Proverbs. Despite the centuries that separate us from the authors of these proverbs, our daily reality is similar to theirs: making friends, resolving the issue of sexuality, managing money, reacting to poverty, economic sustenance, learning from loss, overcoming difficulties, facing death... Proverbs precisely deals with providing answers to these questions.
David Atkinson states that the function of Wisdom is to help people cope with the problems and difficulties of existence, showing reality from new perspectives, while also trying to understand the meaning of 'living for God' in the common daily existence. This book makes us see ourselves reflected in the questions it raises, making us feel personally challenged.
Ecclesiastes is a reflective journey that helps us reconsider and discover where we stand. Its focus is on discovering the limits of existence, while also formulating all those other complementary questions that not everyone is willing to confront. Wisdom is the starting point; but always bearing in mind that the aim is to explore.
Derek Kidner introduces this book, which speaks very powerfully to our generation. His love for Hebrew poetry and his understanding of the biblical mind shine through in the careful passage-by-passage exposition.
