Week 11

8/24/2025

Summer 2025

  • Central Passage: Proverbs, Godly instruction in wisdom and blessing

  • Check out the Middle School Sunday School Resources page for other books of the Bible resources. Note: the Proverbs handout will be available eventually.

 

Introduction

            Tim Keller said, “A proverb (Hebrew masal) is a “poetic, terse, vivid, thought-provoking saying that conveys a world of truth in a few words…they are observations about how life works.” They make normative claims about reality without having the exceptions to the rule invalidate their wisdom and practice. In other words, just because a godly person suffers due to the sin of others does not negate the truth of a proverb that claims that wisdom will reap its blessed rewards (more on this tension within the biblical wisdom literature later). As Keller pointed out, proverbs are thought-provoking and vivid—they often stick with you by their clever (or sometimes vulgar/blunt, cf. Prov 12:1; 26:11) presentation (Prov 26:14). I encourage families to read through Proverbs regularly. Since there are thirty-one chapters, reading through Proverbs in a month or two is entirely doable. Memorizing proverbs can also instill their wisdom in your household. To help in your reading of Proverbs, consider Proverbs’ outline, main ideas, and its relationship to other wisdom books..

 

Proverbs’ Outline and Main Ideas

            Proverbs 1-9 contains a series of discourses for wise living. Proverbs 10-29 contains short, pithy wisdom sayings. During this section, the verses are often disconnected from one another, so topical guides to this section of Proverbs can be helpful in navigating all of Proverbs’ teaching on a particular subject.[1] The final two chapters of Proverbs (30-31) are more of a discourse structure. Interestingly, in some arrangements of the Tanak, the Hebrew canon of Scripture preserved in the Masoretic text,[2] Ruth follows shortly after Proverbs because Ruth is an exemplar of the wise woman in Proverbs 31:10-31.[3]

            Since Proverbs is all about wisdom, it is appropriate to define wisdom and other appropriate terms that occur alongside it throughout Proverbs. Wisdom refers to skill. In the same way that a craftsman develops skill over time produced by experience, a skillful use of God’s word involves a broad range of experience in applying its principles and redemptive story.[4] It would not be inappropriate to say that wisdom is applied knowledge. Thus, Proverbs 1:2 establishes the purpose of this book: to know (by perceiving and experiencing) wisdom and instruction/discipline.

            For proverbs, to pursue wisdom is to pursue God (cf. Prov 1:7, 29; 9:10; 10:27; 15:33; 19:23). To pursue wisdom, one must fear God. As Proverbs 1 personifies wisdom, David Garrett comments, “Wisdom is not abstract, secular, or academic but personal and theological. To reject wisdom is to reject God.” In Proverbs 1:20-33, wisdom takes on the role and voice of God. This may not directly refer to wisdom as God Himself, but, at the very least, God’s wisdom governs creation in such a providential way that when the fool who has rejected discerning God’s wise ways is in the pit of destruction, he will search for a way out only to find that it is too late. The way of wisdom is the life of fearful worship, and this leads to life and blessing because this is the natural order of creation.

            The second word is instruction. This is not the Hebrew word torah (instruction)[5] but is instead another word, musar, meaning discipline, teaching, or chastening. The application of this is either verbal or physical chastisement/reproof. For instance, the discipline/instruction of the LORD in Deuteronomy 11:2 refers to His demonstrations of glory during the events of the Exodus; these events disciplined Israel to fear Him with holy fear. Proverbs uses this word thirty times, sixteen of which refer to verbal reproof.[6] Eight occurrences are in lines parallel to the Hebrew word tochechah, which is often translated as correction, rebuke, reproof, or etcetera (Prov 3:11; 5:12; 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:5; 15:10; 15:32). Thus, the goal of the disciplinarian is to correct someone toward wise, honorable, and prudent living (cf. Prov 6:23). This form of instruction is corrective, pointing the fool away from destruction and toward wisdom and flourishing. This is the loving thing to do for others and the gracious thing to humbly receive from others and God.

