Wisdom Literature

By Mary Jane Chaignot

Categories: Biblical Teachings

Wisdom literature typically refers to Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes, which are found in the canonical Bible. The apocrypha has the Book of Wisdom (Book of Solomon) and Sirach.
The influence of Wisdom can be seen in many other books, including Genesis and Psalms.
One main feature of wisdom books is that they include very little historical information. Also, they rarely focus on the covenant or provide much information about Israel’s illustrious leaders.
One can be righteous according to Wisdom without any connection to Torah, the covenant, or the many rituals that characterized the Hebrew religion.
Most of these books are concerned with the practical aspects of Wisdom, as in “how to live well.”
Wisdom literature includes many different genres. Among them are poems, instructions, pithy sayings (proverbs), and dialogues.
In other words, books of wisdom can include many different forms.
Scholars today are still very interested in wisdom literature, but the form itself can be traced back through the ages.
Some of the most ancient texts are considered tracts on wisdom.
Proverbs and instruction from Mesopotamia date back to 2600 BCE.
The Instructions of Suruppak is a well known Sumerian wisdom text.
The words are placed in the mouth of king Suruppak, who was thought to have divine wisdom.
In them, the father is instructing his son on issues of proper piety, virtue, and community standing.
Scholars are not clear whether Suruppak was an actual king or a personification of a city by the same name.
According to documents, Suruppak’s father was Ubara-Tutu, who was the last king of Sumer before the flood.
Documents also suggest that Suruppak’s son was Ziusudra, who was the Babylonian Noah. Many other documents claim that Ubara-Tutu and Ziusudra were father and son. So Suruppak’s role is unclear.
Children learned these texts by copying them and some scholars think the generational issue was simply a copying mistake.
One of the lines reads: you should not locate a field on a road.
Another line states: you should not play around with a married woman.
Scholars have many Sumerian documents that fall into the proverbial genre.
They also had a “Sumerian Job.”
These documents were archived in temples and private collections.
Outside the classroom, they were copied and kept by professional scribes. Many of these were employed by the royal court whose kings felt a special responsibility to uphold and record the cultural advancements of their reign.
Scribes could supplement their royal paychecks by selling copies to other wealthy individuals.
Obviously, these texts were widely known and accepted.
Some of them surely influenced Biblical authors.
Egypt is another ancient culture with ancient texts.
The oldest Egyptian texts date to 2450-2300 BCE.
Their main genres were “instruction” and complaint.
Quite religious in nature, Egyptian wisdom literature was filled with practical suggestions for living a life free of mistakes and difficulties.
Their god, “Re,” was known as the god of the sun. He had a daughter, Ma’at. Her name can be translated as “truth, order, law, or justice.”
She was the goddess that regulated the world, including the stars and seasons. She was the one that brought order out of chaos at the beginning of creation. She brought order to the world in social and economic situations, and was the principle that guided right relationships among families, neighbors, and citizens.
Her role cannot be overstated. As a result, people tried to emulate her in their everyday lives. The intent of the Egyptian “Instructions” was to aid people in this quest.
Some scholars think Ma’at was the inspiration for the personification of Wisdom in Proverbs.
The Egyptian Instructions continued throughout Egypt’s 3000 year history, changing along with the needs of the day. When kings were strong, they focused on right relations with the king. When the monarchy was in decline, they took on a more personal and private tone.
When life was very challenging, their writings took on the genre of complaint, which is kind of an interesting point – scribes had the “right” to complain about the kingdom.
Canaan was the third ancient culture that was foundational for Israelites’ wisdom texts.
There are a few extant Ugaritic texts, but most are of Babylonian origin and date to the seventh or eighth centuries BCE.
One notable text is the book of Ahiqar, a court tale similar to Daniel and Joseph.
This name appears again in the book of Tobit (another apocryphal book) as a courtier and a “wise man.”
Scholars believe that Israel’s wisdom texts might have originated with the monarchy in the tenth century BCE. It was the prerogative of the king to hire people to keep records, including financial accounts and diplomatic encounters.
Out of this group of scribes would have come writers notable for instructions and pithy sayings.
King Solomon was well renowned for his esteemed wisdom.
Other scholars think a second strand of wisdom literature would have come out of the tribal system.
They make special note of the strong familial theme throughout the literature and propose that many of these ideas were laid down by tribal elders who were primarily interested in keeping order within the tribes.
Many of the writings involve examples in living that might have been derived from actual life experiences of their authors, i.e. the elders.
It is likely that both the royal court and the tribal elders contributed to the wealth of material found in the wisdom literature.
It raises the question, of course, whether tribal elders were able to read and write. Scholars are divided on this issue, but obviously, professional scribes would have been highly trained and able to do so.
It is possible that the professional scribes were the final authors, and that they were highly influenced by the tribal culture.
Scholars note that books like Job and Ecclesiastes are quite sophisticated and most likely the product of professionals. But here, too, it is noteworthy that the scribes were able to write protest material.
Whether these professionals were on the royal payroll or private entrepreneurs is unknown.
There is no systematic theology associated with wisdom literature, but some teachings are common.
They are all based on the assumption that God created the world and continues His governance over it.
It is the job of people to learn to live in the created world.
“Wisdom” helps people live successful and happy lives. The underlying premise in all this is that people can make choices and their choices have consequences.
Wisdom was there from the beginning with God and was given to humans by God.
It is from wisdom literature that humans know God created the world and maintains it.
Wisdom literature assumes that there is order in God’s creation and that God is responsive to His creation.
Creation includes everything, including the physical world as well as the social order of things. Yet people have the freedom of choice. They are free to be obedient, or not. So, redemption and salvation become important topics.
Wisdom can help reveal the cosmic order and that information can be shared with others.
In other words, “Wisdom” is many things and has many aspects.
It can involve practical knowledge, as in knowing how to live.
It includes the body of writings comprised of proverbs, poems, songs, and dialogues.
It has both a task and a gift aspect. Humans acquire Wisdom through experience and obedience, but it is also a gift given by God.
Wisdom also reflects on the problem of evil, but maintains that God is ultimately responsible for all that happens in the world.
Modern Judaism still has its roots in traditional wisdom instruction.
Christians saw Jesus as a Wisdom teacher and used this understanding to help explain his incarnation.
The Letter of James comes closest to instruction in the canonical New Testament.
The Gospel of John has the strongest statement on Jesus as personified Wisdom.
Many of Paul’s writings have wisdom themes involving the wise and the foolish, but he speaks against the scribes in some of his writings.
In short, Biblical Wisdom attempts to bring about a right relation between God and man. It teaches rational living that is both godly and good. And when troubles do come, Wisdom maintains the wise man will be able to bear them.
Gaining Wisdom is an ongoing endeavor.

Bible Characters