Wisdom in Transition

by Adams, Samuel L.

• ISBN13: 9789004165663
• ISBN10: 9004165665
• Format: Hardcover
• Copyright: 2008-03-15
• Publisher: Brill Academic Pub

Summary

This volume considers a major shift among Jewish sages during the Second Temple period, from an earthly to an otherworldly focus. It compares the perspectives of figures like Qoheleth and Ben Sira with the eschatological vision of 4QInstruction.

Table of Contents

Introduction	p. 1
Klaus Koch and the Tun-Ergehen-Zusammenhang	p. 1
Second Temple Instructions and the "Eschatologizing" of Wisdom	p. 6
Layout of the Present Study	p. 8
Act and Consequence in Egyptian Instructions	p. 15
Ma'at and the "Free Will of God"	p. 19
Old and Middle Kingdom Instructions	p. 27
New Kingdom Instructions	p. 39
Act and Consequence in the Book of Proverbs	p. 53
Structure of Proverbs	p. 57
Date	p. 62
Social Setting	p. 68
Divine Agency and the Yahwistic Redaction Theory	p. 77
Proverbs, World-Order, and Social Solidarity	p. 83
The Didactic Process in Proverbs	p. 88
Death in Proverbs	p. 93
Wisdom in Transition: The Book of Ecclesiastes	p. 101
Genre	p. 106
Structure and Literary Integrity	p. 108
Historical Setting and Possible Influences on Qoheleth	p. 132
Death in Qoheleth	p. 132
The "Human Spirit" in Qoheleth	p. 141
Ben Sira's Apologetic Response	p. 153
Genre	p. 158
Structure and Literary Integrity	p. 163
Historical Setting and Possible Influences on the Sage	p. 170
Ben Sira's Pedagogy and Promise of Retribution	p. 177
Determinism, Free Will, and Theodicy	p. 182
Ben Sira and 1 Enoch	p. 191
Wisdom and Torah in Ben Sira	p. 198
Death in Sirach and the Possibility of an Afterlife	p. 204
Affirmation of the Tun-Ergehen-Zusammenhang	p. 210
Wisdom in Transition: Mystery and Eschatology in 4QInstruction	p. 215
Structure and Literary Integrity	p. 217
The Promise or Retribution	p. 221
Apocalyptic Eschatology in a Wisdom Text	p. 233
Social Setting for 4QInstruction	p. 237
Date	p. 243
The Didactic Process in 4QInstruction	p. 245
The "Spiritual People" and the "Fleshly Spirit"	p. 246
4QInstruction: A Sectarian Document?	p. 267
4QInstruction and the 'Wisdom of Solomon	p. 269
Bibliography	p. 279
Index of Authors	p. 295
Index of Texts	p. 298
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