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Wisdom Literature

Wisdom Literature. Wisdom literature is a genre of literature common in the Ancient Near East. This genre is characterized by “wise sayings” intended to teach about divinity and virtue.

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Wisdom Literature

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  1. Wisdom Literature

  2. Wisdom literature is a genre of literature common in the Ancient Near East. This genre is characterized by “wise sayings” intended to teach about divinity and virtue. The key principle is that while techniques of traditional story-telling may be employed, wisdom literature also offers insight and wisdom about nature and reality. Wisdom literature includes several books of the Old Testament and Jewish Apocrypha.

  3. Old Testament Wisdom Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes Song of Songs Deuterocanonical Wisdom Wisdom of Solomon Ecclesiasticus (Ben Sirach)

  4. The Book of Job

  5. Content: a brilliant wrestling with the issue of suffering of the righteous and the justice of God, while also speaking to the larger question, “Where is wisdom found?” Date: the story takes place during the period of the patriarchs; various suggestions have been offered regarding the composition itself. Emphases: wisdom is ultimately found in God alone; human wisdom cannot fathom the ways of God; undeserved suffering has no easy answer; God is not obliged to explain all things; the fear of the Lord is the path to true wisdom.

  6. Outline of the Book of Job 1-2 Prologue 3-26 Three Cycles of Speeches (Job, Eliphaz, Bildad, Zophar) 27-28 Conclusion and Discourse on Wisdom (Job) 29-37 Job and Elihu 38-42:6 Two Cycles of Speeches (Yahweh and Job) 42:7-17 Epilogue

  7. The Contributors Job 2:11-13 introduce Job’s friends. They came to sympathise, but (unfortunately) stayed to give their advice. Through the ensuing speeches, we are being drawn into a debate on the very nature of suffering with each participant in the debate bringing a different (but inadequate) perspective. We may class the responses as spiritual (Eliphaz), traditional (Bildad), common sense (Zophar), and progressive (Elihu).

  8. The Psalms express the whole range of human feeling and experience, from dark depression to exuberant joy. They are rooted in particular circumstances, yet they are timeless, and so among the best-loved, most-read, parts of the Bible. We are stirred by the same emotions, puzzled over the same fundamental problems of life, cry out in need, or worship, to the same God, as the psalmists of old. We find it easy to identify with them. And we find their sheer, dogged faith, the depth of their love for God, both a tonic and a rebuke.

  9. The Psalms are the Old Testament hymnal. It is divided into five books: Book 1 - Psalms 1-41 Book 2 - Psalms 42-72 Book 3 - Psalms 73-89 Book 4 - Psalms 9-106 Book 5 - Psalms 107-150 At the end of each section (eg 41:13) the break is marked by a doxology – a formal expression of praise to God. Psalm 150 forms a doxology to the whole collection.

  10. Psalms are part of Israel’s worship. Most of the psalms are prefaced by a title or heading. Some name the author or collector, and relate to specific events in history. Seventy five psalms bear David’s name . 1 Samuel 16:17-23 and 1 Chronicles 25:1-8 tell us David was a gifted poet and musician. The Psalms speak into real life situations. The next slide link various Psalms with David’s life-story in 1 and 2 Samuel.

  11. Psalms reflecting David’s Real Life Experiences Escape from the palace (Ps 59; 1 S 19:11ff) David feigns madness (Ps 34; 1 S 21) David hiding in the cave (Ps 57, 142; 1 S 22:1ff, 24:3ff) Doeg’s betrayal of the priests of Nob (Ps 52; 1 S 22) The Ziphite informers (Ps 54; 1 S 23:19ff) David in the Judean desert (Ps 63; 1 S 24:1-2, 22 and again 2 S 15ff) Defeat of the Edomites (Ps 60; 2 S 8:13) David’s sin over Bathsheba (Ps 51, 32?; 2 S 11-12) Absolom’s rebellion (Ps 3; 2 S 15:13ff) David’s song of deliverance (Ps 18 = 2 S 22)

  12. Classification of Psalms There have been many attempts to classify the psalms, and they can be grouped in a number of ways, for example by theme. There are psalms which plead with God and psalms which praise him; appeals for forgiveness, or the destruction of enemies; prayers for the king, or for the nation; “wisdom” psalms and psalms which probe life’s problem-areas; and psalms (such as 119) which celebrate the greatness of God’s law. Many psalms are a blend of several of these common themes.

  13. Grouping Psalms by Literary Type • Hymns, in praise of God’s character and deeds (Ps 8; 19; 29) • Community Laments arising out of some national disaster (Ps 44; 74) • Royal Psalms, originating in some special occasion in the life of the reigning king (Ps 2; 18; 20; 45) • Individual laments (Ps 3; 7; 13; 25; 51) • Individual thanksgiving (Ps 30; 32; 34)

  14. Psalms in the New Testament • The book of Psalms had an immense influence on New Testament writers. They quote liberally from several Old Testament books, but none more so than from Psalms. From the Psalms, they drew on the wealth of material that God had inspired pertaining to Jesus Christ. • When Peter and John had been ordered (unsuccessfully) by the Sanhedrin not to preach Jesus Christ (Acts 4:27), the fledgling New Testament church prayed to God for the continuing boldness of the apostles. In their prayer, they quoted Psalm 2:1-2 and applied it as a prophecy of what had happened to Jesus Christ.

