10. What about Apocalypticism in the Book of Ben Sira?

Abstract

Especially the last two decades have seen a tremendous development in the study of wisdom and apocalypticism. this respect, the efforts of the Wisdom and Apocalypticism in Early Judaism and Christianity Group of the Society of Biblical Literature deserve special mention. Benjamin Wright formulates his view in the following way: In all of these works, however, the polemic is mostly indirect. That is, each of them seems to be directed to its own group rather than towards its opponents, and thus, the polemic functions as a way of providing inner group stability and cohesion. - Ben Sira apparently did not intend his teaching for those with whom he had difficulties and differences, but for his own students. Ben Sira's marked reference to passages from the Hebrew Bible is sufficient evidence that the disciples are incited to confine themselves to what has been revealed in the Torah. Keywords:apocalypticism; Ben Sira; Benjamin Wright; Hebrew Bible; Torah