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JEWISH WISDOM IN THE HELLENISTIC AGE THE OLD TESTAMENT LIBRARY Editorial Advisory Board JAMES L . M A Y S C A R O L A. NEWSOM D A V I D L . PETERSEN John J. Collins JEWISH WISDOM IN THE HELLENISTIC AGE Westminster John Knox Press Louisville, Kentucky © 1997 John J. Collins All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system, without permission in writing from the publisher. For information, address Westminster John Knox Press, 100 Witherspoon Street, Louisville, Kentucky 40202-1396. Scripture quotations from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible are copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. and are used by permission. Book design by Jennifer K. Cox First edition Published by Westminster John Knox Press Louisville, Kentucky This book is printed on acid-free paper that meets the American National Standards In stitute Z39.48 standard.® PRINTED IN THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA 97 98 99 00 01 02 03 04 05 06 - 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Collins, John Joseph, date. Jewish wisdom in the Hellenistic age / John J. Collins. — 1st ed. p. cm. — (The Old Testament library) Includes bibliographical references and indexes. ISBN 0-664-22109-2 1. Bible. O.T. Apocrypha. Ecclesiasticus—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Bible. O.T. Apocrypha. Wisdom of Solomon—Criticism, interpretation, etc. 3. Pseudo-Phocylides— Criticism and interpretation. 4. Wisdom—Biblical teaching. 5. Hellenism I. Title. II. Series. BS1765.2.C65 1997 229'.306-dc21 97-20102 In memory of my father, John Collins 1912-1996 4Q416 2. iii. 16 CONTENTS Acknowledgments ix Abbreviations x Chapter 1. Where Is Wisdom to Be Found? 1 PART ONE. HEBREW WISDOM 21 Chapter 2. Ben Sira in His Hellenistic Context 23 Chapter 3. Wisdom and the Law 42 Chapter 4. Ben Sira's Ethics 62 Chapter 5. The Problem of Evil and the Justice of God 80 Chapter 6. The History and Destiny of Israel 97 Chapter 7. Wisdom in the Dead Sea Scrolls 112 PART TWO. WISDOM IN THE HELLENISTIC DIASPORA 133 Chapter 8. The Diaspora Setting 135 Chapter 9. Jewish Ethics in Hellenistic Dress: The Sentences of Pseudo-Phocylides 158 Wisdom and Immortality 178 Chapter 10. Contents VIII Chapter 11. Wisdom and the Cosmos Chapter 12. Epilogue: From Hebrew Wisdom to Greek Philosophy 196 222 Bibliography 233 Index of Passages 257 Index of Authors 271 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I wish to express my gratitude to Daniel J. Harrington, S.J., for graciously pro viding me with a copy of his manuscript on "Wisdom in the Dead Sea Scrolls" prior to publication; to Torleif Elgvin for giving me access to several unpub lished articles on 4QSapiential Work A; and to Frederick Brenk, S.J., Gregory Sterling, and Gideon Bohak for bibliographic information on the status of the Jewish communities in Egypt. Shannon Burkes read the manuscript and made several helpful observations. Brenda Shaver prepared the bibliography and helped with the indexes. ABBREVIATIONS AB ABD AnBib ANET ANRW APOT ARW BAR BETL BIB B