Intro to Proverbs

Author and Date  Six authors (not a problem for inspiration, because Psalms also has many authors gathered together into one book) 1. Solomon – 1:1-22:16 . Solomon ruled the united kingdom from 971-931 BC  We also have Psalms 72 and 127 from his pen, as well as Ecclesiastes and Song of Songs.  Tradition says that Song of Songs was a book of Solomon’s youth, Proverbs the book of middle age, and Ecclesiastes the book of old age (cf. People’s Bible, Proverbs). . “ God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the men of the East, and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt. He was wiser than any other man, including Ethan the Ezrahite—wiser than Heman, Calcol and Darda, the sons of Mahol. And his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He described plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also taught about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. Men of all nations came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom” (1 Kings 4:29-34). 2. Sayings of wise men – 22:17-24:34 . Gathered by Solomon (?) during his reign, perhaps after writing Prov. 1:1- 22:16 3. Solomon’s proverbs gathered by Hezekiah’s men – 25:1-29:27 . Hezekiah ruled Judah from 715-686 BC 4. Agur (chapter 30) . “Son of Jakeh” (Prov. 30:1) . “Probably a wise man like Ethan and Heman” (Concordia Self-Study Bible, note on Prov. 30:1) 5. Lemuel (31:1-9) . A king (Prov. 31:1) . Perhaps Hezekiah or Josiah, two of the good kings of Judah (Concordia Commentary: Proverbs, p18), which means either 715-686 BC or 640-609 BC. . 587 BC at the latest (the fall of Jerusalem to Nebuchadnezzar – no more kings) 6. Unknown (31:10-31) . Probably after Hezekiah’s time, likely before Ezra (458-457 BC).

Wisdom Literature  What is wisdom literature? o In the Old Testament: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs 1 o Practical and philosophical more than theoretical and theological. o Yet the theoretical and the theological is assumed as the foundation. . “Only when the reader can understand that wisdom is God’s alone and that real human wisdom is a gift of God, do the instructions of this book begin to make sense” (Concordia Commentary: Proverbs, p21). o To individuals, not societies (as the prophets often addressed whole nations)  What’s a Proverb? o A Hebrew word that means parallel or similar. Proverbs often make comparisons. o In English usage: “a brief popular epigram or maxim,” something which has become a “byword”, it’s “commonly spoken”, “moral sayings and counsels.” o Examples?  How do we interpret Proverbs? o “ Proverbs points out the superiority of the godly life over the ungodly life” (PB: Proverbs, p5). . “For giving prudence to the simple, knowledge and discretion to the young” (Proverbs 1:4) . “ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline” (Proverbs 1:7). . “ Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3:5-6). . “ But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace- loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere” (James 3:17). . “If these proverbs are read as only practical advice for tinkering with every- day situations, they will fall far short of the expectations readers place upon them. The advice they present does not always lead to an easy life and in fact can lead to decisions that make life more difficult. The proverbs in this book are not intended to make life easier and more comfortable, to be practical from a worldly point of view. Instead, they are intended to make life more godly” (Concordia Commentary: Proverbs, p29-30). . “We must not interpret it as prophecy or its statements about certain effects and results as promises” (Concordia Self-Study Bible, p943). . “One cannot expect them to be a simple, follow-the-instructions textbook to life. Instead, they are designed to help the reader grow in wisdom and learn how to use them through a life that increases in the knowledge of the Gospel that alone brings fallen sinners to God and empowers them to live according to His will” (Concordia Commentary: Proverbs, p39). . “For a man must go one of two ways: either he must let his father chastise him or he must let the executioner punish him. As they say, “You may escape me, but you will not escape the hangman.” And it would be good to impress this constantly on the young people, so that they might know without any doubt that they must suffer either the father’s rod or the executioner’s sword, just as, in this book, Solomon is constantly threatening the disobedient with death. There is no other way out, for God leaves nothing 2 unpunished. We see in our own experience that disobedient knaves perish in strange ways; they finally come into the executioner’s hands just when they least expect it and feel most secure. Public testimony and signs of all this are the gallows, wheels, and places of execution at the gates of all the cities. Through his temporal government God has put them there to terrify all those who will not obey their elders and let themselves be instructed in God’s word” (Luther’s Works, 35:258-259). o “Sermon on the Mount of the Old Testament,” (PB: Proverbs, p3) . “It is written to speak to God’s people, those who are forgiven and justified, who have a living relationship with him through faith in His Gospel promise. In OT terms, Proverbs was intended for the instruction of young men who had been incorporated into God’s people through the promise connected with their circumcision. It is not intended for the unregenerate and therefore does not presuppose that readers are unbelievers who need to be driven to repentance by the condemnation of their sins. In NT terms, it speaks to the baptized people of God, who have been brought into God’s kingdom and regenerated through this Sacrament, who have been brought to repentance and faith and are heirs of the OT promises” (Concordia Commentary: Proverbs, p40). . “It may properly be called a book of good works, for in it he teaches how to lead a good life before God and the world” (Luther’s Works, 35:258). . “ Anyone who intends to become righteous might well take this as a handbook or prayer book for his daily use, read it often, and ponder his own life in it” (LW, 35:258). o Only Christ and the Gospel makes us “wise for salvation” (2 Tim. 3:15) . “But we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:23-24). . “It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – that is, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption” (1 Corinthians 1:30). . “We have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with the knowledge of His will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9). . “My purpose is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:2-3). . “ Throughout Proverbs this fundamental connection between wisdom, righteousness, and justification through faith is assumed even though it is seldom discussed. Only the righteous – those who, through faith, have received God’s imputed righteousness for the sake of Christ – have access to divine wisdom” (Concordia Commentary: Proverbs, p29). . “That which Solomon here calls wisdom is nothing else than the wisdom of God, which is taught in the words and works of God” (LW, 35:261). 3 . “In turn Solomon calls folly all that which proceeds without God’s word and works. A wise man, then, is one who guides himself by God’s words and works; a fool is one who presumptuously guides himself by his own mind and notions” (LW, 35:262).

