EP17. Exegeting Proverbs 9 Vv 1-6 WEB V

8/14/2019 EP17. Exegeting Proverbs 9 Vv 1-6 WEB V

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Exegeting Proverbs

Proverbs 9:1-6 *

PCJB

PP Presentationdevised and preparedat

Gujranwala Theological Seminarymay be copied for non-commercial use only

June 2005


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Proverbs 9 : 1-6 The TEXT

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn outits seven pillars. She has prepared her meatand mixed her wine; she has also set her

table. She has sent out her maids, and shecalls from the highest point of the city. Let allwho are simple come in here! she says tothose that lack judgement. Come and eat my

food and drink the wine that I have mixed.Leave your simple ways and you will live; walkin the way of understanding.


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 1. List the units of thought:

Wisdom has built her house;she has hewn out its seven pillars.She has prepared her meatand mixed her wine;

she has also set her table.She has sent out her maids,and she calls from the highest point of the city.Let all who are simple come in here!she says to those that lack judgement.

Come and eat my foodand drink the winethat I have mixed.Leave your simple waysand you will live;

walk in the way of understanding.


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 2. Shape the structure:

Wisdom has built her house;she has hewn out its seven pillars.She has prepared her meat

andmixed her wine;

she has also set her table.She has sent out her maids,

andshe calls from the highest point of the city.Let all who are simple

come in here!she says to those that lack judgement.

Come

and eat my foodand drink the wine

that I have mixed.Leave your simple ways

andyou will live;walk in the way of understanding.


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 3. Observe the different parts:

Wisdom has built her house ;she has hewn out its seven pillars .She has prepared her meat

andmixed her wine ;

she has also set her table .She has sent out her maids ,

andshe calls from the highest point of the

city . Let all who are simple

come in here!she says to those that lack judgement .

Come



andyou will live;

walk in the way of understanding.

OBSERVATIONSWho ?

Wisdom (= ?)Ws maids

The simple / lack judgementWhat ?

Ws house & its 7 pillarsWs meat & wineWs tableSimple waysThe way of understanding

Where ? [ When?] The citys highest pointHere (Ws house)

Why ?To live

How ?By eating & drinking Ws fareBy leaving simple waysBy walking in the way of understanding


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 4. Question the meaning & significance of the parts

Wisdom has built her house ;she has hewn out its seven pillars .She has prepared her meat

andmixed her wine ;





Comeand eat my foodand drink the wine


andyou will live;

Who / what is wisdom?What are the seven pillars? Whyare they hewn out (of stone)?Why is the wine mixed?Why has wisdom done every-thing herself in preparation for her guests?Who are the simple that lack

judgement? What are thesimple ways they must leave?What kind of life is promised?What is the choice presented?

What is the difference betweeneating & drinkingand

walking?


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 5. Suggest some Answers : 1(either by reflection or by referring to commentaries)

Wisdom has built her house ;

she has hewn out its seven pillars .She has prepared her meat

andmixed her wine ;







and

you will live;walk in the way of understanding.

Wisdom :the wisdom of God theCreator of a wiselyordered universeSeven :

suggests perfection or simply a mark of aprosperous homeHewn out pillars:

suggests effort,craftsmanship

Mixed wine :image of enjoyment,richness, complexity,subtlety of wisdom


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 5. Suggest some Answers : 2(either by reflection or by referring to commentaries)



andmixed her wine ;







and


Wisdoms involvement inevery preparation:

Gods generosityThe simple :

The nave, ignorant andeven foolishLife :

Authentic, lasting life, asopposed to deadness andeventual deathEating :

Feeding on what is provided;

Walking :Obeying wisdom


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An Exegetical Danger

BewareAllegorizing!

Q:How is an extended metaphor

different froman allegory ?


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An Exegetical Danger

A:A metaphor draws attention to ONE idea

in a pictorial form

that symbolisesONE idea in reality

An allegory has MANY points of symbolismcorresponding to

MANY aspects of reality


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 6. What is the over-all Subject of the passage?



andmixed her wine ;


andshe calls from the highest point of the city .

Let all who are simple come in here!

she says to those that lack judgement .



andyou will live;walk in the way of understanding.

Wisdom- the wisdom

of Godthe Creator

of

a wisely ordereduniverse


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 6. What does the passage say about this over-all Subject?



andmixed her wine ;




she says to those that lack judgement .Come



and


WisdomHas gone to greattrouble to prepare for her guestsInvites to her house allwho lack her insightInvites the simple tofeed at her rich tableExhorts them to obey her instruction

Promises them life


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Proverbs 9:1-6Step 7. What is the heart-beat of the passage?

The Heart-Beat of a passage

isthe central point

or

core message of that passage.


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The Heart-Beatof a passage

should be:

An ACCUATE statement

in one sentence of the HEART of the passage

that faithfully REPRESENTSits EMPHASIS

(not a statement of a secondary theme

or idea within the passage)


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The Heart-Beatof a passage

should also be:

A CONCISE statementof

this central point(not a precis of the total passage)


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The Heart-Beat of a passageshould also be:

A MEMORABLE statementin contemporary language

(not simply a repetition of part of the text)


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andmixed her wine ;







and


Suggestion 1. God calls us to

a) leave our foolish waysand

b) come & feed on his richwisdom,

which he has gone to greattroubleto provide for us

so that we may truly live,and

c) follow his wise ways


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andmixed her wine ;




she says to those that lack judgement .Come



andyou will live ;walk in the way of understanding.

