§ Debates · Ch. 3 · Jews and Greeks
Does Ecclesiastes date from the Persian or the Hellenistic period?
2 positions · no single answer
Position A · held by Some scholars
Early Hellenistic age
Its skepticism would have parallels with currents of Greek philosophy.
Rests on: p. 66
Reads the same page as : the same source, different readings.
Where the debate comes up
Statements tied to the debate
- The dating of Ecclesiastes is debated: some place it at the start of the Hellenistic age because of parallels with Greek philosophy, but it was written in Hebrew and the parallels do not prove influence. Because it contains Persian loanwords, it must date from the Persian period or later.