Sirach is a book that raises a very distinctive set of problems. What should we call it (Sirach, Ecclesiasticus, Ben Sira)? What is the relation between the traditional Greek text and the recently rediscovered Hebrew parts of the book? Where did it stand in relation to Jewish tradition and the Hellenism that was sweeping the Mediterranean world?
In this guide, these and other issues are discussed, including the use the author made of Scripture, and the scholarly placing of the book in the Wisdom tradition. The author’s attitude to women is also considered. The volume ends with an examination of some of the chief theological themes of Sirach.
