@article{ART003219315},
author={KWAK, UN SUNG},
title={Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel},
journal={Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies},
issn={1229-0521},
year={2025},
volume={31},
number={2},
pages={56-83}
TY - JOUR
AU - KWAK, UN SUNG
TI - Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel
JO - Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
PY - 2025
VL - 31
IS - 2
PB - Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
SP - 56
EP - 83
SN - 1229-0521
AB - This study aims to examine the literary and theological significance of the Old Greek version of Susanna (hereafter OG-Susanna) by comparing it with the Theodotion version (hereafter Th-Susanna), both of which are included in the Septuagint Daniel. Although recent years have witnessed growing international interest in the Septuagint, as seen in the publication of numerous scholarly handbooks, research on the Old Greek version of Daniel—especially OG-Susanna—remains relatively neglected. Despite OG-Susanna’s notable influence on early Christian doctrine and ethical teaching, it has received little attention in Korean scholarship, and no complete Korean translation currently exists. This study seeks to bring renewed scholarly attention to OG-Susanna by offering a fresh interpretation of its literary form and theological message.
The central questions of this research are as follows: How does OG-Susanna differ literarily from Th-Susanna, and what do these differences reveal about the narrative's purpose and message? In particular, how does OG-Susanna’s more explicit and direct criticism of the elders’ greed and corruption function within the narrative? To address these questions, the study engages the concept of paideia as developed during the Hellenistic period and adapted within Second Temple Judaism.
Chapter 2 provides an overview of the Susanna narrative, including its genre, structure, textual position, dating, and the relationship between the OG and Th versions. Chapter 3 conducts a comparative literary analysis of the two versions, focusing especially on how OG-Susanna portrays the moral failure and hypocrisy of the elders with greater narrative emphasis. Chapter 4 explores the Hellenistic and Jewish notions of paideia, and based on that framework, analyzes OG-Susanna’s educational purpose and literary function. Notably, OG-Susanna concludes with a didactic epilogue that explicitly emphasizes the moral instruction of the youth, thereby highlighting its intention to contribute to the ethical formation and communal integrity of the next generation.
Ultimately, this study argues that OG-Susanna should not be viewed merely as a moral tale or apocryphal appendix, but rather as a literary embodiment of Jewish paideia, promoting the formation of ideal individuals who embody justice, piety, wisdom, and communal responsibility grounded in the Torah.
KW - The book of Daniel;Septuagint Daniel;Old Greek Susanna;Jewish Paideia;Theodotion Susanna;False Witness
DO -
UR -
ER -
KWAK, UN SUNG. (2025). Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 31(2), 56-83.
KWAK, UN SUNG. 2025, "Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel", Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, vol.31, no.2 pp.56-83.
KWAK, UN SUNG "Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31.2 pp.56-83 (2025) : 56.
KWAK, UN SUNG. Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel. 2025; 31(2), 56-83.
KWAK, UN SUNG. "Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31, no.2 (2025) : 56-83.
KWAK, UN SUNG. Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies, 31(2), 56-83.
KWAK, UN SUNG. Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel. Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies. 2025; 31(2) 56-83.
KWAK, UN SUNG. Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel. 2025; 31(2), 56-83.
KWAK, UN SUNG. "Paideia in the Old Greek Susanna through a Comparison with Theodotion's Susanna in Daniel" Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies 31, no.2 (2025) : 56-83.
