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Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament #4
The Wisdom of God: Seeing Jesus in the Psalms and Wisdom Books
Wouldn't you love to be wise and know the God who is Wisdom himself? This 10-week study of Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon mines the Wisdom Literature not only for wise principles for living, but also for the wise person these books point to through their drama, poetry, proverb, and song―Jesus. Bible teacher Nancy Guthrie provides clear commentary and contemporary application of biblical truths found in the Wisdom Books Gain a fresh perspective on the Wisdom Literature, a broader understanding of Jesus as the fulfillment of Scripture, and much more, when you join with Guthrie on this incredible journey to see Jesus in the Old Testament! Part of the Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament series. *A leader’s guide is available as a free download at SeeingJesusInTheOldTestament.com and a supplemental DVD of Nancy’s teaching is also available for purchase.
272 pages, Paperback
First published February 7, 2012
149 people are currently reading
493 people want to read
About the author
Nancy Guthrie
84 books576 followersNancy Guthrie teaches the Bible at her home church, Cornerstone Presbyterian Church in Franklin, Tennessee, as well as at conferences around the country and internationally, including through her Biblical Theology Workshops for Women. She is the author of numerous books and the host of the Help Me Teach the Bible podcast at The Gospel Coalition. She and her husband host Respite Retreats for couples who have faced the death of child and are co-hosts of the GriefShare video series.
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Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews
November 12, 2022
This fourth volume of Nancy Guthrie’s, Seeing Jesus is the Old Testament series, has caused our Bible study group to see the Biblical Wisdom literature very differently. Actually, I can say that our study using this book has transformed my own thinking and approach to my reading and study of these five books of the Bible. Christ is true wisdom!
August 30, 2022
These “Seeing Jesus in the Old Testament” series by Nancy Guthrie are really very good. My husband and I read through most of the wisdom literature in the Bible while working through this study. We especially enjoyed Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs. The Holy Spirit really brought this Word alive. He is the Author of life and love. He is our Wisdom.
April 25, 2022
I read this book through my women's Bible study group. I learned a lot, i definitely recommend it.
August 1, 2021
I absolutely adore Nancy Guthrie’s writing style and her insights. I wish this book was even longer. I don’t usually find study questions in books helpful, but some of the charts she provides are fantastic.
However, I don’t see how this could be used for group studies. Nobody is going to read an entire book of the Bible in a week, and there’s no way one group discussion could cover all the content (which is how the book is set up).
The actual content is good, but not practical for its intended use.
However, I don’t see how this could be used for group studies. Nobody is going to read an entire book of the Bible in a week, and there’s no way one group discussion could cover all the content (which is how the book is set up).
The actual content is good, but not practical for its intended use.
April 18, 2024
Would recommend!
November 13, 2023
Another excellent read from my favorite Bible teacher. Nancy does a wonderful job in helping the reader understand the big picture of scripture, how the Old Testament points to Christ, and the hope we have for the future.
April 19, 2019
This was a pretty solid study. The women in the group started off a little intimidated by the more scholarly tone, but ended up saying they really loved it. Based off how much I saw underlined in people’s books, it made an impact.
I do think Bible teachers have to stretch when they try to say “This one thing is what the Bible is all about.” Guthrie says it all is about Jesus. Well, yes and no. It’s all Jesus’ story, but not every passage is directly about Jesus. (She does admit this, particularly in Song of Solomon, where I was glad to see her NOT claim it was all an allegory about Jesus and believers!)
This is an overview style study covering a lot of material, so not an inductive, line-by-line study. But still some great points and a foundation to understand books of the Bible that are often neglected. I’d do another of her studies.
I do think Bible teachers have to stretch when they try to say “This one thing is what the Bible is all about.” Guthrie says it all is about Jesus. Well, yes and no. It’s all Jesus’ story, but not every passage is directly about Jesus. (She does admit this, particularly in Song of Solomon, where I was glad to see her NOT claim it was all an allegory about Jesus and believers!)
