Sermon Tone Analysis

Introduction

Study Proverbs for success

Welcome to Opening Up Proverbs!

Study Proverbs for success

How does the world define success?

How do you define success?

“The Bible sets forth an entirely different measure of success.

Success is found in living wisely in the fear of the Lord.

To live wisely is to live beautifully—that is, to live a life that counts.”

The uniqueness of biblical proverbs

“The book of Proverbs reveals how you can have success in every aspect of your life.”

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 10.

The uniqueness of biblical proverbs

Proverbs are not unique

“A stitch in time saves nine” or “You can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink” or “The early bird catches the worm”.

These are phrases that communicate commonly accepted bits of wisdom.

We know that wisdom is as old as time.

This class will help us to clearly understand why this is so.

And there have always been wise people.

Solomon was not the first person to be wise or to seek wisdom.

The Egyptians and Babylonians were known for collecting proverbs.

“...the Egyptian book of Amenemope, which has been dated variously between the 13th and 7th centuries bc.” - Elwell

This book of Proverbs has many similarities to the book of Proverbs that we have in our Bible.

Walter A. Elwell and Barry J. Beitzel, “Proverbs, Book Of,” Baker Encyclopedia of the Bible (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1988), 1786.

This book of Proverbs has many similarities to the book of Proverbs that we have in our Bible.

It certainly is possible that Solomon incorporates some of these universal truths into his rendering of the proverbs.

Unbelievers can recognize truth, they just don’t believe the source of truth.

It certainly is possible that Solomon incorporates some of these universal truths into his rendering of the proverbs.

Unbelievers can recognize truth, they just don’t believe the source of truth.

What makes the Bible’s Proverbs unique?

The Proverbs are special because the are squarely rooted in a covenant relationship God...

Proverbs and the rest of the Old Testament

“Solomon doesn’t merely offer clever sayings that provide useful advice on how to enjoy worldly success; rather, he teaches that true wisdom and success are rooted in having a right relationship with God, who is the source of all wisdom.”

- Newheisher

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 11.

Proverbs and the rest of the Old Testament

Proverbs assumes and builds upon the precepts of the law and the admonitions of the prophets but goes beyond them in training the reader to live wisely in a very practical ‘how to’ way.

Challenges in studying Proverbs

Proverbs assumes and builds upon the precepts of the law and the admonitions of the prophets but goes beyond them in training the reader to live wisely in a very practical ‘how to’ way.

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 12.

Challenges in studying Proverbs

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 13.

It is difficult to do a consecutive study or exposition of some sections of Proverbs

“Chapters 1 through 9 and chapter 31 of Proverbs contain extended development of particular ideas and can be studied consecutively.

The proverbs and sayings in chapters 10 through 30 are shorter and tend to jump from subject to subject.

For this reason we will cover the content in those chapters topically, rather than going verse by verse.”

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 13.

The book of Proverbs does not explicitly proclaim the gospel

Proverbs is not an evangelistic book, per se.

It is a book that assumes a relationship with God.

The Jews were a covenant people who had this relationship with the Lord...

Why is this important for contemporary readers to understand?

The book of Proverbs contains maxims, which are not the same as promises

Why is it dangerous to not see Proverbs as maxims?

What New Testament verse supports the idea that we live in a “maxim” kind of world?

The book of Proverbs is primarily addressed to men

Men and women are spiritually equal...

Gal

Men are to be leaders in the home and in the church.

Women’s subordinate role is not demeaning anymore than Christ’s subordinate role to His Father.

Both equally God, different roles.

Although it is written primarily to men, many of the truths are universal in nature and there are proverbs specifically addressed to women.

The book of Proverbs is for everyone!

1. Proverbs is written to prepare a young person who faces the challenges and opportunities of responsible adulthood.

2. Proverbs instructs parents in how to train their children (1:8).

3. Proverbs offers the basics of wisdom to those who are young and naive (1:4).

4. Proverbs deepens the understanding of those who are already wise (1:5).

5. Proverbs exposes the fool and the result of his or her arrogant rebellion (1:7b).

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 15.

What are you hoping to learn from the class?

Background and summary

The proverbs of Solomon (v.

1a)

So, what is a proverb?

We can easily recognize one, but how would you define one?

Bruce Waltke defines a proverb as...

“A short witty saying that gives you a standard by which you might judge your life.”

He continues to describe a parable as...

“A comparison, an object lesson, a simple illustration, or a parable which exposes a fundamental reality about life.”

By the way, the short, pithy sayings don’t begin until chapter 10.

Chapters 1-9 are longer appeals for the reader to seek wisdom.

Authorship (v.

1b)

No doubt, Solomon was exceptionally wise and the best candidate to write and compile a book of practical wisdom.

If you remember, God made him the wisest man on earth.

1

Solomon was not the only contributor...

Also, the final collection of wisdom in the Proverbs was not compiled until after the death of Solomon...

They lived around 700 BC which was 250 years after Solomon.

Setting

“One great irony is that, in his later years, Solomon himself did not consistently pursue the wisdom taught in Proverbs, resulting in his life being ravaged by foolishness ().

Waltke remarks, ‘Let it be noted that he constructed his own gibbet on which he impaled himself ([Prov.]

19:27)—that is he ceased listening to his own instruction.

Spiritual success today does not guarantee spiritual success tomorrow.’”

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 17.

Setting

Divisions

“The book of Proverbs is set both in the home, where father and mother are instructing their beloved son (1:8), and in the palace, where a young man is being prepared for the responsibilities of leadership (31:1).”

Jim Newheiser, Opening up Proverbs, Opening Up Commentary (Leominster: Day One Publications, 2008), 17.

Divisions

The book of Proverbs is structured as follows: