A few words about Proverbs
The Book of Proverbs was written, at least mostly so, by King Solomon. Proverbs are short statements of conventional wisdom, often based upon the Mosaic Law. The Hebrew word (“mashal”) for proverb(s) is translated as such 22 times, but it is translated parable(s) 18 times. So, these proverbs/parables are pithy sentences of ethical wisdom. Some proverbs come in handy for complimenting the actions or words of others, while others serve well as rebukes. When armed with an adequate arsenal of memorized proverbs, one can succinctly speak one’s mind…and all your doin’ is quotin’ scripture. The actual proverbs do not begin until chapter 10. The first 9 chapters of Proverbs are dedicated to explaining and promoting wisdom and discouraging foolishness, although many of those verses sound proverbial as well. (From bibletrack.org)
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Enduring Word Commentary
My son, if you receive my words: In the first chapter of Proverbs Solomon began to speak to his son, instructing him in the ways of wisdom. Here he continues the teaching, appealing to his son to receive my words and to treasure my commands. Wisdom can never benefit us if it is not received and treasured.
i. “The search, strenuous as it must be, is not unguided. Its starting point is revelation—specific (words) and practical (commandments); its method is not one of free speculation, but of treasuring and exploring received teachings so as to penetrate to their principles.” (Kidner)
ii. “‘Accept’ [receive] is paralleled with ‘store up’ [treasure], a figure that implies that most teaching cannot be used immediately but that some time will pass before education’s effects are felt.” (Ross)
iii. Treasure my commands within you: “God’s intention is that you and I make His wisdom our own. We are to learn it from the Bible. Nobody is to know it in our stead. Pastors are charged by God with helping us to grow, but we must make His Word ours, so as to keep it ‘with’ us.” (Phillips)
iv. Treasure my commands within you: “He who has the rule of his duty only in his Bible and in his head, is not likely to be a steady, consistent character; his heart is not engaged, and his obedience, in any case, can be only forced, or done from a sense of duty: it is not the obedience of a loving, dutiful child, to an affectionate father. But he who has the word of God in his heart works from his heart; his heart goes with him in all things, and he delights to do the will of his heavenly Father because his law is in his heart.” (Clarke)
b. And apply your heart to understanding: This implies effort. The heart must be applied to understanding. It won’t happen by accident. This wisdom, discernment, and understanding must be sought out as if it were silver and hidden treasures.
i. In these few verses, Solomon described many ways that we must seek after wisdom.
· Receive.
· Treasure.
· Incline.
· Apply.
· Cry out, lift up the voice.
· Seek, search.
ii. The one who pursues wisdom in this way will not be disappointed. “But this search must be serious, strenuous. The way of wisdom is never revealed to triflers.” (Morgan)
iii. “There must be willingness and desire to know (verses Proverbs 2:1-2). To this must be added diligence. The illuminative phrases are ‘cry,’ ‘lift up thy voice,’ ‘seek,’ ‘search.’ All indicate desire, expressing itself in devotion.” (Morgan)
iv. Apply your heart to understanding: “Attention of body, intention of mind, and retention of memory, are indispensably desired of all wisdom’s scholars; such as King Edward VI, who constantly stood up at the hearing of the word, took notes, which he afterwards diligently perused, and wrought the sermon upon his affections by meditation.” (Trapp)
v. Seek her as silver: “Refers to silver as mined and smelted, not as a precious metal in its native state.” (Waltke)
vi. If you seek her as silver: “With the same unwearied diligence, and earnest desire, and patient expectation under all delays, disappointments, and difficulties, which worldlings use in the purchase of riches, or in digging in mines of silver.” (Poole)
vii. “How do men seek money? What will they not do to get rich? Reader, seek the salvation of thy soul as earnestly as the covetous man seeks wealth; and be ashamed of thyself, if thou be less in earnest after the true riches than he is after perishing wealth.” (Clarke)
c. Then you will understand the fear of the LORD: Solomon established the principle that the fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Here he teaches us that without the effort to seek out wisdom, we will lack in our fear of the LORD and knowledge of God.
i. The knowledge of God: “In short, ‘knowledge of God’ refers to personal intimacy with him through obedience to his word (cf. 1 Samuel 3:7).” (Waltke)
The Pursuit of Wisdom Brings Security
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My son, if you will receive my words
And treasure my commandments within you,
Listen to the Word – Whether you listen to the word or read it, the main point is to get Word inside of you in your heart. There is nothing wrong with listening to your favorite pastor, but nothing compares with reading and studying the word.
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Make your ear attentive to wisdom,
Incline your heart to understanding;
Pray – Praying is communicating with the Father. It’s having a conversation with the King of Kings and the Lord of Lords. There is nothing we can’t bring to the Father in prayer, this is also where you can ask for wisdom, knowledge and discernment to help you better understand the Word and what God wants you to do.
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For if you cry for discernment,
Lift your voice for understanding;
Seek – Seek after the Lord through His Word and Prayer, Search out the meanings of the Word as you would for a treasure.
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If you seek her as silver
And search for her as for hidden treasures;
Find – Jesus said it best in Matthew
“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. Matt 7:7 NKJV. When you make listening to the Word, Praying, and seeking for the hidden truths in the Word a priority in your life, then the Word itself says that then you understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge that comes from God.
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Then you will discern the fear of the Lord
And discover the knowledge of God.
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Now may the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will, working in you what is well pleasing in His sight, through Jesus Christ, to whom be glory forever and ever. Amen.
Hebrews 13:20-21 NKJV
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