Your reflection was truly your own and presented in a direct style with concrete examples. As was apparent in class, Hosea 1-3 is traumatizing. Do you think Hosea was traumatized by God’s command? No indication in the text, but what do you think? Were you able to move past those first three chapters? What about 11:3-4 or
chapter 14? How do they fit with the beginning of the book, or don’t they? Same God?
I take it you feel better about Proverbs. Human wisdom?
As I remember even there you took exception to at least one passage (13:24). We all had passages we questioned. Why is this book in the canon if its authority is subjective? Just an anthology? Any thoughts?
Ken, thank you for your thoughtful reply. Re Hosea, unfortunately, I do not think he was traumatized. On the contrary, without any evidence to back it up, I sense that Hosea was sort of a zealot so I imagine he would go to any length to share God's command. I am not sure the same God is in all of the book, but the God in the first few chapters is one that weighs on the whole book.
Re Proverbs, I did ask myself that same question (brought it up to Dr. O'Brien, too). I imagine the author(s)/editor(s) was/were so influential that they words were considered godly that they or their acolytes decided to include this book in the canon. I am guessing here and, perhaps, going out on a limb