Appendix One: Introduction To Wisdom Literature

I. THE GENRE

A. Common literary type in the Ancient Near East

1. Mesopotamia (I Kgs. 4:30; Is. 47:10; Dan. 2:2)

a. Sumeria had a developed wisdom tradition both proverbial and epic (city of Nippur).

b. Babylon’s proverbial wisdom was connected with the priest/magician. It was not morally focused. It was not a developed genre like in Israel.

c. Assyria also had a wisdom tradition, the teachings of Ahiqar. He was an advisor to Sennacherib (704-681 b.c.).

2. Egypt (I Kgs. 4:30)

a. “The Teaching for Vizier Ptah-hotep” was written about 2450 b.c. His teachings were in paragraph, not proverbial, form. They were structured as a father to his son, as were “The Teachings for King Meri-ka-re,” written about 2200 b.c.

b. The Wisdom of Amen-em-opet, written about 1200 b.c., is very similar to Pro. 22:17-24:22.

3. Phoenicia

a. The discoveries at Ugarit have shown the close connection (especially the meter) between Phoenician (basically Canaanite) and Hebrew wisdom. Many of the unusual forms and rare words in biblical wisdom literature are now understandable from the archaeological discoveries at Ras Shamra (Acts of Ugarit).

b. Song of Songs is very much like Phoenician wedding songs called wasps written about 600 b.c.

4. Canaan (Jer. 49:7; Obadiah 8) – Albright has uncovered the similarity between Hebrew and Canaanite wisdom literature, especially the Ras Shamra texts from Ugarit, written about the 15^th century b.c.

a. both often use the same words appearing as pairs

b. both use chiasmus

c. both have superscriptions

d. both have musical notations

5. Biblical wisdom literature includes the writings of several non-Israelites:

a. Job, possibly from Edom

b. Agur, from Massa (an Israelite kingdom in Saudi Arabia, cf. Gen. 25:14 and I Chr. 1:30)

c. Lemuel from Massa

B. Literary Characteristics

1. Primarily two distinct types

a. proverbial (originally oral)

(1) short

(2) easily culturally understood (common experience)

(3) thought provoking - arresting statements of truth

(4) usually used contrast

(5) generally true, but not always specifically applicable

b. longer, developed, special-topic, literary works (usually written) like Job, Ecclesiastes and Jonah.

(1) monologues

(2) dialogues

(3) essays

(4) they deal with life’s major questions and mysteries

(5) the sages were willing to challenge the theological status quo!

2. In this literature the personification of wisdom (always female). The Hebrew term “wisdom” was feminine (as it is in Greek).

3. often in Proverbs wisdom is described as a woman

(1) positively:

a) 1:20-33

b) 8:1-36

c) 9:1-6

(2) negatively:

a) 7:6-27

b) 9:13-18

4. in Proverbs 8:22-31 wisdom is personified as the first-born of creation by which God created all else (3:19-20). This seems to be the background of John's use of “logos” in John 1:1 to refer to Jesus the Messiah.

5. this can also be seen in Ecclesiasticus 24.

6. This literature is different from the Law and the Prophets in that it addresses the individual not the nation. There are no historical or cultic allusions. It primarily focuses on daily, successful, joyful, moral living.

7. Biblical wisdom literature is similar to that of its surrounding neighbors in its structure but not content. The One true God (monotheism) is the foundation on which all biblical wisdom is based (cf. Job 12:13; 28:28; Pro. 1:7; 9:10; Ps.111:10). (In Babylon it was the god Apsu, Ea, or Marduk. In Egypt it was Thoth.)

8. Hebrew wisdom was very practical. It was based on experience and observation (natural revelation), not special revelation (God’s specific revelation of Himself). It focused on an individual being successful in life (all of life: sacred and secular). It is divine “horse-sense.”

9. Because wisdom literature used human reason, experience and observation, it was international and transcultural. It was the monotheistic religious world-view, which is often not stated, that made Israel's wisdom revelatory.

II. POSSIBLE ORIGINS

A. Wisdom literature developed in Israel as an alternative or balance to the other forms of revelation. (Jer. 18:18; Ezek. 7:26)

1. priest - law - form (corporate)

2. prophet - oracle - motive (corporate)

3. sage - wisdom - practical, successful daily life (individual)

4. As there were female prophets in Israel so, too, there were female sages (cf. II Sam. 14:1-21; 20:14-22).

B. This type of literature seemed to have developed:

1. as folk stories around camp fires

2. as family traditions passed on to the male children

3. as documents written and supported by the Royal Palace:

a. David is connected to the Psalms

b. Solomon is connected to Proverbs (I Kgs. 4:29-34; Ps. 72 & 127)

c. Hezekiah is connected to editing wisdom literature.

III. PURPOSE

A. It is basically a “how to” focus on happiness and success. It is primarily individual in its focus. It is based on

1. the experience of previous generations,

2. cause and effect relationships in daily life.

B. It was society’s way to pass on truth and train the next generation of leaders and citizens.

C. Old Testament wisdom, though not always expressing it, sees the Covenant God behind all of life.

D. It was a way to challenge and balance traditional theology. The sages were free thinkers not bound by textbook truths. They dared to ask, “Why,” “How,” “What if?” (cf. Job and Ecclesiastes)

IV. KEYS TO INTERPRETATION

A. Short proverbial statements

1. look for common elements of life used to express the truth.

2. express the central truth in a simple declarative sentence.

3. since context will not help, look for parallel passages on the same subject.

B. Longer literary pieces

1. be sure to express the central truth of the whole.

2. do not take verses out of context.

3. check the historical occasion or reason of the writing.

C. Some common misinterpretations (Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, p. 207)

1. People do not read the whole Wisdom book (like Job and Ecclesiastes) and look for its central truth but pull parts of the book out of its context and apply them literally to modern life.

2. People do not understand the uniqueness of the literary genre. This is a highly compact and figurative Ancient Near Eastern literature.

3. Proverbs are statements of general truth. They are broad sweeps of the pen not specifically true, in every case, every time, statements of truth.

V. BIBLICAL EXAMPLES

A. Old Testament

1. Job

2. Psalm 1, 19, 32, 34, 37, 49, 73, 104, 107, 110, 112, 127-128, 133, 147, 148

3. Proverbs

4. Ecclesiastes

5. Song of Songs

6. Lamentations

7. Jonah

B. Extra biblical