Searching for Divine Wisdom: Proverbs 8:22-31 in Its Interpretive Context

t BIBLE IN THE CHRISTIAN ORTHODOX TRADITION

Vahan S. Hovhanessian General Editor

Vol. 3

PETER LANG New York • Washington, D.C./Baltimore • Bern Frankfurt • Berlin • Brussels • Vienna • Oxford

F estschrift in Honor of

Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi

VOLUME 1 Studies in the Old Testament

Edited by Nicolae Roddy

PETER LANG New York • Washington, D.C./Baltimore • Bern Frankfurt • Berlin • Brussels • Vienna • Oxford

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Festschrift in honor of Professor Paul Nadim Tarazi / edited by N icolae Roddy. p. cm. - (Bible in the Christian Orthodox tradition; v. 3)

Includes bibliographical references and index. l. Bible-Criticism, interpretation, etc. 2. Bible-TI1eology.

I. Tarazi, Paul Nadim. 1!. Roddy, Nicolae. BS51 1 .3 .F47 22 1 .6--dc23 201 2035352

Vol. 1: ISBN 978- 1 -433 1-1458-8 (hardcover) I ISBN 978-1-4539-0837-2 (e-book) Vol. 2: ISBN 978-1-433 1-1460-1 (hardcover) I ISBN 978-1-4539-0838-9 (e-book) Vol. 3: ISBN 978-1-433 1-1461-8 (hardcover) I ISBN 978-1-4539-0790-0 (e-book)

ISSN 1947-5977

Bibliographic information published by Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek. Die Deutsche Nationalbibliothek lists this publication in the "Deutsche

Nationalbibliografie"; detailed bibliographic data is available on the Internet at http:/ /dnb.d-nb.de/.

TI1e paper in this book meets the guidelines for permanence and durability of the Committee on Production Guidelines for Book Longevity

of the Counci l of Library Resources.

© 201 3 Peter Lang Publishing, Inc., New York 29 Broadway, 18th floor, New York, NY 10006

www. peterlang.com

All rights reserved. Reprint or reproduction, even partially, in all forms such as microfilm,

xerography, microfiche, microcard, and offset strictly prohibited.

Printed in Germany

Contents

Foreword . . . .. . . . . .................................... ......................................... . . . . . ....... · ......... vii Preface .......... .......... . . ..... ..................... ............. .................................................... ix Acknowledg1nents ............................................................................................... xi V. Rev. Fr. Paul Nadim Tarazi: Brief Biography and Bibliography ................. xiii Abbreviations ..................................................................................................... xix

Wisdom is the Preservation of Life, Michael C. Legaspi ........ .............................. 1 Beyond Anti-History: Genesis 1 as Masal, Philippe Guillaume . . . .......... . ...... . . . .... 25

Hearing Psalm 51: Masoretic Hebrew vs. LXX Greek, Rev. Fr. L. Theophan Whitfield ....... . . . .... .. . ................ . . . . ..... . . .... . . . 3 7

Le Psaume 136, Une Eucharistie Pour le Pain, Andre Wenin ........................... 59 Searching for Divine Wisdom: Proverbs 8:22-31 in Its Interpretive

Context, Alexandru Mihiiilii .... . . . . ................... .......... ....................................... 73 I'm Not There: Self-Negation as Authentication in the Prophetic Tradition,

Nicolae Roddy ................... ............. .... . .......... .......... . .......... . . ........ ................. .... 91 Rereading Isaiah 40-55 as "Project Launcher" for

the Books of the Law and the Prophets, lskandar Abou-Chaar ......... . . . . . . . . . .. 101 The Function of Hyperbole in Ezekiel 1, Rev. Fr. Fouad Saba . . . . . ............. . . . . . . 129 Narrator, Audience, and the Sign-Acts of Ezekiel 3-5, Richard Ben ton .......... 135

Notes ..... . . . ............... ......................... . . ............. ..... .................. ..................... . . . ... 141 Index ......... ..... . . . ............. . . ............... . . . . . . . .......................... ............................... . . 165

• ALEXANDR U MIHAILA•

·Searching for Divine Wisdom:

Proverbs 8:22-31 in Its Interpretive

Context

For good reason, the historical-critical method remains the most widely used approach in the field of biblical studies; however its obvious limitations often require exegetes to employ ancillary methods for interpreting

the biblical text. Methods such as canon(ical) criticism, narratology, structuralism, and so on, not only help fill this need, but may also serve to open a path for reconsidering Patristic readings-an notion many might still regard as naively pre-critical. Such new exegetical methods have been used to complement older established readings, 1 especially in Catholic scholarship, although this has not been without criticism.2 Paul Joyce, for example, finds it difficult to "escape the sense that the biblical text is being distorted and even abused in such Patristic exegesis. Proverbs 8 [for example) is hijacked and manipulated to suit the demands of the internal conflicts and polemics of developing Christianity."3

With this observation as a starting point, I would like to propose an analysis of one of the most frequently cited and hermeneutically challenged passages of the Old Testament, namely Prov 8:22-31, the hymn of Lady Wisdom. The paper will begin by examining the text in its historical context and then move to a discussion of its Patristic interpretation, all the while exploring the question of whether or not these early commentators really have distorted its (most likely) intended contextual meaning. From an Orthodox Christian perspective, I am of the mind that exploring this connection may serve as a case study, providing a model that would stimulate similar kinds of research.

Prov 8:22-31 is part of the introduction to Proverbs 1-9, which is assumed to date from the Persian or early Hellenistic period-or, at any rate, before the beginning of the second century BCE, since it is cited by Ben Sira.4 Chapters 1 and 8-9 serve as an inclusion reflecting the words of Wisdom and the section can be divided into smaller units.5 The poem itself forms a coherent literary whole, but may be parsed into smaller units, namely, the origin of

74 • PAUL N ADIM TARAZI •

Wisdom (w. 22-23), its preexistence in comparison with different cosmic elements (vv. 24-26), the assistance of God during creation (w. 27 - 29), and the active relation of Wisdom with God and humankind (w. 30-3 1).6

The first major challenge involves the translation. In v. 22, the verb '�� can be translated differently in three ways: "he created me,"7 "he begot me,"8 or "he acquired me,"9 all of which being followed up in the modern translations.10 LXX rendered EKnotv f..LE "created me"; so too the Targum ('J�1:J "created me"), 11 while other ancient Greek translators such as Aquila, Symmachus, and Theodotion, preferred KtUOf..Lat {£KtfJoa-r6 f..LE) "had acquired,"12 as Vulg., which translated it by possedit me. No ancient translation epitomized the second sense, "begot me" or "gave birth to me."

In the entire Old Testament, the verbal radical appears in qal form eightyone times. In about seventy-five percent of the occurrences it means "to buy" (fifty-nine times), "to acquire," such as a nation or people (in a sense, close to the former one, but with more abstraction), always having God as subject (see Exod 15: 16; Deut 3 2:6; Pss 74 (73):2; 78 (77):54; lsa 1 1: 1 1). As an abstraction it means "to acquire knowledge," "to understand" (Prov 1: 5; 4:5; 4:7; 15 :32; 16: 16; 17: 16; 18: 15; 19:8; 23 : 23); "to create," with God as subject, such as the cosmos (e.g., Gen 14: 19, 22); but also humankind (e.g., Psalm 139 [ 138]: 13), and with humanity as subject, "to give birth" (e.g., Gen 4: 1). From these considerations it may be inferred that the root ;-1Jp originally meant "to acquire" or "to possess,"13 and that from this sense developed both the direction "to buy," which is featured in the majority of the occurrences, 14 with later abstraction in "to acquire" something (such as knowledge) and "to make" something; that is, to acquire through one's own powers, as well as "to create," with God as subject, and "to give birth," when about humankind.

In a noteworthy Ugaritic parallel, the verb qny indicates giving birth by a feminine divinity. The goddess Asherah was entitled "the progenitress of gods" (qnyt 'ilm), 15 for the masculine divinity birthgiving is expressed by the verb bnw or bny (El, for example, is named bny bnwt the "creator of creatures");16 nevertheless, it is interesting that in respect to Yahweh the root ;,Jp was used, as in Gen 14: 19.22 (y-,�1 t:l'�lll ;"!Jji ;"11;"1'). The Ugaritic parallel need not be overestimated, for only once in the Hebrew Bible does ;"!Jji refer to a woman giving birth, namely Eve (Gen 4: 1). In Deut 3 2:6, Yahweh acts like a father who gives birth to Israel, makes and establishes her, with three verbs used in relation with bringing into existence: ;"!Jp, ;,tz?ll and 11i', Ps 139: 13 remaining the single case in which ;"!Ji' refers to the creation of humans by God.

The translation must take into account the immediate textual environment. In Proverbs the verb ;"!Ji' in qal is used fourteen times, six of which are in the introduction (chs. 1-9). Apart from the case under discussion, other oc· currences refer to the acquiring of wisdom by human beings, so that, in my

opinion, the most probable translation is "Yahweh made me the beginning of

• FES TS CH RIFT -VOLUME I • 75

his ways," in the sense of "acquired me as the principle of his works," that is, for the creation and establishment of the cosmos. Here the meaning is much closer to "possessed," otherwise it might suggest that Yahweh did not have Wisdom beforehand.17 Humanity is called to get this primeval Wisdom from Yahweh (cf. Job 28: 27).

Another translation problem is raised by 11'1ll�1, 18 rendered by LXX as apxfl, "beginning," "principle," and by Vulg. as initium "inception." The term appears fifty-one times in the Hebrew Bible, with the meaning "beginning" both temporally (De ut 1 1: 12; Prov 17: 14; Mic 1: 13; being opposite to 11'1n� "ending" in Job 8:7; 42: 12) and objectively, "first thing": "first fruits" (Exod 23:19; 34:26; Lev 2: 12; 23 : 10; Num 15:20-2 1; 18: 12; Deut 18:4; 26: 2. 10; 2 Chr 3 1:5; Neh 10:38; ]er 2:3; Ezek 20:40; 44:30; Hos 9: 10; Prov 3:9), or "first born" (Gen 49:3; Deut 2 1: 17; Pss 78: 5 1; 105 :36, especially in the expression "the beginning of my [sexual] power"). In an abstract sense, it refers to "first rank" (Gen 10: 10; Nu m 24: 20; Deut 33: 2 1; Job 40: 19; ]er 49:35; Amos 6: 1.6), "best portions" ( 1 Sam 2: 29; 15 :2 1; Ezek 48: 14), or even to "first act" (Ps lll:lO; Prov 1:7; 4:7).19 Since a literal translation of the Hebrew is impossible, two possibilities emerge: "at/in the beginning" (equivalent to 11'1ll�1::l) or "as the beginning" (equivalent to 11'1ll�1:l). 20 In the latter sense, some translators choose to be more precise: "first,"21 "first work,"22 "first-fruits,"23 "first-born"24

" . . I "'5 F 11 · I I r or pnnop e. - o owmg t 1e same pattern as in t 1e 10rmer term and com-paring with the proximal occurrences, I chose "first act" or "first work."

