Provérbios 1
Charles Spurgeon · Citado em PreceptAustin
Provérbios 1
Spurgeon illustrates hatred - When Venice was in the hands of the Austrians, those alien tyrants swarmed in every quarter; but the Venetians hated them to the last degree, and showed their enmity upon all occasions. When the Austrian officers sat down at any of the tables in the square of St. Mark, where the Venetians delight on summer evenings to eat their ices and drink their coffee, the company would immediately rise and retire, showing by their withdrawal that they abhorred their oppressors. After this fashion will every true Christian treat his inbred sins; he will not be happy under their power, nor tolerate their dominion, nor show them favor. If he cannot expel them, he will not indulge them. NAS Usage - detest(1), enemy(3), enmity(1), foes(1), hate(78), hated(28), hated her intensely(1), hates(19), hating(2), hatred(1), turned against(1), turns against(2), unloved(7). Sane - 139v - Note frequency in Psalms (40x), Proverbs (25x), Deut (18x) - Ge. 24:60; 26:27; 29:31, 33; 37:4-5, 8; Ex. 1:10; 18:21; 20:5; 23:5; Lev. 19:17; 26:17; Num. 10:35; Dt 4:42; 5:9; 7:10, 15; 12:31; 16:22; 19:4, 6, 11; 21:15, 16,17; 22:13, 16; Dt 24:3; 30:7; 32:41; 33:11; Jos. 20:5; Jdg. 11:7; 14:16; 15:2; 2Sa. 5:8; 2Sa 13:15, 22; 19:6; 22:18, 41; 1Ki. 22:8; 2Chr. 1:11; 18:7; 19:2; Esther 9:1, Esther 9:5, 16; Job 8:22; 31:29; 34:17; Ps 5:5; 9:13; 11:5; 18:17, 40; 21:8; 25:19; Ps 26:5; 31:6; 34:21; 35:19; 36:2; 38:19; 41:7; 44:7, 10; 45:7; 50:17; 55:12; Ps 68:1; 69:4, 14; 81:15; 83:2; 86:17; 89:23; 97:10; 101:3; 105:25; 106:10, Ps 106:41; 118:7; 119:104, 113, 128, 163; 120:6; 129:5; 139:21-22; Pr. 1:22, 29; Pr 5:12; 6:16; 8:13, 36; 9:8; 11:15; 12:1; 13:5, 24; 14:17, 20; 15:10, 27; Pr 19:7; 25:17, 21; 26:24, 28; 27:6; 28:16; 29:10, 24; 30:23; Eccl. 2:17-18; Eccl 3:8; Isa. 1:14; 60:15; 61:8; 66:5; Jer. 12:8; 44:4; Ezek. 16:27, 37; Ezek 23:28; 35:6; Hos. 9:15; Amos 5:10, 15, 21; 6:8; Mic. 3:2; Zech. 8:17; Mal 1:3; 2:16 Sane is used 25 times in Proverbs where it is used in both a negative and positive sense (Pr 8:13, 13:5, etc). Study the uses to see what we should hate, what we should strive to not hate and some to the "after shocks" associated with hatred! Pr 1:22 “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge? Pr 1:29 Because they hated knowledge And did not choose the fear of the LORD. Pr 5:12 And you say, “How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! Pr 6:16 There are six things which the LORD hates, Yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: Pr 8:13 “The fear of the LORD is to hate evil; Pride and arrogance and the evil way And the perverted mouth, I hate. Pr 8:36 “But he who sins against me injures himself; All those who hate me love death.” Pr 9:8 Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Pr 11:15 He who is guarantor for a stranger will surely suffer for it, But he who hates being a guarantor is secure. Pr 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. Pr 13:5 A righteous man hates falsehood, But a wicked man acts disgustingly and shamefully. Pr 13:24 He who withholds his rod hates his son, But he who loves him disciplines him diligently. Pr 14:17 A quick-tempered man acts foolishly, And a man of evil devices is hated. Pr 14:20 The poor is hated even by his neighbor, But those who love the rich are many. Pr 15:10 Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; He who hates reproof will die. Pr 15:27 He who profits illicitly troubles his own house, But he who hates bribes will live. Pr 19:7 All the brothers of a poor man hate him; How much more do his friends abandon him! He pursues them with words, but they are gone. Pr 25:17 Let your foot rarely be in your neighbor’s house, Or he will become weary of you and hate you. Pr 25:21 If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat; And if he is thirsty, give him water to drink; Pr 26:24 He who hates disguises it with his lips, But he lays up deceit in his heart. Pr 26:28 A lying tongue hates those it crushes, And a flattering mouth works ruin. Pr 27:6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend, But deceitful are the kisses of an enemy. Pr 28:16 A leader who is a great oppressor lacks understanding, But he who hates unjust gain will prolong his days. Pr 29:10 Men of bloodshed hate the blameless, But the upright are concerned for his life. Pr 29:24 He who is a partner with a thief hates his own life; He hears the oath but tells nothing. Pr 30:23 Under an unloved woman when she gets a husband, And a maidservant when she supplants her mistress. Proverbs 1:23 "Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Turn - Isaiah 55:1-3,6,7; Jeremiah 3:14; Ezekiel 18:27-30; 33:11; Hosea 14:1; Acts 3:19; Acts 26:20 my reproof - Pr 1:25,30; 6:23; 10:17; 12:1; 29:1; Ps 145:1; Rev 3:19 behold - Isaiah 32:15; 45:8; Joel 2:28; Zechariah 12:10; Luke 11:13; John 7:36,37; Acts 2:36-38; Revelation 3:16-18 REPENT WHEN REPROVED Turn (07726)(shub) means to turn back, to repent. The basic meaning of shub is movement back to the point of departure (cp Rev 2:4). Wisdom's invitation to turn (or return) is similar to the plea of the prophets (Hos. 3:6; 14:1-2). To turn (repent) calls for a deliberate choice of one's will. Repentance means "to turn" from sin to God (2Cor 7:10, beautifully illustrated in 1Th 1:9-note) To turn is a decision which we must personally make but it is also a gift of God. In other words to turn or to repent is not something we can conger up in our own heart. The Bible teaches that "the kindness of God leads you to repentance" (Ro 2:4-note, cp 2Ti 2:25-note). In Acts 11:18 "God has granted to the Gentiles also the repentance that leads to life." John Trapp said it well - 'Repentance with man is the changing of his will; repentance with God is the willing of a change.' If one truly turns or repents, there will be evidence (fruit or good deeds, eg Gal 5:22-23-note) in their life which testifies to the authenticity of the repentance.. As John the Baptist said "Bear fruit in keeping with repentance." (Mt 3:8) Paul declared men must "repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance." (Acts 26:20). See also more in depth discussion of repentance in the Greek word studies on... Repent - Metanoeo Repentance - Metanoia Repentance implies, (1) a knowledge of sin. (2) conviction of sin (3) a turning from it, with grief and hatred, unto God. Thomas Manton - 'Whoever delays his repentance does in effect pawn his soul with the devil. Thomas Watson - By delay of repentance, sin strengthens, and the heart hardens. The longer ice freezeth, the harder it is to be broken. Thomas Fuller - You cannot repent too soon, because you do not know how soon it may be too late. Thomas Brooks - 'Though true repentance is never too late, yet late repentance is seldom true. 