The ambiguity of death in the book of Wisdom 1-6. A study of literary structure and interpretation

Description

L'ambiguita della morte nel libro della Sapienza 1-6. Studio di Michael Kolarchik. Questo studio dimostra che un'attenta lettura del testo apre il lettore alla metafora di una scena processuale. Attraverso l'elaborazione metaforica del processo, si mettono a confronto le opinioni conflittuali sulla mortalita, sulla morte fisica e sulla morte definitiva, all'interno di una discussione drammatica sulla vita e sulla morte. The first six chapters of the Book of Wisdom contain some rather daring and bold declarations on the nature of death: God did not make death (1:13). and through envy of the adversary, death entered the world (2:24). Numerous study have dealt with the idea of death in Wisdom from different points of view: eschatology, theology of sin, development of the idea of death in OT. A careful reading of the text opens the reader to the atuhor's metaphor of a trial scene. Throughout the metaphorical elaboration of the trial, conclicting views on mortality, physical death, and ultimate death play against one another within a dramatic argument of life and death. AB 127 The Ambiguity of Death - cover Title Page Table of Contents Introduction Chapter One - an historical survey: the structure of the Book of Wisdom A-1 Literary Structure A-2 Outlining the Book of Wisdom according to its Theme A-3 Outling the Book of Wisdom according to its Literary Structure A-4 Conclusion: literary structure as a context for interpretation Chapter Two - the literary structure of Wis 1:1–6:21 B-1 Introduction: the poetic sensibility of the Wis author B-2 Wis 1:1-15 B-3 Wis 1:16--2:2:24 B-4 Wis 3:1--4:20 B-5 Wis 5:1-23 B-6 Wis 6:1-21 B-7 The division between the first two parts of Wis B-8 The literary unity of Wis 1--6 B-9 The concentric Structure of Wis 1--6 B-10 The linear links of Wis 1--6 B-11 Diagram of the concentric structure (Wis 1--6) Chapter Three - the dynamic of the argument in Wis 1–6 C-1 A preliminary qualification: can a concentric structure be dynamic? C-2 The opening Exhortation (Wis 1:1-15) C-3 The first speech of the wicked (Wis 1:16–2:24) C-3.1 Introduction to the speech of the wicked (1:16–2:1a) C-3.2 Direct speech of the wicked (2:1b-20) C-3.3 Conclusion to the speech of the wicked (2:21-24) C-4 Various senses of death C-4.1 Ultimate death / physical death C-4.2 Progression of evil in the speech of the wicked C-4.3 The trial background C-4.4 Summary of the critical role of the image of death C-5 The author's rebuttal of the wicked's arguments in four diptychs (Wis 3–4) C-5.1 The author's procedure of defense and attack C-5.2 The first diptych (3:1-12) the just/the wicked C-5.3 The second diptych — the sterile woman/the eunuch in contrast to the generation of the wicked (3:13-19) C-5.4 The third diptych — the praise of virtue in contrast with the useless fruit of the wicked (4:1-6) C-5.5 The fourth diptych — the contast of the premature death of the just youth with the wicked (4:7-20) C-5.6 The impact of the author's choice of images to refute the wicked's accusation C-6 The wicked's confession of guilt and God's judgment (Wis 5:1-23) C-6.1 Introduction of the scene of judgment (5:1-3) C-6.2 The wicked's confession of guilt (5:4-14) C-6.3 The scene of judgment (5L15-23) C-7 Concluding exhortation for understanding and for wisdom (Wis 6:1-21) C-7.1 Kings are exhorted to understand and to learn (6:1-8) C-7.2 Positive motives for learning wisdom (6:9-21) C-8 Summary of the author's argumentation in Wis 1–6 C-9 Excursus: Sources for the language the wicked employ in their first speech C-9.1 The judgment on death (2:1-5), the call to exploit life (2:6-9) C-9.2 The call to oppress the just (2:10-20) C-9.3 The priority of the argument Chapter Four - the interpretations of death in Wis 1–6 D-1 The critical function of the theme of death in Wis 1–6 D-2 Approaches to the clarification of death in Wis 1–6 D-3 Death in 1:13 and 2:24 interprete as 'physical death' D-3.1 The complexity of the primeval accounts in Gen 1–3 D-3.2 The restriction of 'death' to the wicked (1:16d, 2:24:b) D-4 Death in 1:13 and 2:24 interpreted as 'spiritual death' D-5 Death in 1:13 and 2:24 interpreted as both physical and spiritual death D-6 Conclusion: the distinctions between mortality, physcial death as punishment and ultimate death Chapter 5 - the ambiguity of death in Wis 1--6 E-1 The context of death's ambiguity E-2 The author's refutation of a false notion of death E-3 The analysis of death through the image of a trial E-4 Perspectives on mortality, physical death as punishment and ultimate death E-4.1 Perceptions of mortality by the wicked and by the author E-4.2 Physical death as punishment E-4.3 Ultimate death E-5 The relationship between mortality and physical death as punishment and ultimate death E-6 Reasons for the author's sustained ambiguity of death E-6.1 The inherent ambiguity of mortality E-6.2 Ambiguity as a catalyst for reflection Conclusion Bibliography Abbreviations Index of subjects Authors cited Scripture references