Suggestion 2. EmbraceWisdom!

-------------------------------------------------------

Which is better?Suggestion 1?

. orSuggestion 2?

What are the strengthsand weaknesses of

Suggestion 1?Suggestion 2?

Any otherSu estion?


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Exegeting Proverbs

Part 2bProverbs 9:1-6


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Bringing inLITERARY CONTEXT

Significant literary contexts:

The immediate context (chapter 9)The larger ( book ) contextThe context within the Hebrew Scriptures

(OT)The ultimate context (the whole Bible )


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THE LITERARY CONTEXT

ObserveTHE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT

(Chapter 9 ):

Section 1 vv 1-6 Lady (Woman) WisdomSection 2 - 7-12 Miscellaneous wisdom sayings

Section 3 vv 13-18 Dame (Woman) Folly


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The ImmediateCONTEXT

The Literary Dynamics of Chapters 1- 9The literary device

of a familiar family situation:

A father speaking to his son about lifeand

two paths open to his son


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The Choice: Two Kinds of Paths (2:13)

The straight paths

Warning:Not to leave!

Lead to life(8:35)

The dark pathswhere dangers lurk:

crooked men and enticing

women!

Warning:Not to walk down!

Lead to death(8:36)


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The ImmediateCONTEXT

The Literary Dynamics of Chapter 9The (disturbing?) use

of the over-all metaphor:

The (female) figure of Wisdom

soliciting the choice of (male) Youthin competition with

another female figure - Folly


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The Young Men They InviteDescribed as:

Simpletons (9:4) mockers (1:22) lacking judgement (9:4) fools (8:5)

her sons (8:32) on the path of life (8:2) thecrowds (8:3)

The men they beckon are immature, still inthe process of development, and therefore at

the critical stage of making up their minds.Some are showing signs of resistance to

Wisdom: a simpleton , a mocker , a fool


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The Immediate Context of Proverbs 9

The literary dynamicsThe situation and metaphor

combined:

The implied reader of Proverbs 9 is a male,choosing between two women

inviting him to enter an intimate relationship!


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The Literary Dynamics

The ultimate significance of this disturbing metaphor:

The invitation to himto enter an intimate relationship

points tothe ultimate encounter on the path of life

involving the choice betweenlife and death!


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The Choice

Lady (Woman)Wisdom

People can be known bythe company they keep

andthe people they avoid!

Q:

With whom is Wisdomassociated?Whom does she avoid?

(8:6-15)

Dame (Woman)Folly

Q:

What characterisesFolly?

(9:13-18)


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The Choice A. Lady WisdomWisdom known by her company:

Includesrighteousness (8:6) truth (8:7)

wholesome behaviour (8:8) good judgement (8:12) common sense success insight strength (8:14.15)

Ex cludesdeception, evil, pride andarrogance (8:7-8,13)

Note:Wisdom

is not merely intellectual ,

but also

entwined withethical behaviour


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The Choice

B. Dame FollyFolly is:

Brash (loud), rather than boldSticks her nose in where it should not beIgnorant and doesnt realise it!The complete opposite of Wisdom


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Understanding Their Message Their message:

(understood by interpretinga developing metaphor )

Both desire relationship come in with me!Both have prepared a meal: to eat with someoneis to form an intimate relationship (Ancient Near Eastern culture)Both compete with each other (the young mancannot have both!)


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Discovering their IdentityTheir identity

A clue found in the location of their houses:The highest point of the cityTemples built at the top of a mount (highestpoint)

Conclusion regarding the two Women:Lady Wisdom a metaphor for GodDame Folly a metaphor for any false god


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What is Involved in the Invitation of a woman inviting a young man to dinner

Wisdom stands to inviteeveryone

Wisdoms banquet brings

lifeA tree of life to thosewho embrace her.Happy are those who

hold her tightly!

Folly sits to hook a clientindividually

Follys meal is enticing

butPrevious guests are alldead!She does not deliver

what she promises!


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The Lesson (Heart-Beat)

Embrace Gods Wisdom

and make her an integral part of your life!


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THE LITERARY CONTEXT

Observe the ultimate (canonical) context:the canon of

the whole Bible :

OT setting: choosing between God and idols, lifeand death

Gospels: Jesus is Gods wisdom and source of lifeEpistles: Jesus (like Wisdom in Proverbs) is

the agent of creation and bringer of life


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The Canonical Context

Wisdom and Jesus


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The Canonical Context:Wisdom and Jesus

In the NTJesus associates himself

with WisdomMat 11:18-19

Paul also identified Him with Wisdom1 Cor 1:30


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Canonical Context:Wisdom and Jesus

When Jesus associates himself with Woman Wisdom,

He is usinga powerful (metaphorical) way of saying that

I, Jesus, am

the embodiment of Gods wisdom


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When we read the NTand are introduced to Jesus

as the Wisdom of God,we realise that,

not only is the fear of God

the beginning of all wisdom(OT theology),

but also that..


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to embrace Wisdomis

to enter into a close personalrelationship

withJesus Christ.


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Similarly regarding Madam Folly,the choice now

is:

Do we dine with Jesus,or with the devil?


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THE END

EP17. Exegeting Proverbs 9 Vv 1-6 WEB V

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