The teachings of Philip G. Roets & Lois Roets
Didactic Literature
Biblical Exegesis and Commentary by Philip G. Roets STL SSL
Besides the Prophets who rose up spontaneously as teachers and reformers, there was another group known as the Didactic Writers. Some of them are called "Wisdom" writers because they discuss who a wise person really is. These writings are different from the prophets in that the writers were not oral preachers.
Didactic books are: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Qoheleth, Sirach, Song of Songs, and Wisdom. Parts of these books have appeared in various writings and teachings all through the Christian era. Some quotes are used so often that people forget where they come from. Each writing contributes its understanding to the question 'Who Is God?'
This is a cleverly crafted writing. One theme runs through the entire work: How do we explain or justify the presence of evil in the world? God is all goodness. He does not want evil. If evil is a punishment for sin, this makes some sense. But how do we explain a good person who suffers evil through no fault of his own? What if he suffers evil in the very act of goodness that he is performing? How can God be good or just and still allow these things to happen? Or are some things beyond the control of God?
As you can see, the author faces up to some important and touchy questions. The form of presenting his ideas is well structured. The main character is a man named Job. Job was a paragon of holiness. He had a wife and they had ten children, seven boys and three girls. Job was very wealthy. He also had a tender conscience and was careful to do no wrong.
Then there is God, whose name is Yahweh. He had a special court around him, known as the Sons of God. One day, the Sons of God appeared before his throne and Satan was with them. Note: The word, Satan, is a legal term meaning "the Adversary." Gradually, it comes to mean someone who is evil. It becomes synonymous with the dragon, the devil, and the serpent.
When Yahweh saw Satan in the group, he asked him, "Where have you been?" Satan said he had been traveling around the whole world. Immediately Yahweh asked him if he had seen anyone as good and holy as his servant, Job. Satan smirked. "So what else is new? Give anyone all the things you have given Job, and that person will be good and loyal too. You just take away what Job has, and see where his goodness and loyalty go."
Yahweh accepted the challenge. He told Satan he could take anything that Job had but he could not touch Job, himself. Satan accepted the offer.
Job began to lose everything he had in one catastrophe after another. Job was terribly upset by all the bad news but never did he utter a word of complaint. His attitude was summed up with these words, "Naked I came forth from my mother's womb, naked I shall return. Yahweh gave; Yahweh has taken back. Blessed be the name of Yahweh." In all of his losses and misfortunes, Job committed not even the slightest fault.
Satan came back to the presence of Yahweh again. Yahweh rubbed it in a bit. He asked Satan if he had ever seen a man like Job. Satan was ready. He agreed that Job had done well in all his losses but none of these touched his own person. Strike Job in his person and then watch him turn downstream.
Yahweh agreed that Satan could afflict Job but he could not kill him. So Job was afflicted with open ulcers over all his body and he was relegated to the city dump to live. Even his wife told him to curse God and die.
Job was amazed at her lack of confidence in Yahweh. He said to her, "We accept good things from the hand of Yahweh. Should we not also accept the sorrow?" In this entire sad plight, Job did not utter a single word of complaint.
Now three of Job's friends heard of his misfortune and decided to come and visit him. When they saw Job, they could not believe their eyes. No one had ever been so afflicted as Job. They were convinced that Job had committed some heinous hidden sin and was being punished. They said as much. Job protested his innocence.
These three friends are a part of the literary picture. Their names are Eliphaz, Bildad, and Sophar. Eliphaz was an older man and tended to be moderate in his statements. Bildad was middle-aged and a "windbag." If something could be said in two words he used twelve. Zophar was a young excitable person who was ready for any action.
The literary form is a cycle of three debates or accusations. In each round, each of the friends expressed his ideas about what was wrong. Job answered each individually. The accusations became more pronounced as the process continued. After the final response, Job asked Yahweh to come down. Job would ask him questions and Yahweh could give the answers.
Job sounded a little strong in his statements but the author was careful to say that Job did no wrong. It would not have been proper for Yahweh to come running in response to a challenge from Job, so he sent a messenger, named Elihu. Finally Yahweh appeared and talked to Job. The speeches of Yahweh and Job's responses are some of the most powerful literature in the whole Old Testament.
When the book draws to a close, the question is still standing and no answer had been given. Why does a good person suffer? If Yahweh is all good and all-powerful, why does he not prevent such seeming contradiction? The writer did not know the answer but he knew all his premises were true. He just couldn't get to the conclusion.
Question continued into New Testament: Do we know the answer to the question, today? We have a bit more light since the teaching of Jesus has been given to us. But we still do not understand the picture exactly, and we will not until we see the facts from the other side of death.
