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Let’s Sing Psalm 51:10-12 Lev tahor b’rah li - Elohim V’ruah nahon hadesh bekirbi - Elohim Al tashlikheni miliphanekha v’ruah kodshekhah al tikakh mimeni (2x) Hashivah li seson yishekha v’ruah nedivah tismekheni (2x)

Wisdom Literature: Proverbs

Review David and the Psalms Solomon known for his wisdom What are the characteristics of Hebrew poetry?

Universal Aspects of Wisdom Gaining mastery of life through the power of reason Value of instruction Accumulated knowledge of experience must be passed along (tradition) Multi-faceted applications of truth – depending on perspectives (“works” in a post-modern culture) The many “unknowns” in life – notably suffering and death

Wisdom literature in the Ancient Near East Extra-biblical texts – see especially Sayings of Amenemopet from Egypt Characteristics of biblical texts: –Proverbs is practical and instructional –Job and Ecclesiastes are speculative and philosophical –Song of Songs addresses choices in the context of love

The Challenge of Definition: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom” Putting into words something that is intrinsic to the character of God – impossible for finite and fallen creatures Diverse characteristics of biblical wisdom and contents of biblical wisdom literature –Basic and practical advice –Observations about human nature –Wrestling with unanswerable questions Wisdom – “the discipline of applying truth to one’s life in the light of experience” (Fee and Stuart, How to Read the Bible for All Its Worth, first edition) Foolishness (folly) – deliberate rejection of God’s commands

A Literary/Historical Note: Compiling the Book of Proverbs Solomon’s role - I Kings 4:32-34 “The men of Hezekiah” (Proverbs 25:1) Later additions

The Historical Framework for Proverbs

General Structure of Proverbs Introduction (1:2-6) Father’s praise of instruction and teaching and the distinction between wisdom and folly (chapters 1-9) –“Lady Wisdom vs. Dame Folly” – warnings: the adulteress! –Wisdom in creation Individual sayings in chapters –Significance of antithetical parallelisms –Focus on righteousness in chapters –Some thematic emphases – see ch 16 and focus on the king “Sayings of the wise” (22:17-24:34) Further collections of Solomon’s proverbs, edited in Hezekiah’s time, supplemented by sayings from Agur and Lemuel (25-31)

Proverbs as Verbal Pictures and Caricatures

Can You Figure These Out? 11:22 – like a gold ring in a pig’s snout is a woman without discretion! 13:9 – the light of the righteous shines brightly but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out

Characteristics of Proverbial Wisdom A chosen lifestyle that is practical and just Combines powers of observation, capacities of the intellect to evaluate what we perceive, and the effort of the will to apply truth to daily life An active memory is vital (see 2:1)

Related Concepts Knowledge – of all of God’s truth Discipline (instruction, training, reproof, correction, chastisement) – all take time and most involve pain of some sort! Understanding – ability to discern Discretion – implies consideration and purposeful assessment Shrewdness – clever; calculating

The command to “embrace wisdom” (4:5-9) Wisdom protects Wisdom guides

Types of fools The “simple person” (peti) One who is dull and obstinate (kesil) One who is morally insolent and stubborn (avil) One who is brutal and godless, whose mind is closed to reason (naval) Mocker

Conceptual Parallelisms in Proverbs: Recurring Themes Proper and improper use of words which are powerful: “the tongue has the power of life and death” (18:21a) –Words are able to penetrate (“reckless words pierce like a sword” – 12:18a) –Words are able to spread (“[a scoundrel’s] speech is like a scorching fire” – 16:27b) Humility and pride Truth and falsehood Righteousness and wickedness