Outlines  Some say that there is no real outline. The People’s Bible quotes one commentator: “Proverbs is truly a collection of sayings with no arrangement, outline, order, or progression. When you think about it, however, life is like that” (PB: Proverbs, p7).  On the other hand, Prof. Andrew Steinmann contends that Proverbs is “thoughtfully arranged” and “richly ornamented” (Concordia Commentary: Proverbs, p1, 2009).  Steinmann again: “Knowing the reason why two proverbs are next to one another can be a great aid in interpreting them. While one cannot in every case determine the reason behind the organization of the sayings in Proverbs, in many instances it can be determined with a high degree of certainty” (p38).

I. Discourse on Wisdom (chapters 1-9) II. Proverbs (10-29) III. Other sayings (30-31)

I. Prologue: Purpose and Theme (1:1-7 II. The Superiority of the Way of Wisdom (1:8-9:18) III. The Main Collection of Solomon’s Proverbs (10:1-22:16) IV. The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (22:17-24:22) V. Additional Sayings of the Wise (24:23-34) VI. Hezekiah’s collection of Solomon’s Proverbs (25-29) VII. The Word of Agur (30) VIII. The Words of King Lemuel (31:1-9) IX. Epilogue: The Ideal Wife (31:10-31)

Key Features  Hebrew poetry rules apply: Look for parallelism within the proverbs. . Synthetic: the second line develops the thought of the first . Synonymous: the second line repeats the first line in a different way . Antithetic: the second line says the opposite of the first  Repetition o Similar or nearly identical proverbs repeated o Similar proverbs with slight variations o Certain phrases repeated throughout emphasizing key themes o Clusters of proverbs with key words or thoughts grouped together  No mention of Israel, general throughout