Introduction

The Book of Proverbs is a collection of articles about wisdom, they teach us that we must respect God. Proverbs is not merely an anthology but a ‘collection of collections’ relating to a pattern of life which lasted for more than a millennium. It is an example of Biblical wisdom and raises questions of values, moral behaviour, the meaning of human life, and right conduct.

Outline Of The Book Of Proverbs

Proverbs 1:1-9:18 Deals with wisdom for young people.
Proverbs 10:1-23:34 Deals with wisdom for all people.
Proverbs 25:1-31:31 Deals with wisdom for leaders.

Authors

There are three authors attributed to the Book of Proverbs, they are Agur, Lemuel and Solomon. We know nothing about Agur except what is recorded in his prayer, where he asked for deliverance from economic extremes, Proverbs 30:1 / Proverbs 30:8-9.

We know nothing about Lemuel except he was an unknown king who wrote the words his mother taught him, Proverbs 31:1. Some of the early Jewish rabbis identified Lemuel with Solomon. Other scholars believe he was Hezekiah or even an anonymous Arabian prince.

We know a lot about Solomon, he was the 3rd king of Israel, around 20 years old, 1 Kings 1:28-36, he built God’s temple in Jerusalem, 1 Kings 6-7. His mother was Bathsheba, 2 Samuel 12:24, his father was David, 1 Kings 3:4-15, his brothers were Absalom, Adonijah, and his sister was Tamar. His son was Rehoboam.

He wrote Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs, most of the Proverbs and a couple of Psalms and we know he was wise, 1 King 3:15-28. Solomon is said to have written three thousand proverbs, and those contained in this book may be a selection from these, 1 Kings 4:32.

In the New Testament, there are thirty-five direct quotations from this book or allusions to it. He got his wisdom from God after asking for it, 1 Kings 3:9, but he wasn’t the first person in the Bible who desired to have wisdom, that would be Eve, Genesis 3:6.

What Are Proverbs?

Proverbs are sayings, poems, parables, questions and sonnets. Even today there are many which people use, for example, too many cooks spoil the broth, two eyes on one human is one eye too many, and an apple a day keeps the doctor away.

Why Were They Written?

Solomon tells us why the proverbs were written; they were written to teach wisdom and discipline and how to live a prudent and sensible life. They were also written to teach the difference between how to do right from wrong, Proverbs 1:2-3.

What Is Wisdom?

Wisdom may be defined as a realistic approach to the problems of life. Wisdom is an insight into the underlying causes and significance or consequences of things, which insight enables one to apply to the best end the knowledge that one has.

Knowledge is ‘knowing what to do’.
Understanding is ‘knowing how to do something.’
Wisdom is ‘doing correctly what you need to do.’

Wisdom is a discipline of applying truth to your life in the light of experience or someone else’s experience, James 3:13. The point is that wisdom is more than knowing and doing the right thing, it’s a lifestyle which affects the way we walk and talk and even the way we think in our minds.

As Christians today we should study the Book of Proverbs because it helps us not to become foolish, Ephesians 5:15-17. And so, if we get wisdom from God by asking him, James 1:5, that means that we first need to have a knowledge of God to get to know His will, Romans 12:2.

How Can We Get Wisdom?

We usually get wisdom from our experience, from arguments, from sermons, from our mistakes, but if we want true wisdom we need to ask God, James 1:5.

When God was making preparations for the tabernacle he gave wisdom to those who were going to build it, Exodus 28:3, when God is speaking about His decrees and commandments, he tells his people He will show them what wisdom is. God wanted His people to be wise so that the nations around could see in God’s people just how wise He was, Deuteronomy 4:6.

Nothing has changed today because God still wants us, His church, to show the people around us His wisdom, Ephesians 3:8-11.

‘The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline’. Proverbs 1:7

There are many people who fear things in life, whether it’s snakes, hospitals, ghosts or spiders. Most people have a fear of something because they know or think that what they fear is real.

Sadly, a lot of people don’t fear God because they don’t believe or want to acknowledge that He exists. If you don’t believe in something, it can’t frighten you. If you can’t see it, you don’t believe in it and so it doesn’t frighten you.

To fear the Lord isn’t about being scared or frightened of God, it’s about being respectful of God. A fool is a person who is an unbeliever who lives for self, they don’t consider God’s ways. The fool is not interested in the truth, they are only interested in themselves, Proverbs 14:7.

The Wisdom Test

What kind of person do your friends generally think you to be?

What do you consider yourself to be?

What’s the wisest thing you have ever done?

What’s the one area you think you are extremely wise?

What’s the one area that you think you are not wise?

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