'It is an old saying, "Repentance is never too late; but it is a true saying, Repentance is never too soon.'' Henry Smith -' 'If thou hast fallen into sin through violent temptations, seek speedily for repentance for it, recovery out of it, and reformation from it.'' To repent does not convey the most accurate sense to many people because one of the most common English dictionary definitions is "be sorry again" -- John did not call on the people to be sorry, but to have a complete change in their mental attitudes which would manifest itself in a changed conduct. Repentance is to leave The sins I loved before, And show that I in earnest grieve By doing so no more. Reproof (08433)(tokeha/tokachath) means "rebuke, a correction, a reproof, an argument. The primary thrust of this word is that of correcting some wrong. It is employed to express the concept of rebuking (Pr. 15:10); judgment (Hos. 5:9); reckoning (2Kgs. 19:3); or the argument of a claim (Job 13:6; Hab. 2:1-note)." (Baker) NET Note says tokachath "is used in all kinds of disputes including rebuking, arguing, reasoning, admonishing, and chiding. The term is broad enough to include here warning and rebuke. Cf. KJV, NAB, NRSV “reproof”; TEV “when I reprimand you”; CEV “correct you.” Tokachath is translated in the Lxx with elegchos (derived from elegcho = bring to the light, expose, convict) refers to the inner conviction of the heart whereby one knows that God, heaven, hell, sin, and forgiveness are just as real as rocks and trees. . Elegchos is the word "reproof" in 2Ti 3:16-note. God's Word brings reproof and is a good (and necessary) thing for sinners (all of us!) who are so prone to wander (See Pr 6:23-note) Reproof (Webster) - Blame expressed to the face; censure for a fault; an act or expression of rebuke or censure. Where is reproof found? God's Word > 2Ti3:16-note ("profitable for teaching, for reproof") and as we are trained we grow in righteousness and His Spirit enables us to be adequate for whatever He calls us to do for His Kingdom. NAS Usage: argument(1), arguments(2), chastened(1), rebuke(1), rebukes(2), reproof(14), reproofs(2), reproved(1). Tokachath - 24v - Job 13:6; Job 23:4; Ps. 38:14; 39:11; 73:14; Pr. 1:23, 25, 30; 3:11; 5:12; 6:23; 10:17; Pr 12:1; 13:18; 15:5, 10, 31, 32; 27:5; 29:1, 15; Ezek. 5:15; 25:17; Hab. 2:1 Pr 1:23 “Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Pr 1:25 And you neglected all my counsel And did not want my reproof; Pr 1:30 “They would not accept my counsel, They spurned all my reproof. Pr 3:11 My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof, Pr 5:12 And you say, “How I have hated instruction! And my heart spurned reproof! Pr 6:23 For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching is light; And reproofs for discipline are the way of life Pr 10:17 He is on the path of life who heeds instruction, But he who ignores reproof goes astray. Pr 12:1 Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge, But he who hates reproof is stupid. Pr 13:18 Poverty and shame will come to him who neglects discipline, But he who regards reproof will be honored. Pr 15:5 A fool rejects his father’s discipline, But he who regards reproof is sensible. Pr 15:10 Grievous punishment is for him who forsakes the way; He who hates reproof will die. Pr 15:31 He whose ear listens to the life-giving reproof Will dwell among the wise. Pr 15:32 He who neglects discipline despises himself, But he who listens to reproof acquires understanding. Pr 27:5 Better is open rebuke Than love that is concealed. Pr 29:1 A man who hardens his neck after much reproof Will suddenly be broken beyond remedy. Pr 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. Behold (hinneh) is an interjection which calls attention to the text, specifically calling for the reader's special attention. Spurgeon says that "behold is a word of wonder, intended to excite admiration. Whenever you see it hung out in Scripture, it is like an ancient sign-board, signifying that there are rich wares within, or like the hands which solid readers have observed in the margin of the older Puritanic books, drawing attention to something particularly worthy of observation." I will pour out my spirit - "wisdom" though personified initially as a woman is clearly speaking of God Himself. Pour out (naba) means to flow, to spring, to bubble up. The picture is not just a "drop" (so to speak) but of an abundant impartation of His spirit. Naba - 10 v - Ps. 19:2; 59:7; Ps 78:2; Ps 94:4; Ps 119:171; Ps 145:7; Pr. 1:23; 15:2, 28; 18:4 Pr 1:23 “Turn to my reproof, Behold, I will pour out my spirit on you; I will make my words known to you. Pr 15:2 The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable, But the mouth of fools spouts folly. Pr 15:28 The heart of the righteous ponders how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours out evil things. Pr 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. My spirit - "Whether of wisdom personified, or of Christ, a Divine Agent." (Jamieson) If the former, the idea is that wisdom's spirit will flow or gush forth on those who make the volitional choice to turn. Some suggest there may be allusion to the pouring out of the Holy Spirit (Isa 44:3, Joel 2:28-29) Hubbard says that if they repent "they will receive wisdom’s own “spirit” poured out on them (the language is similar to Joel 2:28) and thus be empowered to carry out the implications of the turning and to know more fully what wisdom wants to teach them. Note the close connection between “spirit” and “words”—a connection sound theology has always made in refusing to choose one above the other or to play them against each other." While most do not see "spirit" here as the Holy Spirit (see exceptions below), certainly He is not completely absent in this passage linking spirit and word and real life even as Jesus did in John 6... It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh profits nothing; the words that I have spoken to you are spirit and are life. (John 6:63)
