"Opening Up Proverbs"

Opening Up Proverbs

A study by Jim Newheiser

Proverbs and Success

⦁ The book of Proverbs reveals how you can have success in every aspect of your life.

⦁ The Bible sets forth an entirely different measure of success. 

⦁ Success is found in living wisely in the fear of the Lord. To live wisely is to live beautifully—that is, to live a life that counts.

Uniqueness of Biblical Proverbs

⦁ Many cultures and languages have proverbs that express common wisdom.

⦁ Many ancient cultures outside of Israel had collections of Proverbs.

⦁ Biblical proverbs are unique in that they are grounded in a covenant relationship with the LORD God.

⦁ Right relationship with God (fear of the LORD) is the beginning of all wisdom.

Proverbs and the Rest of the OT

⦁ Proverbs are short memorable sayings that impart general truths of wisdom.

⦁ They are a special form of OT wisdom literature.

⦁ The book of Proverbs assumes and builds upon the law and the prophets but goes beyond them in training the reader to live wisely in a very practical ‘how to’ way.

Challenges in Studying Proverbs

⦁ Proverbs does not lend itself to a chapter by chapter, verse by verse study.

⦁ The book of Proverbs does not clearly explain the Gospel.

⦁ The book of Proverbs contains maxims, which are not the same as promises.

⦁ The book of Proverbs is primarily addressed to young men.

Proverbs for Everyone

⦁ Written to prepare a young person who faces the challenges and responsibilities of adulthood.

⦁ Instructs parents in how to train their children.

⦁ Offers the basics of wisdom to those who are young and naïve. 

⦁ Deepens the understanding of those who are already wise.

⦁ Exposes the fool and the result of his or her arrogant rebellion.

Background & Summary

⦁ Proverbs of Solomon (v. 1a)

⦁ a short witty saying that gives you a standard by which you might judge your life; a comparison, an object lesson, a simple illustration, or a parable which exposes a fundamental reality about life

⦁ The objective of the book is to enable us to live successfully in relationship to God in the world he has created.

⦁ Authorship

⦁ Solomon (1:1)

⦁ Sayings of the Wise (22:17; 24:23)

⦁ Agur (30:1)

⦁ Lemuel (31:1)

⦁ Hezekiah’s scribes (25:1)

⦁ Ezra’s scribes

⦁ Setting

⦁ Home

⦁ Father and Mother instructing their son

⦁ Palace

⦁ Young man being prepared for responsibilities of leadership

⦁ Divisions

⦁ Prologue (1:1–7)

⦁ A tenfold call to pursue wisdom (1:8–9:18)

⦁ The proverbs of Solomon (10:1–22:16)

⦁ Sayings of the wise (22:17–24:34)

⦁ More proverbs of Solomon (the Hezekian collection) (25:1–29:27)

⦁ The words of Agur (30:1–33)

⦁ The words of King Lemuel (or rather, of his mother) (31:1–9)

⦁ An acrostic of wifely excellence (31:10–31).