Solomon, the son of King David wrote the book of Proverbs to teach wisdom; to give the simple prudence and to the young man knowledge and purpose. Through Solomon’s writing they will learn wisdom and discipline to discern words of understanding. This discipline is to be prudent resulting in being righteous, just, and treating others with equality for one who is under the Mosaic Law.
1:1 Proverbs of Solomon, son of David, King of Israel. To know wisdom and discipline 1:2 to discern words of understanding. 1:3 To receive discipline to be prudent; righteousness and justice and equality. 1:4 To give to
A proverb is a saying or statement that is intended to convey or teach wisdom to the listener. Some of our English translations mix up a proverb with a parable, which is actually intended to hide truth, Matthew 13:10, 11. This can cause a lot of confusion because the book of Proverbs is not intended to hide wisdom, but reveal it so that the simply can understand the words of the wise and the riddles (1 Kings 4:29-33 – King Solomon’s wisdom was seen in his proverbs).
Although there is a lot of wisdom in the book of Proverbs, as Christians, we need to be careful how we apply it. All Scripture is written for the saint today, but not all Scripture is for the saint’s practice. Solomon begins with the fact that fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge. Wisdom is how that knowledge is applied. For those prior to the resurrection of Christ this statement is true. If they did not fear God, they would not seek Him, which they had to do in order to find Him, Deuteronomy 4:29; 2 Chronicles 15:2; Isaiah 55:6; Hebrews 11:6 (refers to Old Testament saints). Since wisdom is based upon knowledge, if they did not have a knowledge of God they would not be truly wise and if they had no fear of God they would not seek Him.
However, today, no one seeks God, Romans 3:11- there are none that are seeking God; rather, it is God who is doing the seeking. When a person is saved today by believing that Christ died for their sins and was raised from the dead on the third day according to the Scriptures, they are placed into the body of the Christ, in which Christ is the head and the Church is the body, 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; 12:12,13; 2 Corinthians 5:17 (The Christ is the new creation). God’s relationship with the Church is different from His relationship with Israel and others who sought and found Him prior to the current Dispensation of Grace. For Christians, the beginning of knowledge is not fear of the Lord because mature love casts out fear, 1 John 4:18. The love that God expresses today to those who are saved does not bring fear upon them – we did not receive a spirit of bondage to fear, but one of son placement, Romans 8:15. As part of what we receive in salvation we are given a spirit of wisdom and revelation along with the ability to fully experientially know God, Ephesians 1:17. Therefore, the beginning of knowledge for the saint today is Christ, not the fear of Jehovah, 1 Corinthians 1:30; 2 Corinthians 4:6.
1 Devising a plot; purpose, or intent.
2 Job 37:2
3 Habakkuk 2:6
4 And the disciples, having come to Him said, ” Because of why in parables do you speak?” And answering, He said, “Because it is given to you to know the mysteries of the Kingdom of the Heavens, but to these ones it is not given.”