Creation and Cosmos in Greek Sirach 18:1–10
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Jeremy Corley
Abstract
While a general creation perspective underlies the poem, the mention of God’s creating appears in the Greek of Sir 18:1, where the Syriac speaks of divine judgment. The Lucianic gloss in 18:3 depicts the Deity steering the cosmos, though elsewhere within the uncial Greek tradition the word κόσμος has its older meaning of decoration or adornment. The admiring questions (directed toward God) in 18:4-6 match other statements by the sage within his creation poems (e. g., Sir 42:15-25; 43:27-33). Turning from God’s almighty power, the sage contemplates the smallness of human beings, limited by their mortality (18:8-10). Such human limitations lead the sage to conclude that humans need God’s mercy, which is freely available (18:11- 14). Ben Sira’s creation theology is rooted in the Pentateuch’s priestly vision of a sole Creator (18:1-2; cf. Gen 1:1-2:4). His cosmology also has parallels with Stoic thinking in his attitude of praise of God (18:4-5; cf. vv. 36-38 of Cleanthes’s Hymn to Zeus) and the notion of creation’s perfection (18:6; cf. Cicero, Nat. d. 2.37). These Stoic parallels are developed in the Lucianic addition, depicting everything obeying the monarchical Deity who controls the universe (18:2b-3; cf. vv. 7-9 of Cleanthes’s Hymn to Zeus). Overall, we see that the sage emphasizes God’s marvelous provision for human beings, despite the shortness of their lives on earth.
Abstract
While a general creation perspective underlies the poem, the mention of God’s creating appears in the Greek of Sir 18:1, where the Syriac speaks of divine judgment. The Lucianic gloss in 18:3 depicts the Deity steering the cosmos, though elsewhere within the uncial Greek tradition the word κόσμος has its older meaning of decoration or adornment. The admiring questions (directed toward God) in 18:4-6 match other statements by the sage within his creation poems (e. g., Sir 42:15-25; 43:27-33). Turning from God’s almighty power, the sage contemplates the smallness of human beings, limited by their mortality (18:8-10). Such human limitations lead the sage to conclude that humans need God’s mercy, which is freely available (18:11- 14). Ben Sira’s creation theology is rooted in the Pentateuch’s priestly vision of a sole Creator (18:1-2; cf. Gen 1:1-2:4). His cosmology also has parallels with Stoic thinking in his attitude of praise of God (18:4-5; cf. vv. 36-38 of Cleanthes’s Hymn to Zeus) and the notion of creation’s perfection (18:6; cf. Cicero, Nat. d. 2.37). These Stoic parallels are developed in the Lucianic addition, depicting everything obeying the monarchical Deity who controls the universe (18:2b-3; cf. vv. 7-9 of Cleanthes’s Hymn to Zeus). Overall, we see that the sage emphasizes God’s marvelous provision for human beings, despite the shortness of their lives on earth.
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Abbreviations VII
- Introduction 1
- Zum Gedenken an Otto Kaiser (1924–2017) 5
- In Memory of Alexander A. Di Lella (1929–2019) 9
- Heaven: Use, Function and Content of a Cosmic Concept 13
- Does κτίστης Mean “Creator”? The Lexeme κτι- and Its Implications in the Greek-Hellenistic Context 35
- Cosmos and Creation in Job 38 (Septuagint) 55
- Cosmic Events in the First and Last Additions to the Greek Text of the Book of Esther 77
- “Bless the Lord, Winter Cold and Summer Heat”. Cosmos and Creation in Greek Daniel 3:52–90 91
- Epiphanies: Cosmic Transcendence in 2 Maccabees 111
- “Gold from Heaven” in 2 Maccabees 129
- Creation and Humanity in the Book of Ben Sira 149
- Polarities in Creation (Sir 33:7–15) 179
- A Theology of the Creator and His Creation in Sir 42:15–25 201
- Creation and Cosmos in Greek Sirach 18:1–10 223
- Cosmos and Empire in the Wisdom of Solomon 245
- Creation and History in the Structure of the Book of Wisdom. ἡ κτίσις … ὑπηρετοῦσα (Wis 16:24) 271
- Philosophical Ideas about Cosmos and Creation in the Book of Wisdom 297
- God’s Conflict with the Chaos Monster in the Book of Tobit 319
- Cosmological Origins and Creation in 4QInstruction 331
- The Work of Creation in Early Rabbinic Prayers and Benedictions 345
- Ben Sira 42–50: An Antecedent of the Seder ‘Avodah Poems? 363
- Biographies of Authors 385
- Index of References 387
- Index of Authors 429
- Index of Subjects 435
Kapitel in diesem Buch
- Frontmatter I
- Contents V
- Abbreviations VII
- Introduction 1
- Zum Gedenken an Otto Kaiser (1924–2017) 5
- In Memory of Alexander A. Di Lella (1929–2019) 9
- Heaven: Use, Function and Content of a Cosmic Concept 13
- Does κτίστης Mean “Creator”? The Lexeme κτι- and Its Implications in the Greek-Hellenistic Context 35
- Cosmos and Creation in Job 38 (Septuagint) 55
- Cosmic Events in the First and Last Additions to the Greek Text of the Book of Esther 77
- “Bless the Lord, Winter Cold and Summer Heat”. Cosmos and Creation in Greek Daniel 3:52–90 91
- Epiphanies: Cosmic Transcendence in 2 Maccabees 111
- “Gold from Heaven” in 2 Maccabees 129
- Creation and Humanity in the Book of Ben Sira 149
- Polarities in Creation (Sir 33:7–15) 179
- A Theology of the Creator and His Creation in Sir 42:15–25 201
- Creation and Cosmos in Greek Sirach 18:1–10 223
- Cosmos and Empire in the Wisdom of Solomon 245
- Creation and History in the Structure of the Book of Wisdom. ἡ κτίσις … ὑπηρετοῦσα (Wis 16:24) 271
- Philosophical Ideas about Cosmos and Creation in the Book of Wisdom 297
- God’s Conflict with the Chaos Monster in the Book of Tobit 319
- Cosmological Origins and Creation in 4QInstruction 331
- The Work of Creation in Early Rabbinic Prayers and Benedictions 345
- Ben Sira 42–50: An Antecedent of the Seder ‘Avodah Poems? 363
- Biographies of Authors 385
- Index of References 387
- Index of Authors 429
- Index of Subjects 435
