Wisdom Literature

Possible Exam Questions

2005-04-13T06:25:00.000-07:00

Possible Exam Questions (Song of Songs)
Question 1
How does the worldview of Song of Songs compare with that of Ecclesiastes? To what extent and on what points are they in agreement or conflict?
Question 2
What are some of the ways people have tried to account for the sexual imagery in Song of Songs? Which explanation do you prefer and why?
Question 3
What is the view of human sexuality presented in the Song? What kinds of relationships are affirmed and what kinds are opposed?
Question 4
Describe some examples from history in which culture and philosophy have influenced the interpretation of the Song of Songs. What lessons can we learn from this history to ensure that our interpretation of the Song is honest, not pre-determined by the presuppositions we were raised with?
Question 5
What can we know about who wrote the Song of Songs? Do you think it was written about, for, or by Solomon? Was its composer a man or a woman, or is this irrelevant? Was it written during Solomon's reign, or if not, when? As always, explain why you think so.
Question 6
Describe the characters in the Song of Songs? Besides the two lovers, are there any others? Who? Which of them have speaking roles, and to what extent? Do you think the girl's lover is Solomon or someone else? Why?

Week 11 lecture notes (unformatted)

2005-04-13T06:20:00.000-07:00

Week 11
8:30 Quiz
8:45 Paper Due
8:50 Men in the Song: One or two? Positive or Negative?
Is the lover the same as the king (Solomon)? Why or why not? Which passages support your view? Which are problematic?
9:05 Possible Exam Questions
9:10 Outline of Song of Songs
A tale of fidelity to love in the face of power and coercion.
1–2: The woman, a member of the king's harem, expresses love for her lover, not for the king. The man reciprocates.
3: The woman is determined to overcome threats to her relationship with the man.
4–5: the threats are again resisted, and the depth of the relationship seems very committed.
6–7: more graphic descriptions of the relationship
8: declaration of woman's passion and resistance to other males who claim possession of her (brothers, the king).
· The woman is a more prominent character than the man; she speaks more and takes more initiative.
· She is devoted to a faithful, monogamous, intimate relationship, and refuses to be a pawn in a male game of legal contracts, money, and objectification.
· She struggles for fidelity to her lover when confronted with the king.
9:20 Passage identification in the Song of Songs
Passage
Typical Content
1:1 Title
The Song of Songs which is to Solomon
1:2–6 Introduction
Who is the girl, Solomon, the harem girls, and the guy.
1:7–8 The search for the shepherd

1:12–17 The campout

2 I and my love
I am my lover's and he is mine (also ch. 6);
he is a stag leaping the mountains
3:1–5 Dream sequence 1
The watchmen let her go; she finds him
3:6–11 The opulent scene
who is this coming up from the desert?
Solomon's bed, "carriage", crowned on his wedding.
4:1–15 You are beautiful
Your teeth are sheep (also ch. 6)
A garden locked up
5:2–8 Dream sequence 2
The watchmen beat her
5:9–16: He is handsome
His arms are rods of gold
6
I am my lovers, and he is mine (also 2, 7);
Your teeth are sheep (also 4);
She is unique
7:1 The Shullamite

7:2–10: You are beautiful

7:11–14: Let's get out!
There I will give you my love
8:1–4 If he were my brother
I would take him to Mom's
8:6–7 The power of love

8:8–12 Solomon's vineyard
Our sister;
The $1000 are yours, Solomon

9:35 Women in the Song: Subordination or Empowerment?
You have probably encountered many different ideas about what women's roles should be. Which of these ideas are supported by the Song, and which are rejected?
9:50 Break
10:05 Human sexual love as metaphor for divine love
What can we learn from the Song about God's love, or the way we should love God?
Wisdom literature recap
10:20 Lessons for Life taught by Wisdom Literature
· All Truth is God’s Truth ; The Truth is not Our Enemy
· God is not a “God of the Gaps”
· See the Big Picture; Maturity is larger self-identification.
· God ordered nature; the world is good; people are good
· Think about it: God has a Purpose, not a Plan for your life.
· Live this life without thought of reward in the afterlife
10:25 Wisdom and the New Testament
· Jesus’ teachings have similarities to Proverbs and Ecclesiastes
· The NT describes Jesus in terms used by Proverbs (Hebrews, John 1, Colossians 1:17; Acts 17:28)
· Song of Songs is without parallel in the NT
Song or Ecclesiastes Quoted in the NT: Once.
Ecc. 7:20 There is not a righteous man on earth who does what is right and never sins.
Romans 3:10 As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one;
Allusions to Song and Ecclesiastes in the NT
Eccl. "vanity"
Romans 8:20
Ecc. 3:4
Matt. 11:17
Ecc. 5:1
Matt 6:7
James 1:19
Ecc. 5:7
Col. 4:1
Ecc. 5:14
1 T 6:7
Ecc 7:9
James 1:19
Ecc. 8:15
Luke 12:29
Ecc. 9:7
Acts 2:46
Ecc. 9:8
Matt 6:17
Ecc. 11:5
John 3:8
Ecc. 12:14
2 Cor. 5:10
Song 4:15
John 7:38: Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, streams of living water will flow from within him.”
Song 5:2
Rev 3:20: Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.
10:40 The Worldview of Wisdom in the NT
The foundational theological notion of Wisdom (11)
· The person who will do well in this life is one who recognizes that someone besides himself created the world, and who observes the world around him to learn how it works and how he can live in harmony with the way God made it.
Proverbs shares a lot of theology with the all the rest of the Old Testament:
1. God is good
2. God is Creator
3. Therefore, creation is good
4. Yet creation is in disorder
5. This disorder is the result of human unfaithfulness to God
6. God loves the goodness of what he has made, so he hates anything that ruins that goodness.
7. God’s goodness is irrepressible
8. Therefore, God and Good will ultimately triumph.
This theology is shared by the New Testament, with one extension:
9. Jesus Christ is part of God’s plan to fix the disorder in the world.
a. Jesus Christ represents God’s refusal to abandon his willful creatures to their sin
b. Jesus Christ’s self-sacrificial death atones for human wrong-doing
c. Jesus Christ’s resurrection makes possible eternal life in communion with God as a member of his redeemed people
What difference can biblical wisdom make to life today?
Does wisdom consist of Rules or attitudes?
Does wisdom consist of Promises or habits?
10:45 Final Quiz
11:00 Evaluations

