The Images of God in Ecclesiastes By Ebele Chibueze Chukwuka (U13271921) Submitted in fulfilment of requirements for the degree MA (Theology) in Old Testament Studies in the Faculty of Theology at the University of Pretoria Supervisor: Dr Ananda Geyser-Fouché JULY 2015 TABLE OF CONTENTS Acknowledgement.................................................................................................... v CHAPTER 1 ............................................................................................................... 1 Introduction and research interest ......................................................................... 1 1.1 Introduction .................................................................................................... 1 1.2 Relevance of the research ............................................................................. 2 1.3 Preliminary literature study ........................................................................... 2 1.4 Problem statement ......................................................................................... 4 1.5 Aim and objectives of the study ................................................................... 5 1.5.1 Aim ............................................................................................................. 5 1.5.2 Objectives of the study ............................................................................... 5 1.6 Methodology ................................................................................................... 6 1.7 Research hypothesis ..................................................................................... 7 1.8 Orthography and terminology ....................................................................... 8 1.8.1 Orthography ............................................................................................... 8 1.8.2 Terminology ............................................................................................... 8 1.9 Outline of chapters ......................................................................................... 8 CHAPTER 2 ............................................................................................................. 10 The literary genre of the Book of Ecclesiastes .................................................... 10 2.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 10 2.2 Which Old Testament books are considered Wisdom literature?............ 11 2.2.1 Summary ................................................................................................. 14 2.3 How do the Wisdom literatures of the Old Testament differ from one another? .................................................................................................................. 15 2.3.1 Summary ................................................................................................. 19 2.4 The socio-historical context of the Wisdom literatures of the Old Testament ............................................................................................................... 20 2.4.1 Summary ................................................................................................. 23 2.5 Who wrote the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament? ......................... 24 2.5.1 Who were the sages? .............................................................................. 24 2.5.2 Arguments for a distinct sage group ........................................................ 25 2.5.3 Arguments against a non-distinct sage group .......................................... 27 2.5.4 Summary ................................................................................................. 28 2.6 Why was the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament written? ............... 29 i 2.6.2 Summary ................................................................................................. 32 CHAPTER 3 ............................................................................................................. 34 The historical studies and different viewpoints on the Book of Ecclesiastes .. 34 3.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 34 3.2 Canonicity of the Book of Ecclesiastes ...................................................... 35 3.2.1 Arguments in support of the canonicity of Ecclesiastes ........................... 35 3.2.2 Arguments against the canonicity of Ecclesiastes ................................... 37 3.2.3 Summary ................................................................................................. 41 3.3 Dating of the Book of Ecclesiastes ............................................................. 42 3.3.1 Pre-exilic period ....................................................................................... 42 3.3.2 Post-exilic period ...................................................................................... 43 3.3.3 Summary ................................................................................................. 45 3.4 Authorship of Ecclesiastes ......................................................................... 46 3.4.1 Arguments in favour of Solomonic authorship ......................................... 46 3.4.2 Arguments against Solomonic authorship of Ecclesiastes ....................... 48 3.4.3 Summary ................................................................................................. 51 3.5 The reaction to the Book of Ecclesiastes ................................................... 52 3.6 The purpose of the Book of Ecclesiastes .................................................. 55 3.6.1 Presupposition ......................................................................................... 55 3.6.2 Development of viewpoints ...................................................................... 56 3.6.3 Summary ................................................................................................. 60 3.7 The images of God in Ecclesiastes............................................................. 60 3.7.1 Summary ................................................................................................. 65 3.8 The human relationships to God’s images in Ecclesiastes ...................... 65 3.8.1 Summary ................................................................................................. 69 CHAPTER 4 ............................................................................................................. 71 Literary study of the Book of Ecclesiastes .......................................................... 71 4.1 Introduction .................................................................................................. 71 4.2 Observation of the Book of Ecclesiastes ................................................... 72 4.2.1 Introduction .............................................................................................. 72 4.2.2 Chapters 1 and 2 ..................................................................................... 72 4.2.3 Chapters 3 and 4 ..................................................................................... 73 4.2.4 Chapter 4 ................................................................................................. 73 ii 4.2.5 Chapters 5 and 6 ..................................................................................... 74 4.2.6 Chapters 7 and 8 ..................................................................................... 74 4.2.7 Chapter 8 ................................................................................................. 75 4.2.8 Chapter 9 and 10 ..................................................................................... 75 4.2.9 Chapters 11 and 12 ................................................................................. 76 4.2.10 Summary ................................................................................................. 77 4.3 The creative images of God ......................................................................... 79 4.3.1 Ecclesiastes 3:11 ..................................................................................... 80 4.3.1.1 The Hebrew text ................................................................................ 80 4.3.1.2 The translation (first clause Ecclesiastes 3:11a) ............................... 80 4.3.1.3 Comparing the English translations ................................................... 82 4.3.1.4 Translation (second clause: Ecclesiastes 3:11b)............................... 83 4.3.1.5 Summary ........................................................................................... 90 4.3.2 Ecclesiastes 7:29 ..................................................................................... 90 4.3.2.1 The Hebrew text ................................................................................ 90 4.3.2.2 The translation................................................................................... 90 4.3.2.3 Summary ........................................................................................... 94 4.3.3 Ecclesiastes 11:5 ..................................................................................... 95 4.3.3.1 The Hebrew text ................................................................................ 95 4.3.3.2 The translation................................................................................... 95