Wisdom+Literature

Wisdom Literature(Lesson 26, 28)

The most striking characteristic of this literature is the absence of what one normally considers as typically Israelite and Jewish. There is no mention of the promises to the patriarchs, the Exodus and Moses, the covenant and Sinai, the promise to David (2 Sam 7), and so forth. The exceptions to this statement, Sir 44-50 and Wis 11-19, are very late, and they only prove the rule. Wisdom does not re-present the actions of God in Israel's history; it deals with daily human experience in the good world created by God. There are hidden connections between Yahwism and wisdom. The Lord of Israel is also the God who gives wisdom to humans (Prov 2:6).
 * 1. What does Murphy tell us is striking about wisdom literature?**

From Sally: 1. Absence of typical Jewish promises to the patriarchs, the Exodus & Moses, the covenant at Sinai, the promise to David, etc. (p.1) 2. It deals with daily human existence in the good world created by God 3. Wisdom literature does not reference God’s actions in the history of Israel 4. The connection is that the Lord of Israel is the one who gives wisdom to humans 5. The data provided by the books themselves yields very little data about the authors

2. What is theodicy? Which books deal with this theme?(Andrew)

From Sally: Theodicy: Divine Justice with a focus on the suffering of the innocent The Books that deal with this theme include Job and Ecclesiastes

The conquests of Alexander had a profound effect-the Greeks brought with them their language, their culture, and their philosophy, irrevocably transforming the entire Near East, a process known as Hellenization. Judaism was changed inevitably by this veritable flood of Greek ideas, although many Jews fiercely resisted Hellenization both intellectually and even at times militarily, viewing it as a threat to Jewish identity and tradition.490p
 * 3. What is Hellenization? Give examples.(If found anything other, please modify this)**

At many sites along the coast of the eastern Mediterranean from Ugarit to Palestine, archaeologists have discovered tombs containing pottery in the style known as Mycenaean, from the city of Mycenae in Greece, over which, according to Homer, Agamemnon ruled. An example in other direction is the borrowing of the Phoenician alphabet by the Greeks early in the first millennium BCE. As the first millennium continued, more and more trade between the two regions took place, Greek artifacts are found with increasing frequency through out the coast Levant, and several colonies of Greek traders were established....Throughout the eastern Mediterranean, Greek became the language of the elite, and, over time, that of ordinary people. The pervasiveness of Greek is illustrated by the translation of the Hebrew Bible into Greek beginning in the third century BCE(the Septuagint) 491p

4. What are the three books that many believe Solomon wrote? How does tradition help us to understand the differences in these books? From Sally: Proverbs (meant for beginners, How to Live virtuously in the world … Philosophy) Ecclesiastes (meant for proficientes, those who were making progress … Physics) Song of Songs/Song of Solomon/ The Canticle (Advanced for Initiates of the God of Love … Logic)

5. What are some positive and negative features concerning wisdom literature?

From Sally: "It deals with the daily human experience in the good world created by God. it is secular" (From Calss Map #11) Speaks to the ordinary lives and days The origins are thought to be family and tribe rather than court or school Universal in tone The balance of Conventional Wisdom (Proverbs, Sirach, Wisdom) and Dissident Wisdom (Job & Ecclesiastes) provides a dynamic, realistic offering of invitations to live rightly and how to do

Negative (I am not sure these are really negative but they come from the class notes!) No Jewish themes - no covenant, no Moses/Exodus or patriarchs