Provérbios 1
Spurgeon - Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. Chokmah can refer to technical skills or special abilities in fashioning something. The artisan was considered to be endowed with special abilities given to him by God Ex 35:31. Wisdom is seen in the skill of technical work in making garments for the high priest (Ex 28:3), craftsmanship in metal work (Ex 31:3, 6), as well as the execution of battle tactics (Isa 10:13). Wisdom is required from government leaders and heads of state for administration (Dt 34:9; 2Sa14:20), including pagan leaders as well as Israelites (Ezek 28:5). The Messiah demonstrates wisdom and discernment in his function as leader of His people (Isa 11:2). To act wisely means to carry out right principles. A wise workman works according to the right principles of his craft, producing a quality product. Morally, a wise person (enabled by the Holy Spirit, not by a fleshly driven legalism!) lives out the revealed principles of right and wrong, which reflect the character of God. Vance Havner - If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge. James Draper - Wisdom is the skill to live in a way that is pleasing to God. It is not simply information in our heads. It is information that we put to use—where we live, where we work, and where we play. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, of wisdom. That is the starting point. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. We must choose either to live in the power of God, under the discipline of his Word, or to live foolishly. The world offers no hope, no solution, no encouragement. God says, "I want you to have wisdom, the skill to experience life as it ought to be experienced." The choice is up to us. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary - The biblical concept of wisdom is quite different from the classical view of wisdom, which sought through philosophy and human rational thought to determine the mysteries of existence and the universe. The first principle of biblical wisdom is that people should humble themselves before God in reverence and worship, obedient to His commands. This idea is found especially in the Wisdom Literature: the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. In the Old Testament, the best example of a “wise man” is King Solomon (1Ki 10:4,6, 7, 8). And yet the same book that heaps such lavish, warm, and glowing praise upon Solomon for his reputed wisdom (1Ki 4:29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34) also points out how Solomon’s heart turned away from the Lord (1Ki 11:1-13)." (Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary) From Solomon's life example, clearly "spiritual wisdom" is no guarantee that one will walk worthy, but needs to be affect our heart decisions in order to be practical. THOUGHT - How are you doing in this area? Are you like "wise" King Solomon, filled with "spiritual wisdom" and yet choosing to walk in a manner counter to God's clearly revealed will? Bible study won't do you much good unless it transforms your thinking and your walk. True spiritual wisdom must affect our daily life. Wisdom and practical intelligence must go together. NAS Usage: skill (5), skill* (1), wisdom (143), wisely (3), wits' (1). Chokmah - 145v and 41x in Proverbs! - Ex. 28:3; 31:3, 6; 35:26, 31, 35; 36:1-2; Deut. 4:6; 34:9; 2 Sam. 14:20; 20:22; 1Ki. 2:6; 3:28; 4:29-30, 34; 5:12; 7:14; 10:4, 6-8, 23-24; 11:41; 1Chr. 28:21; 2Chr. 1:10-12; 9:3, 5-7, 22-23; Job 4:21; 11:6; Job 12:2, 12-13; 13:5; 15:8; 26:3; 28:12, 18, 20, 28; 32:7, 13; 33:33; 38:36-37; Job 39:17; Ps. 37:30; 49:3; 51:6; 90:12; 104:24; 107:27; 111:10; Pr. 1:2, 7, Pr 1:20; 2:2, 6, 10; 3:13, 19; 4:5, 7, 11; 5:1; 7:4; 8:1, 11, 12; 9:1, 10; 10:13, Pr 10:23, 31; 11:2; 13:10; 14:6, 8, 33; 15:33; 16:16; 17:16, 24; 18:4; 21:30; Pr 23:23; 24:3, 7, 14; 28:26; 29:3, 15; 30:3; 31:26; Eccl. 1:13, 16-18; 2:3, Eccl 2:9, 12-13, 21, 26; 7:10-12, 19, 23, 25; 8:1, 16; 9:10, 13, 15-16, 18; 10:1, 10; Isa. 10:13; 11:2; 29:14; 33:6; 47:10; Jer. 8:9; 9:23; 10:12; 49:7; 51:15; Ezek. 28:4-5, 7, 12, 17; Da 1:4, 17, 20 Below are all the uses of chokmah in Proverbs. A fruitful exercise would be to observe (especially to interrogate the passages using the "5W's and H" questions ) each use of wisdom in Proverbs and make a note about what is associated with wisdom. In this way you could compile your own, personal "working definition" of wisdom. I think it might be an investment that could yield fruit all the remainder of your days! Pr 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, Pr 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Pr 1:20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; Pr 2:2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; Pr 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Pr 2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Pr 3:13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. Pr 3:19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. Pr 4:5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Pr 4:7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. Pr 4:11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. Pr 5:1 My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding; Pr 7:4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend; Pr 