Lawrence M. Wills
- Published in print:
- 2021
- Published Online:
- January 2022
- ISBN:
- 9780300248791
- eISBN:
- 9780300258769
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Yale University Press
- DOI:
- 10.12987/yale/9780300248791.003.0004
- Subject:
- Religion, Biblical Studies
Chapter three addresses the texts of the Apocrypha related to Jewish wisdom. In ancient Israel wisdom was associated with Proverbs and the education of elite males, especially scribes. But there were ...
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Chapter three addresses the texts of the Apocrypha related to Jewish wisdom. In ancient Israel wisdom was associated with Proverbs and the education of elite males, especially scribes. But there were important developments in wisdom, each phase expanding on the previous one without rendering it obsolete. The wisdom texts of the Apocrypha are analyzed both in terms of how they fit within the earlier history of wisdom genres, and how they reflect the changes of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Theological themes such as revelation are expanded within these texts, and social issues such as gender, class, and Jewish identity come into sharper focus. Wisdom is more present as a female figure and is at times a cosmic savior figure or involved in creation (similar to Isis). Wisdom is also identified with law (Ben Sira and Baruch), and is seen as a force in Israelite history (Ben Sira and Wisdom of Solomon). In these texts Wisdom is also personified as Woman Wisdom. Texts treated here are Ben Sira (or Sirach), Wisdom of Solomon, Baruch, Letter (or Epistle) of Jeremiah, Fourth Maccabees, and Fourth Baruch (or Paralipomena of Jeremiah).Less
Chapter three addresses the texts of the Apocrypha related to Jewish wisdom. In ancient Israel wisdom was associated with Proverbs and the education of elite males, especially scribes. But there were important developments in wisdom, each phase expanding on the previous one without rendering it obsolete. The wisdom texts of the Apocrypha are analyzed both in terms of how they fit within the earlier history of wisdom genres, and how they reflect the changes of the Hellenistic and Roman periods. Theological themes such as revelation are expanded within these texts, and social issues such as gender, class, and Jewish identity come into sharper focus. Wisdom is more present as a female figure and is at times a cosmic savior figure or involved in creation (similar to Isis). Wisdom is also identified with law (Ben Sira and Baruch), and is seen as a force in Israelite history (Ben Sira and Wisdom of Solomon). In these texts Wisdom is also personified as Woman Wisdom. Texts treated here are Ben Sira (or Sirach), Wisdom of Solomon, Baruch, Letter (or Epistle) of Jeremiah, Fourth Maccabees, and Fourth Baruch (or Paralipomena of Jeremiah).
Marcus Plested
- Published in print:
- 2022
- Published Online:
- May 2022
- ISBN:
- 9780192863225
- eISBN:
- 9780191954153
- Item type:
- chapter
- Publisher:
- Oxford University Press
- DOI:
- 10.1093/oso/9780192863225.003.0003
- Subject:
- Religion, Theology
Chapter 2 provides a preliminary account of biblical and classical wisdom traditions. Within the Old Testament, wisdom themes are found especially but not exclusively in wisdom literature (notably ...
More
Chapter 2 provides a preliminary account of biblical and classical wisdom traditions. Within the Old Testament, wisdom themes are found especially but not exclusively in wisdom literature (notably the quasi-divine figure of wisdom in Proverbs 8-9). A survey is also provided of the place of wisdom within classical culture, whose chief achievement is summed up precisely as the ‘love of wisdom’ (philosophy). Particular attention is paid to Platonic, Aristotelian, and Stoic understandings of wisdom. Within the context of the New Testament, pre-existing wisdom traditions, both biblical and classical, helped make some sense of the encounter with the person of Jesus Christ (for example as teacher and as pre-eternal) while also being soundly exploded by that same encounter, as most ably expressed by St Paul.Less
Chapter 2 provides a preliminary account of biblical and classical wisdom traditions. Within the Old Testament, wisdom themes are found especially but not exclusively in wisdom literature (notably the quasi-divine figure of wisdom in Proverbs 8-9). A survey is also provided of the place of wisdom within classical culture, whose chief achievement is summed up precisely as the ‘love of wisdom’ (philosophy). Particular attention is paid to Platonic, Aristotelian, and Stoic understandings of wisdom. Within the context of the New Testament, pre-existing wisdom traditions, both biblical and classical, helped make some sense of the encounter with the person of Jesus Christ (for example as teacher and as pre-eternal) while also being soundly exploded by that same encounter, as most ably expressed by St Paul.
