“Solomon states his intent: the Proverbs are designed to steer the reader away from seductive Hedonism (also presented as a woman) and towards Lady Wisdom. For all his destructive foolishness, Solomon is the one who most intelligently articulates the principal dilemma all humans face. Will you marry Wisdom, or be seduced to partner Hedonism?”
I am a physicist working at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource in California, and a Christian who has demonstrated (at least to myself) that the Bible is a source of wisdom beyond human authorship. I’ve always been fascinated by the unknown, especially in physics, theology and philosophy, and greatly enjoy the rich sense of wonder I experience when at work and at play in those worlds. How does light interact with matter at its most basic level? What are the limitations for a human mind studying itself? How can the ancient story of God’s treatment of Job be embraced? These sorts of questions.
As a consequence, in the arena of the Bible exposition, I’m most strongly drawn towards age-old, unsolved mysteries and longstanding perceived injustices. What is the Song of Songs actually saying? Why does the Bible approve of the warrior Jephthah if he really did sacrifice his daughter? Why is John’s gospel so strikingly different from the other three? Some of the discoveries I found most enjoyable can be found in published form here: johnpople.com
