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Tree of Life, 3rd ed.: An Exploration of Biblical Wisdom Literature Paperback – January 28, 2002

by Roland E. Murphy (Author)
4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 59 ratings
See all formats and editions
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Since 1990 Roland Murphy's Tree of Life has been a standard introduction to the wisdom literature of the Bible. Now The Tree of Life is available in a third edition, complete with a new preface by the author and a special supplement that surveys the latest developments in wisdom research. This superb study thoroughly explores the wisdom writings of the Bible, interpreting this literature in a way that illumines the development of Israel's search for wisdom throughout its tumultuous history. Murphy looks at each wisdom book individually -- Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Ecclesiasticus, and Wisdom of Solomon -- and adds to them a discussion of wisdom from other parts of the Old Testament. His careful investigations expose the various guises that wisdom adopts -- the "fear of the Lord," moral formation, the universality of human experience, the mysteries of creation, and others.
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  1. Print length
    300 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.
  4. Publication date
    January 28, 2002
  5. Dimensions
    6 x 0.75 x 9 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    0802839657
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0802839657
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

Walter Brueggemann
"An amazingly discerning and helpful book."

Hebrew Studies
"Murphy is one of the acclaimed doyens of the study of biblical literature. . . . This is a rich escort, providing many worthwhile insights into the wisdom literature."

Catholic Library World
"Murphy combines sound scholarship with a rich pedagogical approach. . . . This book can be recommended in every way. It provides a sure path for the uninitiated and may even provide new insights for the expert."

Religious Studies Review
"Murphy's wide reading and balanced judgment enrich the additions to each of the nine chapters, conveniently linked to page numbers in the earlier book."

The Bible Today
"A fine text for a survey of the material."

Theological Book Review (U.K.)
"This admirably structured work should be an essential purchase for biblical libraries, and a valuable resource for any serious student working in the area. Strongly recommended."

Journal of Semitic Studies
"A standard introduction to the Israelite wisdom literature."

Review of Biblical Literature
"Highly recommended for both collegiate and graduate school students. Unquestionably, this work is one of the finest introductions to Israel's wisdom literature in print."

About the Author

Roland E. Murphy (1917–2002) was George Washington Ivey Professor of Biblical Studies Emeritus at Duke University and adjunct professor of biblical studies at the Washington Theological Union.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Co.; 3rd ed. edition (January 28, 2002)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 300 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0802839657
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0802839657
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 14.6 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.75 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.6 4.6 out of 5 stars 59 ratings

About the author

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Roland Edmund Murphy

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Customer reviews

4.6 out of 5 stars
4.6 out of 5
59 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

GeneBales
5.0 out of 5 stars Faith and skepticism
Reviewed in the United States on February 11, 2013
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Roland Murphy's Tree of Life ( 3rd edition) is a wonderful study of the so-called "Wisdom Literature" in the Old Testament--including Proverbs, Job, Qoheleth, Ben Sira, and the Wisdom of Solomon. The book was originally published in 1990, but Murphy has added two fascinating supplements, one in 1996, the other in 2000. While his addition of supplements seems a bit unusual (why not integrate new material into the old?--a question he asks himself), he decided, wisely I think, to separate the new updated material from the original. The result is that one can see the shift in interpretive approaches over a 10 year period or so.
For the ordinary reader such as myself, what is most fascinating about this study is the light it puts on a rather profound question: how is wisdom literature related to the historical tradition by which Israel identified itself. One way to see this is to experience the difference between a salvation-liberation narrative and a literature of wisdom, or the search for it. I think Murphy does throw much light on this issue, though I suspect more will be written about it in the future.
One of the perspectives that struck me was that books like Qoheleth and Job actually became part of the Christian scriptures. They are frankly skeptical and questioning in tone. While some might say that faith in Christ resolves all the skeptical tensions raised in these books, I think to the contrary that these tensions always remain. However, Murphy does an admirable job of showing how skepticism in this ancient context always presupposed a faith in God. We are not used to the idea that these two things could "go together". This is why attention to Wisdom literature, among other reasons, continues to be relevant to Christian faith even today. Faith and questioning are not antithetical.
8 people found this helpful
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Thorough explication of biblical Wisdom Literature with technical apparatus for ...
Reviewed in the United States on December 2, 2016
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Thorough explication of biblical Wisdom Literature with technical apparatus for the advanced biblical student but accessible to the lay reader as well. Murphy update the work two times over the years to include more recent scholarly works and opinions.
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Miguel montiel
5.0 out of 5 stars Good read
Reviewed in the United States on February 7, 2023
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Very interesting
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Jay Matthews
4.0 out of 5 stars Great content poorly presented
Reviewed in the United States on March 22, 2010
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Murphy is still considered one of the leading scholars in the study of Wisdom literature, and this brief introduction proves why. Murphy gives a satisfying and stimulating introduction to biblical Wisdom literature (including Sirach and Wisdom of Solomon) as well as treatments on Wisdom intertextuality, theology, and the metaphor of Woman Wisdom. However, the layout of the book - moving updates to separate appendices - makes it cumbersome to read, and Murphy's methodology leaves something to be desired. All in all, this is an invaluable resource for lay readers and those without an extensive background in Wisdom studies, but the more advanced scholar will probably be disappointed in this work.
12 people found this helpful
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Rscott
5.0 out of 5 stars Great
Reviewed in the United States on April 28, 2021
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Great
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Ad
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United States on February 12, 2016
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This is a very good book, it will grow you spiritually, not an easy read
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Pseudo D
3.0 out of 5 stars does this work?
Reviewed in the United States on May 24, 2019
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Roland Murphy, a Carmelite, is associated closely with the scholars Ray Brown and Joseph Fitzmyer, but
he focused on the Old Testament, and specifically, Wisdom literature.

