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Interpretation on Eccl 10:1 and his today’s Messages: Social Crisis and Wisdom

  • Korean Journal of Old Testament Studies
  • Abbr : KJOTS
  • 2017, 23(1), pp.74-102
  • DOI : 10.24333/jkots.2017.23.1.74
  • Publisher : Korean Society of Old Testament Studies
  • Research Area : Humanities > Christian Theology
  • Received : January 5, 2017
  • Accepted : February 14, 2017

Minsu Oh 1

1대신대학교

Accredited

ABSTRACT

This study aims to apply the conclusions drawn from the study on Ecclesiastes 10:1 to today’s educational situation. For this purpose, the writer first observes the interpretations of the text. In view of the morphology of the MT, he compares the consonantal text with the LXX, the Vulgate, and modern Bible translations, as well as authorized Korean Bible translations. The writer directs his attention to various readings of the masoretic consonants in the verse. These result in differentiable understandings of the verse. To perceive the deep meaning of this difficult passage, he employes the knowledges of the verbal syntax and semasiology of the classical Hebrew and thus shows that the passage is about the professional field of perfumery. In the opinion of the writer, verse 1a points semantically to a potentiality of the risk that dead flies would make a perfumer’s oil stink. So the verse 1a has an instructive and warning character. In correspondence with it, verse 1b recommends a consideration of a little foolishness is more precious than wisdom and honor. For that reason the wiser (or technicians and scholars) should direct their attention to the indefinite situations of the worker’s fields, where wisdom should effect its purpose. For wisdom (or knowledges and technics) is indeed very useful for workers, but it does not guarantee its users to achieve success. This insight illuminates today’s tendency of the educational concept which is focused on quantitative multiplication of knowledges. Therefore, firstly, Ecclesiastes 10:1 suggests an educational concept of the employment of wisdom adequate to the situations and its usefulness. Secondly, it is necessary to take interest in the sphere of wisdom’s activity, that is, the worker’s fields, which may be an important factor to the preservation of knowledges and technics. Lastly, in democratic social structure one needs general education for the people based on responsibilities, because they confide their rights to their representatives for the decision making in the education-political issues. In conclusion, this study represents an alternative and suitable wisdom in the society of today.

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