Keith Essex
Proverbs

Keith Essex's correlating video lecture(s) from The Master's Seminary:

• Lecture 24: Introduction, Themes, and Purpose of Proverbs; and
• Lecture 25: Literary Structure and Interpretive Issues of Proverbs.

10. Proverbs [MSB, 862-4; ESVSB, 1129-34; HSB, 1021-30; DOTWPW, 539-52]
    1. Introduction
       1. Title
          1. Hebrew: "Proverbs of"
          2. LXX: "Proverbs of Solomon"
          3. Vulgate: "The Book of Proverbs"
       2. Date
          1. 970-931 BC – The Proverbs of Solomon (Pro 10:1-22:16; 25:1-29:27)
          2. c. 690 BC – The Final Collection in the Days of Hezekiah (Pro 25:1)
    2. Major Themes [see NIDOTTE, 4:1079-94]
       1. The God of the Proverbs [See Attribute / Action of Yahweh]
          1. God is Sovereign (Pro 16:1, 4, 9, 33; 19:21; 20:24; 21:1)
          2. God is Man's Maker (Pro 20:12)
          3. God is Man's Blesser (Pro 12:22; 16:7)
          4. God is Man's Judge (Pro 16:5; 20:27; 21:2; 24:11-12)
       2. Man Before God
          1. Man is a Rebel (Pro 19:3; 20:9)
          2. Man needs to Trust God (Pro 15:33; 16:6, 20)
          3. All Men are the same before God (Pro 22:2; 29:13)
       3. The Personal Conduct of Man
          1. Diligence (Pro 10:4; 12:11; 16:26; 27:23-27)
          2. Speech (Pro 10:21; 12:25; 15:23; 20:19; 29:20)
          3. Humility (Pro 11:2; 12:9; 16:19)
          4. Control of Temper (Pro 12:16; 14:29; 17:14; 22:24-25)
          5. Joy (Pro 14:10; 15:13, 15; 25:20; 27:9)
       4. Man in Society
          1. Family Life
             1. Wives (Pro 12:4; 18:22; 19:14; 21:9, 19; 25:24)
             2. Discipline of Children (Pro 22:6, 15; 23:13-14; 29:15, 17)
          2. Kings (Pro 14:28, 35; 25:4-5; 28:2; 29:4)
          3. Neighbors (Pro 11:9; 14:21; 25:17)
          4. Money (Pro 22:7; 23:4-5; 11:24-26; 14:21; 28:11)
    3. Purpose: The young, naïve son is given exhortation to and instruction in the ways of wisdom.
    4. The Literary Structure (see outline: See Proverbs)
    5. Bibliography
       1. Exegetical:
          • Murphy, Proverbs (WBC).
          • Waltke, The Book of Proverbs (NICOT). 2 vols.
       2. English Interpretation:
          • Garrett, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (NAC).
          • Kidner, Proverbs (TOTC).
          • Longman, Proverbs (BCOTWP).
       3. Expositional:
          • Mayhue, Practicing Proverbs.
          • Koptak, Proverbs (NIVAC).
    6. Selected Interpretive Problems [DOTWPW, 566-78]
       1. The Order of the Proverbs [MSB, 863]
          1. Random (Disordered, and Disjointed) [EBC; BKC]
          2. Smaller Ordered Units [Murphy; Garrett; Longman; Koptak]
             1. Thematic (see Pro 16:1-9; 26:13-16)
             2. Verbal (Pro 15:33-16:7; each verse uses the name Yahweh)
             3. Paranomasia (Pro 11:9-12; each sentence begins with bet)
          3. A Presently Unknown Precise Order [Waltke (?)]
       2. The Nature of the Proverbs [MSB, 863-4; COTC, 246-8]
          1. Inflexible, Absolute Principles
          2. Expressions of General, not Exhaustive, Truth (e.g. Pro 17:27-28; 26:4-5) [Garrett (?); Mayhue; BKC]
          3. Presentations of a Slice of Reality [Murphy; Waltke]
          4. Truths Applicable to Specific Situations [Longman]
       3. The Speaker in Pro 8:22-31 [MSB, 875-6; ESVSB, 1132-3, 1149; HSB, 1042-3]
          1. The Messiah
          2. The Personification of Wisdom [Murphy; Waltke; Garrett; Kidner; Longman; Koptak; EBC; BKC]
       4. The Virtuous Wife [MSB, 906; ESVSB, 1189-90; HSB, 1081]
          1. "Lady" Wisdom [Murphy; Longman; EBC]
          2. A Literal Wife and Mother [Waltke; Garrett; Kidner; BKC]
       [See Proverbs 31:10-31]
    7. Preaching Proverbs [see BibSac 150:598 (April, 1993) 151-70]

Used with permission by Dr. Keith Essex. Redistribution without express permission from Dr. Keith Essex is prohibited.