Early Christian Interpretations of Joshua 5:13–14

Abstract Josh 5:13–14 describes Joshua seeing and worshipping a man who calls himself “the captain of the army of the Lord.” The reception of this biblical passage among early Christian authors has received little attention due to a greater focus on other Old Testament theophanies. This article, therefore, investigates the theological and exegetical ideas that emerge in the explanations put forward by Greek- and Latin-speaking Christians. Beginning with the former, the first section considers the different identifications of either the Son or an angel. Additionally, the versatility of readings are conducive to applying Josh 5:13–14 against different polemical opponents in the fourth century. The second section turns to explanations of this passage by Latin-speaking Christians. While such authors do not envisage the same polemical utility as seen among Greek-speakers, Latin renditions of the biblical verses undergo development that contributes to their theological significance. The findings from this article, therefore, not only fill a gap in scholarship on early Christian interpretations of Josh 5:13–14 but also reveal the reciprocal influence of theological concepts and linguistic elements in Scripture.