Week 10 lecture notes

2005-03-31T19:50:00.000-08:00

Week 10
Interpretation: Literal or Allegorical?
1. Literal: it is about human love and sexual intimacy
2. Allegorical: it uses the language of human love and intimacy to speak of something else (e.g., the relationship of God and the Church)
· Both interpretations go back to the 200's AD or earlier; the oldest evidence we have is from people objecting to a literal interpretation.
· the Council of Constantinople (550 AD) outlawed the literal reading of the Song.
Is the Song obscene if interpreted literally?
· Many have thought the Song would be obscene if interpreted literally.
· Why should a description of human love and sexuality be a problem?
In teams, read "The Philosopher Ruler" (by Plato) and "Interpretations of the Sublime Song" (by Marvin Pope), then discuss the following questions:
· Which do you think Socrates considered "real": the Ideal or the the realization of that ideal in practice?
· Which did Plato think is superior: abstract ideas or physical substance?
· How did early interpreters of the Song prefer to interpret it: abstractly (spiritually) or physically?
o In Greek thinking, one's physical nature must be overcome by the mind/spirit.
o The church developed in this Greco-Roman culture assuming a world view influenced by Plato, with his idea that mind is superior to matter; that one's physical nature must be overcome by the mind and spirit.
o The church did not question this view of the physical nature, so celibacy was thought to be spiritual.
· But the view of the Bible is that creation is good, and sexuality is one aspect of that goodness (Genesis 1). (for example, resurrection is always resurrection of the body.)
Discussion
In teams, discuss the following question:
What seems to be the intention of the original author: Was it expected to be read Allegorically or Literally?
· Early Jews and Christians alike (from the second century AD on) interpreted it allegorically; they only disagreed about what the allegory represented.
· If allegory was intended, we have no evidence in the Song itself, and so much would be inexplicable. (E.g., the woman (=the people of God) takes the initiative in "rousing" the man (=God).)
· The author did not think erotic love was a problem.
Egyptian love songs
Read Egyptian Love Songs # 3, 9, 31–34.
In teams, discuss the following question:
What similarities and differences do you see between these Egyptian love songs and the biblical Song of Songs?
· The woman is called "sister" (chapter 4; #9)
· They compliment each other: "most" beautiful, perfect (1:8; #31; 5:2)
· They describe anatomy with metaphors (#3; 5:13; #31; 5:11; 7:3–4)
· No dialogue in the Egyptian songs. They are not in each others' presence.
Human Sexuality
· God created the world good, and sexual activity is a part of that good creation (Genesis 1).. Yet it has come to be treated as a commodity, bought & sold, or used to exert power, manipulate, and control.
· Some consider it dirty, others (who treat it as a leisure activity) almost holy. We must not act as if it is the church's job to legitimate the fallen world.
· The gospel is about expressing our humanity, not repressing major parts of it. If one puts faith and humanness in conflict, humans will be unable to handle the conflict and choose humanness. If we think of God as a God of unreasonable prohibitions, we have bought the serpent's lie (Genesis 3:1), not the freedom granted by God (2:16).
· That said, certain types of sexual activity are not good for us. Consider the question in the light of the worldview of wisdom literature, as seen in Proverbs.
The person who will do well in this life is one who recognizes that someone besides himself created the world (3:14; 11:5; 7:14), and who observes the world around him to learn how it works (8:16–17) and how he can live in harmony with the way God made it (8:12–13).
· A wise relationship is one where you know your place and don't pretend you're an exception to the rule. Just as there is appropriate behaviour, there is appropriate sexual activity. Inappropriate activity will only end up hurting yourself. It goes against the way things are.
· Title
Song of Songs = the best song. is about the love of a man and a woman. Implication: sex and all that goes with it are good things, and its ok to talk about them without shame.
The woman resists being considered the property of males. She is not passive and receptive; she initiates.
Outline (10)
A tale of fidelity to love in the face of power and coercion.
1–2: The woman, a member of the king's harem, expresses love for her lover, not for the king. The man reciprocates.
3: The woman is determined to overcome threats to her relationship with the man.
4–5: the threats are again resisted, and the depth of the relationship seems very committed.
6–7: more graphic descriptions of the relationship
8: declaration of woman's passion and resistance to other males who claim possession of her (brothers, the king).
· The woman is a more prominent character than the man; she speaks more and takes more initiative.
· She is devoted to a faithful, monogamous, intimate relationship, and refuses to be a pawn in a male game of legal contracts, money, and objectification.
· She struggles for fidelity to her lover when confronted with the king.
For Next Week:
· Song 6:11–8:14
· Provan 348–378
Your paper.

Week 9 lecture notes

2005-03-16T13:43:00.000-08:00

Week 9
Quiz
Reading Song of Songs 5–8
As we read the text, what questions arise?
What do you wonder about?
Song of Songs: Date, Authorship: Solomon or later?
"The Song of Songs which is to Solomon": By? For? About?
The author is not Solomon:
1. Solomon never speaks; he is only spoken about.
2. The references to Solomon are mostly negative (more on this later).
3. Solomon's relationships with women are the opposite of what the Song teaches (more on this later).
4. The Hebrew is late, with Persian loanwords, so probably from after the Babylonian exile, like Ecclesiastes.
Interpretation: Literal or Allegorical?
1. Literal: it is about human love and sexual intimacy
2. Allegorical: it uses the language of human love and intimacy to speak of something else (e.g., the relationship of God and the Church)
· Both interpretations go back to the 200's AD or earlier; the oldest evidence we have is from people objecting to a literal interpretation.
· the Council of Constantinople (550 AD) outlawed the literal reading of the Song.
Is the Song obscene if interpreted literally?
· Many have thought the Song would be obscene if interpreted literally.
· Why should a description of human love and sexuality be a problem?
o In Greek thinking, one's physical nature must be overcome by the mind/spirit.
o The church developed in this Greco-Roman culture assuming a world view influenced by Plato, with his idea that mind is superior to matter; that one's physical nature must be overcome by the mind and spirit.
o The church did not question this view of the physical nature, so celibacy was thought to be spiritual.
· But the view of the Bible is that creation is good, and sexuality is one aspect of that goodness (Genesis 1). (for example, resurrection is always resurrection of the body.)
Discussion
In teams, discuss the following question:
What seems to be the intention of the original author: Was is expected to be read Allegorically or Literally?
· Early Jews and Christians alike (from the second century AD on) interpreted it allegorically; they only disagreed about what the allegory represented.
· If allegory was intended, we have no evidence in the Song itself, and so much would be inexplicable. (E.g., the woman (=the people of God) takes the initiative in "rousing" the man (=God).)
· The author did not think erotic love was a problem.
Break
Men in the Song: One or two? Positive or Negative?
· Two main characters, one male and one female. Hebrew, the verb and noun suffixes help distinguish the speakers.
Is the man Solomon and the woman his bride? I doubt it.
1. He is young (black hair; leaping like a young stag).
2. 3:6–11 and 8:10–12 do not present Solomon positively, in contrast to the woman's lover.
Egyptian love songs
Read Egyptian Love Songs # 3, 9, 31–34.
In teams, discuss the following question:
What similarities and differences do you see between these Egyptian love songs and the biblical Song of Songs?
· The woman is called "sister" (chapter 4; #9)
· They compliment each other: "most" beautiful, perfect (1:8; #31; 5:2)
· They describe anatomy with metaphors (#3; 5:13; #31; 5:11; 7:3–4)
· No dialogue in the Egyptian songs. They are not in each others' presence.
Human Sexuality
· God created the world good, and sexual activity is a part of that good creation (Genesis 1).. Yet it has come to be treated as a commodity, bought & sold, or used to exert power, manipulate, and control.
· Some consider it dirty, others (who treat it as a leisure activity) almost holy. We must not act as if it is the church's job to legitimate the fallen world.
· The gospel is about expressing our humanity, not repressing major parts of it. If one puts faith and humanness in conflict, humans will be unable to handle the conflict and choose humanness. If we think of God as a God of unreasonable prohibitions, we have bought the serpent's lie (Genesis 3:1), not the freedom granted by God (2:16).
· That said, certain types of sexual activity are not good for us. Consider the question in the light of the worldview of wisdom literature, as seen in Proverbs.
The person who will do well in this life is one who recognizes that someone besides himself created the world (3:14; 11:5; 7:14), and who observes the world around him to learn how it works (8:16–17) and how he can live in harmony with the way God made it (8:12–13).
· A wise relationship is one where you know your place and don't pretend you're an exception to the rule. Just as there is appropriate behaviour, there is appropriate sexual activity. Inappropriate activity will only end up hurting yourself. It goes against the way things are.
· Title
Song of Songs = the best song. is about the love of a man and a woman. Implication: sex and all that goes with it are good things, and its ok to talk about them without shame.
The woman resists being considered the property of males. She is not passive and receptive; she initiates.
For Next Week:
· Song 3:1–6:10
· Provan 297–347
Not to be handed in; simply recommended for a good paper:
Write an abstract of your paper.

Week 8 lecture notes

2005-03-10T18:40:00.000-08:00

Week 8

Midterm Test

Marriage and faithfulness in Proverbs

The teaching on marriage and adultery (chapter 7) is in a section about competing discourses.
Choosing one’s life path (choosing wisdom or folly) is compared to choosing one’s life mate.
Wisdom is living life in a way that corresponds with to the way things actually are, recognizing one’s place: we are not the creators of our world or of the rules under which it operates.
Likewise, a wise relationship is one where you recognize your place and do not try to pretend you are an exception to the rule. Just as there is appropriate behaviour, there is appropriate sexual activity. Inappropriate activity will only end up hurting yourself. It goes against the way things are.

