The expanded text of Ecclesiasticus : its teaching on the future life as a clue to its origin : enlarged with a biographical sketch of Kearns, an introduction to Kearns' didssertation, bibliographical updates (1951-2010)

Nowadays many scholars are intensively studying the Book of Ben Sira in its different versions. One of the most intriguing aspects relates to the great quantity of passages on the afterlife in the various stages of the text of the Book of Ben Sira. Although Conleth Kearns already in 1951 wrote an important doctoral thesis on this subject, this study has never been published and circulates only in photocopied form. Since Ben Sira scholars more and more are convinced that this investigation is of great importance, even after sixty years a proper publication is welcomed. In his study Kearns distinguishes, on the one hand, the witnesses to the second Greek and to the Latin version and, on the other hand, those to the Hebrew text, and those to the Syriac version as well. He concludes that there is unity of doctrine between the changes and additions of all the textual witnesses. Therefore he can refer to ‛the expanded text’. The teachings on afterlife as found in the various stages of the text of Ben Sira are compared with the teachings found in Jewish literature from about 200 B.C. until 100 A.D., both canonical – especially Daniel and the Wisdom of Solomon –, and apocryphal or pseudepigraphical, such as 1–2 Enoch, 4 Ezra, Jubilees, Psalms of Solomon, and Testaments of the XII Patriarchs.

Nowadays many scholars are intensively studying the Book of Ben Sira in its different versions. One of the most intriguing aspects relates to the great quantity of passages on the afterlife in the various stages of the text of the Book of Ben Sira. Although Conleth Kearns already in 1951 wrote an important doctoral thesis on this subject, thisstudy has never been published and circulates only in photocopied form. Since Ben Sira scholars more and more are convinced that this investigation is of great importance, even after sixty years a proper publication is welcomed.
In his study Kearns distinguishes, on the one hand, the witnesses to the second Greek and to the Latin version and, on the other hand, those to the Hebrew text, and those to the Syriac version as well. He concludes that there is unity of doctrine between the changes and additions of all the textual witnesses. Therefore he can refer to ‛the expanded text’.
The teachings on afterlife as found in the various stages of the text of Ben Sira are compared with the teachings found in Jewish literature from about 200 B.C. until 100 A.D., both canonical– especially Daniel and the Wisdom of Solomon –, and apocryphal or pseudepigraphical, such as 1–2 Enoch, 4 Ezra, Jubilees, Psalms of Solomon, and Testaments of the XII Patriarchs.

Preface / Pancratius C. Beentjes -- Conleth J. Kearns O.p. : An Appreciation / Gerard Norton -- Introduction To Kearns' Dissertation / Maurice Gilbert -- The Expanded Text Of Ecclesiasticus : Its Teaching On The Future Life As A Clue To Its Origin / Conleth Kearns -- Bibliographical Updates 1951-2010 / Núria Calduch-benages. Conleth Kearns ; Edited By Pancratius C. Beentjes. Enlarged With A Biographical Sketch Of Kearns By Gerard Norton ; An Introduction To Kearns' Dissertation By Maurice Gilbert ; Bibliographical Updates (1951-2010) By Núria Calduch-benages. Originally Presented As The Author's Thesis (ph.d.)--rome, 1951. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [317]-330) And Index. In spite of its importance for the textual history and the theological significance of the Book of Ben Sira, especially in its two different Greek versions, the 1951 doctoral thesis of Conleth Kearns has never been published and is only in circulation in photocopies. Kearns brought together a great quantity of textual and theological observations on the additions to the first Greek version concerning eschatology which are not to be found anywhere else until now. He has actually shown that these additions are part of a whole pseudepigraphic literature. That is the reason why this monograph deserves publication, even after sixty years. --From publisher's description Preface 5 Contents 9 An Appreciation 11 Introduction to Kearns' Dissertation 19 The Expanded Text of Ecclesiasticus. Its Teaching on the Future Life as a Clue to Its Origin 33 Contents 35 Preface 39 Abbreviations, Transliteration, Translation 43 Bibliography 47 Text 57 Appendix: The Divine Inspiration of the Added Passages 313 Index: Passages Discussed, or Quoted as Parallels 321 Bibliographical Updates 1951-2010 327 1. The Expanded Text of Ecclesiasticus 327 2. Ben Sira's Teaching on Death and Future Life 332 3. Ben Sira's Ideas on Resurrection and Messianism 337 Abbreviations 343