Wisdom Literature Essay
Making Sense of the Wisdom Literature Essay
Instructions:
MAKING SENSE OF THE WISDOM LITERATURE ESSAY
For this assignment, you will write a 2-part essay on the wisdom literature. Each part must be in current Turabian format and have a brief introduction and conclusion. The first part must contain an essay of at least 500 words that explains how to properly read and interpret the proverbial statements found in the book of Proverbs. The essay must focus on the special guidelines for interpreting Proverbs that are unique to this specific genre. Provide 5–6 specific examples of these biblical Proverbs that reflect how you practice these guidelines.
The second part must contain an essay of at least 600 words on how the Old Testament wisdom books are read in light of each other. Specifically, focus on how the promises and warnings given to the wise person are balanced by the perspectives found in the other books in the wisdom literature. The primary focus will be on how the perspective on life provided in Proverbs is balanced by Job and Ecclesiastes, but brief consideration of how Song of Solomon also contributes to the overall message of the wisdom books must also be included.
Both parts must consist primarily of your own interaction with the biblical text and the questions raised. Because of the length of this essay, quotations from biblical passages and other sources must represent less than 10% of the total word count for the paper. Overuse of quotations will result in a deduction of your grade for the assignment.
Solution
Making Sense of the Wisdom Literature Essay
The all-knowing God knows the way to synthesize an idea and change it into an affirmative belief. Wisdom is defined in the book of Proverbs in a different way from the way individuals use the word today. People think that Proverbs often represent education, sense of intelligence, learning as synonymous with knowledge, or even the inevitable product of the olden days. Nonetheless, wisdom in Proverbs is understood as something bigger, comprising but surpassing every one of them.
Part 1
Proverbs is well-thought-out as a substantial or an anthology wisdom collection. Wisdom is a corporation of experience, skill as well as life in itself. Books of wisdom all together give the easiness of life, the realism of living, wages, family, and pureness in life. All of these books of wisdom lead to satisfaction to God the Father. Every book has a unique and special travel agreement of explaining life, and when these books are put together, there is a guarantee of their location in the doctrine. Wisdom is throughout the creation where it is presented and the Proverbs was originally an instructional guide for young people who used to prepare for leadership. It was significant that a person would understand the character, nature and the way to honor God which was leading to comprehending the earth[1].The trip of life offers two endpoints where one is wickedness, and the other one is wisdom. The books warn that “do not set foot on the path of the wicked or walk in the way of the way of evildoers” (Proverbs 4: 14) while “blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding” (Proverbs 3:13).
In order to comprehend the book of Proverbs, one should hermeneutically understand the passage, acknowledge the literary kinds, and neglect supposition of unconditional aptitudes, understand that some of the proverbs are often unconditionally right, and understand the book in its historical setting. As it links to homiletically standard, an individual should endorse information and permit creativeness. The comprehension of conditional assurances presents the exemption to the guide channel. Living the life’s rules is in Proverbs 9: 10 which talks about fearing God which is the beginning of wisdom. Additionally, the book of Proverbs 12:19 say that lips which are truthful endure forever while a tongue which lies lives just for a moment. Bad luck happens in the life of good individuals while the bad and corrupt ones flourish apparently. Nevertheless, we must maintain hope in Christ bearing in mind that God is full of fairness and He is known as God of Justice.
The book of Proverbs is indefinite because of offsetting the humanistic involvement in which other individuals are called to it. The book normally shares ethical caution as well as mental perspicacity in which people must crave also desire and look for wisdom. The issue of wisdom does not give a solution to all problems, but it brings people into line with God. Notably, the book of Proverbs involves wisdom with righteous people or righteousness and foolishness with the wicked people or evildoers. The book of Proverbs also says that wisdom brings joy among people while foolishness brings sadness. “A wise son brings joy to his father, but a foolish son brings grief to his mother” (Proverbs 10:1). Hebrews measures righteousness up to a certain average level. Wisdom is also exemplified by the morals, activities, attitudes, and ethics of an individual. God is wisdom, and people believe that bad, good and unresponsive features in life are the usually the best instructors.
