Was Israelite wisdom unique?; Preaching on anger; and using breakout groups better

Welcome to my newsletter, ‘Bible, Mission, and More’, where I share what’s on my mind as I teach, research, and write on the Bible and mission, children-at-risk in the Bible and contemporary society, Psalms and Wisdom Literature, and a range of other topics. I teach at All Nations Christian College in the UK, though views are my own. You may also like to check out my Bible and Mission website.

Each Tuesday I’ll share something I’ve read, something I’ve written or recorded, something on learning and teaching, and a quote to reflect on.

Something read – Tremper Longman on Israelite Wisdom in its Ancient Near Eastern setting

One question Wisdom Literature scholars wrestle with is how the books of Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes relate (or not) to wisdom ideas and texts that were around in Ancient Near East (ANE). Did the writers of the biblical material draw on the work of neighbouring sages? Can we see similarities with the form or content of biblical wisdom books? What is particularly distinctive about biblical wisdom?

Tremper Longman III is a prolific writer on the OT, and the Wisdom Literature in particular. In his 2017 Baker Academic book, The Fear of the Lord is Wisdom: A Theological Introduction to Wisdom in Israel he has a chapter exploring the question of ‘Israelite Wisdom in its Ancient Near Eastern Setting’. (You can find the book on Perlego)

First Longman gives a brief survey of the cultures who developed wisdom(ish) writing (NB. he notes some of the complexity of categorising literature in this way), using the broad headings of Mesopotamian, Egyptian, and Aramaic Wisdom. He then looks at similarities between Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes and writings that emerged from those contexts, and concludes by asking whether biblical wisdom was universal, or ‘Particular to Israel' (p. 160).

For such a short chapter I thought Longman did a really good job picking up on some key insights and questions. His overall conclusion is that the Israelite sages were open to other wisdom writing, and appreciated their insights; however they would have seen them as ultimately deficient because they would not have accounted for the essential first principle or foundation of true wisdom, the ‘fear’ of the LORD.

In my own work I wrestled a lot with the question of Job’s relationship with ANE texts looking at the theme of mysterious suffering. To be honest it wasn’t something I was especially excited about getting into at first but I think the end result gave my argument about the missional relevance of Job much greater substance. I framed it as an encounter of worldviews where we can see both affirmation and critique. Ultimately Job’s exploration is the most compelling because it accounts for the unique perspective of faith in Israel’s God.

If you want to read more about my take on the book of Job’s missional encounter with cultures you can find it in chapter 5 of the book (or the second half of chapter 4 of my thesis). Here are the book’s details, where you will also find a link to the PDF of the thesis: The Book of Job and the Mission of God: A Missional Reading

Something written – Preaching on anger

I recently preached a sermon at church on Confronting your impatience, irritability, and anger. It was part of a series kick-started by a look at Colossians 3 and Paul’s instructions to ‘put on’ practices of a godly life.

I returned again to something my friend Rosalee Velloso Ewell said about that passage:

‘The lists that Paul gives us in Colossians 3 point far less to big schemes and grand plans to change the world and remind us instead that it is the little things that matter. Changing the world is about changing one life at a time, one story at a time and doing so on God’s terms rather than on those we set for ourselves. It is in the daily, rather mundane activities of being careful about the words we use, the things we desire, and the people we serve, that we define or redefine our identity as God’s holy people. And it is these little things that the world and those around us will notice.’ (‘Mission as Making (and Wearing) New Clothes’ in Riad Kassis, Pieter J. Kwant, and Paul Windsor (eds.), Breath and Bone: Living Out the Mission of God in the World (Carlisle: Langham Global Library, 2017), 113-124 [121-122])

My main questions were (1) do we get angry enough? (2) what do we do with our rage? and (3) how do we cultivate a less angry life?

Photo by Long Ma on Unsplash

It is probably the sermon I’ve had the most feedback on. I wonder if it is because we don’t often talk about these things and we like to pretend we don’t have these feelings. You can listen to the sermon on the church website.

Learning and teaching – Types of breakout groups

How do we make the most of small group discussion in class, especially on Zoom?

In my preparation for an intensive teaching week, where most of the large class will be on zoom, I’ve tried to think about how I can use breakout rooms more intentionally. As part of this I’m experimenting by framing four types of breakout group. This has been prompted in part by looking at things like Laurillard’s six learning types, though I’m still working on how to use those more intentionally. In my current thinking I have four types of break out group:

1. Investigation – this is where the group generates knowledge and insights, for example, by looking together at a biblical text. This may be set up by initial questions to give some focus. For example: What role do female characters play in the events of Exodus 1 and 2? How is power used and subverted in the text? Who is your favourite character, and why?

2. Reflection – in this type of breakout time, students discuss together their reactions to presented material; for example, I may have worked through a biblical text with the class and they are then using the group to respond and process. This is an open-ended time where their curiosity and imagination is free to roam. What did they notice? What did they feel? What questions do they have? What are the possibilities for connecting the learning to their context, and so on.

3. Integration – this is also a time of response but with a focus on thinking through in a more concrete way how their learning can be embedded into their life and ministry. This is much more concrete and focused than ‘Reflection’ and might include some tentative plans of short- and longer-term action points.

4. Devotion – intentional time set aside to commit the learning and planning to God, and prayer for each other as we seek to be formed by our learning. If appropriate, students may also share where aspects of the learning has prompted questions or concerns to be prayed through.

No doubt I will revise and expand these over time. I’d love to know how else you have seen such group time framed. Do leave a comment, below, to share your ideas and stories.

Quote – Rosalee Velloso Ewell – we are not alone when hidden in Christ

‘As we draw closer to Christ and are hidden in Christ (the “Christification” of which patristic theology writes), we are drawn closer to one another - we are not alone when hidden in Christ. The missiological expression of this is precisely in being a people who show in words, deeds, and character that another world is not only possible but is already here in Jesus and his kingdom.’ (p. 124, see above)

Thanks for joining the journey and see you next week,

Tim