Proverbial poetry: its settings and syntax
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vol. 1 (Copenhagen: Gad, 1958), p. 161. (1, 34, 37, 49, 73, 111, 112, 119, 127, 128).1 Kuntz divides his list into three categories: (1) sentence wisdom Psalms (127, 128, 133); (2) acrostic wisdom (25, 34, 37, 112, 119); and (3) integrative wisdom (1, 32, 49).2 Two criteria have been used in assessing the wisdom character of Psalms. The Psalm must contain wisdom themes, as listed above,3 or include "wisdom forms."4 Wisdom and the Prophets The next section will present a brief digest of ____________________ 1Perdue, Wisdom and Cult, p. 263; vid. Crenshaw, "Wisdom," pp. 249-50, for an even longer list given by Castellino. Cf. also Scott, The Way of Wisdom, p. 13. James F. Ross argues strongly for Ps 73's inclusion ("Psalm 73," in Israelite Wisdom: Theological and
Gammie, et al. [New York: Union Theological Seminary, 1978], p. 167).
cf. Perdue, Wisdom and Cult, p. 264. 3For discussions of a thematic nature, vid. Murphy, "A Consideration of the Classification, 'Wisdom Psalms,'" p. 165; Perdue, Wisdom and Cult, p. 264; Bullock, An Introduction to the Old Testament Poetic Books, p. 26; and, most beneficial, Kuntz, "The Canonical Wisdom Psalms," p. 211. Scott, The Way of Wisdom, pp. 196-97. Ross even tries a vocabulary approach in "Psalm 73," pp. 167-68. 4For discussions of these forms in detail, see Crenshaw, "Wisdom," p. 250; Kuntz, "The Canonical Wisdom Psalms," p. 191; or Murphy, Introduction to the Wisdom
in this area are: Perdue, Wisdom and Cult, p. 264; Kaiser, "Wisdom Theology and the Centre of Old Testament Theology," p. 133; Morgan, Wisdom in the Old Testament Traditions, p. 127; and Scott, The Way of Wisdom, pp. 194-95.
prophets. Crenshaw well notes that a scrutiny of this relationship really was developed first by Fichtner, in 1949, when he suggested that Isaiah was a scribe. In 1960, Lindblom, in a cogent essay, expatiated the connection between the wise men and the prophets, supplementing Fichtner's work on Isaiah. Terrien applied these results, thereby solidifying a nexus between Amos and wisdom. Finally, two longer works by McKane and Crenshaw developed and probed the issue even further.1 The setting of both the wise men and prophets was centered in the royal court, though some would opt for a tribal/ clan orientation (vid. Amos).2 Ward is correct when he bemoans the fact that, for so long, priority has been given to studying the prophets and the enhancing of their creative genius.3 Thus, there is a debate over who ____________________ 1J. Fichtner, "Isaiah among the Wise," SAIW, pp. 429-38 (more recently, Whedbee, Isaiah and Wisdom). J. Lindblom, "Wisdom in the Old Testament Prophets," VTSup 3 (1969):192-204 is still one of the best sources. S. Terrien, "Amos and Wisdom," SAIW, pp. 448-55; McKane,
2Morgan, Wisdom in the Old Testament Traditions, p. 222; Hans W. Wolff, Amos' geistige Heimat,
Verlag, 1964), pp. 51-52; cf. Kovacs, "Sociological- Structural Constraints," p. 187.
influencing the wise (citing Prov 21:3; and 16:6 as proof) and Thompson opts for the reverse. Pfeiffer manifests the antiquated view that the prophets (650 B.C.) were considered earlier than the sages (450 B.C.), which would suggest the movement of influence in the same direction as Scott's view.1 Ancient Near Eastern sources, however, have exposed the fallaciousness of this view. Lindblom notes that the prophetic awareness of foreign wisdom (Edomite, Jer 49:7; Obad 8; Phoenician, Ezek 28; Egyptian, Isa 19:11; Babylonian, Isa 44:25; Jer 50:35; and Assyrian, Isa 10:13) would imply a consciousness of Israelite wisdom as well. It is odd that such a favorable comparison between Solomon's wisdom and the wisdom of non-Israelite sages is mentioned in Scripture (1 Kgs 4:31f. [MT 5:10f.]) because certainly any comparison of Israelite prophets to foreign prophets or priests would not have been written in such a complaisant ____________________ 40-50," in Israelite Wisdom: Theological and Literary Essays in Honor of Samuel Terrien, ed. J. G. Gammie et al. (New York: Union Theological Seminary, 1978), p. 121. 1Scott, The Way of Wisdom, pp. 123-24; Thompson, The Form and Function, pp. 100-102; and R. H. Pfeiffer, "Wisdom and Vision in the Old Testament," ZAW 52 (1934):94.
