This book examines the narratives of the two Greek recensions of the Testament of Abraham. The genre, characterization, and plot of each recension are discussed and then compared. Ludlow illustrates that Recension A used comedy and humour to give a sophisticated treatment of death, the figure death, and judgment and mercy. Through a careful comparison of narrative elements and vocabulary correspondences between the manuscripts of each recension, he discusses a possible transmission model for the recensions, concluding that Recension A, written in comic form, preceded Recension B. Recension B then excised most of these comic elements.
- ISBN10 0826462049
- ISBN13 9780826462046
- Publish Date 1 December 2002 (first published 1 January 2002)
- Publish Status Active
- Publish Country GB
- Publisher Bloomsbury Publishing PLC
- Imprint Continuum International Publishing Group Ltd.
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 222
- Language English