The Descent of Christ: Ephesians 4:7-11 and Traditional Hebrew Imagery

This volume examines early Jewish and Christian imagery to demonstrate that the most probable interpretation of Christ’s descent in Ephesians 4:9-10 refers to the descent of the Spirit at Pentecost subsequent to the ascent mentioned in Ephesians 4:8. The central section of the book deals with the ascent-descent imagery associating Ps 68:19 with Moses as found in Targum Psalms, the rabbinic literature, and other early sources. The section dealing with rabbinic interpretations of Ps 68:19 is of particular importance, demonstrating an approach for dating elements found in the later rabbinic tradition.