Proverbs 1:1–6

Solomon introduces himself by his known family and position, as the channel of these God-given sayings. He does not do it to make man great, the way Greece honoured its seven wise men. Still less does he do it to make himself great — he is the one who records his own fall. He does it to honour the LORD, who guards from folly and from traps everyone who takes these words to heart.

Solomon had a valuable heritage as the son of David. But that by itself did not give him his wisdom. God gave him wisdom and knowledge when he took the throne of Israel. If we want to understand the book of Proverbs, we would do well to follow the advice of James in his letter (ch. 1:5): "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him."

Because it comes from "the king of Israel," it is also for the people he ruled. So, with one small exception, it speaks to people who stand in a known relationship with the LORD, whose name runs through the book from start to finish... But being divinely inspired, it is a book for anyone who reads or hears it to profit by at any time, and for the Christian in particular as having by grace the mind of Christ. All Scripture is for our good and blessing, though most of it is not addressed to us, nor is it about us.

A proverb is a parable squeezed small, or a comparison opened out. So it often comes close to a riddle, to catch and hold your attention.

Solomon spoke all of these proverbs, except those in the last two chapters. We can take these wise principles and sayings as part of the three thousand that the famous king of Israel spoke (1 Kings 4:32). They are the fruit of the wisdom he asked the Lord for at the start of his reign (1 Kings 3:12). His name stands at the head of each of the book's three divisions (see chapters 1, 10, and 25). God's inspiration chose these sayings and put them in order.

God filled Solomon with wisdom, but it was wisdom to be used in this world and applied to it... Here we find the ways of God, God's path for human conduct, and a clear sight of what the human heart produces and where it leads... The rules of this book build real happiness in this world by keeping our everyday relationships honest before God. This book does not urge human caution and cleverness. Its subject is the fear of the Lord, which is the beginning of wisdom.

No question that people brought to Jesus on earth ever puzzled Him. He is the true Solomon, greater than Solomon, and His wisdom could meet and answer every hard question. Nor is it different now, for Christ, risen from the dead and glorified in heaven, "became to us wisdom from God" (1 Cor. 1:30). There is not a question that the troubled, anxious sinner can bring to Him that He will not answer in wisdom and in grace.

Proverbs 1:1-6 is the preface. To value it rightly, we still need a short explanation of terms that many readers fail to tell apart.

Solomon then introduces himself by his known family and position, as the channel of these sayings that God gave. He does not do it to glorify man, as Greece honoured its seven wise men. Still less does he do it to make much of himself, for he testifies to his own humbling. He does it to exalt Jehovah, who guards from folly and from every trap the person who heeds these words. For the stated end is man's moral profit by what God gave for His own glory — to know wisdom and instruction, to discern, and to receive.

"Wisdom" here comes from a word that means "practised" or skilful. It is applied very widely, from crafts of all kinds to powers of the mind and philosophy. The verb for being "wise" runs all through the Hebrew scriptures... It seems to be based on experience.

Still, wisdom is greatly to be desired. Solomon wrote down his proverbs "to know wisdom and instruction, to perceive the words of understanding" (Prov. 1:2). And what is wisdom? It is the right application of knowledge. Without it, knowledge is a dangerous thing.

"Instruction," linked with "wisdom," is expressed by a word that also means discipline, correction, or warning. So the moral aim is held steady all through, and not turned into mere exercise or display of intellect.

The first object is to know wisdom and instruction. That is the full, general object of the book. It is the experience of a wise man, and of a man corrected and disciplined, wherever he needs it, away from will in any form. Wisdom has more to do with what is outside us, instruction with what is inside.

Next in its place comes to "discern the words of understanding." This is of great value for the soul: understanding built on careful thought, so that we can tell apart things that differ.

And, he adds, to discern things that differ, words of understanding — "perceive" and "understanding" have the same force — that is, to get a discerning mind about what passes before us, and above all about what is said.

If we want to understand the book of Proverbs rightly, we would do well to act on the advice James gives in his letter (ch. 1:5), "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him." But this does not mean we shall know everything at once. It takes time and energy of faith to learn from the Word of God, "to know wisdom and instruction," and "to perceive the words of understanding."

