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Wisdomyou know it when you see it

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Wisdom you know it when you see it. T b em mi emen t b a good reputation (name) ... Humans are to seek for that insight and live in harmony with the cosmos. ... – PowerPoint PPT presentation

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Title: Wisdomyou know it when you see it


1
Wisdomyou know it when you see it
  • Tôb em miemen tôba good reputation (name) is
    better than precious ointment Ecc 71
  • Do horses run on rocks, or does one plow the sea
    with oxen? Am 612
  • Those who restrain their words have knowledge
    those who have a cool spirit have understanding.
    A fool who keeps silent is considered wise a
    fool with closed lips is considered intelligent.

2
Wisdom in the OT and the ANE
  • Egypt Instructions offered by a father to his
    son, teacher to pupil. Life in accord with maat
    (justice, order, truth) brings blessingsand vice
    versa. Self-control a top virtue.
  • Instructions of Amen-em-opet are similar to Prov
    2217-2422.
  • Tale of the eloquent peasanta corrupt official
    robs a peasant later regrets his actions against
    such an eloquent person

3
Wisdom in Mesopotamia
  • I will praise the Lord of Wisdom. A person
    loses social status and health values are
    reversed where the gods are concerned. But he is
    visited by deity and recovers
  • Babylonian theodicyremoteness of gods and
    inscrutability of their ways.
  • Dialogue of pessimism. Master and slave. What
    is goodto have our necks broken and be thrown
    into the sea.

4
More wisdom in Mespotamia
  • Do not sacrificeit only makes your god follow
    you about like a dog.
  • Do not make love, master. A woman is a pitfall,
    a ditch, a woman is a sharp dagger that slits a
    mans throat.
  • Ahiqar three virtues one who drinks wine and
    gives it to others one who guards wisdom and
    one who hears a word and does not tell

5
Wisdom Books in the Bible
  • Proverbs
  • Job
  • Ecclesiastes/Qoheleth
  • Ben Sira (Ecclesiasticus)
  • Wisdom of Solomon
  • Psalms 1, 19, 37, 73, 119
  • Elements of wisdom in Joseph, Deuteronomy, even
    prophets

6
Definition of Wisdom
  • How to accommodate ones life to the orderliness
    of the world, or what to do when that order
    fails. Being wise meant a search for and a
    maintenance of order
  • God embedded truth within all of reality. Humans
    are to seek for that insight and live in harmony
    with the cosmos.
  • In wisdom there is confidence in the world and
    in human potential. In humanity we trust.
    People do not need and cannot expect divine
    assistance.

7
More definitions of wisdom
  • Wisdom based on close observation and careful
    reflection on the world. There is a wisdom or
    order built right into the world
  • Creation more prominent than saving history in
    wisdom literatureno Exodus, Davidic covenant,
    Mosaic legislation, divine control of history.
    God created universe and expected humans to
    figure it out. Job 38-41 Proverbs 8
  • Experience more important than revelation
  • Much of early wisdom secular but the fear of
    Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom

8
More definitions of wisdom
  • Wisdom is the reasoned search for specific ways
    to assure well-being and the implementation of
    those discoveries in daily existence.
  • Israel did not keep faith and knowledge separate
  • Is wisdom misogynist or a resource for feminism?
    Better to live in a desert than with a
    contentious wife. But experience valued.
  • The wisdom through which God created the world is
    personified (Proverbs 8) Hokhmah sophia

9
Wisdom
  • Is Practicalknow how, judicial activity,
    composition of proverbs and songs
  • Has limitsJob refutes his friends but he is
    refuted by God.
  • Is a human task and a divine gift. Wisdom is
    acquired through experience and obedience and
    given by God.
  • Is a reflection on wisdom. Wisdom is hidden with
    God wisdom is an attractive woman who shares
    with her friends the life she shares with God.

10
Relationship of Wisdom/Saving History
  • What is the relationship between nature and
    grace, creation and saving history?
  • Sirach 24wisdom sought for a home everywhere and
    finally found it in Torah
  • Sirach 44-48 famous menfrom Enoch to Hezekiah
    and Isaiah
  • The canon finally joins wisdom and saving history.

11
The Doctrine of Retribution Reward and
Punishment
  • Life in harmony with the principles of the
    universe leads to health, wealth, fame, honor,
    longevity, progeny.
  • Evil deeds produce evil results
  • Canonical wisdom contains assertion of wisdom
    theologyand its rebuttal (Job, Ecclesiastes)
  • Job broke through a simplistic understanding of
    divine justice, and Ecclesiastes guarded the
    inscrutability and freedom of God.

12
Social Setting of Wisdom
  • Royal court Solomon (author of Proverbs,
    Ecclesiastes and Wisdom of Solomonwealthy and
    wise), men of Hezekiah (Prov 251), international
    connections of wisdom. An elite phenomenon?
    Schools?
  • Wisdom also among the clans and the elders and
    among parents.
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