Wisdom, Cosmos, and Cultus in the Book of Sirach 1st Edition by A. Jordan Schmidt – Ebook PDF Instant Download/Delivery: 311060017X, 978-3110600179
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ISBN 10: 311060017X
ISBN 13: 978-3110600179
Author: A. Jordan Schmidt
Wisdom, Cosmos, and Cultus in the Book of Sirach 1st Edition: Despite the attention that has already been paid to the theme of creation in the book of Sirach, scholarship has yet to provide a comprehensive analysis of Ben Sira’s instruction regarding the cosmic order and its role in the divine bestowal of wisdom upon human beings.
This book, which consists of two parts, fills a lacuna in scholarship by offering such an analysis. The first part of this study examines Ben Sira’s three main treatments of the created world, thus providing a comprehensive description and synthesis of Ben Sira’s doctrine concerning the created order of the cosmos. The second part of this work analyzes the place of human beings in general, and the Jewish people in particular, within the cosmic order. This second part includes an analysis of the role of the created order in Ben Sira’s wisdom instruction in 1:1-10 and 24:1-34 as well as an elucidation of the way in which his treatments of various kinds of people―civic leaders, wives, doctors, manual laborers, scribes, and cultic personnel―are integral to Ben Sira’s doctrine of creation. This study demonstrates that the created order is a fundamental category that Ben Sira relies upon in articulating his instructions about wisdom and wise behavior.
Wisdom, Cosmos, and Cultus in the Book of Sirach 1st Edition Table of contents:
1. Introduction
I. Preliminary Matters
I.A. Authorship and Historical Setting
- I.A.1. Ben Sira the author
- I.A.2. The date of composition
- I.A.3. The imperial context of the 3rd-2nd cent. BCE
I.B. Social Setting
- I.B.1. Ben Sira the scribal sage
- I.B.2. Ben Sira and Hellenism
- I.B.3. Ben Sira’s conflict with other forms of Judaism
I.C. Textual Considerations
- I.C.1. The textual situation
- I.C.2. The structure of Sirach
II. Previous Scholarship on Creation in the Book of Sirach
III. Method of Study
Part 1: Ben Sira’s Instruction Concerning the Cosmos
2. The Well-Ordered Cosmos
I. Translation & Notes for Sir 16:24–17:14
II. Exegetical Analysis of Sir 16:24–17:14
- II.A. Structure of the Pericope
- II.B. Context
- II.C. The Objection of the Fool (16:17–22)
- II.D. Ben Sira’s Dogmatic Instruction on the Created Universe
- II.D.1. The creation of the Cosmos (16:26–30)
- II.D.2. Parallels between 16:26–30 and Genesis and the Psalms
- II.D.3. The creation of humanity and comparison to luminaries (17:1–4, 6–10)
- II.D.4. Israel’s particular task (17:11–14)
- II.E. The Moral Order of the Cosmos
III. Concluding Remarks on Ben Sira’s Answer to the Fool
3. Ben Sira’s Instruction About God’s Works
I. Translation & Notes for 39:16–31
II. Exegetical Analysis of 39:16–31
- II.A. Structure and Context
- II.A.1. Differences in the structures of H, G, and S
- II.B. Sir 39:16–31 as a Sapiential Hymn on the Created World
- II.B.1. The first strophe (vv. 16, 17–21)
- II.B.2. The second strophe (vv. 22–27)
- II.B.3. The third strophe (vv. 28–31)
- An Excursus on Theodicy in Ben Sira
- II.B.4. The epilogue (vv. 32–35)
- II.C. Sir 39:16–31 as building on 16:24–17:14
- II.D. Ben Sira on Providence
III. Concluding Remarks on Ben Sira’s Praise of God’s Works
4. The Wondrous Beauty of the Cosmos
I. Translation & Notes for Sir 42:15–43:33
II. Exegetical Analysis of Sir 42:15–43:33
- II.A. Context and Structure
- II.B. The Introduction of Ben Sira’s Hymn (42:15–25)
- II.B.1. The opening theme (vv. 15–16)
- II.B.2. The perfection of God (vv. 17–21)
- II.B.3. Focusing the theme (vv. 22–25)
- II.C. Ben Sira’s Praise of God’s Created Works (43:1–26)
- II.C.1. The sun (vv. 1–5)
- II.C.2. The moon (and stars) (vv. 6–10)
- II.C.3. The rainbow (vv. 11–12)
- II.C.4. The weather elements (vv. 13–22)
- II.C.5. The sea (43:23–26)
- II.D. Ben Sira’s Praise of the Creator (43:27–33)
III. Sir 42:15–43:33 & Connections to Biblical Poems about Creation - III.A. A Short Analysis of Psalms 104 and 148
- III.A.1. Parallels among Psalm 104, Sir 43:1–26, & Job 38:1–41