            Third, insight (Hebrew bina, cf. Prov 1:2b) refers to discernment: the ability to see multiple options or points of view where the fool only sees one or two. The discerning person sees the shades of gray in between the black and whites, understanding that life does not always fall into a binary of good and bad people. The discerning person can, without justifying folly and wickedness, discern someone else’s intentions and circumstances. We can skillfully navigate a moral life with more than just a good and bad option. Instead, we should discern that there are good options, better options, and a best option as well.

            Fourth, discretion and prudence (Hebrew words haskel, ormah, and mezimma, Prov 1:3-4) refer to diligent life planning. To Keller, “It is to know not only what to do but also when to do it.” Though prude is a slur that our culture uses to refer to goody two-shoes, holier-than-thou people, prudence is the godly virtue of foresight and anticipating actions and their consequences.

            Last, consider the fool. The fool is not simply stupid. Fools are “so habitually out of touch with reality that they make life miserable for themselves and all around them” (Keller). They exercise no foresight or discernment, refusing to gain knowledge or apply it skillfully to their experience. Their pathway is destruction, and their associates will fall into the snare that awaits them. Ultimately, fools center their lives on the creation rather than its creator. The fool is handed over to their darkened desires and thoughts (Rom 1:24-28) to continue living as if there is no God who offers the full beauty and blessing of His kingdom to them (Prov 1:23; cf. Psalm 14:1; 53:1). The fool loves the darkness (Prov 1:22), failing to discern that the light is better. Eventually, the fool cannot even discern the presence of the light at all. Finally, they religiously return to their folly without hesitation (Prov 26:11). Proverbs clearly lays out this binary: the wise will enjoy the blessings of creation, but the fool will face resulting destruction (Prov 1:24-33). However, are there times when this appears not to be the case?

 

            Proverbs and the Other Wisdom Books

            Proverbs is, in many ways, the flipside to other wisdom books like Ecclesiastes and Job. Proverbs provides normative claims about the world that God created, ordered, and preserved in accordance with His wisdom. Wisdom works in conjunction with God’s torah that instructs people to live in a life-giving and life-preserving manner. Just as Deuteronomy 6 concerns Israel with teaching God’s instruction and covenant to all posterity, Proverbs takes a similar posture: wisdom is a family teaching affair. Proverbs, however, does not make explicit reference to God’s covenant through Moses but instead offers more general instructions in wisdom.[7] These wisdom principles are foundational to the way God’s world works, and they pursue the mind of God.

But, lest we expect nothing but immediate blessing and unending prosperity for wise living, Ecclesiastes gives sobering reminders that life under the sun in a fallen world brings frustration to our wisdom and work. Yes, God’s wisdom still reigns, but sin drastically limits human wisdom’s view of the full picture of blessing and curse (see the Ecclesiastes study). Job, likewise, reminds us that there is often more going on behind the scenes when godly men and women suffer. Once again, our discernment is limited. Job’s lack of discernment causes him eventually to doubt the justice of God, a point that Elihu rightly rebukes (Job 32-37) before God silences Job and teaches him the riches of God’s wisdom that governs creation (Job 38-42). In a fallen world, we entrust the bigger picture of blessing and justice to God’s sovereignty, despite our limited discernment, suffering, or existential dread.

 

Sources

Garrett, Duane A. Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs: An Exegetical and Theological Exposition of Holy Scripture. The New American Commentary. Volume 14.Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 1993.

 

Keller, Timothy and Kathy Keller. God's Wisdom for Navigating Life: A Year of Daily Devotions in the Book of Proverbs. New York: Viking, 2017.

 

Waltke, Bruce. The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1-15. The New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 2004.