The expression 1:l11 "his way" was read by LXX as plural apxl)v 6&&v au-rou, thus supposing 1'�11- Similarly did Symmachus and Vulg., while Aquila and Theodotion preserved the singular. The Targum translated "at the beginning of the creatures" (;"1'111'1::1 lll'1:J). Dahood proposed a completely different vocalization, resulting in the translation: "-rhe Primeval directed his works."26 The term -:rn here means God's "work," or "action"27 (cf. Job 26: 14; 40: 19), 28 confirming the choice in translating 11'1ll�1 (plan, idea), as if Wisdom were not the first creature, but the very beginning of the divine genius. 29 Koch suggests "power, "30 but there is also another interesting possibility, supported by Exod 33 : 13, in which Moses asks God to show him his "way," which the LXX understood as if God asks to reveal himself (oeau-r6v). Something similar appeared in Ps 103 ( 102):7, in which "He made known his ways to Moses," translated literally by the LXX. Nevertheless, the passage in Job 40: 19 provides an intriguing parallel to Prov 8:22: the monster Behemot, regardless of what it should be identified with, appears as the "beginning of God's ways" ( 11'lfl�!.

,1'5_';;ll1). Moving now to v. 23, the expression '11:lOJ, translated by LXX as

t9ef..LEAirooEv f..LE "established me," changes from first person to third person. Aquila rendered it KU'tE<J'tU9TJV, "I was settled down," while Symmachus (and one version of Theodotion) prefers 7rpOKEXEiptOf..Lat, "I was invested."

76 • PAUL NADIM TARAZI •

Theodotion, generally, along with Quinta, employ tiwiJ.UlOE fl£, "he prepared " d · h . f· d 's: ' e "I "'1 F. 11 1 me, an m anot er vers10n one m s £utao TJV, was woven. ma y, t 1e

Vulgate translates it ordita sum, "I was invested." The root lOJ has two independent meanings: ( 1) "to pour," "to pour out," hence "to consecrate (through unction)," "to install in an office," and (2) "to weave." BDB considers the niphal in v. 23 to be derived from the first sense ("I was consecrated"), 12 while HALOT relates it to the second one, "I was woven/shaped," that is, a form of .,::lo33 The modern translations generally follow the first sense, preferring the abstract rendering "I was set up,"34 but also translating it "I was poured,"35 with a few exceptions.36 V.A. Hurowitz associated the root lOJ with the root ,lnJ "to pour out," which indicates insemination (cf. Job 10: 10: "did you not poured me out ['��'1'1T:I] like milk?"), or with ,1:::10 "to knit" (cf. Ps 139: 13: "you ... knit me together ['�:;JP.l;l] in my mother's womb").37 Some com-

f I · "I "38 l ·1 l "I r d "39 menta tors avor t 1e meanmg was set up, w 11 e ot 1ers, was wrme , which is a weaving metaphor. As Pentiuc translates it, "I was poured out as a libation."40 An interesting parallel offers yet another intriguing semantic relation. In Ps 2:6 the Jerusalemite king is anointed and presented by Yahweh: ':::11;1� '1'1:;)0� "I have set up / anointed my king," while in the next verse, Yahweh proclaims, "You are my son" (;'1T1K 'J:J) and "today I have begotten you" ( l:l1';'1 l'T11,').

Vv. 22-23 has six similar expressions that depict the prior state of Wisdom before creation. Only four of them are introduced by the preposition �. the rest eluding it entirely. Three pairs (hendiadys) can be found: T1'iVK1 -

iVK1, 01ji - 0'�1ji and TK - ol;llll, with each term explaining the other. A second pattern of similarities is represented by 111 and O'l;lll� from v. 22, which parallels )'1K from v. 23-the former terms showing the act and the latter the result of the act ("earth," that is, the world).

1:::111 T1'iVK1

;<: ol;llll�

l'l;lll�� 01ji iVK1�

TK� f1K;'1'�1ji�

The difficulties in translation are due to the care of the translator for an exact rendering of the sense of the words, thus facing a coercive task in preferring one sense at the expense of another. This process is compromised especially when the original has a wide-ranging semantic sphere and the translation seems to result in real mutilation of the text. I assume that the author intended the diffused terms 'JJji and 'T1::l0J in order to construct a climax in w. 24- 25. Both terms mean respectively "he acquired me" and "I was anointed," but they might suggest creation or formation (weaving), and on a

• FESTSCHRIFT-VOLUME I • 77

much deeper level both have a semantic association with birth-giving. In fact, this latter sense fits best into the context; the solution only becomes evident to the reader in w. 24-25, by way of the verb ,'T1"ln which is not repeated.

For the time being, the focus is on the origin of Wisdom. Wisdom does not belong to creation, rather Wisdom herself is the introduction to the creation work of Goq.41 Savignac believes that a similar conception under Hellenistic influence can be found in Eccl 6: 10, where it is said that the name (o!Q, Gk. Myo�) pre-exists the thing in itself (;'!:v!V ;'1�)_42

Moving now tow. 24- 25, the term '1'17?in "I was brought forth," "I was born," apparently raises no translation problems. The root ,l;lln or ,l;l'n means "to be in labor," "to tremble," hence the polal, "to be brought through labor pains."4' The verb !;>m / l;l'n in polal appears also in Ps 5 1 (50): 7, Ps 90:2 and Job 15:7. In Ps 5 1:7, "ln is associated with ,On' in the pie!, "to conceive." In Job 15:7 is associated with 11;1', in the niphal, "to be born," and in Ps 90:2 with ,,, in the qal passive, also "to be born."

The LXX does not render the first occurrence of the verb, but only the second one ycvvf!. fl£, "bore me," changing again the person from the first singular to the third. Aquila and Theodotion translated through rootvti9TJV, "I was born (through birthpains)" and Symmachus EflUtc09TJV, "I was born." The Targums translate v. 25 as T1'JjiT1'K or ,T1'JjiT1T1'K "I was created," or "I was established," having also the variant T1'1'''T1K "I was born."44 In Ps 90:2, "m refers to the earth and, in Job 38:8, to the sea,45 so here it may be a metaphor. Besides this possibility, the verb eliminates a semantic confusion initiated by 'lJi' and 'T1::lOJ.

In w. 24- 25, a pattern similar to w. 22-23 is repeated. This time four constructions-three of them negatively formulated (l'K:J twice, and 01�::1) illustrate the cosmic forms that Wisdom preceded, including the aquatic elements, (v. 24) and the dry land (v. 25), each of them being introduced by an expression denoting the antecedence: l'K:J, 01�::1 and 'J�l;l.

A similar problem obtains in Job 15:7: "Are you the first man that was born b?!n)? Or were you brought forth (T;17?in) before the hills?" (RSV). If Job were the first human, he could not be born, at least not from parents, suggesting that the verse alludes to the birth of Wisdom before the creation of the world. Thus another verb denoting birth could be added, ,,, confirming the sense of the repeated one, 'T1"ln.

The term )i�l$ from v. 30 is the very crux interpretum of the passage. It appears in the rest of the Old Testament only as a personal name: King


Ammon ( 1 Kgs 22 :26; 2 Kgs 2 1: 18) and the Egyptian god Ammon Qer 46:25; Nah 3:8). It also occurs in Jer 52 : 15 as a collective "the craftsman," but this reading is not sure, because LXX ignored the verse completely and the parallel text in 2 Kgs 25 : 1 1 instead has ,11�:1 "multitude."46 The root 1�K means on the one hand "to be permanent" (in the niphal), "to believe," "to have trust in" (hiphil) and, on the other hand, "to be attendant," or "to nurse." Close to the latter meaning is w�. "craftsman" (cf. Song 7: 2), from the Akkadian ummanu, U n H ·b H47 expert, or scn e.

The old translations are to be divided into three groups. First, the LXX translated 1mK in Prov 8:30 as apf.L6souoa, "harmonizing," or "setting," a participle present active feminine, which suggests that LXX did not read the third letter, waw, therefore having the word 1�K, vocalized 1i?� ("artisan" or "handworker)." This view is attested in Wis 7: 2 1; 8:6, where Wisdom is entitled -rexviw;. In the same manner Syr. translates mtqn' hwyt ("I have established"), and in the Vulgate, compones ("composing"). In the Jewish tradition, Genesis Rabbah understood 1i�� as 1i?1K "artisan," and a Midrash identified Wisdom with the Torah presenting her as an "artisan's tool" ( ''i::l ln:J�lK).48 Secondly, Aquila translates n8T]VOUf.LEVT] "nurtured (child [fern.])," understanding probably 1m� or ,1m� "nurtured," as in Lam 4:5, where it is found in the plural ,t:l'�i?.� translated by the LXX oi n8T]VOl)f.L£VOt, "nurtured," or "grown up." The verb appears in Esth 2:20, referring to raising a child (:1J�K::l),49 but also as "nurse," (V�iK) in the masculine in Nu m 1 1: 12 and I sa 49:23 or in the feminine (nJI;iK), as in 2 Sam 4:4 and Ruth 4: 16. Finally, Symn�achus and Theodotion ��ndered it EO'tT]ptyf.LEvT] "fixed," "determined," followed by the Targum's KmJ�':1�, with the variant ,Kn:l�';"t� "faithful."

This threefold meaning was followed by the modern translations, except that some of the versions refer the sense of "craftsman" to God, not to the Wisdom.50 R. B. Y. Scott proposes the vocalization ,V,iiK with the meaning "biding," "unifying," or "harmonizing,"51 but unfortunately the verb 1�K in qat is not attested with this sense. Th. Gaster supports the interpretation "expert'?2 Murphy and J. de Savignac prefer "artist" or "architect"51; Cazelles sug-

"1 I k. ·b " " · " d · " I "54 11 I t" 1g gests 1ig 1-ran mg scn e, w1se man, an cosm1c counse or, a re a 11 to Wisdom; while C. L. Rogers Ill55 and John W. Miller56 use "craftsman" and apply it not to Wisdom, but to God. A similar meaning from a different direction is supported by P. A. H. de Boer: 1i��. from OK, "mother-official" or "little mother," with the function of counselor,57 but his supposition seems too fantasist. On the other hand, C. H. T oy58 and V. A. Hurowitz argued for the

" 1· " "fl d 1· " " · " " d "59 F F I c 11 ws Jew-sense nurs mg, e g mg, noviCe, or war . or ox, w 10 10 o ish medieval commentators lbn Jana� and Moshe Qim�i, 1i�� is an infinitive verb that could be translated "growing up like a child."60 Assuming that v. 30 does not reflect the creation process, but the following period, Weeks derives 11�K from a verb meaning "to be faithful," considering it a noun or an adjective


(11�1$) with adverbial function ("faithfully)."61 Finally, Waltke translates it "constantly," or "faithfully," assuming it to be an infinitive verb in active, not pas-. . 62 SIVe, VOICe.

I assume that "nursling" fits better in the context than "craftsman," because w . 30-3 1 reflects the joyful activity of a child, playing and learning while God creates the universe. The translation "craftsman" cannot tackle the drawback of introducing a new idea, which was absent throughout the hymn. In Prov 8 :22-3 1, Wisdom does not take part in the creation, but remains merely in a stand-by position, watching the Creator and frolicking with the world and humankind.

The fine chiastic structure of w. 30-3 1 underscores the likening to the child playing:

Having witnessed nearly the entire panoply of possibilities in Prov 8 :22-31 among earlier translators, the only exception that remains for 'JJj? in v. 22 is that of "brought me forth." It appears the modern commentators reapplied ancient solutions to this difficult text, thus proving that, at least at the level of translation, exegesis has not gained spectacular insights.

