Original Research

Two approaches to life in the Second Temple period: Deuteronomy and Qoholet

Christo Lombaard
HTS Teologiese Studies / Theological Studies | Vol 65, No 1 | a185 | DOI: https://doi.org/10.4102/hts.v65i1.185 | © 2009 Christo Lombaard | This work is licensed under CC Attribution 4.0
Submitted: 28 April 2009 | Published: 17 November 2009

About the author(s)

Christo Lombaard, University of South Africa, South Africa

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Abstract

The prosaic Mosaic death in Deuteronomy 34 leaves the way of life [foreign font omitted] as constituted in [foreign font omitted]. That is, par excellence: Life [foreign font omitted] is found in words. In Qohelet, another kind of existentialism, in the face of death, is found, namely in the sensual life of enjoyment of food, drink and companionship. These two approaches constitute different, competing Second Temple period conceptions of how to live, despite death, coram Deo. These two conceptions indicate the existence of more than one ethos within ancient Judaic society – a dynamic often lacking in the South African context.

Keywords

Old Testament; ethics; Pentateuch; Qohelet; Moses

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