Introduction to the Text:
Orphica is a Hellenistic Jewish oracle written in archaizing Greek between 150 BCE and 50 CE. It represents itself as being “esoteric instructions given by Orpheus to his son and pupil Musaeus” (OTP 2, 795). Two versions come to us from Aristobulus, cited in a few early Church sources in works attributed to the pseudonym Justin Martyr, to Eusebius, to Clement of Alexandria, and to a 5th century theosophical text. Both versions express the oneness of God and introduce us to the beginnings of Jewish mysticism. Additionally, Orphica carefully engages with theodicy, noting that even in God’s goodness “he brings evil upon mortals”.
Orphica as a Primer to Early Jewish Mysticism
Assuming M. Lafargue is accurate in depicting Orphica as an early example of Jewish mysticism, it is an excellent text because it provides insight into how Jewish mysticism, and perhaps many sects of…
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