Some commentators consider the hymn of Wisdom as a creation account,61 but Whybray has demonstrated that this prototype is not sustained.64 More properly Wisdom speaks oracles of doom like a prophet, telling her skeptical audience how she was called by God and giving them details about her origin.65

Gerlinde Baumann, who instructively illustrates the state of Wisdom research in the twentieth century,66 asserts that interpretations fall into three categories. The earlier scholars saw in Wisdom a hypostasis67 (in 1909, Charles Hasselgrave postulated a Hellenistic backdrop, in that the term emerged in Stoic philosophy) or even a demiurge (e.g., Johann Gottsberger, in 19 19). The term "hypostasis" was no longer used after Gerhard Pfeifer ( 1967), because it comes from a late milieu and bears ontological philosophical significances.

Beginning with Paul Volz, in 19 1 1, Wisdom was perceived as a goddess or a literary projection of a deity ("reflected mythology"). The use of mythological motifs was dictated by the post-exilic question of theodicy.68 Multiple attempts were made in this history of religions approach in order to find the wisdom prototype. W. F. Albright proposed an influence of the Aramaean-Canaanite gnomic literature, where a myth from before the seventh century BCE might have included a Canaanite goddess of wisdom, analogous to the Mesopotamian Siduri Sabitu.69 M. Smith sees in Wisdom a form of the goddess Asherah;70


for M. Barker, Wisdom was also a Jerusalemite goddess, the Queen of Heaven, in the form of a winged cherub. 71 All these attempts remain confined to the area of speculation,72 because such a goddess of wisdom in Canaan or Israel has yet to be discovered. On the other hand, A. Lenzi views the passage of Prov 8: 22-3 1 as interpreting the text of Prov 3: 19, using Enuma Elish 1:79-108. He even tries to find word parallels showing that Marduk's birth from the god Ea is replaced by Wisdom's generation by Yahweh.73 Although Mesopotamian literature would be familiar to an Israelite scribe, such parallels remain unlikely.

A wide-ranging hypothesis established a relation between the biblical Wisdom and the Egyptian goddess of cosmic order and truth, Maat.74 Authority (/:zw), knowledge (sj3) and truth (m3 't) accompanied the king or god AmonRa.75 Wisdom was also related to Maat in the Instruction of Ptah-hotep.76 Maat, as "Eternal Sameness" (fit), repeated pattern of the existence, is identified with Tefnut, the sister of Shu.77 As daughter of Ra, the Sun god/8 she is set before Ra79 and grants to the pharaoh the eternity in jubilees like Ra.80 This hypothesis presents an even more intriguing argument among the most conservative scholars, which ascribe the book of Proverbs to King Solomon, leading them to envision that "Solomon invested an Egyptian literary form with Israel's ethical monotheism,"81 however some insurmountable inconsistencies call this into question. It is not without considerable weight that Maat never speaks for herself in the manner of biblical Wisdom, but remains inextricably related to the universal order, lacking in Wisdom's profile.82 The hymn of Lady Wisdom seems closer to Maat-Isis prototypes,83 especially reflected in the Isis' aretologies whose influences are more manifest as regards the book of Wisdom (Sapientia Salomonis);84 however, this doesn't carry much implication on Proverbs 8, given the late date of the Isis figure.

Richard Clifford centers on a different mythological background, assuming the reading 1�l:t instead of 1ii'�tt in Prov 8:30, a term related to the Akkadian ummanu. He draws attention to lists of apkallu and ummanu, halfdivine pre- and post-diluvial sages and civilizing heroes. For Clifford, wisdom plays exactly the same role, guiding kings (Prov 8: 15 - 16) and describing a cosmogony (w. 22-3 1).85 Unfortunately, except for this textual similarity, the relation to Mesopotamian heroes relies on tenuous base.

Already before the Egyptian discoveries, Greek philosophical influence was perceived in Prov 8: 22-3 1, for although the sage of the Proverbs is an Israelite, he lived in a Hellenized atmosphere.86 It might reflect indeed the emerging blend between the Greek philosophic thoughts and the Jewish sapiential literature that will mature in Philo's work.87 Nevertheless, the Logos doctrine of Heraclitus is under dispute, even if Savignac revealed some connections with Prov 8: 22-3 1, so that I could assume that this possibility is open to discussion; however, the date must be postponed for the third century

• FESTSCHRIFT-VOLUME I • 8 1

BCE during the early period of the Stoic philosophy. Nowadays, the Pentateuch is dated by some minimalist scholars to the Hellenistic period, and Proverbs could in fact reflect an interest to meet Greek philosophy, although no certain influence of Greek literature can be proven.

A third direction for interpreting Wisdom seems more likely. Her figure might be a simple Jiterary construct, a personification of a divine quality. V on Rad �ssumed a personification of cosmic reason, the mysterious order that fascinates humankind.88 Murphy believes that Wisdom is the order of creation, but at the same time it is the Lord who is speaking and ancient Israel made no difference between faith and reason.89 For Miller, it is the figure of Solomon, not God. For him, the king as Wisdom penetrates God's mysteries and mediates them to the people (cf. Prov 25:3); therefore the king himself generated the personification of Wisdom.<)(\ Indeed Ps 2:6-7 refers to the king as God's adopted child. The weak point of this theory is that nowhere does the king precede the universe as the first being.

So even if the verse intends to illustrate the birth of the Wisdom, the expression remains a metaphor and a poetical personification, alluding to the creation narrative of Genesis 1.91 Interpreting Ps 104 ( 103):24 and Prov 3: 19, where it is written that God created the world "with wisdom" (;,r.J::m::J), Wisdom in Prov 8:22-3 1 is personified and therefore presented as an individual entity having primacy over the world, being born of Yahweh, playing like a little child in the creation, and growing side by side with the world.92 The literary device may be supported taking into account the personification of Foolishness, the silly woman who acts in opposition to Wisdom (Prov 9: 13 -18), and the suggestive parallels with the strange woman in Prov 1-9.

The importance of Prov 8: 22-3 1 consists not only in its thematic content, but especially in the way it was further read and understood, applied to new backgrounds and associated with other theological ideas. In contrast to Prov 8 :22-3 1, where the Divine Wisdom manifests herself towards humankind and calls people to heed her words, Job 28, which is earlier,93 discusses the transcendence of Wisdom. Here Wisdom is not personified or hypostasized, nor begotten by God; rather it is God who has access to her (v. 23) and, in doing so, his first act was to "see" (v. 26). So Wisdom could be regarded as coexisting with God.94

Later, starting with the second BCE, a legalization of Wisdom (Nomisierung) and a higher degree of nationalization (Israelitisierung) are recognizable.95 Wisdom is identified with the Torah (Sir 23:27; 24:23; Wis 6:4.9; 9:9; Bar 3: 37-4: 1; 4 Ezra and 2 Bar. 5 :3-7),96 an idea already found in Ps 19:8- 1 1 and Deut 4:5-8. According to Sir 24:8- 1 1, Wisdom sojourned in Jerusalem, in Zion, that is, in the Temple. On the other hand, for other texts Wisdom manifests herself, wanting to find a resting place upon the earth to share her knowledge, but she doesn't find it and returns to heaven to live


among the angels ( I En 42:1-2; 2 Esdras 5:9-10). Bultmann considered the possibility that there existed a Jewish myth about a preexisting Wisdom who sent her messengers, the prophets, to men, but because she was refused, she thus remains hidden in heaven;97 however, M. D. Johnson argues that this concept of Wisdom did not exist.98

In Ben Sira, some important expressions of Prov 8:22-31 appear: 'JJj? is translated "create," like the LXX (EKncr'tat cro<pia Sir 1:4; Kl>pto� a\no� EKncrcv a\nflv, 1:9; EKncrev !lE, 24:9). This act of creation was performed "before all things" (7rpO'tspa mlV'tffiV, Sir 1:4), "before the ages" (7rpo 'tOU ai&vo�, 24:9). In Sir 24:9 the term Tl'lll!\1, "beginning," from Prov 8:22 is interpreted as cm' apxfj�, "in the beginning" (RSV) and in Sir 1:9 the term 'Tl:lOJ, "I was anointed," from Prov 8:23 was interpreted as "poured out" (t�EXEEV au'tflv tm m1vm 'tcl £pya a\nou "he [Lord] poured her out upon all his works" [RSV]).

An influence of Middle Stoicism is the equation of Wisdom with Spirit (Wis 7:22-23),99 echoing the Stoic concept of the world Soul (7IVEU!la), or Logos. Wisdom bears the title "artisan," "craftsman," "fashioner of all things" (Wis 7:22: � m1vrov 'tEXVin� cro<pia), a reading of ]m!\ from Prov 8:30 as 1�1$ as already showed above; she is "the active cause of all things" (NRSV) (Wis 8:5: cro<pia� 1fj� 'tcl 1ravm tpyai;o!l£\rr}�). God has created by word and by wisdom (Wis 9:1: 6 1r01�cra� 'tcl m1vm tv A.Oyql crou Kai 'tft cro<pi� crou), and in Wis 9:9 Wisdom is presented as knowing the works of God and witnessing creation (� cro<pia � Eiouia 1:a £pya crou Kai 1rapoucra (hE t7roiE� 1ov K6cr11ov).

Miura classified the wisdom tradition into three groups: the hidden Wisdom tradition (Job 28), the accessible Wisdom tradition (Prov 8; Sir 24; Wis 7-9) and the apocalyptic Wisdom tradition (Bar 3:9-4:4; 1 Enoch 37-71). She supposes that the accessible Wisdom traditions emerge from Zadokite priestly circles during the Second Temple, which formed the hierocracy.11)0 Much more useful is the classification proposed by C. Bennema in the Torahcentered (Sir 24; Bar 3:9-4:4; Pirqe Abot; 4 Mace 1: 15-17; Josephus), Spiritcentered (Wis; Philo), and Apocalyptic-centered traditions. Thus, Prov 8:22-31 represents the precursor of the Spirit-centered Wisdom tradition, from which developed the prophetic figure.11)1 Already in Ps 104 (103):24; Prov 3: 19; Wis 8:5 ('tfj� 'tcl m1vm f.pyai;O!llNTJ�), God is said to have created the world with wisdom. So in 2 Enoch 30:8 (late first century CE), this was interpreted in the sense that God commanded Wisdom to create humankind. li)Z

In the one of the earliest books of the NT, Wisdom is identified with Jesus Christ (1 Cor 1:24: XplO'tOV eEoU OUVU!!lV Kai ewu cro<piav). In Col 1:15-19, Christ as "image of the invisible God" (a description of Wisdom in Wis 7:26), is "the firstborn of all creation" (Col l : 1 5 7rpiD'tO'tOKO� micrl]�

K'ticrEro�), thus the verb 'JJj? from Prov 8:22 is interpreted as 'ttK'tElV "to bring forth." So Christ is (firstborn) of God, but all the other beings are created


through Christ (v. 16: EV aU'tc{> EK'ticrel] 'tcl 1f(lV'ta [ ... ] 'tcl 1f(lV'ta ot ' athou Kai E� a\nov EK'tl<J'tat), thus leaving K'tii;Etv in Prov 8:22 (LXX) unconnected to Wisdom, but only to the creatures. Christ exists before all things (Col 1:17: a\n6� E<J'tlV 7rp0 1fClV'tffiV), because he is "the beginning" (v. 18: 0� E<J'tlV UPXtl), thus Tl'lll!\1 from Prov 8:22 is interpreted as an attribute that illustrates the quality of Christ. Tl�e title "the beginning of God's creation" is also applied to Christ in Rev 3:14 (� apxfl 'tfj� K'tl<JE(J)� 'tOU eEoU).

