Old Testament Wisdom Introduction. What is Wisdom?

Old Testament Wisdom

Introduction

What is Wisdom?

What is Wisdom?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGLgvIRdK6w



What is Wisdom?

What is Wisdom

?

What is Wisdom?

What is Wisdom Literature?

1. The attempt to cope with reality. – How to deal with the adversity, inequities,

and contradictions of life.

2. The quest for specific ways to ensure personal well-being.

3. The transmission of this knowledge to future generations.


4. Relational. – Husband-wife relationships. – Parent-child relationships.– Business relationships. – Societal relationships.


5. A literary corpus—– Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Ben Sirach, and Wisdom

of Solomon, as well as a few psalms.


• Crenshaw: “mysterious ingredient”– Theme—The “sages” spoke of common problems. – Style—

• proverbial sayings, • instructions, • debates or discussion, and • intellectual reflection.

– It is the peculiar marriage of content (theme) and form (style) that sets apart wisdom literature.


• “Personification of wisdom”—“Lady wisdom”


6. A Search– Wisdom is portrayed as hidden. – Thus, at its core, wisdom literature is the

record of the ongoing search for wisdom.


7. A Worldview. – God is supreme. – Creation has a basic order. – Life has a basic propriety. – This worldview is basically optimistic. – This worldview is also basically humanistic.

Wisdom and heilsgeschichte • Time-Space Continuum

•History, prophets, “keep covenant”

•God is “immanent”

•Creation, “Way of Life,” impersonal•God is “transcendent”

Pent., History, Prophets

Prov., Job, Ecclesiastes

Ben SirachWisdomDSSNT

The goal of “Wisdom Literature”

1. The development of human character.– Character through rhetoric. – Proverbial statements have the natural

ring of truth.• “Can a man carry hot coals in his shirt and not

be burned?” • Of course not! And neither can a man consort

with an adulteress (or vice versa) and not be destroyed!

The goal of “Wisdom Literature” • William Brown: OT Wisdom Literature

provides “characterizations of character.” –The “life of virtue” is described & celebrated.

–This “life of virtue” represents an “ethic of

being or character” rather than an “ethic of duty.”

–Specific moral & ethical maxims or rules are simply the means to an end, not the end itself.

The goal of “Wisdom Literature”

2. Thus, the goal of Wisdom Literature is the production of people of integrity. – Who is the ultimate man of integrity?

•Job– The person of integrity can apply the truths

of wisdom to daily life and make good decisions.

Themes of OT WisdomI. Moderation & Restraint• Excess is to be avoided.• Beware the evils of:

– Riches;– Strong drink;– The adulterous or loose woman; and– Power.

Themes of OT WisdomII. Family Life• Anything that tears down family

solidarity is to be avoided. • The important roles of father and mother

are stressed in the Wisdom Literature.

Themes of OT Wisdom Literature

III. Wisdom and Folly• “Wisdom” and “Folly” are opposing characters.“Wisdom”=Integrity, “Folly”=Dishonesty“Wisdom”=Righteous, “Folly”=Unrighteous“Wisdom”=Good, “Folly”=Evil“Wisdom” is to be sought, “Folly” is to be

avoided“Wisdom” brings life, “Folly” brings death

Themes of OT WisdomIV. Fear of the Lord• “Fear of the Lord” is variously defined:

– Worship– Obedience– Reverence

• It is the proper attitude toward Yahweh. • This attitude of submission to Yahweh.

Fear of the Lord• JOB 28:28 He said to man, “The fear of the Lord--that

is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

• PR 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.

• PR 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

• PR 14:27 The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, turning a man from the snares of death.

Fear of the Lord• PR 15:16 Better a little with the fear of the LORD

than great wealth with turmoil.

• PR 22:4 Humility and the fear of the LORD bring wealth and honor and life.

• ECC 12:13 Here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty whole duty of man.

History of OT WisdomPrehistory of OT Wisdom Literature• Egyptian antecedents, esp. Amenhopet.• Mesopotamian wisdom texts may have

influenced Job & Ecclesiastes.• Many of the proverbs suggest a rural

class society.

Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom Egyptian—

– The instruction genre was popular in Egypt, with examples from the 25th century BC through the 1st century AD.

– The god-given order of the world is called maat, which is translated “truth,” “justice,” or “order.”

History of OT WisdomThe wedding of wisdom & salvation history—• Until the 2nd century BC, wisdom literature is

almost totally devoid of any historical reference. – The traditions of Israel—Abraham, covenant, Moses,

exodus, conquest, Jerusalem, David—are virtually non-existent.

• Ben Sirach combines the historical traditions with wisdom traditions, bringing these two disparate biblical genres (salvation-history, or heilsgeschichte, and wisdom).

Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom

Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom Mesopotamian—

– Wisdom belonged to the gods. – Two forms may be compared with the OT:

• Instruction• Proverbial statements

Ancient Near Eastern Wisdom Canaanite—

– At Ugarit, a few wisdom texts have been discovered.

– A few Babylonian texts were found, most notably “The Sayings of Ahiqar.”

– “Graded numerical sayings” are only found in West Semitic wisdom literature, i.e. Ugaritic & Hebrew

History of OT WisdomSolomon as “Sage par Excellence”—• 1 Kings 4:29-34

– As Solomon consolidated his kingdom, he probably would have included a sapiential (=wisdom) tradition.

• “Proverbs of Solomon” may mean that Solomon was responsible for the collection & some writing of proverbs.

Solomon: “Sage par Excellence”1 Kings 4:29-34

– God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon's wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite--wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon's wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.

History of OT WisdomSages as a class—• Under Solomon (Hezekiah?) sages existed as a

class. • Wisdom literature, by nature, is developmental.

– This accounts for contradictions in wisdom literature.• PR 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will

be like him yourself.• PR 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, or he will be wise

in his own eyes.– This also explains the skepticism of Job & Ecclesiastes. – As time passed, attitudes changed & some questioned

the sapiential foundations.

Old Testament Wisdom Introduction. What is Wisdom?

Documents

Transcript of Old Testament Wisdom Introduction. What is Wisdom?