Proverbs Intro
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The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; To know wisdom and instruction; To perceive the words of understanding; To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, and judgment, and equity; To give subtilty to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; The words of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;
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The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel:
a. The proverbs of Solomon: The Book of Proverbs is a collection of practical life wisdom given mostly in short, memorable statements. Though part of a larger body of wisdom literature that includes Job, Psalms, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Solomon, the Book of Proverbs is unique.
i. It is unique in its structure, being mostly a collection of individual statements without much context or organization by topic.
ii. It is unique in its theology, being concerned with practical life wisdom more than ideas about God and His work of salvation.
iii. Proverbs is also unique in its connection with the secular literature of its time. Neighboring kingdoms had their own collections of wisdom literature, and in some places, there are significant similarities to these writings.
iv. As Ross notes, “The genre of wisdom literature was common in the ancient world, and a copious amount of material comes from ancient Egypt.” Some of these works are titled:
Egyptian:
· Instruction of Ptah-hotep.
· Teaching of Amenemope.
· Instruction of Ani.
Babylonian:
· Instruction of Shuruppak.
· Counsels of Wisdom.
· Words of Ahiqar.
v. There are several sections of Proverbs (Proverbs 22:17-23:14 is an example) that seem to be borrowed from The Teaching of Amenemope, an ancient Egyptian writing. There is debate as to who borrowed whom, but most scholars believe Amenemope is earlier.
vi. “If Proverbs is the borrower here, the borrowing is not slavish but free and creative. Egyptian jewels, as at the Exodus, have been re-set to their advantage by Israelite workmen and put to finer use.” (Kidner)
The proverbs:
Proverbs teach wisdom through short points and principles but should not be regarded as “laws” or even universal promises.
i. “Proverbs are wonderfully successful at being what they are: proverbs. They are not failed prophecies or systematic theologies. Proverbs by design lays out pointed observations, meant to be memorized and pondered, not always intended to be applied ‘across the board’ to every situation without qualification.” (Phillips)
ii. “Naturally [proverbs] generalize, as a proverb must, and may therefore be charged with making life too tidy to be true. But nobody objects to this in secular sayings, for the very form demands a sweeping statement and looks for a hearer with his wits about him. We need no telling that a maxim like ‘Many hands make light work’ is not the last word on the subject, since ‘Too many cooks spoil the broth.’” (Kidner)
iii. “Proverbs itself makes this clear. A proverb is not a magical formula, bringing wisdom and blessing by incantation: ‘Like a lame man’s legs, which hang useless, is a proverb in the mouth of fools’ (Prov. 26:7).” (Phillips)
iv. Proverbs rarely quotes other parts of the Hebrew Scriptures, such as the torah or law. “An analogy to this is American folk wisdom which, although often dominated by Christian morality and presuppositions, contains few allusions to the Bible or Christian theology.” (Garrett)
c. The proverbs of Solomon: Solomon was the king of Israel famous for his wisdom. In 1 Kings 3:3-13 Solomon asked God for wisdom to lead God’s people and God answered that prayer. 1 Kings then presents a remarkable demonstration of Solomon’s wisdom, seen in his response to the problem of the two women and the deceased son (1 Kings 3:16-28).
i. There is also this description of Solomon’s wisdom: He spoke three thousand proverbs, and his songs were one thousand and five. Also he spoke of trees, from the cedar tree of Lebanon even to the hyssop that springs out of the wall; he spoke also of animals, of birds, of creeping things, and of fish. And men of all nations, from all the kings of the earth who had heard of his wisdom, came to hear the wisdom of Solomon. (1 Kings 4:32-34)
ii. The opening, the proverbs of Solomon should not be taken to mean that Solomon was the author of all these proverbs. There are a few other authors specifically mentioned. Yet, it may well be that Solomon collected all these other proverbs and set them in his book. Whether Solomon was the collector or some unnamed later person, we can’t know for certain.
iii. “The book tells us that it is the work of several authors. Three of these are named (Solomon, Agur and Lemuel), others are mentioned collectively as ‘Wise Men’, and at least one section of the book (the last) is anonymous.” (Kidner)
iv. Yet, the prominence of Solomon in these wonderful statements of wisdom gives the reader pause. We know that this remarkably wise man did not finish his life in wisdom.
2 To know wisdom and instruction; To perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, and judgment, and equity;
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To know wisdom and instruction: In the opening of his collection of proverbs, Solomon explained the purpose of these sayings of wisdom. They are intended to give the attentive reader wisdom, instruction, perception, and understanding.
i. To know wisdom: “We’re living in the ‘information age,’ but we certainly aren’t living in the ‘age of wisdom.’ Many people who are wizards with their computers seem to be amateurs when it comes to making a success out of their lives.” (Wiersbe)
b. To perceive the words of understanding: The reference to sight (as also in Proverbs 3:21) implies that these words of wisdom could be read and were in fact read.
