Items related to Qoheleth, Second Edition (Readings, a New Biblical...

Qoheleth, Second Edition (Readings, a New Biblical Commentary) - Softcover

Ogden, Graham

 
9781906055097: Qoheleth, Second Edition (Readings, a New Biblical Commentary)
Softcover
ISBN 10: 1906055092 ISBN 13: 9781906055097
Publisher: Sheffield Phoenix Press, 2007

Synopsis

Qoheleth's driving question, according to Ogden, is posed in the opening lines of his book. It is the question, What lasting advantage (yithron) results from the multitude of activities in which humans find themselves engaged? In a word, the answer is, None; but the supplementary question remains, How shall we then live? Qoheleth is no pessimist. Even though he believes that nothing survives from the activities of life, he encourages his readers to live life to the full, to 'eat, drink and enjoy what God provides'. Wisdom is one of those enjoyable benefits of life, but even it has its limitations: it can never produce an understanding of the totality. What of the classic term hebel (traditionally translated 'vanity') in Qoheleth's thought? It is much better understood, argues Ogden, as 'enigma' or 'mystery', and the mystery it points to is the mystery of the yithron: how is joy the proper goal of human life when we know it must inevitably come to an end without leaving any surplus?

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About the Author

Ogden was Professor of Old Testament and Hebrew in Taiwan Theological College for seven years before accepting an appointment as Translations Consultant with the United Bible Societies in Taiwan.

"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.

Publisher
Sheffield Phoenix Press
Publication date
2007
Language
English
ISBN 10 
1906055092
ISBN 13 
9781906055097
Binding
Paperback
Edition number
2
Number of pages
256