Although the Psalms and the Song of Songs are placed in the Bible with the Wisdom books, they are each
a separate genre. Murphy categorizes the wisdom books as Proverbs, Job, Ecclesiastes, Sirach and Wisdom.
Many of these are attributed to Solomon. However, Murphy shows the plurality of voices within this tradition
as it relates to the topic of Job, the problem of evil. Unlike some scholars, he does not suggest that the Scriptures
are contradictory, but he does show the diversity of perspectives within them.

This begins with Proverbs, which like Psalm 1, frequently shows the two paths and how things work out for the
better for those who choose the right path. Murphy designates this as the traditional view of good and evil,
reward and punishment, blessing and curse, etc., as they are manifest in this life. Then follow the very interesting
books of Job and Ecclesiastes, which show the suffering of the innocent man and the vanity of life. I have studied
Job a lot, but I did gain new insights from Murphy. There was the question of Job's wife and whether she said
"bless" or "curse" God and die. Well, she said bless, but she meant curse, because it was sarcastic, or something
like that. The portrayal of Job's friends and Elihu is not just a caricature, but a serious argument, and in fact
represents the point of view of Proverbs. Then there's Ecclesiastes. Murphy talks about how its place in the
canon has always been uneasy (although unlike some books, it is in the Catholic and Protestant Bibles,
Septuagint, etc.). While all the OT needs to be read in light of Christ if you are a Christian, I always have gotten
a lot out of letting Qoheleth stand on his own.

Then there's Sirach or Ben Sira, which reasserts the traditional view, as seen in the famous passage
recalling all our fathers in faith. Finally, there's the Book of Wisdom, which Murphy dates as late
as 30 BC (previously I had seen 50 BC) and reflects the Greek influence but is distinctively Jewish.
His late dating for me shows the excitement of the currents of thought and spirituality that were
circulating as the world was being prepared for Jesus.
3 people found this helpful
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Beverly
5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic service
Reviewed in the United States on January 4, 2013
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I ordered this on Jan 1st and found it in my mail today! (Jan 4) Now that's service. It is indeed in new condition and, to my surprise, is an updated version of the one I have been reading, making the whole deal even better.
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Top reviews from other countries

David
5.0 out of 5 stars Professional
Reviewed in Canada on November 17, 2020
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As described. On time.
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Jennifer
5.0 out of 5 stars Five Stars
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on April 6, 2017
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Excellent!
One person found this helpful
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Alessandro
4.0 out of 5 stars very intersring
Reviewed in Italy on August 12, 2014
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interesting research about the message of Wisdom in Israel. the author develops particularly the part of the Bible, or better all the books of the Old Testament named as books of wisdom. the believers who would like to deepen this beautiful part of the Bible, for me the best, find in this test a good ad satisfying approach about the wisdom literature in Israel
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