that Israel had three groups of religious leaders: prophets, priests, and sages (Jer 8:8; 18:18). The difference is in "sphere and function rather than in theory or theology."3 Some writers have fixated on the tension between the wise men and the prophets which is manifested in the scathing prophetic denunciations against the wise (Isa 19:11-13; 29:14-16; 30:1-5; Jer 9:22f.; 50:35; Ezek 28:2ff.).4 The wise men allegedly shunned all that was precious to the prophetic message (salvation history, covenant, and election).5 McKane concisely summarizes the
____________________ 1Lindblom, "Wisdom in the Old Testament Prophets," p. 192; Crenshaw, Old Testament Wisdom, p. 55. 2Whybray, The Intellectual Tradition, pp. 24-27. 3Frank E. Eakin, "Wisdom, Creation and Covenant," Perspectives in Religious Studies 4 (Fall 1977):226. He cites an excellent statement from Robert C. Dentan, The Knowledge of God in Ancient Israel (New York: The Seabury Press, 1968), p. 81. Contrast this to Scott, The Way of Wisdom, p. 113 and, even more abrasively, Mckane, Prophets and Wise Men, p. 128. 4Especially provocative is McKane's Prophets and Wise Men, pp. 19, 65, 68, 128. Fox, "Aspects of the Religious on the Book of Proverbs," p. 64, and, against foreign wise men and their hybris, W. H. Gispen, "The Wise Men in Israel," Free University Quarterly 5 (November 1957):11; Ranston, The Old Testament Wisdom Books and
of the Old Testament," p. 129; and Ward, "The Servant's Knowledge in Isaiah 40-50," pp. 124-25.
raising their voices against certain abuses and were simply seeking to contain wisdom within its proper limits, the theological importance of the conflict would be greatly reduced . . . . The prophets are not saying to these hakamim that they are unworthy representatives of their tradition; they are calling in question the basic presuppositions of the tradition itself.1
conflict. Numerous scholars have portrayed prophecy as a dabar from God--often in the form, "thus says Yahweh."2 The sage, on the other hand, is characterized as having a word, not based on divine commission, but on his observations of creation. Thus, its level of authority is a call to weigh the advice and scrutinize its value, rather than demanding, as the prophets did, strict obedience to a sovereign God who had spoken. This authority distinction has been seen as the basis of this conflict between prophets and sages. As cited above, Crenshaw's judicious analysis has helped stay this alleged authority crisis in wisdom.3 Thompson (and also Bryce), in a balanced manner, ____________________
1McKane, Prophets and Wise Men, p. 128. 2Fichtner, "Isaiah among the Wise," pp. 429, 436; Scott, The Way of Wisdom, pp. 114, 133; J. A. Emerton, "Wisdom," in Tradition and Interpretation, ed. G. W. Anderson (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1979), pp. 223-24. 3Crenshaw, Prophetic Conflict, pp. 116-23. remarks that the words against the sages do not demonstrate any foundational opposition between the two groups any more than the prophets' condemnations of false prophecy imply their displeasure with the institution of prophecy.1 The existence of wisdom in the prophets exposes the specious reasoning of those who would exaggerate the tensions between the two groups. The evaluation of the extent to which wisdom is found in a prophet is based again on the presence of certain motifs, certain "wisdom" forms and also vocabulary usages.2 Kovacs notes the juncture of prophecy, scribal elements, and wisdom in the Egyptian texts, "The Admonitions of Ipu-Wer" and "Prophecy of Neferrohu."3 Also interesting is Trible's mention of the connection between the wisdom poem in Proverbs 1:20-33 and prophetic ____________________ 1Thompson, The Form and Function, p. 100; Glendon E. Bryce, review of Wisdom in Israel, by Gerhard von Rad, in TToday 30 (1974):438.
Old Testament Prophets," p. 201; Morgan, Wisdom in the Old Testament Traditions, pp. 77ff.; or Morgan, "Wisdom and the Prophets," pp. 229-32. For an interesting chart utilizing the folklore analysis of N. Barley, see Carole R. Fontaine, Traditional Sayings in the Old Testament, p. 252.
