Reading: Theme and Opening Lectures (Video Slides)

#21 Introduction to the Book of Proverbs, Part 1:

Theme and Opening Lectures on Wisdom and Folly

How do we enter Proverbs?

• We need to think in terms of the process of developing a moral lifestyle: education.
• The word “proverb” is from a Latin term which means “for a verb.” In other words, these are “words” which take the place of “more words,” or concise distillations of wisdom compacted into a few phrases.
• The worldview of Genesis and Exodus is assumed, though never explicitly stated.
• We must understand the power of Hebrew poetry, especially antithetic parallelism, to summarize key moral concepts.
• We must pay attention to the careful development of the collection in its final form.

Proverbs Overview

• Prologue: the purpose of Proverbs (1:1-7)
• Lectures on Wisdom & Folly (1:8-9:18)
• Collections of Proverbs: (10:1-31:9)
  - “The Proverbs of Solomon” (10:1-22:16)
  - “Sayings of the Wise” (22:17-24:22)
  - “More Sayings of the Wise” (24:23-34)
  - “More Proverbs of Solomon” (25:1-29:27)
  - “The Sayings of Agur” (30:1-23)
  - “The Sayings of King Lemuel” (31:1-9)
• Epilogue: “The Wife of Noble Character” (31:10-31)

Prologue

Proverbs 1:1-7

The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel:

For learning about wisdom and instruction,
   for understanding words of insight,
for gaining instruction in wise dealing,
   righteousness, justice, and equity;
to teach shrewdness to the simple,
   knowledge and prudence to the young—
let the wise also hear and gain in learning,
   and the discerning acquire skill,
to understand a proverb and a figure,
   the words of the wise and their riddles.

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge;
   fools despise wisdom and instruction.

How do we enter Proverbs?

• Key Metaphor:
  BOY MEETS GIRL!

• In fact, we might say:
  BOY MEETS TWO GIRLS!

Lectures on Wisdom & Folly
 1:8-9:18

• Both “Wisdom” & “Folly” are feminine nouns in the Hebrew language.
• Thus the use of the literary device, “My son, listen to my words,” is intentional. All readers/hearers are the “son” (masculine) who is courted by two women (feminine “Wisdom” & “Folly”). At the end of these lectures all must choose which woman to be with. Wisdom brings stability and well-being; Folly offers quick experiences and tragic ends.
• The “lectures” are carefully planned & written:
  • Enticement to Perverse Ways (1:8-19)
  • Wisdom’s Call (1:20-33)
    • Benefits of Wisdom (2:1-22) [22 poetic lines]
    • Benefits & Specific Instructions (3:1-20) [20]
    • Benefits & Specific Instructions (3:21-35) [15]
    • Benefits of Wisdom (4:1-27) [27]   [total of 84]

• • • Warning against Adultery (5:1-23) [23]
    • Warning against Perverse Ways (6:1-19) [20]
    • Warning against Adultery (6:20-35) [16]
    • Warning against Adultery (7:1-27) [27]   [total of 86]

• • Wisdom’s Call (8:1-36)
  • Wisdom’s Invitation & Folly’s Enticement (9:1-18)

Seeing the Big Picture

• While much of the book of Proverbs exists as very brief (usually two-line antithetic parallelism) nuggets about living wisely, these only make sense after reading and understanding the “Lectures on Wisdom and Folly” (chapters 1-9) as a single unit.
• If, at the end of these lectures, we choose Folly as our life-companion, the rest of the book means nothing to us.
• If, however, at the end of these lectures, we choose Wisdom as our life-companion, the rest of the book is essentially the atmosphere in and furnishings of the house of Wisdom.
• In other words, the Proverbs themselves are the lifestyle of those who have committed to a life-time relationship with God, as manifested in the personification of Wisdom.