INTRODUCTION

RETURN TO SYLLABUS

PROVERBS
Lesson #01
INTRODUCTION

• A study of the book of Proverbs is a very different kind of study from other books in the Bible. It is very practical knowledge that hits you right where you live your life: in your home, in the workplace, in the marketplace, and in your personal relationships.
• It is as though God, the Father, takes you, his precious child, aside and says to you, “Because I love you, my child, this is how I want you to live your life so that you have a meaningful life that glorifies me, your Father.” (9:10)
• Proverbs in the Context of the Whole Bible:
  • The book of Proverbs is considered part of what is called Wisdom Literature and Poetry which includes:
    • Job — on suffering
    • Psalms — on worship
    • Proverbs — on wisdom
    • Ecclesiastes — on folly
    • Song of Solomon — on love
  • The priests were in charge of teaching and disseminating the Law of Moses.
  • The prophets were in charge of expounding the Word of God with warnings when not heeded.
  • The sage or wise man was in charge of imparting wisdom in its application to life. (1:6)
• Title of the Book:
  • In the Hebrew, this book is called The Proverbs of Solomon. (1:1)
  • What we have in this book are 513 proverbs. This is a small number compared to the total number of Solomon’s proverbs, over 3,000 of them.
    • Read 1Kin 4:30-32
    • What is a proverb?
      • The word proverb means = to be like.
        • It is a comparison between two very common things.
        • One thing with which you are familiar is placed next to another thing with which you may not be familiar. When you see the two relationships side by side, you gain knowledge of that which you did not know.
        • Proverbs are very much like parables in that they often have a hidden meaning but with less detail and in fewer words.
      • A proverb is a simple statement that teaches the fundamental truths about life. Generally they are moral statements from the heart of God.
      • While proverbs were common in many Middle Eastern cultures, nothing in Biblical Proverbs has ever been found to be unscientific.
      • Man’s proverbs often contradict each other: “Look before you leap”/ “He who hesitates is lost.” However, Biblical proverbs are never contradictory because they are God inspired.
• The Author:
  • Obviously, we have already determined that King Solomon is the author of the book simply because Solomon’s name appears in the title of the book and stated in chapter 1 verse 1.
  • However, there are a few of the proverbs by others, but these were people whose lives were probably influenced by King Solomon. (Ecc 12:9)
  • As the author of the book, Solomon also compiled many proverbs that were already in existence in Israel before he became king. Therefore, the book is divided in this way:
    • Proverbs 1-9 written by King Solomon.
    • Proverbs 10-22:16 compiled by King Solomon.
    • Proverbs 22:17-24:34 written by others before King Solomon.
    • Proverbs 25-29 written by King Solomon but included later in the collection by King Hezekiah who put the book in its final form.
  • Who was Solomon and what do we know about him?
    • Solomon’s father was King David, Israel’s best king. His mother was Bathsheba.
    • Solomon inherited the throne from his father so he had the best model of a father and a king. He reigned 40 years from 971 BC to 931 BC.
    • Solomon started out well with privilege and opportunity, but gradually he let his many wives and concubines influence him spiritually until he fell away from God. The lavish lifestyle in the palace did not help to keep him grounded in the wisdom of God.
      • As a young man Solomon asked God for wisdom instead of wealth and prestige.
        • Read 2Chr 1:1-12 (1Kin 3:9-12)
        • 1Kin 4:29-34
        • God was so pleased with Solomon’s heart attitude that He gave Solomon wisdom, wealth, and honor.
      • Solomon’s most famous legal case was the dispute between two women over a child.
        • Solomon needed to determine which was the mother of the child.
        • (1King 3)
      • Solomon’s kingdom was the largest and wealthiest in Israel’s history. His reputation and wealth was known throughout the Middle East. (1Kin 4:33-34)
        • He even attracted the attention of the Queen of Sheba who came from Ethiopia to meet him.
        • To maintain such a vast kingdom, he thought it important to marry many foreign wives which were no more than arranged, political alliances. He thought that his neighboring nations would not attack Israel if his wife was from the nobility of that nation. He had 700 wives and 300 concubines.
        • These foreign wives and concubines were Solomon’s downfall because they brought their idols and foreign gods into the nation of Israel and into the royal palace. Eventually they ended up in the temple.
        • Read 1Kin 11:1-12
      • To King Solomon’s credit, he built the first temple to Jehovah in Jerusalem. It was a glorious temple embellished by gold everywhere.
    • The Proverbs represent Solomon’s early days of his relationship with God and the expression of God’s wisdom.
    • Solomon also wrote Psalm 72 and Psalm 127.
    • Solomon wrote the book Song of Solomon as a love song to his favorite wife.
    • Then his book of Ecclesiastes represents his fall into worldliness and the end result where he realized all was vanity.
  • How can we explain all of Solomon’s wisdom and yet he failed to live according to the knowledge of truth that God gave him?
    • The truth of God’s wisdom is not marred by Solomon’s failures.
    • Solomon taught his son Rehoboam God’s truth but Rehoboam rejected it. (1Kin 11-12)
      • God supplies what we need to live a successful life according to God’s plan.
      • However, man makes his own decisions as to what he will do with what God gives him.
      • In this world of temptations and deceptions it is easy to get sidetracked if we do not maintain that personal relationship with God who guides us if we will listen. Of such was Solomon’s life.
• Date for the Book of Proverbs:
  • Solomon wrote around the year 950 BC.
  • However, the book of Proverbs did not gain its final form until King Hezekiah around 700 BC.
• Probabilities to Those that Live According to God’s Wisdom:
  • The book of Psalms is loaded with the promises of God while the book of Proverbs is loaded with probabilities. In other words, proverbs are not promises nor are they absolute conclusions. They are probabilities, that if you follow them, probably things in your life will turn out well.