Reading Song of Songs
As we read the text, what questions arise?
What do you wonder about?
Song of Songs: Date, Authorship: Solomon or later?
"The Song of Songs which is to Solomon": By? For? About?
The author is not Solomon:
1. Solomon never speaks; he is only spoken about.
2. The references to Solomon are mostly negative (more on this later).
3. Solomon's relationships with women are the opposite of what the Song teaches (more on this later).
4. The Hebrew is late, with Persian loanwords, so probably from after the Babylonian exile, like Ecclesiastes.
Interpretation: Literal or Allegorical?
1. Literal: it is about human love and sexual intimacy
2. Allegorical: it uses the language of human love and intimacy to speak of something else (e.g., the relationship of God and the Church)
· Both interpretations go back to the 200's AD or earlier; the oldest evidence we have is from people objecting to a literal interpretation.
· the Council of Constantinople (550 AD) outlawed the literal reading of the Song.
Is the Song obscene if interpreted literally?
· Many have thought the Song would be obscene if interpreted literally.
· Why should a description of human love and sexuality be a problem?
o In Greek thinking, one's physical nature must be overcome by the mind/spirit.
o The church developed in this Greco-Roman culture assuming a world view influenced by Plato, with his idea that mind is superior to matter; that one's physical nature must be overcome by the mind and spirit.
o The church did not question this view of the physical nature, so celibacy was thought to be spiritual.
· But the view of the Bible is that creation is good, and sexuality is one aspect of that goodness (Genesis 1). (for example, resurrection is always resurrection of the body.)
What was the intention of the original author?
· Early Jews and Christians alike (from the second century AD on) interpreted it allegorically; they only disagreed about what the allegory represented.
· If allegory was intended, we have no evidence in the Song itself, and so much would be inexplicable. (E.g., the woman (=the people of God) takes the initiative in "rousing" the man (=God).)
· The author did not think erotic love was a problem.
For Next Week:
· Read Song 1–2
· Read Provan 263–296
Not to be handed in; simply recommended for a good paper:
· Review a book or article that is important for your paper.

Week 7 lecture notes unformatted

2005-03-04T11:38:00.000-08:00

Week 7
Quiz
Message of Ecclesiastes 7-12
o Don’t think that being perfect is the answer. That’s no guarantee (7:16); rather, fear God: recognize his sovereignty and that He is in control (7:18).
o Don’t think that being perfectly wise is the answer, either: You’ll never be wise enough to figure it all out (7:23–29; 8:16–17). God made us.
o Life is full of things we don’t control: Kings, winds, death, conscription (8:2–9); battles, food, riches, favor, disaster (9:11–12). Time and chance happen to us all.
o Still, do what you can. In general, it helps to be wise, be calm, be kind, be generous, work hard (10–11). Just don’t place your trust in your own self and what you do (11:6).
Ecclesiastes as God’s Word
· What do we mean by “God’s Word”?
· In what way can we think of Ecclesiastes as God’s Word?
· EBC Tenet of Faith #1:
“The Holy Scriptures as originally given by God, divinely inspired, infallible, entirely trustworthy and the only supreme authority in all matters of faith and conduct.”
· Core Values #1:
“Our core values stem from the conviction that God has graciously revealed Himself in time and space, through His Son Jesus Christ and by His Holy Spirit. The inspired Christian Scriptures awaken and attune humankind to the past, present and future work of God. All aspects of our institutional life are to be shaped by and measured against biblical revelation.”
Revelation, Inspiration, Authority, and Canon
By “Revelation” and “Inspiration” do we mean:
· Verbal Inspiration: God dictated Ecclesiastes to someone who wrote about Qohelet (in Hebrew)?
· God placed the ideas into the author's mind, and let him choose the words?
· God’s spirit is in every person committed to following Him, and therefore the author was inspired as they tried to express the things in Ecclesiastes?
· Natural Revelation: God revealed things about Himself in creation, and the author recognized these and expressed them in Ecclesiastes?
· God inspires the text as we read it, if we try to hear His voice in the text?
By “infallible”, “trustworthy”, and “authority” do we mean:
· Ecclesiastes has guarantees from God?
· Ecclesiastes never says anything contradictory?
· We should obey Ecclesiastes’ advice literally?
· The point behind each proverb and poem is true?
· The overall worldview of Ecclesiastes is correct?
· We give Ecclesiastes authority when we guide our lives by something we read in it?
Limitations of the sage
· Proverbs can seem optimistic (3:11–12)
· The reader recognizes that life isn’t so predictable. Job and Ecclesiastes question the predictability directly. (So does Proverbs, in 16:9; 21:30; 30:2–3)
· Ecclesiastes seems to like pointing out ambiguities
· Wisdom sayings, by nature, are not final; they prod one to further thought (Ecclesiastes 12:11).
· Wisdom literature conceals as much as it reveals. A saying can only be a partial truth, and other sayings are needed to complement it. “He who hesitates is lost” / “Look before you leap”
Break
Paper proposal due.
Qohelet and his contradictions: unorthodox, foil or complex?
What does Qohelet say that makes his theology suspect?
1. Life is a miserable evil (4:2), yet we should enjoy life (9:4)
2. Life is vanity, yet it matters how we act (2:13)
3. Life is unfair (2:14), yet God will reward and punish righteously
How can we explain the apparent contradictions?
1. Is Qohelet's teaching presented as an example of incorrect thinking, which was edited later to correct it (e.g., by adding the last chapter)?
· If so, the editor did not do a good job of removing the unorthodox statements or counter-balancing them.
· The last chapter says the same things Qohelet has been saying all along
· The last chapter commends Qohelet; saying only good things about him and his teaching.
2. Is Ecclesiastes written in the form of a dialogue between someone who is right and someone who is wrong?
· We see no indication of dialogue or changes of characters.
· The autobiographical parts in chapters 1 and 2 cannot be dialogues, yet they contain the same apparent contradictions.
3. Is Qohelet talking only about life "without God" when he speaks pessimistically? Is this what "under the sun" means?
· Life "under the sun" does not mean life "without God" (5:18; 9:9, 11), though it may mean this life "on earth" as opposed to what may happen after death (about which Qohelet is vague).
4. Does Qohelet seem to contradict himself because life is not always consistent and there are no pat answers?
· Proverbs does this, in e.g., 26:4–5.
5. Is Qohelet really contradicting himself?
· A few times, technically yes, e.g., whether it's better to be dead or alive.
· But these apparent contradictions must be read in their contexts, in light of the point Qohelet is trying to make.
· A proper understanding of hebel makes a huge difference. He is not saying everything is totally "meaningless;" he is saying everything is not to be "grasped" (i.e., controlled, considered permanent or substantial or even predictable).
Review of Ecclesiastes.
Points to remember:
· Ecclesiastes is not empty, nor is it complete.
· Wisdom has two branches: practical (Proverbs) and speculative (Job, Ecclesiastes).
· Proverbs focuses on the typical, Ecclesiastes on the atypical.
· The Hebrew word translated “evil” does not always carry moral connotations (a natural disaster is an “evil”).
· Qohelet says contradictory things (4:2 vs. 9:4). Why?
o Later editors tried to correct his unorthodoxy? No: they didn’t do a good job.
o Qohelet quoted his opponents’ viewpoints in order to refute them? No: there are no indications of quoting.
o He expresses things that are partially true (like Proverbs does). Yes. This means the danger of taking a verse out of context is especially high!
· Structure
o attempts have been made to find a structure
o none are really convincing
o Better: just follow the flow of the book, with its repetitive cycles.
· Forms:
o “Better than” 7:1–11; 9:16–10:1
o Royal Testament (like Egypt)
o rhetorical questions
· Poetry:
o Most can be divided into poetic, parallel, lines with some rhythm
o However, other characteristics of poetry (lack of particles, terseness) are absent.
· Narrative: For example, “I hated life” (7:17) does not mean life is hateful.
· Addressees: Male (9:9); young (11:9); some wealth.
· Theology:
o God is never called Yahweh; only Elohim.
o not atheist or agnostic
o God is in control
o Life goes better for those who please God
o God is transcendent and incomprehensible but reasonable and trustworthy.
· Relevance: Like today, Ecclesiastes deals with:
o Responding to tradition
o Relationship of individual to community
o faithful living even when God is problematic
o Greed (work as toil rather than calling); the rat-race.
o Human limitations (vs. post-modernism, which promotes create our own reality).
For Next Quiz:
Fee & Stuart 226–230Provan 235–256

Possible Midterm Questions

2005-03-04T11:31:00.000-08:00

Question 1

How does the worldview of Ecclesiastes compare with that of Proverbs? To what extent are they in agreement or conflict?

