Customer Reviews

The Wisdom of Proverbs, Job & Ecclesiastes

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Derek Kidner is a brilliant biblical expositor. Here, in one slim paperback, he deftly guides the serious student of the bible through some of the most notoriously difficult books of the Old Testament. By it's nature, this is not a detailed commentary, rather it goes for a sweep - seeing the wood instead of the trees, as it were. While undoubtedly learned and thoughtful, it is also very readable. It sheds clear light, brings to life, and sets the wisdom contained in these books in the context of real life.

I found it was impossible to worry about all the problems of life while reading Derek Kidner's book. This book transported me to a meditative state and made me feel thankful to experience life. The wisdom books have a lot to offer as I discovered with this book.

This leader in the conservative world of OT studies, exceptional stuff on proverbs and psalms, here gives us a book which means and fulfills its goals of introducing the subject matter to us and instilling the desire for further ventures into this virtile section of the OT.

I was especially enlightened by his comments on Job, e.g. "the book shows . . . how small a part of any situation is the fragment that we see; how much of what we do see we ignore or distort through preconceptions; and how unwise it is to extrapolate from our elementary grasp of truth."

He summarizes the wisdom section for us by offering that none of the wisdom books gives all the answers, but the total sum of their individual contributions combined with the rest of Scriture resolves some of our difficulties yet urging us on forward to the NT; while still others leave us in travail, which is "an expectant word."

Playing greatly on the Biblical theme of fear of the Lord being the beginning of wisdom, however as a Lutheran I must humbly protest that Kidner falls short on Christology, e.g. "To me it is clear that while some of the language was destined to prepare the way for the NT's Christology, the portrait in its own context is personifying a concept, not describing a personality" or likewise, he does not find Christ in Ecclesiastes. I find Jesus' exegesis to be mine, He is in all OT Wisdom including Ecclesiastes, Luke 24:27.

Kidner is always worth reading carefully, and keeping it on one's bookshelf for reference.

I found the book hard to read. I am not a theologian, but have had a fair amount of biblical training and education overall during my life. The author uses a lot of parenthetical writing, which breaks up the sentences and paragraphs. Overall it was very hard to follow. I thought that the subject matter was good however.

Very balanced and even-handed introduction to this interesting subject. There is great respect for the scriptures here and a desire to understand it, without bringing in meaning that was not intended.