Read Proverbs 1:1-7.

Note: The phrase, “may appreciate sound teaching,” found at the end of verse two, literally reads, “may discern the words of understanding.”

A note on the Scripture text that accompanies each individual study: The American Standard Version and the New International Version, along with the original Greek and Hebrew, have been used in an effort to achieve the greatest degree of accuracy and clarity. Where words or phrases have been added to the original text in an effort to better express the meaning, those words or phrases have usually been indicated by means of [brackets].

Introduction⤒🔗

We may view the Book of Proverbs as a divine “university.” The “president” and most prominent “professor” of this “university” is King Solomon.

The wisdom he shares with us is not his own; it is, rather, the divine wisdom of God graciously imparted to him for the benefit of all God’s people. Solomon made a request of the LORD that was well pleasing to Him and granted by Him:

Give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong, for who is able to govern this great people of yours? ¹⁰The LORD was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹So God said to him, Because you have asked for this... ¹²I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart... 1 Kg. 3:9-12

Let us briefly consider the history of the founding and development of this “university.” It appears that it was during the reign of the godly king Jehoshaphat, (60-70 years after Solomon), that a collection of Solomon’s proverbs was complied, (namely, Proverbs 10:1-22:16), and the first half of what is now the Book of Proverbs was “published.” According to Proverbs 25:1, a second collection of Solomon’s proverbs was compiled in the days of King Hezekiah, (approximately 125 years after Jehoshaphat). The whole Book of Proverbs (all 31 chapters) may have been “bound together” as one complete volume at the time of Hezekiah, or possibly at the time of Israel’s restoration under Ezra the scribe.

It is important for us to understand the philosophy/theology of the School of Solomon: Why do they teach the courses they offer at this “university”? What is their viewpoint? What do they intend to accomplish? What is their vision?

The Book of Proverbs is not merely a collection of wise sayings (“pious advice”) intended to help us lead peaceful, profitable and moral lives in this world. On the contrary, the Book of Proverbs is divine instruction given to God’s covenant people, designed to teach us how to live as citizens of God’s kingdom and how to apply the principles of His kingdom in our everyday lives; in other words, how to think and act like God in a godly way.

Proverbs 1:1-7 presents the “university’s” statement of purpose, (What does God want you to receive from the Book of Proverbs that will help you grow in your Christian life unto the glory of God?), as well as it’s overarching theme (vs. 7).

As we give our attention to these verses, let us consider, “Why We Should Enroll in the School of Solomon,” or, stated another way, “Why Should We Study the Book of Proverbs.”

We Should Study the Book of Proverbs in Order to Gain Wisdom←⤒🔗

The LORD has given us the Book of Proverbs in order that we might “know wisdom and understanding.” The Hebrew expression, “to know,” has the connotation, “to become personally acquainted with someone or something;” to digest a subject and have it become part of your life. By way of illustration, it is like learning a foreign language so as to be able to communicate in that new language.

A specific purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to enable us “to know wisdom.” Whereas knowledge is the accumulation and mastery of facts, wisdom is the ability to apply knowledge to life so as to lead a godly life; it is the ability to know how to live in a way that is pleasing to God. Wisdom is the ability to think and act like God. You acquire wisdom as you submit to the instruction of God’s Word and allow it to direct and discipline your life. The Lord Jesus Christ directs us to submit to His discipline, to become His disciples, He exhorts us,

Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. ²⁹Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am meek and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. ³⁰My yoke is easy, and my burden is lightMatt. 11:28-30

Furthermore, the LORD has given us the Book of Proverbs in order that we may “appreciate sound teaching,” (literally, that we may “discern the words of understanding”). This book of Scripture has been given to us so that we may recognize, appreciate and profit from those words (i.e. that teaching) that are true, those words and teachings that impart truth and are in accordance with God’s truth. The more we are exposed to such words/teaching, and the more we respond to them with an open mind and a receptive heart, the more we are able to recognize, appreciate and profit from them. Note the testimony of Psalm 1:1a, 2, “Blessed is the man...whose delight is in the law of the LORD, and on his law he meditates day and night.” Again, by way of illustration: You develop an understanding of and an appreciation for good music by being exposed to it and being receptive to it.

