Using the book of Proverbs, compile a list of character qualities associated with a fool and a list of character qualities associated with a wise person. Then compare that list to the people in an Old Testament story to determine which characters are portrayed as wise or foolish.
Brainstorm answers to the following questions:
- What are the character qualities of both the fool and the wise man as found in the book of Proverbs?
- What sort of person is the fool?
- What do they value?
- What do they take for granted?
- How do they act?
- What kinds of character qualities does the fool have?
- Is the fool honest, generous, and gracious?
- Is the fool deceitful, stingy, and angry?
- What about the wise person?
- What kinds of character qualities does a wise person have?
- What sorts of things does a wise person prioritize and value?
Once the two lists of character qualities have been compiled, choose one of the following Old Testament stories:
- The story of Sampson, one of Israel’s judges, and Delilah in Judges 16:1-31;
- The story of Ahab, Jezebel, and Naboth and their dispute over a vineyard in 1 Kings 21:1-29;
- The story of the foreigner Naaman with his leprosy and the prophet Elisha and his servant Gehazi in 2 Kings 5:1-27;
- The story of King David, Mephibosheth, and Mephibosheth’s servant Ziba in 2 Samuel 9:1-13, 2 Samuel 15:13-16, 2 Samuel 16:1-4, and 2 Samuel 19:24-30 (Note: Mephibosheth was the son of David’s dear friend Jonathan (1 Samuel 20) and the grandson of David’s archnemesis, his predecessor King Saul.);
- The story of King David and King Solomon, designing and building a temple for Yahweh in 1 Chronicles 28:1-29:9, 2 Chronicles 3:1-2, 2 Chronicles 5:1-7:10, and 1 Kings 11:1-8.
Research the story from other persepctives, and include at least three outside scholarly resources (books, websites, commentaries, etc.) to clearly understand the story and what is happening in it. For full credit, the essay must include at least three citations to outside resources – not including online or printed Bible translations or course materials, or dictionary definitions (see rubric).
Then, categorize each major character in these stories as either a wise person or a fool, depending on the character qualities that they reveal about themselves through their actions and words. Some characters may have some character qualities of a fool and some wise person’s character qualities. Other characters will be all one or the other. Choose either three characters with three distinct qualities, or choose fewer characters who have more than one distinct quality in their nature. For example, you may write about one character trait each of David, Mephibosheth, and Ziba; or you may do a more complex, nuanced character sketch of just David’s multiple character traits during his interactions with Mephibosheth and Ziba, some of which are wise, others foolish. However, be sure that the character traits that are discussed are confined to the assigned passages – they cannot be from other parts of the character’s life. For full credit, the essay must include three distinct character traits demonstrated by the characters’ actions and words within the chosen story (see rubric).
Each of these character traits must be backed up by references to specific verses in the story (see rubric). When the essay discusses each character acting and speaking, cite a verse where that action or monologue was found.
The essay must also include specific quotes from the book of Proverbs that are directly related to each character quality being discussed in the story (see rubric). That is, this essay must categorize the character traits drawn from this particular Old Testament story into “wise” and “foolish” traits by using quotes from the book of Proverbs.
This essay will be 700 to 900 words long. It must be formatted using the Chicago Manual of Style, with proper Chicago-style footnotes marking all citations of sources and Bible verses. It should include footnote citations of at least three scholarly outside resources and five references to specific verses, either within the chosen story or within the book of Proverbs. It should also include at least three character qualities and whether those character qualities paint that character as foolish or as wise according to the book of Proverbs.
For more information about the Chicago Style citations, click here.
The essay should appear professional. Do not use informal language, such as first- and second-person pronouns or contractions. Avoid the use of conversational phrases or slang in your essay. Transition words should be used correctly throughout the entire essay. Avoid phrases like “in this essay” or “my essay will”.