed to the prophet zoroaster ca. The word hell seems to derive from the norse word hel. The enoch literature is persian of about the fourth century bc. What are some similarities between judaism and zoroastrianism. The influence of judaism, christianity and zoroastrianism. Biblical literature persian and hellenistic influences.
Ptolemy ii philadelphus, a great lover of books and wisdom, painstakingly acquired a vast library. But judaism rejected persian dualism of a devil that ruled world to be defeated by a god sent savior. The persians passed on the identical idea that they had about ahuramazdathat he was the most high god. Zoroastrianism and judaism present a number of resemblances to each other in their general systems of angelology and demonology, points of similarity which have been especially emphasized by the jewish rabbinical scholars schorr and kohut and the christian theologian stave. The persian period biblical studies oxford bibliographies. The prophet daniel was the first biblical figure to refer to ideas of resurrection and judgement in daniel 12. Hellenistic judaism biblical studies oxford bibliographies. Judaism and gnosticism were indebted to persian religion. This lively account of the influence of persian history o.
First, the figure of satan, originally a servant of god, appointed by him as his prosecutor, came more and more to resemble ahriman, the enemy of god. In the increasingly unfriendly climate of christendom, jews were consoled by the knowledge that in nearby babylonia then under persian rule a vast population of jews lived under a network of effective and autonomous jewish institutions and officials. Zoroastrianism is the oldest of the revealed worldreligions, and it has probably had more influence on mankind, directly and indirectly, than any other single faith. Identification of persian elements in the bible is difficult because.
The content of the book is a history of the jews from the celebration of the. Zoroastrianisms influence on judaism, christianity, islam. Papa, echoes exactly the sentiments of a middle persian wisdom text, the book of joisht i friyan 7071, ll. Influence of zoroastrianism on judaism, christianity. Persian influence on judaism, christianity and islam isaiah. This great event in jewish history took place in the late sixthcentury bce, by. It is a multitendency faith centered on a dualistic cosmology of good and evil and an eschatology predicting the ultimate conquest of evil with theological elements of henotheism, monotheismmonism, and polytheism. Zoroastrianism is an ancient persian religion that may have originated as early as 4,000 years ago. Although the exact date zoroastrianism was founded is unknown, archaeological evidence and linguistic comparisons with the hindu text rig veda suggest that it emerged around 12001500 bce. As an iranian and a follower of the bahai faith, i found the middle eastern elements of judaism very interesting. Even in the bible it is made clear that persian laws and beliefs are to be given credence. The influence of judaism, christianity and zoroastrianism on. The problem is to decide what was zoroasters original teaching. This is why when the influence of zoroastrianism on judaism and christianity is studied, time and again we return to.
Zarathustra began his religion in iranpersia during the two great persian empires, the achaemenian and the sasanian. The religion gained popularity in the persian empire, which was an empire that encompassed much of the middle east, as well as parts of the mediterranean, africa, and. Here is an interesting article on some similarities between judaism and zoroastrianism. Knowing of the great fame of the torah, he ordered 72 sages to come to alexandria. Although the teachings of prophet zarathushtra were primarily spiritual, and substantially devoid of mythological and ritualistic beliefs, zoroastrianism, the religion that was based on his teachings incorporated many aspects of prezarathushtra traditions as well as novel and creative approaches to ritualism. Apr 25, 20 the ancient, preislamic tradition of persia modern iran is known as zoroastrianism. Gier, theology bluebook, chapter 12 zoroastrian influences on late judaism was pervasive, profound, and continues with us today. Displayed is a page from the gathas, in the middle persian language pahlavi, and its translation into modern persian. Yet for some 170 plus years, the jews were under persian rule and it was rather quiet, peaceful and amicable, yet on the religious front, some interesting changes came into jewish religious thought that shaped judaism going. Jun 28, 20 here is an interesting article on some similarities between judaism and zoroastrianism. Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our. Its influence stretched from the ionian coast turkey to palestine israel to the indus river pakistan. Which persian religion influenced christianity, islam. The persian religion was as monotheistic as the jewish religion it createdit wasnt.
