The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job & Ecclesiastes

by Derek Kidner

This introduction to the wisdom literature of the Old Testament is a valuable little book, especially if you are going to embark on a study of any or all of the Bible’s wisdom books. After an introduction chapter, two chapters are devoted to each of the wisdom books. The first chapter of each is a theology of that book (i.e. a chapter devoted to underlining the teaching of that book). The second chapter is an introduction of that book (i.e. a study of the less applicable matters, including the scholarly debate surrounding the book). The final chapter of this book, “Voices in Counterpoint” seeks to find a common theme through the wisdom literature. Several appendices follow, touching on matters such as other ancient wisdom literature and the wisdom books of the apocrypha.

Regarding the introduction chapters, Kidner writes, “I should explain that chapters 3, 5 and 7 are chiefly meant to give theological students a sample and assessment of the debate which has been sparked off by these books. These chapters can be easily skipped, and the threads be picked up in chapter 8: ‘Voices in Counterpoint’.”

The theology chapters are each full of jewels of knowledge. If you picked up this book and read nothing but the even-numbered chapters, you would walk away with a better understanding of these Bible books, and will have made a valuable use of your time.

The Editors do not advocate everything taught by the authors of the books we review. Like us, these authors are fallible humans and those who choose to read these books should measure them by the bible, the one true standard.