The climax is reached in Jn 1:1-3, where Word is at the beginning (tv UPXTI) with God (7rp0� 'tOV eE6v), being identified with God (eEo� �V 6 A.6yo9; all things were made by him (m1V'ta ot' a\nou EytNE'tO). Beside the Hellenistic background, there is also the proposal that John drew his Word theology from the Jewish Wisdom tradition, equating Word with Wisdom and the Torah.101 In sum, Martin Leuenberger considers the steps of wisdom conception as follows: in Job 28, wisdom is cosmologized; in Prov 8:22-31, wisdom is protologized and personified; in Sirach 24, nominized and nationalized; in Enoch 42, "uranized: ; and in the Gospel of John, anthropized.104

For Philo of Alexandria105 (ea. 20 BCE-50 CE), Wisdom is more ancient (7rpEcrPu't£pav) than the universal world (Vir. 62). God "called that divine and heavenly wisdom by many names [ ... ] he called it the beginning, and the image, and the sight of God" (Leg. 1 : 43). God is the Father of creation and united with his Knowledge (f.mcr't�!lTJ) or Wisdom (cro<pia), which became "the mother and nurse of the whole universe" ('tfj� !lTJ'tpO� Kai net1v11� 1:&v oA.rov; Ebr. 30-31), "the mother of all things" ('tflv !lTJ'tEpa 'tWV OU!!1fUV'tffiV; Leg. 2:49). God is "the husband of Wisdom" (cro<pia� avflp; Cher. 49), and Wisdom is the mother "by means of whom the universe arrived at creation" (ot' �� 'tcl oA.a �A.ecv Ei� yevEcrtV; Fug. 109), or "mother, wisdom, by means of which the universe was completed" (!lTJ'tEpa o£ 'tflv cro<piav, ot' �� U1fE'tEAEcrel] 'tO m'iv; Det. 54).106 Therefore "the whole world [ ... ] was created by divine wisdom" (epyql o£ 6 eEi� cro<pi� OTJ!llOUP'YTJed� KOO!lO�; Her. 199). The use of the preposition oia posits the mediating role of Wisdom as the instrument of creation.

Bethuel is allegorically explained as Wisdom "the daughter of God, always a virgin" (euyU'tTJP ewu [ . . . ] aEmapecvo�; Fug. 50; cf. QG 4:97: "Who is to be considered the daughter of God but Wisdom, who is the firstborn mother of all things?"), and God is "the fountain of wisdom" (� 1fTJYll 1fj� cro<pia�, 6 eE6�; Sacr. 64). On the other hand, Wisdom, "the daughter of God," is also "both male and a father" ('tflv euya1:£pa 'tOU ecou cro<piav appcva 'tE Kai 1fU'tEpa dvat) because she "sows [ ... ] and begets learning in souls" (Fug. 5 2) . Philo was the first to identifY Wisdom with Logos (Leg. 1:65; Her. 191; Somn. 2:242-245), the instrument (opyavov) of creation through which (ot' ol)) the world was created (Cher. 125-127), a common concept of Middle Platonist systems.

84 • PAUL N ADIM TARAZI •

In the Qumran sectarian writings, Wisdom is referred to as the power of God and the means of creation.107 In Rabbinic Judaism, Wisdom merged with the Torah, which was created before the universe,108 in order to be used by God as a blueprint of the world.109 The "beginning" of Prov 8:2 2 was related to the "beginning" of Gen 1: 1.1 10

Moving now to Patristic literature, Justin Martyr cites the text from Prov 8:22-3 1, speaking of Christ's wisdom as "rational power" (&UvaJ.w; A.oytK�) of the Father, 1 1 1 making yet no difference in sense between KtisEtV and yevvilv and applying both to the generation of the Son by the Father. Around 177 CE, Athenagoras says that the Son is God's "mind and word," being coeternal with the Father. For this he cites Prov 8:22, but it is not clear whether he refers the text only to Christ or also to the Spirit, about which he writes that he is an emanation (arr6ppma) from God, who goes forth and comes back as sunrays.1 12 Theophilus1 1 3 and Tertullian,1 14 citing parts of Prov 8: 2 2-3 1 , identify Wisdom simultaneously with the Logos and the Spirit. Thus, Jaroslav Pelikan concludes, the first Christian writers confounded the Persons of the Son and the Spirit, both of them being identified with Wisdom. 1 1 5 Explaining the procession of Logos from the Father, they tend to speak about two stages: the first stage, when the Logos is immanent in the Father from eternity; the second, when he is sent forth in order to create the world as a divine person. T ertullian thinks of two stages of the second stage: the Father begot the Logos as the first of creation, and then the Logos created the world. Prov 8 :22-3 1 was used to define the second or the third stage. Irenaeus, on the other hand, identifies Wisdom with the Spirit, 1 16 promoting yet another tradition of interpretation. In the same period, the Gnostics developed their own interpretation of Prov 8, as attested by Hippolytus, who observed that Simon Magus identified the Spirit with the seventh power of God by citing Prov 8 :22.1 1 7

In the Alexandrian school, Origen saw in "Wisdom" and "beginning" some of the most important titles or names (emvmat) of Christ based on Prov 8: 22.11 8 In his synthetic treatise on the Christian doctrine, Origen suggests that Christ is KTlOJla119 or KTiat�, without attributing him a status equal to the creatures.120 In fact, the Logos is eternally begotten by the Father, and one must conclude that the Alexandrian theologian thought of KTisEtV (Lat. creare) as being similar to yevvilv (Lat. generare). 121 This inaccuracy leads to the dispute between Bishop Dionysus of Rome and his counterpart, Dionysus of Alexandria, who was accused of using the term 1fOlTJJl<l referring to the Son and 1fOlTJT�� in referring to the Father. In fact, following Origen, Dionysus of Rome did not include the Son among the creatures.122

The real exegetical problem occurred with the Arian crisis. In his letter to the Emperor Constantine, Arius wants to present himself as a biblical theologian, m and according to some, the Arian heresy began during a public sermon of Arius interpreting precisely Prov 8:22 ,1 24 although attributing this to a sin-


gle biblical passage seems to be too limited. 125 For Arius, Christ is only a creature and before the birth of creation, he did not exist: "Before he was begotten (yEVVTJ9ft), or created (Kpta9ft), or defined (6pta9ft), or established (9EJlEAU:o9ft), he did not exist; for he was not unbegotten."126 According to Arius' interpretation of Prov 8 :22.25, explicated in a letter to Bishop Alexander of Alexandria, God '�begat an Only-begotten Son before eternal times, through whom he has made both the ages and the universe; and begat him, not in semblance, but in truth; and that he made him subsist at his own will, unalterable and unchangeable; perfect creature (KTtOJl<l) of God, but not as one of the creatures; offspring (yEvvTJJl<l), but not as one of things begotten."127 So Arius interprets yEwilv in the sense of KTisEtV, as Eusebius of Nicomedia, 128 who writes in the epistle to Paulinus, Bishop of T yre, that "the Son was created, established, and begotten in the same substance and in the same immutable and inexpressible nature as the Maker," referring to Prov 8: 22-26 as the literary source. Other biblical passages are quoted (Isa 1: 2 ; Deut 32 : 18; Job 38:28) in support of the meaning "to create" for the verb "to beget," showing that the Scriptures have not spoken of Christ alone as begotten, but obviously of common creatures.

In the same pattern, in Alexander's Deposition of Arius, included in the works of St. Athanasius, the Arian belief was that "the Son is a creature (KTtOJl<l) and a work (7rOlTJJl<l). Neither is He like in essence to the Father; neither is He the true and natural Word of the Father; neither is He His true Wisdom; but He is one of the things made and created, and is called the Word and Wisdom by an abuse of terms, since He Himself originated by the proper Word of God, and by the Wisdom that is in God, by which God has made not only all other things but Him also."129

In the extant fragments of his main work, Thalia, Arius enlarged upon the relations of the Son with the Father: "The Unbegun appointed the Son to be the beginning of things begotten" (apxt)v Tov uiov €9TJKE T&v YEVTJT&v 6 iivapxo�) ; no God is the teacher of wisdom (Tfj� ampia� &t8aaKaA.o9 ;1 31 "Wisdom came into existence as Wisdom by the will of a wise God" (ao<pia ao<pia \nrfjp�E ao<pou 9eou 9£A�O£t). 1 32

He used the term JlE'tOX� "participation" to explain the relation of the Son to the Father; he is Word and Wisdom because he participates in God's Word and Wisdom. The Son is permanently, but not necessarily, rational and wise and participates in God's Word and Wisdom to some degree, being in fact the highest imaginable degree; but Word and Wisdom do not constitute his essential definition, but designate accidental titles. According to Alexander, for Arius the Son is Logos and Sophia "metaphorically" (KaTUXPTJO'ttK&9, or according to Athanasius "verbally" (ov6Jlan), "conceptually" (KaT' emvmav). 1 33 The Arian claim seemed unassailable,


grounded in the literal expression of Scripture; but the crisis was an opporopportunity to scrutinize the meaning of the biblical text more seriously.

It was Marcellus of Ancyra who for the first time applied Prov 8 :22 to the Incarnation, assuming that the only suitable name for the Son is "Word" (A.6yo<;) . 1 14 He asserts that Proverbs 8 does not refer to the "beginning of divinity" (ou ·�v apx�v •fl<; 8EO'tTJ'tO<;), but to the "economy of body" ('t�V OEU'tEpav Ka'ta aapKa oiKOVOf..Liav). m Thus he agrees with the meaning "created" for EK'tlaEV, but relates it to the union of God with the human body through Virgin Mary.1 36 The same understanding stands for s8Ef..LEAiroaev, and Marcellus cites 1 Cor 3 : 1 1 for support, 1 37 assuming that s8Ef..LEAiroaev refers clearly to the body (OTJAOVOU ·�v aapKa).138 But this interpretation leads Marcellus to an awkward allegory, for in Prov 8 :23, "before he made the earth," Marcellus interprets "earth" as "our body," which returns to earth according to Gen 3: 191 19; "before the depths," "depths" as "the saints' hearts"14<'; "before the fountains," "fountains" as "the apostles," according to the allegorical understanding of Exodus 1 5 : 2t41; "before the mountains, before the hills," "mountains" as the apostles and "hills" as the apostolic disciples.142 Marcellus is aware of his allegorical view (f..LUOUK&<;, rrapOtf..LlffiOffi<;), having used the same arguments about the "ways," applying them to the apostles in Epistula ad Anti· ochenos and De incarnatione et contra Arianos. 143 Through this interpretation, Marcellus is closer to Arius in speaking of the created aspect of the Logos.144 The new interpretation proposed by Marcellus was followed by Athanasius of Alexandria, who said that Bishop Oionysius of Alexandria had used in the Epistle to Euphranor and Ammonius the text of Prov 8 :22 together with other texts Oohn 15 : l ; Heb 1:4; 3 :2) for supporting an opinion that the Arians pretended to be the same as theirs, but these texts should be interpreted as refer-.

