Book contents
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Social context(s) in Proverbs 1–9
- 2 Social context(s) in Proverbs 10:1—22:16
- 3 Social context(s) in Proverbs 22:17—31:31
- 4 Mention of Yahweh in Proverbs
- 5 Theological context
- 6 Echoes of other Old Testament texts and contexts in Proverbs
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
Conclusion
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 22 September 2009
- Frontmatter
- Contents
- Preface
- List of Abbreviations
- Introduction
- 1 Social context(s) in Proverbs 1–9
- 2 Social context(s) in Proverbs 10:1—22:16
- 3 Social context(s) in Proverbs 22:17—31:31
- 4 Mention of Yahweh in Proverbs
- 5 Theological context
- 6 Echoes of other Old Testament texts and contexts in Proverbs
- Conclusion
- Bibliography
- Index
Summary
Besides being wise, the Teacher also taught the people knowledge, weighing and studying and arranging many proverbs.
(Eccles. 12:9)I wish to begin in this Conclusion with an overview of the argument pursued in this book and then continue with some reflections on fresh directions in which this study might take scholars of the wisdom literature. Perhaps the key concerns of this book, introduced at the start, are the former marginalization of wisdom and the need for integration with the rest of the Old Testament. In the Introduction I identified three areas in which such marginalization had taken place and which would provide useful categories for dividing up the discussion. These three areas were social context, theology, and affinities with other Old Testament material, and the focus of concern was limited to the book of Proverbs. Under the heading of social context, the strides made by critical study were identified and the reasons for the tendency to hive wisdom off into a separate category and context were noted. Signs of integration were seen to be accompanied by certain presuppositions about wisdom as a redactional stage influencing material later rather than earlier in its development. Under the heading of theology, the reasons for wisdom's separateness were noted and, in particular, its marginalization in Old Testament theologies was a matter for concern. Again signs of integration in the recognition of the importance of creation theology were seen to be emerging and required further investigation.
- Type
- Chapter
- Information
- The Book of Proverbs in Social and Theological Context , pp. 188 - 200Publisher: Cambridge University PressPrint publication year: 2006