Part 2
The books of Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, and Job all together give a perspective of harmony that provides the exemption to the regulation. The historical time of Job was comprehended that long time, blessing, and righteousness were the outcome of wisdom while foolishness led to death and destruction. These ideologies are in the book of Job and Ecclesiastes. The framework of the book of job shows that Job encountered devastation in his life of marriage, together with his finances, children and his fellow friends believed that the cause of his calamity was because he was reaping what he had sowed. God normally disciples the wicked and blesses the righteous. Generally, the book talks about the testing of the doctrine of Job.
The book of Job talks about the three friends of Job who communicated and shared the reason why he was suffering. The first one is Eliphaz the Temanite in (Job 4: 7-9), Bildad the Shuhite (Job 8: 3-6) and Zophar the Naamathite (11: 13-20). These three friends claimed that Job was suffering because of his evildoings. Job was agreeing that God blesses the righteous and punishes the wicked nonetheless, Job’s divinity was uncertain of the wicked people aging and prospering in the land, and the righteous were suffering turmoil[2]. The book of Proverbs is the required contrast. The punishment of the wicked can delay but will never be denied. Job’s friends were speaking to him, and now Job was talking to them that his justification was declared by God. Job rejected the thoughts of revenging and believed that he did not deserve to suffer and God responded by clarifying to him about everything. God took the attention far away from Job as well as questions and reminded him of who He is and what He can do. God is the manager of all aspects of our lives and to experience the act of wisdom; one should understand that the good things in this life have conflict[3].
The book of Ecclesiastes which was written by the preacher says that everything is vanity of vanities (Ecclesiastes 1:2). He says that humankind is cursed and thus wisdom may not mend everything in life. Adding the book of Ecclesiastes to Proverbs and Job offers a captivating discussion of life divinity which is vanity. This book is a difficult book which looks for honesty by using paradox. Both Ecclesiastes and Proverbs look for wisdom and Ecclesiastes, and Job emphasis on wisdom as the exemption to the regulation since people live in a sinful globe while Proverbs instructs about the operation of wisdom in our community. Ecclesiastes asks about the manifestation about God punishing the wicked and bless the righteous. Humankind is wicked, but God restores and fills all individuals. Preacher understands that wisdom is required, but knowledge and wisdom have caused a lot of pain to people. He concludes that his knowledge of concepts is limited, wisdom is necessary but fearing and following God’s commandments is much important.
The chronological progression and the storyline of the book of Song of Solomon is very unclear, and this book does not mention God’s name throughout the book. It is a love-relationship book, and it is a marriage symbol of an agreement God has with His people. The first stage is courtship, engagement, wedding day, wedding night followed by marital development and last the marital maturation which is in 7:1-8. The desire of God is to have a good relationship with His people, not the religion. The book talks about the way God takes some time in order to make a wedding for humankind[4]. As human beings, we are supposed to love God with our things including our soul, body, and mind. The love of God never ceases (Lamentation 3:22:23), and He never changes however much we disobey Him, and He remains faithful to us forever.
Conclusion
All these books
are spiritual and practical readings for both old and young people. They
provoke a person to take a thoughtful look in his life while still keeping in
mind that God is the provider and the source of everything. God is wisdom and
wisdom is God, and the two cannot be
separated.
Works cited
[1] Tremper. Longman, Raymond B. (Raymond Bryan) Dillard, and Raymond B. (Raymond Bryan) Dillard, An Introduction to the Old Testament (Zondervan, 2006)
[2] Rudy Doug, “Prosperity, Suffering, and Righteousness in the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament | Xenos Christian Fellowship,” last modified 2015, accessed July 6, 2017, http://www.xenos.org/essays/prosperity-suffering-and-righteousness-wisdom-literature-old-testament
[3] C L Seow, “Orthography , Textual Criticism , and the Poetry of Job,” Journal of Biblical Literature 130, no. 1 (2011): 63–85
[4] Kenton L. Sparks, “The Song of Songs: Wisdom for Young Jewish Women,” Catholic Biblical Quarterly 70, no. 2 (2008): 277–299