Cho, Paul K. -K., 1979-

Willingness to die and the gift of life : suicide and martyrdom in the Hebrew Bible / Paul K.-K. Cho. - Grand Rapids, Michigan : William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, (c)2022. - xvi, 301 pages ; 23 cm

Includes bibliographies and index.

Kings and hero men and suicide in the Deuteronomistic history -- Job and the problem of suicide -- Was Samson a suicide terrorist? -- The other Samsons -- Judah's scepter -- Moses from the breach to the cleft -- Queen Esther's gambit -- From suicide to martyrdom -- The suffering servant exalted and lifted up and very high -- The wise shall live again.

Willingness to Die and the Gift of Life surveys a diverse selection of Hebrew Bible narratives that feature characters who express a willingness to die, including Moses, Judah, Samson, Esther, Job, Daniel, and the "suffering servant" of Isaiah 53. The challenging truth uncovered is that the Hebrew Bible, while taking seriously the darker aspects of voluntary death, nevertheless time and again valorizes the willingness to die-particularly when it is for the sake of the group or in faithful commitment to God. Many biblical authors go so far as to suggest that death willingly embraced can unlock immense power: endowing the willing with the charism necessary to lead, opening the possibility of salvation, and even paving the way for resurrection into a new, more glorious life. Paul K.-K. Cho's unflinching analysis raises and wrestles with provocative questions about religious extremism, violent terrorism, and suicidal ideation -all of which carry significant implications for the biblically grounded life of faith today. Cho carefully situates the surveyed texts in their original cultural context, discussing relevant topics such the shame and honor culture of ancient Israel and the importance attached to the group over the individual. Closing with an epilogue that reflects on the surprising issue of whether biblical authors considered God to be capable of dying or being willing to die, Cho's fascinating study showcases the multifaceted relationship between death and life in the Hebrew Bible. https://www.amazon.com/Willingness-Die-Gift-Life-Martyrdom/dp/0802875416/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1472JZ8D9BLLJ&keywords=9780802875419&qid=1683553147&sprefix=9%2Caps%2C125&sr=8-1



9780802875419

2022006016


Bible.--Old Testament--Criticism, interpretation, etc.


Death--Biblical teaching.
Sacrifice--Biblical teaching.
Suicide--Biblical teaching.
Martyrdom--Biblical teaching.

BS1199 / .W555 2022