Introduction to the Wisdom Books

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I. Some Basic Facts about the OT Wisdom Books:

All of the books of the Bible have value for knowing how we should live. However, there are a few books in the Bible that specifically focus on giving us wisdom for living. They are called the Bible’s “wisdom books” or “wisdom literature.”

The three main wisdom books are …

1. Job
2. Proverbs
3. Ecclesiates

There are two other books that also considered “wisdom books,” Psalms, and Song of Songs.

The closest book in the NT to wisdom literature is James

A. How the Wisdom Books Compare to the Other Books in the OT:

The books of Moses (Genesis → Deuteronomy, the ‘Pentateuch’) tell us about the creation of the world, and the fall of Adam & Eve. They tell us about how God came to be working with and through the nation of Israel, and they record the 10 Commandments & the Law; the wisdom books do not.

The historical books (Joshua & Judges, 1 & 2 Samuel, 1 & 2 Kings, etc.) tell us what happened with Israel: did Israel serve God well, or not, and what was the outcome? The wisdom books do not.

The prophetic books (Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Amos, Micah, etc.) often give us direct statements from God, “Thus says the Lord …”; the wisdom books sound more like sanctified advice.

And in contrast to the rest of the Old Testament, in general, the wisdom books do not mention the covenants (the promises that God gave to Abraham; the law covenant that Israel entered into with God at Mt. Sinai, the promises God made to David and his son).

However, Wisdom books do have do have the same understanding of God in the NT

B. Where the Wisdom Books Fall in the Overall Flow of the OT:

Job –

Nothing in the book of Job tell us directly when the events in the book took place. Traditionally, interpreters have felt that the book of Job could easily be before the time of Moses. It is possible, even likely, that Job lived around the time of Abraham.

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs –

These three books are linked to the time of King Solomon. These three wisdom books do not much mention the covenants or the major events earlier in the Old Testament. However, these three books do(!) assume that the reader is familiar with the general idea of God as it is presented in the Old Testament (that there is one true God, who is the Creator, who is good, righteous, and just, etc.).

Psalms –

In contrast to the other wisdom books, the Psalms often refer to major events in the Old Testament. They also refer to the covenants: to Abraham, to the Sinai covenant (“the Law”), and to the oath God swore to David. The book of Psalms was not completed until after the exile. So having a working knowledge of the main events in OT history, and of the covenants, is very helpful for understanding many of the psalms, and the book of Psalms, in general.

However, within the book of Psalms, there are about ten psalms which mainly give wisdom for living; they are called the “wisdom psalms.” The following ten psalms are commonly regarded as “wisdom psalms”: 1, 32, 34, 37, 49, 73, 112, 127, 128, 133. Interestingly, information about Israel’s history, and about the covenants, is not needed to understand the wisdom psalms.

C. The Nature of the ‘Wisdom’ in the OT Wisdom Books:

1. Again, what the wisdom books give us is wisdom, that is, they give us wisdom for living

2. While some their content is highly reflective (mainly in Job & Ecclesiastes), nonetheless more practical than abstract or theoretical

   That is, they give us practical advice

3. You often have to think about it, and re-read it, to get the point.

D. The Different Moods & Perspectives of the Bible’s Three Main Wisdom Books –

Proverbs (like the book of Psalms) is generally characterized by a positive outlook on things

Job and Ecclesiastes, on the other hand, has a skeptical outlook

E. The Main Theme of the Wisdom Books: The fear (= reverence) of the Lord / of God.

Proverbs 1:7 says that the fear of the Lord beginning of knowledge

Proverbs 9:10 (and also Ps 111:10) says that the fear of the Lord beginning of wisdom

! This is the way the OT describes those who are in the right relationship with God

For example, consider Abraham in Gen 22:12 – The angel of the Lord says to Abraham: “Now I know that you fear/revere God …”.

