Proverbs Chapter 4

PROVERBS CHAPTER 4

I. OUTLINE: I. The Lifelong Pilgrimage: 4:1-27 A. Seek: 4:1-9 B. Choose: 4:10-19 C. Concentrate: 4:20-27 1. The Heart: 4:23 2. The Mouth: 4:24 3. The Eyes: 4:25 4. The Feet: 4:26-27

II.

COMMENTARY:

4:1 “The father (and mother), not the professional teacher…or the government official, has the most profound responsibility and opportunity to lead a young man in the right way. Only a parent can implore the young man to do what is right with the depth of love and concern displayed here. This text more than any other brings out this urgency of parental love. In addition, this passage illustrates how wisdom is an inheritance that may be passed from generation to generation. It can preserve a whole family line through the passing of years. It is, however, an inheritance that each generation must choose to receive. If the chain is broken and the way of wisdom is rejected, the results will be disastrous for the family” (Garrett p. 86). book.

“Hear, O sons”-Every child needs to listen to the teachings found in this

“give attention that you may gain understanding”-Learning and wisdom takes effort and work!

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4:2 “For I give you sound teaching”-Note that Solomon knows that his teaching is good. He knows that it is the truth and he had been over this road before. This contradicts the modern idea found among many parents that absolute truth cannot be found, or that what is truth for them, may not be truth for their children or the next generation. In order to be an effective parent, you first must know that your teaching is worth something!

“Do not abandon”-Which infers that children still have freewill and choice.

Even children raised by godly parents, who are fed sound teaching, can still chose to abandon such.

4:3 “Tender and the only son in the sight of my mother”-Solomon here reflects on his own childhood, when David and Bathsheba took the time to teach him the ways of wisdom. This verse, “indicates that the teacher (Solomon) was in the highest degree an object of endearment to his father” (P.P. Comm. p. 84).

Kidner notes, “This linking of three generations…..demonstrates how a love of the best things will be transmitted mainly by personal influence, along the channels of affection” (p. 66).

Point To Note: Biblical instruction passed on to your children will have a much greater impact if such is combined with a genuine love and tender affection for the child. Far from claiming that he grew up in a dysfunctional family, look at how Solomon perceived his childhood! Even though Bathsheba will have other sons (1 Chron.

3:5), Solomon felt that his mother and father had loved him so much, he had felt as if he can been the only child in the family. “Every grown-up should be able to look back upon his childhood days and feel this way about his parents” (Hunt p.

46). “the affectionate and pleading tone of these verses shows why parents make the best teachers: they love their children” (Garrett p. 87). “Tender and most precious in the sight of my mother” (Rhm).

4:4 David had been a good father to Solomon, he had taken the time to teach his son. David also understood the importance of keeping God’s commandments. David wouldn’t agree with the person who claims that obedience to the will of God isn’t necessary to be right with God. Compare with 3:1-2; 7:2. “Let your heart hold fast my words”-Unless we are able to penetrate and capture the heart of the child, all our teaching will have been in vain. In addition to knowing the truth, we want our children to love the truth (2 Thess.

2:10-12).

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4:5 “Acquire wisdom! Acquire understanding!”-“Perhaps David’s encouragement to Solomon to get wisdom helped influence Solomon to ask God for it (1 Kings 3:5-14)” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 913). The word rendered “acquire” or “get” is a commercial term, the term often used by the trader or the merchant. It means not only to acquire for one’s self, or possess, but especially to buy (Proverbs 23:23). Regardless of the price (time, effort, work), wisdom is worth it! We might say, “Invest in wisdom! Buy stock in wisdom!” The verse also suggests that wisdom is available for the having! (James 1:5).

4:6 “Love her”-Having wisdom is pointless if you don’t love and appreciate what you have. To love wisdom is to love God’s point of view, God’s way of doing things, the products of God’s wisdom, i.e. the Church (Ephesians 3:10-11), the Bible, etc…

4:7 “The beginning of wisdom is: Acquire wisdom”-“The principal thing is wisdom” (Rhm). “The first line, literally, means either, ‘The beginning is wisdom; get wisdom’, or, ‘The beginning of wisdom is: Get wisdom’…could be a blunt way of saying: ‘What it takes is not brains or opportunity, but decision. Do you want it? Come and get it” (Kidner p. 67). The importance of wisdom is seen in the fact that one cannot be saved without it (Matthew 7:24-25). The verse may also be saying that wisdom begins with the desire to be wise. A large part of being good, serving God, knowing the truth, is the desire to become and possess all such things, the decision to make such the number one priority in your life.

“With all your acquiring, get understanding”-By desiring and making the effort to be wise, you will start a cycle that will result in greater understanding, increased knowledge, more wisdom, etc…(Proverbs 9:8-9). Carefully note that Solomon had acquired many things in life (Ecc. 2:1-11). But the most important thing, the number one priority is to have a love for godly wisdom. “Wisdom is the greatest possession anyone can have, and the young man should make winning her the primary goal in life” (Garrett p. 87).

