If you are tempted to think that Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes contain different views of wisdom, perhaps you should consider the epistle of James. I appeal to James several times in my book, Solomon Says, because James says a lot about wisdom.
The book begins with maturity by way of suffering and wisdom:
Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing. If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.
James 1:2-5 ESV
Arguably, the last sentence in the letter is a quote from Proverbs, especially if you account for how much space James spends condemning anger.
My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins.
James 5:19, 20; Proverbs 10:12 ESV
Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses.
There are additional reasons between James 1:2-5 and 5:19-20 to see James as an epistle about wisdom.
Naturally, he quotes Proverbs, not just partially in 5:20 but also in explicitly in 4:6.
But he gives more grace. Therefore it says, “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”
James 4:6 ESV
This is obviously a quotation. The ESV’s footnote identifies it as a Greek translation of Proverbs 3:34.
In the next section, James appeals to Ecclesiastes:
Come now, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go into such and such a town and spend a year there and trade and make a profit”— yet you do not know what tomorrow will bring. What is your life? For you are a mist that appears for a little time and then vanishes.
James 4:13-14 ESV
Mist or vapor is the recurring word in Ecclesiastes that most English translators to paraphrase as “vanity.” But it is literally “mist” and it is used to make the same point:
All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied. For what advantage has the wise man over the fool? And what does the poor man have who knows how to conduct himself before the living? Better is the sight of the eyes than the wandering of the appetite: this also is vapor and a striving after wind.
Ecclesiastes 6:7–9
And to complete my claim, James also appeals to Job:
As an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. Behold, we consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord is compassionate and merciful.
James 5:10–11 ESV
This suggests (I won’t argue further in this post) that James sees no real difference in message between Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job. In a forthcoming guest post on Proverbs and eschatology, I argue that Proverbs expects the wicked and foolish to prosper for a time while the righteous and wise suffer. That will hopefully add to this observation from James.
Stay tuned.