- III.A.2. Parallels among Psalm 148, Sir 43:1–26, & Job 38:1–41
- III.A.3. The distinctiveness of Sir 43:1–26 vis-à-vis biblical poems about creation
IV. Concluding Remarks on Ben Sira’s “Hymn to the Creator”
Conclusion to Part 1: Ben Sira’s Instruction about the Cosmos
Part 2: The Role of Human Beings within the Created Order
5. Ben Sira’s Presentation of Wisdom
I. Ben Sira & Wisdom Literature
- I.A. The Core of Israel’s Wisdom Tradition: A Successful Life
- I.B. Theoretical Wisdom
- I.C. Wisdom in the Framework of Cosmic Order
II. Translation & Notes for Sir 1:1–10
III. Wisdom’s Place in God’s Creation (Sir 1:1–10) - III.A. God, the Source of Wisdom
- III.B. Human Limitation
- III.C. The Importance of Creation for Wisdom
- III.D. Preliminary Conclusions: Wisdom as a Principle of Relationship
IV. Translation & Notes for Sir 24:1–34
V. Wisdom as Israel’s Inheritance (Sir 24:1–34) - V.A. Structural Considerations
- V.B. Introduction to Lady Wisdom’s Praise (24:1–2)
- V.C. Lady Wisdom’s Speech
- V.D. Ben Sira’s Description of Wisdom (24:23–29)
- V.E. Ben Sira’s Outpouring of Wisdom
VI. The Manifold Manifestations of God’s Wisdom According to Ben Sira - VI.A. The Concept of Oikonomia and God’s Wisdom
- VI.A.1. The human focus of wisdom
- VI.A.2. The special place of Torah and piety in the oikonomia
- VI.A.3. A qualitative difference: The cultic law & the right time
VII. Acquiring Wisdom within the Oikonomia
- VII.A. The Central Role of Ben Sira as Sage
- VII.B. The Importance of Company in Acquiring Wisdom
- VII.B.1. Ben Sira’s bet midrash
VIII. Concluding Remarks on Ben Sira’s Understanding of Wisdom
- VII.B.1. Ben Sira’s bet midrash
6. Human Contribution to the Cosmic Order
I. The Universal: Human Work as a Contribution to the Cosmic Order
- I.A. Translation & Notes for Sir 9:17–10:5
- I.B. Human Leaders and Societal Order (Sir 9:17–10:5)
- I.B.1. Retribution and the political order
- I.C. Translation & Notes for Sir 26:13–18
- I.D. The Good Wife as a Source of Domestic Order (Sir 26:13–18)
- I.E. Translation & Notes for Sir 38:1–8
- I.F. The Doctor’s Wise Work (Sir 38:1–8)
- I.G. Translation & Notes for Sir 38:24-34ab
- I.H. The Wisdom of Manual Laborers (Sir 38:25-34ab)
- I.I. Preliminary Conclusions
II. The Particular: Jewish Scribes’ Contribution to the Cosmic Order - II.A. A Sketch of Judean Society in the Time of Ben Sira
- II.A.1. Foreign Rule and the Governance of Judea
- II.A.2. Sira’s Allusions to Societal Problems in Judea
- II.B. Translation & Notes for Sir 38:34cd-39:11
- II.C. Ben Sira’s Presentation of the Ideal Scribe (Sir 38:34cd-39:11)
- II.D. Translation & Notes for Sir 7:18–36
- II.E. Ben Sira’s Exhortation toward Orderliness (Sir 7:18–36)
III. Concluding Remarks on Human Labor and Societal Order
7. The High Priest, the Cultus, and the Cosmic Order
I. Ben Sira’s Praise of the Ancestors
- I.A. Structure & Component Segments
- I.B. Purpose of the Praise
II. Ben Sira’s Presentation of Aaron and Phinehas - II.A. Translation & Notes for Sir 45:6–26
- II.B. The Priesthood as a Principle of Order (Sir 45:6–26)
- II.B.1. Ben Sira’s presentation of the Aaronide priesthood (45:6–22)
- II.B.2. Preliminary conclusions about Ben Sira’s presentation of Aaron
- II.B.3. Ben Sira’s presentation of Phinehas
- II.C. Concluding Remarks about Aaron, Phinehas, and the חק of the priesthood
III. Ben Sira’s Presentation of the High Priest Simon - III.A. Translation & Notes for Sir 50:1–24
- III.B. The High Priest and the Cosmic Order (Sir 50:1–24)
- III.B.1. Ben Sira’s presentation of Simon the high priest
- III.B.2. The establishment of the cultus and the completion of the cosmic order
- III.C. Differences between the Greek and Hebrew of Sir 50:1–24
- III.C.1. Differences in the divine titles
- III.C.2. Differences in the depictions of Simon
IV. Concluding Remarks on the Role of the High Priesthood in the Created Order
8. Conclusion
- I. Summarizing Ben Sira’s Doctrine Concerning the Cosmos
- II. The Created Order’s Role in Making Humans Wise
- III. Created Works and Human Beings in the Oikonomia of God’s Wisdom
- IV. The High Priest and the Scribe in the Oikonomia of God’s Wisdom
- V. Contributions of this Study and Directions for Future Research
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