239; cf. Pritchard, ANET, pp. 444-46, 467. homiletics.1 The recent trend is to see wisdom everywhere. The detection of wisdom in Isaiah2 helped initiate and sustain the interest in wisdom and the prophets. Isaiah continues to be the focus of attention. Jeremiah, on the other hand, has not been sufficiently treated in regard to his personal involvement with the wise, although his statements about the wise men and their connection with other institutions have been thoroughly examined (Jer 18:18; cf. Ezek 7:26). Lucas observes the presence of proverbial sayings in Jeremiah, which he attributes to the wise men (cf. Jer 17:9-10 with Prov 16:2).3 A proverb may also be found in Jeremiah 13:12-14. Brueggemann also perceives some "wisdom" forms in Jeremiah: (1) rhetorical questions (Jer 8:4-5, 8-9, 12, 19), (2) use of analogy (Jer 8:6-7), and (3) the ____________________
Architecture of Proverbs 1:20-33," JBL 94.4 (December 1975):509.
Morgan, Wisdom in the Old Testament Traditions, pp. 76-83; Joseph Jensen, The Use of tora by Isaiah; James W. Whedbee, Isaiah and Wisdom; Ward, "The Servant's Knowledge in Isaiah 40-50," pp. 121-36; and Scott, The Way of
Testament," Biblebhashyam 4 (1978):288. admonition (Jer. 9:3-4).1 The minor prophets have been examined in detail and many wisdom influences have been proposed. Gowan gives a nice qualifier to this whole discussion when he writes:
movement is postulated for the prophet Habakkuk, this fact in itself has some implications for the study of wisdom itself. When we begin to find wisdom influences everywhere in the Old Testament, surely this teaches us that wisdom was not a closed fraternity whose members spoke only with one another and with their pupils, but that it represented a certain outlook on life, conveyed in a special language, which was well known to the average Israelite.2
has received much attention)4 and wisdom elements have also been suggested in Micah and Hosea.5 One has even ____________________ 1Walter A. Brueggemann, "The Epistemological Crisis of Israel's Two Histories (Jer 9:22-23)," in Israelite Wisdom: Theological and Literary Essays in Honor of Samuel Terrien, ed. J. G. Gammie et al. (New York: Union Theological Seminary, 1978), p. 90. 2Donald E. Gowan, "Habakkuk and Wisdom," Perspective 9 (1968):164. 3Ibid. 4Crenshaw, "The Influence of the Wise upon Amos," ZAW 79 (1967):42-52; S. Terrien, "Amos and Wisdom," SAIW, pp. 448-55; Morgan, Wisdom in the Old Testament Traditions, pp. 67-72.
and His Background," in Israelite Wisdom: Theological and Literary Essays in Honor of Samuel Terrien, ed. J. G. Gammie et al. (New York: Union Theological Seminary, 1978), pp. 77-84. For brief comments on Hosea, see Morgan,
suggested that Jonah is a masal.1 Finally, the bond between the wise men and apocalyptic literature has been broached by von Rad, who sees the apocalyptic genre as the daughter of wisdom rather than of the prophets. He pictures the connection in the strong use of the determined times motif which is present in Daniel and in wisdom (cf. Eccl 3:1; 8:31; Sir 39:33f.).2 Because the word hokma appears in Daniel 2 and 7, Whybray sees wisdom influence in apocalyptic as well.3 Crenshaw again points to the need for a control and suggests that prophecy, rather than wisdom, be seen as the matrix for apocalyptic.4 ____________________ 1George M. Landes, "Jonah: A Masal?" in Israelite Wisdom: Theological and Literary Essays in Honor of Samuel Terrien, ed. J. G. Gammie et al. (New York: Union Theological Seminary, 1978), pp. 137-58. 2von Rad, Wisdom in Israel, pp. 263-82 and Old Testament Theology, vol. 2, trans. D. M. G. Stalker (New York: Harper & Row, Publishers, 1965), pp. 301-15. 3Whybray, The Intellectual Tradition, pp. 100-104. De Vries lists thought forms, particularly their shared conceptions of time and history. Simon J. De Vries, "Observations on Quantitative and Qualitative Time in Wisdom and Apocalyptic," in Israelite Wisdom: Theological
Gammie et al. (New York: Union Theological Seminary, 1978), pp. 263-76 (it should be noted that De Vries rejects the notion of wisdom as the origin of apocalyptic, p. 272). Cf. also Morgan, Wisdom in the Old Testament
Ethical Dualism in Jewish Wisdom and Apocalyptic Literature," JBL 93 (1974):356-85.
