The Wisdom Literature

Wisdom Literature  An application of how God works in our everyday lives.  It teaches us the right way to live.

The Book of Job  The story of an innocent man.  It raises the question of why bad things happen to good people.  It is meant to help us understand the problem of evil.  Job 1:1-22

The Book of Psalms  A collection of poetry and song lyrics.  It’s like a hymnal.  It can help us learn to pray.  There are 3 types of Psalms: - Lament - Thanksgiving - Praise

The Book of Psalms (cont.)  Lament: A psalm that expresses sadness or asks for God’s help. Psalm 137  Thanksgiving: A psalm that expresses gratitude for the gift of life and other gifts from God. Psalm 28 & 30  Praise: A psalm that acknowledges that God is God and gives God glory just for being. Psalm 113

The Book of Proverbs  A collection of sayings that provide rules or lessons for moral living.  Faith is not just a matter of right belief; it is also a matter of right living. Proverb 15:3

The Book of Ecclesiastes  The key lesson of this book is that only God is eternal. So we should put our faith in Him. Everything else is vanity.  This book is about the search for meaning.  Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 – very famous!

The Song of Songs (or Song of Solomon)  A poem about the ideal of romantic love between a man and a woman.  It is also an allegory about the relationship between God and the Church.

The Wisdom of Solomon (or The Book of Wisdom)  This book was written for Jews who were living in foreign lands to help them maintain their faith.  Wisdom is depicted as a virtuous woman. -- Wisdom 6:12-21

The Book of Sirach (or the Book of Ecclesiasticus)  Contains many wise sayings.

Understanding Hebrew Poetry  Parallelism: A poetic technique in which the 2 nd line restates, contrasts, or expands the 1 st line. See the Psalms.  Personification: Using human characteristics to describe something non-human. See Proverbs 8.

Valued Qualities  Wisdom: A right or accurate understanding of the world. Because God created the world, wisdom comes from God.  Proverbs 2:1-22

Valued Qualities  Fear of the Lord: Respect, love, and appreciation for God.  An attitude of humility toward God.  Proverbs 19:23 and Psalm 62

Valued Qualities (cont.)  Cardinal Virtues: We can build our character around these four “ hinge” virtues. - Prudence - Justice - Temperance - Fortitude

Valued Qualities (cont.)  Prudence: The habit of using reason and fore thought to control one’s choices.  Proverbs 22:24-25, and 14:15-16

Valued Qualities (cont.)  Justice: The habit of fairness and honesty; the willingness to consider the needs of others.  Proverbs 3:21-25 and Sirach 4:1-6

Valued Qualities (cont.)  Temperance: The habit of moderation and balance.  Sirach 37:27-31

Valued Qualities (cont.)  Fortitude: The habit of courage in choosing what is right even when it is difficult.  Sirach 15:11-20, Psalm

7 Deadly Sins or Vices  The 7 Deadly Sins are habits that hinder our ability to love and to choose what is good. - pride- envy - anger- lust - sloth- avarice/greed - gluttony

7 Deadly Sins or Vices (cont.)  Pride: An exaggerated sense of one’s own worth that looks down on others and rejects legitimate authority.  Sirach 5:2-4

7 Deadly Sins or Vices (cont.)  Envy: A refusal to acknowledge or enjoy one’s gifts, while constantly yearning for more and resenting what others have.

7 Deadly Sins or Vices (cont.)  Anger: Unjustified or unrestrained hatred, rage, or violence.  Sirach 27:38-28:4

7 Deadly Sins or Vices (cont.)  Lust: Mindless sexual appetite or illicit sexual behavior.  Proverbs 6:23-29

7 Deadly Sins or Vices (cont.)  Sloth: Spiritual and intellectual laziness. The lack of will to do what is right or to change for the better.  Sirach 22:1-2, Proverbs 6:6-11

7 Deadly Sins or Vices (cont.)  Avarice or Greed: Unjust coveting or acquisition of money, property, and material goods.  Sirach 31:5-9

7 Deadly Sins or Vices (cont.)  Gluttony: overindulgence in food and drink. Sirach 31:19-24