Wisdom
Lecture #10
Wisdom of Solomon: Wisdom Encounters Hellenism
Sources:
Collins, John J. Jewish Wisdom in the Hellenistic Age.
Di Lella, Alexander A.
"Conservative and Progressive Theology: Sirach and Wisdom." Studies in Ancient
Israelite Wisdom, ed
James Crenshaw, 401-16.
Harrington, Daniel J. Wisdom Texts from
Kloppenborg, John S.
"Isis and Sophia in the Book of Wisdom." HarTheoReview 75, 1 (1982): 57-84.
Nickelsburg, G. W. E. Jewish Literature Between the Bible and the
Mishnah: A Historical and
Literary Introduction.
Winston, David. The Wisdom of Solomon. Garden City:
Doubleday, 1979.
I. Date (200 BC
to 50 AD), Place (
II. Relation of
Wisdom of Solomon to Hellenism
A. Purpose of the book (Di Lella - Wisdom of Solomon as Progressive)
B. Use of Hellenized language and
forms - 6:17-20; 7:15-21, 24; 13:1-9
C. Hellenized ideas - see below
III. Structure of Wisdom of Solomon
A.
Book of Eschatology: Wisdom's Gift of Immortality --1:1-6:21
B.
Book of Wisdom: Nature & Power of Wisdom and
Solomon's
Quest for Her --
C.
Chapter 10 is a pivot chapter pointing both directions
D.
Book of History: Divine Wisdom or Justice in the Exodus – 10:1-19:22
[Two
Excurses on Divine Mercy (
IV. Attitudes toward the Soul - 1:4
A. Pre‑existence - 8:19-20;
B.
Immortality – -
[athanasia occurs 5 times (3:4; 4:1;
C.
Incorruption - 2:23-24; 12:1
[aphtharsia occurs 3 times (
V. Ethics - 1:1-2 and 6:9-10 (see also Pseudo-Phocyclides)
A.
Four Cardinal Virtues – 8:7
B.
Attitudes toward sexuality, women, progeny, and age –
C.
Basic sin of idolatry –
VI. Hokmah become Sophia; Wisdom is Spirit:
Wisdom of Solomon 1:4-7; 6:12ff;
7:21ff; 8:4-13; 9:1,10,11,17
A.
Where we have been in Proverbs, Job, Psalms, and Sirach
B.
Texts from Baruch and Dead Sea Scrolls (see back)
C. Indwelling of Wisdom – Wisdom 1:4-7
D.
Gift of immortality that leads to a kingdom - Wisdom 6:17-20
E.
Cosmic Principle and Mediator - Wisdom 8:4-8
F.
Acts in
G.
Superior to light - Wisdom 7:25-30
H.
Spirit - Wisdom 1:6;
Excursus: Relationship to
V. Status and Influence
A. Augustine - quotes Wisdom @800
times
B. Paul - 5:17ff;
|
Historical Period |
Historical Events |
Writings |
|
Hellenistic
Period: 333-165
B.C. |
Alexander
the Great captures Simon
II, High Priest: 219-196 B.C. |
Sirach:
180 B.C. (translated
by grandson into Greek: 132 B.C.) |
|
Maccabean
Period: 165-63
B.C. |
Syrian
ruler Antiochus IV Epiphanes: 175-164 B.C. The
Maccabees rededicate the temple: 164 B.C. |
Daniel:
166-165 B.C. 134 B.C. - 68 A.D. |
|
Roman
Period: 63
B.C. onward |
Romans
take control of Jesus'
death and resurrection: 30 A.D. The
Romans destroy the |
Wisdom
of Solomon: 30 B.C.-30 A.D. Philo:
20 B.C.-50 A.D. Paul:
50-57 A.D. Josephus:
38-100 A.D. Beginning
of the Mishnah |
BARUCH no other can be compared
to him! and gave her to Jacob his servant and to and lived among humanity. 4:1 She is the book of the
commandments of God, and the law that endures for ever. All who hold her fast will live, and those who forsake her will die. 4:2 Turn, O Jacob, and
take her; walk toward the shining of her light. 4:3 Do not give your glory
to another, or your advantages to an alien people. 4:4 Happy are we, O
Israel, for we know what is pleasing to God. |
4Q525
1[Blessed
is the one who speaks the truth] with a pure heart,and does not slander with
his tongue, Blessed are those who adhere to his laws, 2
and do not adhere to perverted paths. Blessed are those who rejoice in her, and do not explore insane paths. 3
Blessed are those who search for her with pure hands, and do not importune her with a
treacherous heart. Blessed
is the man who attains wisdom 4
and walks in the law of the most high, and dedicates his heart to her ways, and is constrained by her discipline and always takes pleasure in her punishments; 5
