Chapter 10 Wisdom and Wit: Seeking the Ways of God
Introduction
1. When was the Wisdom Literature composed?
2. What Books of the Bible will be studied in this
chapter?
Concept A Life According to Proverbs, Job,
Ecclesiastes: What’s it all about?
Read pp. 246 to 251 Answer Review on pg. 251
A. Introduction
1. What did the sages do with the wisdom that
existed in non-Jewish cultures?
2. What is Wisdom Literature about?
B. Proverbs pg. 246
1. What is Proverbs concerned with?
2. Even though sayings don’t mention God,
where does true wisdom come from?
3. In chapters 8-9, how is wisdom portrayed?
4. Proverbs Abound
C. Job pg. 249
1. What mentality was the Jewish Sage questioning?
2. Explain the thinking of the time
3. What is the “problem of evil”?
4. What does Job admit and accept?
5. What is the point of the Book of Job?
D. Ecclesiastes pg. 250
1. What did the author question?
2. What did his response lesd to?
3. What is the Hebrew word fpr Ecclesiastes and
what does it mean?
4. What conclusion is reached?
5. What does he calculate is the sensible thing?
E. Images of God, Understanding Life Handout______
1. Which image of God is closest to your own?
Concept B Wisdom, Sirach, and the Song of Songs
Read pp. 252 to 256 Answer Review on pg. 256
A. Wisdom
1. Describe the human author of the Book of Wisdom
2. What problem did the author struggle with?
3. Where did the answer lie?
B. Sirach
1. Describe the author of Sirach?
2. What did he want to do?
3. According to Sirach, where did all wisdom come
from?
4. According to Sirach, what happens in times of
difficulty?
C. Song of Songs
1. What is the Song of Songs?
2. What is another name for the Song of songs?
3. How do interpreters see the Song of Songs?
4. How do Christians interpret the Song of Songs?
5. What is the point of the Song of Songs?
Concept C Stories of Encouragement
Read pp. 257 to 267 Answer Review pg. 267
A. Introduction pg. 257
1. What books will be studied in this chapter?
2. What was the purpose of these books?
3. When were these books written?
B. Tobit pg.257
1. When was Tobit written?
2. What is the setting of the story?
3. Why was Tobit written?
4. Identify
a. Tobit
b. Anna
c. Tobias
d. Sarah
e. Azariah
5. What is the point of the story?
C. Judith pg. 260
1. Describe the author and the setting of the
Book of Ruth
2. What is the story of Judith about?
3. How does Judith save her people?
4. How does Judith’s deed compare to other
atrocities?
5. What is the point of the story of Judith?
D. Esther pg. 261
1. Why was the Book of Esther written?
a.
b.
2. Identify
a. Esther
b. Haman
c. Ashasuerius
d. Mordeecai
3. Where does Purim get its name from and what
does the feast celebrate?
E. Jonah pg. 263
1. When was Jonah written?
2. What is the setting?
3. What type of literature is it?
4. What happens in the story of Jonah?
Modern Branches of Judaism pp. 264-265
A. Three Branches
1. Orthodox (oldest) strict observance of the Law
2. Reform (19th C) adapt to modern society
Temples
3. Conservative (later 19th C) keep ritual
traditions but adapt them or
allow departures in keeping with
the modern world
B. Movements
1. Reconstructionism – 20th C – revitalize Judaism
2. Hasidim – concentrate on simple, heartfelt faith,
prayers, and personal devotion
3. Zionism – sought to return dispersed Jews to their
homeland in Palestine
D. Shoah (Holocaust)
1/3 of Jews were executed
E. Today
13.5 million Jews – most living in
US
Israel
Russia
|
|
