period 7 group 5

28
Christina Estright Sal Bello Regina Brecker Megan Hanson Ryan McFadden Matt Pascarella Mike Predi Period 7 Group 5

Upload: archbishop-carroll-high-school

Post on 22-Nov-2014

604 views

Category:

Education


1 download

DESCRIPTION

The Wisdom Books

TRANSCRIPT

Page 1: Period 7 group 5

Christina EstrightSal Bello

Regina BreckerMegan HansonRyan McFaddenMatt Pascarella

Mike Predi

Period 7 Group 5

Page 2: Period 7 group 5

Judah/Judea under Babylonian control, then Persian, Greek, and Roman rule

Resulted in the dispersion Old Testament books were made at

different times after the exile and with a lot of foreign influence

Focus on 6 wisdom books in this chapter:

-Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Sirach, Tobit, Judith, Esther, and Jonah

Ryan

Page 3: Period 7 group 5

Influence came from non-Jewish cultures in the Near East, especially in Egypt

Told people how to act Jews adapted this wisdom for Israel’s

faith Tell about the wholeness and integrity of

a good life, and the badness of sin The goal was to inspire integrity.

Ryan

Page 4: Period 7 group 5

• Appeared during the time of the second Temple

• Consists of several collections of wisdom teachings; intended to instruct the young

• Concerned with leading a good life and is full of down-to-earth practical advice

• Success and poverty are the rewards/sufferings of a good life

• God is not mentioned in proverbs, but the Israelites believed that true wisdom comes from God

Ryan

Page 5: Period 7 group 5

Wisdom is portrayed as a woman who was with God at Creation as the master worker

Adds a feminine voice/quality to the traditional Jewish image of a masculine God

Feminine image is called ‘Lady Sophia’ Some of these wisdom passages

reference Mary, and she is sometimes called the ‘Seat of Wisdom’

Ryan

Page 6: Period 7 group 5

The writers taught that a virtuous life brings success and prosperity

Most Jews at this time did not believe in an afterlife where the good could be rewarded and evil punished.

They believed rewards and punishments would be given out in this life only

Many people today struggle with the same questions. The dilemma of why the good suffer and the wicked prosper in this life is known as the problem of evil.

Megan

Page 7: Period 7 group 5

• The author of Job wrote a poetic story about a man who suffers, and bears his suffering patiently, and not questioning God.

• When he complains about his life, God reminds him that He is the creator of the universe who sustains everything in existence.

• Job accepts this truth and his life• Christians believe that all suffering is caused

by original sin• Some things are simply beyond the grasp of

the human mind, and all we can do is bow before the mystery of God.

• The message of the Book of Job is that even in the darkest moments; God is loving and caring for us all.

Megan

Page 8: Period 7 group 5

• Ecclesiastes is a Greek word for the name Qoheleth, which is Hebrew for “teacher.”

• The book is known for what appears to be a pessimistic outlook on life

• All things, including reward for the righteous and punishment for the wicked, will be accomplished in God’s time, though we cannot expect to understand God’s ways

• Life is a mystery we cannot solve, and we must accept and enjoy it as a gift from God

Megan

Page 9: Period 7 group 5

• The author of the Book of Wisdom (Wisdom of Solomon) was a scholarly Jew who lived in Alexandria, Egypt, sometime after 100 BC

• This author also struggled with the problem of evil.

• He refused to accept the conventional wisdom that God rewards goodness and punishes sin in this life.

• The answer for this was that rewards and punishments will not necessarily come in this life – the soul’s destiny lies beyond this life

• At the final judgment the wicked will see that their wealth and success are not rewardable in eternal life.

Matt

Page 10: Period 7 group 5

• This concept indicates the author’s exposure to Greek thought. Generally the Jews saw the person as a whole, inseparable being. When physical life ended, there was no way for a person to live on except in people’s memories.

• The Greeks introduced the concepts of body and soul to Judaism. With this, the Jewish sages could see the possibility of life beyond death.

• Up to this time, any Jewish conception had more to do with restoring people to earthly life.

Matt

Page 11: Period 7 group 5

A man named Jesus ben Sirach ran a school for scriptural study and Jewish wisdom in Alexandria, Egypt, and wrote between 200and 175 BC. He wrote that all wisdom comes from God-not from Greek thought.

The Book of Sirach depicts wisdom as a woman who was with God at Creation-like the image described in the Book of Proverbs.

Sirach is deeply concerned with the history of Israel, its heroes, and its institutions. Wisdom’s home is in Israel.

Wisdom is found specifically in the teachings of Israel as given by God, and keeping the Commandments is the way to wisdom.

Matt

Page 12: Period 7 group 5

Sirach says that wisdom came forth from the mouth of God to make her dwelling with Jacob’s people.

He is reminding the Jews and us that God’s wisdom is far above the wisdom of the world.

Wisdom tests us with difficulties. Times of difficulty can be seed times, times for growing strong.

Matt

Page 13: Period 7 group 5

• One of the Wisdom books, also called Song of Solomon

• Various unknown authors, written after the Babylonian Exile (450 B.C.)

