FINDING FAVOUR IN THE SIGHT OF GOD
A theology of wisdom literature
By Richard P. Belcher
Apollos / IVP. 244 pages £14.99
ISBN 978 1 783 597 147
Wisdom literature takes up a substantial slice of the Old Testament. It is not easy to preach, for various reasons, and hence much of it remains a mystery to many Christians. This is unfortunate in days where we increasingly need to be ‘as wise as serpents and as harmless as doves’.
Richard Belcher, Professor of OT at Reformed Theological Seminary, Charlotte, N. Carolina, has written an introduction to the three main wisdom books, Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes, which, while challenging, more than rewards study. Though short, the book pays sufficient attention to the text, and has clarity enough to give the average pastor confidence ‘to boldly go where no man has gone before’ in his pulpit.
Proverbs
Each of the OT books is given three chapters. Proverbs are not universal truths, but advice to be applied in the context of different situations. The opening nine chapters set out the two ways of wisdom and folly, with the fear of the Lord as the foundation of true wisdom. The almost random arrangement of sayings in the rest of the book may well parallel the disorderly way life is for us in a fallen world.
Job
Chapters 1-3 of Job set up the situation. During the controversy between suffering Job and his three friends in chapters 4–27, the whole question of God’s justice is examined, with Belcher teasing out the slight differences of approach adopted by Eliphaz, Bildad and Zophar. The theme of the rest of the book is the question of where wisdom can be found.
Ecclesiastes
Ecclesiastes is seen as a biography in the first person of Qohelet (the teacher), framed by a third-person introduction (1.1-11) and epilogue (12.9-14). Interestingly, Belcher defends an almost totally negative view of what Qohelet says. Having restricted his approach to his own observations ‘under the sun’ without revelation from above, he can produce nothing but a cynical, cautious and ultimately meaningless view of life. The introduction and epilogue are to be viewed as something like a father saying to his son: ‘Read what Qohelet has to say, but realise that this is where you land if you are wise in your own eyes.’ Obviously, such a view of Ecclesiastes makes it difficult to preach, but the author does give some helpful comments.
The book closes with a very stimulating survey of seeing the Lord Jesus as the teacher of true wisdom.
There is far more to this volume than I can convey here. But the way the book is put together led me to an overview of the wisdom literature which I had never seen before.
Overview
Roughly speaking, it goes something like this. Proverbs gives the foundation of wisdom, how to live life in a way that brings God’s favour. The general idea is of two ways, choices in life which lead to blessing and those which lead to disaster. We might label this in terms of ‘deed – consequence’. Though often disputed, Belcher gives a fine defence of Proverbs as looking beyond this present world with regard to the consequences of godly living.
‘Deed – consequence’
Although godly deeds producing a blessed outcome might be ultimately true, it is not always like that in this life. Both Job and Ecclesiastes consider this apparent breakdown of ‘deed – consequence’. Sometimes bad things happen to good people and vice versa. Job struggles with this very problem in his own experience, but is the man of faith who looks for the vindication of himself against his accusers and of God’s justice beyond the grave. By contrast, Qohelet in Ecclesiastes sees the breakdown of ‘deed – consequence’ in this life and comes to the barren conclusions of something like a sceptical deist. It is a stance to be warned against. Both Job and Ecclesiastes therefore, in their different ways, cry out for Jesus – in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
With the breaking in of God’s kingdom in himself, Jesus’ teaching reveals true wisdom. Because of the coming kingdom, the poor in spirit, those who mourn, those who hunger for justice and even those who suffer unjustly for him will not lose their reward, but be crowned with glory and are therefore ‘blessed’. The unjust suffering of the innocent Saviour on the cross secures the kingdom. ‘Deed – consequence’ is properly restored.
As by God’s grace we choose the narrow and often unfair way of taking up the cross and following Jesus, we find life abundant.