  • For example:
    • You will probably live a longer life, but it is not a guarantee. (9:11)
    • You will probably prosper. (2:20-22)
    • You will probably have joy in their life. (3:13-18)
  • The proverbs force man to look at his moral choices so that he manages his daily life in light of divine truth. And on the other side of the coin, the proverbs force us to consider the consequences of our choices when we reject God’s wisdom.
• Themes of the Book of Proverbs:
  • General Wisdom Literature
  • Insights From the Royal Palace
  • Instructions Between a Parent and a Child
• The Important Concept of Definitions:
  • Biblical definitions are extremely important to the study of this book. They are so important that we will use a dictionary of definitions written by your teacher as we go through the book. A copy of these definitions is at the end of this lesson.
    • All definitions are based on The American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster 1828 edition.
    • Why this edition?
      • Noah Webster was a believer in Jesus Christ. All of his definitions were originally filtered through scripture.
      • Later Webster dictionaries fell away from Noah Webster’s original concept of using the Bible in his definitions.
    • Over the years, words change and their meanings change to reflect a society that becomes more secular and less moral. If you use a modern dictionary for these definitions, you miss the moral content that God intended in the Proverbs. Because of that it was necessary to first write a dictionary to use with this book.
  • Because the book of Proverbs alternates and weaves two concepts, wisdom and folly, it is important to understand some basic definitions.
    • Many of these terms as used today seem to be identical which makes it difficult to understand exactly what Solomon is telling us. Therefore, we need to get more accurate Biblical definitions.
    • Also, some of these words found in Proverbs are no longer in use in language today. For example the word, froward.
• Style:
  • Parallelism:
    • Western poetry rhymes words, but Eastern poetry rhymes thoughts.
    • In Jewish wisdom literature there is a common style that we do not often see in English. It is called “parallelism”. As you get used to it, you will see that it is like a see-saw that goes up and down.
    • What is parallelism?
      • It is where two lines of thought either on the same theme or a contrasting theme run parallel with one another. The best way to understand this type of style is to see it in scripture.
      • Pro 2:2
      • “So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;”
        • The first parallel is the word “incline” which parallels the word “apply”.
        • The second parallel is the word “ear” which parallels the word “heart”.
        • The third parallel is the word “wisdom” which parallels the word “understanding”.
    • Parallelism can take four forms:
      • =1= The two lines can say the same thing but with slightly different words. The purpose is emphasis.
        • Pro 4:9
        •  ^“She shall give to thine head an ornament of grace: a crown of glory shall she deliver to thee.”
      • =2= A word picture in the first line illustrates the thought in the second line.
        • Pro 6: 27
        • “Can a man take fire in his bosom, and his clothes not be burned?”
      • =3= The second line adds to or completes the thought in the first line.
        • Pro 1:8
        • “My son, hear the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother:”
      • =4= The two lines contrast with each other. This occurs in Proverbs where the wisdom of the Lord is contrasted with the folly of the world.
        • Pro 8:8
        • “All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them.”
  • The style of the first nine chapters is different from the style beginning in chapter 10.
    • The first 9 chapters have a flow of thought that follows from verse to verse that expound on moral discipline.
    • Beginning in chapter 10 the proverbs seem random from verse to verse covering many different topics dealing with practical applications in every area of life.
• The Purpose of the book of Proverbs and our purpose in studying it:
  • God through Solomon wants us to know how to live life wisely with skill so as not to fall into the pitfalls of life.
    • In other words, living morally with God and with others.
    • Remember that Jesus said the two greatest commandments are to love God and to love others.
  • God’s purpose is to instill in the believer the “fear of the Lord”.
    • What is meant by “fear of the Lord”?
    • This word, “fear” means = an awesome reverence or respect for an all powerful, limitless God that controls everything in this world and in our lives.
• The key verse to the book of Proverbs:
  • Pro 1:7
  • “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” (7)
• You in the book of Proverbs:
  • Every character in the Bible is illustrated in the Proverbs.
  • There is a proverb that fits you. Maybe you will find it through this study.
• Christ in the book of Proverbs:
  • Every book of the Bible has some direct or indirect reference to Christ, and Proverbs is no exception.
  • In the book of Proverbs wisdom is personified and appears as a woman. Why a woman?
    • In reality wisdom is Jesus Christ. (1Cor 1:30)
    • Wisdom appears as a woman for several reasons:
      • The Bible uses the female form to depict religion. (Mystery Babylon in Rev 17 and 18)
      • Proverbs uses the female form to contrast with the “strange woman” of false religions.
• Outline of the book of Proverbs:
  • Counsel to my son from childhood to adulthood (1-9)
  • Moral Statements (10-31)
• Sources for our Study:
  • Bible-Studys.org: Proverbs by Ken Cayce
  • Through the Bible Commentary: Proverbs by J. Vernon McGee
  • MacLaren’s Commentary: Expositions of Holy Scripture by Alexander MacLaren
  • The Interpreters One Volume Commentary on the Bible; editor Charles M. Laymon
  • American Dictionary of the English Language by Noah Webster 1828 (used for all Biblical definitions)

Homework
Proverbs 1

• Preparation for Pro 1
  • Read Pro 1:1-7
    • What is the beginning of Knowledge?
  • Read Pro 1:8-9
    • This “grace on the head” in verse 9, means what?
  • Read Pro 1:10-14
    • In verse 10 we are told not to be enticed to sin. How is that our decision to make?
  • Read Pro 1:15-33
    • In verse 23, God is telling us to do what?
    • Those that reject the Lord will find the Lord doing what at their calamity?
• Memory Verse: Pro 1:7