This is an overview style study covering a lot of material, so not an inductive, line-by-line study. But still some great points and a foundation to understand books of the Bible that are often neglected. I’d do another of her studies.
January 24, 2024
Wow this is a GREAT book. I was fortunate to lead my bible study in this 10 week study of the Wisdom of God, Seeing Jesus in the Wisdom books of the Bible. This bible study is deep and it really help me curate a habit of finding Jesus throughout all scriptures and to think critically about the word of God
The last chapter, week 10 really touched by soul because Jesus loves us DEEPLY. I found that Repentance in the Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon are my favorite three weeks. However all of it is great.
I’m going to make a mental note that this is a heavier content type bible study so I’ll be cognizant on who I’m teaching this too. I’ll preferably use this as a mentor or mentee who wants to mature in the faith. Overall I enjoyed my experience reading this, it is only by God’s strength that I was able to show up twice a week every week for this Bible Study. The wisdom of God is profound and endless.
I look forward to her other books as well as re-reading this Bible Study just because!
The last chapter, week 10 really touched by soul because Jesus loves us DEEPLY. I found that Repentance in the Psalms, Proverbs, Song of Solomon are my favorite three weeks. However all of it is great.
I’m going to make a mental note that this is a heavier content type bible study so I’ll be cognizant on who I’m teaching this too. I’ll preferably use this as a mentor or mentee who wants to mature in the faith. Overall I enjoyed my experience reading this, it is only by God’s strength that I was able to show up twice a week every week for this Bible Study. The wisdom of God is profound and endless.
I look forward to her other books as well as re-reading this Bible Study just because!
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December 2, 2021I learned of Nancy Guthrie by doing a series she did called Grief Share. It was helpful and wonderful. When I saw that she has written several, I decided I would read or do the study on as many as I could. I was not disappointed. This was a wonderful study on the Wisdom books of the Bible. She is insightful, sticks to Biblical application and writes beautifully. I highly recommend anything by her. I am looking forward to 2022 because I will be doing several of her books for my devotional time.
May 13, 2024
I did this as a group study that started back in Sept 2023 and it was a good discussion book too (using her questions or coming up with your own). I really enjoyed the breakdown of the psalms in particular.
I still don’t know why Song of Solomon was added and would have rather had a deeper dive into another wisdom book, but on the whole I really enjoyed the format and material of the book.
I still don’t know why Song of Solomon was added and would have rather had a deeper dive into another wisdom book, but on the whole I really enjoyed the format and material of the book.
March 26, 2019
I struggled with being engaged with this one, although there were some highlights that made it worth the read. The chapter on wisdom was fantastic & I took a lot of notes, but others were challenging to focus on and apply.
August 22, 2019
This was a great book for group study. More than the average book, this one facilitated a lot of great conversation on practical application. I really appreciate the emphasis on showing Jesus throughout the Old Testament, as there has been plenty I've missed. Highly recommend.
November 23, 2022
Awkward questions. Legalistic theology. Ex. Daily devotions without motivation or church. Huh? There are so many better and better written than this. Don't know.if it is all Guthrie or not. Go read Beth Moore. At least she cracks a smile. Ugh.
November 17, 2018
Any bible study written by Nancy Guthrie is really good at bringing light to the Bible. Her series of studies of finding Jesus in the Old Testament is outstanding.
September 11, 2019
Very well written and researched. I learned a great deal from this study. Will follow this author!
April 20, 2020
Interesting reading and Bible study - comparing the Old Testament to the New Testament.
Educational - will remember this study.
Educational - will remember this study.
April 28, 2022
⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
October 16, 2022
Bible study with Temple Bible Church Fall 2023
November 18, 2022
I enjoy and learn a lot from all of Nancy Guthrie's studies! The chapter on Ecclesiastes did leave me feeling more confused about that book of the Bible than before doing this study, though.
May 19, 2024
Once again, Guthrie's extensive knowledge of scripture helps readers to recognize how every book of the bible points to Jesus... Even Song of Solomon!