The LORD has given us the Book of Proverbs in order that we might “receive instruction in wise behavior;” in other words, so that we may learn how to think in a godly way. The term, “wise behavior,” is derived from the Hebrew word שָׂוּסרָ, which has a root meaning of “to entwine," or, "to involve.”¹ Thus, one of the reasons our heavenly Father has given us the Book of Proverbs is to help train us and instruct us as to how to work our way through complicated spiritual issues and moral problems. The objective of this instruction, or, discipline, (the Hebrew word, מוּ סרָ , has both the meaning instruction as well as discipline), is that we may gain an acquaintance with “righteousness, justice and equity (or, "fairness"); in other words, that we may become like the Lord Himself: “The LORD is righteous; he loves righteousness” (Psl. 11:7). We become increasingly proficient in righteous thinking and living as we 1) meditate on God’s Word: “I have more understanding than all my teachers, because your testimonies are my meditation” (Psl. 119:99); and, 2) as we put into practice what we are taught: “I understand more than the aged, because I have kept your precepts” (Psl. 119:100).

The first reason we should study the Book of Proverbs is that we may gain wisdom; that we as Christians may gain the ability to increasingly think and act like God our heavenly Father.

We Should Study the Book of Proverbs in Order to Learn Prudence←⤒🔗

A second purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to enable “the naïve [to] receive prudence.

Who are “the naïve” (or, “the simple”)? Proverbs 14:15 provides a definition: “The naïve believes every word, but a prudent man carefully considers his steps.” The “naïve,” or, “simple,” are those who are gullible, those who have no discernment. The naive person lacks the ability to critically evaluate ideas and suggestions; he just accepts anything and everything anybody presents to him. He will act without considering the consequences, without considering the moral significance of his decisions; for example, if someone suggests to the naive, “Let’s do drugs!” he will thoughtlessly consent.

 The naïve believe “spaghetti tree” stories: Lisa and some of her friends were sitting in a restaurant when one young man decided to convince her that spaghetti grows on trees. Soon everyone else around the table took the cue, and they all argued the point convincingly. After several minutes, they had Lisa persuaded that spaghetti does grow on trees.² The naïve believe “spaghetti tree stories” about life, such as: Live for yourself! Live for today! Don’t give a thought to responsibility! Don’t respect authority! Believe whatever college professors say without questioning their assumptions, without comparing their teaching to the Scriptures, and without getting the perspective of Christian scholars.

One purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to teach the naïve “prudence.” What is “prudence”? The latter part of Proverbs 14:15 provides the definition: “a prudent man carefully considers his steps;” i.e. he carefully considers what he is doing. Prudence is the ability to exhibit an examining, evaluating, and discriminating mind; the prudent man asks such questions as, “What are we about to do?” “What is he teaching me?” “Is this behavior good or bad?” “Is this teaching true or false?”

A prudent man is going to think before he acts; he is going to critically evaluate ideas and suggestions in the light of God’s Word. A prudent man is going to have a long-range view and take into consideration the consequences of a particular course of action. He will consider such questions as, “What will this mean for me tomorrow?” “How will this action or choice affect the rest of my life?” “How will this decision affect my eternal destiny?” “What affect will it have upon my relationship with the LORD?”

We should study the Book of Proverbs in order that we may learn prudence. As we study the Book of Proverbs, we will be taught by God how to act sensibly, as opposed to acting thoughtlessly or naively. We will learn how to think before we act so as to make wise and godly choices.

We Should Study the Book of Proverbs in Order to Receive Knowledge←⤒🔗

A third reason the LORD has given the Book of Proverbs is that the young man may learn “knowledge and discretion.”

Two characteristics of youth are inexperience and impulsiveness. What is needed is “knowledge” (the accumulation of facts, the building blocks of education) and “discretion” (the ability to use knowledge as the basis for making wise decisions and planning a godly course of action).

