Using a variation of reader-response criticism, Melchert engages thewisdom texts in an effort to determine why the sages said and taught asthey did. He also explores what contemporary teachers and learnersmight pick up from the wisdom texts about teaching, learning, and beingwisely religious in a postmodern world. Melchert argues that the wisdomtexts presumably embody not only what these teachers wanted readers tolearn but also how it was to be learned.