 

[1] For instance, if you want to know what Proverbs says about friendship and relationships, you would find a guide that would list verses such as Proverbs 3:29; 12:26; 14:21; 16:28; 17:9, 17; 18:24; 19:4, 6-7; 20:6; 22:24-25; 25:8, 17; 26:18-19; 27:6, 17; 29:5. Or, for laziness, passages such as Proverbs 6:6-11; 10:4-5; 12:24, 27; 13:4; 15:19; 19:24; 16:26; 18:9; 21:5, 25-26; 26:13-14, 16.

 

[2] The Tanak contains the same content as the Protestant Old Testament; they are simply arranged and grouped differently and into three main sections: the Torah (instruction/law), Nevi’im (prophets), and Kethuvim (writings). The Masoretic Text is the primary comprehensive Hebrew source we use as the basis for our Old Testament translations, though there are significantly older manuscripts that translators use to compare to the MT (not to mention that the Septuagint/LXX vastly predates the MT)

 

[3] I would encourage all godly women to diligently meditate on this section of Proverbs without receiving its teaching as a checklist of responsibilities. The principles of godly wisdom are given in poetic illustration and application. However, if one were to receive this section as a checklist of responsibilities, the woman pictured here would never sleep! Taken woodenly and literally, she would have to arise when it is still dark outside (Prov 31:15), yet she also works all night (Prov 31:18). But she is a caregiver and a reputation builder and preserver, managing her household affairs with diligence. Ruth does not even check all of these items off the Proverbs 31 list, but she still exemplifies the principles of Proverbs 31.

 

[4] Marriage is an easy illustration for learning to skillfully apply the gospel story to Paul’s commands of Ephesians 5:22-33. A former pastor would often say to young people entering into relationships with members of the opposite sex: “You’re not in love; you’re in lust.” It took a few years into marriage to understand what he meant. Love is much more than the emotional highs of a budding relationship. Love that applies the gospel is a sacrificial, voluntary, gracious love. It takes wisdom/skill for a husband to love an insubmissive wife as Christ loved the church because he knows how much Jesus loves him, in that he died for an ungodly sinner. It takes wisdom for a wife to submit to an unloving husband because she knows that God’s commands are given for our good and worthy of submission, sanctifying us, and pointing us toward the consummation of all history: when Jesus returns and establishes the new heavens and new earth for His submissive bride: the church. We should skillfully apply the story of salvation in our daily lives, remembering the grace poured out for us.

 

[5] The ESV and other English translations often render torah as “law,” but instruction is probably a better rendering for our culture. We often associate law with restrictive legal principles and penalties used to shackle begrundging subjects (though law establishes order). Law communicates a negative feeling in us and expresses the prohibitive nature of litigation that restrains evil. Torah, on the other hand, positively instructs us to God’s blessed pathways.

 

[6] The sixteen instances of verbal reproof (based on the surrounding context): Prov 1:2, 3, 7, 8; 4:1; 5:12; 6:23; 8:10, 33; 13:1; 15:5, 32; 19:20, 27; 23:12, 23. Nine other instances are ambiguous (Prov 3:11; 4:13; 5:23; 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:33; 16:22; 24:32), but the surrounding context may lend itself more to verbal chastisement. However, do not assume that the passage says more than it does. The five remaining instances refer to physical discipline (Prov 7:22; 13:24; 15:10; 22:15; 23:13). Only three of those five references refer to a parent physically disciplining their child/children (Prov 13:24; 22:15; 23:13). Proverbs says a lot about discipline in the more general sense, but the physical rod of discipline, though a helpful tool for loving, corrective, negative reinforcement, receives much less attention.

 

[7] There is only one occurrence of the word “covenant” in the book: Proverbs 2:17, but this refers to a marriage covenant, not God’s covenant with Israel. Though one could draw numerous connections to Torah/Deuteronomy and Proverbs’ wisdom and blessing, Proverbs does not appeal to a covenant and God’s active redemptive role in blessing. Instead, Proverbs assumes that blessing is the natural result of wisdom for all creation since God’s wisdom governs creation.