8:1 Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? Pr 8:11 “For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. Pr 8:12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion. Pr 9:1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; Pr 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Pr 10:13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. Pr 10:23 Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding. Pr 10:31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. Pr 11:2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom. Pr 13:10 Through insolence comes nothing but strife, But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. Pr 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding. Pr 14:8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit. Pr 14:33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the hearts of fools it is made known. Pr 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility. Pr 16:16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Pr 17:16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? Pr 17:24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Pr 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. Pr 21:30 There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the LORD. Pr 23:23 Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. Pr 24:3 By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; Pr 24:7 Wisdom is too exalted for a fool, He does not open his mouth in the gate. Pr 24:14 Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off. Pr 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered. Pr 29:3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad, But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth. Pr 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. Pr 30:3 Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. Pr 31:26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Some quotes on wisdom (from Complete Gathered Gold - John Blanchard - excellent resource)... Knowledge leads us from the simple to the complex; wisdom leads us from the complex to the simple. - Anon. True wisdom is a divine revelation. - George Barlow Wisdom has never made a bigot, but learning has. - Josh Billings Wisdom gives a balance to character. - John Blanchard Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. - John Calvin This is our wisdom, to be learners to the end. - John Calvin To search for wisdom apart from Christ means not simply foolhardiness but utter insanity. - John Calvin True wisdom consists in being wise according to the law of God. - John Calvin Wisdom is not the growth of human genius. It must be sought from above. - John Calvin Wisdom and the will of God are intimately related... Nothing is more vital for practical knowledge of the purpose of God than wisdom. - Sinclair Ferguson Heavenly wisdom is better than worldly wealth, and to be preferred before it. - Matthew Henry It is better to get wisdom than gold. Gold is another's, wisdom is our own; gold is for the body and time, wisdom for the soul and eternity. - Matthew Henry Modesty is the badge of wisdom. - Matthew Henry Such is the degeneracy of human nature that there is no true wisdom to be found with any but those who are born again and who, through grace, partake of the divine nature. - Matthew Henry He who has a constant longing for wisdom will persistently pray for it. - D. Edmond Hiebert Surely the essence of wisdom is that before we begin to act at all, or attempt to please God, we should discover what it is that God has to say about the matter. - D. Martyn Lloyd Jones Wisdom opens the eyes both to the glories of heaven and to the hollowness of earth.J. A. Motyer Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God's holiness and sovereignty... acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours. - J. I. Packer Wisdom is God-centred. - Michael Parsons Wisdom in ruling is justice; wisdom in speech is discretion; wisdom in conduct is prudence; wisdom in evaluation is discernment. - George Seevers To know God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent, is the highest principle and perfection of man. This attainment, infinitely above all others, constitutes true wisdom. - Charles Simeon We can be certain that God wants us to be wise, just as we are sure that he wants us not to sin. - R. C. Sproul Conviction of ignorance is the doorstep to the temple of wisdom. - C. H. Spurgeon The sublimity of wisdom is to do those things living which are to be desired when dying. - Jeremy Taylor The wisest person in the world is the person who knows the most about God. - A. W. Tozer The true test of wisdom is works, not words. - Curtis Vaughan If the Lord Jesus Christ is a stranger to you, the best you can hope for is to become a philosopher, like Socrates of old. But apart from Christ there is no wisdom. - Spiros Zodhiates Wisdom, the wisdom of God, is not something that is acquired by man, but something that is bestowed by God upon his elect. It is a divine endowment and not a human acquisition. - Spiros Zodhiates BEYOND INFORMATION ("We wired and tired"!) - An investment company’s full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal began with these words: “Information is everywhere. Insight is all too rare. For insight goes beyond information to discern underlying truths.” Today, we are long on information and short on insight. Television offers scores of channels. Encyclopedias and world atlases are on compact disks (CDs) (Ed: Devotional written in 1996, but today information is [too] readily available on Internet = Wikipedia). Online databases give us the temperature in Hong Kong and the baseball score in Birmingham. We’re wired and tired from trying to grasp the meaning of all we know. (Ed: THOUGHT - While the "One Chapter a Day" is commendable, I prefer one verse or one group of verses of Proverbs a day. That way your focus is not how much of the Word you get through but how much of the Word gets through you! You are much more likely