Wisdom Lecture #9        Diane Jacobson

Sirach: History, Culture and Wisdom, Torah, Psalms and Judaism

 

Sources (for Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon):

Collins, John J. Jewish Wisdom in the Hellenistic Age. Louisville, KY: Westminster John Knox, 1997.

Di Lella, Alexander A. “Conservative and Progressive Theology: Sirach and Wisdom.” Studies in Ancient

Israelite Wisdom, ed. James Crenshaw, 401-16. New York: KTAV, 1976.

Harrington, Daniel J. Wisdom Texts from Qumran. New York: Routledge, 1996.

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. Philadelphia: Fortress, 1981.

Trenchard, Warren.  Ben Sira's View of Women, 1982.

Winston, David. The Wisdom of Solomon. Garden City: Doubleday, 1979.

 

Historical Period

Historical Events

Writings

Hellenistic Period:

333-165 B.C.

 

Alexander the Great captures Jerusalem: 332 B.C.

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.

Dead Sea Scrolls:

  134 B.C. - 68 A.D.

Roman Period:

63 B.C. onward

Romans take control of Palestine: 63 B.C.                                                    The Birth of Jesus: 5 B.C.                                  

Jesus' death and resurrection: 30 A.D.

The Romans destroy the Jerusalem temple: 70 A.D.

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

 

I.  Facts 

      A.  Date (180 BC), Place, and State of the Text

B.     Person -- Sirach the Scribe – Prologue; 39; 51:13-30

II.  Relation to Hellenism

      A. Theory 1 (Hengel; Di Lella): Resistance to Hellenism - 2:12; 3:21-24; 33:2-3

      B. Theory 2 (Collins) Minor, moderate adoption of Hellenism

IV. Some Major Themes

      A. Theory of just retribution - 7:1-3; 16:11-14; 40:12-14

      B. Attitude toward immortality – 15:6; 30:4-5; 37:26; 41:11-13

      C. View of Death - 10:8-11; 11:26‑27; 14:16‑19; 16:24-30; 17:27‑28; 41:1-4

      D. Prayer, Sacrifice, and Atonement - 23:1-6; 34:21-35:13; 3:3, 30; 28:4-5

      E. Honor and Shame – 5:13-6:1; 10:28-31; 13:10; 32:19-24; 42:11

V. Woman Wisdom/ Law in Sirach (There are 53/56 references to Mosaic Law in Sirach.)

      A. Sirach 1:1-20; 4:11-19; 6:18-37; 15:1-3

      B. Sirach 24

                  C. Sirach 51

Excursus: Terms for Law in Sirach - Schnabel, Eckhard J. Law and Wisdom From Ben Sira to Paul. 1985.

1)       Torah, law, 12 t, 11 refer to Torah, Mosaic law. (as opposed to 12 occurrences in Proverbs)

2)       Mitzvah, commandment, 10 t, all 10 refer to revealed law, always singular, 4t // to fear of the lord.

3)                   Mishpat, judgement, 20t, 13 are "theologically significant", or the like

                   (In OT, singular doesn't refer to torah but plural does.); 5t refers to Torah
4) Huq, statute, fixed order, 21t, refers to Mosaic Law 3t, otherwise refers to God's orders in creation or history
5) Dabar Yahweh, word of the Lord, 8t, in 33:3//Torah, elsewhere God's word in creation
6) Nomos, law, 26t, 9t a translation of Torah, 14 in Greek only, 12 or 13 refer to Mosaic law
7) Entole, commandment, 18t, 7 a translation of mitzvah. 9t in Greek only, all refer to mosaic law.
8) Krima, 19t, 4 only in Greek, one = mosaic law
9) Logos, used 73t!! 54t with regard to speech ethics. 5t = Word of God in creation.

          Never refers to Torah of Israel.

 Upcoming Assignments

 

For this week’s precept:

Consider how you would talk about the history of the Old Testament. 

Which biblical characters would you include?  What would be your organizing principle?

Next, read the final chapters of Sirach (Chapter 44ff.). 

Ask this question: What is the view and organizing principle of history found here?

 

Also think about Sirach’s attitude towards women.  Note that Warren Trenchard outlines five categories of women as follows:

              1. Good wife (26:1‑4,13‑18; 36:21‑26)

              2. Mother and Widow (3:1‑16; 7:27‑28; 23:14; 41:17a; 4:10; 35:14‑15)

              3. Bad wife (26:6‑9; 25:13‑26) [7:26; 9:2; 33:19; 47:19, etc.]

              4. Adulteress and Prostitute (9:1‑9; 23:22‑26)

                   5. Daughter (7:24‑25; 22:3‑5; 26:10‑12; 42:9‑14)

Concentrating on the last three, think about how Sirach’s view of women compares to views of women that have come before (esp. in Proverbs) and after (particularly in Paul).  What questions does this material raise for you?

 

For the next two weeks:

     1. Read both Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon thoroughly.

     2. Note differences from the Old Testament

     3. Note differences between the two books.

     4. Note connections to the New Testament.

Further questions to consider:

     1. What are these books about?

     2. What is the relationship between these books and the

           surrounding culture, particularly Hellenism, peripherally

           Egyptian wisdom?

     3. What is the canonical status of these books and why?

     4. In what ways is the figure of Woman Wisdom transformed?

 

During precepts on November 30th and 2nd , we will be dealing with wisdom in the New Testament.  I will want each of you to explore wisdom in one of the following with as little as possible overlap in each of the precepts: Matthew; Luke; I Corinthians and Roman; Colossians and Ephesians; or James.  (I will do John)  I am sending around a sign-up sheet.

 

A reminder about the final paper, due December 14.  If you wish to consider writing something for submission for the Milton or Bruce Prize, note that the following criteria will be used in adjudicating the Milton and Bruce Prizes:

·        Argument or Thesis

·        Engagement with Primary and Secondary Sources

·        Clarity of Presentation

·        Use of Primary Languages

·        Correct use of Citation and Bibliography (We recommend Shortcuts.)

·        Creativity

 

Wisdom Psalms

I.   Wisdom in the Old Testament—Deut.4:5-6; Ezra 7:14, 25; Psalms

II.  What is a wisdom psalm and which psalms qualify?

      A. Criteria for category of wisdom psalm - sapiential vocabulary, forms, and themes

III. Sub-types of wisdom psalms

      A. Acrostics (9) -- 9-10,25,34,37,111,112,119,145

      B. Anthologies  (9 - Miller) - 1, 25,33,34,103,111,112,119,145

      C. Torah Psalms (Mays)-- 1,18,19,25,33,78,89,93,99,103,105,111,112,119,147,148

               1. Definition

               2. Central ideas

                     a. Centrality of Torah

                     b. Attitude of meditation, prayer, delight, study, obedience, and trust

                     c. Importance of the individual

                     d. Ordering individual lives and the world

               3. Acrostics and Anthologies (1,25,33,103,111,112,119)

               4. Place and Function in the Psalter (Mays, James. The Lord Reigns.

                           Louisville: Westminster/John Knox, 1994, chapter 13, 128-135)

               5. Psalms 19, 119, & 1 (Ceresko, evidence of a wisdom editor of the psalms)

IV. Wisdom as Torah

V.  Wisdom in Judaism

BARUCH

3:35 This is our God;

no other can be compared to him!

3:36 He found the whole way to knowledge,

     and gave her to Jacob his servant

     and to Israel whom he loved.

3:37 Afterward she appeared upon earth

     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,]…..

Dead Sea Scrolls

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 Israel,

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.