Furthermore, the LORD has given us the Book of Proverbs so that “the wise man may listen and learn more. ”A truly wise man will always be willing to listen and always be ready to learn: “Instruct a wise man and he will become wiser; teach a righteous man and he will increase his learning” (Prov. 9:9). Note, too, the warning of the Apostle Paul given to the church at Corinth: “If anyone thinks that he knows anything exhaustively, he does not yet know as he ought to know” (1 Cori. 8:2). The perfect tense of the Greek verb, γινωσκω, (meaning “to know”), has the sense of knowing something exhaustively. Paul is here speaking about the man who thinks he knows all there is to know about spiritual things. The

Apostle Peter exhorts us, “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ” (2 Pet. 3:18).

The LORD has given us the Book of Proverbs so that “the man who possess understanding may acquire the ability to comprehend deep teaching.”

We might say that the school of Solomon also offers “graduate level courses” intended for the mature man of understanding, so that he may “acquire the ability to comprehend deep teaching.” The Hebrew word, חָבלַ, translated “deep teaching,” has the root meaning, “to bind,” or, “to wind tightly as a rope.” Thus, "deep teachings" are closely knit teachings that take much experience in godly thinking to unravel and understand; they are teachings that are tightly bound up, they are not readily accessible to the casual student.

Verse six seems to further explain the meaning of the phrase, “deep teaching,” when it states that one purpose of the Book of Proverbs is to enable us:

"to understand a proverb;” (i.e. to comprehend the meaning of those pithy sayings that contain a vast wealth of spiritual knowledge packed into a short, memorable and sometimes enigmatic statement);

to understand “a parable;” (i.e. to comprehend the spiritual lesson related by means of a simple story, a story that illustrates spiritual truth but that is only appreciated by those who have spiritual understanding and enlightenment);

“[to understand] the sayings...[spoken by] the wise;” (i.e. words that at times may be very difficult, like those of the Apostle Paul; or words that may appear to be very simple while containing a great deal of spiritual truth for those who are able to fathom them, like the words of the Apostle John);

and “[to understand] the riddles [spoken by] the wise;” (here is wisdom deposited in a locked safe, accessible only to those who possess the ability to unlock it; the Book of Proverb is intended to train us so that we may develop that ability.)

We should study the Book of Proverbs in order that we may receive knowledge and increase in godly knowledge. As you study the Book of Proverbs, the LORD will impart to you a deeper understanding of Himself and His ways at whatever stage of your Christian life you may presently find yourself.

We Should Study the Book of Proverbs to Appreciate the Fear of the LORD←⤒🔗

Proverbs 1:7 presents the overarching theme of the Book of Proverbs; indeed, the overarching theme of all the Wisdom Books of the Old Testament: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge.” That is to say, the fear of the LORD is the starting point of true knowledge. The fear of the LORD is the attitude that is necessary for one to have if he is to attain any true knowledge. (Note: The Wisdom Books of the Old Testament include the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.)

This is not to say that man is to live his life in abject fear of God; on the contrary, in the light of the fullness of Scripture, it means that life is meant to be God-centered, as opposed to being man-centered. In the words of the Westminster Shorter Catechism, Question and Answer #1,

What is the chief end of man?
Man’s chief end is to glorify God and to enjoy Him forever.

Rightly understood, this guiding principle will lead you in the way of life, and keep you from the way of death, as Proverbs 14:27 testifies, “The fear of the LORD is a fountain of life, causing a man to turn from the snares of death.”

We may briefly summarize the Scriptures’ teaching on “the fear of the LORD,” as follows:

To Fear the Lord Is the Commandment of God,

Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole [duty] of man. Eccl. 12:13

Hear this, you foolish and senseless people... ²²Should you not fear me? declares the LORD. Should you not tremble in my presence? I made the sand to be a boundary for the sea, an everlasting barrier it cannot cross. The waves may roll, but they cannot prevail; they may roar, but they cannot cross it. ²³But these people have stubborn and rebellious hearts... Jer. 5:21­-23a

Note that the failure to exhibit a holy fear of the LORD is the indication of “a stubborn and rebellious heart,” a heart that defies the LORD our God and Maker.

