Wisdom Literature

Wisdom Literature The Hebrew word for wisdom is translated

“skill for living,” because the Jews regarded wisdom in very practical terms.

Wisdom is defined as “knowledge and good judgment based on experience.”

This literature provided guidance for moral behavior and everyday living. It helped people know how to cope with day-to-day living.

Wisdom Literature Hebrew wisdom literature, as distinguished from

the wisdom writings of other cultures, was centered on God.

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (Prov. 1:7)

“Solomon is revered in the Hebrew Bible as the father of the wisdom tradition.”

Wisdom LiteratureThe Old Testament Contains three types of Wisdom literature:

•Popular proverbs that express practical truths.

•Riddles or parables with a spiritual meaning.

•Discussions of the problems of life.

Wisdom LiteratureThere are two characteristics of wisdom literature:

It originated in and was nurtured by the family or tribe.

It was oral in its earliest forms.

Types of Wisdom TeachingsPractical Wisdom:

1) Proverbs – short, easily remembered saying with one main point.

2) Fable – Story with a moral giving human qualities to animals or plants.

3) Short poetic discourses – longer proverbs with one main point.

Job• Job is a classic examination of the problems of

evil and human suffering. (1:8-12; 38:1 – 39:30; 42:1-6)

• The book of Job examines the question: “Can God be trusted?”

• Job’s friends address him from the orthodox view of traditional wisdom which provides no comfort.

• Job comes to understand that wisdom is ultimately found in God alone, and human wisdom cannot on its own fathom the ways of God.

Psalms

A collection of 150 poems containing many emotions, including: love and adoration toward God, sorrow over sin, dependence on God in desperate circumstances, the battle of fear and trust, walking with God even when the way seems dark, thankfulness for God’s care, devotion to the word of God, and confidence in the eventual triumph of God’s purposes for the world.

Psalms• Psalms is the hymnbook of God’s people.

• Many of the Psalms address the feelings, understandings, and struggles of God’s people.

• A recurring theme is the prosperity of the wicked while the godly suffer. (1; 10)

Proverbs

• This book seeks to describe true wisdom and helps God’s people to put it into practice.

• The source of this wisdom is the “fear of the Lord.”

• This wisdom is very practical and is designed to develop proper attitudes and godly behavior (1:7, 2:6-8, 3:1-6).

Ecclesiastes• Ecclesiastes is concerned with imparting

wisdom and knowledge to the people of God (12:9–11) and teaching them to fear the Lord.

• The book offers a philosophical discussion of the emptiness of life without God and how to find fulfillment in life. (1:2-3, 1: 12-18, 12:13-14)

• The theme of Ecclesiastes is the necessity of fearing God in a fallen, and therefore frequently confusing and frustrating, world.

Song of Songs• This book contains marvelous poetry expressing

romantic love between a young man (a shepherd, 1:7) and a young woman (a shepherdess, 1:8) in ancient Israel.

• It was understood by early Jewish interpreters as an allegory of God’s love for Israel.

• Many Christian interpreters saw it as an allegory of Christ’s love for the church, or as Christ’s love for the soul.

• The theme is God’s covenant commands sexual purity which provides the right context (marriage) within which his people may properly enjoy the gift of sexual intimacy (cf. Gen. 2:23–24).