The Wisdom of Torah: Epistemology in Deuteronomy and the Wisdom Literature

by Ryan O'Dowd

Overview

This recent study presents a hermeneutically sophisticated examination of Jewish ways of knowing as evidenced in the writings of the Hebrew Bible. Keenly aware of the philosophical and cultural currents in epistemology from ancient history to today, O'Dowd focuses on the peculiarities of the ancient Hebraic traditions.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9783525530894
Publisher:	V&R Academic
Publication date:	09/22/2009
Series:	Forschungen zur Religion und Literatur des Alten und Neuen Testaments , #225
Pages:	213
Product dimensions:	6.30(w) x 9.30(h) x 0.70(d)

Table of Contents

Preface ix

Chapter 1 Introduction: The Epistemology of Religion 1

1 Methodological Considerations 2

1.1 A History of Ideas in Epistemology and Religion 2

1.2 Hermeneutical Concerns 8

2 The Epistemologies within Wisdom and Law 9

3 Conclusion 11

Chapter 2 Mythos, Cosmos and Episteme: Mythical and Cosmic Origins to Hebraic Knowledge 12

1 Introduction 12

2 Cosmos and Knowledge: Genesis 1-11 12

3 Primordial and Patriarchal Connections 16

4 Knowledge in Exodus 17

5 Deuteronomy in the Pentateuch 20

6 Conclusion 23

Chapter 3 From Deuteronomy to Horeb: Actualising Israel's History Deuteronomy 1-11 25

1 Introduction 25

2 From Horeb: Moses' "Words" and God's Promises (Deuteronomy 1-3) 25

2.1 Primordial and Patriarchal Themes in Deuteronomy 1-3 26

2.2 Rhetorical Wordplay in Deuteronomy 1 27

3 Moses' Words at Moab about Yahweh's Words at Horeb (Deut 4-11) 31

3.1 Deut 4: Transition from Past to Present and Future 31

3.1.1 Time, History and Actualisation 31

3.1.2 Deuteronomic Wordplay and the Role of this "Book" 34

3.1.3 Theophany, History and the Universal Aims of the Torah 38

3.1.4 Introduction to Teaching Functions in the Community 42

3.2 Oral and Written Worlds: Memory and the Great Commandment 44

3.3 Speech and Writing in the Great Commandment 45

3.4 Remember and Do Not Forget: Wordplay and Actualisation in Deuteronomy 8 49

4 Conclusion 51

Chapter 4 Ideology and Epistemology in the Deuteronomic Laws Deuteronomy 12-26 53

1 Introduction 53

2 Ideology and Epistemology 53

2.1 The Enlightenment and the Turn to Sociological and Ideological Study 54

2.2 The Hermeneutics of Tradition 55

3 Ideology in the Old Testament 57

4 Ideology and Deuteronomy 12-26 59

4.1 Unity and Continuity in Deuteronomy 12-26 59

4.2 Time and Place in Israel's Theological Worldview 63

4.3 Hermeneutics and Prophecy 66

4.4 Authority and Prophecy 68

4.5 The Hermeneutical Tradition of Prophecy 70

4.6 The King as Deuteronomy's Arch-Interpreter of Torah 73

4.6.1 Ideology Critique in Israel's Kingship Law 75

4.6.2 The Ambiguity of Kingship in Deuteronomy 76

4.6.3 The King as Arch-Torah Reader 77

4.7 Yahweh's Authority and the Distribution of Israel's Offices 78

5 Conclusion 80

Chapter 5 Re-Actualisation in Future Covenants Deuteronomy 27-34 82

1 Introduction 82

2 The Words and the Book: The "Metamorphoses" of Moses' Words 82

2.1 Rhetoric and Artistry in Deuteronomy's Use of Orality and Literacy 83

2.1.1 Covenant Ratification at Shechem: Deuteronomy 27 85

2.1.2 The Covenant and the Book at Moab: Deuteronomy 28-30 87

2.1.3 Moses Writes the Torah-Book: Deuteronomy 30-31 89

3 Witnesses and Epistemological Virtue in Deuteronomy 30-32 91

3.1 The Morality of Israel's Knowledge in Deuteronomy 4-32 92

3.1.1 Human Responsibility and Divine Intervention in Deuteronomy 30 94

3.1.2 The Song as a Witness to Morally Culpable Knowledge 102

3.1.3 Moral Wisdom in the Created Order 104

4 Deuteronomy and Beyond: A Book, A People and The Nations 106

4.1 The Nations: <$$$> 107

4.2 Moses and his Successors 108

5 Conclusion 109

Chapter 6 Epistemology in Proverbs 111

1 Introduction 111

2 Wisdom 111

3 Introducing Structure and Theology in Proverbs 113

4 Proverbs 1-9 and 31 115

4.1 <$$$>: Proverbs 1:1-7; 31:30 116

4.2 Woman Wisdom, Creation and the Created Order 120

4.2.1 Wisdom as Woman 121

4.2.2 Wisdom as Expert Witness in Creation 122

4.2.3 Proverbs 8:22-31 123

5 The "World as it Seems": Wisdom in Proverbs 10-29 126

5.1 Retribution, Mystery and Crisis in Proverbs 127

5.2 Proverbs 26:1-12 130

5.3 Proverbs 30 133

6 Conclusion 135

Chapter 7 Epistemology in Ecclesiastes and Job 137

1 Introduction 137

2 Epistemology in the Wisdom Literature 137

2.1 Wisdom and the Wisdom Literature 137

3 Epistemology in Qohelet 138

3.1 A New Proposal for Qohelet's Epistemology 143

3.1.1 Ecclesiastes 1:12-2:26 143

3.1.2 Ecclesiastes 5:1-7 [4:17-5:6] 149

4 Epistemology in Job 153

4.1 Job's Comforters 154

4.2 Chapter 28: The Heart of Job's Last Speech 155

4.3 The Divine Speeches 158

5 Conclusion 161

Chapter 8 Conclusion: Wisdom and Torah in Historical Perspective 162

1 Introduction 162

2 Summary: The Epistemology of Wisdom and Torah 162

2.1 Ontology and the Created Order in Wisdom and Torah 163

2.2 Ideology, Worldview and Certainty in Wisdom and Torah 166

2.3 The Liminal Rhetoric in Wisdom and Torah 168

2.4 The Hermeneutics of Epistemology 170

2.5 The Ethics of Understanding 173

2.6 Post-Exilic Epistemology 174

3 The Hebraic Epistemology Today 180

4 Conclusion 183

Bibliography 185

Index 205