A psalm is a song or poem sung to the accompaniment of a zither. There is no set meter or linguistic style. The collection of songs, called the Psalms or Psaltery, has a huge variety. For convenience, they are divided into five books with Psalms 1–2 forming a sort of introduction to the whole collection: Introduction: Psalm 1, 2; Book 1. Psalms 3–41; Book 2. Psalms 42–72; Book 3. Psalms 73–89; Book 4. Psalms 90–106; Book 5. Psalms 107–150.
The whole collection is frequently called the "Psalms of David." According to Biblical history, David was a song composer and sang them to the accompaniment of his musical instrument. He was supposed to be quite adept as a singer because even as a young boy he was able to bring Saul out of his psychic depressions by his singing.
Some of the Psalms relate to events in David's life and could easily have been composed by him. Other Psalms just as clearly refer to events that came centuries later. The actual writers were forgotten and David got the credit, just as Solomon often got the credit for all Wisdom literature.
There are various kinds of Psalms and a study of each song is a true enlightenment. If you ever get angry with someone and want to say some powerfully threatening words about that person, you can do it with what is called a "Cursing Psalm." One of the greatest is Psalm 5. If you sing or say this Psalm with real gusto, I assure you it will relieve a lot of your deepest feelings and get rid of them.
The Book of Psalms gives us a varied picture of Yahweh. He is always presented as listening carefully to the prayers of those who turn to him. The Psalms do not say that he will necessarily do everything he is asked, but Yahweh will listen and console.
A Proverb has been defined as "the wisdom of the many and the wit of one." The collection of Proverbs, called the Book of Proverbs, is well edited. It has a huge number of wonderful sayings that will serve as mottos and guidelines for all occasions in life. Anyone of the proverbs is able to set a person thinking carefully. Chapter 31:10–31 is unique in that it describes an ideal wife or woman of the 4th Century B.C. Many of the qualities are just as applicable today as they were at the time of the writing. Go back and see how great was the position of women in society in those days and the reasons for this lofty place.
Yahweh is known through the wisdom of many people and events.
Proverbs need not be read all at one time. In fact, it will probably be more appreciated if it is read in short snatches and in a random fashion.
Qoheleth is the Hebrew title of this book and Ecclesiastes is a good translation. Literally, the title means "the person who is in charge of the gathering or assembly." Qoheleth was the person who gathered all the people into one place and conducted the meeting.
Many people have referred to this book as "pessimistic." This is an unfair assessment of what is said. Ecclesiastes says he has searched thoroughly in the whole world, and there is a lot of emptiness or vanity. But the real teaching of the entire book is found in 12:9–14. "To sum up the whole question: Have true reverence for God and keep his commandments. This is the whole work of man. For God will call to judgment all hidden deeds — good and bad." This is the positive conclusion that the writer wants the readers to remember.
The Jewish wedding feast lasted eight days or longer. It was the host's obligation to have the food, drink, clothes, living accommodations and entertainment all at hand for the entire time. Small wonder that a wedding could bankrupt the parents who had to put it on.
There were many collections of songs available and many of them were downright lewd. The Song of Songs was a collection of songs intended to be used at Jewish wedding feasts. Some say it goes back to Solomon's time in the 10th century B.C.
Some of the wording was considered too explicit in the Christian era. At various times and places, Christians were forbidden to read the book. Today, it is still a rather outspoken book but would hardly be too graphic for some of our modern literature.
The Song of Songs was one of the five Festal Scrolls or Megilloth. The Song of Songs was used for the feast of Passover. Ruth was used for Pentecost. Qoheleth was used for the Feast of Tabernacles. Lamentations was used on the Day of Mourning — the great fast commemorating the events of 587 B.C. Esther was used on the Feast of Purim or Lots. Jonah was used for Yom Kippur during the Minhah. Second Maccabees was read on the feast of Hannukah.
What does the Song of Songs tell us about Yahweh? This book counteracts the desecration of marital love as seen in the fertility cults. Yahweh is presented as a God who understands the holiness and creative power of married love, and does not tolerate any of the abuses that have unfolded in the name of religion over the years.
Sirach is a part of the Greek Bible but not of the Hebrew Bible. Hence it is called a Deuterocanonical book. The Latin title, Ecclesiasticus, was given to the book because so much of this book was used as part of the Liturgical Prayer in the Church.
The book is written in the style of Proverbs and is divided into many topics. There is outstanding advice for daily living in all ages. The teachings of the book are particularly applicable to the needs of today.
The central chapter of the book is c. 24. This is a eulogy of Wisdom in which Wisdom speaks of itself as a person. It is a tremendous piece of poetry and content. God guides our daily lives.
Chapters 25:13–26:18 is a strong tirade against women. This passage is one of the reasons that the book is often referred to as "anti-feminist." This is not true — at all. The author is really advising people, both men and women, of observations about the misconduct of women through the history of the human race.
Some people say the author should have written the same kind of speech against the faults of men. This would have been helpful but he did not. Even his praise of woman in this passage is demeaning.