November 8, 2019
This was a good study. At times the info seems to be a bit daunting but I like the format and I like the way she points to seeing Jesus in the Old Testament. I also loved the Psalm section. I think differently now when reading them.
September 20, 2024
After revisiting this book again in 2024, I’ve removed a star. I’ve learned and grown a lot since 2017, and I realized that this book has some strengths and weaknesses. The primary strength of this book is Guthrie’s ability to demonstrate how the wisdom books point us to Christ.
Personally, I think this could have been strengthened in the Psalms. She showed us that there is a narrative storyline across the five books of the Psalms but then proceeded to disregard the intentional ordering of the Psalms, visiting them somewhat haphazardly instead of demonstrating her earlier point. (Folks wanting a deeper dive into this subject should check out Psalms resources at davidschrock dot com, especially the Infographs for each of the five books of Psalms that he made for his congregation.)
I think the greatest disappointment this go round was Guthrie’s treatment of Ecclesiastes. When approaching Song of Songs, she noted that it was a difficult book and presented various positions believers take. However, she did not take this approach with Ecclesiastes and merely presented one, highly negative interpretation of the book. The questions were all loaded with presuppositions based on this one interpretation and neglected other significant content in the book that contradicted various statements she was making. I highly recommend that anyone going through this visit jasonderouchie dot com and search for his Ecclesiastes lectures and notes which will present an alternative and valuable perspective that folks would also do well to consider. (DeRouchie states that: “Ecclesiastes is the most joy-saturated book in the Old Testament based on word count,” and backs this up in his incredibly edifying lectures.) We presented both positions to our group and are richer for it.
All in all, this remains a useful guide for seeing Jesus in some challenging books of Scripture. There is less emphasis on the observation and application aspects of Bible study and more emphasis on learning to navigate the interpretation phase of Bible study well, so you’ll probably want to have laid a foundation for all three skills before jumping into a book like this.
Personally, I think this could have been strengthened in the Psalms. She showed us that there is a narrative storyline across the five books of the Psalms but then proceeded to disregard the intentional ordering of the Psalms, visiting them somewhat haphazardly instead of demonstrating her earlier point. (Folks wanting a deeper dive into this subject should check out Psalms resources at davidschrock dot com, especially the Infographs for each of the five books of Psalms that he made for his congregation.)
I think the greatest disappointment this go round was Guthrie’s treatment of Ecclesiastes. When approaching Song of Songs, she noted that it was a difficult book and presented various positions believers take. However, she did not take this approach with Ecclesiastes and merely presented one, highly negative interpretation of the book. The questions were all loaded with presuppositions based on this one interpretation and neglected other significant content in the book that contradicted various statements she was making. I highly recommend that anyone going through this visit jasonderouchie dot com and search for his Ecclesiastes lectures and notes which will present an alternative and valuable perspective that folks would also do well to consider. (DeRouchie states that: “Ecclesiastes is the most joy-saturated book in the Old Testament based on word count,” and backs this up in his incredibly edifying lectures.) We presented both positions to our group and are richer for it.
All in all, this remains a useful guide for seeing Jesus in some challenging books of Scripture. There is less emphasis on the observation and application aspects of Bible study and more emphasis on learning to navigate the interpretation phase of Bible study well, so you’ll probably want to have laid a foundation for all three skills before jumping into a book like this.
December 16, 2014
Of the three Bible studies I've done so far in this series, I thought that this one was the best. I didn't have some of the scruples that I had with the other two (see my review on "The Son of David"). The first chapter is an overview of the wisdom literature (Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon), the second chapter is an overview of the Psalms, followed by five chapters dedicated to the Psalms, and finally one chapter each on Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
The chapters on the Psalms were organized into the various types of Psalms, spending the majority of each chapter focusing on one Psalm, but looking at others as well. I appreciated this organization and learned a lot from it.