i. “In Sumer and in ancient Egypt, schoolboys wrote down the instruction literature, and in ancient Israel most children were literate (Deut. 6:9; 11:20; Judg. 8:14). With the invention of the alphabet in the first half of the second millennium, any person of average intelligence could learn to read and probably to write within a few weeks. The earliest extant text in Hebrew (ca. 900 b.c.) is a child’s text recounting the agricultural calendar. A. Millard says that ancient Hebrew written documents demonstrate that readers and writers were not rare and that few Israelites would have been unaware of writing.” (Waltke)
c. To know wisdom: It is helpful to remember the difference between wisdom and knowledge. One may have knowledge without wisdom. Knowledge is the collection of facts; wisdom is the right use of what we know for daily living. Knowledge can tell one how financial systems work; wisdom manages a budget properly.
i. “It is probably a safe bet to say that most people today are not much interested in wisdom. They are interested in making money and in having a good time. Some are interested in knowing something, in getting an education. Almost everyone wants to be well liked. But wisdom? The pursuit of wisdom is not a popular ideal.” (Boice on Psalm 111)
d. To receive the instruction of wisdom: Proverbs is something of a school of wisdom. We come to it with open hearts and minds, receiving its teaching. If we do, it will show as justice, judgment, and equity flow from our lives.
i. “And herein, as one well observeth, the poorest idiot being a sound Christian, goeth beyond the profoundest clerks that are not sanctified, that he hath his own heart instead of a commentary to help him to understand even the most needful points of the Scripture.” (Trapp)
4 To give subtilty to the simple, To the young man knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; And a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; The words of the wise, and their dark sayings.
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To give prudence to the simple: The simple one is uneducated and needs instruction. The wisdom of this book will make the young, inexperienced one know what to do and how to do it in life. It will give the young man knowledge and discretion.
i. One characteristic of the simple man is that he is gullible. The simple believes every word, but the prudent considers well his steps. (Proverbs 14:15)
ii. Simple: “The word indicates the person whose mind is dangerously open. He is gullible, he is naïve. He may have opinions, but he lacks deeply thought-through and field-tested convictions.” (Phillips)
iii. “The son and the gullible (Proverbs 1:4-5) stand on the threshold of full adulthood. The time is at hand when the son and the gullible (Proverbs 1:4-5) must make a decisive stand for the godly parents’ and sages’ world-and-life views and values. Two conflicting worldviews make their appeal, ‘of Wisdom/Folly, Good/Pseudo-Good, Life/Death,’ and one must choose between them, for there is no third way.” (Waltke)
f. A wise man will hear and increase learning: The Book of Proverbs is not only for the simple and inexperienced. Even a wise man will find much to help and guide him, if he will only hear. Even a man of understanding can attain wise counsel from Proverbs.
i. “Proverbs is not simply for the naive and the gullible; everyone can grow by its teachings. Discerning people can obtain guidance from this book so that they might continue in the right way.” (Ross)
g. To understand a proverb and an enigma: The wisdom of the Book of Proverbs can also help us to solve difficult problems and some of the riddles of life.
7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: But fools despise wisdom and instruction.
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The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: The Book of Proverbs focuses on practical life wisdom more than theological ideas. Yet it is founded on a vital theological principle – that true knowledge and wisdom flow from the fear of the LORD.
i. This fear of the LORD is not a cowering, begging fear. It is the proper reverence that the creature owes to the Creator and that the redeemed owes to the Redeemer. It is the proper respect and honoring of God. Several writers give their definition of the fear of the LORD:
· “But what is the fear of the LORD? It is that affectionate reverence by which the child of God bends himself humbly and carefully to his Father’s law.” (Bridges)
· “A worshipping submission to the God of the covenant.” (Kidner)
· “‘The fear of the Lord’ ultimately expresses reverential submission to the Lord’s will and thus characterizes a true worshiper.” (Ross)
· “The fear of the Lord signifies that religious reverence which every intelligent being owes to his Creator.” (Clarke)
ii. God should be regarded with respect, reverence, and awe. This proper attitude of the creature toward the Creator is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom. Wisdom cannot advance further until this starting point is established.
iii. If true wisdom can be simply gained by human effort, energy, and ingenuity (like the rare and precious metals of the earth), then the fear of the LORD is not essential to obtaining wisdom. But if it comes from God’s revelation, then right relationship with Him is the key to wisdom.
iv. “What the alphabet is to reading, notes to reading music, and numerals to mathematics, the fear of the LORD is to attaining the revealed knowledge of this book.” (Waltke)
b. The beginning of knowledge: Solomon probably meant knowledge here mostly in the sense of wisdom. The idea that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom is also found at Job 28:28, Psalm 111:10, Proverbs 9:10, and Ecclesiastes 12:13.
i. Beginning has the sense of “the first and controlling principle, rather than a stage which one leaves behind; cf. Eccl. 12:13.” (Kidner)
ii. “The fundamental fact, then, is that in all knowledge, all understanding of life, all interpretation thereof, the fear of Jehovah is the principal thing, the chief part, the central light, apart from which the mind of man gropes in darkness, and misses the way.” (Morgan)
iii. “The fall of man was a choosing of what bid fair ‘to make one wise’ (Gen. 3:6) but flouted the first principle of wisdom, the fear of the Lord.” (Kidner)
