Hakham Tsefet and His List’s

Recent studies in Hakham Tsefet’s (Peter) Writings have caused me to look at varied Greek words with new interest.  I had hoped that I would be able to abandon any of the Greek language skills that I had accumulated in the past.  A recent trip to Israel ended all of that when I was called upon to translate some passages of Josephus from Classic Greek to English. I had to break out all the old lexicons and brush up on my Greek skills.

This was also true when I began my work on the Triennial Torah Reading cycle, I was hoping to further my Hebrew skills and abandon all Greek texts and language. I had trusted without question the Delitzsch Hebrew translation f the Nazarene Codicil.

What I soon discovered was the bias behind the Delitzsch translation. I do not mean to sound condescending. All translations have bias, including mine. Along with bias there is the fact that I am convinced that the Nazarene Codicil MUST we interpreted with the Triennial Torah reading schedule in mind. The results have been remarkable. Several of these thoughts have been discussed in our posts and lectures on the “Mesorah of Mark.” (See also – Mesorah of Mark)

2 Tsefet 1:5-7

⁵ And for this reason be diligent in all things internalizing faithful obedience supplied by moral excellence, and in moral excellence, knowledge (da’at); ⁶ And in knowledge (da’at) self-control, and in self-control perseverance, and in perseverance, righteous practices, ⁷ and in righteous practices, brotherly love and in brotherly love, love (agape).

(My translation)

Hakham Tsefet incorporates a simple seven-point list in the pericope.

1. Moral excellence
   
2. Knowledge
   
3. Self-control
   
4. Perseverance
   
5. Righteous practice
   
6. brotherly love
   
7. Love (agape)
   

While it would be beneficial to discuss each point in Hakham Tsefet’s list I would like to focus on the final point of his list “agape”.

This word is quite common in many scholarly circles. I want to focus on this word as it is used here in Hakham Tsefet’s pericope and its Judaic use.

Love

Without any question, “agape” is translated as “love.” However, we could ask the question, what kind of love? Most translators and commentators suggest ‘agape” to be “the G-d kind of love.” Others call it a “love feast.” I am opposed to the “love feast” concept. This is because it carries extreme Grecian and Roman thought and ideology. While I must work with the Greek text, I am primarily concerned with the Hebraic idea behind that text. I am opposed to reading Grecian culture and thought into the Hebraic content of the text. This is a bastardization of the text.

Love is a prominent them throughout the Bible. We read of “love” in many places and through many eyes. There is good moral love and then ten there is perversity that some call love. I find it interesting that in this passage Hakham Tsefet differentiates between “Brotherly love” and “Agape” (Love).