Question 2

What does Ecclesiastes mean by the word translated “vanity”? Summarize some differing views, and indicate how these explanations are helpful or inadequate.

Question 3

Describe the overall message of Ecclesiastes. What points is the author trying to make, and how does he go about making them?

Question 4

What can we know about when Ecclesiastes was written, and by whom? What evidence can we base this on?

Question 5

What are some of the ways people have tried to explain the contradictions in Ecclesiastes? Which explanation do you prefer and why?

Question 6

Was Qohelet's view of life basically optimistic or pessimistic? What kinds of things was he optimistic or pessimistic about?

Week 6 Lecture notes

2005-02-17T18:23:00.000-08:00

Week 6

Quiz

Guidelines: using Ecclesiastes today.

Adjusting Expectations

Mid-term Evaluation.

Exegetical Papers

Retribution.

The worldview of Ecclesiastes: order or chaos?

Quiz

Message of Chapters 4–6

o Good is not automatically and immediately rewarded, and evil not automatically and immediately punished (4:1; 7:15; 8:11). So don’t be surprised at injustice (4:8; 5:13).

o Yet good will be rewarded, and evil punished eventually (3:17), at a time not determined by us (8:12).

o Stop thinking God is someone you can control; don’t be so self-important (5:2).

o Don’t think you are 100% secure, just because you do what’s right (5:13–17).

o Instead, enjoy things when you can, and don’t worry about what you can’t control (5:18–6:6; 8:15; 11:7–12:8).

Exegetical Papers

The purpose of exegesis is to answer the question:

What did the Biblical author mean? What did the author intend his original readers to understand?

Good exegesis consists of two kinds of questions:

a. What he said (content)

b. Why he said it at that point (literary context)

CONTEXT (= WHY) and CONTENT (= WHAT)

1. The questions of CONTEXT are of 2 kinds:

a. HISTORICAL [also of 2 kinds]

i. Historical context in general
= the time/ culture of the author and readers

ii. The Occasion (particular historical context)
= the specific historical setting of a document

b. LITERAR Y [ also of 2 kinds ]

i. Genre
= kind of document, or literary form

ii. Local Context
= The meaning of words in sentences, sentences in paragraphs (strophes, etc.), and paragraphs in larger sections

a(ii) and b(ii) = the why questions

2. The questions of CONTENT (WHAT is said)

a. TEXT

b. LANGUAGE (Words)

c. GRAMMAR/SYNT AX

d. HISTORICAL/CULTURAL CONTEXT
-of an idea, person, event, etc.

Steps for Exegesis of Ecclesiastes

1. Read this section of Ecclesiastes

2. Read the passage repeatedly (in many translations)

3. Make a list of differences among the translations, and any footnotes they may provide.

4. Analyze the structure as far as you can in English

5. Start a list of questions your paper will address.

6. Start comparing commentaries:

a. Check for significant textual issues (is there uncertainty about what the original Hebrew text was?)

b. Note important grammar

7. List the key terms in the passage

a. Do mini-word studies

8. Investigate important historical-cultural items

9. Examine the literary context (arrangement)

10. Check the commentaries again; have you missed anything important?

11. Consider the broader biblical and theological contexts

a. Analyze the relationship to Scripture

b. Analyze the relationship to theology

12. Provide a finished translation

13. Application

a. List the life issues

b. Clarify the nature and area

c. Identify the audience and categories

14. Write the paper

a. Spend time in reflection and prayer

b. Begin with a sense of purpose

i. Main Points

ii. Purpose

iii. Response

c. Decide on the introduction and conclusion

d. Construct an outline

e. Write the paper

Break

Using Ecclesiastes Today

· The text means what it meant.

· The only honest way to interpret something someone said or wrote is to try to determine what the person was trying to say.

· We can’t “proof-text” (take verses out of context to make Ecclesiastes say something it doesn’t mean to).

· What it means to say:

Life is ungraspable. We are not in control of our own future. We can’t guarantee our own success. So don’t place your trust in yourself. God is in control. We can’t manipulate or even totally understand him. He is ungraspable. Yet he is good and awesome. So place your trust in God and respect Him. Enjoy the goodness that comes your way while you can, because you cannot control it. Life is ungraspable.

· You Are Not Starring In Your Own Soap Opera
You do not write the script for your life, nor does the world revolve around you.
You did not create this world, and you did not create the rules and laws it runs by.
Right and Wrong and Good and Bad are not subjective; they are absolute, or at least natural.
God made the world; he is the centre of the universe, the only permanent, reliable, and in-control being in existence.

· See the Big Picture
The key phrase is “in the end”. Ecclesiastes wants us to think of the long-term, rather than just the immediate. That’s why he says mourning is better than partying: keeping your own death in mind puts life in a larger perspective.

· God Ordered Nature; The World is Good
God made creation good, with a certain built-in order, and that is a sign of his faithfulness.

· People are Good
God made people good; but people can ruin things by making destructive choices.

· Ecclesiastes forces the reader to think, to ponder.
By being figurative and ambiguous, and even contradictory, Qohelet forces one to make sense of the world for oneself.

· God has a Purpose, not a Plan for Your Life.
Ecclesiastes implies that God’s will for our lives is a general attitude, not specific decisions.

· Ethics does not depend on Reward or Punishment in the Afterlife
Ecclesiastes does not know of any life after death for reward or punishment. Yet he definitely thinks we should do what is right and not what is wrong.
On the other hand, Ecclesiastes affirms that God does reward good and punish evil.

· Live This Life without Thought of Reward in the Afterlife
Although Ecclesiastes often does remind us of rewards and natural consequences, Ecclesiastes also affirms that if something is right, we should do it, whether we are rewarded or not. Ecclesiastes especially downplays doing things for rewards in the next life.

· Imagine a Videotape of Your Life at the Judgment
On the other hand, Ecclesiastes affirms that nothing escapes the eye of God. Combine this with Revelation’s story of two kinds of books (20:11–14), in which the Book of Life determines who doesn’t get thrown in the lake of fire, but the other books are still used to judge one’s action, as recorded in the books.

Mid-term Evaluation of Course and Instructor

For after the Break

Choose a topic for an eight-page paper.

You must hand in a one paragraph proposal for your paper next week, stating which option you have chosen (and what passage or word your paper will cover, if applicable).

1. Exegetical paper on a passage from Ecclesiastes or Song of Songs.

2. Word study of a word used in Ecclesiastes.

3. Compare the wisdom literature of the Bible with that of other ANE cultures.

4. Another topic (subject to approval by the instructor).

For the quiz, read:

1. Ecclesiastes 7–12:14

2. Provan 138–233

Week 5 lecture notes

2005-02-17T18:22:00.000-08:00

Week 5

Quiz

Word Studies

Keywords of Ecclesiastes: “Hebel”

Ecclesiastes as a response to Proverbs

Ecclesiastes and Proverbs: in agreement or conflict?

Quiz

Word Studies

1) Choosing a word

a) Either: A difficult word

i) Where do English translations disagree?

ii) Where do they have trouble finding the right English word to use?

iii) Where does a translation seem odd (the English word chosen doesn’t seem to fit the context).

b) Or: A significant word

i) What word is an important theme in this book?

2) Finding the Hebrew word

a) Either: Concordance

i) Look up the English word in a concordance.

ii) Either: Find the verse which was difficult to translate, in the list of verses for that word. Which Hebrew word is it translating?

iii) OR: find the Hebrew word most commonly translated by that significant English word (also make note of other Hebrew words translated by that English word: these could be synonyms).

b) OR: Interlinear/Index/Software

i) Look up the verse with the difficult word.

ii) Which Hebrew word is it translating?

