God’s Conflict with the Chaos Monster in the Book of Tobit
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Francis M. Macatangay
Abstract
The mythic tradition of the divine combat with the forces of chaos often appears in the Old Testament as an explanation for God’s act of creating an ordered cosmos (cf. Isa 51:9-11; Ps 74:12-17). The essay argues that this creation motif informs the portrait of chaos and restoration in the book of Tobit. God’s conflict with the dragon and the chaos monster likely forms the background for the sudden appearance in the story of an enormous fish that attacks Tobias. As with other mythic traditions of conflict, the defeat of the fish becomes a source of life and well-being. In evoking the combat myth, the narrative actualizes God’s creative might in the days of old not only for Tobit’s tormented present but also for his future restoration from exilic chaos.
Abstract
The mythic tradition of the divine combat with the forces of chaos often appears in the Old Testament as an explanation for God’s act of creating an ordered cosmos (cf. Isa 51:9-11; Ps 74:12-17). The essay argues that this creation motif informs the portrait of chaos and restoration in the book of Tobit. God’s conflict with the dragon and the chaos monster likely forms the background for the sudden appearance in the story of an enormous fish that attacks Tobias. As with other mythic traditions of conflict, the defeat of the fish becomes a source of life and well-being. In evoking the combat myth, the narrative actualizes God’s creative might in the days of old not only for Tobit’s tormented present but also for his future restoration from exilic chaos.
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