Hellenistic judaism is part of a wider historical period and phenomenon known as second temple judaism, which refers to judaism from cyruss conquest of babylon to the fall of the jerusalem temple in 70 ce, or the persian, greek, and early roman periods. Zoroastrian influences on late judaism was pervasive, profound, and. The persian influence on judaism was powerful and long lasting. The dead sea scrolls of the qumran community had an astonishing flavour of persian religion, and from its essene origins as well as the later influence of mithraism so does christianity. Steadily worsening conditions in palestine drew many jews to persian domains. Persepolis and jerusalem successfully attempts to answer a question that has for decades troubled those working on second temple judaism. Steadily worsening conditions in palestine drew many jews to persian domains, where economic. The persian influence was facilitated by the fact that both the jewish and persian. Zoroastrianism is a preislamic iranian religion and one of the worlds oldest monotheistic religions. My first encounter with judaism was in winter 20, when i enrolled in the. Syncretism and the zoroastrian influence on judaism published 4. I have seen it stated that some specific beliefs of second temple judaism and early christianity have their roots in zoroastrianism, and indeed some parallels seem significant.
The ancient, preislamic tradition of persia modern iran is known as zoroastrianism. Some say that zoroastrianism also had a considerable influence on both religions, both directly. Silverman proposes a reexamination of both the question and the evidence and produces a study of jewish. Religion a thousand years of the persian book exhibitions. The biblical book of esther contains references to the experiences of the jews in persia. Many of the major developments of judaism during this time actually began in the. The babylonians ruled the world in the sixth century b. The jews under the persian influence developed eschatology, angelology and demonology, and renewed hope for future in terms of victory of good over evil, advent of messiah and establishing the kingdom of yahweh. Jul, 2010 the persian influence on judaism was powerful and long lasting. Persian influence on judaism and christianity is an important topic, but unfortunately theres little information out there. Later judaism and then christianity came to persia via mesopotamia, with both. Black is undoubtedly correctjudaism is indebted to persian religion. The influence of the zoroastrian religion on judaism. Note that the scriptural idea of a general resurrection on the third day in the book of hosea saviour, suggesting the persian king and perhaps the messianic feast come from the same source, slightly misunderstood hos 6.
Zoroastrianism or mazdayasna is one of the worlds oldest continuously practiced religions. Much of this material has been augmented by further research in the intervening years. Persian influence on judaism, christianity and islam. This topic was most prevalent in scholarship around the middle of the 20th century. Jewish youth flocked to the entertainments, at which athletes competed naked. The similarity of the two accounts clearly suggests that the prophet isaiah was perhaps the first jew to learn about cyrus and zoroastrianism from the persian magis. Zoroastrianism is the first revealed religion to have appeared on earth and so, if any dependency of one revealed religion on another is to be found, zoroastrianism is to be the donor not the receiver. Judaism is an ancient monotheistic religion, with the torah as its foundational text part of the larger text known as the tanakh or hebrew bible, and supplemental oral tradition represented by later texts such as the midrash and the talmud. While the jews of the parthian and sasanian empires spoke eastern aramaic, not middle persian, persian influence on judaism through the babylonian talmud bavli is by no means negligible. Biblical literature persian and hellenistic influences britannica.
Judaism was never monotheistic and still is not, just as zoroastrianism, however it might have been conceived by the prophet, never ever was monotheistic. Jews have had a continuous presence in iran since the time of cyrus the great of the. The religious texts of the zoroastrian faith of ancient persia are referred to as the avesta. In summery, zoroastrianism and the persians were friendly with judaism and caused profound changes within the faith. Nov 15, 2012 answer certainly, judaism influenced both christianity and islam they have their roots in judaism. There are two groups of similarities between islam and zoroastrianism. Sep 08, 2014 the ancient iranian or indoaryan influence on judaism through the babylonian talmud the babylonian talmud bavli has over 300 ancient iranian loanwords and shows undeniable zoroastrian influence for example the resurrection of the dead in the babylonian talmud and judaism is rooted in the avestan idea of frashokereiti, the splendid, fresh, renewal of the creation. Arguably the worlds first monotheistic faith, its one of the oldest religions still in. Discovering the unexpected connections between persian and. Certainly the profound belief in the end of days exhibited by the dead sea scroll communities in the immediately prechristian era. The bavli is full of iranian words and motifs, such as the resurrection of the dead and the last judgment, that are familiar.
