Abstract
Theological interpretations of Proverbs are on the rise at the present time and Goldingay’s new commentary on Proverbs adds to this corpus. His new translation is fresh and modern – for example, the ‘dimwit’ and the ‘slacker’ replace the ‘fool’ and the ‘lazy person’. Goldingay’s is a very readable commentary, not technical, and written in easily digestible chunks and yet it is grounded in sound, traditional scholarly views. It tends towards a final form reading, also extending interest to interpreters of the past, Jewish and Christian, poets, scholars and thinkers, who have paved the path before us in their understandings of this enigmatic book.
Whilst Proverbs may seem at one and the same time seemingly straightforward, even simplistic in its advice, Goldingay shows that this is not the case. Rather, there is complexity, metaphorical and poetic language and contradiction in its statements. There is variety in its didactic forms and formulations and there is a ‘robust earthiness’ (p. 53, citing McKane, Proverbs, p. 292) and yet a theological profundity in its content that reveals that attempting to live a wise life is hardly straightforward. Although at times terse in its pithy formulations, Proverbs’ use of metaphor and simile, and its ambiguities, make for a read that is never dull.
Goldingay shows how Proverbs is a resource book for living a life guided by wisdom. Gaining wisdom for life is not straightforward – it is hard work! There is a two-way ethical aspect to the book in that for those who think and act fairly, life is more likely to work out straightforwardly. At the centre of it all is ‘awe for Yahweh’ (rather than the traditional ‘fear of the Lord’). Revelation is on offer for all, but its specific stated context is of parents to children or teachers to pupils in the context of the educational endeavours of ‘the wise’. Whilst sayings may well have originated in an oral past, these ‘wise’ were the ones who collected them together and turned them into literature. Goldingay sees this as a long process with the different collections forming from as early as the monarchic period right through to the second temple period. He unusually places Prov 22:17-end of the book into this later setting, alongside the more generally held later dating of Proverbs 1-9 which forms a framework for the entire book. Compilation would only have ceased by the beginning of the Hellenistic period and the book would have been adapted right up to the end of the Roman period.
In his discussion of the opening verses of Proverbs, attributed to Solomon, Goldingay draws a parallel with Jeremiah’s opening statement of purpose and he goes on pointing out interesting intertexts and parallels throughout the commentary. In his conclusion he has an section on links with books right across the canon – not just the other wisdom books of Job and Qoheleth, but also Deuteronomy, the Psalms, Isaiah, Song of Songs, Ruth. This section would have merited expansion. Then there are parts of the New Testament where echoes of Proverbs are heard in the words of Jesus, in the parallels between Wisdom and the Logos in John’s gospel, in the letters to the Hebrews and to the Colossians and even in I Corinthians. Goldingay stresses the need for readerly participation in the discovering and unfolding of the meaning of these proverbs and has a concluding section detailing the individual insights on actions and consequences that can lead the reader to ponder their own relationship as both a human being in conversation with others and in conversation with God.
This is a commentary series for Christian formation – sound theological exegesis to underwrite preaching and teaching. This volume is a very readable addition to the wide range of commentaries on Proverbs, designed more for the preacher, teacher or general reader than for the academic concerned with the minutiae of every verse, but still very enjoyable for the scholars and more advanced students of proverbs too. Learning wisdom is lifelong, as the prologue to Proverbs makes clear - as Goldingay puts it, ‘people do not grow out of the teaching in Proverbs’ (p. 25).