In all of the personal Bible study sections, there was a lot more reading and information than in the previous Bible studies. I found this very helpful, as there was a lot I did not know; it has definitely informed how I read the wisdom literature. I really appreciated the chapter on Song of Solomon; again, there was a lot I didn't know and a lot of information given. I appreciated how Nancy Guthrie presented different views on how to interpret the books (particularly Song of Solomon), stated (with Biblical support) what she thought was the most Biblical view and went from there. She did not state (as she sometimes did in the other Bible studies) that a certain way was "definitely" the way that the literature was to be interpreted.
Through the entire study, I learned how this literature can help focus our hearts on Christ, help us to see how Christ is the center of everything, and how Christ knew this literature, and often quoted it during his lifetime.
If you are only going to do one of Guthrie's studies in this series, I suggest this one. (I'll let you know if that changes once I'm finished with "The Word of God!")
The chapters on the Psalms were organized into the various types of Psalms, spending the majority of each chapter focusing on one Psalm, but looking at others as well. I appreciated this organization and learned a lot from it.
In all of the personal Bible study sections, there was a lot more reading and information than in the previous Bible studies. I found this very helpful, as there was a lot I did not know; it has definitely informed how I read the wisdom literature. I really appreciated the chapter on Song of Solomon; again, there was a lot I didn't know and a lot of information given. I appreciated how Nancy Guthrie presented different views on how to interpret the books (particularly Song of Solomon), stated (with Biblical support) what she thought was the most Biblical view and went from there. She did not state (as she sometimes did in the other Bible studies) that a certain way was "definitely" the way that the literature was to be interpreted.
Through the entire study, I learned how this literature can help focus our hearts on Christ, help us to see how Christ is the center of everything, and how Christ knew this literature, and often quoted it during his lifetime.
If you are only going to do one of Guthrie's studies in this series, I suggest this one. (I'll let you know if that changes once I'm finished with "The Word of God!")
April 12, 2015
I led a ladies' Bible study using this book. We finished it in 20 study days, breaking up each book lesson into two parts. Nancy Guthrie's writing is biblical, thought-provoking, and intelligent. She writes as a woman thoroughly interested in God's work in our lives here on earth, and also as a Bible scholar who has spent many hours in the Word. I love how she ties together a string of related verses from all over the Bible.
The study work is challenging, but in a really good way. Not all of the ladies in the group answered all of the questions (because some are quite difficult), but it didn't seem to matter. Good discussion happened anyway. Maybe it happened because the answers weren't easy.
The best part of the book: the way it keeps its eye on the big picture: our future with God in eternity.
Another best part: Going through an entire book of the Bible in two study periods is exhausting, but really rewarding. It puts things in perspectives we hadn't thought of.
Another really good part: the ladies liked studying Song of Solomon, and we learned a lot.
My personal end thought: This book is about the Wisdom of God, and it turned out different than I expected. God's wisdom is a Person, not a knowledge. It is Jesus Christ. When we have God's wisdom, we have a personal relationship with Jesus.
The study work is challenging, but in a really good way. Not all of the ladies in the group answered all of the questions (because some are quite difficult), but it didn't seem to matter. Good discussion happened anyway. Maybe it happened because the answers weren't easy.
The best part of the book: the way it keeps its eye on the big picture: our future with God in eternity.
Another best part: Going through an entire book of the Bible in two study periods is exhausting, but really rewarding. It puts things in perspectives we hadn't thought of.
Another really good part: the ladies liked studying Song of Solomon, and we learned a lot.
My personal end thought: This book is about the Wisdom of God, and it turned out different than I expected. God's wisdom is a Person, not a knowledge. It is Jesus Christ. When we have God's wisdom, we have a personal relationship with Jesus.
December 6, 2012
Great study. The author is pointing you to Christ but does not only see the text in that regard. Looking forward to next summer when I will be doing a bible study group using this book.
September 28, 2012
love approaching God's word with this new way
August 23, 2014
Awesome Bible study! I loved the Old Testament focus of this book and learned a lot with my Bible study girls! Will definitely look for other studies by the author.
March 28, 2021
1.5 stars
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April 9, 2017Read this with the women at Grace Community. I especially liked the chapter on Proverbs.
Displaying 1 - 29 of 29 reviews