Having established that we must be in a right relationship with God before we can receive wisdom we are then introduced to two archetypes (by implication): the fool and the wise person. We are told "fools despise wisdom and instruction" (Proverbs 1:7 ESV). I will refrain from making a Mr. T joke here but let us not be pitiable fools but rather be wise, who by implication love wisdom and instruction. I also want to emphasize the word "despise" used here. It does not say "ignore" but "despise"; why? My contention is that this supports the idea that wisdom is received from a right relationship with God. A fool is not only ignorant of knowledge but actively and choosingly (a word I've made up to suit this purpose) decides to ignore wisdom and instruction. That is, the fool knows what he should do, but decides not do it. This foreshadows a discussion by the Jesus later where he states that the one who knows what he should do and does not do it will receive the greater punishment than the one who is ignorant (Luke 12:47). Having been given these proverbs and this wisdom we cannot claim we have not received it, so let us try and make good use of the gift the Lord has given us.
The relationship of the learning and the learned is described in the New Testament as one that is similar to a master and his servant (as the disciples were to Jesus) but it is also described in Proverbs as one between a parent and a child. "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching..." (Proverbs 1:8 ESV). Immediately this changes the nature of the relationship between the author and the reader to one of great intimacy. We as children are being beckoned to our father that he might instruct us for our good.
Here Solomon is effectively treating all of his subjects (who, in addition to his own children, would presumably be his audience) as his own children and reflects the ownership and responsibility the as king has for his people. The books of Kings have various examples where the subjects follow the practices of the king and so are "instructed" by him for better or for worse. This also in my opinion tells us something about what it means to rule over a people or have authority over them. I think in this way the Lord is establishing the principle that one who rules over another has a responsibility to them as a parent to a child and part of that responsibility is to educate that person or persons and to build them up in wisdom, righteousness, justice and equity (Proverbs 1:3 ESV). Why is this so important and what are its implications for government in general? As children reflect parents so to do parents reflect children and this applies to the rulers and the ruled (we often see throughout the Bible that the state of mind of the King reflects or at the least has an impact on the state of mind of his people; ex. Matthew 2:3).
It is interesting to note that the first piece of advice in Proverbs other than to first be open to receiving wisdom (which I think is also implicit in fearing the Lord, that is to say fearing the Lord is not a separate action to being open to receiving wisdom) is a negative command. What is the command? "[D]o not consent" to sinners' enticement" (Proverbs 1:10 ESV). I want to highlight this because I think it is important to understated this in this day and age; that is the guilt that is imputed to us for agreeing with those who do wickedness or being an accessory to their crimes. We see later in Acts that Saul consented to the stoning of Stephen (Acts 1:8 ESV). This is one of the first commandments of this wisdom literature. Do not consent or agree with evil.
We will see this played out throughout Proverbs but I believe so much wisdom lies in keeping ourselves from places where we can get involved with sin in the first place. Psalm 1 (notably the first psalm) emphasizes this as well, for "lessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers..." (Psalm 1:1 ESV). We should not make the same mistake Eve did (demonstrating how fundamental this sin is) by listening to wickedness. You must "hold back you foot from their paths" (Proverbs 1:15 ESV).
We know these wicked people by their fruits "for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood" (Proverbs 1:16 ESV). Knowing their character, which I believe the Lord will make known to us through their actions, we are then under the affirmative obligation to stay away from such people and not go in with them. Now, we are in the world, so their are judgment calls to be made but Proverbs provides some indication as to what these types of illicit "partnerships" would be. They are, for instance, one's seeking profit, for they say "we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder" (Proverbs 1:13 ESV). We should be careful in business (and perhaps other areas of our lives) who we partner with for the wicked are "greedy for unjust gain" (Proverbs 1:19 ESV).This gain can expressed in dollars and cents or perhaps diminishing someone else's reputation to raise yourself up; in any way that we take from others to gain for ourselves we do wrong.
------------------------------End of Part 2
*ESV=English Standard Version
The relationship of the learning and the learned is described in the New Testament as one that is similar to a master and his servant (as the disciples were to Jesus) but it is also described in Proverbs as one between a parent and a child. "Hear, my son, your father's instruction, and forsake not your mother's teaching..." (Proverbs 1:8 ESV). Immediately this changes the nature of the relationship between the author and the reader to one of great intimacy. We as children are being beckoned to our father that he might instruct us for our good.
Here Solomon is effectively treating all of his subjects (who, in addition to his own children, would presumably be his audience) as his own children and reflects the ownership and responsibility the as king has for his people. The books of Kings have various examples where the subjects follow the practices of the king and so are "instructed" by him for better or for worse. This also in my opinion tells us something about what it means to rule over a people or have authority over them. I think in this way the Lord is establishing the principle that one who rules over another has a responsibility to them as a parent to a child and part of that responsibility is to educate that person or persons and to build them up in wisdom, righteousness, justice and equity (Proverbs 1:3 ESV). Why is this so important and what are its implications for government in general? As children reflect parents so to do parents reflect children and this applies to the rulers and the ruled (we often see throughout the Bible that the state of mind of the King reflects or at the least has an impact on the state of mind of his people; ex. Matthew 2:3).
It is interesting to note that the first piece of advice in Proverbs other than to first be open to receiving wisdom (which I think is also implicit in fearing the Lord, that is to say fearing the Lord is not a separate action to being open to receiving wisdom) is a negative command. What is the command? "[D]o not consent" to sinners' enticement" (Proverbs 1:10 ESV). I want to highlight this because I think it is important to understated this in this day and age; that is the guilt that is imputed to us for agreeing with those who do wickedness or being an accessory to their crimes. We see later in Acts that Saul consented to the stoning of Stephen (Acts 1:8 ESV). This is one of the first commandments of this wisdom literature. Do not consent or agree with evil.
We will see this played out throughout Proverbs but I believe so much wisdom lies in keeping ourselves from places where we can get involved with sin in the first place. Psalm 1 (notably the first psalm) emphasizes this as well, for "lessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers..." (Psalm 1:1 ESV). We should not make the same mistake Eve did (demonstrating how fundamental this sin is) by listening to wickedness. You must "hold back you foot from their paths" (Proverbs 1:15 ESV).
We know these wicked people by their fruits "for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood" (Proverbs 1:16 ESV). Knowing their character, which I believe the Lord will make known to us through their actions, we are then under the affirmative obligation to stay away from such people and not go in with them. Now, we are in the world, so their are judgment calls to be made but Proverbs provides some indication as to what these types of illicit "partnerships" would be. They are, for instance, one's seeking profit, for they say "we shall find all precious goods, we shall fill our houses with plunder" (Proverbs 1:13 ESV). We should be careful in business (and perhaps other areas of our lives) who we partner with for the wicked are "greedy for unjust gain" (Proverbs 1:19 ESV).This gain can expressed in dollars and cents or perhaps diminishing someone else's reputation to raise yourself up; in any way that we take from others to gain for ourselves we do wrong.
------------------------------End of Part 2
*ESV=English Standard Version
