Fourth Maccabees And The Promotion Of The Jewish Philosophy

Fourth Maccabees isa superbly crafted oration that presents a case for the Jewish way of lifecouched almost entirely in terms of Greek ethical ideals. Using an expansionupon previous scriptural narratives as an opportunity for philosophicalexposition, its author delights in the Torah, the Law of Moses, as the divinelygiven path to becoming our best selves now. Moreover, drawing upon Greek logictradition, he develops an elaborate rationalisation of that law based upon thepromise of eternal life with God.In this collectionof essays spanning two decades of study, David deSilva examines the formativetraining that produced such an author, the rhetorical craft present in hiswork, and the author''s creative use of both Jewish and Greek literaryresources. Finally, he demonstrates the book''s enduring message and legacy inthe Christian church, from theological influence on Origen to textual relationswithin Codex Sinaiticus.