This chapter introduces the volume by arguing that the study of biblical wisdom is in the midst of a potential paradigm shift, as interpreters are beginning to reconsider the relationship between the concept of wisdom in the Bible and the category Wisdom Literature. This offers an opportunity to explore how the two have been related in the past, in the history of Jewish and Christian interpretation, how they are connected in the present, as three competing primary approaches to Wisdom study have developed, and how they could be treated in the future, as new possibilities for understanding wisdom with insight from before and beyond the development of the Wisdom Literature category are emerging.
Download Free PDF View PDF
Journal of Biblical and Theological Studies
Interpreting Old Testament Wisdom Literature presents a collection of essays on wisdom books and wisdom ideas. The essays interact with Old Testament wisdom literature and offer up-to-date evaluations on the current issues. Craig Bartholomew provides an introduction with a survey of the landscape of Old Testament wisdom literature. Section two covers the issues within the wisdom books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. The inclusion of Song of Songs and some Psalms as wisdom texts are considered. Section three subsequently covers major ideas within Old Testament wisdom literature.
Download Free PDF View PDF
Download Free PDF View PDF
In The Structure of Scientific Revolutions (Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1962), Thomas Kuhn famously argued that old paradigms continue to dominate a discipline even after problems with it begin to emerge until, following a period of crisis, that paradigm is eventually overthrown by a new model. Within his model, there is a period of crisis in which the old paradigm is unable to deal with the data before a new paradigm emerges. Although Kuhn is never invoked in this erudite and at times witty study, his model would seem to reflect Kynes's goals. In effect, in writing this obituary for the wisdom literature as a distinct corpus, he is attempting to bring together the crisis phase with the emergence of the new paradigm in the treatment of these texts. Those familiar with Kynes's work will know that he has been pointing in this direction for some time, 1 but this is easily the most substantial work in which he seeks to dismantle the concept of wisdom literature as a distinct genre, arguing that placing Job, Ecclesiastes, and Proverbs into this category means substantial features of these texts are either missed or distorted.
Download Free PDF View PDF
PERSPECTIVES ON ISRAELITE WISDOM: PROCEEDINGS OF THE OXFORD OLD TESTAMENT SEMINAR EDITED BY JOHN JARICK
Proceedings of the Oxford Old Testament Seminar focuses on ‘Perspectives on Israelite Wisdom,’ and covers broad issues in the wisdom tradition and corpus. The volume has no overarching thesis, hermeneutic, or methodology, but provides essays from diverse theological perspectives. After an introduction by John Jarick, the book divides into three sections. The first section covers ‘Issues in the Study of Israelite Wisdom.’ Stuart Weeks evaluates the watershed article by W. Zimmerli ‘The Place and Limits of Wisdom’ and finds his conclusions wanting. John Barton writes on four different issues on ethics in the Old Testament but unfortunately covers each briefly with no conclusion or synthesis. Jenni Williams employs Samuel and Proverbs to illustrate women’s relationship to wisdom. Aulikki Nahkola offers a paremiological study of Proverbs to understand the worldview of Israel. Will Kynes ends the first section with a fundamental critique of wisdom literature.
Download Free PDF View PDF