• Doesn’t teach about wisdom-it’s a collection of love poems as a dialogue between a bride and groom

• God’s gift to us is human love, designed by Him, and recognized as a holy bond

• Wisdom offered to us is that love can overcome death

Christina

Page 14: Period 7 group 5

• The Books of Tobit, Judith, and Esther are listed among the historical books of the Bible; Jonah is a prophetic book

• The Book of Tobit -Wisdom tale about a faithful elder who is steadfast in the face of personal danger

• The Book of Judith-Tale that defies ‘how woman are supposed to be’ by telling the story of a courageous woman

• The Book of Esther-Tale of a queen who risks her life to save her people from a wicked ruler who wants to slay the people

• The Book of Jonah- Funny portrayal of a fictional prophet who learns an important lesson: God’s love and mercy reach far and wide across cultural and religious boundaries

Sal

Page 15: Period 7 group 5

Written by an unknown author about 200 BC

Meant to encourage Jews to be righteous and patient during the Greek oppression

Tobit becomes discouraged because he has become blind with cataracts

Sarah also grieves her misfortune-every man she marries (seven men) died on their wedding night

Tobit and Sarah pray to God for the ending of their lives, and God sends the angel Raphael to intervene

Sal

Page 16: Period 7 group 5

Raphael accompanies Tobias, Tobit’s son, along a journey disguised as a man named Azariah

Along the way Raphael matches up Tobias with Sarah and they eventually marry

On their wedding night they both live and the husband-killing demon is banished.

They return home and find that Tobit has regained his eyesight

Sal

Page 17: Period 7 group 5

The Book of Tobit reminds us that in the end, faithful goodness and trust in God are rewarded with blessings.

The writer of Tobit was familiar with the folk literature at the time and the Book of Tobit shows traces of several ancient stories-among them one called “The Grateful Dead.”

Sal

Page 18: Period 7 group 5

• The author was probably a Palestinian Jew around 150 BC

Judith-• A young widow who was pious, disciplined,

intelligent, fearless and charming.• She invents a plan: she will get inside

Holofernes’ camp, and with God to make her strong, she will crush the enemy.

• She enters the camp and charms Holofernes with her beauty. One night, he drinks too much, and while he’s asleep, Judith cuts off his head.

• She prays to God for strength throughout her scheme, and with his help succeeds.

Gina

Page 19: Period 7 group 5

The author of the Book of Judith wanted to remind people that only trust in God brings victory.

Gina

Page 20: Period 7 group 5

She used assassination, deception, and enticement

This was tame compared to the brutality of ancient times, and used for entertainment.

This was not intended to be a moral story The emphasis was put on the fact that

she trusted completely in God as she used her wits and charm.

God worked through Judith’s talents and gifts.

Gina

Page 21: Period 7 group 5

• Had two purposes:• To praise the goodness of God, who saved the

Jews from annihilation and to explain the origin of the feast called Purim.

The Story: • King Artaxerxes looks for a new wife among

the people. Esther’s loveliness and simplicity immediately win the kings heart; however, she fails to admit she is a Jew.

The Prime Minister, Haman, is planning to slaughter all the Jews in the land, he  convinces and persuades the king that the Jews are treasonous people.

Mike

Page 22: Period 7 group 5

Esther tries to plead for them three times and one the third time she has the courage to ask.

Esther tells the king that Haman wants to murder her, and the king hangs Haman.

The Jewish feast day of Purim honors the courage of Esther, who overcame her fears to save the people.

Jesus celebrated and it also put the Jews in high spirits.

Mike

Page 23: Period 7 group 5

• Is listed as a prophetic book, but is only four chapters long

• Uses humorous satire to make its serious point-God’s mercy extends to all, not just the insiders.

• Jonah is portrayed as a scatterbrained, self-serving fellow who sulks when God turns out to be more merciful to sinners than Johan expected or wanted.

• God sends Jonah to Ninevah, to warn its people that their wickedness is about to be punished. Jonah believes that the Ninevites won’t do anything, so he does not warn them.

Mike

Page 24: Period 7 group 5

Instead he flees on a ship bound for a distant land. While on the ship a terrible storm forms. The ship’s crew blame Jonah and throw him off the boat.

Jonah gets swallowed by a fish for three days and nights, until the fish belches him up on shore.

God sends Jonah to Nineveh a second time, which Jonah reveals the message of the coming of their doom.

The people repent and God spares the city.

Jonah is not pleased.

Mike

Page 25: Period 7 group 5

The author of this satire wanted to remind his audience that God called Israel to light the rest of the world, not to assume that others were beyond reach of God’s love and the hope of salvation.

We may be tempted at times to think we are better than others; we may forget that the “worst people” are still loved by God and deserve our respect.

No one, no religion, culture, nation, or subgroup is beyond God’s reach.

We are all insiders when it comes to God’s mercy and love

Mike

Page 26: Period 7 group 5

• Before Jesus, Judaism was an ongoing conversation with itself, God, and cultures

• The Wisdom Books built up a rich tradition of insights on the meaning and purpose of life

• These insights vary and give us a sense of depth of God’s wisdom, which cannot be understood by a single point of view

• Values that are encouraged in these books are: generosity, faithfulness, trust, steadfastness, piety, heroic courage, humility, simplicity, and mercy

• God inspired the stories and the conversations that produced them as gifts for all times

Christina

Page 27: Period 7 group 5

Song: Michael Bublé - Losthttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q-8ez6dGao8

Christina

Page 28: Period 7 group 5

Tells of suffering – sometimes good people suffer and bad people prosper (key idea in Book of Job)

People think they are lost and everything is over for them – God tells us we will never be lost and that nothing is over in our lives

Can be related to in times of challenges and suffering – people in exile needed something to look forward to

Can be thought of as a conversation between a suffering human and God - the human saying they are lost, and God telling them they aren’t

Christina