Religion and Theology

The writings in the Bible, particularly the Old Testament, contain a set of text that is called wisdom literature.  No one knows precisely when they first appeared or who in particular wrote them.  But if there is one thing (biblical) scholars agree to, it is the belief that God is the source of wisdom and these can be found in the passages of the Bible as Christians from all walks of life regard it as the word of God compiled in a book.  When there was no Bible yet, people depended on three authorities for guidance the priests, the sages or scholars and the prophets.  The relationship between the three though did not sometimes mesh very well, especially how the prophets feel about the other two since they regard themselves as the true spokespersons of God while the other two interpret Gods words handed down to them (Harris, 244). Nevertheless, they are regarded still as contributors to the early development of the Bible through their works.

These works are expressed in various ways such as stories found in most books of the Bible, which also includes that in the New Testament, as well as riddles, proverbs and verses such as psalms.  There were scriptures meant to be studied and interpreted by scholars and priests while there are others that were immediately accessible to the public as they were easy to understand since the language was something they were able to comprehend such as psalms and proverbs.

As far as Christians, and to an extent Jews, are concerned, the Scriptures do not only tell the history of their faith, it also serves as a source of enlightenment and guidance to lifes many nuances whether they be good or bad.  It teaches one how to have the proper attitude which is pleasing to God as part of the profession of their faith. Professing ones faith is not merely limited to strictly worshipping God, following prescribed rituals and reading the Bible alone, it is about establishing a meaningful relationship with Him by not only reflecting on His words in the Bible, but living them.  By living them and experiencing it, one would then understand why the Bible is (probably) the simplest source of wisdom.