The last book of the Old Testament.

A new version of the Book of Wisdom has been published:  the last Book of the Old Testament is written in Greek towards the end of the first century B.C., perhaps when Jesus was already born.  Philo of Alexandria highlights it, Flavius Josephus knew about it and the New Testament quotes it.  The novelty and strength of the book do not only derive from its chronological position, but from the fact of it being a bridge between the two Testaments.  The Book of wisdom is therefore an interpretation of the whole Old Testament within the perspective of the internal transformation which was developing in the biblical tradition before the novelty of Christianity. 

During the formation process of the biblical canon, the pharisees – the only group which remained existing after the destruction of the Temple in 70 A.D. – eliminated some recent texts, or those judged to be so,  from  the  sacred books. These had been imbued with a diverse and new spirit different from the Pentateuch and show a closer affinity to the announcing of the Good News.  The version which was edited and commented upon up to chapter 12, by Fr.  Saverio Corradino, was completed by Fr. Giancarlo Pani and was given to the editor Vittorietti of Palermo to publish it.