Proverbs Introduction

5 A wise man will hear and increase in learning, And a man of understanding will acquire wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and a figure, The words of the wise and their riddles.

Proverbs 1:7 NASB95

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

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of sayings intended for the listener to be a guide for daily life, in general. IT is chock full of meaty morsels about wisdom and our passage tonight is to whet the appetite of the reader, regardless of their position in Christ or longevity, maturity in Christ.

Did the prologue grab your attention? What did you see, what did you notice, what stuck out to you?

The book overall covers a variety of topics, attitudes, relationships, and positions including wealth, poverty and power. It also covers personal activities, personal life, business life, family life and community life.

In the prologue it challenges us to commit ourselves to obtain wisdom and why.

Before getting to much into the prologue I want to touch on a couple more things. All scripture is God breathed (2Tim3:16)

2 Timothy 3:16 ESV

16 All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness,

Not all scripture has the same purpose, or the same literary form. All have value and have been brought together by God for man’s knowledge, wisdom, application.

Literary styles and purpose vary as mentioned.

= gives information about God (Father, Son and Holy Spirit) and how each one plays a part in our redemption.

= Shows, via David, how we should trust God and rest in Him in times of great distress

= Well this is a narrative form used to show how God is faithful and works things out historically and would then too!

Purpose of the Proverbs - To give prudence (v.4)

The purpose is given in (v.4) to give prudence (it goes on to say to who, we will get to that shortly)

The results of the

It is the intention of the writer that all may come to have wisdom and application and the importance of it, as well as the responsibility of passing on the knowledge that leads to wisdom, understanding and application.

The wisdom noted (v.2) and throughout is:

Practical (Exo28:3; Psm107:27)

This includes the idea of common sense, the ability to know, cope, deal with everyday life and it’s issues and challenges

This includes the idea of common sense, the ability to know, cope, deal with everyday life and it’s issues and challenges. It also can refer to practical occupational skills (see Exo28:3 and Psm107:27)

Intellectual

This is implied in words like understanding and knowledge that you see throughout the Proverbs and throughout the bible.

Moral

Wisdom is moral, meaning because of wisdom you know, or should know, right from wrong. Know how to apply self-control. You can see this principle indicated in terms like “right and fair” and “discipline” used in the Proverbs.

In the times of the proverbs, the people were intrigued at riddles and you will find that the proverbs draw the reader in to the mysteries of life.

You will notice terms like “parables” and “riddles”. Though the biblical writer and biblical wisdom seeks to resolve or at least adjust to the ambiguities of life. It seeks for people to know the reality that is behind the appearances of things. And that the believer can know the mysteries that the outsiders cannot. Remember we need spiritual eyes (Mt13:10-17)

Matthew 13:10–11 NASB95

10 And the disciples came and said to Him, “Why do You speak to them in parables?” 11 Jesus answered them, “To you it has been granted to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it has not been granted.

Matthew 13:12–13 NASB95

12 “For whoever has, to him more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has shall be taken away from him. 13 “Therefore I speak to them in parables; because while seeing they do not see, and while hearing they do not hear, nor do they understand.

Matthew 13:14–15 NASB95

14 “In their case the prophecy of Isaiah is being fulfilled, which says, ‘You will keep on hearing, but will not understand; You will keep on seeing, but will not perceive; 15 For the heart of this people has become dull, With their ears they scarcely hear, And they have closed their eyes, Otherwise they would see with their eyes, Hear with their ears, And understand with their heart and return, And I would heal them.’

Matthew 13:16–17 NASB95

16 “But blessed are your eyes, because they see; and your ears, because they hear. 17 “For truly I say to you that many prophets and righteous men desired to see what you see, and did not see it, and to hear what you hear, and did not hear it.

Don’t be a fool!

Don’t be a fool and deny the free gift of wisdom that is offered through the Bible, through the proverbs that are practical (applicable).

Proverbs 1:7 NASB95

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

Fools despise wisdom, but the proverbs are written so you may know the fear of th e Lord because of what you receive from the proverbs.

While the proverbs are a generalization they do have some exceptions (i.e. 1Pt3:13-14)

1 Peter 3:13–14 NASB95

13 Who is there to harm you if you prove zealous for what is good? 14 But even if you should suffer for the sake of righteousness, you are blessed. And do not fear their intimidation, and do not be troubled,

So the wisdom that Peter is conveying is do good, keep doing good, if you suffer for the sake of righteousness you are blessed and keep doing good. Trust God, God has a purpose for everything, even when we don’t know or see the purpose at the time (insert personal illustration; move to Dickens TX)

Proverbs are not to be taken as divine promises or guarantees, but they do with the normal course of events in our lives. They speak to us how things, in general, work out in the human experience. Don’t be a fool and try to figure everything out nor deny the importance of the proverbs we find in the Bible.