  15. Some References to Psalms in the New Testament Psalm 2 Acts 4:26; 13:33 Psalm 5 Romans 3:13 Psalm 8 Matthew 21:16 Psalm 10 Romans 3:14 Psalm 14 Acts 3:12 Psalm 16 Acts 2:28; 13:35 Psalm 22 Matthew 27:46; Mark 15:34 Psalm 32 Romans 4:8 Psalm 36 Romans 3:18 Psalm 51 Romans 3:4 Psalm 62 Rom 2:6 Psalm 69 John 2:16; 15:25; Acts 1:20 Psalm 78 Matthew 13:35 Psalm 109 Acts 1:20 Psalm 110 Matthew 22:44 Psalm 118 Matthew 21:42; 23:39 Psalm 140 Romans 3:13 etc etc

  16. Book of Proverbs

  17. Content: a series of opening poems praising wisdom and warning against folly, followed by several collections of proverbs from sages who taught wisdom to Israel, starting with Solomon. Author(s): collections of proverbs originating with Solomon, various wise men, Agur, and Lemuel’s mother – gathered and arranged for later generations by unknown editors. Emphases: wisdom begins with the fear of and trust in Yahweh; at the practical level, it consists of making wise choices between good and evil behaviour; such wisdom is to be desired above all else in order to live a full and godly life.

  18. Proverbs is mostly made up of six collections of proverbs, mostly couplets (two-liners) that offer guidance to the young. Preceding these is a preamble (1:1-7) setting forth the book’s title, purpose and theme, and a prologue of several poems (1:8-9:18) that stress the importance of listening to the sages. Proverbs of Solomon I (10:1-22:16) Sayings of the Wise I (22:17-24:22) Sayings of the Wise (24:23-34) Proverbs of Solomon II (25:1-29:27 Sayings of Agur (30:1-33) Sayings of Lemuel (31:1-31)

  19. Content: the meditations of Solomon who wrestles with life’s realities; what is to be gained by achieving wealth or wisdom when in the end death claims both rich and poor, wise and foolish; but specially set in a context of knowing the fear of God. Emphases: the transitory nature of present life; how to live wisely in a world where the only certainly is death and judgement; the futility of human pursuits that do not take the fear of God into account.

  20. Features of Ecclesiastes • Reality is divided into two realms – the heavenly and the earthly. “God is in heaven and you are on earth” (5:2). • Distinction between observation and faith. “I have seen …” (1:14). “I came to realise” (2:14). • We face the grimness of life, yet are urged to faith and joy.

  21. Purpose and Abiding Message • It is a reply to the unrelieved pessimism of much ancient thought. It does not encourage superficial ‘faith’ which does not take proper account of the fallenness of the world. • It is both an evangelistic tract, calling secular people to face the implications of their secularism, and a call to realism, calling people to take seriously the futility of life. • It forbids secularism and unrealistic optimism. Positively, it calls us to a life of faith and joy.

  22. Outline of Contents The Quest (1:1-3:22) Title (1:1) The Pessimist’s problem (1:2-2:23) The alternative to pessimism (2:24-3:22) Facing Reality (4:1-10:20) Life’s hardships and life’s comparison Poverty and wealth (5:8-6:12) (4:1-5:7) Suffering and sin (7:1-8:1) Authority and injustice (8:2-9:10) Wisdom and folly (9:11-10:20)

  23. Outline of Contents (continued) The Call to Decision (11:1-12:8) The venture of faith (11:1-6) The life of joy (11:7-10) The urgency of decision (12:1-8) Epilogue (12:9-14) Life moves quickly, so “Remember your Creator in the days of your youth” (12:1). It’s all about us or it’s all about God. Decide.

  24. Content: a love song of several episodes, celebrating the love between a woman and a man. Overview: This book is written in marvellous poetry. It is full of evocative and vivid images. It is a celebration of sexual love and marital fidelity. It is not allegory, but does typify the relation of the believer to the Lord Jesus Christ. Emphases: the proper love of a woman and a man for one another; the unquenchable nature of pure love; the delight in and longing for each other that pure love engenders.

  25. The Three Main Voices: the woman, who plays the leading role throughout; the man, who especially celebrates the beauty of, and his love for, the woman; the “daughters of Jerusalem” who are the woman’s companions. There are other minor characters – shepherds, city watchmen, the woman’s brothers. The use of dream sequences complicated the interpretation of this song as it is sometimes difficult to distinguish between them and what is actually happening.

  26. Outline of Contents Title (1:1) Courtship (1:2-2:7) Separation and Longing (2:8-3:5) Marriage and Consummation (3:6-5:1) Cooling off (5:2-6:3) Reassurance (6:4-9) Love Rekindled (6:10-8:10) Epilogue (8:11-14)

  27. Why Read the Biblical Wisdom Literature? • It helps develops a biblical world view • It contributes to a balanced theology • It instructs us how to truly live “the good life” • It guards us from a meaningless, wasted life • It helps us in worship and prayer • It points to Christ • It is great evangelistic material • It tells us what to pass on to our children

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