The Fear the LORD Is an Appropriate Response to the Person of God

There is no one like you, O LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power. ⁷Who should not fear you, O King of the nations? Indeed, it is your due. Jer. 10:6-7a

God our Creator, is the One who is exalted far above His creation and who is set apart in infinite moral purity. As such, it is appropriate and proper for us to respond to the Person of God with holy, reverential fear. The LORD is worthy of such fear and to Him it rightfully belongs.

The Fear the Lord Is Intended for Our Good,

Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! Deut. 5:29

A holy fear of the LORD is used by Him to turn us away from evil:

 ...by the fear of the LORD men turn away from evil. Prov. 16:6b

As it is written: There is no one righteous, not even one; ¹¹there is no one who understands, no one who seeks God. ¹²All have turned away, they have together become worthless; there is no one that does good, not even one. ¹³Their throats are open graves; their tongues practice deceit. The poison of vipers is on their lips. ¹⁴Their mouths are full of cursing and bitterness. ¹⁵Their feet are swift to shed blood; ¹⁶ruin and misery mark their ways, ¹⁷and the way of peace they do not know. ¹⁹There is no fear of God before their eyes. Rom. 3:10-18

A holy fear of the LORD is used by Him to move us and motivate us to obedience:

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, moved by godly fear, prepared an ark by which his family was saved. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith. Heb. 11:7

The Fear of the LORD Serves to Bind Us to Christ:

I will make an everlasting covenant with them: I will never stop doing good to them, and I will inspire them to fear me, so that they will never turn away from me. Jer. 32: 40

We see an example of this in the incident of Jesus’ washing of His disciples’ feet (Jn. 13). When Peter resists having the Lord stoop down to wash his feet, Jesus must confront Peter with the truth: “If I do not wash you, you have no part with me” (vs. 8b).

At this point Peter blurts out, “Lord, not only my feet, but [wash] my hands and my head also!” (vs. 9) Although he does not fully understand what Jesus is doing and all that it means, out of love for Jesus and not being able to bear even the thought of being separated from Jesus, Peter submits himself to Jesus’ humble ministry. Here is submission to the Lord Jesus Christ stemming from godly fear, namely, the fear of being separated from the Beloved One. Peter submits to Christ’s command because it is unthinkable and unbearable to live without Christ and be separated from Him.

The Fear the Lord Is a Characteristic of a Godly Man,

There lived a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job. This man was blameless and upright; he feared God and turned away from evil. Job 1:1

During the days of his life on earth, he offered up prayers and petitions with loud cries and tears to the one who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his godly fear. Heb. 5:7

This is a reference to our Lord Jesus Christ Himself.

The Fear the Lord Is the Complement of Love,

And now, O Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you? He requires you to fear the LORD your God, to walk in all his ways, and to love him, to serve the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul. Deut. 10:12

And if you call upon the Father who judges impartially according to each one’s work, live your remaining time on earth in fear. 1 Pet. 1:17

Our relationship with God as our loving heavenly Father must not be abused, rather it must be complemented with a reverential fear, knowing that God our Father is also the Righteous Judge of all the earth.

When our love for God is perfect, (as it will be in the eternal kingdom of heaven), there will no longer be the need for reverential fear as a motivation to obedience and a deterrent to sin: perfect love will willingly render perfect, whole-hearted obedience.

The Fear the Lord Gives Us Access to the Tender Mercies of God,

The friendship of the LORD is with those who fear him; and he will show them his covenant. Psl. 25:14

...as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his love for those who fear him... ¹³As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear him... ¹⁷from everlasting to everlasting the LORD’s love is with those who fear him... Psl. 103:11,13,17a

The Fear the Lord will Secure for Us a Refuge with God,

The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them.Psl. 34:7

The LORD of hosts, him you must sanctify; he is the one you are to fear, he is the one you are to dread, ¹⁴and he will be a sanctuary [for you]. Isaiah 8:13-14a

When we fear the LORD our God with a holy fear and sanctify Him, (i.e. acknowledge Him to be holy and sacred), He will be a place of refuge and security for us.