3) Finding the instances of the word.

a) Use the concordance or software to find all the other verses using that Hebrew word.

b) Read those verses in their contexts.

4) Looking for patterns

a) What kinds of contexts is this word used in?

b) Is the word used in different senses?

c) Is the word used differently in this book, compared with the rest of the OT?

d) What words it is in parallelism with?

i) Synonymously?

ii) Antithetically? (this will tell you its antonyms)

5) Checking with a Hebrew dictionary

a) Make sure you only do this step after you do your own research

b) See if the dictionary agrees with what you noticed.

c) Remember, the people who wrote the dictionary did exactly the same kind of work you did, to make up their definitions. They aren’t necessarily any more right than you. There’s nothing wrong with improving on their definitions.

Example: Hebel

1) What is meant by the translated “meaningless”, “vanity”, “absurdity”, “emptiness”, “useless”, “pointless”, “senseless”, “breath”, “breeze”, etc. so commonly in Ecclesiastes (1:2, 14, 2:1, etc.)?

2) Identify the Hebrew word

a) Concordance method

i) Look up the English word in a concordance. A good cheap concordance is Young's Analytical Concordance. Strong's is OK, too. These two are based on the King James Version, which uses "vanity" in these passages (1:2, 14; 2:1, etc.). So look up "vanity" in Young's.

ii) Find the verse which was difficult to translate, in the list of verses for that word. Which Hebrew word is it translating? In Ecclesiastes 1:2 and 12:8, two words are used: habel and hebel. In all the other Ecclesiastes references, hebel is used. Strong's number is 1892 for these passages.

3) Find the instances of the word.

a) Concordance method: look up HEBEL in the Hebrew index of Young's concordance.

b) What English words are used for HEBEL? "in vain" 7 times; "vanity" 58 times, "altogether" once, "vain" 4 times.

c) Read those verses in their contexts.

i) Look up the 11 verses translating hebel using the word "vain" (Job 9:29; 21:34; 35:16; Psalms 39:6; Proverbs 31:30; Ecclesiastes 6:12; Isaiah 30:7; 49:4; Jer. 10:3; Lam. 4:17; Zech 10:2)

ii) Look up the 58 verses translating hebel as "vanity" (Deut. 32:21; 1 Kings 16:13, etc., and all the times in Ecclesiastes).

4) Looking for patterns

a) What kinds of contexts is this word used in? Is the word used in different senses?

i) Job: doing something "in vain" = without the desired result; "pointlessly" (they comfort me in vain)

ii) Historical books: "their vanities" provoke the Lord to anger (idolatry?)

iii) Psalms: men and their days are "vanity" = insignificant; a trifling thing; next to nothing (see also them that regard lying vanity)

iv) Proverbs: connected with acquiring wealth

v) Prophets: in contexts about idolatry and error

vi) Ecclesiastes: all is "vanity"; this also is "vanity"

b) Is the word used differently in this book, compared with the rest of the OT? Yes.

c) What words it is in parallelism with?

i) Synonymously?

(1) Vexation of spirit (1:14; 2:11, 17, 26; 4:4, 16; 6:9)

(2) A great evil (2:21), a sore trouble (4:8), an evil disease (6:2)

ii) Antithetically? No.

d) What meaning fits all these contexts best?
I see three main meanings, all related to the concept "ungraspable"

i) "Insubstantial" (a trifling thing, nothingness, pointless) (can't grasp it because there's nothing to it)

ii) "Incomprehensible" (makes no sense) (can't grasp it with our minds)

iii) "Beyond our control" (one's possessions after one dies) (can't hold it in our grasp, to wield it)

5) Checking with a Hebrew dictionary

a) See if the dictionary agrees with what you noticed.

TWOT: Third is the cluster of references found in Eccl (thirty-six). These may be grouped into several subdivisions. First are those passages in which the author states his inability to find fulfillment in work, both in his failure to be creative and in his lack of control over the privilege of free disposition of his possessions; this is “vanity”:2:11, 19, 21, 23; 4:4, 8; 6:2. Second are those verses in which the author struggles with the idea that the connection between sin and judgment, righteousness and final deliverance is not always direct or obvious. This is an anomaly about life and it is “vanity”:2:15; 6:7–9; 8:10–14. The meaning of hebel here would be “senseless.” Thirdly are those verses in which the author laments the shortness of life; this is “vanity”:3:19; 6:12; 11:8, 10. Life, in its quality, is “empty” or “vacuous” (and thus unsubstantial), and in its quantity is “transitory.” (Harris, Archer, and Waltke. Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament. electronic ed. Chicago: Moody Press, 1999, c1980.)

TWOT mentions the three meanings we discovered, in different order, with slightly different words: "lack of control" for "beyond our control", "senseless" for "incomprehensible", and "transitory" for "insubstantial".

Break

Worldview of Qohelet

How much of Proverbs’ worldview does Qohelet share?

The person who will do well in this life is one who recognizes that someone besides himself created the world (3:14; 11:5; 7:14), and who observes the world around him to learn how it works (8:16–17) and how he can live in harmony with the way God made it (8:12–13).

1. God is good

2. God made the world the way it is (3:14; 7:14)

3. Therefore, the world is good (3:11, NIV)

4. Yet creation is in disorder (3:16; 7:29 NIV)

5. This disorder is the result of human unfaithfulness to God (7:29 NIV)

6. God loves the goodness of what he has made, so he hates anything that ruins that goodness.

7. God’s goodness is irrepressible

8. Therefore, God and Good will ultimately triumph. (3:17; 12:14)

Ecclesiastes as a Response to Proverbs

How does Qohelet differ from Proverbs?

· The starting point is the same, but because Proverbs was often misinterpreted to mean that the retribution principle was 100% accurate, Ecclesiastes needed to correct this misperception.

· Proverbs could be taken to mean that if we do what is good, we will automatically get what is good. This is not what Proverbs really says, but people took it that way.

· The overall message of Ecclesiastes is: “We humans are not in control of our own destiny.”

· Ecclesiastes tries to say:

o we cannot control our future (it is ungraspable)

o we cannot even predict our future (it is ungraspable)

o Someone much bigger than us sets up the parameters under which the world and humans operate.

o We need to recognize this fact (we are not the creators of our own worlds), rather than fight it.

· This is why Ecclesiastes keeps saying (in Chapters 1‑3):

o What is the point of all this work? (1:3 It doesn’t change our future.)

o There is nothing new under the sun (1:9 Nothing seems to change, no matter what we do.)

o What is the point of pursuing wisdom? (1:18)

o Yet wisdom is good! (2:13)

o Even if it doesn’t guarantee an improvement in our future (2:14)

o What is the point of pursuing pleasure? (2:1)

o Yet enjoyment is good! (2:24)

o In fact, it is often the gift of God to the one who pleases Him (2:25)

o There is a time for everything, and it is determined not by us but by things outside our control (3:1–8); it is determined by God (3:11)

o Therefore, we should enjoy this good life when we can (3:12), rather than trying to grasp it and force it and control it and create it to our own liking (3:22; 6:10).

o We should recognize the awesome power and goodness of God and what he has done and made (3:14; 7:13)

For Next Week:

Read for the quiz:

1. Ecclesiastes 4–6

2. Provan 102–138

Week 4 Lecture notes

2005-02-17T18:21:00.000-08:00

Week 4

Midterm Test

Break

What do you want to learn about Ecclesiastes?

What is Ecclesiastes about?

· Certain statements are made repeatedly:

o All is hebel (“ungraspable?” "vanity"?), striving after wind.

o There’s nothing better than to eat, drink, and enjoy life. (1:24; 3:12; 8:15; 9:7; 11:9)

· Certain ideas come up repeatedly:

o Things happen according to a system which we do not control (1; 3)

o The fate of the good and the wicked and the animals is the same: oblivion. (2:15; 3:20; 9:2,5,6,10)

o People work hard to get things, only to leave it behind when they die.

o God will judge the righteous and the wicked. (9:1).

o Oppression and injustice occur (8:9; 9:11; 10:6–7).

o It is pointless to use too many words. (5; 6:11; 10:14)

o We can’t know the future (6:12; 9:12; 10:14; 11:6)

o Wisdom is hard to attain (7:23; 8:17)

o Wisdom is good (2:13; 9:17)

o We can’t understand God completely (5:2; 11:5)

· Ideas are picked up, their ambiguity and inconsistency pondered a bit, then dropped, only to be picked up again later in another context.