Wisdom is the first thing to gain, and instruction, or warning, follows it — to receive the instruction, the discipline of wisdom... So wisdom comes by the Word of God, and it produces understanding and a moral character in the man who trusts in the Lord and obeys Him.

"Wisdom" here comes from a word that means "practised" or skilful. It covers a wide range, from crafts of many kinds to powers of mind and philosophy. It seems to rest on experience. "Instruction," joined with "wisdom," is a word that also means discipline, correction, or warning. The moral aim is kept up in a striking way, in contrast with mere exercise or display of intellect.

"Wisdom" is the characteristic word of this book. It occurs in the original language 42 times, which is 6 times 7. Six in Scripture is the human number, while 7 is the divine number. Wisdom is the first thing to gain, and instruction, or warning, follows it — to receive the instruction, the discipline of wisdom. The instructions are in justice, judgment and equity.

Wisdom, instruction, and discernment were the aim of Solomon's proverbs; but what was its character when a person had to receive it? It was good or wise conduct, righteousness, judgment, and uprightness... There was the giving of the sum of wisdom and instruction, and the means of receiving it, in conduct, righteousness, judgment, and uprightness. This is not merely a complete system. It is we ourselves learning the things that ought to be, when they are needed.

Then we have "to receive instruction in wise dealing, in righteousness, justice, and equity." Careful watchfulness has a large place in learning to behave with proper courtesy and tact. David behaved that way when Saul was tortured by jealousy.

It takes time and the energy of faith to learn through the Word of God, "to know wisdom and instruction," and "to perceive the words of understanding." Wisdom is the proper application of knowledge. Understanding is the right perception of knowledge. When we have these, we are ready to receive the instruction of wisdom in verse 3. That includes proper judgment, justice and equity. Equity is the virtue of being well balanced.

Proverbs 1 points out the purpose of the proverbs: that people might receive instruction in wisdom, justice, judgment, and equity. The fear of the Lord is the starting point. Satan would of course oppose this, so warnings are at once given to avoid the enticements of sinners.

These are the aims set out in Proverbs. They come not by man's cunning, but by beginning with the fear of the Lord and so growing up in discernment. We always need to be "not as unwise but as wise." A true Christian may act without discretion, and that may put him in difficulty all his life. No doubt there is carelessness in it; still he may be very sincere.

The instruction here is in justice, judgment and fairness, and it gives "subtilty" to the simple. The word "subtilty" means prudence. The word "simple" means "guileless" — free of trickery. Solomon was a young man when the Lord answered his prayer for a wise and understanding heart, and in these proverbs given to him he received "knowledge and discretion" — that is, thoughtfulness.

"Prudence" in verse 4 can sink into cunning or sly ways, as in Exodus 21:14 and Joshua 9:4. But as in Proverbs 8:5 and 12, so here and in related forms, it has the good meaning of practical common sense... "Discretion" at the end of the verse is the opposite of carelessness, but like the word before it, it can also be put to a bad use. Used well, it means good judgment that comes from thinking things through.

Valuable as it is for everyone, the first aim is to give prudence to the simple, who are so open to deception in this world, and to give knowledge and discretion to the young man, who tends to be headstrong and quick to form opinions.

In a world like this, few things are more foolish than believing everything you hear. Believing God is the real safeguard. "The simple believes everything, but the prudent gives thought to his steps." We are told to test everything, but to hold fast what is good.

Verse 4 adds prudence, which the simple need, because prudence means care in how we act. Here the verse singles out the young man as needing knowledge and discretion. Knowledge without discretion can make us proud and overbearing toward others. Discretion keeps us from treating people in a hasty way.

So the simple and the young are brought forward here. The aim was to make them understand what was going on around them, and what they had to deal with, so that no one could mislead them... In the end, the simple and the young are made to understand and to know what they are doing, able to go through the world without being deceived by it.

The world may be prudent, knowing evil. The heart may be simple through ignorance and find itself betrayed. The Christian may be wise or prudent by the wisdom of God who directs him, and simple because he walks according to the life that is in him... The two things are connected. Because a person really possesses what is good, he discerns evil, and traps do not succeed; the motives that make people reach for them have no influence on his heart... It is not the simplicity of ignorance, but of good, which avoids anything that would make a person leave his true position before God.

