Proverbs, Part I

1
Proverbs, Part I

• Instructions
• Sayings

2
Structure

• I. Introduction 11-7
• II. Instructions on Wisdom 18-918
• III. First Collection of Solomonic
  Sayings 101-2216
• IV. Sayings of the Wise 2217-2422
• V. Further Sayings of the Wise 2423-34
• VI. Second Solomonic Collection 251-2927
• VII. Sayings of Agur ( others) 301-33
• VIII. Sayings of Lemuel 311-9
• IX. The Excellent Wife 3110-31

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11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Proverbs 11
• Proverbs (mashal--??????)
• Similitude, short saying, instruction, poem,
  allegory, or riddle

4
11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Premise The student should recognize that
  proverbs are by nature a bit anecdotal. A mistake
  often made by biblical students, teachers, and
  preachers is transforming proverbs into laws.
  Proverbs are a guide, rather than a concrete
  promise.

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11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Proverbs of Solomon
• Statement of Origin
• Statement of Collection
• Statement of Authority

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11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Purpose
• Prov. 12-4 To know wisdom and instruction,
• To discern the sayings of understanding,
• To receive instruction in wise behavior,
  Righteousness, justice and equity
• To give prudence to the naive,
• To the youth knowledge and discretion (NASB)
• Attaining practical wisdom

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11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Prov. 15-6 Let the wise listen and add to their
  learning,
• and let the discerning get guidance--
• for understanding proverbs and parables,
• the sayings and riddles of the wise.
• Purpose
•  Teaching wisdom
• Discipline, understanding, learning, and
  guidance suggest the process of learning.
• Proverbs, parables, saying, and riddles.
• --Riddles PS 494 I will turn my ear to a
  proverb with the harp I will expound my riddle.

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11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Purpose
• Prov. 12-4 To know wisdom and instruction,
• To discern the sayings of understanding,
• To receive instruction in wise behavior,
  Righteousness, justice and equity. (NASB)
• Living moral lives
• Right (??????), just (?????????), and fair
  (from ??????)

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11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Audience
• PR 14-5 for giving prudence to the simple,
• knowledge and discretion to the young--
• let the wise listen and add to their learning,
• and let the discerning get guidance--
• The simple or naïve
• easily led astray and confused
•  The youth
• Lacked experience and training
• The wise and the understanding
• still growing learning

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11-7Intro. to Proverbs

• Prov. 17
• The fear of the LORD is the beginning of
  knowledge
• fools despise wisdom and instruction. (ESV)
• Developing a strong foundation (17)
• The center of character is in his or her relation
  to God. And for Proverbs, that proper
  relationship is fear, submission, humility,
  reverence, and the acknowledgement that all
  wisdom is divinely generated (W. Brown,
  Character in Crisis, 1996, 28-29).

11
Instructions for leaving home

• 18-9 Listen, my son, to your father's
  instruction
• and do not forsake your mother's teaching.
• They will be a garland to grace your head
• and a chain to adorn your neck.
• 110-16Do not stray
• PR 110 My son, if sinners entice you, do not
  give in.
• PR 115-16 my son, do not go along with them, do
  not set foot on their paths for their feet rush
  into sin, they are swift to shed blood.

12
Instructions for leaving home

• 117-19Self-destruction
• PR 118-19 These men lie in wait for their own
  blood
• they waylay only themselves!
• Such is the end of all who go after ill-gotten
  gain
• it takes away the lives of those who get it.

13
Instructions for finding wisdom

• 21-11 is a call to find wisdom.
• PR 21-4 My son, if you accept my words
• and store up my commands within you,
• turning your ear to wisdom
• and applying your heart to understanding,
• and if you call out for insight and cry aloud for
  understanding,
• and if you look for it as for silver
• and search for it as for hidden treasure,

14
Instructions for finding wisdom

• 21-11 is a call to find wisdom.
• It is an all-out search! Why?
• PR 25 then you will understand the fear of the
  LORD
• and find the knowledge of God.
• PR 29 Then you will understand what is right and
  just and fair--every good path.
• PR 211 Discretion will protect you, and
  understanding will guard you.
• PR 26 For the LORD gives wisdom,
• and from his mouth come knowledge and
  understanding.