and does not forsake her in the hardship of [his] wrongs, and in the time of anguish does not discard her, and does not forget
her [in the days of] terror, 6 and in the distress of
his soul does not loath her. For he always thinks of her, and in his distress he meditates on [the
law,]….. |
Psalm 154 --11QPsalms,
Col.XVIII 1[Unite] your souls with
the good ones and with the perfect ones to glorify the
Most High. 2 Join together to make
his salvation known, and do not hesitate to proclaim his
power 3 and his glory to all
ordinary people. For, wisdom has been granted so that YHWH’s glory can be proclaimed 4 and so that his many
deeds can be recounted has she been taught to man.... 12 Her voice is heard in
the gates of just men and in the assembly of devout men, her
song; 13 they speak about it
when they eat to bursting, when they drink, all meeting together; 14 their meditation is on
the Law of the Most High, their words, to proclaim his power. |
4Q185 3...Listen to me, my sons,
and do not defy the words of Yahweh 6 Blessed is the man to
whom she has been given... 9The wicked person should
not brag, saying: She has not been given to me. 10 and I [shall not look
for her.] [God has given her] to and like a good gift,
gives her. He has saved all his people, 11 but has destroyed... Whoever glories in her will say: he shall take possession of her 12 and she will find
him... With her there are long days, and greasy bones, and a happy heart. |
Issues of Canon
See Anchor Bible Dictionary, Canon (James Sanders) and Apocrypha (James Charlesworth)
Collins, John. “Before the Canon,” OT Interpretation. Ed. By J. L. Mays, D. L. Peterson, and K. H. Richards. Abingdon, 1995.
I.
Situation Prior to Fall of the
II. Myth of Jamnia (Jabneh/Yavneh) (C. AD 100) – Not an authoritative Council that decided which books were in or out, but an ongoing part of a discussion by a living, functioning community. This community was now decidedly Pharisaic.
III. Jewish “Canon” – Books which defile the hands. – 24 Books of Tanak (Torah, Prophets, Writings) – fairly set by end of 1st century, as written by Josephus.
5 of the Pentateuch;
8 of the Prophets (Joshua, Judges, Samuel, Kings,
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and the Twelve Minor Prophets);
11 of the Writings (Psalms, Proverbs, Job, Song
of Solomon, Ruth, Lamentations, Ecclesiastes, Esther,
with some variation of order in differing
traditions.
Disputed Books: (Ezekiel, Proverbs) Song of Songs, Ecclesiastes, and Esther
IV. Early Church and OT Canon – lots of dispute, still ongoing
A.
LXX: no tripartite division, no real Pentateuch but
rather a continuous history. Different
order. Translation into Greek from
Hebrew in
B. Early Greek codices contain, OT, NT, Apocrypha (all 13 works), some Pseudepigrapha, some additional Christian writings.
C. Jerome (AD400) produced Vulgate, translated from Hebrew, no Apocrypha. Later the Church added the Apocrypha “back in.”
D. Many church fathers quote Apocrypha. Augustine (d.430) accepted it as canonical.
E. Wycliffe’s Bible (1382) has no Apocrypha.
V. Luther and Canon. Luther was fairly sophisticated about canonical matters. Did not consider Apocrypha part of OT, but did translate it (AD1536 on) and held it to be edifying. (Note Luther also separated out some NT books in translation, including, James, Jude, and Revelation.) Made historical arguments based on Church history about defining canon. Was never a biblicist, never spoke of verbal inspiration of individual authors or such.
VI.
Between Luther and US churches. Council of
American Biblicism and Beyond – American Bible Society left off Apocrypha in 19th century translations as did British Bible Society in its wake. Situation still