Inpopularperception,Wisdomliteratureisa“self-help“or“philosophy“sectionoftheOldTestamentlibrary--theoddandinterestingbitsofcanonicalmortarbetweenHistoryandProphets.ThemesthatareprominentelsewhereintheOldTestamentreceiveonlyscantattentioninthewisdombooks.Proverbs,Job,andEcclesiastesfocusoneverydayliferatherthanonGod’sspecialdealingswiththenationofIsrael.ButOldTestamentscholarshiphascometoseethewisdomofthewiseasreflectinganaspectoftheIsraeliteworldview,notsomethingtotallyforeign.Thecovenantbeliefsarepresupposed,evenifrarelyrisingtothesurface.Wisdommustbelearnedfromparents,teachers,andfriends,butitisultimatelyagiftfromGod--notprimarilyintellectualbutintenselypractical.Theissuesaddressed--justice,faith,wealth,suffering,meaning,sexuality--arehighlyrelevanttoday.Thefocusofthisvolumeisonbothwisdombooksandwisdomideas.ThefirstsectionsurveysrecentdevelopmentsinthefieldofOldTestamentwisdom,andthesecondsectiondiscussessomeissuesthathaveariseninProverbs,Job,andEcclesiastes,andexaminestheSongofSongsasawisdomtext.ThefinalsectionexploreswisdominRuth,insomePsalms,andinthebroaderfieldofOldTestamentnarrative(fromJoshuatoEsther),whilealsoexaminingwisdom,biblicaltheology,theconceptofretributioninwisdom,andthevexedissueofdivineabsence.Thefollowingcontributorsarefeatured:ChristopherB.AnsberryCraigG.BartholomewLennartBostr繹mRosClarkeKatharineJ.DellDavidG.FirthGregoryGoswellErnestC.LucasBrittanyN.MeltonSimonStocksLindsayWilson
meaning wealth teachers Job LITERATURE faith