Who wrote Ecclesiastes?

Divide into groups; each taking one section of Ecclesiastes:

Chapter 1	3:1–4:8
Chapter 2	8:2–4, 10:16–20; 4:13; 9:14–16; 5:8; 10:6–7

What can we know about the speaker in these texts? Give references.

A. Is he Solomon?
(1:1, 1:16, 2:8, 2:12; 1:16, 2:7, 2:9)

B. Where does he fit chronologically in Israel’s history? (Early monarchy? late monarchy? Exilic period? post-exilic period?)
(1:16, 2:8, 2:12; 1:16, 2:7, 2:9)

C. Is he a king of Israel?
(1:16, 2:8, 2:12; 1:16, 2:7, 2:9)

D. Is he a king at all?
(4:13; 8:2; 9:14–16; 10:16–17, 20)

When was Ecclesiastes written?

Internal (linguistic) clues:

1) Uses a late form of Biblical Hebrew; the most like post-biblical Mishnaic Hebrew (which is from 200 AD).

2) Uses Persian loanwords (“pardes” in 2:5 and “pitgam” in 8:11). The Persian empire conquered Babylon in 539 BC.

External (archaeological) clues:

3) Two copies were found at Qumran (Dead Sea Scrolls), from about 175–150 BC and 75-1 BC.

Therefore, many scholars say it’s from 300–200 BC; others say it’s from 450–350 BC. I’d say 450–250 BC.

"Qohelet"

What does the sage’s title (often translated “Teacher” or “Preacher”) mean? 1:1, 2, 12; 7:27; 12:8, 9, 10.

Literally, “gatherer” (of an assembly of people), but with a feminine ending.
(Deuteronomy 31:30)

1) Another name for Solomon? No, it's more like a title than a name: he's called the Qohelet, although this is not conclusive.

2) A school teacher? But he criticizes traditional wisdom.

3) A “gatherer” of things other than people: wise sayings (7:27)?

Summary of Author and Date

· An author/editor (not calling himself Qohelet) wrote 1:1 and 12:8-11.

· The author/editor says “Qohelet” is the speaker of the main part of the book (1:2–12:7).

· In the first two chapters, apparently a rich and wise king of Jerusalem in the later monarchic period tells his story.

· In the rest of the book, no indication of a royal author is given; in fact, the opposite could be inferred from some verses (e.g., the beginning of chapter 8).

· The style of Hebrew used appears to be post-exilic (5^th century or later).

· Some words used are from the post-exilic period.

· Copies found among the Dead Sea Scrolls indicate it was written before the 2^nd century BC or earlier.

The Structure of Ecclesiastes

· There is an opening and conclusion

· Some sections have distinctive styles or content: Remember these for the final exam:

o Ecclesiastes 1:1–11: Introductory poetry
"Vanity of Vanities!" plus the nature of the world

o Ecclesiastes 1:12–2:26: didactic autobiography – the pinnacle of human success and power.
I was The Greatest King over Jerusalem!

o Ecclesiastes 3:1–8: for everything there is a time

o Ecclesiastes 4:7–12: companionship
Two or three are better than one.

o Ecclesiastes 5:1–7: revere God
Don’t try to manipulate God with your long prayers and vows and sacrifices.

o Ecclesiastes 7:1–14; 10:1–11:4: poetic wise sayings These are harder to distinguish from Proverbs, but they have a more pessimistic/realistic tone (mourning is better than partying)

o Ecclesiastes 8:2–9: respect the king
Here it doesn’t sound like the author is a king.

o Ecclesiastes 9:4–10: life is better than death
So enjoy your wife.

o Ecclesiastes 11:7–12:7: Youth and Death
Carpe Diem; you can’t learn any younger!

o Ecclesiastes 12:9–14: Epilogue
This part is the author/editor (not Qohelet) speaking. Here is the only mention of the Law.

Next week:

The Quiz will cover:

1. Ecclesiastes chapters 1–3

2. Provan, 23–101

Week 3 Lecture notes

2005-02-17T18:17:00.000-08:00

Week 3

Quiz

Hebrew Poetry

What constitutes “poetry”? In groups:

1. Define “poetry.”

2. How can you tell something is poetry and not prose? What are its characteristics?

3. What would happen if someone read a poem and didn’t realize it was poetry?

What characterizes Hebrew poetry?

1. Parallelism.

a. synonymous
Song 1:10 Your cheeks are comely with ornaments,
// your neck with strings of jewels.

b. antithetic
Song 4:7 You are altogether beautiful, my love;
// there is no flaw in you.

c. synthetic / formal
Song 6:13 Why should you look upon the Shulammite,
// as upon a dance before two armies.

2. Connotative, figurative, highly metaphorical language.

a. Standard metaphors:
Body parts (“heart”=mind & being; “eyes”=opinion, view)
Paths=conduct (ways).

3. Terseness.

a. juxtaposition
Proverbs 1:7 Fear of Yahweh, beginning of knowledge.

4. Distinctive Forms:

a. Acrostic (Lamentations; Psalm 119; Proverbs 31:10–31)

b. Numerical proverbs (Proverbs 30:29)

Why is it important that poetry be recognized as such?

1. Parallelism: we can interpret one line in light of the other.

2. Figurative language: poetry isn't meant literally, but tries to create associations/connections in one’s mind.

3. Poetic units: we must consider the message of each poem as a whole.

Hochmah game question (read handout):

In tribes, figure this out:

· From what you have read, how does biblical wisdom literature compare to babylonian wisdom literature on the question of suffering? On what points do they agree? disagree?

· They address the same philosophical question, from a person who does not understand why he is suffering.

· In Babylonian literature, there is no such thing as undeserved suffering as there is in Job.

· In Babylonian literature, whatever happens is because the gods decreed it that way, not because we make morally wrong choices.

· They agree that humans cannot totally understand God.

Lady Wisdom

· Creation is permeated by Wisdom. God’s wisdom permeates the whole created order (universe).

o Wisdom was with God when he created all else.

o Creation was done “by” Wisdom (3:19–20; 8:22–31)

o Lady Wisdom calls the world “good” (8:31).

o There is good in everything (in ants).

o 30:24–28
Animals conform instinctively (work wisely), but human must choose: The difference between us and the rest of creation is that nature follows the created order instinctively, whereas we have a choice.

· Interpretations of Personified Wisdom

o Wisdom=Torah (Ben Sira 24). But “all the judges of the Earth” (8:16) do not govern by Torah.

o Hypostasis (a personification of a divine attribute whereby it assumes an independent identity, i.e., becomes a divine being itself). But wisdom in Proverbs has three names: ḥokmah, binah (understanding), and t^ebunah (good sense).

o The primeval order itself, or order-producing force with which God informs the world.

o Personification as a literary trope, for rhetorical purposes. Wisdom is female by virtue of the feminine gender of ḥokmah.

o Wisdom is not very active or responsive. She does not punish or reward (people do that to themselves). She sets the circumstances (builds a house) under which life is lived.

· Wisdom’s personality

o She wants human attention. (1:23–27; 9:3, 4; 8:32a)

o Wisdom realizes her potential only through human activity. She is not a collection of truths, but an approach to life, an attitude, a way of thinking.

Break

Proverbs and the ANE and extra-canonical Jewish wisdom.

In groups, each with a text (Ahiqar; Ecclesiasticus/Sirach; Wisdom of Solomon):

1. What similarities to biblical wisdom literature do you see?

2. What differences?

3. Is Wisdom described as a person? As something else?

4. What is Wisdom’s relationship to creation, if any?

Retribution

· Exodus 34:6–7
God rewards good and punishes evil.

· Deuteronomy 28
In the Pentateuch, there are blessings and curses in the covenant formulas. The nation is rewarded for following God’s law.

· Genesis 18:23; Ezekiel 18:2
Wisdom literature is about the individual rather than the nation when speaking of reward and punishment.

