Proverbs / Ecclesiastes Old Testament—2022 Lesson 36 August 29-September 4, 2022

Description

This is a commentary on Proverbs 1-4; 15-16; 22; 31 and Ecclesiastes 1-3; 11-12 in Lesson 36 “The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom”. This is the lesson on the books of Proverbs and Ecclesiastes. It is to be studied from August 29-September 4, 2022.   These are the last two books of wisdom literature that we will study this year. Job, some of the Psalms and these two books make up that category.   Wisdom literature has no historical focus. The two books that we are considering in this lesson could have been written in almost any historical setting in Old Testament times. They were obviously written by believers, but they don’t mention Moses, the covenant with Israel, the patriarchs, or any of the usual settings of prophetic teaching. Much of the scriptures is the portrayal of our human problems and experiences in an historical context. The writer of wisdom literature brings history to a halt and looks only at the human condition and the problems that being human present to everyone in every age. Wisdom literature is not concerned with dates, places, or an individual’s life story; rather, it focuses on the recurring experiences and the problems that we all face as we move through mortality. Many of the verses in these books will be familiar to you. Some will not. Surprises are present. Parts of these books aren’t what you’d expect to find in the Bible. pp. 59