The prologue to the proverbs have some important terms used along the way that we want to look at

Instruction (vv.2-3); Understanding (vv.2, 5, 6)

Understanding (vv.2, 5, 6)

Wisdom (v.3); Prudence (v.4); Knowledge (vv.2, 4)

Prudence (v.4)

Knowledge (vv.2, 4)

Discretion (v.4); Learning (v.5); and wise counsel (v.5)

Proverbs: Give instruction (vv.2-3)

Learning (v.5)

Proverbs 1:2–3 NKJV

2 To know wisdom and instruction, To perceive the words of understanding, 3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, Justice, judgment, and equity;

and wise counsel (v.5)

To receive instruction, to know instruction would include correction and discipline when and if you were to look at the root word in the Hebrew - it is seen in many times in the proverbs (30 times or more) and it expresses the painful process of garnering wisdom.

Proverbs: Give understanding (vv.2, 5, 6)

Proverbs 1:5–6 NKJV

5 A wise man will hear and increase learning, And a man of understanding will attain wise counsel, 6 To understand a proverb and an enigma, The words of the wise and their riddles.

This is the ability to look at the heart of an issue, to discern the truth, to discern the choices, the differences at stake and to be able to chose wisely.

Proverbs: Give prudence (v.4)

noun: prudence; plural noun: prudences

the quality of being prudent; cautiousness. "we need to exercise prudence in such important matters"synonyms:wisdom, judgment, good judgment, common sense, sense, sagacity, shrewdness, advisability

We need to have the virtues listed in (v.3) and put to practice here with prudence in (v.4)

Proverbs: Gives knowledge (vv.2, 4; see Hos2:20; Jer10:14; Jn17:3; 1Jn2:3-4)

Proverbs 1:4 NASB95

4 To give prudence to the naive, To the youth knowledge and discretion,

I don’t think anyone can say that the bible is not about giving knowledge, it is seen all throughout the bible

Hosea 2:20 NASB95

20 And I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness. Then you will know the Lord.

Jeremiah 10:14 NASB95

14 Every man is stupid, devoid of knowledge; Every goldsmith is put to shame by his idols; For his molten images are deceitful, And there is no breath in them.

then there is good knowledge

John 17:3 NASB95

3 “This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.

and

1 John 2:3–4 NASB95

3 By this we know that we have come to know Him, if we keep His commandments. 4 The one who says, “I have come to know Him,” and does not keep His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him;

We come to know Him through knowledge! it appears more than 70 times throughout the proverbs in terms like “fear of the Lord” found in (v.7) - this is knowing and doing what God requires as fervently and consistently as possible.

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Other scriptures referenced in this section: Hos2:20; Jer10:14; Jn17:3; 1Jn2:3-4; Deu32:2; Pro7:21; 2Tim2:2)

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Discretion (v.4)

This is the prudent planning with the appropriate knowledge, instruction, discernment and understanding, as well as instruction.

Learning (v.5; Deu32:2; Pro7:21 and 2Tim2:2)

This is to take grasp of, to take hold of, to embrace the comprehension of the truth so as to be able to teach it to others.

Deuteronomy 32:2 NKJV

2 Let my teaching drop as the rain, My speech distill as the dew, As raindrops on the tender herb, And as showers on the grass.

Proverbs 7:21 NASB95

21 With her many persuasions she entices him; With her flattering lips she seduces him.

in the negative sense you can look at Pro7:21, but in the positive

2 Timothy 2:2 NKJV

2 And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Wise Counsel (v.5)

This is simple to get accurate guidance; sound advise/counsel to help stay the right course to obtain the right end result.

Yes, speaking to you

So who are the Proverbs written to? We can look at the prologue and see.

The simple (v.4)

This is the one who is naive, easily influenced, or easily seduced. Or in other words who have no root system!

The youngman (v.4)

This is a parallel to the the simple, the one who now has roots, tender roots that are there, but not strong who can be influenced or seduced.

Then there is the other end of the spectrum, the ones who are

The wise and the understanding (v.5)

The ones who have received, know, discern and apply the wisdom they have received. These are the veterans, the mature, those who have learned to endure.

How about the fools, there is a lot of passages dealing with fools, who are they?

The simple fool, the one who is still reachable and teachable (1:4, 1:22)

The hardened fool, this is the one who is obstinate ( 1:7)

The arrogant fool, this is the scoffer of all attempts at enlightenment (3:34)

The brutish fool; insensible, stupid one (17:21)

Tell me what it’s all about

The subject matter, theme(s) found in Proverbs covers a wide range of topics.

Domestic life

Relationship life (parents, children, husband, wife)

Friendships

Social evils

Social obligations

Poverty, caring for the poor

Laziness as well as wealth

Proverbs may be couched in playful language but its aim is deadly serious. This is not training for a game show or a sporting event, but for recruiting, training in righteousness for this generation and the ones to come.

All this lead to the fundamental principal of the Proverbs is to teach biblical wisdom, to know the fear of the Lord, while many may reject, and will reject the God of wisdom, don’t be a fool yourself! Pursue wisdom and teach it to others!