· Proverbs 26:27; 28:10
Good actions are associated with good results, and bad actions with bad results. The individual who acts with integrity will do well; the one who schemes, scoffs, is arrogant, secretive, etc., will only end up hurting himself when what he tries to do to others (and nature) comes back on him. This is natural retribution. Proverbs has this “optimistic” view, in which exceptions are not usually admitted.

· But there are exceptions: Psalm 73; Job 12:1–6; Proverbs 19:10; 10:2; “Better” proverbs (it is better to be poor than a liar; better to be righteous/loyal to God than to prosper; better to be lowly)
Because proverbs are partial sayings, they can’t, and are not intended to give the whole truth.
The truisms of Proverbs are not absolute promises, but general principles based on careful observation of the human experience.
They are predictions, and like other predictions (e.g., the weather), things can turn out differently than predicted.

· The sages were not blind; they did not think the retribution principle was 100% accurate. But they had faith that overall, good would be rewarded and evil punished.

· 3:1–4
In Proverbs, the motivation is this-worldly.
One is rewarded or punished in this life; there are only a few hints of afterlife in Proverbs.

· Other wisdom books challenged a simplistic interpretation of Proverbs:

1. Job shows that the reverse of the Retribution Principle (if you’re suffering, you must have sinned) is wrong.

2. Ecclesiastes has trouble understanding God (3:11; 7:13; 8:17).

What do some other ancient Jewish wisdom books think?

In teams, read the handout excerpts from Ecclesiasticus (Sirach) and from the Wisdom of Solomon

· These are both Jewish wisdom books written between the Old and New Testaments, included in the “Apocrypha” in Catholic Bibles.

3. Sirach struggles with theodicy (God allowing good people to suffer), but is unable to solve the problem.

4. Wisdom of Solomon finds a solution by claiming that reward and punishment happens after death.

Opportunity for Challenges

For Next Time

Read for next week’s quiz:

· Ecclesiastes

· Song of Songs

· Provan 23–42

· Fee & Stuart Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth 212–215

Week 2 Lecture notes

2005-02-17T18:15:00.000-08:00

Week 2

Quiz

The “Wise/Foolish” contrast.

How does Proverbs know right and wrong?

Babylonian wisdom (”The Babylonian Theodicy”, ”A Dialogue between a Master and His Slave”, ”I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom”)

The worldview of Proverbs: Is creation good or fallen?

Quiz

Abuse of Wisdom Literature (in general)

Misinterpretation happens in three main ways:

1. People read these books only in part

· There is an overall message.

· Wisdom teaching cannot be taken out of context even if it sounds profound (Ecclesiastes 3:2; Proverbs 26:5).

2. People misunderstand wisdom terms and categories

· Terms used in wisdom literature often have a “technical” meaning.

· e.g., “Fool” does not mean “mentally handicapped” (Proverbs 14:7); it means someone who does not acknowledge God; “knowledge” does not mean “having information”; it is an attitude (Proverbs 1:7).

· The second part of the proverb is very useful for interpreting the first. If you are seeking “knowledge”, don’t look for it from someone who rejects God. Proverbs 10:12

3. People fail to follow the line of argument

· Some statements are incorrect on purpose (Job 15:20)

· The way the story of Job is set up, Job is confronted by his “friends” who have differing explanations for his suffering. These explanations are properly rejected by Job (and God) by the end of the book. Might Ecclesiastes be intended this way?

Game question

(True story)

A couple comes to you, the pastor, for counselling. They have five children, aged 20 to 7. They have tried their best to raise their children to be good Christians, but the oldest has rebelled, moved out, and taken to drugs. The parents are distraught; they know Proverbs 22:6: "Train up a child in the way he should go: and when he is old, he will not depart from it" (KJV). They feel betrayed by God.

· In teams, decide how would you counsel this couple about this verse.

Recap: Wisdom in Creation.

The Worldview, the “Vision” of Proverbs

· The God of Proverbs is the God of Israel, though he is not called that. Proverbs understands God as one, etc.

· Creation is permeated by Wisdom. God’s wisdom permeates the whole created order (universe).

o Wisdom was with God when he created all else.

o There is good in everything (in ants).

The Worldview of Proverbs: Who will prosper?

· What can Proverbs mean by the wise prospering?

o 10:24; 13:25

o God’s wisdom permeates the whole created order (universe) 3:19–20; 8:22–31.

o There is good in everything (8:31).

o Nature follows the created order instinctively, but we have a choice

o We create our own reward or punishment: by natural consequences (1:28–32; 26:27) and by denying or ignoring God (16:2–7; 10:27; 15:25; 22:4).

o The Righteous/wise seek to live by wisdom, to learn the nature of the world; the foolish seek their own inclinations. (10:17; 12:15)

o The Wise are in tune with this reality, so naturally they can be expected to succeed in this life.

· Proverbs are general, not universal laws without exceptions. (26:4,5)

o Proverbs acknowledges exceptions: it is better to be poor than a liar; better to be righteous/loyal to God than to prosper (two things I ask) better to be lowly.

o What does “better” mean? Satisfying/fulfilling? Appropriate/proper? More at peace with self or God? More in tune with reality?

· The Worldview of Proverbs: The person who will do well in this life is one who recognizes that someone besides himself created the world, and who observes the world around him to learn how it works and how he can live in harmony with the way God made it.

Break

How does Proverbs know what’s right and wrong?

· 10 Commandments (Exodus 20:1–20)?
In Exodus, right and wrong are spelled out for people.

· What kinds of reasons does Proverbs give for listening in 4:1–4, 6, 8–9, 12, 16–17, 22; 5:2–6; 8–14; 6:23–24, 34–35. But see also 5:21.
In Proverbs, it seems to be axiomatic, or perhaps human observation (over many generations, “When I was a boy”) of logical consequences.

· In the Bible as a whole, there are different ways of answering because there are different authors.

· What can we do with the different answers? Three main ways of dealing the differences:

o Harmonize them because it’s all the word of God

o Harmonize them by the canonical approach? The “author” of the Bible is the people who put it together.

o Right should be obvious, but human judgment is imperfect, so God helps by spelling some things out.

Babylonian wisdom

In “tribes,” read the following writings from ancient Babylon, and discuss the questions below.

· “The Babylonian Theodicy”

· ”A Dialogue between a Master and His Slave” (Akkadian) in ANET

· ”I Will Praise the Lord of Wisdom” (Akkadian)

1. What do these texts say about why there is suffering?

2. Do they think there such a thing as undeserved suffering or not?

3. Do they think people are responsible for their own suffering or not?

4. Is life thought to be basically fair or unfair? Why or why not?

Recap: The “Wise/Foolish” contrast.

· Proverbs divides people into two groups.

o wise and foolish

o righteous and wicked

· What does Proverbs mean by these terms?

o “Wise” accept rebuke (they don’t always know what is right but they are open to learn); they seek wisdom, are, to live by it.

o “Foolish” think they know it all, so they seek their own inclinations. They are “wise in their own eyes”.

· The starting point is taking God into account.

o He is the Creator, Maker, Orderer

o The world is in his hands

o Therefore it is wise to fear him

Opportunity for Challenges

Pronouncing Hebrew Words

· Here’s a quick guide to Hebrew words given by Provan (you won’t be tested on this):

1. Stress the last syllable unless otherwise noted.

2. ^ or ¯ over a vowel makes it long:
a in pan; â in pawn (not pane); ^ain alive.
e in pen; ê in pain; ^e in escape
i in pin; î in peen
o in pot; ô in pole
u in pull; û in pool

3. a dot . under a letter can change its pronunciation:
h ̣is like German Bach
c ̣is like puts

4. a bar over or under a letter can soften it:
b is pronounced v.
p is pronounced f.

5. š is pronounced sh.

For Next Time

Read for next week’s quiz:

· Job

· Provan pages 15–16

· Green handout (Fee & Stuart) 215–216.

