3-Day Commentary Challenge - Proverbs 1-2Sample

AVOID THE ADULTERESS, 2:1–4:27

Again and again Solomon exhorts his son, the reader, (1) to hear and heed the instruction of the person Wisdom (1:20), who is the Lord, and (2) to walk the paths of wisdom, which is the life of holiness in the fear of the Lord. This appeal is repeated for nine full chapters, before the long list of miscellaneous proverbs begins in chapter 10. The reason for that repetition is not hard to find. Solomon wisely knows that commands and exhortations about daily conduct are meaningless to one whose heart attitude is not right before God. Hence his constant appeal in the early chapters for an attitude of submission and teachableness, suggested by such words as “hear,” “receive,” “seek,” “forget not,” and “attend to.” 

Colossians 2:6 shows the same connections between receiving and walking: “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him.”

Search for Wisdom and Rewards, 2:1–9

These verses are built around the structure: “If . . .”(2:1–4); “Then . . .” (2:5–9). Many of the opening phrases of the book in 1:2–6 reappear here in Solomon’s proven formula for spiritual success. That formula involves three things:

1. Who God ls and What He Does (2:6–8)

2. What Man Must Do (2:1–4)

The verbs following the conditional “if ” are: “receive,” “treasure,” “make attentive,” “incline,” “cry,” “lift,” “seek,” and “search.” The wide range of these activities indicates that the condition is not to be a mere casual pursuit or search of man.

3. What the Blessed Outcome Is (2:5–9)

Then you will discern the fear of the Lord, And discover the knowledge of God. (2:5) Then you will discern righteousness and justice And equity and every good course. (2:9)

It is interesting to observe that the two names “God” and “Lord” appear together in 2:5. As noted in chapter 1, the name “Lord” appears eighty-six times in Proverbs, whereas Solomon uses the name “God” only eight times. The name “Lord” translates the Hebrew Jehovah. It is the name that identifies God as the Savior of Israel, the covenant-maker and covenant-fulfiller. The name “God” translates Elohim, a name of majesty and authority. It is the first reference to God in the Bible (Gen. 1:1).

Wisdom As a Guide, 2:10–22

In these lines wisdom is shown as a guide—negatively, “To deliver you from the way of evil” (2:12); and positively, “So you will walk in the way of good men” (2:20). For the one whose heart is filled with wisdom and whose soul loves knowledge (2:10), discretion will be a guard and understanding a protector (2:11). The moral and spiritual deliverance is from perverse men (2:12–15) and seductive women (2:16–19). For the Israelites, dwelling peacefully and fruitfully in the land of Canaan was life’s high goal. Solomon writes that the upright and the blameless dwell there (2:21), but the wicked and the treacherous ones will be uprooted from the land (2:22).

Note from the Publisher:  We hope that you have been encouraged by this 3-day commentary challenge from Irving L. Jensen.  You can pick up a copy of  Proverbs - Everyday Bible Commentary at moodypublishers.com