Ecclesiastes Through the Centuries

Eric S. Christianson is an independent scholar living in the UK. He is author of A Time to Tell: Narrative Strategies in Ecclesiastes (1988) and co-editor of Cinéma Divinité: Religion, Theology and the Bible in Film (2005), The Lure of the Dark Side: Satan and Western Demonology in Popular Culture (2009) and Holy Terror: Understanding Religion and Violence in Popular Culture (2010).

• Series Editors’ Preface xi Preface xiiiPreface to the Paperback Edition xviiTestimonia 1The Vagaries of Interpreting Ecclesiastes 1Charting a Harsh Terrain 4Qoheleth the Philosopher 5Wrought by Melancholy 7Preacher of Joy 9True to Life 10Qoheleth and Christianity 14Qoheleth and Justice 15Introduction 171 A History of Reception Histories 192 Reading Strategies and Lines of Influence 22Pre-Modern Reading: –1500 23Early Modern Reading: 1500–1800 40A. Renaissance and Reform 40B. Sixteenth- and Seventeenth-Century Verse 51C. On the Way to Modernity 57Modern Reading: 1800– 65A. Literature 65B. Visual Art, Music and Film 75C. Comparative Studies 84Ecclesiastes 1 87The Life and Death of Solomon the Author: 1:1 et passim 89A. Alive and Well in Pre-Modernity (–1500) 89B. Embattled in Early Modernity (1500–1800) 95C. Dead in Modernity – Solomon’s Ghost (1800–) 96Vanitas Vanitatum: 1:2 et passim 98A. Despising the World through Vanitas (–1500) 100B. Renaissance Vanitas: Despising Jerome and Suspecting the Sciences (1500–1800) 106C. Literary Vanitas: New Points of Reference (1800–) 125D. The Breadth of Vanitas 140The Overture Played Out: 1:3–18 142Ecclesiastes 2 156Wrestling with the Test of Pleasure: 2:1–10 157Understanding Wisdom, Folly and God’s Gifts: 2:11–24 161Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 164The Totality of Times 165Ecclesiastes 3:9–6:12 174On Fate, Knowledge and Anthropology: 3:9–22 175On Oppression and the Value of Companionship: 4:1–12 180On Conducting Oneself in the House of God: 5:1–8 183On the Possibility of Profi t and Relief from hebel: 5:10–6:12 184Ecclesiastes 7–8 188The Curious Values of Wisdom: 7:1–12 189The Incongruity of Experience and the Inaccessibility of Wisdom: 7:13–29 192About Wisdom, Power and Authority: 8:1–17 201Ecclesiastes 9:1–12 206The Wisdom of Death and Life 207Ecclesiastes 9:13–11:10 216Wise Conduct in the Light of Uncertainty: 9:13–11:6 217The Final Call to Joy: 11:7–10 221Ecclesiastes 12:1–7 225The Rule of Allegory 227Beyond Allegory 232Ecclesiastes 12:8–14 247The Final Word 249A Hermeneutical Postscript 256Understanding the Pervasive Appeal of Qoheleth 256The Exegetical ‘Fidelity’ of Ecclesiastes’ Reception History 259How Might This Reception History Inform the Discipline? 261Bibliography 264Primary Sources 2651. Pre-1500 2652. 1500–1800 2673. Post-1800 271Reception Histories of Ecclesiastes 2751. Jewish and Christian 2752. Surveys of Academic Approaches 2803. Literature 281Specialist Comparative Studies 283Ecclesiastes General Secondary Sources 285Other Secondary Sources 291Appendix – The Quotable Qoheleth: Ecclesiastes in Popular Discourse 296List of Illustrations 300Acknowledgements 302Name Index 303Subject Index 312

"Christianson's study of Ecclesiastes's cultural impact is rich and rewarding. [He] beautifully exposits the material that he treats, and suggests by brief reference some other avenues of fruitful exploration. In these ways, Ecclesiastes Through the Centuries serves both as an excellent treatment of the title theme and a good model for other reception histories to follow. The book may be heartily recommended, without reservation." (Bible and Critical Theory) "A fundamental resource on biblical interpretation, especially in the modern world, this book is a winner." (International Review of Biblical Studies)"Students of Ecclesiastes have been waiting a good many years for a book like Eric Christianson's study … Not since the time of Christian David Ginsburg's magisterial commentary Coheleth (commonly called the Book of Ecclesiastes) in 1861 has there been such a thorough survey of the reception history of Ecclesiastes." (Lutheran Theological Journal)"With the text's many difficult and provocative passages, the reception history of Ecclesiastes is always going to be more interesting than that of many biblical books, and in this erudite but entertaining commentary, Christianson takes full advantage of the rich materials at his disposal...The introduction and commentary proper cover many topics, from patristic and rabbinic exegesis through to modern science-fiction, with numerous stops on the way...Christianson is a genial guide throughout, and his own enthusiasm is clear; the book is very well written and accessible, moreover, so that it should appeal to both specialists and a wider public...Overall an excellent book." (Society for Old Testament Study Book List)