Wisdom Literature

In the Bible

The Old Testament books usually classed as wisdom literature are Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. Some psalms that contrast the way of the righteous with the way of the wicked, such as Psalms 1, 37, and 73, are sometimes grouped together as "wisdom psalms." The Song of Songs is also sometimes treated with them. In Korean Protestantism, the five books from Job through the Song of Songs are commonly called the "poetic books."

• Proverbs: Teaches practical wisdom for daily life through short maxims. Its prologue declares, "The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Proverbs 1:7). The same confession appears in Proverbs 9:10, Job 28:28, and Psalm 111:10. In addition to the proverbs of Solomon, the book contains the words of Agur (chapter 30) and Lemuel (chapter 31), as well as proverbs copied out by the men of Hezekiah (Proverbs 25:1).
• Job: Explores why the righteous suffer through a lengthy debate between Job and his three friends.
• Ecclesiastes: Reflects on the limits of human life with the refrain "Vanity of vanities." The book closes with the charge to fear God and keep His commandments (Ecclesiastes 12:13–14).

Background

The Hebrew word for "wisdom" is ḥokmah. The term encompasses not only knowledge but also skill, discernment, and competence in the conduct of life. Israel's wisdom tradition is linked to the record that Solomon spoke three thousand proverbs (1 Kings 4:32).

Instructional literature also existed elsewhere in the ancient Near East, including Egypt and Mesopotamia. Scholars note that Proverbs 22:17–24:22 resembles the Egyptian Instruction of Amenemope. Wisdom literature is concerned less with national history, such as the Exodus or the covenant, and more with the order of creation and the everyday life of the individual.

Significance in the Bible as a Whole

Proverbs 8 personifies wisdom as a being who was beside God from the creation. The New Testament carries this line of thought forward to Christ.

• Paul calls Christ "the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:22–25).
• The Logos of John's Gospel and Colossians 1:15–17 are also frequently compared with the wisdom that took part in creation.
• Jesus' parables and short sayings resemble the speech of a wisdom teacher. Jesus described Himself as "a greater than Solomon" (Matthew 12:42).
• Because of its many practical exhortations, the Epistle of James is sometimes called "the Proverbs of the New Testament."

Interpretation and Points of Debate

• Scope: The Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church also include the Wisdom of Solomon and Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) in their Scriptures. Protestants regard these two books as apocryphal and do not include them in the canon.
• Wisdom in Proverbs 8: The early Church Fathers read this wisdom as referring to God the Son. The Arians, by contrast, cited the wording of Proverbs 8:22 in the Septuagint ("created") as evidence that the Son is a creature. Today many interpreters understand the passage not as direct prophecy but as a personification of a divine attribute, which the New Testament then applies to Christ.
• The principle of retribution: Proverbs teaches that the righteous are blessed and the wicked meet with calamity. Job and Ecclesiastes, on the other hand, deal with the reality that this principle does not always hold. Many interpreters read Proverbs as stating general principles rather than unconditional promises. Readings shaped by prosperity theology, which treat Proverbs as a guarantee of material prosperity, have drawn criticism.
• Authorship and date: Ecclesiastes has traditionally been attributed to Solomon. However, many scholars hold, on the basis of its language and content, that it was written later. The date of Job's composition likewise remains unsettled.

In the Korean Church

Because Proverbs has thirty-one chapters, reading one chapter a day over the course of a month is a common practice in quiet time devotions and through-the-Bible reading. Job is frequently used in sermons on suffering and comfort. Ecclesiastes 3:1–8 is often quoted in year-end sermons reflecting on the seasons of life and in funeral sermons.