Benjamin Galan - Proverbs: Biblical Wisdom for Today

The printed version of this eBook is the Proverbs pamphlet, ISBN-13: 9781596363960

Author: Benjamin Galan, MTS, ThM, Adjunct Professor of OT Hebrew and Literature at Fuller Seminary

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION.NIV. 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society. Used by permission of Zondervan Publishing House. All rights reserved.

It is illegal to photocopy, transmit electronically, post on the internet, or reproduce this pamphlet in whole or in part in any form.

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• Gives a fantastic overview of the entire book of Proverbs and includes discussion questions for personal or group use in less than 30 minutes.
• Explains how to avoid 3 common mistakes people make when reading Proverbs. Plus, it explains how Bible proverbs are different from other proverbs from ancient times.
• Covers key verses and themes of the proverbs, such as wisdom, relationships, money, speech, character, honor, and kingship.

An apple a day keeps the doctor away... We all have heard or used some of these pithy sayings at one point or another. They express popular wisdom about the world that anyone can understand and apply. Their content expresses an observation about nature or society or advice concerning behavior or making choices.

People understand that following the advice of these wise sayings will help one to live a better life. Part of their effectiveness lies in their brevitythey are easy to remember. These sayings are most effective when we quote them at the right moment and in the right circumstances.

Proverbs are short, memorable sayings that generalize on human experience to communicate an experiential truth.

Although we all recognize that these bits of wisdom are helpful, they are not universal or always applicable. While generally an apple a day keeps the doctor away, we all know that some serious illnesses require immediate medical attention. In other words, we all recognize the limits of popular wisdom.

In the following pages, we will learn about biblical proverbs from the book of Proverbs: their background, hints and steps for interpretations, main themes, and connections with the New Testament and the church today.

wisdom

Wisdom is often defined as the ability to make godly choices. In the Bible, wisdom is tightly connected to creation. The way God created the universe has a direct effect on the way nature and society behave. In an important sense, wisdom is the ability to see life and the world the way God sees them. Wisdom is practical knowledge that allows people to live fully.

proverb

Proverb is a short, memorable saying that communicates an observation of the world or experience that helps one live better. The Hebrew word behind it is mashal . Among its meanings are: to rule and to compare or liken. The wisdom of proverbs helps wise people to master the art of godly living, as well as to discern how our lives and our behavior are connected with Gods creation.

• Proverbs 1:1, 10:1, and 25:1 affirm that King Solomon, King Davids son, was the main author.
• Proverbs 25:1 also affirms that the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied them.
• The book also recognizes other contributors: Wise men (22:17; 24:23), Agur (30:1), and Lemuel (31:1). Nothing is known about these writers.
• We read in 1 Kings 4:32 that Solomon wrote three thousand proverbs.

The structure of the book gives us an overview of the content and themes. The main sections of the book of Proverbs are:

1. Introduction to the book (1:17)
2. Instructions and warnings (1:89:18)
3. First collection of Solomons proverbs (10:122:16)
4. First collection of the words of the wise (22:1724:22)
5. Second collection of the words of the wise (24:2334)
6. Second collection of Solomons proverbs (25:129:27)
7. The words of Agur (30)
8. The words of Lemuel (31:19)
9. Poem of the virtuous woman (31:1031)

fear of the Lord

The Bible is clear that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge (1:7). In the Bible, the starting point of wisdom and its end-goal are an all-embracing relationship with God, the L ORD of the covenant. The fear of the L ORD is not a sense of terror but of reverence. In other words, it is a deep sense of who God is and who we are in relation to him. It is a deep understanding that God is the creator, sustainer, savior, judge, and owner of the whole universe. This knowledge is a relational knowledge that affects our behavior. The psalmist explains, The Lord delights in those who fear him, who put their hope in his unfailing love (Ps. 147:11). Fearing the L ORD , then, takes the form of trust: trust in Gods faithfulness to his promises as creator, redeemer, savior, and judge.

Wisdom We can read the whole book as an appeal to choose wisdom over all other things.

Understanding Humanity Wisdom teaching is directed to all people. Proverbs is an invitation to accurately identify the source of all wisdom, neither over- nor underestimating human wisdom. In the book of Proverbs we learn about humans: