The Wise and the Intellectual Tradition

The wisdom books take up a significant section of the Old Testament: Proverbs, Job, and Qohelet (Ecclesiastes), plus the deutero-canonical books of Ben Sira and Wisdom of Solomon.

At one time, the wisdom literature was neglected and down-played in theological study. In recent years, however, a great deal of scholarly interest has centred on these books and a more balanced view generally prevails. Although one can still occa-sionally read statements to the effect that the wisdom books represent ‘an alien body’ in the Old Testament, more frequent are those that place wisdom at the centre of Old Testament theology. At the very least, the importance of wisdom for Old Testament literature and theology is now widely recognized.

The most frequent word associated with wisdom in the Hebrew Bible is h.okmaˉh. This word has a wide meaning, much as the English word ‘wise’ does, and can include the connotation of intellect, learning by study, practical wisdom, common sense, or other variations on the theme. Yet it is most frequently associ-ated with the intellectual type of wisdom associassoci-ated with study and formal education. Similarly, while ‘the wise man/woman’

can be anyone with a variety of attributes of knowledge or men-tal skills, the term is most often applied to those who bear the intellectual tradition. Those who can read and write, who have engaged in study, and who know literature are the wise par excellence.

It has not often been considered who might be those who carried on this intellectual tradition, partly because it has too

frequently been assumed that formal education was widespread in Israel. Although the subject is currently under debate, there is little evidence for widespread literacy – much less for univer-sal schooling. Recent studies have suggested that Jeruuniver-salem did not become a major centre in which an educated scribal class was needed until relatively late – in the late eighth century bce. Only the very few had the resources and leisure for educa-tion; the vast majority of the population were peasant farmers or agricultural workers of some sort. Those able to devote time to literature were, first, the priests and Levites, and secondly, the aristocracy. This situation does not seem to have changed through the next several centuries, though we do find evidence of lay movements which attempted to master sufficient knowl-edge to engage in legal discussion and biblical interpretation.

2.5 Scribes

The term ‘scribe’ (grammateus in the Greek sources) has a wide meaning, similar to our word ‘secretary’. It can mean the lowly scribe in a warehouse who keeps simple records and perhaps needs little more education than to be able to read and write and do certain sums; or it can refer to a high official in the government (like the ‘secretary of state’ in many national gov-ernments). Scribes would have functioned at various levels in Jewish society, from private (wealthy) households and businesses to civil administration to the temple itself.

Evidence for the temple scribes is found in the decree of Antiochus III quoted in Josephus (Antiquities 12.3.3–4 §§138–46).

At the time of the conquest of Palestine by the Seleucids, Jews were apparently to be found on both sides of the conflict, some being pro-Seleucid and some pro-Ptolemaic. The pro-Seleucid group got the upper hand and opened the gates of Jerusalem to Antiochus’ soldiers. As result of their support, Antiochus issued a decree permitting the free exercise of their religion and also granting certain temporary exemptions from taxation to help repair the damage done by fighting in Jerusalem:

King Antiochus to Ptolemy, greeting. Inasmuch as the Jews, from the very moment when we entered their country, showed their eagerness to serve us and, when we came to their city, gave us

a splendid reception and met us with their senate and furnished an abundance of provisions to our soldiers and elephants, and also helped us to expel the Egyptian garrison in the citadel, we have seen fit on our part to requite them for these acts and to restore their city which has been destroyed by the hazards of war, and to repeople it by bringing back to it those who have been dispersed abroad . . . And it is my will that these things be made over to them as I have ordered, and that the work on the temple be completed, including the porticos and any other part that it may be necessary to build . . . And all the members of the nation shall have a form of government in accordance with the laws of their country, and the senate, the priests, the scribes of the temple and the temple-singers shall be relieved from the poll-tax and the crown-tax and the salt-tax which they pay. And, in order that the city may the more quickly be inhabited, I grant both to the present inhabitants and to those who may return before the month of Hyperberetaios exemption from taxes for three years.

Probably the most famous passage about scribes is found in Ben Sira, writing in the early second century (Ben Sira 38:24–

39:11, New English Bible):

A scholar’s wisdom comes of ample leisure; if a man is to be wise he must be relieved of other tasks. How can a man become wise who guides the plough . . . and talks only about cattle? . . . How different it is with the man who devotes himself to studying the law of the Most High, who investigates all the wisdom of the past, and spends his time studying the prophecies! He preserves the sayings of famous men and penetrates the intricacies of parables. He investigates the hidden meaning of proverbs and knows his way among riddles. The great avail themselves of his services, and he is seen in the presence of rulers. He travels in foreign countries and learns at first hand the good or evil of man’s lot. He makes a point of rising early to pray . . . If it is the will of the great Lord, he will be filled with a spirit of intel-ligence; then he will pour forth wise sayings of his own and give thanks to the Lord in prayer. He will have sound advice and knowl-edge to offer, and his thoughts will dwell on the mysteries he has studied. He will disclose what he has learnt from his own education, and will take pride in the law of the Lord’s covenant. Many will praise his intelligence; it will never sink into oblivion. The memory of him will not die but will live on from generation to generation;

the nations will talk of his wisdom, and his praises will be sung in the assembly. If he lives long, he will leave a name in a thousand, and if he goes to his rest, his reputation is secure.

Ben Sira makes a certain connection between being a scribe and knowing the law of God. This may be an idealized picture, representing Ben Sira’s own perspective, but there seems be some truth to it. The question is, does this apply to all scribes, to some scribes, or perhaps just to the scribes associated with the temple? Ben Sira himself does not limit it to temple scribes; on the other hand, good arguments have been made to the effect that if Ben Sira was not himself a priest, he had close links with the priesthood. He associates the law with the priesthood, but it is likely that some priests had greater training and insight than others. Thus, it is not clear that Ben Sira was claiming the study of the law for every scribe at every level of society.

One of the complications of trying to understand scribes is the picture of the NT. It seems to make being a scribe into a religious office. There is little evidence in other sources that there was such a thing. However, it may be that those who were scribes by profession had special training in traditional laws as well. Indeed, it has recently been argued that the scribes of the NT are actually the Levites, trained in the law. If so, this could explain the apparent official teaching function of the scribes and also why the priests are so often absent from the Gospel tradition (i.e. they are represented by the ‘scribes’).