I I 14s nng to t 1e 1tunan nature. Athanasius offers a magnificent exegetical exposition upon Prov 8 :22-3 1

in the second discourse Against the Arians. First, he noted the literary genre: "since, however, these are proverbs, and it is expressed in the way of proverbs, we must not expound them nakedly in their first sense, but we must inquire into the person, and thus religiously put the sense on it." Nicene Orthodoxy became the interpretational norm for the biblical text, not the biblical text in its plain sense. If Prov 8 :22 referred to angels "or any other of things originate," then the meaning should be "created me." But if it referred to "the Wisdom of God, in whom all things originate have been framed," "what ought we to understand but that 'He created' means nothing contrary to 'He begat."' The meaning is showed further, in Prov 9: 1, "Wisdom has built herself a house," which Athanasius connected to the Incarnation: "Now it is plain that our body is Wisdom's house, which It took on Itself to become man; hence consistently does John say, 'The Word was made flesh' On 1: 14)." Athanasius observed also the immediate context of EK'ttaEV: " 'The Lord

• FESTSCHRI FT-VOLUME I • 87

created me a beginning of His ways for His works,' yet not 'created me that I might have being,' nor 'because I have a creature's beginning and origin."'146

The Alexandrian theologian concluded that the biblical passage of Prov 8: 22 referred to the Incarnation, not to the eternal Birth. "For in this passage, not as signifYing the Essence of His Godhead, nor His own everlasting and genuine generation from the Father, has the Word spoken by Solomon, but on the other hand �lis manhood and Economy towards us. [ ... ) This mere term 'He created' does not necessarily signifY the essence or the generation, but indicates something else as coming to pass in Him of whom it speaks."147

Athanasius then invoked some verses (Ps 10 1: 19; 50: 12; Eph 2: 15.24; ]er 3 1 : 22) where the term "created" does not refer to the creation according to nature, but to the "renovation according to God." Therefore, he said: "let 'He created' be understood, not of His being a creature, but of that human nature which became His, for to this belongs creation."148 He identified the expression "He created me" with "My Father hath prepared for Me a body" (Heb 1 0:5 ). Since in some texts where it is said that Christ was made flesh On 1: 1 4) or curse (Gal S : 18) or sin (2 Cor 5 : 2 1) one need not conceive the whole Word himself to be flesh, but to have put on flesh and become man, "if it is said in the Proverbs 'He created,' we must not conceive that the whole Word is in nature a creature, but that He put on the created body and that God created Him for our sakes, preparing for Him the created body, as it is written, for us, that in Him we might be capable of being renewed and deified."149

Athanasius then explores v. 25, where the idea of birth appeared. He considers that birth and creation are distinct. If "to give birth" and "create" mean the same thing, it may result in an absurdity. Christ is called "only begotten," which revealed him as separate from all others (humans, animals). If "to give birth" means the same as "to create," then he should be called "the first begotten," like Reuben, who "was not only-begotten, but in time indeed first, but in nature and relationship one among those who came after him." "Therefore if the Word also is 'a beginning of the ways,' He must be such as the ways are, and the ways must be such as the Word, though in point of time He be created first of them." "If then, as I have said, the Word were creature He must have been brought into being, not first of them, but with all the other Powers, though in glory He excel the rest ever so much." If the Word is created for the works, this shows that His creation succeeded that of the works. "Therefore if He is before all things, yet says 'He created me' (not 'that I might make the works,' but) 'for the works' (d<; 'tU £pya), unless 'He created' relates to something later than Himself, He will seem later than the works, finding them on His creation already in existence before Him, for the sake of which He is also brought into being. And if so, how is He before all things notwithstanding? And how were all things made through Him and consist in


Him? [ ... ] [He] says in the manner of proverbs, 'He created me' when He put on created flesh."1 50

Athanasius underscored the absurdity of the Arian heresy, employing logical thinking and the dogmatic foundation of the Nicene ecumenical synod and then philological insight into the text. This is a main hermeneutical issue for the Orthodox theologian, who must bring the biblical text within the community of faith to support true teaching and not simply to proclaim one's own hypotheses. But is this not the same thing as "deforming" the Scripture to fit the doctrine?

These philological and exegetical notes helped me differentiate between the search for the original meaning of the text and the application of that text in a new framework of the community. As I noted at the beginning of the paper, Waltke-although very conservative in his exegesis-suggests that Patristic and medieval commentators "erred" when they interpreted Wisdom as a hypostasis. He also observed "the notion that Wisdom is eternally being begotten is based on Christian dogma, not on exegesis."1 51 Did the Church Fathers really perform exegetical "acrobatics" (to use the malicious remark of Paul Heger about the Rabbinic exegetical struggles 1 52) in trying to interpret the text of Prov 8:22- 3 1 along the lines of their own dogmatic beliefs? How might Athanasius' commentary appear to a modern exegete?

If we perceive only the original meaning of the texts, then all the subsequent interpretations should be improper. Comparing Prov 8:22 with Prov 3 : 19 , the former must be erroneous in personifYing wisdom, which in the latter illustrates only the divine capacity for creation. Likewise the identification with the Torah in intertestamental literature and with Jesus Christ in the New Testament must be completely fallacious. But this would be a narrow understanding of what interpretation does. A new group of faith, which has held the ancient value-laden text in the highest regard, discovered new incentive opportunities to gain access to Scripture. The fresh approach toward the text brings it into consonance with new emerging ideas, resisting any limitation to the original meaning, because otherwise the text should be already of no account. That allows the conclusion that the search for the original meaning and the interpretation of the text epitomize two different approaches, which must be kept separate: the one constructs an objective base for a cogent argumentation, producing hypotheses and encouraging the discussions around them; the other refines the text and avowedly underpin different treatments at the same time, but expressing one coherent doctrine. Wisdom for Philo is both female and male, both daughter and mother, antinomies that could interfere with each other in the complex scheme of Platonism. In other words, these interpretations could be "erroneous" only on the surface, comparing them with the logical argumentation, but in reality they intend to transcend the text and to draw parallels with other categories.


I would also draw attention upon the intermingling of historical-critical methodologies and the typological-allegorical approach, which often occurs in Orthodox exegetical commentaries: modern commentators are mixed up with Patristic quotations. It is better to stress the disjunction between them, because they belong to different levels of reference in the text. Sometimes a Church Father m�ght observe textual problems critically or might compare different translations, but when they relate the text to the new background of Christianity, they do not assume a scientific objective analysis of the text.


22 P. Auffret, « Note sur la structure litteraire du psaume CXXXVI •, le souligne, en mettam en relation structurelle les versets 4-9 evoquanr la creation et le verset 25 . Voir aussi G. Ravasi, Il libro dei Salmi 3 :735 .

23 L. Alonso Schokel, Treinta Salmos : poesis y oraci6n (Esn1dios de Amiguo Testamento 2· Madrid, 198 1 ), 398. '

24 P. Beauchamp, Psaumes nuit et jour, 196- 198, que je reprends pour le commentaire de ce verset.

25 « Rendez grace " • mais aussi « reconnaissez yhwh " : il s'agit d'une reconnaissance au double sens de remercier et de reconnaitre.

26 Les trois participes de cette strophe sont caracteristiques de l'hymne oil 1' on decline les titres (done les qualites permanentes) de celui qui est loue, comme « motifs • de louange. Voir aussi w. 7, 10, 1 3 , et 1 5- 1 7 .

27 Le verbe employe ici (1ji1) signifie affermir, rendre solide. C'est sur ce verbe qu'est construit le substanrif li1P1 qui designe la voflte des cieux en Gen 1 :6 et qui est traduit communement • firmament • .

28 Je lis le lamed comme particule emphatique avec M. Dahood, Psalms Ill (AB 1 7; Garden City, NY, 1970), 262, suivi par L. C. Alien, Psalms 1 0 1 - 1 50, 287 ; on pourrait aussi lui donner un sens explicatif (• a savoir •), comme HALOT, sub voce I, 22.

29 Un jeu de mots est ici present : 1J1ltiJ • de nos adversaires " ou « de nos angoisses • reflete le nom hebreu de l'Egypte (D1lt1J). Voir en ce sens, par ex., J.·L Vesco, Le Psautier de David, 2 : 1 273.

Searching for Divine Wisdom: Proverbs 8:22-3 1 in Its Interpretive

Context

"Document on the Interpretation of the Bible in the Church: September 2 1 , 1993," in The Scripture Documents: An Anthology of Official Catholic Teachings (ed. and trans. Dean P. Bechard; Collegeville: Liturgical Press, 2002), 244-3 1 7 .

2 Gerhard Maier, Das Ende der historisch-kritischen Methode (Wuppertal: Theologischer Verlag Rolf Brockhaus, 1974); Brevard S. Childs, Introduction to the Old Testament as Scripture

(London: SCM Press, 1 979).

3 Paul Joyce, " Proverbs 8 in Interpretation (I): Historical Criticism and Beyond," in Reading

Texts, Seeking Wisdom: Scripture and Theology (ed. David F. Ford and Graham Stanton; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), 89.

4 Michael V. Fox, Proverbs 1 -9: A New Translation with Introduction and Commentary (A YB; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2000), 6.

5 The division of Proverbs 1-9 into seven columns based on Prov 9: 1 is proposed by Patrick W. Skehan; see 'The Seven Columns of Wisdom's House in Proverbs 1 -9," CBQ 9 ( 1 947): 190-98; "Structures in Poems on Wisdom: Proverbs 8 and Sirach 24," CBQ 4 1 ( 1979): 365- 79; a s well as his analysis o f the entire book o f Proverbs in which he recalculates a totality of 45 columns, in "Wisdom's House," CBQ 29 ( 1967): 468-86.

6 Gale A. Yee, "An Analysis of Prov 8:22-3 1 According to Style and Structure," ZAW 94 ( 1 982): 58-66. Yee observes a gradual development: the preexistence (v. 22-26), the role as God's assistance during creation (w. 27-29) and Wisdom's relation to humankind (w. 30-3 1).

• FESTSCHRIFT-VOLUME I • 15 1

7 Fox, Proverbs 1-9, 279; Crawford H. Toy, A Critical and Exegetical Commentary on the Book of

Proverbs (Edinburgh: T& T Clark, 1 899), 1 73- 1 74. Alien P. Ross, Proverbs (vol. 5 of The

Expositor's Bible Commentary with the New International Version; ed. Frank E. Gaebelein; Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 199 1 ), 946.

8 Ro1and E. Murphy, Proverbs (WBC 22; Dallas: Word, 2002), 47 . William A. Irwin, "Where Shall Wisdom Be Fotmd1," JBL 80 ( 196 1): 1 3 3-42; Bruce K. Waltke, The Book of Pro11erbs:

Chapters 1 : 1 - 1 5:29 (NICOT; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2004), 409.

9 Bruce Vawrer, "Prov 8:22: Wisdom and Creation," JBL 99 ( 1980): 205- 1 7; Eugen J. Pentiuc, "A Selt:Otfering God and His Begotten Wisdom (Proverbs 8 :22-24)," GOTR 46 (200 1) : 259-60.

