The Writings in the Christian Bible

Abstract

The place for an account of the Writings that is Christian in light of the New Testament is considered along with what one might make of them in their canonical place within the Hebrew Bible. A Christian reading is only in part the reception of the Old Testament by the New Testament. The theology of as disparate a collection as the Writings can only really be a theology of each of them. Nevertheless, a steer is given by the large and most significant Psalter with its account of God’s special providence, followed by Wisdom books and the attached Megilloth, with Daniel and the historical books with their sacred history coming later as much in terms of logic as of chronology. The interests are wider and more universal than simply the salvation and preservation of Israel, even if that does not cease from being a deeply felt theme.