Critiquing: #070 — Wisdom literature – Proverbs, Song of Solomon, and Job

June 17, 2021 | Ask NT Wright Anything – Premier

• Biblical Wisdom — Old Testament Books — Erotic Love Poetry — Allegorical Interpretation — Theological Analysis

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Episode Assessment:

Metric	———	Commentary
Degree of Accuracy	B	The episode accurately references biblical texts and interpretations. However, it sometimes lacks depth in explaining alternative scholarly viewpoints.
Degree of Coherence	B	The content is logically structured, addressing listener questions in a systematic manner. However, some transitions between topics could be smoother.
Absence of Fallacies	B-	Minor logical fallacies are present, such as appeals to authority and assumptions without comprehensive support.
Degree of Evidence	B-	The episode provides adequate biblical references but often lacks external corroborating evidence to substantiate claims fully.
Degree of Testability	C+	Many interpretations are subjective, making empirical testing difficult. This is especially true for allegorical readings and theological claims.
Rational Confidence	B	The confidence expressed generally matches the evidence presented, but some conclusions lack robust evidentiary support.

Potential/Apparent Weaknesses:

1. Absence of Fallacies:

The episode occasionally relies on assumptions without complete evidence. For example, the interpretation of the Song of Solomon as an “amazing love poem about the love between a man and a woman” is presented with confidence but lacks thorough exploration of alternative scholarly views.

“This is an amazing love poem about the love between a man and a woman. And it’s more complicated than that because we’re not sure that it’s the same man going on through the whole poem and it probably isn’t…”

The assumption here is that the poem’s primary interpretation is about human love, without sufficiently addressing the variety of scholarly opinions that see it differently, such as allegories of divine love or political symbolism.

2. Degree of Evidence:

While the episode provides biblical references, it sometimes falls short of offering comprehensive evidence for its claims. For example, the discussion on Job‘s historicity mentions Ezekiel’s reference but doesn’t delve deeply into external corroborating evidence.

“So the writer there of Ezekiel it may be that he’s saying somebody like Noah or Daniel or Job it sounds as though he’s referring to them as real people so I want to say it’s perfectly possible that Job was a real person…”

This claim could be strengthened by examining historical, archaeological, and textual analyses that support or refute the historicity of Job, rather than relying mainly on internal biblical references.

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Formulations of Major Arguments

Argument #1: Song of Solomon Interpretation

1. Premise 1: The Song of Solomon is part of the biblical canon.
2. Premise 2: Biblical texts often carry deeper, spiritual meanings beyond their literal interpretation.
3. Premise 3: The Song of Solomon is an intense, intimate poem about human love.
4. Premise 4: Human love in the Song of Solomon symbolizes the divine love between God and His people.
5. Conclusion: Therefore, the Song of Solomon should be understood both as an expression of human love and as an allegory of divine love.

Counter-Argument:
The interpretation of the Song of Solomon as an allegory for divine love is not universally accepted among scholars. Some argue that imposing an allegorical reading overlooks the cultural and historical context of the text. The poem can be seen as a celebration of human love and sexuality without necessarily attributing a deeper spiritual meaning. This approach respects the text’s literal content and acknowledges its place in ancient Near Eastern love poetry traditions. Furthermore, modern literary criticism emphasizes the importance of interpreting texts within their original context, suggesting that the allegorical interpretation may be a later imposition rather than an inherent feature of the text.

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Argument #2: Historicity of Job

1. Premise 1: The Book of Job is included in the wisdom literature of the Old Testament.
2. Premise 2: Wisdom literature often employs poetic and allegorical language.
3. Premise 3: The structure and style of Job resemble a stylized dramatic work.
4. Premise 4: Historical references to Job in other biblical texts suggest he may have been a real person.
5. Conclusion: Therefore, the Book of Job is a poetic and allegorical work based on a possibly real historical figure.

Counter-Argument:
While it is possible that Job was a historical figure, the poetic and allegorical nature of the text suggests that its primary purpose is to explore theological and philosophical questions rather than to provide a historical account. The dialogues and speeches are highly stylized, resembling ancient dramatic literature more than a factual narrative. This indicates that the story of Job should be interpreted as a theological exploration of suffering and divine justice rather than a literal historical event. Additionally, the lack of external historical evidence supporting the existence of Job suggests that the narrative might be a literary construct designed to convey moral and ethical lessons rather than a record of actual events.

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Argument #3: Gender Roles in Proverbs

1. Premise 1: Proverbs often personifies wisdom as a woman.
2. Premise 2: Gendered language in ancient texts can carry symbolic meanings.
3. Premise 3: The depiction of wisdom as a woman in Proverbs reflects cultural and theological perspectives.
4. Premise 4: Symbolic representations in religious texts influence contemporary understandings of gender roles.
5. Conclusion: Therefore, the personification of wisdom as a woman in Proverbs contributes to the theological discourse on gender roles.

Counter-Argument:
The personification of wisdom as a woman in Proverbs should be understood within its cultural and linguistic context. The Hebrew noun for wisdom (ḥokmâ) is grammatically feminine, which naturally led to its personification as a woman. This linguistic feature does not necessarily reflect a broader theological stance on gender roles. Additionally, attributing modern concepts of gender to ancient texts can lead to anachronistic interpretations that overlook the texts’ original context and purpose. Moreover, the depiction of wisdom as a woman in Proverbs is more likely a literary device aimed at making the concept more relatable and memorable to the audience rather than a commentary on gender roles.

◉ Addressing the lack of a Coherent Hermeneutical Standard:

The Diversity of Hermeneutical Approaches and the Clarity of Divine Intent

The proposed standards for “proper” hermeneutical standards are as diverse as theological positions within Christianity. This diversity raises a fundamental question about the nature of divine revelation: Is it not odd that a God who would, for whatever reason, choose the modus operandi of a Holy book to make his nature and will known, would fail to make its interpretation completely and unambiguously clear?

Consider the premise: an omnipotent and omniscient deity aims to communicate vital truths and moral directives to humanity through scripture. Given this goal, how difficult would it have been for an actual God to have written the Bible so clearly that few hermeneutical principles were necessary? The very existence of multiple hermeneutical frameworks suggests a lack of clarity in the biblical text itself. This ambiguity has led to countless interpretations, denominations, and doctrinal disputes throughout history, each claiming to understand the “true” meaning of scripture.

Furthermore, if God were to write the Bible so vaguely that numerous hermeneutical principles were necessary, why would He fail to provide a clear list of those hermeneutical principles? The absence of explicit interpretative guidelines within the Bible itself has left theologians and scholars to develop their own methods, often influenced by cultural, historical, and personal biases. This has resulted in a plethora of interpretative strategies, ranging from literalist approaches to allegorical readings, each producing different understandings of the same texts.

This entire situation does not make much sense. If the purpose of divine revelation is to provide clear guidance and insight into God’s will, the lack of a coherent hermeneutical standard undermines this objective. It raises questions about the nature of the scripture itself and the intentions of the deity who inspired it. Was the ambiguity intentional, meant to encourage deep, personal engagement with the text? Or does it reflect the human origins and limitations of the Bible’s authors?

In conclusion, the diversity of hermeneutical standards within Christianity points to a significant issue: the clarity and accessibility of divine revelation. If God’s intention was to communicate clearly through a Holy book, the current state of biblical interpretation suggests a failure to achieve this aim. This discrepancy invites further discussion and examination of how we understand and engage with religious texts.

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We invite you to join the conversation and share your thoughts on this intriguing topic in the comments section below. Your perspectives and insights are valuable as we explore the complexities of hermeneutical standards and their implications for understanding divine revelation.