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The necessity for parental discipline to instill virtue in children raises the possibility that God employs evil for similar purposes. This popular understanding of evil and the possibilities inherent to this approach to theodicy permeate the Bible and Deutero-canonical literature. Sirach 4:11–19 introduces a personification of divine wisdom as disciplinarian, while Wis Sol 11:15–12:27 stresses God’s measured and timely punishment of the wicked. Biblical precedent for such divine discipline is found in a liturgy of wasted opportunity in Amos 4:6–11 and in a poignant revelation of God’s pain in Hos 11:1–7.

This chapter examines three of Meister Eckhart's texts that outline a new metaphysics as theology and reflect the basic lines of his ethical thought: the prologues to the Tripartite Work; the first three Parisian questions; and his interpretation of Ecclesiasticus. It first explains who Jesus Sirach was before turning to Eckhart's concept of God and his claim that wisdom is God. It then considers Eckhart's explanation for the First Parisian Question and its thesis of God as Being, along with his interest in propositions that pertain to both God and worldly things. It also explores what Eckhart may have meant by “philosophy”.

This chapter provides information on the wisdom literature of the Old Testament (OT) by focusing on several biblical persons including Job, Ben Sira, and Solomon. Wisdom literature reflects a general orientation to human life, and pictures individual persons in their everyday existence in a world created by God. The Book of Job tells the story of a saintly person who was tested by God through unexpected and unmerited suffering. He loses his weight, posterity, health, and social life. This book also relates his theological discussions with friends on the origins and nature of his suffering, and finally a response from God. Moreover, Sirach is considered as the most extensive example of Jewish wisdom literature. Wisdom appears at the beginning of Sirach (1: 1–30), at the halfway mark (24: 1–34), and at the end (51: 1–27). Lastly, the Wisdom of Solomon deals with retribution for good and evil, and the effects of immortality of Sophia as well.

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).

This chapter explains the varieties of features one encounters in texts of thematic discourse or description, a key branch of ancient Jewish literature. In particular, both texts of proverbial wisdom, such as Wisdom and Sirach, and texts of law, such as 4QMMT and Mishnah, have conspicuously ‘loose’ thematic coherence. The contribution to this of stereotypical small forms and their ‘mere juxtaposition’ is explained. The chapter addresses the problematic role which modern coherence expectations, which often go unexamined in scholarship, play in diachronic criticism of apparently ‘incoherent’ ancient Jewish texts. The chapter also takes into view thematic discourse which is set in a narrative frame, such as 4 Ezra, 1 Baruch and some ‘Testaments’.

In order to provide context for the presentation of the canon lists, here we introduce the major stages in canon history, the data relevant to each stage, and the prominent scholarly theories regarding the development of the biblical canon. Our goal is not to advocate for one particular view, but to help readers understand the significance of the canon lists. We begin by looking at the Old Testament, investigatng how the books came to be accepted as authoritative and whether there might have been a diversity of biblical canons in ancient Judaism. Turning to the New Testament, we examine the evidence for the reception of each section of the New Testament, starting with the Gospels, then the Pauline letters, the Catholic Epistles, the book of Acts, and finally Revelation.

This chapter examines the inspired composition and inspiring impact of four Old Testament books (Genesis, Psalms, Isaiah, and Sirach). Biblical texts came from many anonymous persons (e.g. Genesis and the Psalms) and from known individuals (e.g. Sirach). In both cases, the Holy Spirit effected the formation of the final texts, and the subsequent use of such symbolic stories as that of Adam and Eve by biblical and patristic authors (e.g. Paul in Romans; Irenaeus), and in Christian art and literature (e.g. icons and Masaccio; Donne and Milton). The Psalms and Prophets fed into the preaching of Jesus and the New Testament (e.g. Paul’s letters). After the Psalms, Isaiah was the book most quoted by New Testament authors, proving a reservoir for their understanding of God. Ben Sira, author of Sirach, was aware of his authority within the wisdom-literature tradition but not of being inspired by God in writing his book.

Aristobulus and the author of Wisdom of Solomon conceived of wisdom in much the same way that earlier Greek, non-Jewish thinkers did: as knowledge of the whole—of things human, cosmic, and divine—which underlies, requires, and informs the life of virtue. Moreover, they readily identified sophia with wisdom as found in the Jewish scriptures, especially in the figure of Solomon and in the Pentateuchal narratives. Their engagement with the scriptures yields a wisdom program centered on rational monotheism, virtue, and the hope of immortality. This program, however, was also characterized by a strong emphasis on the national form of wisdom. In its capacity as ruling knowledge, wisdom must also belong to human leaders. Understanding wisdom in these terms, as that which brings the metaphysical, cosmic, social, and personal into harmony, Hellenistic Jews commended their way of life to the nations.

This chapter discusses the role of divine–human and intra-human pistis in the Septuagint, arguing that an evolution can be detected from the books of the Pentateuch to the Hellenistic wisdom tradition and Roman-period commentaries on the Book of Genesis. It discusses the role of pistis in the covenants which Abraham, Moses, and the Israelites make with God in Genesis and Exodus. It examines Job’s understanding of pistis in his complaint against God, and the shape of the divine–human relationship implicit in God’s response. It investigates the pistis of God towards the faithful and that of the faithful towards God in the Wisdom of Solomon and in Sirach. It also explores the role of God as sponsor of pistis between human beings, the relationship between pistis and truth, and the relationship between faith, fear, doubt, and scepticism.