The religion gained popularity in the persian empire, which was an empire that encompassed much of the middle east, as well as parts of the mediterranean, africa, and india. The persian religion zoroaster founded, and whose priests were called the magi, has had an influence on the world which today is unrecognized. Recommend a book on zoroastrian influence on postexilic judaism and christianity. The persians are an iranian ethnic group that make up over half the population of iran. How persia created judaism zoroastrian influences on. This is remarkable enough, but it is even more astounding that their successors, the persians, had did not existed before. This interaction produced true monotheism, a more universal god, and imparted the strict purity laws into judaism. I used this book in my research for zoroastrian influence of judaism then in turn christianity and islam. Bbc culture the obscure religion that shaped the west. Zoroastrianism and judaism present a number of resemblances to each other in their general systems of angelology and demonology, points of similarity which have been especially emphasized by the jewish rabbinical scholars schorr and. Jun 04, 2010 persian influence on judaism and christianity is an important topic, but unfortunately theres little information out there. Persepolis and jerusalem reconsiders iranian influence upon jewish apocalyptic. When they arrived, he isolated each one to prevent collaboration, and demanded that they translate the torah into. Syncretism and the zoroastrian influence on judaism.
Persian elements in the bible encyclopaedia iranica. The persians resisted any jewish efforts to restore the monarchy, but allowed them a high degree of autonomy under the high priest, whose power was partially checked by the sanhedrin, the jewish court, and the popular assemblies. The word paradise comes directly from the persian religion of mithraism. The question of iranian influence is of some importance for understanding the development of the hebrew bible, the history of second temple judaism, and the emergence of the genre known today as the apocalypse. Iranian influence upon judaism appears less affected by ideology than do. Greek influence on jewish writings written in hebrew or aramaic in palestine in the intertestamental period was by no means as significant as upon jewish works written in greek among the hellenistic diaspora jews living outside palestine.
Interestingly enough, some things judaism did not pick up fro the zoroastrians come in in chri. In the book of ezra, the persian kings are credited with permitting and enabling the jews to return to jerusalem and rebuild their temple. Some jews even attempted to undo their circumcisions surgically, which the greeks encouraged because they considered circumcision a blemish on the supposedly perfect human body. The jewish messianic ideal of a deliverer came from persia. The clearest evidence of persian influence on jewish theology, apart from the general similarity of the two systems, is the use of the name asmodeus for the chief of the demons. The first volume of the cambridge history of judaism davies and finkelstein 1984 contains a multichapter entry with topics that involve the political and social history of persian palestine, including its archaeology and religious life. Aug 14, 20 syncretism and the zoroastrian influence on judaism published 4. The jews, however, viewed greek influence as a major threat. Although zoroastrianism was the state religion of the first persian empire, it survives isolated in areas populated with zoroastrian persian immigrants known as parsis or parsees and the tradition has become known as parsiism. Answer certainly, judaism influenced both christianity and islam they have their roots in judaism. You think that wives have great joy from various sorts. Apr 06, 2017 for all its contributions to western thought, religion and culture, relatively little is known about the worlds first monotheistic faith and its iranian founder.
Thus, the babylonian talmuds attitude to women, as expressed by some of its most influential figures, such as abaye and r. It hasnt been gaining much ground in recent years, but robert gordons recent book the god of israel has an. The influence of judaism, christianity and zoroastrianism on the areas surrounding arabia. The influence of the zoroastrian religion on judaism peter myers, december 31, 2002. My first encounter with judaism was in winter 20, when i enrolled in the jewish cultural history course taught by professor devin naar. This religion played a key role in the development of todays major world religions, interacting with judaism and later islam, and through judaism coming to influence christianity as well. Apocalypticism seems to owe everything to persia and the flavour of persian religion on judaism stems largely from the apocalyptic writers. Understanding the origins of ideas is of interest on its own. Recommend a book on zoroastrian influence on postexilic. It is time that the real influence of zoroaster was recognized and properly researched. The ancient persian empire followed a faith known as zoroastrianism, based on the teachings of an even more ancient prophet. A lot of poems in persian were influenced by islamic ideas, and. The bible and interpretation iranian influence on judaism. Yet, afterwards, in the course of about half a century, they ceased to exist.
For all its contributions to western thought, religion and culture, relatively little is known about the worlds first monotheistic faith and. It is dated, having some misconceptions about zoroastrian monotheism vs dualism, which is a common misconception, but it is rich with detail about the zoroastrian influence on the jews in babylon in many aspects with great references to biblical text for support. The ancient iranian or indoaryan influence on judaism. Zoroaster forgotten prophet of the one god john palmer. In regard to persian influence, frye unlike other authors does not accept that the notion of bridge of judgement in talmudic 3 judaism necessarily is a convincing evidence of the influence, as this has been more of a universal view. A page from the persian epic the shahnameh book of kings, 1010 bce. The iranian influence continues to be evident in jewish writings from what is known as the intertestamental period, that is, after the last canonical book of the old testament and before.
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