The interpreter must approach the book just as he approaches Deuteronomy or the Psalter or Romans-with persistent prayer and dependency on divine enablement. The contents of Proverbs are as inspired and authoritative as any other part of Scripture (2 Tim 3:16–17). To interpret the contents of Proverbs without whole-hearted reliance upon God to grant understanding is to ignore the very motto of the book-“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (1:7, NASB)-and its own explicit instructions for learning-“Trust the Lord with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding” (3:5).
Interpret each proverb dependent on God’s assistance. The following five principles help overcome this challenge. Yet as practical as the book is, arriving at an accurate understanding of its contents can still prove difficult for readers far removed from the book’s historical milieu. It focuses on everyday issues, prescribing concrete attitudes and behaviors for concrete situations in life. It differs from other books of “wisdom” in the Bible (Job, Ecclesiastes, and the Song of Songs) in that while those books communicate abstract wisdom (wrestling through transcendent issues like the problem of suffering), the book of Proverbs communicates practical wisdom.
Proverbs bible study how to#
The book of Proverbs is designed to communicate truth in a vivid, memorable manner so that its readers can understand how to live successfully before God in a fallen world (Prov 1:1–7).
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