15
Warning against the Evil Woman

• 71-5A call to cling to wisdom understanding.
• 1 My son, keep my words and treasure up my
  commandments with you
• 2 keep my commandments and live keep my teaching
  as the apple of your eye
• 3 bind them on your fingers write them on the
  tablet of your heart.

16
Warning against the Evil Woman

• 75
• Say to wisdom, You are my sister, and call
  insight your intimate friend (ESV).
• Sister and intimate friend
• And call understanding your intimate friend
  (NASB)
• and call understanding your kinsman (NIV)
• call insight your intimate friend (NRSV),
• From yada (?????), know lover?

17
Warning against the Evil Woman

• 75
• to keep you from the forbidden woman,
• from the adulteress with her smooth words (ESV).
• Lit., strange/alien and foreign/alien women.
• She tempts with her smooth/slippery words.

18
Warning against the Evil Woman

• 76-23An example of failure
• PR 721 With much seductive speech she persuades
  him with her smooth talk she compels (impels?)
  him (ESV).

19
Warning against the Evil Woman

• 76-23An example of failure
• PR 722-23 All at once he followed her
• like an ox going to the slaughter, like a deer
  stepping into a noose like a bird darting into a
  snare, till an arrow pierces his liver, little
  knowing it will cost him his life.

20
Warning against the Evil Woman

• 724-27A final plea
• 726-27 Many are the victims she has brought
  down
• her slain are a mighty throng.
• Her house is a highway to the grave (Sheol),
• leading down to the chambers of death.
• Ugaritic Anath plunges knee-deep in the blood
  of knights/hip deep in the gore of heroes.

21
Warning against the Evil Woman

• What answer exists to this evil woman?
• Wisdom understanding.

22
Warning against the Evil Woman

• The modern temptress?!

23
Warning against the Evil Woman

• The modern temptress?!

24
Warning against the Evil Woman

• The modern temptress?!

25
Warning against the Evil Woman

• Why do we give in?

26
Warning against the Evil Woman

• Why do we give in?

27
Warning against the Evil Woman

• Why do we give in?

28
Warning against the Evil Woman

• How do we avoid giving in?

29
Warning against the Evil Woman

• How do we avoid giving in?

30
Warning against the Evil Woman

• How do we avoid giving in?

31
81-36 Speech of Lady Wisdom

• 810-11
• Choose my instruction instead of silver,
• Knowledge rather than choice gold,
• For wisdom is more precious than rubies,
• And nothing you desire can compare with her.
• 812
• I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence
• I possess knowledge and discretion.

32
81-36 Speech of Lady Wisdom

• 820
• I walk in the way of righteousness,
• along the paths of justice,
• 821
• Bestowing wealth on those who love me
• And making their treasuries full.

33
822-31 Wisdom Creation

• 822-23--The Lord brought me forth as the first
  of his works, before his deeds of old I was
  appointed from eternity, from the beginning,
  before the world began.
• He is the image of the invisible God, the
  firstborn over all creation. . . . He is before
  all things, and in Him all things hold together
  (Col. 115, 17).

34
822-31 Wisdom Creation

• 830I was the craftsman at his side.
• By wisdom the LORD laid the earths foundations,
  by understanding he set the heavens in place by
  his knowledge the deeps were divided, and the
  clouds let drop the dew (319-20).
• By him all things were created, all things were
  created by him and for him (Col. 116).
• We preach Christ crucified Christ the power
  of God and the wisdom of God (1 Cor. 123-24).
• Wisdom understanding were the basis for
  creation.

35
835-36--Wisdom Life

• Whoever finds me finds life and receives favor
  from the LORD. But whoever fails to find me harms
  himself all who hate me love death.
• Now choose life, so that you and your children
  may live and that you may love the LORD your God,
  listen to his voice, and hold fast to him.
• (Deut. 3019-20)
• You diligently study the Scriptures because you
  think that by them you possess eternal life. . .
  . But you refuse to come to me to have life.
• (John 539-40)