Voices of the Sages

Old Testament Wisdom in Dialogue

Voices of the Sages seeks to help readers deepen their understanding of biblical wisdom by looking at the Old Testament wisdom texts in the third section of the Hebrew Bible, the Writings or Ketuvim. Imagine these wisdom books personified as sages sitting around a table, deep in conversation. One sage shares his content on the nature of wisdom, and another responds by adding detail or clarifying a point. Other times, two sages may have a sharp exchange about fearing the Lord or the consequences of doing good or evil. While many books and studies consider the wisdom taught in individual texts, Voices takes a different approach: examining these interrelated texts as if conversing with one another.

The Old Testament’s discussion of wisdom ties into its teachings about creation: wisdom and creation are interrelated themes. Voices of the Sages roots these texts’ creation themes in Genesis 1-4: the creation power of God’s word, the two paths laid out for the man and the woman in the Garden, the folly of disobeying God’s commandment leading to death, and the vanity of life outside the Garden.

Voices of the Sages offers an innovative approach to biblical wisdom. It encourages readers to consider these biblical texts as speakers in a dynamic, ongoing conversation about the issues of life outside the Garden in pursuit of understanding God, His word, and wisdom.