10 Modern translations face the same problems: (a) "created me" (RSV, NRSV, NJB, NJPS, NET), "m'a creee" (BJ), "hat mich geschaffen" (EU), "made me" ()PS); (b) "begot me" (NAB), "brought me forth" (NIV), "m'a engendree" (TOB); (c) "possessed me" (KJV, NASB), "hat mich schon gehabt" (LUT).

1 1 The Targum adjusted also 1::111 as ;"I'T11'1::1 "his creations" (;"J'T11'1::l lll'1::1 'Jl'\1::1 "').

12 Fridericus Field, Origenis Hexaplontm quae supersunt (vol. 2; Hildesheim: Georg Ohns, 1964), 326.

13 Vawter, "Prov 8:22," 205- 1 7 . For Irwin, the idea of possession was also implied in acquisition (lrwin, "Where Shall Wisdom Be Found?," 1 34).

14 Also ;"i�i?i? "richness," "cattle," 1��i? "merchandise" (Lev 22: 1 1 ).

1 5 UT 5 1 , ! :23; III: 26, 29-30, 3 5; IV:32, cf. Loren R. Fisher, ed ., Rash Shamra Parallels: The

Texts from Ugarit and the Hebrew Bible (vol. 1 ; Rome: Ponrificum Institutum Biblicum, 1972), 326.

16 UT 49, II! :5 , 1 1 ; 51 II: 1 1 ; III: 32; 2 Aqht !:25, cf. Cyrus Gordon, Ugaritic Textbook (2nd ed; Rome: Pontificio Istituro Biblico, 1998), 373 .

1 7 Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 408.

1 8 E. LipiOski, ";,�i?." TOOT 13 :268-72.

19 Cf. Fox, Proverbs 1-9, 280.

20 (a) "at the beginning" (RSV, NRSV, NAS, NJPS), "in the beginning" (KJV), " im Amfang" (LUT, EO); (b) "as the beginning" (NIV).


22 "Erstlinglswerk]," cf. Wolfgang Oswald, "Das Erstlingswerk Gottes-zur Obersetzung von Gen 1 : 1 ," ZAW 1 20 (2008): 4 1 7- 2 1 .

2 3 "first-fruits" (NJB), "pn'mices" (BJ), "premice" (TOB).

24 "first-born" (NAB).

25 Vawter, "Prov 8:22," 2 14- 1 5 .

26 M. Dahood considered 1J11 as a verb with pronominal suffix (dativus commodi) and 01ji as the name of God, "The Primeval," according to his understanding of Ps 5 5 :20 and Deut 33 :27 . Mitchell Dahood, "Proverbs 8:22-3 1 : Translation and Commentary," CBQ 30 ( 1968): 5 1 3- 14 .

27 HALOT 232. Cf. Deut 32:4, where 111 is paralleled by 'll!l "deed ."

28 Toy, Proverbs, 1 73.

29 Jean de Savignac, "Note sur le sens du verset VIII 22 des Proverbes," VT 4 ( 1954): 430-3 1 . "Le Seigneur m'a produite comme sa manifestation premiere, les premices eternelles de ses oettvres ."

15 2 • PAUL NADIM TARAZI •

30 K. Koch, "'1!,1," TOOT 3 :286.

3 1 Field, Origenis Hexaplornm quae supmunt, 2 :326.

32 BOB 65 1 .

33 HALOT 703.

34 "I was set up" (KJV, RSV, NRSV), "I was firmly set" (NJB), "je fus etablie" (BJ), "lch bin eingesetzt" (LUT), "I was established" (NASB), "I was appointed" (NIV), "j'ai ete sacree" (TOB).

3 5 "I was poured forth" (NAB).

36 "I was fashioned" (NJPS), " . . . wurde ich gebildet" (EU).

3 7 V.A. Hurowitz, "Nursling, Advisor, Architect1 ]11.)!\ and the Role of Wisdom in Proverbs 8:22-3 1 , " Bib 80 ( 1999): 39 1 -400 (394).

38 Murphy, Proverbs, 4 7-48.

39 Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 4 1 1 . Fox, Proverbs 1 -9, 28 1 , proposing a different vocalization, 'n.JQ�. from the root 1:::10.

40 Eugen Pentiuc, "A SelfOffering God and H is Begotten Wisdom," 256-59.

4 1 Vawter, "Prov 8:22": "That is to say, wisdom appears here as a being existing before all created things, not a creature, therefore, but a prior to creation, which was attainable and attained by God, who then concurred with it in the creation and ordering of the universe," 207 .

42 de Savignac, "Note sur le sens du verset VIII 22 des Proverbes," 430- 3 1 .

4 3 HALOT 3 1 1 ; Fox, Proverbs 1-9, 282; Pentiuc, "A Self-Offering God and His Begotten Wisdom," 26 1 .

44 Stephen A. Kaufman, ed., Targum Proverbs, with text from L. Diez Merino, Targum de

Proverbios (Madrid, 1984), with variants from P. Lagarde, Hagiographia Chaldaice.


46 Mordechai Cogan and Hayim Tadmor, II Kings: A New Translation with Introduction and

Commentary (AYB; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008), 3 19, prefer the reading from 2 Kgs; however, Jack R. Lundbom, Jeremiah 3 7-52: A New Translation with Introduction and

Commentary (A YB; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008), 522 only mentions the difference, without excluding the reading "craftsmen."

4 7 Jeremy Black, Andrew George and Nicholas Postgate, A Concise Dictionary of Akkadian (2nd ed .; Wiesbaden: Harrassowitz, 2000), 422.

48 Michael V. Fox, " Amon again," JBL 1 1 5 ( 1996): 700.

49 Carey A. Moore, Esther: Introduction, Translation and Notes (AYB; New Haven: Yale University Press, 2008), 29-30 reads be ' iimnah (i.e. preposition accompanied by infinitive qal with pronominal suffix), instead of be omna (that is, a preposition with feminine nomen, cf. G.R. Driver, VT 4 ( 1954]: 235).

50 (a . l) "craftsman" referring to God: "I was beside the master craftsman" (NJB); (a.2) "craftsman" referring to the Wisdom: "as a master workman" (NASB), "like a master workman" (RSV), "like a master worker" (NRSV), "as his craftsman" (NAB), "then I was the craftsman at his side" (NIV), "j'etais a ses cotes comme le maltre d'oeuvre" (BJ), "je fus maltre d'oeuvre a son cote" (TOB); (b) "as one brought up with him" (KJV), "als sein Liebling" (LUT), "als geliebtes Kind" (EU); (c) "as a confidant" (NJPS). The UBS Handbook for translations retained two meanings, "master craftsman" and "child", relating the former to God. Cf. William D. Reyburn and Euan McG. Fry, A Handbook on


Proverbs, (UBS Handbook Series, Helps for Translators; New York: United Bible Societies, 2000), 194-95.

5 1 R. B. Y. Scott, "Wisdom in Creation: the 'iimon of Proverbs VIII 30," VT 10 ( 1960): 2 19-20, 222.

52 Theodor H . Gaster, "Old Testament Notes," VT 4 ( 1 954): 77.

53 Murphy, Proverbs,' 47-48; J . de Savignac, "La Sagesse en Proverbes VIII 22-3 1 , " VT 1 2

( 1962): 2 1 2 . Cf. Dave Bland, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, & Song of Songs (The College Press NIV Commentary OT Series; Joplin: College Press, 2002), 100- 1 0 1 . Ross, Proverbs, 946-4 7 .

54 Henri Cazelles, "Alliqar, Umman and Amun, and Biblical Wisdom Texts," in Solving Riddles

and Untying Knots: Biblical, Epigraphic, and Semitic Studies in Honor of ]onas C. Greenfield (ed. Ziony Zevit, Seymour Gitin and Michael Sokoloff; Grand Rapids: Eisenbrauns, 1995), 45-55.

55 Cleon L. Rogers Ill, "The Meaning and Significance of the Hebrew Word ];>.)!'\ in Proverbs 8:30," ZA W 109 ( 1997): 208-2 1 .

56 John W. Miller, Proverbs (BCBC; Scottdale: Herald, 2004), 96-7 .

5 7 P.A.H. d e Boer, "The Counselor," i n Wisdom i n Israel and i n Ancient Near East: Presented to

Professor Harold Henry Rowley by the Society for Old Testament Study in association with the

Editorial Board of Vetus Testamentum, in celebration of his sixty·fifth birthday (VTSup 3; ed. Martin Noth and D. Winron Thomas; Le id en: Brill, 1955), 4 2-7 1 (70).

58 Toy, Proverbs, 1 77-78.

59 Hurowitz, "Nursling, Advisor, Architectl" 39 1 -400.

60 Fox, " 'Amon again," 699-702. Fox, Proverbs 1-9, 287.

6 1 Stuart Weeks, "The Context and Meaning o f Proverbs 8:30a," JBL 1 25 (2006): 440-42.

62 Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 420.

63 Richard J . Clifford, Creation Accounts in the Ancient Near East and in the Bible (CBQMS 26; Washington: Catholic Biblical Association of America, 1994).

64 R.N. Whybray, "Proverbs VIII 22- 3 1 and Its Supposed Prototypes," VT 1 5 ( 1 965): 504-14 .

65 Kathleen A. Farmer, Who Knows Whot I s Good1: A Commentary o n the Books of Proverbs and

Ecclesiastes (ITC; Grand Rapids: Eerd mands, 199 1), 52 .

66 Gerlinde Baumann, Die Weisheitsgestalt in Proverbien 1-9 (FAT 16; Tiibingen: MoluSiebeck, 1996), 1-57 .

67 S. Mowinckel, RGG2 2: 2065: "eine halb selbstandige, halb als Offenbarungsform einer hoheren Gottheit betrachtete gottliche Wesenheit, d ie eine Personifizierung einer E igenschaft, einer Wirksamkeit, eines Gliedes uzw. einer hoheren Gottheit darstellt." Cf. also Helmer Ringgren, Word and Wisdom: Studies in the Hypostatization of Divine Qualities and

Functions in the Ancient Near East (Lund: Hakan Ohlssons, 194 7).

68 Burton L. Mack, "Wisdom Myth and Mythology: An Essay in Understanding a Theological Tradition," /nt 24 ( 1 970): 46-60.

69 Aramaen Ahiqar Proverbs in Papyrus Sachau 53, 16- 54, 1, dating from 7th century BCE, but preserved in a fifth century BCE manuscript: "(Wi]sdom is (from] the gods, and to the gods she is precious; for(ever] her kingdom is fixed in he(av]en, for the holy lord elevated (her -]" . W.F. Albright, "The Goddess of Life and Wisdom," AJSLL 36 ( 1920): 285-87; From the Stone Age to Christianity: Monotheism and the Historical Process (Baltimore: John


Hopkins, 1940), 283-84. He also mentioned the attribution of Wisdom to Baal in the Ugaritic literature.

70 Mark Smith, The Early History of God: Yahweh and the Other Deities in Ancient Israel (2d ed . Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 1 33-35 .

. ,

7 1 Margaret Barker, "Wisdom: the Queen of Heaven," SJT 5 5 (2002): 1 4 1 - 59.

