RT Article
T1 “Ḥokma of the Hands” in early Jewish sapiential tradition and the Letter of James
JF Journal for the study of the pseudepigrapha
VO 30
IS 2
SP 74
OP 86
A1 Wold, Benjamin G. 1974-
LA English
PB Sage
YR 2020
UL https://ixtheo.de/Record/1747149578
AB In early Jewish wisdom literature, a Hebrew idiom occurs that combines “hands” with “wisdom.” This construct has been overwhelmingly translated along the lines of “manual wisdom” and implying craftsmanship or the work of an artisan. This article examines “wisdom of the hands” and argues that its meaning relates to acting wisely, as distinguished from merely acquiring knowledge or cognitive assent, and is used especially in the context of wielding authority. As such, this idiom may inform another rare expression, namely being “doers of the word” and not only “hearers” in James 1:22.
K1 Wisdom
K1 semitic idioms
K1 sapiential literature
K1 Qumran
K1 James
K1 Ben Sira
DO 10.1177/0951820720949456