to remember the smaller "bits and bytes" than an entire chapter. And Proverbs is one of those books that is like a gold mine shaft that needs to be worked to get the deep riches therein!) THINKING IT THROUGH Why would someone not want to be wise? (Pr. 1:7-note). What happens to those who live foolishly? (Pr 1:31-32). What are some benefits of wisdom? (Pr 1:33; 2:6-11). You can get knowledge in college, but wisdom comes from God INSTRUCTION: "CHILD REARING" Instruction (04148)(musar [word study] from yāsar = chasten literally with blows or figuratively with words, to instruct, rebuke) means discipline, chastening, or correction! God's chastening is always for purposes of instruction, and should not be ignored or resented. Musar is used in Proverbs 3:11 "My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, Or loathe His reproof." Musar is something our flesh tends to reject because it speaks of the painful process of chastening which is necessary if we are to garner godly wisdom. The writer of Hebrews speaks to our "natural" push back against discipline writing... You have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES (metaphorical description of what was literally one of the most severe forms of punishment in ancient Rome) EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES....(11) All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Heb 12:5-6-note, Heb 12:11- note) Harris - Instruction, properly “chastisement,” signifying moral training, admonition, then good habits, the practical side of wisdom. (Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary) Musar is a technical term for instruction in the school of wisdom. Instruction is characterized by reverence or fear of the Lord (Pr 15:33). Wisdom results from listening to this instruction (Pr 19:20). Discipline takes effort (Pr 23:12, 23). Proverbs also speaks specifically of parental instruction as something to be closely followed (Pr 1:8; 4:1; 13:1). Failure to listen to a father's instruction results in ignorance (Pr 19:27ff). See: Baker Evangelical Dictionary Discipline Charles Buck Dictionary Discipline (1) Discipline (2) Holman Bible Dictionary Discipline Hastings' Dictionary of the NT Discipline (2) Discipline Morrish Bible Dictionary Discipline Vines' Expository Dictionary Discipline International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Discipline McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Discipline Nave Topical Bible Discipline When, why, and how does the Lord God discipline us when we sin? NET Note - The noun musar has a three-fold range of meanings: (1) physical or parental: “discipline; chastisement” (2) verbal: “warning; exhortation” and (3) moral: “training; instruction”. Its parallelism with wisdom suggests that it refers to moral training or instruction that the Book of Proverbs offers to its readers. This instruction consists of wisdom acquired by observing the consequences of foolish actions in others and developing the ability to control the natural inclination to folly (Ed: For believers only possible as we rely on the Holy Spirit's enablement! cp Ro 8:13). This sometimes comes through experiencing chastisement from God. Musar is translated in the Septuagint with the noun paideia which means to provide instruction with the intent of forming proper habits of behavior. It was used in Greek culture for training, rearing and guiding a child to maturity. Paideia is a broad term, signifying whatever parents and teachers do to train, correct, cultivate, and educate children in order to help them develop and mature as they ought. Wayne Detzler writes that paideia "moves from education to correction and finally embraces the concept of punishment. This idea is quite unpopular, because many Christians confuse salvation with sentimentality. God does not tolerate sin among Christians, but rather disciplines them as a good father would (Heb. 12:5-11-note). In fact, if a Christian is comfortable and undisciplined, there is cause to doubt that he truly is a believer!" (Detzler, Wayne E: New Testament Words in Today's Language. Victor. 1986) John
Provérbios 1
Spurgeon - Morning and evening - Divine love is rendered conspicuous when it shines in the midst of judgments. Fair is that lone star which smiles through the rifts of the thunder clouds; bright is the oasis which blooms in the wilderness of sand; so fair and so bright is love in the midst of wrath. When the Israelites provoked the Most High by their continued idolatry, he punished them by withholding both dew and rain, so that their land was visited by a sore famine; but while he did this, he took care that his own chosen ones should be secure. If all other brooks are dry, yet shall there be one reserved for Elijah; and when that fails, God shall still preserve for him a place of sustenance; nay, not only so, the Lord had not simply one “Elijah,” but he had a remnant according to the election of grace, who were hidden by fifties in a cave, and though the whole land was subject to famine, yet these fifties in the cave were fed, and fed from Ahab’s table too by His faithful, God-fearing steward, Obadiah. Let us from this draw the inference, that come what may, God’s people are safe. Let convulsions shake the solid earth, let the skies themselves be rent in twain, yet amid the wreck of worlds the believer shall be as secure as in the calmest hour of rest. If God cannot save his people under heaven, he will save them in heaven. If the world becomes too hot to hold them, then heaven shall be the place of their reception and their safety. Be ye then confident, when ye hear of wars, and rumors of wars. Let no agitation distress you, but be quiet from fear of evil. Whatsoever cometh upon the earth, you, beneath the broad wings of Jehovah, shall be secure. Stay yourself upon his promise; rest in his faithfulness, and bid defiance to the blackest future, for there is nothing in it direful for you. Your sole concern should be to show forth to the world the blessedness of hearkening to the voice of wisdom.
