Intertextual Studies in Ben Sira and Tobit: Essays in Honor of Alexander A. Di Lella, O.F.M. (Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph)

337 Pages·2004·2.54 MB·English

by  Jeremy Corley

Intertextual Studies
in Ben Sira
and Tobit
EDITED BY
Jeremy Corley
and
Vincent Skemp
The Catholic Biblical Quarterly Monograph Series 38
The Catholic Biblical Quarterly
Monograph Series
38
EDITORIAL BOARD
Mark S. Smith, Chairperson
Lawrence E. Boadt, C.S.P. Richard J. Clifford, S.J.
John J. Collins Frederick W. Danker
Robert A. Di Vito Daniel J. Harrington, S.J.
Ralph W. Klein Léo Laberge, O.M.I.
Bruce J. Malina Pheme Perkins
Eugene C. Ulrich Ronald D. Witherup, S.S.
Intertextual Studies in
Ben Sira and Tobit
Essays in Honor of
Alexander A. Di Lella, O.F.M.
EDITED BY
Jeremy Corley
and
Vincent Skemp
The Catholic Biblical Quarterly
Monograph Series
38
© 2005 The Catholic Biblical Association of America,
Washington, DC 20064
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any
form or by any means without permission in writing from
the Catholic Biblical Association of America.
Produced in the United States of America
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Intertextual studies in Ben Sira and Tobit : essays in honor of Alexander A.
Di Lella, O.F.M. / edited by Jeremy Corley and Vincent Skemp. — 1st ed.
p. cm. — (The Catholic Biblical quarterly. Monograph series. ; 38)
Includes bibliographical references and indexes.
ISBN 0-915170-37-X
1. Bible. O.T. Apocrypha. Ecclesiasticus—Criticism, interpretation, etc.
2. Bible. O.T. Apocrypha. Tobit—Criticism, interpretation, etc.
3. Intertextuality in the Bible. 4. Bible—Criticism, interpretation, etc.
I. Corley, Jeremy. II. Skemp, Vincent T. M. III. Di Lella, Alexander A.
IV. Title. V. Series.
BS1765.52.I67 2004
229'.2206—dc22
2004018378
Contents
FOREWORD
Francis T. Gignac, S.J.
ix
INTRODUCTION
Jeremy Corley and Vincent Skemp, editors
xiii
PARTONE
TOBIT AND THE BIBLICAL TRADITION
1
THEBOOKOFTOBIT: ANANCESTRALSTORY
Irene Nowell, O.S.B.
3
“EYESTOTHEBLIND”: A DIALOGUEBETWEENTOBITANDJOB
Anathea Portier-Young
14
THEPSALMSANDTHEBOOKOFTOBIT
Stephen Ryan, O.P.
28
AVENUESOFINTERTEXTUALITYBETWEENTOBIT
ANDTHENEWTESTAMENT
Vincent Skemp
43
v
vi · Contents
THEMEDIEVALHEBREWANDARAMAICTEXTSOFTOBIT
Loren T. Stuckenbruck and Stuart D. E. Weeks
71
PARTTWO
BEN SIRA AND EARLIER BIBLICAL BOOKS
87
BENSIRA, READEROFGENESIS1-11
Maurice Gilbert, S.J.
89
THEINFLUENCEOFTHEBOOKOFEXODUSONBENSIRA
Friedrich V. Reiterer
100
INSEARCHOFPARALLELS: BENSIRAANDTHEBOOKOFKINGS
Pancratius C. Beentjes
118
BENSIRAANDTHEPROPHETS
Leo G. Perdue
132
ANINTERTEXTUALSTUDYOFPROVERBSANDBENSIRA
Jeremy Corley
155
PARTTHREE
PARTICULAR THEMES IN BEN SIRA AND OTHER TEXTS
183
MULTUMINPARVO: BENSIRA’S
PORTRAYALOFTHEPATRIARCHJOSEPH
C. T. Robert Hayward
185
Contents · vii
EZRA, SCRIBEANDPRIEST, AND
THECONCERNSOFBENSIRA
Michael W. Duggan
201
“FAITHINGOD” RATHERTHAN“FEAROFGOD” INBENSIRA
ANDJOB: A NECESSARYADJUSTMENT
INTERMINOLOGYANDUNDERSTANDING
Renate Egger-Wenzel
211
“COME, LETUSBEWISE”: QOHELETHANDBENSIRA
ONTRUEWISDOM, WITHANEARTOPHARAOH’SFOLLY
J. Edward Owens, O.SS.T.
227
BENSIRAANDTHEBOOKOFTHEWATCHERS
ONTHELEGITIMATEPRIESTHOOD
Benjamin G. Wright III
241
AMIDTRIALS: BENSIRA2:1 ANDJAMES1:2
Núria Calduch-Benages
255
SANCTUSMATTHAEUS, MAGISTERSAPIENTIAE,
SUMMACUMLAUDE
James K. Aitken
264
ALEXANDERA. DILELLA: BIBLIOGRAPHY
280
CONTRIBUTORS
291
INDEXES
Ancient Sources, Authors, and Subjects
293

Foreword
It is indeed a great privilege for me to contribute a Foreword to this
Festschrift in honor of The Reverend Alexander A. Di Lella, O.F.M., on
the occasion of his 75th birthday. It is my hope that highlighting his
achievements in this heartfelt expression of appreciation will serve as a
tribute to my esteemed senior colleague to whom the biblical studies
program at The Catholic University of America owes so much.
The Reverend Alexander A. Di Lella, O.F.M., was born in Paterson,
New Jersey, on August 14, 1929. He received his B.A. degree from St.
Bonaventure University in 1952, an S.T.L. and a Ph.D. in Semitic
Languages from The Catholic University of America in 1959 and 1962,
and an S.S.L. from the Pontifical Biblical Institute in 1964. He was a pro-
fessor in the Department of Semitic and Egyptian Languages and
Literatures at Catholic University from 1966to 1976, when he transferred
to the newly formed Department of Biblical Studies in the School of
Religious Studies as professor of Old Testament, being awarded the
Andrews-Kelly-Ryan Distinguished Professor of Biblical Studies chair
in 1992. He received the Catholic University of America Alumni
Achievement Award in the field of Religious Education in 1990and the
papal Benemerenti Medal in 1995. During many of these years he also
taught at Holy Name College and in the Education for Parish Service
program at Trinity College.
In the Department of Biblical Studies, Professor Di Lella taught
doctoral-level exegetical seminars in Genesis 1–11, Daniel, Tobit, and in
the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament, especially Ben Sira, as well
ix