WISDOM LITERATURE
This session was taught at the Christ Church Manchester School of Theology on Saturday 20th October 2018. The CCM School of Theology was set up to serve local churches in Manchester and beyond.
Topic: Wisdom Books
In this session, we look at the Wisdom literature of the Bible.
Speaker: Justin Mote
Justin is the former head of the North West Partnership Ministry Training course and a regular speaker on various Theology Topics
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NOTES
Wisdom Literature
Introduction
• Our wisdom literature and the Hebrew Books of the Writings
The Hebrew Writings included Ruth, Daniel, Ezra-Nehemiah and
Chronicles
The Hebrew Writings order was different to ours
• The material was collected over a long time period
from Moses (Psalm 90) to well past exile (Esther during reign of Xerxes
486-465BC)
• The material is a mixture of:
narrative (e.g. Job 1-2) and poetry (e.g. Psalms)
single authors (e.g. Job) and anthologies (Psalms and Proverbs)
• It is written by Jewish believers and apparently non- Jews too
e.g. Proverbs 22:17, 30:1, 31:1
Some general observations
Wisdom and issues of order
Wisdom and the gaps
Case study: Job
1). Perfection, suffering and faithfulness, 1:1-2:10
the big issue
the dreadful suffering
the faithful response
2). The persistent question and the dangerous answers, 2:11-5:17
and a mention of chapter 28
and a mention of chapter 29-31
and a mention of chapter 32-37
3). God in control, the humble response, the friends correction and restoration, and blessings restored, 38:1-42:17
Big themes of the book:
The inadequacy of observation
The danger of false counselling
The information that you need
The wise response
The sovereign God
The information that you don’t need
The pattern of the book
How it follows the pattern of the Bible
How it follows the pattern of the Lord Jesus
Summary:
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