Reverence and Respect for the Lord Wisdom Literature: Themes and Styles Wisdom Books: A Unique...

Reverence and Respect for the Lord

Wisdom Literature: Themes and Styles

Wisdom Books: A Unique Form of Spirituality

Reverence and Respect for the Lord

Wisdom Literature: Themes and Styles

Wisdom Books: A Unique Form of Spirituality

Sacred Scripture: A Catholic Study of God’s WordPart 1D Wisdom Books


Wisdom Literature

1. A unique literary response to faith that emerged and became refined in Jewish communities of the Diaspora

2. Wisdom literature focused on four main themes: God’s Creation The natural laws The future The meaning of life itself

3. Hebrew tradition borrowed and adapted a great deal from the writings of other cultures

4. According to Hebrew wisdom: “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 9:10)

Wisdom Literature

1. A unique literary response to faith that emerged and became refined in Jewish communities of the Diaspora

2. Wisdom literature focused on four main themes: God’s Creation The natural laws The future The meaning of life itself

3. Hebrew tradition borrowed and adapted a great deal from the writings of other cultures

4. According to Hebrew wisdom: “The beginning of wisdom is the fear of the Lord…” (Proverbs 9:10)



Themes and Styles of Wisdom Literature1. The wisdom described is basically moral in character,

involving lessons in truth, moderation, prudence, and kindness

2. The message of any wise saying is usually applicable between cultures across different eras as well

3. This literature answers questions that all people have: why we are here? what the point of life is, what will bring them the most happiness, how best to get along with other people, and what will be the most meaningful work for them to do with their lives

Themes and Styles of Wisdom Literature1. The wisdom described is basically moral in character,

involving lessons in truth, moderation, prudence, and kindness

2. The message of any wise saying is usually applicable between cultures across different eras as well

3. This literature answers questions that all people have: why we are here? what the point of life is, what will bring them the most happiness, how best to get along with other people, and what will be the most meaningful work for them to do with their lives



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Spirituality of the Wisdom Books1. For the most part, the central themes and characters of

the Old Testament scarcely appear in the Wisdom books2. Unlike the spirituality of the prophetic writings, Wisdom

literature describes God by what he has made – it is descriptive, rational, and objective

3. It is likely that all Hebrew Wisdom literature is from the postexilic era of biblical history

4. Wisdom literature was another response of the Jews to the challenges of living as a minority people in the ancient world

Spirituality of the Wisdom Books1. For the most part, the central themes and characters of

the Old Testament scarcely appear in the Wisdom books2. Unlike the spirituality of the prophetic writings, Wisdom

literature describes God by what he has made – it is descriptive, rational, and objective

3. It is likely that all Hebrew Wisdom literature is from the postexilic era of biblical history

4. Wisdom literature was another response of the Jews to the challenges of living as a minority people in the ancient world



The Book of Job

1. The Book of Job rejects the simplistic belief that good is rewarded and evil is punished

2. It doesn’t so much solve the problem of the suffering of the innocents as it ponders it

3. It reveals much about the perplexing questions of why God permits physical and moral evil.

The Book of Job

1. The Book of Job rejects the simplistic belief that good is rewarded and evil is punished

2. It doesn’t so much solve the problem of the suffering of the innocents as it ponders it

3. It reveals much about the perplexing questions of why God permits physical and moral evil.



Physical evil exists because God has willed that there be limitations in the world that he created. There is physical evil as long as creation has not reached perfection.

Moral evil exists because God respects our freedom and mysteriously knows how to derive good from it.

The Book of PsalmsThe Book of Psalms



Psalm – from the Greek name for a stringed instrument called a “psalter”

Literary style: poetry including “parallelism”

Kinds of Psalms:

Authorship: traditionally King David, although most originate from the period of the Second Temple

Lament – Psalms requesting God’s help and protection in various needs

Praise and Thanksgiving

Instruction – Two types: wisdom psalms and historical psalms

Liturgical Psalms – used for Temple celebrations

Other Wisdom Books

1. Proverbs – teaches three types of wisdom: knowledge of God’s created world, the skill of making right choices, and the art of living before God

2. Ecclesiastes – a loose collection of proverbs, laments, poems, and rhetorical questions that are concerned with the value of human life

3. Song of Songs – a collection of love poems that express the alternating views of two lovers describing each other in very erotic language

Other Wisdom Books

1. Proverbs – teaches three types of wisdom: knowledge of God’s created world, the skill of making right choices, and the art of living before God

2. Ecclesiastes – a loose collection of proverbs, laments, poems, and rhetorical questions that are concerned with the value of human life

3. Song of Songs – a collection of love poems that express the alternating views of two lovers describing each other in very erotic language



Other Wisdom Books

4. Wisdom – Divided into three sections: (a) The Book of Eschatology(b) Praise of Wisdom(c) God’s special providence during the Exodus

5. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) – contains numerous sayings, laments, Psalms of praise, and moral maxims

Other Wisdom Books

4. Wisdom – Divided into three sections: (a) The Book of Eschatology(b) Praise of Wisdom(c) God’s special providence during the Exodus

5. Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) – contains numerous sayings, laments, Psalms of praise, and moral maxims



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