The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom LiteratureSince 1990 Roland Murphy's Tree of Life has been a standard introduction to the wisdom literature of the Bible. Now The Tree of Life is available in a third edition, complete with a new preface by the author and a special supplement that surveys the latest developments in wisdom research. This superb study thoroughly explores the wisdom writings of the Bible, interpreting this literature in a way that illumines the development of Israel's search for wisdom throughout its tumultuous history. Murphy looks at each wisdom book individually -- Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus, and Wisdom of Solomon -- and adds to them a discussion of wisdom from other parts of the Old Testament. His careful investigations expose the various guises that wisdom adopts -- the "fear of the Lord," moral formation, the universality of human experience, the mysteries of creation, and others. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 1 |
PROVERBSTHE WISDOM OF WORDS | 15 |
JOB THE STEADFAST | 33 |
QOHELETH THE SKEPTIC? | 49 |
BEN SIRAWISDOMS TRADITIONALIST | 65 |
THE WISDOM OF SOLOMONA VIEW FROM THE DIASPORA | 83 |
WISDOMS ECHOES | 97 |
WISDOM LITERATURE AND THEOLOGY | 111 |
Other editions - View all
The Tree of Life: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom Literature Roland E. Murphy Limited preview - 2002 |
Common terms and phrases
Ahiqar Amenemope ANET basic Ben Sira Bible biblical theology biblical wisdom Book of Job Book of Proverbs Book of Wisdom BZAW chap chapters commentary concerning conclusion context contrast creation death described dialogue divine Eccl Ecclesiastes Egyptian experience faith fear Gerhard von Rad gift God's Greek Gruyter Hebrew Hellenism Hellenistic human immortality instruction interpretation Israelite Israelite wisdom Jewish Job's justice Lady Wisdom literary Lord ma'at meaning Murphy mystery Old Testament Old Testament Theology passages perhaps personification poem praise prophet Prov Qoheleth question R. N. Whybray reader recognized reference retribution sages Sagesse Satan sayings scholars seems Sheffield Sira Sirach Skehan Song of Songs speech Studien teaching theme thought tion Torah tradition translation understanding verses Weisheit wicked wisdom books Wisdom in Israel wisdom influence wisdom literature Wisdom of Solomon wisdom psalms wise woman words writing Yahwism