 Israel’s wisdom books speak to the individual about the wholeness and integrity of a good life, and about the personal disintegration caused by sin.  The goal of the biblical teachers of wisdom was to inspire moral integrity.

 What does it mean to be a wise person?  What is the meaning and purpose of life? where are we going?  Why do good people suffer and bad people prosper? Why should we be good in a world that is unfair?  How can we live good and faithful lives when surrounded by those who are hostile to our beliefs?

What is a Good Life?

 The book of Proverbs: content  consists of several collections of wisdom teachings  intended to instruct the youth especially.  There is no hint of an afterlife  Most of the sayings do not mention God.  Describes wisdom as “Lady Sophia”  The book of Proverbs: the author  is introduced as “the proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel”  Solomon was the traditional patron of wisdom, as David was the traditional composer of psalms.

 Proverbs is concerned with how to live a good life  It’s full down-to-earth practical advice.  The following are examples….. Leadership  “If a ruler listens to falsehood,/ all his officials will be wicked” (29:12 Gossip  “A perverse person spreads strife, and a whisperer separates close friends” (16:28  Learning  “A fool takes no pleasure in understanding, but only in expressing personal opinion” (18:2)

 Where is God in all this wisdom?  Most of the sayings do not mention God.  The perspective of the Jewish sages was the true wisdom is from God, no matter where we find it  In the advice of family and friends  In common sense  In nature  Even in other cultures with their appealing wisdom sayings  The sages saw the world as full of God’s wisdom

 In chapters 8 & 9, wisdom is portrayed poetically as a woman who came forth from God in the beginning before the world was created.  She was with God as the “master worker” while the heavens and the earth were made

 Proverbs’ image of God’s wisdom as a woman adds a feminine voice and quality to the traditional Jewish image of God as masculine.  This feminine image of wisdom has been called Sophia  After the Greek word for wisdom- Shekina  God is neither man nor woman  God is personal but transcends the human categories of gender.

 The biblical writers used male and female images to describe God because that was what they knew of persons from their human experience.  Catholic Tradition has often read the passages on wisdom in the OT as related to Mary, the mother of God.  Mary is called the Seat of Wisdom in some prayers of the liturgy.

A collection of love poems or love songs

Also know as Song of Solomon or Canticles It is a collection of love poems that early interpreters saw as a religious allegory of God’s passion for Israel. It is a collection of love songs, a celebration of erotic love between man and woman.

The association to Solomon is due to the fact that his name is mentioned six times. Solomon is never the speaker in any of the passages that mention him.

Most often, the speaker is a woman, sometimes addressing the beloved directly, sometimes speaking to “the daughters of Jerusalem.”

Major modern interpretations (1) a drama with either two or three main characters (2) a cycle of wedding songs (3) a single love poem and/or (4) a collection of love poems.

Why is the Song of Songs a book of the Bible, when it does not even mention God? Some people think even its language of love and sexuality are inappropriate for a holy book. But the Jews and Christians who decided to include it in their respective Bibles recognized that God designed human love as a powerful and holy bond.

Early interpreters of the book saw the work as a religious allegory. For both Jews and Christians- the bride and groom’s mutual love was an image of God’s love for and passionate devotion to Israel. For Christians- it was also a figure of Christ’s love for his “bride,” the church

The bride longs to be as close to the groom as the name seal that he wears on a cord about his neck, resting on his heart. She would be one with him- as he and his name are one.

In this passage we hear the well-known tribute to the power of love: Set me as a seal upon your heart, as a seal upon your arm; for love is strong as death, passion fierce as the grave. 8:6

Love can overcome death. This is the wisdom offered us by the Song of Songs.