Conclusion

Abstract

These last chapters seem to have taken us a long way from defining ‘wisdom’—whether that be Solomonic or otherwise—and have demonstrated that intertextual methods of varying types (functional, theological, thematic) daringly range texts of different ‘genres’ one with another, and broaden out the readerly meanings, insights and thematic richness that we gain from texts. But at the end of the day this does not help us to define wisdom boundaries! Rather the opposite, it encourages us to break down these boundaries, but not in a reckless way. As seen with Ecclesiastes and Genesis 1–11 we need to exercise some caution at least in saying that one text definitely influenced another on a diachronic scheme. However, a more synchronic approach to intertexts (such as with Proverbs and Ruth) opens up endless possibilities of comparing texts one with another. And, the thematic intertextual approach—as demonstrated in this short study of the Song of Songs—too is a rich resource for future research....