It took a year to read the Bible, then almost 9 months to read the Apocrypha. Now, I'm going to try to offer reflections on the Narrative Lectionary. But, I won't be posting daily--at least, for a while.

Thursday, May 23, 2013

Disconnected thoughts on Wisdom, a Reflection on Proverbs 8:30-31

My initial concern is that we are reading this passage as we look toward Trinity Sunday. So, aren't we supposed to identify Wisdom in Proverbs with the Holy Spirit in our theology? Or, does Wisdom in Proverbs connected to the second person of the Trinity--see John 1:1-5?

In either case, the compiler of the book of Proverbs was not aware of what later theologians of Christianity would recognize.

Verse 30 is set in the first person; the "I" who was there during creation is Wisdom--as I have mentioned before a word in Hebrew that is feminine.

Although I haven't yet read -- or even purchased-- everything that John Goldingay has written, I have read and been influenced by much of his work. Today, while pondering the lectionary passage from Proverbs, it finally occurred to me to see what Goldingay had to say.
[Wisdom] was not just standing there watching without influencing what Yhwh did, though even if she were, she ended up thrilled to bits with what eventuated....[T]he world is a place to learn from. Because  the world is God's creation, it cannot but be an embodiment of wisdom. [Old Testament Theology, Volume 2]



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