Though it is precious for all, the first aim is to give prudence to the simple, who are so open to being deceived in this world. It gives knowledge and discretion to the young man, who tends to be headstrong and rash in his opinions. But another result is expected too: "Let the wise hear and increase in learning, and the one who understands obtain guidance."

Lastly there is tachbuloth in Proverbs 1:5, which means wise plans or counsels. … We also have lekah in Proverbs 1:5 — the wise will increase or add doctrine, logos. But this is a matter of attainment: the wise will attain this, and counsels.

Hearing is what marks out the wise man. Hearing will increase learning, and learning will give understanding. Then he can understand proverbs, and their interpretation too.

A wise man does not think he knows everything. He needs to learn from others, and above all from God. He needs to increase in learning, and he knows it (v. 5). Suppose he is a man of understanding — one who sees the point of what he learns. Then he will attain the honour of being able to give wise counsel. He will understand the proverbs, puzzles and riddles that wise people may put forward. This will not happen all at once, for a wise man knows well that he must have time to learn.

Listening to the words of the wise is itself a wise thing. It means giving the heart as well as the ear to those who know better than we do. How sad is the self-sufficiency that doubts it!

Self-centredness is always unwise and evil, because man is sinful, and God is unknown and untrusted. It is self-satisfied and refuses to learn. It has no distrust of its own dark, selfish and sinful state. … Depending on God is the only right attitude for us, day by day. So is hearing from one another whatever our consciences accept as His truth.

The understanding praised here began with the fear of Jehovah. It grew by hearing and gaining wise counsels, which fools despise. So wisdom does not rest on the tongue alone. It rests in the heart that values it.

Christianity goes higher than Proverbs, because it deals with motives and gives divine ones. Proverbs gives experience — the experience of a man who judges by the fear of God. Still, such experience is of great use.

The word chidah is once translated "proverb" (Habakkuk 2:6) but is often translated "riddle." It means "problem." It is a hidden way of speaking that covers the sense with figures of speech... The word commonly translated "proverb," and used for the Book of Proverbs, is mashal, meaning "comparison, likeness." Proverbs are short sentences built to catch attention and stay in the memory.

As the proverb is a compressed parable, or an expanded comparison, so it often borders on the riddle or enigma to fix attention. The same Hebrew word appears to mean both "proverb" and "parable." That may partly, or even fully, explain why John's Gospel uses only the first word and Matthew, Mark and Luke only the second. There, too, the parable stands in contrast with speaking plainly (John 16:25, 29; compare also Matthew 13:34-35).

The last point noticed here... is the ability to enter into riddles and dark sayings. They clothe moral truth in a form that gives it sharpness and power. They hide it in shapes which, once you break through them, give it a special force... I take a very easy and familiar example. The bramble said to the cedar in Lebanon, "Give your daughter to my son as a wife." Then a wild beast came by in Lebanon and trampled the bramble down. How much more that comes home than a precise statement that the king of Judah was feeble! Proverbs and dark sayings, riddles, parables, all come under this class. Spiritual perception is often needed to see how they apply.

First, it was not yet the time for the "plainness of speech" that, as the apostle says, belongs to Christianity... The veil between man and God called for veiled speech too. Faith could still see through it, but only by doing what Solomon says: "to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles."

A wise man does not think he knows everything. He needs to learn from others, and above all from God. He needs to grow in learning, and he knows it. A man of understanding grasps the point of what he learns. Such a man will earn the honour of giving wise counsel. He will understand proverbs and enigmas and riddles that wise people may propose. This will not happen all at once, for the one who is wise knows well that he must have time to learn.

Most truth is not stated plainly in the New Testament letters. The Lord taught much in parables. The book of Revelation uses symbols almost entirely. The Old Testament teaches Christian truths through pictures and history... Proverbs expects the man of understanding "to understand a proverb and a saying, the words of the wise and their riddles"... We are even told that "it is the glory of God to conceal things" (Proverbs 25:2). He hides them where a diligent person can find them as a reward.

All this means personal work that you cannot hand to anyone else, although we are all to help one another in it. God does not recognise a laity — ordinary members who sit and take in whatever they are given once or twice a week, with little question.