Donations, gifts and corruption in the societies of the ancient Near East and in the biblical texts. This is the theme that Fr Martin Staszak invites us to explore on Thursday, 26 March 2026 at 6:00 PM at the École biblique et archéologique française de Jérusalem.
A biblical scholar, Fr Martin is a Dominican and a specialist in the Old Testament and the ancient Near East. His research focuses in particular on the historical, social and legal contexts in which the biblical texts took shape, as well as on the interactions between Israel and the neighbouring cultures of the ancient world.
The Bible refers on several occasions to gifts offered to authorities, diplomatic presents and even bribes intended to obtain a favour or influence a decision. These practices, which today might appear to be acts of corruption, seem to have been deeply rooted in complex social systems in which gift-giving, reciprocity and honour played a structuring role.
Drawing on biblical texts and sources from neighbouring cultures of the ancient Near East, how can we understand the way in which these practices were perceived and evaluated in antiquity? What tensions might have existed between moral norms, social practices and religious discourse in the societies in which the Bible came into being?
By placing the biblical tradition in dialogue with its cultural environment, Fr Martin invites us to reflect on the sometimes fragile boundary between a legitimate gift, diplomatic strategy and outright corruption.