The Wisdom Tradition 10/18/17 Professor Tate

Vocabulary Wisdom Proverb/mashal Sage Woman Wisdom The Strange Woman Sheol Ecclesiastes/Qohelet Job The satan (NOT Satan/the devil) Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar Theodicy

Wisdom in creation (Proverbs 8) The Lord created me as the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of long ago. Ages ago I was set up, at the first, Before the beginning of the earth. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, When there were no springs abounding with water. Before the mountains had been shaped, Before the hills, I was brought forth —when he had not yet made earth or fields, Or the world’s first bits of soil.

Wisdom in creation (proverbs 8) When he marked the foundations of the earth, Then I was beside him like a master worker; And I was daily his delight, Rejoicing before him always, Rejoicing in his inhabited world And delighting in the human race.

Proverbs 6 Go to the ant, you lazybones; Consider its ways and be wise. Without having any chief or officer or ruler, It prepares its food in summer, And gathers its sustenance in harvest. How long will you lie there, lazybones? When will you rise from your sleep? A little sleep, a little slumber, A little folding of the hands to rest, And poverty will come upon you like a robber, And want, like an armed warrior.

Proverbs 16 Righteous lips are the delight of a king, And he loves those who speak what is right. A king’s wrath is a messenger of death, And whoever is wise will appease it.

Woman Wisdom (Proverbs 1) Wisdom cries out in the street; in the squares she raises her voice. At the busiest corner she cries out; at the entrance of the city gates she speaks: “How long, O simple ones, will you love being simple? How long will scoffers delight in their scoffing and fools hate knowledge? Give heed to my reproof. I will pour my thoughts out to you; I will make my words known to you…”

Woman Wisdom vs. the Strange Woman (Proverbs 7) My child, keep my words and store up my commandments with you…Say to Wisdom, “You are my sister,” and call insight your intimate friend, that they may keep you from the loose woman, from the adulteress with her smooth words. For at the window of my house, I looked out through my lattice, and I saw among the simple ones, I observed among the youths, a young man without sense, passing along the street near her corner, taking the road to her house in the twilight, in the evening, at the time of night and darkness.

Woman Wisdom vs. the strange woman (proverbs 7) Then a woman comes toward him, decked out like a prostitute, wily of heart. She is loud and wayward; her feet do not stay at home; now in the street, now in the squares, and at every corner she lies in wait. She seizes him and kisses him, and with an impudent face she says to him… “Now I have come out to meet you, to seek you eagerly, and I have found you! I have decked out my couch with coverings, colored spreads of Egyptian linen; I have perfumed my bed with myrrh, aloes, and cinnamon.”

Woman wisdom vs. the strange woman (proverbs 7) “Come, let us take our fill of love until morning; let us delight ourselves with love. For my husband is not home. He has gone on a long journey…” With much seductive speech she persuades him; with smooth talk she compels him…He is like a bird rushing into a snare, not knowing that it will cost him his life…Her house is the way to Sheol, going down to the chambers of death.

Proverbs 10 What the wicked dread will come upon them, But the desire of the righteous will be granted. When the tempest passes, the wicked are no more, But the righteous are established forever.

Qohelet 2 I built houses and planted vineyards for myself…I also had great possessions of herds and flocks, more than anyone who had been before me in Jerusalem. I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and of the provinces…So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem; also my wisdom remained with me…

Qohelet 2 Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had spend in doing it, and again, all was vanity and a chasing after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

…How can the wise die just like fools? Qohelet’s problem I saw that wisdom excels folly as light excels darkness. The wise have eyes in their head, but fools walk in darkness. Yet I perceived that the same fate befalls all of them…I said to myself, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also; why then have I been so very wise?” …How can the wise die just like fools?

Qohelet’s solution So I commend enjoyment, for there is nothing better for people under the sun than to eat, and drink, and enjoy themselves, for this will go with them in their toil through the days of life that God gives them under the sun.

The book of Job There once was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. That man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil…

YHWH’s boast One day the heavenly beings came to present themselves before the Lord, and the satan also came among them…The Lord said to the satan, “Have you considered my servant Job? There is no one like him on earth, a blameless and upright man who fears God and turns away from evil.

The satan’s wager The satan answered the Lord, “Does Job fear God for nothing?…You have blessed the work of his hands, and his possessions have increased in the land. But stretch out your hand now, and touch all that he has, and he will curse you to your face.”

Does Job fear God for nothing?

In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing. Job’s response Job arose, tore his robe, shaved his head, and fell on the ground and worshipped. He said, “Naked came I from my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return there. The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” In all this Job did not sin or charge God with wrongdoing.

YHWH answers to job Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements—surely you know! Or who stretched the line upon it? On what were its bases sunk, Or who laid its cornerstone…?

Job restored…? And the Lord restored the fortunes of Job…The Lord gave Job twice as much as he had before…The Lord blessed the latter days of Job more than his beginning…He also had seven sons and three daughters…After this Job lived for 140 years, and saw his children, and his children’s children, four generations. And Job died, old and full of days.

Vocabulary Wisdom Proverb/mashal Sage Woman Wisdom The Strange Woman Sheol Ecclesiastes/Qohelet Job The satan (NOT Satan/the devil) Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar Theodicy