The Fellowship Residency Program has introduced me to the idea of reading commentaries alongside scripture. By next August, I will have read through the entire Bible as well as The King in His Beauty, our selected commentary. As I am reading, I am writing a little bit about each of the books of the Bible so you and I can have a more thorough understanding of the scriptures. I invite you to follow along with me as we learn the Bible in its entirety from Genesis to Revelation. This summary does NOT encompass the entire book, but it is a good place to start. I encourage you to read for yourself and begin your own Biblical journal along the way. To read any of my other Residency related posts, click here.
Introduction – The book of Proverbs continues as wisdom literature. Again, it does not add to the storyline but instead discusses the way of wisdom through proverbial statements. Chapters 1-9 are considered discourse, 10-22:16 are Solomon’s proverbs, 22:17-24:22 are the “sayings of the wise,” 25-29:27 are additional proverbs of Solomon that are written by Hezekiah’s scribes, Ch 30 are the words of Agur, 31:1-9 are proverbs of King Lemuel, and finally, 31:10-31 contain the tributes of a noble woman. Some argue that the book is strictly secular wisdom, but it is clear that the wisdom proverbs are all related to God-centered living.
God-Centered – The entire book of Proverbs is to be understood as wisdom relating to living in Israel under the sovereign Lord. The purpose of Proverbs is to give its readers an increase in prudence, wisdom, and insight and is further explained by “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.” We quickly understand that wisdom is meant for the simplest and most ordinary of people. The book is also understood as further discussion regarding the 5th commandment as obeying one’s parents will also require living in wisdom under Yahweh. We learn that the wise will seek out wisdom and cry for it. It is also important to note that wisdom is found in partnership with knowing the Torah. There are many correlations between the wisdom literature in Proverbs and the law of Deuteronomy specifically when emphasizing the importance of keeping the commands of the Lord. Ultimately, the link between wise living and the Torah eliminates the argument that Proverbs is strictly secular.
A major argument of Proverbs is that the fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of wisdom, but is a necessity for a lifetime of wise living. Another theme is the sovereignty of Yahweh. Proverbs emphasizes the important of human action and choices, but it ultimately believes that what plays out is the will of the Lord above our own plans for our life. If the Lord is in control of the most powerful kings (21:1), then He is sovereignly in control of all hearts. Humans may ponder, consider, plan, and act. However, we must always remain open to the direction that comes from God alone.
Wisdom – As previously mentioned, Proverbs is fundamentally about God-centered wisdom that maintains a healthy fear of the Lord. We see a consistent comparison of wisdom and folly throughout the book. Proverbs breaks down a multitude of topics including the topic of sexual pleasure and discusses the difference between living like a fool or the wise within that context. Ultimately, living like a fool involves a refusal to “listen to correction & to be fanatically insistent on living on the basis of one’s own wisdom instead of trusting in the Lord.” Fools are destructive while the wise are flooded with joy. Learning and listening attentively to instruction is crucial to the gaining of wisdom. The wise are not strictly intellectual or philosophical as is traditionally accepted. Instead, Proverbs argues that the wise are humble and teachable and that wisdom is woven into one’s character over time. Finally, wisdom is often found relating to creation. Wisdom is described as God’s “partner” throughout the creation process and is highlighted in the “complexity and beauty” of the created.
Wisdom & Speech – Wisdom translates into every aspect of one’s life, but particularly in our speech. Wise words are used to heal, build up, comfort, and teach. The wise will think before they speak and recognize the value in restraining one’s words, thoughts, and impulses. Finally, the wise keep their promises, are honest and gentle in their speech, and respond to conflict with grace and prudence to avoid wrath.