On the other hand, individuals who do not care about God, and who live however they please, are called “the wicked,” and are said to have no fear of God. Consider Psalm 36:1 –

An oracle is within my heart concerning the sinfulness of the wicked: There is no fear of God before his eyes.

The fear, the reverence of God, is not(!) a cowering fear, but rather: Prov 14:26-27 fear God gives life. Deu 12:10-12.

Those who truly fear/revere God are characterized by both:

• Right and reverent attitude toward God on the inside
• Fundamentally internal and it will show up on the outside

This concept, “the fear of the Lord,” also shows up in the New Testament:

• See! Acts 10:34-35!
• Luke 1:50
• Rev 14:6-7, “… the eternal gospel … fear God, and give him glory …” (Rev 19:5 is similar).

To Sum up: To fear / to revere the Lord means Right attitude toward God

This involves …

1. Admitting God is God and has rule over our lives
2. Admitting our sins
3. Admitting our sins deserves punishment
4. Repenting and seek God's mercy

And for those who truly fear the Lord it will show in how they live

II. Insights for Understanding the Bible’s Wisdom Books:

1. Wisdom literature often does not have a tight train of thought which builds clearly from one paragraph to the next. Often, it simply shifts & flows from one thought to another without announcing it. This feature is obvious in Ecclesiastes and Proverbs.

2. It is widely recognized that a single verse of the Bible rarely gives the Bible’s entire teaching on a subject. This is also true of wisdom literature. But this can be true for wisdom literature even when a verse reads like it is a maxim or general truth.

   Some examples of this from Proverbs: Note that …

   • Marriage & Wives:

     • Prov 18:22 - He who finds a wife finds a good thing …

     • Prov 25:24 - It is better to live on the corner of a roof than to live with a quarrelsome woman.

     • Prov 27:15–16 - A quarrelsome wife is like a continual dripping on a rainy day …

     Yet note the balance in this verse:

     • Prov 12:4 An excellent wife is the crown of her husband, but one who brings shame is like decay in his bones.

   • Making Money:

     • Prov 10:4 & 22 Lazy hands make a man poor; diligent hands bring wealth.

     • Prov 23:4–5. Do not wear yourself to get rich … … cast a mere glance at riches, and they are gone.

   • Giving Away Money:

     • The righteous are generous: Prov 14:31; 28:27; Ps 37:21,25–26.

     • But(!), they are not foolish: Prov 11:15; 19:15, 19:19; 20:16; 30:15.

   Again, one verse does not give us the Bible’s whole picture; this is especially true with wisdom books.

3. Similarly, unless a verse of OT poetry is obviously sarcastic, we expect that what it tells us will at least be true in some sense, or, from some perspective, even if it is not universally true. Consider Eccles 7:2-4.

   2 It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living should take it to heart.

   3 Sorrow is better than laughter, for by sadness of face the heart is made glad.

   4 The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning, but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth.

   There are no doubt some aspects of going to the house of feasting that are “better” than going to the house of mourning. The writer’s point is that there is something about going to the house of mourning that is better than going to the house of feasting. This could easily be that → in the house of mourning we are more likely to contemplate our own mortality—a good thing to do.

   Similarly, the writer isn’t denying that a fool has ever attended a funeral, or that a wise person has ever been at a party. Rather, it is like the wise to comfort others, whereas it is like a fool to place a high priority on laughter and entertainment.

   In sum, unless a verse is clearly sarcastic, there will be a element of truth in it. What it says might not be true in all cases, but something that it affirms will be true, in some cases, from some perspective.

4. Finally, wisdom literature does not tend to yield its insights to a one-time quick reading. Some examples:

   • Prov 10:26 - Sending a lazy person on an errand → is like vinegar to the teeth & smoke to the eyes.

     So what’s the point?

   • Eccles 7:1–9 - Some of these proverbs are clearly true → so are all of them true? → in some sense?

   You can see why Proverbs describes some of its material as “riddles.” In each of these cases, the reader must reflect on it to get the point.

   Wisdom literature often requires the reader to think.