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Proverbs. The Bible and Wisdom (Andy Emerton - Focus 2012). Proverbs. ‘The fountainhead of the wisdom movement’ Israel and Wisdom Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job ‘Hokma’ – Wisdom ‘The knowledge of what to do’ (Weeks) Wisdom: Living well in the world How do we get ‘Wisdom’ (Proverbs 4:7)?.
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Proverbs The Bible and Wisdom (Andy Emerton - Focus 2012)
Proverbs ‘The fountainhead of the wisdom movement’ • Israel and Wisdom • Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Job • ‘Hokma’ – Wisdom ‘The knowledge of what to do’ (Weeks) • Wisdom: Living well in the world How do we get ‘Wisdom’ (Proverbs 4:7)?
Proverbs: The Nature of Wisdom • Structure & content • Proverbs 10-31: Proverbial Sayings • Proverbs 25:1 forward: Collections of Sayings • Proverbs 1-9: Theological Summary? • Universal truth? ‘Wisdom in the biblical and Jewish tradition meant practical insight and instruction in the conduct of life’ [Bauckham] • Wisdom and Yahweh? ‘In short, the wisdom experience is to be described as a faith experience... Yahwistic belief has doubtless coloured and affected Israelite doctrine on Wisdom’ [Murphy]
Proverbs: A vision for wisdom • Wisdom & living a good life ‘Happy are those who find wisdom...Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honour. Her ways are ways of pleasantness, and all her paths are peace. She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.’ (3:13-18) • The Wise or Foolish Life • Righteous and Wicked (11:5-6, 12:5, 15:28); Light and Dark (4:18-19)
Proverbs: A vision for wisdom • Wisdom & living a good life • Goodness & a public life ‘Both good and evil create social conditions... They can build up or destroy the community, property, happiness, reputation...The good man is... The righteous man, the diligent, the temperate, the one who is ready to help... Goodness was therefore always something public’ [Von Rad]
Proverbs: A vision for wisdom • Wisdom & character ‘The goal of wisdom is the formation of character’ [Crenshaw] • Character Qualities: Diligence, Generosity, Humility, Integrity, Justice, Self-Control ‘The General wisdom thesis is that the wise act virtuously’ [Murphy]
Proverbs: Personification of Wisdom • Wisdom Personified • ‘Wisdom cries out in the street; in the square she raises her voice’ (1:20) • Lady Wisdom: 2:13-18 • ‘She is a tree of life to those who lay hold of her.’ • Divine Origins: 8:1,4; 8:10-11; 8:22-31 Who is Lady Wisdom?
The fulfilment of Wisdom ‘Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:24) • Jesus as wisdom teacher • Jesus as God’s divine wisdom • Wisdom and humility (1 Corinthians 1:25) • Dependence on Lady Wisdom = Spirit • Gift of God (James 1:5) • Wisdom as way of life (James 3:13)
The fulfilment of Wisdom ‘the Holy Spirit is involved in the reception of wisdom’ (McKnight) • James 3:17-18 and Galatians 5:22-23 ‘an almost certain allusion to the personification of Wisdom … the wisdom theology of James 3:17-18 is also a Spirit theology’ (McKnight)
Proverbs: The Formation of Wisdom How do we ‘get’ wisdom (Proverbs 4:7)? • Relationship with God ‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom’ (Proverbs 1:7) ‘The Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth come knowledge and understanding’ (Proverbs 2:6)
Proverbs: The Formation of Wisdom • Human Flourishing • Learning from those who have gone before ‘Listen, children, to a father’s instruction, and be attentive, that you may gain insight’ (4:1) • Reflect on life experience ‘My child, be attentive to my words; incline my ear to your sayings. Do not let them escape from your sights; keep them within your heart’ (4:20-21)
Proverbs: The Formation of Wisdom • Human Flourishing • Engage in pursuit of wisdom ‘If you indeed cry out for insight.. If you seek it like silver, and search for it as hidden treasure’ (2:3-4) • Encounter with the world Amenenope (Proverbs 22:17 – 23:11) ‘The sayings of Agur’; ‘The teaching of King Lemuels’ Mother’ (30:1-14, 31:1-9)
Proverbs: The Formation of Wisdom • Growing in Wisdom • God & Human Endeavour ‘This offering of life is a gift because Wisdom herself is a gift of God. Paradoxically, however, Wisdom cannot be attained without human endeavour...Wisdom has at least two faces in this book: She calls... but humans must respond.’ [Murphy] • Humility & Mystery
Recommended Reading • Barton - Where shall Wisdom be found (1999) • Murphy – Proverbs (1998) • Von Rad – Wisdom in Israel (1997) • Bauckham – James (1999) • Crenshaw – Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction (1998) • Martin – Proverbs (1995) • Camp – Wisdom and the feminine in the book of Proverbs (1985) • McKnight – The Letter of James (2011)