Wisdom & Riches/Poverty – Proverbs spends some time contrasting the rich and the poor and likens them to the hard workers and the lazy respectively. It is important to note here that, “many proverbs represent maxims that apply in some situations but should not be understood to apply to every situation.” The wise are expected to be able to discern which circumstances are described in these maxims. The poor are described as lazy, excuse makers, lacking in initiative, yearning for sleep, and avoiding productivity. They are said to view all things as an obstacle rather than an opportunity and are often unwilling to help others. Conversely, the rich are believed to prosper as a result of their hard work and discipline. They are patient, diligent, and give generously to those in need. Proverbs does emphasize that one should not place their trust in riches. Additionally, wealth and riches are not necessarily a result of God’s favor over their life. However, there is security that comes from riches as a result of one’s hard work. However, Proverbs also recognizes that some may gain their wealth apart from faithfulness to God. The rich may have participated in bribery, robbery, financial deception, or through oppression of the poor. The rich that have gained wealth unethically or who wrongly trust in their wealth will be judged accordingly. Likewise, the poor may remain poor as a result of oppression or injustice. We are commanded not to mock or judge the poor but to give generously to those in need. Proverbs advise us that it is better to have “little with righteousness than great revenues with injustice” (16:8). Finally, Proverbs advises us that the fear of the Lord and pursuit of wisdom are each more valuable than wealth or riches.
The King – The king as a topic is occasionally portrayed as the model of righteousness in Proverb’s writings. It is clear that the ideal king is described as pursuing the way of wisdom through perfect righteousness. The writer argues that the ideal king’s responsibility is to enforce justice and pursue the favor that comes from righteousness. In Proverbs, kings appear to have an almost godlike ability to discern and uncover God’s will. However, it is also clear that no human king will ever thoroughly fulfill the descriptions of the ideal king. Instead, it points forward canonically to the perfect king, Jesus Christ. Proverbs does point out that some human kings will do what is unrighteous. When kings fall into sin, it is made clear that their kingdoms will suffer the consequences. It also reminds us that not all kings will be wise. Those who are not wise will pursue pleasure, promote evil, abandon stewardship, and abandon the justice of their people.
Wise Observations about Life – Proverbs also advises its readers about daily living. The daily living proverbs cannot be separated from God’s created world. The observations made regarding daily living are intended to provoke people to actively seek out the wisdom of the Lord. These wisdom observations can include everything from economic matters to family matters to spiritual concerns.
The Future– Finally, the wise are known to consider their future and experience the pleasing consequences of their considerations. It is also important to be reminded that the proverbs are generalizations and not to be taken as promises. However, it can generally be said that decisions will have consequences and those that pursue righteousness will be rewarded. Proverbs also spends significant time discussing Eden and the “tree of life” as a metaphor for wisdom. Life is found both in God and in the fruit of His wisdom. Ultimately, these texts focus on a long and fruitful life on Earth. However, some may argue that these same texts are canonically pointing towards a long eternal life of wisdom found with our Heavenly King. Additionally, the role of land is a significant topic of discussion in Proverbs. The righteous are believed to inherit the land whereas the evil will be excluded from the inheritance. Both life and the land relate to our time on earth. However, the NT will take the same themes and relate them to an eternal future.
The New Testament & The Book of Proverbs – The personification of wisdom will be fulfilled and exceeded in the life of Jesus Christ Himself. He is not created and is of the wisdom of God. As a result, He exceeds any depiction of earthly wisdom. The consequences emphasized in Proverbs are related to the eternal blessings of the righteous and punishment of the wicked. The perfect king described in Proverbs will be seen in Jesus as wiser and greater than Solomon and ruler of the universe with the wisdom of God.
Conclusion – The core of Proverbs is an emphasis on wisdom as the fear of the Lord. Wisdom is intimately linked to the Torah and practical living of God’s people. The book points forwards to the perfect wise king, Jesus Christ.
Themes: Fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. Living wisely demands keeping the law of God. God’s justice is inevitable. The wicked will fall in divine retribution and earthly punishment. God gifts wisdom. Wisdom comes from knowing God’s divine Word.