72 John Day, Yahweh and the Gods And Goddesses of Canaan (2nd ed. ; JSOTSup 265; London: Sheffield Academic Press, 2002), 66-67.

73 Alan Lenzi, "Proverbs 8:22- 3 1 : Three Perspectives on Its Composition," JBL 1 25 (2006): 687-7 14 .

74 Christa Kayatz, Studien zu Proverbien 1-9: Eine form· und motivgeschichtliche Untersuchtmg unter

Einbeziehung iigyptischen Vergleichsmaterials (WMANT 22; Neukirchen-Vluyn: Neukirchener Verlag, 1966). Cf. Bruce K. Waltke, "The Book of Proverbs and Ancient Wisdom Literature," BSac 136 ( 1 979): 2 2 1 -238 (here 232-234).

75 "The Admonitions of an Egyptian Sage: The Admonitions of lpuwer," translated by Nili Shupak (COS 1 .42:97, n. 38).

76 "Justice is great, and its appropriateness is lasting; it has not been disntrbed since the time of him who made it, (whereas) there is punishment for him who passes over its laws. It is the (right) path before him who knows nothing. Wrongdoing has never brought its undertaking into port. (It may be that) it is fraud that gains riches, (95) (but) the strength of justice is that it lasts, and a man may say: "It is the property of my father." "The Instructions of the Vizier Ptah-hotep," translated by John A. Wilson (ANET, 4 1 2).

77 "From Coffin Texts Spell 78," translated by James P. Alien (COS 1 . 7 : 1 1 , n. 3); "From Coffin Texts Spell 80," trans. James P. Alien (COS 1 .8: 1 2, n. 4).

78 "The Pyramid Texts of Pepi II," 5 13 , in The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts (trans. James P . Alien; Writing from the Ancient World 23; Atlanta: SBL, 2005), 29 1 : "Everything that will happen to Pepi Neferkare, the same will happen to Father's Enforcer, the Sun's daughter on his thighs. Everything that will happen to Pepi Neferkare, the same will happen to Adversary (of d isorder), the Sun's daughter on his thighs."

79 Richard ) . Clifford, "The Pyramid Texts of Pepi II," 3 1 in The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid

Texts, 244: "Pepi Neferkare will put] Maat before the Sun on the day of the New-Year's festival. The sky is in contentment and the earth is in gladness, for they have heard that Pepi Neferkare will pur Maat ] . . . and they will] greet Pepi Neferkare's [entrance] in his court because of the correct phrase that comes from his mouth." The same is expressed in "The Pyramid Texts of Queen Neirh," 7 in The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid Texts, 3 1 2: "Neirh will shine by day (as) one who removes transgression and sets up Maat behind the Sun." In a variant of spell 424, "Pepi sets up [Maat] like the Sun" (cf. The Ancient Egyptian Pyramid

Texts, 344).

80 "Karnak, Campaign against the Hirtites," translated by K.A. Kitchen (COS 2.4E: 30).


82 Michael V. Fox, "World Order and Ma 'ar: A Crooked Parallel," lANES 23 ( 1995): 37-48.

83 Burton L. Mack, "Wisdom Myth and Mythology: An Essay in Understanding a Theological Trad ition," /nt 24 ( 1970): 54.

84 John S. Kloppenborg, "lsis and Sophia in the Book of Wisdom," HTR 75 ( 1982): 57-84.

85 Richard J . Clifford, Proverbs: A Commentary (OTL; Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 1999), 24-27 . The first apkallu is U'an, mentioned by Berossus as Oannes, and the last ummOnu is the Aramaean Ahiqar. The so-called van Dijk list was discovered in Uruk.



• F ESTSCH RI FT-VOLUME I • 155

88 Gerhard von Rad, Israel et la sagesse (trans. Etienne de Peyer; Geneva: Labor et Fides, 197 1), 183-84.

89 Roland E. Murphy, "Wisdom and Creation," JBL 104 ( 1985): 3- 1 1 . '

90 Miller, Pro��erbs, 97.

9 1 Duane A. Garrett, Proverbs. Ecclesiastes. Song of Songs (NAC 14; Nashville: Broadman & Holman, 1 993), 108.

92 Daniel H. Williams, "Proverbs 8:22-3 1 , " /nt 48 ( 1 994): 275-79; William P. Brown, "Proverbs 8:22-3 1 ," lnt 63 (2009): 286-288.

93 Martin Leuenberger, "Die personifizierre Weisheit vorweltlichen Ursprungs von Hi 28 bis )oh 1: Ein tradirionsgeschichtlicher Strang zwischen den Testamenten," ZA W 1 20 (2008): 377 .

94 David ) .A. Clines, ]ob 2 1 -3 7 (WBC 1 8A; Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2006), 920-22.

95 Leuenberger, "Die personifizierre Weisheit," 379.

96 Shannon Burkes, "'Life' Redefined: Wisdom and Law in Fourth Ezra and Second Baruch," CBQ 63 (200 1): 55-7 1 .

9 7 Rudolf Bultmann, "Der religionsgeschichtliche Hintergrund des Prologs zym JohannesEvangelium", in: Erich Dinkler (ed.), Exegetica. Aufsiitze zur Erforschung des Neuen Testaments,

). C. B. Mohr (Paul Siebeck), Tiibingen, 1967, pp. 10-35. The Wisdom myth might be found in Wis 7 :27 ; Sir 24:32-34; Bar 3 :38; Herm. Vis. 1 .2.2; 2.4. 1 ; 3 . 1 .6.

98 Marshal! D. Johnson, "Retlections on a Wisdom Approach to Matthew's Christology," CBQ 36 ( 1 974): 44-64. In Q the Wisdom motifs are present only in Luke 7 :35 ; 1 1 :49.

99 "There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, mobile, clear, unpolluted, d istinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen, irresistible, beneficent, humane, steadfast, sure, free from anxiety, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating through all spirits that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle" (NRSV) (i:cmv yap Ev a\rrfi 1!VWJ.!U

votp6v iiytov J.!Ovoytv&� rroA.uJ.!tp&� A.E7IT6v t\ndv!]toV -rpav6v aJ.!6A.uvmv amp� UmJJ.!UVTOV qHA.aya9ov ol;u UKOOAUTOV EUEpycrtKOV qHA.av9p(J)1[0V �E�U\OV ampa�

aJ.!&ptJ.!vov rrav-ro&UvaJlOV rraw:rriaKorrov Kai &ta rravnov xoopouv 1lVEUJlaToov votpoov

KU9apoov A.E1fTOTUTOOV).

100 Nozomi Miura, "A Typology of Personified Wisdom Hymns," BTB 34 (2004): 1 3 8-49.

1 0 1 Cornelis Bennema, "The Strands of Wisdom Tradition in lntertestamental Judaism: Origins, Developments and Characteristics," TynBul 52 (200 1) : 6 1-82.

102 "And on the sixth day I commanded my wisdom to create man our of the seven components," cf. "2 (Slavonic Apocalypse of) Enoch," translated by F.! . Andersen in The Old Testament Pseudepigrapha (ed. ). H. Charlesworth; vol. l ; New York: Yale University Press, 1983 ), 1 50.

103 David A. Reed, "How Semitic Was John? Rethinking the Hellenistic Background to John 1 : 1 ," AThR 85 (2003): 709-726; Rendel Harris, The Origin of the Prologue of St John 's Gospel

(Cambridge: University Press, 1 9 1 7).

104 Leuenberger, "Die personifizierte Weisheir," 366-386.

105 For the Greek text, cf. Peder Borgen, !<are Fuglseth and Roald Skarsten, The Works of Philo:

Greek Text with Morphology (Logos Research System, 2005); for the English translation, cf.


The Works of Philo: Complete and Unalnidged (rev. ed.; trans. C.D. Yonge; Peabody: Hendrickson, 1996).

106 Thomas H. Toblin, "The Prologue of John and Hellenistic Jewish Speculation," CBQ 52 ( 1 990): 252-269 (258).

107 1 1QPsa Hymn to the Creator: " Blessed is he who created the earth with his power, who established the world with his Wisdom."

108 The Sifre of Deuteronomy 1 1 : 10: "The Law, highly prized than everything, was created before everything."

109 Genesis Rabba 1 : 1 : "Thus God consulted the Torah and created the world, while the Torah declares, 'In the beginning God created', 'beginning referring to the Torah, as in the verse, 'The Lord made me as the beginning of his way'." Midrash Rabba 1 5 : 19: "The Torah says, '1 was the architecmral instrument of the Holy One.' It is customary that when a human king erects a palace he does not build it in accordance with his own ideas, but according ro the ideas of the architect. The architect likewise does not depend only upon his thoughts, but has the necessary parchments and tablets to know how he is to plan the rooms and entrances. So did the Holy One, blessed be He, look into the Torah and created the universe accordingly."

1 10 Shimon Bakon, "Two Hymns to Wisdom: Proverbs 8 and Job 28," JBQ 36 (2008): 226.

I l l Dialogue with Trypho 61 (ANF 1 : 227).

1 1 2 Embassy for the Christians 10.4 (ANF 2: 1 33).

1 1 3 To Autolycu.s 2 . 1 0 (ANF 2:98). He cites Prov 8:27.

1 14 Against Hermogenes 1 8 (ANF 3:487), citing Prov 8:27- 3 1 ; Against Praxeas 6 (ANF 3 :60 1), citing Prov 8 :22-25 :27-30 .

1 1 5 Jaroslav Pelikan, The Emergence of the Catholic Tradition ( 1 00-600) (vol. I of The Christian

Tradition: A History of the Development of Doctrine; Chicago: The University of Chicago Press, 197 1), 1 9 1 .

1 16 Against heresies 4 . 20.3 (ANF I :488).

1 1 7 The Refutation of All Heresies 6.9 (ANF 5: 77).

1 18 Commentary on the Gospel of John 1 .22 (ANF 9:307): "Christ is demiurge as a beginning (arche), inasmuch as He is wisdom."

1 19 Simonetti, "Sull'interpretazione parrisrica di Prot•erbi 8," 22-24.

1 20 Commentary on the Gospel of John 1 .39 (ANF 9:3 1 7): "the Wisdom of God which is above every creature (T�v inrtp m'iaav KTimv aoq>iav) speaks of herself, when she says: 'God created me the beginning of His ways, for His works.' By this creating act (01 ' �v KTimv) the whole creation was enabled to exist."

1 2 1 Origen, De p1-incipiis 1 .2 .2 (ANF 4:246; PG 1 1 : 1 3 1a-c): "And who that is capable of entertaining reverential thoughts or feelings regarding God, can suppose or believe that God the Father ever existed, even for a moment of rime, without having generated this Wisdom (extra hujus sapientiae generationem)? For in that case he must say either that God was unable to generate (generare) Wisdom before He produced her, so that He afterwards called into being her who formerly did not exist, or that He possessed the power indeed, but-what cannot be said of God without impiety-was unwilling to use it; both of which suppositions, it is patent to all, are alike absurd and impious [ . . . [ And therefore we must believe that Wisdom was generated before any beginning that can be either comprehended or expressed. And since all the creative power of the coming creation was included in this very existence of Wisdom, [ . . . [ having been formed beforehand and arranged by the power

• FES TS CHRIFT-VOLUME I • 157

of foreknowledge; on account of these very creatures which had been described, as it were, and prefigured in Wisdom herself, does Wisdom say, in the words of Solomon, that she was created the beginning of the ways of God (creatam esse sapientia initium viarum Dei),

inasmuch as she contained within herself either the beginnings, or forms, or species of all creation.

