Psalms & Wisdom Final

  1. Terror Management Theory Humans create meaning & culture to cope with fear of death

  2. Qohelet The speaker in Ecclesiastes, often identified with King Solomon, reflecting on life's meaning

  3. King Solomon Traditionally associated with wisdom and sometimes identified as Qohelet

  4. Death in Ecclesiastes Death comes to everyone; life can feel meaningless

  5. Vanity ( in Ecclesiastes) vanity of vanities = life is fleeting, temporary, hard to grasp

  6. Immortality In later texts, especially Wisdom of Solomon, the soul lives on

  7. Wisdom Living rightly through understanding God, life, and morality

  8. Friendship (Ben Sira) True friends are loyal and valuable

  9. Physicians (Ben Sira)  Medicine is approved; doctors are instruments of God

  10. Natural Theology Understanding God by observing the world

  11. Apocrypha Books like Ben Sira & Wisdom of Solomon (included in some traditions)

  12. Stoicism Emphasizes reason, self-control, and acceptance of fate

  13. Logos Divine reason/order governing the universe

  14. Ben Sira’s views on women Often negative or cautious (reflects cultural bias)

  15. Wisdom and Spirit (Ben Sira) Wisdom comes from God and is tied to the Law

  16. Qumran Likely home of a Jewish sect

  17. Origin of human sin (Ben Sira) Human are responsible; emphasizes free will

  18. Alexander the Great Spread Greek culture across the Near East

  19. Philip II United Greece

  20. Teleology Everything has a purpose or end goal

  21. Eschatology Concern with final judgment & afterlife

  22. Platonism Reality includes spiritual, eternal forms

  23. Death in Ben Sira Accept it as natural; focus on righteous living

  24. Alexandria, Egypt Major center of learning and greek-jewish interaction

  25. Torah Foundational law and teachings of Israel

  26. Theodicy Why a good God allows suffering

  27. Book of Eschatology (wisdom of Solomon) Future judgment, afterlife

  28. Book of History (wisdom of Solomon) Retelling Israel’s past

  29. Book of Wisdom (wisdom of Solomon) Praise of wisdom and righteousness

  30. The Ptolemies Greek rulers in egypt after alexander

  31. Hellenism Spread of greek ideas after conquests

  32. Apocalyptic Literature Focus on end times and divine judgment

  33. The Dead Sea Scrolls Texts found near Qumran

  34. Personification of wisdom wisdom described like a person (especially female figure)

  35. 4Q Instructions Teaching about divine order and human behavior

  36. Septugint Used by greek-speaking jew

  37. Suffering servant Righteous figure who suffers from others

  38. Vindication of the righteous (wisdom of Solomon) Good people wil be rewarded after death

  39. Immortality of the Soul The soul continues after death

  40. Preexistence of the soul Soul exists before the body

  41. Death (Wisdom of Solomon) Not natural for the righteous; tied to sin

  42. Aristotle Taught purpose (teleology) & logic

  43. Prime Mover Uncaused cause of everything

  44. Demi-Urge Crafts the physical world

  45. Wisdom Psalms Teach moral lessons: torah psalms, instruction psalms, proverb psalms, reflective psalms, creation psalms

  46. Ketuvim Included Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes

  47. Hermeneutics Interpretation of texts

  48. YHWH Personal name of God

  49. The Psalms songs, prayers, and reflections

  50. Lament Complaints or cried to God

  51. Hymn of Praise Celebrating God’s greatness

  52. God Creator, judge, and source of wisdom

  53. Moses Giver of the Law

  54. David Traditionally linked to many Psalms

  55. Essenes Community focused on purity and apocalyptic beliefs

  56. Fear (Psalms) Respect and reverence, not just terror

  57. Songs of Ascent (Psalms) Pilgrimage songs

  58. Thanksgiving Gratitude for God’s help

  59. Hermann Gunkel Developed form criticism (studying types of psalms)

  60. Form criticism study of literary forms and genres in scriptures

  61. Pious Reflections (wisdom Psalms) Thoughtful religious meditations

  62. Torah Psalms Psalms focused on God’s law

  63. Instruction Psalms Teach moral behavior

  64. Proverb Psalms Short wisdom sayings

  65. Reflective Psalms deep thinking about life and justice

  66. Psalm of creation praises God as creator

  67. Katharine Dell Scholar of wisdom literature

  68. Talk back Responding honestly to God in prayer

  69. Doxology (separating books in Psalms)

  70. Tanak Torah, Prophets, & Writings

  71. The Prophets Section of the Hebrew Bible with prophetic books

  72. The Writings Section including Psalms and wisdom literature

  73. Types of Psalms Different categories like lament, praise, wisdom, etc

  74. First Temple Judaism Before babylonian exile

  75. Second Temple Judaism Time of renewed Jewish worship and texts