Provérbios 1:7
Spurgeon - Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. Chokmah can refer to technical skills or special abilities in fashioning something. The artisan was considered to be endowed with special abilities given to him by God Ex 35:31. Wisdom is seen in the skill of technical work in making garments for the high priest (Ex 28:3), craftsmanship in metal work (Ex 31:3, 6), as well as the execution of battle tactics (Isa 10:13). Wisdom is required from government leaders and heads of state for administration (Dt 34:9; 2Sa14:20), including pagan leaders as well as Israelites (Ezek 28:5). The Messiah demonstrates wisdom and discernment in his function as leader of His people (Isa 11:2). To act wisely means to carry out right principles. A wise workman works according to the right principles of his craft, producing a quality product. Morally, a wise person (enabled by the Holy Spirit, not by a fleshly driven legalism!) lives out the revealed principles of right and wrong, which reflect the character of God. Vance Havner - If you lack knowledge, go to school. If you lack wisdom, get on your knees! Knowledge is not wisdom. Wisdom is the proper use of knowledge. James Draper - Wisdom is the skill to live in a way that is pleasing to God. It is not simply information in our heads. It is information that we put to use—where we live, where we work, and where we play. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, of wisdom. That is the starting point. Fools despise wisdom and instruction. We must choose either to live in the power of God, under the discipline of his Word, or to live foolishly. The world offers no hope, no solution, no encouragement. God says, "I want you to have wisdom, the skill to experience life as it ought to be experienced." The choice is up to us. Wisdom is "God's fixed order for life, an order opposed to chaos and death....No longer can wisdom be defined simplistically as 'the practical application of knowledge.' Instead wisdom must be thought of as a broad, theological concept denoting a fixed, righteous order to which the wise man submits his life." [Bruce Waltke - The Book of Proverbs and Ancient Wisdom Literature - Bibliotheca Sacra] "Wisdom means being skillful and successful in one's relationships and responsibilities. It involves observing and following the Creator's principles of order in the moral universe." [Roy B. Zuck, "A Theology of the Wisdom Books and the Song of Songs," in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament, p. 232.] "It isn't enough simply to be educated and have knowledge, as important as education is. We also need wisdom, which is the ability to use knowledge. Wise men and women have the competence to grasp the meaning of a situation and understand what to do and how to do it in the right way at the right time...."The pages of history are filled with the names of brilliant and gifted people who were smart enough to become rich and famous but not wise enough to make a successful and satisfying life. Before his death, one of the world's richest men said that he would have given all his wealth to make one of his six marriages succeed. It's one thing to make a living, but quite something else to make a life." [ Wiersbe, pp. 10-11, 12.] "When a man knows the right and does the right he is a wise man. It is the wedding of knowing and doing-it is the junction of the good and the true." [Paul E. Larsen, Wise Up and Live, p. 4.] Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary - The biblical concept of wisdom is quite different from the classical view of wisdom, which sought through philosophy and human rational thought to determine the mysteries of existence and the universe. The first principle of biblical wisdom is that people should humble themselves before God in reverence and worship, obedient to His commands. This idea is found especially in the Wisdom Literature: the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. In the Old Testament, the best example of a “wise man” is King Solomon (1Ki 10:4,6, 7, 8). And yet the same book that heaps such lavish, warm, and glowing praise upon Solomon for his reputed wisdom (1Ki 4:29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34) also points out how Solomon’s heart turned away from the Lord (1Ki 11:1–13)." (Youngblood, R. F., Bruce, F. F., Harrison, R. K., & Thomas Nelson Publishers. Nelson's New Illustrated Bible Dictionary) From Solomon's life example, clearly "spiritual wisdom" is no guarantee that one will walk worthy, but needs to be affect our heart decisions in order to be practical. How are you doing in this area? Are you like "wise" King Solomon, filled with "spiritual wisdom" and yet choosing to walk in a manner counter to God's clearly revealed will? Bible study won't do you much good unless it transforms your thinking and your walk. True spiritual wisdom must affect our daily life. Wisdom and practical intelligence must go together. NAS Usage: skill (5), skill* (1), wisdom (143), wisely (3), wits' (1). Chokmah - 145v and 41x in Proverbs! - Ex. 28:3; 31:3, 6; 35:26, 31, 35; 36:1f; Deut. 4:6; 34:9; 2 Sam. 14:20; 20:22; 1 Ki. 2:6; 3:28; 4:29f, 34; 5:12; 7:14; 10:4, 6ff, 23f; 11:41; 1Chr. 28:21; 2Chr. 1:10ff; 9:3, 5ff, 22f; Job 4:21; 11:6; 12:2, 12f; 13:5; 15:8; 26:3; 28:12, 18, 20, 28; 32:7, 13; 33:33; 38:36f; 39:17; Ps. 37:30; 49:3; 51:6; 90:12; 104:24; 107:27; 111:10; Pr. 1:2, 7, 20; 2:2, 6, 10; 3:13, 19; 4:5, 7, 11; 5:1; 7:4; 8:1, 11, 12; 9:1, 10; 10:13, 23, 31; 11:2; 13:10; 14:6, 8, 33; 15:33; 16:16; 17:16, 24; 18:4; 21:30; 23:23; 24:3, 7, 14; 28:26; 29:3, 15; 30:3; 31:26; Eccl. 1:13, 16ff; 2:3, 9, 12f, 21, 26; 7:10ff, 19, 23, 25; 8:1, 16; 9:10, 13, 15f, 18; 10:1, 10; Isa. 10:13; 11:2; 29:14; 33:6; 47:10; Jer. 8:9; 9:23; 10:12; 49:7; 51:15; Ezek. 28:4f, 7, 12, 17; Da 1:4, 17, 20 Below are all the uses of chokmah in Proverbs. A fruitful exercise would be to observe (especially to interrogate the passages using the "5W's and H" questions ) each use of wisdom in Proverbs and make a note about what is associated with wisdom. In this way you could compile your own, personal "working definition" of wisdom. I think it might be an investment that could yield fruit