Week 1 Lecture notes

2005-02-17T18:12:00.000-08:00

Week 1

Introduction to:
BO226BA: Wisdom Literature: Song of Solomon & Ecclesiastes

· Right and Wrong in current events

o Bush described the terrorists as evil

o The terrorists saw themselves as accomplishing something good

o Who is right?

o How can we tell right from wrong?

o How does Proverbs tell right from wrong?

· About the instructor

o Ken Penner, pennerkm@mcmaster.ca

o Doctoral student at McMaster University, Department of Religious Studies

o Major: Early Judaism (Return–Second destruction)

o Master of Christian Studies (Regent College) in biblical languages; M.A., Hebrew poetry

o Doctoral dissertation: on Hebrew grammar of Dead Sea Scrolls.

o Passion: biblical languages

o Married (ecstatically) to Linda, with two boys (Alex and Matt)

o A student who can understand the concerns of students

· Syllabus

o A contract between the student and instructor

o Course Description: gives the reason for the course

o Textbooks: available in the bookstore; chosen for usefulness. Required: well suited to this course. Recommended: the most thorough there is out there; but expensive.

o Objectives: the criteria for grading

o Homework: calculated not to overload you

o Reading—Biblical Text twice in an easy-to-read version and a more literal version. Supplementary reading will be handed out some weeks.

o Quizzes: at the beginning of every week, to show that you understood the reading

o Hochmah, the game: An engaging, cooperative, and competitive journey in quest of Lady Wisdom! See Handout

o Tests: twice, to show that you understood the lectures

o Exam: a longer Test, plus some passage identification

o Paper: to show that you can do your own research

o Outline: the Biblical text will be covered in parallel with the main issues relevant for interpretation

Today’s Quiz (a Pre-Test not for marks)

How is Wisdom Literature is particularly interesting today?

· It is relatively accessible

1. It is understandable, having to do with successful living here on earth (it never mentions the afterlife). It has no talking donkeys, parting seas, pillars of cloud, cooking goats in their mothers’ milk. It talks of health, happiness at home, success at work, etc. (though in terms of grain barns, etc.)

2. Does not claim prophetic authority, but provides observations on life.

3. Has no mention of Israel (or its special status and obligations, care), but addresses common humans in general.

4. Its observations are common sense even today (laziness leads to poverty, 6:10–11)

5. Its moral advice is down to earth and manageable (unlike the Sermon on the Mount, with its eye-gouging and giving to everyone who asks)

6. It has little in the way of religious duties (no specific tasks for God)

· This fits Western modern people, as biblical “wisdom literature” (Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs):

1. It tends to deal with living on earth.

2. Has a universal perspective

3. Has parallels with other Ancient Near East wisdom literature, in concerns and forms.

4. Is often attributed to Solomon, the “wisest” man.

Break (15 minutes)

· (make up teams)

Overview of Proverbs.

· The nature of “proverbs” and Proverbs:

o In groups, brainstorm and write down as many English proverbs as you can think of. Examples:

§ “Look before you leap”

§ “He who hesitates is lost”

§ “A stitch in time saves nine”

o What are these based on?

o Do they tend to be catchy sayings?

o Are they promises?

o Are they more theoretical or practical?

o Are they always applicable or appropriate? Do they fit every situation? Do they tell the whole story? Are they still “true”? In what sense?

o Are they meant to be taken literally?

· How does Proverbs know right and wrong?

o The “Wise” are open to learn; the “Foolish” think they know it all. (10:17; 12:15)

o Creation is permeated by Wisdom (3:19–20; 8:22–31)

o Lady Wisdom calls the world “good” (8:31).

o Retribution is usually from natural consequences (26:27), but also from refusing to recognize God (16:2–7; 10:27; 15:25; 22:4).

o The Worldview of Proverbs: The person who will do well in this life is one who recognizes that someone besides himself created the world, and who observes the world around him to learn how it works and how he can live in harmony with the way God made it.

Egyptian wisdom (Amenemope)

The Teaching of Amenomopet and Proverbs 22:17–

a. Solomon lived around 970–930 BC

b. Hezekiah (chapter 25) lived around 720–698 BC

c. Amenemope lived around 1100 BC (between 1558–1085 BC)

i. The papyrus is from 10^th – 6^th century BC.

ii. A clay tablet was also found

iii. A broken ostracon (piece of pottery) with some of the Teaching of Amenemope comes from shortly before the time of Solomon

1. In teams, read the handout translation of the Teaching of Amenemope and compare it with Proverbs 22:17–24:11

2. What similarities do you see in form and in content? How similar are they? What do you make of this?

3. What differences do you notice? Additions? Omissions? Changes?

2. Implications and significance

a. if one collection of wisdom borrowed from the other, Proverbs borrowed from Amenemopet.

b. An Israelite collector of proverbs appreciated Egyptian wisdom and thought it had something to say to Israel.

i. Wisdom is not the exclusive property of God’s chosen people; other people have it, too.

ii. Wisdom literature is not “special revelation” (God’s supernatural inspiration), but is based on “natural revelation” (human reflection on the way things are).

c. The order of the proverbs

i. Proverbs did not copy Amenemopet slavishly, but reworked it.

The nature of “proverbs”: Inspired promises or godly observations?

· Hebrew proverbs, like English proverbs

o are often based on observation (24:30–34; )

o are not promises (16:3)

o are generally true

o have practical application

o are technically inexact (6:27–29)

o use figurative language to express things suggestively (9:13–18)

o are often catchy (poetry)

o Not infallible rules; what’s important is the point, which may not be applicable in every situation.

· Hebrew proverbs are different than English proverbs:

o they are Hebrew poetry, which is characterized by parallelism. Therefore we get the message “in stereo”.

o They are not always catchy (some are long and dull) though they may use other poetic devices which cannot be translated into English.

For Next Time

1. Read all of Proverbs.

Use an easy-to-read translation, to get the overall picture.

2. Read the handout (pages 206–212 and 216–226 in Fee & Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth).

There will be a ten-question multiple choice quiz on these readings at the beginning of next class.

Wisdom Literature

Possible Exam Questions

Week 11 lecture notes (unformatted)

Week 10 lecture notes

Week 9 lecture notes

Week 8 lecture notes

Week 8

Midterm Test

Marriage and faithfulness in Proverbs

Week 7 lecture notes unformatted

Possible Midterm Questions

Question 1

Question 2

Question 3

Question 4

Question 5

Question 6

Week 6 Lecture notes

Quiz

Message of Chapters 4–6

Exegetical Papers

Steps for Exegesis of Ecclesiastes

Break

Using Ecclesiastes Today

Mid-term Evaluation of Course and Instructor

For after the Break

Week 5 lecture notes

Quiz

Word Studies

Example: Hebel

Break

Worldview of Qohelet

Ecclesiastes as a Response to Proverbs

For Next Week:

Week 4 Lecture notes

Midterm Test

Break

What do you want to learn about Ecclesiastes?

What is Ecclesiastes about?

Who wrote Ecclesiastes?

When was Ecclesiastes written?

"Qohelet"

Summary of Author and Date

The Structure of Ecclesiastes

Next week:

Week 3 Lecture notes

Quiz

Hebrew Poetry

Hochmah game question (read handout):

Lady Wisdom

Break

Proverbs and the ANE and extra-canonical Jewish wisdom.

Retribution

Opportunity for Challenges

For Next Time

Week 2 Lecture notes

Quiz

Abuse of Wisdom Literature (in general)

Game question

Recap: Wisdom in Creation.

The Worldview of Proverbs: Who will prosper?

Break

How does Proverbs know what’s right and wrong?

Babylonian wisdom

Recap: The “Wise/Foolish” contrast.

Opportunity for Challenges

Pronouncing Hebrew Words

For Next Time

Week 1 Lecture notes

Introduction to:BO226BA: Wisdom Literature: Song of Solomon & Ecclesiastes

Today’s Quiz (a Pre-Test not for marks)

How is Wisdom Literature is particularly interesting today?

Break (15 minutes)

Overview of Proverbs.

Egyptian wisdom (Amenemope)

The Teaching of Amenomopet and Proverbs 22:17–

The nature of “proverbs”: Inspired promises or godly observations?

For Next Time

Introduction to:
BO226BA: Wisdom Literature: Song of Solomon & Ecclesiastes