THE BOOK OF PROVERBS

INTRODUCTION:

1.Other nations besides Israel had “wisdom literature,” much of it was good; But nothing approaches the wealth of this BOOK.

2.TITLE: Latin PRO VERBA (“for words”); This is condensation: “Many into few” -- Much wisdom in few words.

3.Collection of maxims (sayings) and axioms (rules generally accepted as true).

a.A short saying which condenses the wisdom of experience.

b.Brief axiomatic statements; For the most part the statements are unconnected.

c.Eastern teaching emphasized constant repetition; That makes the lessons stick in one’s mind.

4.Like PSALMS, this is not historical; Therefore difficult to summarize.

5.Appeals to WISDOM (“skill in living”); More than intelligence.

a.Ordering of life by God’s Word; Not education or attainments.

b.Begins with reverence and shows the need for reverence - Pro 1:7; 9:10; cf Job 28:18; Psa 111:10.

6.AUTHORS: Solomon; Some unidentified “wise men”; And two men named Agur and King Lemuel.

a.Solomon was well-qualified - 1Kg 3:5-14; 4:29-34.

b.Solomon’s marriages to idolaters led him into compromise - 1Kg 11:1-4,9-11.

c.He had many personal failings, but the benefit of his wisdom is preserved in his writing.

d.Only about eight hundred of his three thousand proverbs are included in this BOOK.

e.He is the principal writer, as David was of PSALMS, so this BOOK is often called “Proverbs Of Solomon” - cf 1:1.

7.DATE: Collected over a period of three hundred years (from about 1,000 to 700 BC).

8.PRACTICAL: Teaches skillful living of everyday life -- Some of the subjects dealt with: Wisdom and foolishness; Truth and falsehood; Slothfulness; Intemperance; Contentiousness; Virtue; Righteousness; Fear of God; Knowledge; Morality; Diligence; Self-control; Trust in God; Tithes; Proper use of riches; Consideration of the poor; Control of the tongue; Kindness to enemies; Choice of companions; Avoiding the bad woman; Praise of the good woman; Training of children; Industry;

Honesty; Laziness; Justice; Helpfulness; Contentment; Cheerfulness; Reverence;
Common sense; The righteous and the wicked; Pride and humility; Justice and vengeance; The family; Poverty and wealth; Friends and neighbors; Love and lust; Anger and strife; Masters and servants; Life and death; Honoring the Lord; Nature; Good judgment; Positive thinking; Humorous situations. (Doubtful that any facet of human relationships can be thought of that is not dealt with, at least in principle.)

9.THEME: Chapter 1:7; Stand in awe of His Righteousness and Majesty; Trust Him.

a.There is a universal / comprehensive tone to the Book; It talks to everyone about how to live an honest and fruitful life.

b.It shows the things God commanded are proved by experience to be best for us -- The essence of wisdom is to believe Him and to fear Him.

c.The Book contains many easily understood and easily memorized statements about real-life experiences -- It “gets down where we live.”

d.Read them slowly and thoughtfully, in small sections (“overloading is the enemy of remembering” -- Baxter).

e.“A proverb is a wise saying in which a few words are chosen instead of many, with a design to condense wisdom into a brief form both to aid memory and stimulate study. Hence proverbs are not only ‘wise sayings,’ but ‘dark sayings’ -- parables, in which wisdom is disguised in a figurative or enigmatic form like a deep well, from which instruction is to be drawn, or a rich mine, from which it is to be dug. Only profound meditation will reveal what is hidden in these moral and spiritual maxims.”

-- Arthur Pierson.

1.PREPARATION FOR WISDOM -- CHAPTERS 1-9.

A.PURPOSE AND THEME, 1:1-7.

1.1:2a,3-5, To impart moral discernment and discretion.

2.1:2b,6, To develop mental clarity and perception.

3.So it begins with a fundamental skill: Practical righteousness.

a.It soon shows this to require knowledge, experience, and willingness to put God first - 3:1-7.

b.Preparing for eternity is most important; But God wants us to be successful now -- Here are revealed some keys to successful living.

c.No “Success Guidebook” better than this for young people.

B.FATHER’S EXHORTATIONS ON WISDOM, 1:8-9:18.

1.1:8,10,15; 2:1; 3:1,11,21; 4:10,20; 5:1; 6:1,20; 7:1, This is a series of thirteen exhortations, each of them beginning with “MY SON”.

2.1:20-23, Introduces the concept of WISDOM; A father persuading his son to follow the path of wisdom in order to achieve godly success in life; Wisdom is here personified.

3.Chapter 2, More instruction to the pupil about the need for wisdom in order to live a happy life, and live it in the company of good (not evil) people.

4.Chapters 3-4, Wisdom rejects the invitation of crime and foolishness; It rewards those who seek it; Its discipline gives freedom and safety.