all the remainder of your days! Pr 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction, To discern the sayings of understanding, Pr 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction. Pr 1:20 Wisdom shouts in the street, She lifts her voice in the square; Pr 2:2 Make your ear attentive to wisdom, Incline your heart to understanding; Pr 2:6 For the LORD gives wisdom; From His mouth come knowledge and understanding. Pr 2:10 For wisdom will enter your heart And knowledge will be pleasant to your soul; Pr 3:13 How blessed is the man who finds wisdom And the man who gains understanding. Pr 3:19 The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, By understanding He established the heavens. Pr 4:5 Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding! Do not forget nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Pr 4:7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom; And with all your acquiring, get understanding. Pr 4:11 I have directed you in the way of wisdom; I have led you in upright paths. Pr 5:1 My son, give attention to my wisdom, Incline your ear to my understanding; Pr 7:4 Say to wisdom, “You are my sister,” And call understanding your intimate friend; Pr 8:1 Does not wisdom call, And understanding lift up her voice? Pr 8:11 “For wisdom is better than jewels; And all desirable things cannot compare with her. Pr 8:12 “I, wisdom, dwell with prudence, And I find knowledge and discretion. Pr 9:1 Wisdom has built her house, She has hewn out her seven pillars; Pr 9:10 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Pr 10:13 On the lips of the discerning, wisdom is found, But a rod is for the back of him who lacks understanding. Pr 10:23 Doing wickedness is like sport to a fool, And so is wisdom to a man of understanding. Pr 10:31 The mouth of the righteous flows with wisdom, But the perverted tongue will be cut out. Pr 11:2 When pride comes, then comes dishonor, But with the humble is wisdom. Pr 13:10 Through insolence comes nothing but strife, But wisdom is with those who receive counsel. Pr 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding. Pr 14:8 The wisdom of the sensible is to understand his way, But the foolishness of fools is deceit. Pr 14:33 Wisdom rests in the heart of one who has understanding, But in the hearts of fools it is made known. Pr 15:33 The fear of the LORD is the instruction for wisdom, And before honor comes humility. Pr 16:16 How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! And to get understanding is to be chosen above silver. Pr 17:16 Why is there a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom, When he has no sense? Pr 17:24 Wisdom is in the presence of the one who has understanding, But the eyes of a fool are on the ends of the earth. Pr 18:4 The words of a man’s mouth are deep waters; The fountain of wisdom is a bubbling brook. Pr 21:30 There is no wisdom and no understanding And no counsel against the LORD. Pr 23:23 Buy truth, and do not sell it, Get wisdom and instruction and understanding. Pr 24:3 By wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; Pr 24:7 Wisdom is too exalted for a fool, He does not open his mouth in the gate. Pr 24:14 Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; If you find it, then there will be a future, And your hope will not be cut off. Pr 28:26 He who trusts in his own heart is a fool, But he who walks wisely will be delivered. Pr 29:3 A man who loves wisdom makes his father glad, But he who keeps company with harlots wastes his wealth. Pr 29:15 The rod and reproof give wisdom, But a child who gets his own way brings shame to his mother. Pr 30:3 Neither have I learned wisdom, Nor do I have the knowledge of the Holy One. Pr 31:26 She opens her mouth in wisdom, And the teaching of kindness is on her tongue. Some quotes on wisdom (from Complete Gathered Gold - John Blanchard - excellent resource)... Knowledge leads us from the simple to the complex; wisdom leads us from the complex to the simple. - Anon. True wisdom is a divine revelation. - George Barlow Wisdom has never made a bigot, but learning has. - Josh Billings Wisdom gives a balance to character. - John Blanchard Nearly all the wisdom we possess, that is to say, true and sound wisdom, consists of two parts: the knowledge of God and of ourselves. - John Calvin This is our wisdom, to be learners to the end. - John Calvin To search for wisdom apart from Christ means not simply foolhardiness but utter insanity. - John Calvin True wisdom consists in being wise according to the law of God. - John Calvin Wisdom is not the growth of human genius. It must be sought from above. - John Calvin Wisdom and the will of God are intimately related... Nothing is more vital for practical knowledge of the purpose of God than wisdom. - Sinclair Ferguson Heavenly wisdom is better than worldly wealth, and to be preferred before it. - Matthew Henry It is better to get wisdom than gold. Gold is another's, wisdom is our own; gold is for the body and time, wisdom for the soul and eternity. - Matthew Henry Modesty is the badge of wisdom. - Matthew Henry Such is the degeneracy of human nature that there is no true wisdom to be found with any but those who are born again and who, through grace, partake of the divine nature. - Matthew Henry He who has a constant longing for wisdom will persistently pray for it. - D. Edmond Hiebert Surely the essence of wisdom is that before we begin to act at all, or attempt to please God, we should discover what it is that God has to say about the matter. - D. Martyn Lloyd Jones Wisdom opens the eyes both to the glories of heaven and to the hollowness of earth.J. A. Motyer Not until we have become humble and teachable, standing in awe of God's holiness and sovereignty... acknowledging our own littleness, distrusting our own thoughts, and willing to have our minds turned upside down, can divine wisdom become ours. - J. I. Packer Wisdom is God-centred. - Michael Parsons Wisdom in ruling is justice; wisdom in speech is discretion; wisdom in conduct is prudence; wisdom in evaluation is discernment. - George Seevers To know God, and Jesus Christ whom he has sent, is the highest principle and perfection of man. This