Proverbs Class Week 1: Why Proverbs?

Structure of Proverbs
1-9— Introduction
10-22:16— Proverbs of Solomon
22:17-24:22— Thirty Sayings of the Wise
24:23-34— Further Sayings of the Wise
25-29— Proverbs of Solomon as Collected by Hezekiah
30— Sayings of Agur
31:1-9— Sayings of King Lemuel
31:10-31— Portrait of Excellence

Structure of the Class

• References

• Focus on chapters 1-9

• Richard Belcher: “Chapters 1-9 provides the hermeneutic grid to read the rest of the

book”

• Each class a selection based on themes

• Each class will end with a demonstration of discussing a proverb from ch. 10-31

• Homework: practice reading/reflecting/discussing Proverbs

• Blog: proverbialpennies.wordpress.com

Recommended Resources
The Book of Proverbs
Keller, Tim and Kathy. God’s Wisdom for Navigating Life. New York, NY: Viking, 2017.
Kidner, Derek. Proverbs. Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. IVP Academic, 2009.
Longman III, Tremper. Proverbs. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament Wisdom and
Psalms. Baker Publishing Group, 2006.
Ortlund, Raymond. Hughes, R. Kent, ed. Proverbs: Wisdom That Works. Preaching the
Word. Crossway.
Waltke, Bruce. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 1-15. New International Commentary on
the Old Testament (NICOT). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2004.
Waltke, Bruce. The Book of Proverbs, Chapters 16-31. New International Commentary
on the Old Testament (NICOT). Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans Publishing, 2004.
Why Proverbs? Why are you here?
In what ways or areas of your life are you simple?
In what ways or areas of your life are you wise?
“Wisdom begins with _____?”

Prayer

Hebrew Poetry

Over half of the OT in poetry

Characteristics of Hebrew poetry

- More restricted form of speech

• Closure at lines
• Shape: smoothness, structure, sense of balanced order
- No meter, no rhyme
- Dense, compressed expression
• Pithy
• Encourages reflection (slows us down)
- Heightened style
• Metaphors, figures of speech
• Abnormal syntax
- Parallelism
• Kugel: “Pairing of related statements that emphasizes a point”
- Chiastic structures
Tips

- Look for patterns, keywords, sentence structures to give clues to structure

- Notice major themes
- Parallelism:
• How does the second line (B) connect to the first (A)?
• How does B support/heighten/contrast/expand/advance A?
- The 4 Ms (Lorien Wood):
• Messed up?
- What is the vice that is condemned here?
- What does the passage tell us about sin or our sinful nature?
- Where do you see a betrayal of God’s original good design?
• Matched up?
- What is the virtue that is encouraged here?
- What does this passage reveal about God?
- What does this tell us about the glory He wants to restore?
• (Gospel) Message?
- What does this passage tell us about the good news of God’s salvation?
- What does this tell about the Father’s plan, Jesus’s mission, or the Spirit’s aid?
- Does it shed some light on Jesus’ fulfillment of the Bible?
• Mission?
- How can we apply this practically to our personal lives or communities?
- Do you feel a conviction of reproof or prompting to act?
- How can you respond in obedience?