Books of the Old Testament - Book Report/Review Example

Of the twenty-four books of the Old Testament, the Book of Proverbs is the one most related to practical advice on day-to day activities, for a wise,peaceful and virtuous life.This book is a collection of wise sayings in different sentences and longer, coherent poems, which are either catalysts to intelligent thought processes or statements for acceptable standards of behavior. Some of the longer poems praise wisdom and encourage its pursuit, embodying it in the guise of a woman who is said to have closely assisted God's act of creation. Authorship of this Book is traditionally attributed to Solomon, the legendary wise king in approximately 900 B.C.,who had led Israel to the forefront of economics, culture, politics and spirituality, making him uniquely qualified to author over three thousand proverbs (1 King 4:32) that grace this Book. "A Rabbinic teaching asserts that the Israelite king wrote Song of Songs in his youth, Proverbs in middle age, and Ecclesiastes towards the end of his life (MidrashShir ha-Shirim, i. I, 10)" (Cohen, xii) Most of those credited to him are found in the Book of Proverbs, in the following parts: 1:1-9:18,10:1-22:16 , and his authorship is specifically mentioned in the first chapter: " The parables of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel."(New Revised Standard Version Bible, Proverbs 1:1) But it was not Solomon alone that is thought to have written the entire book. Mention of other authors includes the Wise men, who had perhaps attended to baby Jesus, for the portions 22:17-24:22 and 24:23-34, Agur son of Jakeh, an unknown entity, for chapter 30 and King Lemuel, a non-Israelite, for 31:1-9 and perhaps 31:10-31. Non-catholic scholars, however, believe that the headings of these portions ascribing them to different authors are not reliable because the general tone of the content and indicates a late post-exilic date.There is no admonishment against idolatry, monogamy is always presumed, there is no specific mention of Israel, there is a definite relationship to the Ecclesiasticus which should be within two centuries of the Book of Proverbs, and lastly, wisdom is personified, which coincides with later Jewish metaphysics.According to Catholic scholars, these references mention significant and actual disparate entities as this is in line with ancient Christian and Jewish tradition.The titles in the Book of Proverbs differentiate clearly with respect to authorship, and define the credit to each entity in unequivocal terms, for instance "These also are Mishle Shelomoh, which the men of Ezechias, King of Juda, copied out" (25:1) This wide variety of authorship makes it difficult to ascertain the dates attached to this book, and there are ongoing scholastic debates on this as well. This is also in part due to the evidence of Egyptian qualities in the Proverbs 22-24, which were probably a source for the Egyptian work, "The Wisdom of Amenemope" dated 1000 B.C. from which one is likely to project its origin in pre-exilic times.The date veers between fourth Century B.C. to 350 B.C. or later, to sixth or seventh centuries. But based on a few factors it can be fairly approximated between the tenth and six centuries B.C: a major part of the book was written during the time of Solomon, some of his writings were collected together during the reign of king Hezekiah (726-698 B.C.) and it is also not possible to establish when some of the material was written (30-31): "Nothing is known of Agur and Lemuel of Massa. It seems likely they were members of the northern Arabian tribe of Massa, one of the sons of Ishmael (Gen.25:14; 1 Chron. 1:30). The records of their 'counsel' are furtherexamples of the universality of wisdom traditions in the ancientworld. They also give evidence of the international character of Israelite wisdom. The Hebrew sage and scribe sought pleasing and truthful words of practical instruction, whether of Hebrew, Edomite (e.g., Job), or Arabian origin (e.g., Agur and Lemuel)" ( Hill& Walton, 287). There might be different viewpoints as to the dates and authorship of this Book, but what has never been under debate is the absolute common sense behind the Proverbs, and the purpose behind the entire collection. The purpose is written out clearly at the very beginning of the Book: To know wisdom, and instruction:(1.2), and, To understand the words of prudence: and to receive the instruction of doctrine, justice, and judgment, and equity:(1.3) The wisdom in question is conveyed through the voice of God to the unenlightened human being, and Solomon, as God's spokesman, touches upon nearly all the everyday concerns of the believers, as also on lofty matters of spritual import. This Book was meant to instil the fear of God in those who follwed it, and pits true wisdom against folly, extols generosity, praises joy and discourages anger, compares love with lust, promotes justice and diligence and tells us about the things that God loves and hates.Since it came to us through the oral tradition before being transcribed, it is worded in order to be poetic and memorable, and its purpose is not always to arouse philosophical enquiry, it is to mostly provoke mature thought stemming from gumption. The basic themes in the Book of Proverbs are easy to discern despite the apparently incoherent nature of the collection.Wisdom, of course, is the first and most significant topic as we see from the multitude of references to various aspects of being wise, how to acquire wisdom and how to use it.Wisdom is even personified as a woman:"Wisdom calls aloud in the street, she raises her voice in the public squares; at the head of the noisy streets she cries out, in the gateways of the city she makes her speech" (1:20-21).Wisdom is the instrument through which the daily life is bound to become secure, tranquil and moral. Linked to this theme of wisdom, and very significant on its own merit, is the topic of "understanding". True wisdom will also have an understanding of human nature, and of God's will. One who has mastered wisdom is able to relate it to various aspects of life , and it is as if the voice of God speaks through him: "And all Israel heard of the judgment which the king had judged; and they feared the king: for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him, to do judgment."(I Kings 3:16- 28 ) Solomon is able to pass a truly valid judgemnet due to his mastery over wisdom, which gave him an understanding of the true nature of maternal feelings. The proverbs also talk about following the Commandments,or God's Law, which play a key role in the practice and discipline of virtue in human beings, so as to be able to realize the wisdom of God as taught by His Holy Spirit.There are strictures in the Proverbs about following these laws, and there are proverbs which talk of the benefits of following these commandments: And he taught me, and said: Let thy heart receive my words, keep my commandments, and thou shalt live.(4.4) This theme is closely linked to another major theme in the book: that of Sin and Iniquity or the breaking of God's Law by actions like using a lying tongue, bearing false witness, justifying the wicked or condemning the just and so on. Such acts are against the commands of God, and will be punished, so one is recommended not to indulge in them. This Book is of prime importance to both the Jewish and the Christian communities as both traditions acknowledge the validity of its source, and as such its significance in their religious beliefs.The Sacred Writers of the New Testament often quote from the Book of Proverbs, citing them at times explicitly as Holy Writ (cf. Romans 12:19-20; Hebrews 12:5-6; James 4:5-6, for instance, and it is also referred to in the Talmud and in later Jewish works : it is thus an important part of Hebrew scriptures, as well as Christian docctrine. The Book of Proverbs has inspired generations to lead a wise, generous life, bound in moral codes while following the Commandments of God. It is a poetic expression of human insight enlightened by divine wisdom, and is one of the most practical guides to negotiating the perils of human existence. Works Cited Cohen,A. Proverbs: Hebrew Text & English Translation with an Introduction and Commentary, Philadelphia: Jewish Publication Society, 1989, p.xii Gigot, F.E. "Book of Proverbs. " New Advent .6 Oct 2005.The Catholic Company. 15 Nov 2005. Hahn, R. "Introduction to the Book of Proverbs." The Voice 15 September 2005. Christian Resource Institute.15 Nov 2005. Hill, Andrew E. and John H. Walton. A Survey of the Old Testament Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing house, 1991. 287 The Holy Bible : containing the Old and New Testaments : New Revised Standard Version. New York : Oxford University Press, 1989 Read More