Lesson 9
How To
Study the Bible Lesson 9: The Wisdom Literature.
By Shane Scott
The purpose of these writings is to give godly wisdom for daily living. Very often this wisdom is communicated in terms of a father giving advice to his children (see Prov. 1:8). Of course, just as any parent is to give instructions in keeping with God's word (Eph. 6:4), the wisdom in these books begins with a proper fear of the Lord (Prov. 1:7).
As mentioned in the lesson on poetry, a great deal of the wisdom literature is poetic. The book of Proverbs, for instance, contains synonymous parallelism (Prov. 7:4), antithetical parallelism (Prov. 12:1), and similes and metaphors (Prov. 12:4).
Something else we studied earlier is also important to remember when studying wisdom literature: you must understand something of the culture of the recipients of these books in order to appreciate their wisdom. The descriptions of beauty found in the Song of Solomon would have little positive impact on a loved one today, but they were very meaningful back in 11th century B.C. Israel (see Song of Solomon 4:1-7; 5:10-16). Consult a good Bible dictionary or commentary for help with these cultural changes.
Now let's take a quick look at the different wisdom books:
Job
The book of Job deals with the very important issue of human suffering. A critical key to understanding this book is to recognize that there are many different speakers in it, and not all of them are accurate in their judgments. The definitive statement of truth comes in chapters 38-42, where God directly responds to Job.
Ecclesiastes
This book is one of the most perplexing books in the Bible. The wise man seems to be cynical beyond belief:
I, the Preacher, have been king over Israel in Jerusalem. And I set my mind to seek and explore by wisdom concerning all that has been done under heaven. It is a grievous task which God has given to the sons of men to be afflicted with. I have seen all the works which have been done under the sun, and behold, all is vanity and striving after wind. What is crooked cannot be straightened, and what is lacking cannot be counted. (Ecc. 1:12-15)
As difficult as this book is to understand, its basic message is clearly understood as long as we understand two terms. The first is "under the sun." This phrase refers to a view of life that ignores the supernatural and just views what happens in the natural world. The other phrase is "vanity of vanities," which describes the emptiness of life from such an unspiritual perspective. It is the "under-the-sun" vantage point which leads to the cynical, morbid outlook of the author. When he comes to his senses, though, he states the truth that man's duty is to fear God and keep His commands (12:13-14).
Song of Solomon
What could be more down to earth than love and marriage? That's exactly what this book is all about--the romance and marriage of Solomon to a country girl called the Shulammite. Because this book speaks in such frank, yet poetic terms about sexual love in marriage, many interpreters have taken this book as a figurative description of God's love for His people. However, the message of this book is really just an extension of some of the proverbs (notably Prov. 5:18-19).
Proverbs
The proverbs are the most straightforward portions of the wisdom books, and therefore the easiest to understand. However, it is important to keep in mind that proverbs are not iron-clad promises; they are basic general truths about life. In fact, the Hebrew word for proverb is meshallim, "a figure of speech."
Here is an example:
Do not be among those who give pledges, Among those who become sureties for debts.
If you have nothing with which to pay, Why should he take your bed from under you? (Prov. 22:26-27)
This passage is not an absolute prohibition against mortgage loans or car loans. It is a general statement of truth about the dangers of over-extended debt. By keeping this important distinction in mind you can avoid mis-using the Proverbs.
Questions for Review
1. What is meant by the term "wisdom literature"?
2. Scan through Job 2-26 and identify the different speakers and the chapters their speeches are recorded in.
3. What is the key to interpreting Ecclesiastes?
4. What is the theme of Song of Solomon?
5. Re-state these proverbs in a way that would correspond to our culture:
Prov. 22:11 He who loves purity of heart And whose speech is gracious, the king is his friend.
Prov. 25:24 It is better to live in a corner of the roof Than in a house shared with a contentious woman.
6. Read the following proverbs, sum up their main point, and then give biblical examples of exceptions to these general truths:
Prov. 22:6,P. Prov. 6:20
Prov. 18:22