Gerhard von Rad, in Religious Studies Review 2.2 (April 1976):10; cf. also Kovacs, "Sociological-Structural
of wisdom into the canon. Its purpose has been to provide a synopsis of work which has been done in scholarly circles concerning the nature and extent of wisdom in the canon. It points out common forms, vocabulary, and motifs between wisdom and the rest of the canon, demonstrating that it is no longer to be considered the orphan of the Old Testament. This survey also highlights the need for a more clear methodology for determining wisdom influence, as Crenshaw and Whybray have clarioned. Finally, it would appear that if one is to ascertain the presence of wisdom outside of the corpus of the wisdom books themselves, one must have explicit knowledge of the forms, vocabulary, and motifs employed in the wisdom books themselves. Thus, this study hopes to provide an analysis of the syntactic structure of the sentence literature which lies at the ____________________ Constraints," pp. 176, 195. De Vries agrees, in "Observations on Quantitative and Qualitative Time in Wisdom and Apocalyptic," p. 272. heart of the old wisdom corpus.1 ____________________ 1Reference should be made at this point to materials which interface wisdom with the New Testament. The following provide a starting point in that direction. Dieter Zeller, Die wesheitlichen Mahnspruche bei den Synoptikern, Forschung zur Bible Band 17 (Wurzburg: Echter Verlag, 1977). Robert L. Wilken, ed., Aspects of Wisdom in Judaism and Early Christianity (Notre Dame: University of Notre Dame, 1975). James M. Reese, "Christ as Wisdom Incarnate: Wiser than Solomon, Loftier than Lady Wisdom," BTB (1981):44-47. M. D. Johnson, "Reflections on a Wisdom Approach to Matthew's Christology," CBQ 36 (1974):44-64. Thomas Finan, "Hellenistic Humanism in the Book of Wisdom," ITQ 27 (1960):30-48. Cain H. Felder, "Wisdom, Law and Social Concern in the Epistle of James" (Ph.D. dissertation, Columbia University, 1982). Monty W. Casebolt, "God's Provision of Wisdom in I Corinthians 1:30 and James 1:5" (M.Div. thesis, Grace Theological Seminary, 1983). William A. Beardslee, "The Wisdom Tradition and the Synoptic Gospels," JAAR 35 (1967):231-40; and Beardslee, "Use of the Proverb in the Synoptic Gospels," Int 24:1 (1970):61-73. H. Gese, "Wisdom, Son of Man and Origins of Christology: The Consistent Development of Biblical Theology," Horizons in Biblical Theology (1981):23-57. CHAPTER IV THE HISTORICAL SETTINGS OF WISDOM
particularly regarding how its sentences are to be contextualized. Too many view Proverbs 10-15 as a disjointed collection of atomic statements, each of which is self-contained and bears little or no significant relationship with what precedes or with what follows. McKane, in his magnum opus on Proverbs, ruefully writes concerning the unconnected character of the sentence literature: "In such literature [sentence literature] there is no context, for each sentence is an entity in itself and the collection amounts to no more than the gathering together of a large number of independent sentences, each of which is intended to be a well- considered and definitive observation on a particular topic."1 He further considers the associational features between these individualistic units as interesting, but secondary in nature. R. Gordon voices a similar literary misconception when he writes: "The difficultly remains in that each saying or section stands on its own and cannot ____________________ 1McKane, Proverbs, p. 413. normally be related to what went before or to what follows."1 Murphy, while accepting the cohesiveness of the sentence literature, cautiously rejects the notion that neighboring proverbs provide a determinative context for ascertaining the meaning of a particular sentence.2 Others appreciate Proverbs' a-historical character, allowing the proverbial material to appeal to all men everywhere.3 The Multifaceted Context of Wisdom While the above cautions are in order hermeneutically (though this writer considers them simplistic architectonically), there are several layers of general context which provide the needed background for appreciating the sentence literature. An investigation of several possible matrices will provide a rather loose functional and historical setting for the proverbial sentences. Such sentence literature settings are ____________________
be an impediment to collectional aspects of proverbs study. This dissertation will, on the contrary, emphasize the connectedness of the sentences as much as possible. Cf. B. S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture (Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1979), p. 79. 2Murphy, Wisdom Literature, pp. 63-64. Murphy is well aware of the work of H.-J. Hermisson, Studien zur israelitischen Spruchweisheit, pp. 171-83 and O. Ploger, "Zur Auslegung der Sentenzensammlungen des Proverbienbuches," in Probleme biblischer Theologie, ed. H. W. Wolff (Munich: Chr. Kaiser Verlag, 1971), pp. 404-16.
common not only to the Israelite milieu, but also are found in all the major cultures of the ancient Near East Yüklə 6,58 Mb. Dostları ilə paylaş:
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