Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding, for she is more profitable than silver and yields better returns than gold,” Proverbs 3:13–14 tells us. Of course, if we want to apply this wisdom correctly and help others do the same, we must know how to approach it.

Richard Belcher Jr. has written a number of commentaries and articles on the wisdom literature of the Old Testament (Job, Proverbs and Ecclesiastes). His latest volume, Finding Favour in the Sight of God: A Theology of Wisdom Literature, moves readers toward a better understanding of, and appreciation for, the place and function of these books within the Scriptures and the Church.

Belcher is the John D. and Frances M. Gwin professor of Old Testament and the academic dean at the Reformed Theological Seminary in Charlotte, North Carolina. He expertly walks readers through the challenges of interpreting this Old Testament genre. For instance, Belcher notes that the general information about life in these texts do not always refer to God. And the difficulty of determining context means readers often misunderstand (or misapply) it.

After introducing wisdom literature in general, Belcher offers three chapters each for Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes. For Proverbs, he provides discussions on the book’s overall message (chapter 2); hermeneutics (chapter 3); and theology (chapter 4). While he focuses on Proverbs 1–9 in the first of these, he highlights many of the topics throughout Proverbs over the next two chapters.

Belcher encourages pastors to move away from treating the proverbs as universal truths, which opens the door to such errors as the so-called “prosperity gospel.” Belcher helpfully steers the reader through the dangers of misinterpreting Proverbs in this way and thereby foolishly representing wisdom or missing it altogether.

We must interpret wisdom in an appropriate context to receive it as wisdom.

The second major section covers theological issues present in the first chapters of Job (chapter 5); divine retribution, suffering and justice (chapter 6); and the quest for wisdom (chapter 7). Belcher’s outlining of the Book of Job will help the preacher discern better ways to engage this book of the Bible to help congregants wrestling with questions about the relation between God and suffering. Belcher shows pastoral care as he sorts through the wisdom of the Book of Job — first in the voice of its characters and finally in the voice of the Lord in the whirlwind.

He notes that while the friends and Elihu offer words of truth at certain points, they misapply their wisdom in their interaction with Job. In this way, they misrepresent both Job and God, revealing themselves as fools in need of redemption. In the end, the Lord corrects Job, but He also answers Job’s laments and his calls for justice and a Redeemer. The Lord questions Job’s lack of wisdom, and Job answers by honoring the Lord’s wisdom.

The third major section suggests better ways to read Ecclesiastes (chapter 8) to ultimately discern its message (chapter 9) and theology (chapter 10). Belcher understands the voice of Qoheleth (the “Teacher”) to be this-worldly focused in his wisdom. The voice of a framing narrator (who is heard in Ecclesiastes 1:1–11 and 12:8–14) critiques the wisdom of Qoheleth and points specifically toward God as the Revealer of true wisdom. This section (as the ones before it) offers the preacher help in discerning how best to present the overall book and the sayings within the book as recontextualized in light of the framework of the narrator.

Belcher concludes with a chapter on Jesus and His teachings, His embodiment of wisdom, and His work of wisdom (chapter 11). Throughout the book, Belcher indicates ways in which these texts find fulfillment in and point to Christ. In this way, Belcher again provides an invaluable help to preachers of the wisdom literature, moving them toward a better understanding of their place in preaching and pastoral care.

Belcher understands that we must interpret wisdom in an appropriate context to receive it as wisdom. Otherwise, we may apply it improperly and turn it to foolishness, or even abuse. This is a call for discernment even in reading these books. After all, wisdom is not readily apparent — or we would not call it “wisdom” — but the discerning know it as the revelation of God.

Finding Favour in the Sight of God provides a welcome help to preachers of the wisdom books of the Bible. While this is not a commentary of these biblical books, it will orient readers to better understand and apply their contents. It also mentions multiple pertinent commentaries throughout the footnotes and in the bibliography that warrant further study. 

Book Reviewed

Richard P. Belcher Jr., Finding Favour in the Sight of God: A Theology of Wisdom Literature — New Studies in Biblical Theology (Downers Grove, IL: IVP Academic, 2018).