Bøger i Deuterocanonical and Cognate Literature Studies serien

i The Wisdom of Solomon 10 is a unique passage among Jewish sapiential texts since it both presents Lady Wisdom as God's acting agent in early Israelite history and explicitly categorizes key biblical figures as either righteous or unrighteous. Structurally, Wisdom 10 is a pivotal text that binds the two halves of the book together through its vocabulary and themes. Although chapter 10 is such a unique passage that is central to the work, no full-scale study of this chapter has been attempted. Recent scholarship on the Wisdom of Solomon has focused on the identification of genres in the book's subsections and the author's reinterpretation of Scripture.Through the use of historical and literary criticism, this study especially focuses on the genre and hermeneutical method of Wisdom 10 in comparison to other passages in the book and similar types of literature inside and outside the Bible. Chapter One establishes the purpose and methodology of the study, Chapter Two sets the literary and historical contexts for the Wisdom of Solomon, and Chapters Three to Six analyze the text poetically, form-critically, exegetically, and hermeneutically.This study concludes that Pseudo-Solomon, the book's author, composed and used Wisdom 10 in order to bind the two halves of the book together. Its genre is that of a Beispielreihe, or example list, and its form is an alternation of positive and negative examples that are linked by the repetition of a keyword. The passage also reflects elements of aretalogy, synkrisis, and midrash. Because of the first two of these elements, chapter 10 may be seen as supplementing the encomiastic genre in chapters 6-9. Furthermore, the aretalogical flavor of the text depicts Lady Wisdom in ways similar to the popular Hellenistic Egyptian goddess Isis in order to show Wisdom's superiority to the pagan deity. Lastly, chapter 10 exhibits six primary hermeneutical principles used by the author throughout the book, albeit with differing degrees of focus.Since the Wisdom of Solomon is a late composition, this study illuminates one facet of the Jewish Hellenistic reinterpretation of Scripture and will elucidate similar modes of exegesis in the early rabbinical and early Christian eras.

The book investigates Ben Sira's attitudes toward all matters pertaining to sexuality in the context of family relations and gender issues. The author's seemingly negative attitude to women, the anxiety expressed in the discussions of marital and extramarital relations, and the disciplining of children can lead to the assumption that the work has a negative attitude toward sexuality. Ben Sira's book is a combination of carefully composed wisdom poems and of teachings on everyday issues, including marriage, family life, self-control, desires, and sexual promiscuity. The sage dedicates a greater number of passages than other wisdom books to the discussion of social relations especially in regard to family. In so doing his regular point of departure seems to be what benefits or damages these relations mean, and whether they bring disgrace to a person, especially through sexuality. In addition, we have to make a distinction between the attitudes of the writer of the original Hebrew text of the book and that of the Greek translator. The two texts, produced in different social settings, times and places, differ at times in regard to sexuality.This book examines the wisdom poems, some characterized by openness about issues of eroticism, and all sayings that concern matters pertaining to sexuality found in discussions of passions, family relations and gender issues, and warnings against sexual wrongdoing. All this is done with a special regard to the differences between the Hebrew original text and the Greek translation.

Contains papers that were presented at the International Conference on the Deuterocanonical Books (Papa, Hungary).

Presents selected papers read at the first meeting of the Society for Jewish and Biblical Studies in Central Europe, in Piliscsaba, Hungary, 1-2 February, 2009. This title features the papers that investigate various aspects of the concept 'Stranger' in Jewish tradition, from the Hebrew Bible to Mediaeval Jewish thought.

Jewish anthropological beliefs during the Hellenistic-Roman period are an important but previously neglected area of biblical exegesis and Jewish studies. Thus, the volume provides an exemplary foundation for further research on ancient Jewish anthropology.

The impact of earlier works to the literature of early Judaism is an intensively researched topic in contemporary scholarship. The contributors explore scriptural authority in early Jewish literature and the writings of nascent Christianity.

The impact of earlier works to the literature of early Judaism is an intensively researched topic in contemporary scholarship. This book is based on an international conference held at the Sapientia College of Theology in Budapest, May 18-21, 2010.

The present volume contains papers delivered at the International Conference on the Deuterocanonical Books, held at the Sapientia College of Theology, Budapest, Hungary, 14-16 May, 2009. The contributions explore various aspects of the Book of Judith: its textual versions, historical background, theological ideas and literary afterlife.

As environmental destruction begins to seriously affect humans, it has become increasingly relevant to reflect on the essential elements of the Jewish and Christian theologies of creation. This title explores key aspects of creation theology, which poses the question of the origin of the world and of man.

Old Testament texts frequently offer a theological view of history. This is very evident in the "Books of Chronicles" and in the final section of "Ben Sira". This book aims to recreate a national identity centered on temple piety. It also includes chapters that consider the portrayal of Israelite kings like David, Hezekiah, and Josiah.