The Fear of the LORD will be Greatly Rewarded by God,

How great is your goodness, which you have stored up for those who fear you, which you bestow in the sight of men on those who take refuge in you. Psl. 31:19

The reward for humility and the fear of the LORD is riches and honor and life.Prov. 22:4

The fear of the LORD is the starting point and the chief part of true knowledge. Again, what Scripture is referring to here is that deep and profound reverence for God that causes us to honor Him as God and that moves us to submit ourselves to His commandments as the rule of life. It is by His own grace that the LORD imparts this holy fear to the hearts of His children in Christ:

I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, so that they will not depart from me. Jer. 32:40

Conclusion←⤒🔗

The opening verses of the Book of Proverbs, (1:1-7), present the reasons for which the book was written, as well as the overarching theme of the book.

May the LORD be pleased to make this book profitable for the growth and maturity of our Christian lives unto His own glory.

Discussion Questions←⤒🔗

1. For what purpose has the LORD given us the Book of Proverbs? See Prov. 1:1-2a. How does Proverbs define the essence of “wisdom”? See Prov. 9:10a; Prov. 1:7a. As a Christian, is your life governed by a reverential fear of the LORD?

The proverbs of Solomon, the son of David, king of Israel: [so that the reader] ²may know wisdom and understanding; may appreciate sound teaching...Prov. 1:1-2

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom Prov. 9:10a

The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge Prov. 1:7a

2. What reasons does the LORD provide to inspire us to render unto Him a reverential fear? See Jer. 5:22; Jer. 10:6-7a Do you appreciate the fact that the LORD God is our Creator, to whom we owe our being, and our Sovereign Lord, to whom we owe our absolute allegiance? Note Psl. 100:3,

Do you not fear me, says the LORD. Will you not tremble at my presence, who have placed the sand as the bound of the sea, by a perpetual decree, that it cannot pass beyond it? And though its waves toss to and fro, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot pass over it. Jer. 5:22

Inasmuch as [there is] none like you, O LORD, (you are great, and your name is great in might), ⁷who should not fear you, O King of the nations? For this is your rightful due... Jer. 10:6-7a

Know that the LORD, he is God; [it is] he [who] has made us, and not we ourselves; [we are] his people, and the sheep of his pasture. Psl. 100:3

3. In what way is the fear of the LORD intended for our good? See Deut. 5:29; Prov. 16:6b; Heb. 11:7 As a Christian, do you see a holy fear of the LORD accomplishing these good purposes in your life? If not, why not?

Oh, that their hearts would be inclined to fear me and keep all my commandments always, so that it might go well with them and their children forever! Deut. 5:29

...by the fear of the LORD men turn away from evil.Prov. 16:6b

By faith Noah, when warned about things not yet seen, moved by godly fear, prepared an ark by which his family was saved. By faith he condemned the world and became heir of the righteousness that comes by faith.Heb. 11:7

4. What was the fear that motivated Peter to submit to Christ at the time of Christ’s washing His disciples’ feet? See Jn. 13:5-6a, 8-9 As a Christian, is not your greatest fear the fear of being separated from Christ your beloved Lord and Savior; and does not that very fear serve to bind you to Christ?

Then [Jesus] poured water into the basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. ⁶So he came to Simon Peter, but [Peter] said to him, Lord, are you going to wash my feet? ...⁸Peter said to him, You shall never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I do not wash you, you have no part with me. ⁹Simon Peter responded, Lord, not only my feet, but [wash] my hands and my head also. Jn. 13:5-6, 8-9

5. According to Proverbs 1:4, what is another reason the LORD has given us the Book of Proverbs? How are “the naïve” and “the prudent” described in Proverbs 14:15? Are you like the naïve, accepting whatever teaching is presented to you, without any critical evaluation? As a Christian, can you afford to be naïve? See 1 Jn. 4:1 By what standard must we evaluate all teachings? See Psl. 119:105; 2 Tim. 3:16-17 How frequently do you read the Scriptures?

...so that the naïve may receive prudence; so that the young man may gain knowledge and discretion.Prov. 1:4

The naïve believes every word, but a prudent man carefully considers his steps. Prov. 14:15

Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. 1 Jn. 4:1

Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path.Psl. 119:105

All Scripture is breathed out by God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, ¹⁷so that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work. 2 Tim. 3:16-17