Suffering in Ancient Worldview

Luke, Seneca and 4 Maccabees in Dialogue

Suffering in Ancient Worldview

Luke, Seneca and 4 Maccabees in Dialogue

Brian J. Tabb (Author)

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Description

Suffering in Ancient Worldview investigates representative Christian, Roman Stoic and Jewish perspectives on the nature, problem and purpose of suffering. Tabb presents a close reading of Acts, Seneca's essays and letters and 4 Maccabees, highlighting how each author understands suffering vis-à-vis God, humanity, the world's problem and its solution, and the future. Tabb's study offers a pivotal definition for suffering in the 1st century and concludes by creatively situating these ancient authors in dialogue with each other.

Tabb shows that, despite their different religious and cultural positions, these ancient authors each expect and accept suffering as a present reality that is governed by divine providence, however defined. Luke, Seneca and the author of 4 Maccabees each affirm that suffering is not humanity's fundamental problem. Rather, suffering functions as a cipher for other things to be displayed. For Seneca, suffering provides an opportunity for one to learn and show virtue. The author of 4 Maccabees presents the nation's suffering as retribution for sin, while the martyrs' virtuous suffering leads to Israel's salvation. For Luke, the Lord Jesus suffers to accomplish salvation and restoration for the world marred by sin and suffering, and the suffering of his followers is instrumental for Christian mission.

Acknowledgements
List of Abbreviations
Introduction
1. Suffering in Seneca's Writings: Exegesis
2. Suffering in Seneca's Worldview: Synthensis
3. Suffering in 4 Maccabees: Exegesis
4. Suffering in the Worldview of 4 Maccabees
5. Suffering in Acts: Exegesis
6. Suffering in Luke's Worldview: Synthesis
7. An Ancient Conversation about Suffering
Bibliography
Index

Product details

Published	Nov 01 2018
Format	Paperback
Edition	1st
Extent	256
ISBN	9780567684868
Imprint	T&T Clark
Dimensions	9 x 6 inches
Series	The Library of New Testament Studies
Publisher	Bloomsbury Publishing

Author

Brian J. Tabb

Brian J. Tabb (PhD, London School of Theology) is…

… this beautiful study is recommended by its rigor and by the method implemented to explore two Hebrew's major motifs with as much seriousness as finesse. (Bloomsbury translation)

Revue d'Histoire et de Philosophie Religieuses
Brian Tabb's Suffering in Ancient Worldview is a careful and perceptive treatment of a topic that is always relevant. Scholars and students of Acts will especially find this monograph richly rewarding, complementing previous studies of suffering in Luke–Acts. Pastors will find much here that will
strengthen and deepen pastoral application in ministry.

Themelios
Tabb has chosen these three ancient voices, because they are roughly contemporary with each other and wrote on the problem of suffering …[his] choice of a Stoic, a Hellenistic Jew, and a Christian theologian draws attention to both similarities and differences on the topic of suffering.

Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society