Chronologically, this is the last book of the Old Testament. It is a treatise on Wisdom seen from the viewpoint of the Old Testament teachings. It was written to counteract a lot of the ideas prevalent among Greek philosophers at that time.
Wisdom is a book that has been much used in the Christian liturgy and writings. Its wording has received fuller meaning from the light of the New Testament times and teachings of Jesus and his followers. It is a book well worth reading over and over again.
The Wisdom writers portray Yahweh as the all-wise God. His wisdom is seen in the origin of all things, in their governance, and especially in the destiny and freedom of human beings. Wisdom is a trait of God and all people can share in it if they will. However, if they refuse to share in his wisdom, they shall be of all fools the greatest.
I repeat: This is a book that should be read again and again.
Note: These two writings are combined because they speak to the same people, at the same time, about the same subjects.
"For Ezra had given himself to the study of the Law of Yahweh, to living by it, and to teaching its laws and customs to Israel." Ez. 7:10.
This is the best description of a true Scribe that is found in the Bible. Ezra was a man who had become a leader of the Remnant in post-exilic Israel. The people had been very discouraged at first when they came back to the homeland in 538 B.C. They had been helped immensely by Haggai and Zechariah.
It did not take them long to forget the plan and prescriptions of Yahweh and turn toward the pagan way of life. Ezra and Nehemiah were the two leaders who worked to overcome this waywardness. The principal failure was the intermarrying with the pagan women and then following the ways of their gods in the fertility cults.
NEHEMIAH is known primarily because of his leading the people to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. These walls worked both ways. They were a constant reminder to Israel that this was their Holy City. The walls were a barrier to the entrance of the pagans and their gods.
Post-exilic Judaism is born at the feast of Tabernacles. Ezra reads the Torah to the people and explains its obligations to the people. There is a ceremony of atonement and the small remnant is ready to carry on the mission of the Chosen People. Yahweh stays with his people.
New Testament reference: This remnant and their ideals are extremely important because it is from this small group that Mary, Joseph and Jesus will come.
These are three stories of outstanding heroes of the Jews. One is the story of a man named Tobit, and his son Tobiah. The other two are stories of women, Judith and Esther. Both women saved their people in different crises.
All three are great hero stories, and definitely intend to make the people proud of their ancestry and wishful of imitating their good example. Tobit comes from about the 4th century B.C. Judith and Esther are from the late 2nd to the 1st century B.C. The stories are beautiful and easily read. It would be an injustice to try to summarize them. Pick up your Bibles and read them carefully.
The notion of God emphasized in these books is his holiness and the corresponding holiness that should be in the lives of the people.
One and Two Maccabees are not a continuation of each other. Each is an independent work that treats of some of the same years and events about 164 B.C. It is frequently called the "Abomination of Desolation" because of the desecration of the Holy of Holies itself.
The books are written in Greek and are not in the Jewish Canon of the Bible. Yet the Jews quote from both books constantly and almost all of their history is contained in or derived from these books.
There was the mother and her seven sons. When they are finally captured, the boys are killed, one after the other, and the mother is made to watch their deaths. Finally she, too, is put to death.
The name "Maccabee" came from the Hebrew word "Maqqabah," which means a "HAMMER." It was the nickname given to one of five brothers. His name was Judas, and he was nicknamed the "Hammer." The name was given because of his undying fight against the forces of evil. These forces were the pagans who ridiculed and desecrated everything that the little handful of Jews held sacred. The primary enemy of the faithful Jewish people was Antiochus the Terrible. We learned much about him from secular history.
From the viewpoint of teaching there are several important points in Second Maccabees. Resurrection from the dead: 2 Mac. 7:9; 14:46. Sanctions in the afterlife: 2 Mac. 6:26. Value and power of praying for the dead: 2 Mac. 12:41–45. The spiritual fruits of martyrdom: 2 Mac. 6:18–7:41. The intercessory power of the saints: 2 Mac. 15:12–16.
These texts are the foundation for the notion of Purgatory and the value of prayers for the dead. However, these basic ideas have been stretched out of proportion and rendered morbid by many writers in modern Christian times.
As the Old Testament came to an end, the notion of God that was prevalent was that he was the Father of all people. His special name among his Chosen People was YAHWEH. This name was called the "sacred four letters" and was not allowed to be pronounced. Instead, each time the name was met in the text, the generic name, "ELOHIM," the "deity," was substituted. To indicate this in the Massoretic (Hebrew) text, the consonants "YHWH" were written and the vowels of Elohim were put beneath the consonants. As a result the name came to be pronounced or mispronounced "Jehovah" — which is not a Biblical name at all.
If Yahweh is the universal Father of all people, then all peoples must respond by becoming the "Family of Human Beings" or the "Human Family." All people of all nationalities are to express true brotherly or family love for each other. This is the ideal but it is hard to reach.