attainment, infinitely above all others, constitutes true wisdom. - Charles Simeon We can be certain that God wants us to be wise, just as we are sure that he wants us not to sin. - R. C. Sproul Conviction of ignorance is the doorstep to the temple of wisdom. - C. H. Spurgeon The sublimity of wisdom is to do those things living which are to be desired when dying. - Jeremy Taylor The wisest person in the world is the person who knows the most about God. - A. W. Tozer The true test of wisdom is works, not words. - Curtis Vaughan If the Lord Jesus Christ is a stranger to you, the best you can hope for is to become a philosopher, like Socrates of old. But apart from Christ there is no wisdom. - Spiros Zodhiates Wisdom, the wisdom of God, is not something that is acquired by man, but something that is bestowed by God upon his elect. It is a divine endowment and not a human acquisition. - Spiros Zodhiates BEYOND INFORMATION ("We wired and tired"!) - An investment company’s full-page ad in the Wall Street Journal began with these words: “Information is everywhere. Insight is all too rare. For insight goes beyond information to discern underlying truths.” Today, we are long on information and short on insight. Television offers scores of channels. Encyclopedias and world atlases are on compact disks (CDs) (Ed: Devotional written in 1996, but today information is [too] readily available on Internet = Wikipedia). Online databases give us the temperature in Hong Kong and the baseball score in Birmingham. We’re wired and tired from trying to grasp the meaning of all we know. THINKING IT THROUGH Why would someone not want to be wise? (Pr. 1:7). What happens to those who live foolishly? (Pr 1:31-32). What are some benefits of wisdom? (Pr 1:33; 2:6-11). You can get knowledge in college, but wisdom comes from God! Instruction (04148)(musar from yasar = to discipline, chasten, admonish) refers to discipline, chastening, correction. God's chastening is always for purposes of instruction, and should not be ignored or resented. (Job 5:17 cp Job 42:2). Solomon instructs us "My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD Or loathe His reproof." (Pr 3:11) One of major purposes of wisdom literature is to teach wisdom and instruction (musar) (Pr 1:2) Isaiah describes the divine chastisement poured out on the Suffering Messiah (Isa 53:5). Related Resources: Baker's Evangelical Dictionary - Discipline Holman Bible Dictionary Chasten, Chastisement Holman Bible Dictionary Discipline International Standard Bible Encyclopedia - Chastisement Hastings' Dictionary - Discipline - Part 2 Discipline International Standard Bible Encyclopedia Discipline McClintock and Strong's Bible Encyclopedia Discipline Musar is translated in the Septuagint with the noun paideia which is used of rearing and guiding a child to maturity (Heb 12:11) and refers to God's fatherly discipline (Heb 12:5). Paideia means to provide instruction, with the intent of forming proper habits of behavior, of providing guidance for responsible living, of rearing and guiding a child toward maturity. Musar is used in Proverbs 3:11 "My son, do not reject the discipline of the LORD, Or loathe His reproof." Musar is something our flesh tends to reject because it speaks of the painful process of chastening which is necessary if we are to garner godly wisdom. The writer of Hebrews speaks to our "natural" push back against discipline writing... You have forgotten the exhortation which is addressed to you as sons, “MY SON, DO NOT REGARD LIGHTLY THE DISCIPLINE OF THE LORD, NOR FAINT WHEN YOU ARE REPROVED BY HIM; FOR THOSE WHOM THE LORD LOVES HE DISCIPLINES, AND HE SCOURGES (metaphorical description of what was literally one of the most severe forms of punishment in ancient Rome) EVERY SON WHOM HE RECEIVES....(11) All discipline for the moment seems not to be joyful, but sorrowful; yet to those who have been trained by it, afterwards it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness. (Heb 12:5-6-note, Heb 12:11- note) Harris - Instruction, properly “chastisement,” signifying moral training, admonition, then good habits, the practical side of wisdom. (Preacher’s Complete Homiletic Commentary) Musar is a technical term for instruction in the school of wisdom. Instruction is characterized by reverence or fear of the Lord (Pr 15:33). Wisdom results from listening to this instruction (Pr 19:20). Discipline takes effort (Pr 23:12, 23). Proverbs also speaks specifically of parental instruction as something to be closely followed (Pr 1:8; 4:1; 13:1). Failure to listen to a father's instruction results in ignorance (Pr 19:27ff). NET Note - The noun musar has a three-fold range of meanings: (1) physical or parental: “discipline; chastisement” (2) verbal: “warning; exhortation” and (3) moral: “training; instruction”. Its parallelism with wisdom suggests that it refers to moral training or instruction that the Book of Proverbs offers to its readers. This instruction consists of wisdom acquired by observing the consequences of foolish actions in others and developing the ability to control the natural inclination to folly (Ed: For believers only possible as we rely on the Holy Spirit's enablement! cp Ro 8:13). This sometimes comes through experiencing chastisement from God. Musar is translated in the Septuagint with the noun paideia which means to provide instruction with the intent of forming proper habits of behavior. It was used in Greek culture for training, rearing and guiding a child to maturity. Paideia is a broad term, signifying whatever parents and teachers do to train, correct, cultivate, and educate children in order to help them develop and mature as they ought. Wayne Detzler writes that paideia "moves from education to correction and finally embraces the concept of punishment. This idea is quite unpopular, because many Christians confuse salvation with sentimentality. God does not tolerate sin among Christians, but rather disciplines them as a good father would (Heb. 12:5-11-note). In fact, if a Christian is comfortable and undisciplined, there is cause to doubt that he truly is a believer!" (Detzler, Wayne E: New Testament Words in Today's Language. Victor. 1986) John