1 22 Simonetti, "Sull'inrerpretazione patristica di Prot,erbi 8:22," 26-28.

1 23 Rowan Williams, Arius: Heresy and Tradition (rev. ed. ; Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 2002), 107.

1 24 Rudolf Lorenz, Arius Judaizans1 Untersuchungen zur dogmengeschichtlichen Einordnung des Arius

(Forschungen zur Kirchen- und Dogmengeschichte 3 1 ; Gottingen: Vanderhoeck & Ruprecht, 1979), 68. He referred to St Epiphanius, Panarion 69. 1 2 . 1 , where Arius introduced his heresy by interpreting Prov 8:22-25, cf. The Panarion of Epiphanius of

Salamis: Books II and Ill (Sects 4 7-80, De fide) (Nag Hammadi studies 36; transl. Frank Williams; Leiden: Brill, 1994), 332 . Lorenz cited also Agapius of Menbidj (Hierapolis), ea. 942 CE who asserted that Arius was asked to explain the verse Prov 8:22 applied in a sermon to Christ and he fulfilled this urging in a second one.

1 25 Williams, Ariu.s, 107-08. Other passages are Ps 45 :7 -8; Isa 1 :2; Deut 32: 18; Job 38:28; Rom 1 1 : 36; Ps 1 10:3 and John 8:42.

1 26 "The Letter of Arius to Eusebius, Bishop of N icomed ia," cf. Theodoret, The Ecclesiastical

History 1 .4 (NPNF2 3 :4 1 ). Accord ing to M. Simonetti, op1a6fi was added for metrical reasons, cf. Simonetti, "Sull'interpretazione patristica di Proverbi 8:22," 33.

1 27 St Athanasius, CounciLs of Ariminium and Seleucia 16 (NPNF2 4:458). Winrich Lohr, "Arius Reconsidered (Parr 2)," ZAC 10 (2006): 1 23 . "The Son has been timelessly (iixpovo�) begotten by the Father and, since he has been created and founded (Prov 8:22-23) before the eons, there was no time before he had been generated. The Son alone (1J6Vo9 is from (inr6) the Father" (cf. Lohr, "Arius Reconsidered (Part 2)," 1 29).

1 28 Theodoret, The Ecclesiastical History 1 . 5 (NPNF2 3:42).

1 29 Sr Arhanasius, Deposition of Arius NPNF2 04, p. 70. Winrich Lohr, "Arius Reconsidered (Parr ! )," ZAC 9 (2006), 524-60 (548).

1 30 Thalia, fragment West 6. Lohr, "Arius Reconsidered (Part 2)," 1 3 7 .

1 3 1 Thalia, fragment West 8 . Lohr, "Arius Reconsidered (Part 2)," 1 38.

1 32 Thalia, fragment West 16. Lohr, "Arius Reconsidered (Part 2) ," 142.

1 33 R. D. Williams, "1l1e Logic of Arian ism," JThS 34 ( 1983): 56- 8 1 (here 74-78).

1 34 )on M. Robertson, Christ as Mediator: A Study of the Theologies of EusebitLS of Caesarea,

Marcellus of Ancyra, and Athanasius of Alexandria (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2007), 1 14. Sara Parvis, MarcelltLS of Ancyra and the Lost Years of the Arian Controversy 325-345 (Oxford Early Christian Studies; Oxford: Oxtord University Press, 2006), 35-36.

1 3 5 Die Fragmente MarcelLs 9, cf. Erich Klostermann, EusebitLS Werke (vol. 4; GCS 14; Leipzig: ) .C. Hinrich, 1906), 186- 187 .

136 Die Fragmente MarcelLs 10, cf. Klosterman, EusebitLS Werke, 187 .

1 3 7 Die Fragmente MarcelLs 1 7, cf. Klosterman, EtLSebitLS Werke, 187 .

1 38 Die Fragmente MarcelLs 20, cf. Klosterman, Eusebius Werke, 1 88.

1 39 Die Fragmente MarcelLs 2 1 , cf. Klosterman, EtLSebius Werke, 1 88.

140 Die Fragmente MarcelLs 22, cf. Klosterman, EtLSebitLS Werke, 1 88.

1 4 1 Die Fragmente MarcelLs 23, cf. Klosterman, EusebitLS Werke, 1 88-89.

1 5 8 • PAUL N ADIM TARAZI •

1 4 2 Die Fragmente Marce!ls 27, cf. Klosterman, Eusebius Werke, 1 89.

143 Klaus Seibt, Die Theologie des Markel! von Ankyra (Arbeiten zur Kirchengeschichte 59; Berlin: de Gruyter, 1992), 3 1 7 -2 3 .

1 44 Parvis, Marcel!us of Ancyra, 66.

1 4 5 On the Opinion of Dionysius 1 0- 1 1 (NPNF2 4: 1 80).

146 Four Discourses against the Arians 2. 19 (NPNF2 4 : 3 72).

1 4 7 Four Discourses against the Arians 2. 19 (NPNF2 4: 372- 73).

148 Four Discourses against the Arians 2. 19 (NPNF2 4 :3 73).

149 Four Discourses against the Arians 2. 19 (NPNF2 4 :374).

1 50 Four Discourses against the Arians 2 . 1 9 (NPNF2 4:374 - 7 5)

1 5 1 Waltke, The Book of Proverbs, 409, n. 104.

1 52 Paul Heger, The Three Biblical Altar Laws: Developments in the Sacrificial Cult in Practice and

Theology: Political and Economic Background (BZA W 279; Berlin: De Gruyter, 1 999), 39, 90,

1 69.

I'm Not There: Self-Negation as Authentication in the Prophetic

Tradition

The term "biblical Israel" refers to the narrative world produced by a prophetically intluenced, priestly scribal community writing from the perspective of the late exilic period (sixth century BC).

2 Abraham J. Heschel, The Prophets ( 1962; Reprinted by Hendrickson: Peabody, MA, 2007).

3 The Torah, especially Deuteronomy, and the quasi-historical narrative that follows reveal two major competing priestly lineages, namely an older (probably northern) Levitical tradition that traces its l ineage directly back to Moses, and a Zadokite priestly line that stems from Aaron. See W. Millar, Priesthood in Ancient Israel (St. Louis: Chalice Press, 200 1).

4 The likely identification of Jeremiah with the prophet like Moses can be traced to Isaac Abravanel (or Abarbanel), a 1 5th C Portuguese Jewish sage. See W. L. Holladay, "The Background of Jeremiah's Self-Understanding: Moses, Samuel, and Psalm 22," JBL 83

( 1964), 1 53 -64; see also, C. R. Seitz, "The Prophet Moses and the Canonical Shape oi Jeremiah, " ZAW 101 ( 1 989), 3-27 .

5 Usage oi this phrase may well be a merismus, an idiomatic way of expressing knowledge about everything under the sun. See G. von Rad's Commentary on Genesis and also A. M. Honeyman, "Merismus in Biblical Hebrew," JBL 7 1 . 1 ( 19 52), 1 1 - 18 . However, the boundary markers of a merismus determine the category of a set comprised between them. The phrase Dan and Beersheba, for example, includes all Israelite cities in between. Thus it seems that all things within the perspective domain of good and bad is what the author most likely intended. After all, why not say "high and low," or knowledge of "east and west?" If this is a wisdom motif, and I would argue that it is, the universality of eastern wisdom would not be out of place. The fact that Eve sees that the tree is "good for food and to be desired to make one wise" would similarly recast universal wisdom into "fear of the Lord."

6 Like Uriah, Tamar bears a Hebrew name ("date palm"), however her ethnic origins remain obscure.

7


N. Roddy, "Foreword," How ]onah is Interpreted in ]udaism, Christianity, and Islam. " Mishael M. Caspi and John T. Greene, eds. (Lewiston, NY: Edwin Mellen Press, 20 1 1 ), i-v.

Rereading Isaiah 40-55 as "Project Launcher" for the Books of the '

Law and the Prophets

In this respect, my work builds from and complements the ongoing work of Paul N . Tarazi.

2 The study of the Joseph type and its transformation for the Festschrift, which is a centerpiece of the argument, proved to be too long for the space limitation incumbent upon a s ingle article; thus it remains for future publication.

3 For this we are largely indebted to the redaction critical work of Willi Marxsen, Der Evangelist Markus (2nd ed. ; Gottingen; Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht, 1 959).

4 For a review oi recent proposals that seem to come close to the one being proposed here, bur d iverge as regards the description of the second part, cf. Peter Hoffgen, Jesaya: Der Stand der Theologischen Diskussion (Darmstadt: WBG, 2004), 1 0 1 - 105.

5 This is why the last instance of its use is in !sa 52:8, occurring just before the redactor reveals the resolution of the problem in the fourth Servant Song.

6 Paul Nadim Tarazi, Genesis (The Chrysostom Bible; St Paul, Minn.: OCABS Press, 2009),

27-33.

7 The iunctional connection between the use in Gen 1 : l ff and Isaiah 40-5 5 seems best reflected in Isa 4:5 , a pivotal verse in the introductory section of the book of Isaiah as a whole. The first five chapters of the book of Isaiah, which were probably the last part of the book of Isaiah to have been added, are a summary of the entire book, and consequently introduce also chs. 40- 5 5 . The action of God as regards the reconstintted and cleansed remnant, !sa 4:2-6, is described as a creation event corresponding to the giving of the law on Sinai, and as a coming to the assembly where the reading of the law takes place: "Then the Lord will create (br') over the whole site of Mount Zion and over its places of assembly (miqrii'ehii, assembly to hear a reading) a cloud by day and smoke and the shining of a !laming fire by night. Indeed over all the glory there will be a canopy" (Isa 4:5 , NRSV).

8 It is precisely in comparison with an apparently missing Joseph cycle that it will be possible to start giving an answer to this question, a problem that will be addressed in a iorthcoming study as part two of this work.

9 Paul D. Hanson, The Dawn of Apocalyptic (rev. ed.; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1 979).

10 P. Tarazi, "Deuteronomy as a 'Reprise' of Gen 1-2 : A Redaction Critical Reading" (Paper presented at ANZA TS/ ANZSTS Conierence, Queens College, Parkville, Melbourne, Australia, July 6, 2004).

1 1 The word here is biirftr, from brr. Compare this with the use in !sa 5 2: 1 1 of the same root in the nip · al as a description of the ritual purity requisite of those who bear the vessels of the Lord.

1 2 The question posed in the forthcoming second part o f this srudy will be whether or not the semantic weight of the name Joseph in the book of Genesis has been subjected to modification. In other words, does the storyline effect a semantic transformation on this appellation or type?

1 3 See W. Zimmerli, Ezekiel 2 (trans. James D. Martin; ed. P. D. Hanson and L. J. Greenspoon; Hermeneia; Philadelphia: Fortress, 1983), 1 9 1 - 202. Zimmerli analyzes the

Searching for Divine Wisdom: Proverbs 8:22-31 in Its Interpretive Context

Documents

Transcript of Searching for Divine Wisdom: Proverbs 8:22-31 in Its Interpretive Context