5.Chapters 5-7, Wisdom protects one from sexual sins and the consequences of them, and from foolishness and laziness.

6.Chapters 8-9, Wisdom is better than foolishness because it comes from God, and gives rich benefits (8:32-36, Here is a good summary of blessings).

7.The fool (cf Psa 14:1) is not mentally deficient; He just thinks he is self-sufficient, ordering his life as if there were no God to Whom he is accountable (note the words “IN HIS HEART”).

2.PRINCIPLES OF WISDOM -- CHAPTERS 10-29.

A.PROVERBS OF SOLOMON (FIRST COLLECTION), 10:1-22:16.

1.This is a long section of miscellaneous proverbs, discussing the ordinary things of life; Bright in tone; Praising virtue; Possibly written during the early part of Solomon’s reign.

2.This First Collection contains three hundred seventy-five Proverbs Of Solomon.

3.A few short thematic clusters, but mostly one-verse maxims.

4.Chapters 10-15, A contrast between right and wrong; All but nineteen of these proverbs use Antithetic Parallelism (For example, see 10:23-25).

5.16:1-22:16, These are moral axioms; All but eighteen use Synonymous Parallelism (For example, see 16:16-18).

B.WORDS OF WISE MEN, 22:17-24:34.

1.Seems to have been written by sages other than Solomon.

2.22:17-24:22, First group; It has thirty sayings.

3.24:23-34, Second group; It has six sayings.

4.Many times we get involved in many things we should avoid, and would avoid if we were wise.

C.PROVERBS OF SOLOMON (SECOND COLLECTION), 25:1-29:27.

1.25:1, These were collected by Hezekiah’s men.

2.They further develop the themes of the First Collection.

3.PRACTICE OF WISDOM -- CHAPTERS 30-31.

A.Chapters 30, WORDS OF AGUR, Several clusters of proverbs by an Author who is otherwise unidentified.

B.31:1-9, WORDS OF KING LEMUEL, He is also otherwise Unknown.

C.31:10-31, ALPHABET OF A VIRTUOUS WOMAN.

1.This is an anonymous acrostic poem built on twenty-two letters of the Hebrew Alphabet.

2.It is the portrait of a Good Woman (It was unique in ancient literature to give a high view of womanhood; Those who criticize the Bible for “degrading women” need to read this before they accuse!)

a.Verses 13,19,25, She is a good woman.

b.Verses 11-12,16,23-24, She is a good wife.

c.Verses 14-15,18,21,27, She is a good mother.

d.Verses 20,26, She is a good neighbor.

e.Verses 28-31, She is deserving of high honor.

f.NOTE: Contrast her conduct, her concern, her speech, and her future with that of the harlot in Chapter 7.

g.A GOOD WIFE, by Jeremy Taylor: “A good wife is heaven’s best gift to man; his angel of mercy; minister of graces innumerable; his gem of many virtues; his casket of jewels; her voice, his sweetest music; her smiles, his brightest day; her kiss, the guardian of innocence; her arms, the pale of his safety, the balm of his health, the balsam of his life; her industry, his surest wealth; her economy, his safest steward; her lips, his faithful counselors; her prayers, the ablest advocate of Heaven’s blessings on his head.”

**PROVERBS IN FIVE WORDS:

Principles And Practice Of Wisdom.

**CONTRIBUTION OF THE BOOK OF PROVERBS TO THE BIBLE:

1.The New Testament has at least fourteen quotations from or allusions to The Book of PROVERBS.

2.PROVERBS deals with important principles of life which are emphasized throughout the Bible; Consider One example, THE POWER OF THE TONGUE:

a.16:13, Keep your words honest: “Righteous lips are the delight of kings; and they love him that speaketh right.”

b.15:2, Always be sensible in speech: “The tongue of the wise useth knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools poureth out foolishness.”

c.17:27-28, Let your words be few: “He that hath knowledge spareth his words: and a man of understanding is of an excellent spirit. Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise; and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.”

d.15:1, Speak calmly when under pressure: “A soft answer turneth away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger.”

e.12:18-19; 8:21, Some powerful, everlasting differences: “There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health. The lip of truth shall be established for ever: but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” -- “Death and life are in the power of the tongue.”

f.26:20-28, Rich, common-sense instruction: “Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no tale-bearer, the strife ceaseth. As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation. Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin.”

**CHRIST IN THE BOOK OF PROVERBS:

Christ is WISDOM, in PERSON - Col 2:3; 1Cor 1:30,22-24.

**CONCLUSION:

1.The Book of Proverbs makes clear the Bible doctrine that there are only two choices in life: (1) WISE; (2) FOOLISH.

2.The Savior distills this teaching to its basics - Mt 7:24-27.

3.Upon what foundation have we chosen to build? Where are YOU AND I now building? - Ac 18:8.