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 ...
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).
