1. A Look at Wisdom and Apocalyptic Literature
CHAPTER NINE
A Spiritual Journey
A Look at Wisdom and Apocalyptic Literature

2. Introduction
- During Roman domination, two literary responses to faith emerged in the Jewish community
1.) Wisdom Literature
• Collections of wise-sayings that offer insights into the proper way to live
2.) Apocalyptic Literature
• Symbolic style of writing in which hidden truths are revealed

3. Wisdom Literature

4. Wisdom Literature - Purpose is to gain wisdom
• The wisdom described is moral in character involving lessons in truth, moderation, prudence, and kindness
- Messages are universal and timeless
• Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise
• The limits of art are not reached; no artist’s skills are perfect

5. Wisdom Literature
A wise son makes his father glad, but a foolish son is a grief to his mother (Prv 10:1)
Wisdom builds her house, but Folly tears hers down with her own hands (Prv 14:1)

6. Wisdom Books

7. Wisdom Books
- Central themes and characters in the Old Testament scarcely appear in Wisdom Literature
- Wisdom literature focuses on God as Creator and on creation itself
• Describes God by what he has made
• Similar to modern science (rational and based on observations)

8. Wisdom Books Why wisdom literature was popular:
1.) Inspired by other cultures to collect their own wise sayings
2.) Shared with people of other cultures (area of common ground)

9. Wisdom Books
3.) Comforting to a minority people; reminded Jews how to live
4.) Parents concerned about kids staying grounded in faith; intended to train young people

10. Wisdom Books Books of Wisdom literature: 1.) Job 2.) Proverbs
3.) Ecclesiastes
4.) Song of Songs
5.) Wisdom
6.) Sirrach (Ecclesiasticus)

11. Wisdom Books
1.) JOB
- Rejects the idea that good is rewarded and evil is punished
2.) PROVERBS
- Teach three types of Wisdom
• Knowledge of God’s created world
• Skill of making the right choices
• Art of living before God

12. Wisdom Books 3.) ECCLESIATES
- Value of human life; determining what brings us happiness
4.) SONG OF SONGS
- Love poems

13. Wisdom Books 5.) WISDOM - Divided into three sections
• Book of Eschatology
• Praise of Wisdom
• God’s Special Providence
6.) SIRACH
- Sayings, laments, psalms of praise, moral maxims; updated Proverbs

14. Apocalyptic Literature

15. Apocalyptic Literature
- Means “Literature of Revelation”
- Written in the same time period as Wisdom literature
- Rather than looking back on creation, looks forward to what God was about to do in history

16. Apocalyptic Literature
Characteristics:
• Written in a style of spiritual and social unrest
• Sense of urgency that changes are coming soon
• History is coming to an end

17. Apocalyptic Literature
Characteristics Continued:
• Beyond the catastrophes is a paradise
• Writing features a mediator
• Describes visions populated by beasts

18. Apocalyptic Literature
Characteristics Continued:
• Images are consistent across works
• Written under a pseudonym or pen name

19. Apocalyptic Literature
Daniel:
Three main divisions
1.) Daniel 1-6: Includes six stories about a young Jewish boy
2.) Daniel 7-12: Contains four symbolic visions that center on the “heavenly battle” with Israel’s enemies
3.) Daniel 13-14

20. Both wisdom and apocalyptic literature teach people to live in the present and behave as members of God’s Chosen People