4:8 Again, we see the love that one must have for wisdom. She needs to be prized and valued above all earthly possessions. One prizes wisdom by making it his or her chief concern. “She will honor you”-but only if one embraces her.

One cannot be wise if one is careless or apathetic about possessing such wisdom. Wisdom isn’t given to the lazy, the half-hearted, or those who never have enough time for her. “Embrace her”-“i.e. in a loving and affectionate manner, as a husband does his wife, or a son his mother” (P.P. Comm. p. 86).

“Esteem and honor, the confidence of others, elevation to offices of trust and 3

consequence, are some of the rewards with which Wisdom repays those who esteem and love her” (p. 87).

4:9 Compare with 1:9. In the New Testament such a crown refers to the honors associated with eternal life, the everlasting honors in heaven (2 Tim. 4:8). But wisdom also grants honors in this life. “Wisdom shall confer on thee true dignity” (P.P. Comm. p. 87). Wisdom will result in an attractive and honorable life, a life that is admired by others. “The opposite is also implied: a foolish, unwise life is dishonorable, unattractive, and shameful. Solomon experienced both wisdom and folly and therefore both kinds of results” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 913).

Only Two Paths: 4:10-19 “The ways of wisdom (10-13) and of wickedness (14-17) are described and the son-learner is again urged to pursue the former and avoid the latter. The lesson is summarized in verses 18-19 by picturing the destinations of both paths” (Bible Knowledge Comm. pp. 913-914). Jesus noted the same thing, only two possible paths confront every person who has ever lived (Matthew 7:13-14).

Proverbs has a lot to say as to why few find the narrow way. Few find it, because few are willing to love and embrace the truth.

4:10 “accept my sayings”-and that’s the key, for the child to really embrace what the parent is teaching. This verse is so opposed to the modern idea that we should just let our children decide what is truth for them, i.e. that we shouldn’t prejudice them with the truth. In this passage “years of life”, not only refers to a long life, but a quality life. What every godly parent is offering to their children is the secret of being really alive! I offer you more than existence! I offer you more than merely getting up, going to work and coming home. I offer you “Life”!

Wisdom will make us more productive, wisdom will keep us from squandering talents, our time, our possessions and prosperity. Wisdom will enable us to avoid many of the pitfalls that lead to discouragement, depression and heartache. Wisdom will bring peace, contentment, happiness, joy, excitement, purpose, meaning, fulfillment—in one word, “Life”! (Matthew 6:25) 4:11 Solomon had not only taught, he had also tried to set the example, “I have led you”. He had tried to practice what he was preaching. “unless the latter combines with the former, a father is wasting his words. The inspired Luke was as much interested in what Jesus did as he was in what He said (Acts 1:1)” (Hunt p. 50). See also Acts 20:20,35. “the way of wisdom…upright paths”-Wisdom is never found in immorality, contradictions, foolishness or falsehood. Parents in our culture (and probably 4

every culture) are faced with a world that insists that spirituality, some form of morality, right, goodness and wisdom can be found apart from God’s truth. How many times do you hear people arguing that we should ignore what the biblical text says and rather look for some mysterious “spirit” or hidden meaning between the lines of what the text is saying. Upright paths, are literally paths of rectitude, their characteristic being straightness, uprightness. In order words, wisdom in found in believing that absolute truth does exist and that we can all understand the same truths!

4:12 There are times in life that one must “run”, when decisions must be made quickly, when many things hit all at once—wisdom will enable you to make wise decisions during such hectic and pressure filled times. “when thou runnest may refer to cases of emergency when promptness and decisive action are called for” (P.P. Comm. p. 87). “Palestine is a hilly land of rocks and stones….Anyone who has hiked off the beaten path or climbed away from a clearly marked route can appreciate these figures of speech” (Alden p. 46). Wisdom will enable us to keep from stumbling even in the most difficult of circumstances. Carefully note that the narrow way isn’t the path of misery and a limited life; rather, wisdom opens up life to us. “Wisdom would keep one from becoming broken and ruined at the height of progress” (Hunt p. 51). “steps will not be impeded”-i.e. narrow or confined, “the idea of binding up, oppressing, putting into narrow and confined circumstances and limits” (P.P. Comm. p. 88). Note that wisdom, godliness, God’s truth gives us freedom of movement (John 8:31-32). In contrast, sin will confine, sin will limit us, sin will give us tunnel vision, sin will cause us to miss out on many opportunities. If we feel hemmed in, limited and confined—it might mean that we aren’t using the wisdom that God has given us. “Wisdom….gives freedom of movement; in ordinary cases it removes embarrassment and perplexity arising from conflicting interests drawing now in one direction, now in another, and in extraordinary cases it supplies a rule of conduct which prevents our falling into mistakes and errors” (P.P. Comm. p. 87).

4:13 Again, the eager and devoted acquiring and embracing of wisdom is stressed. “Do not let her go”-There will always be temptations to abandon wisdom, to place a greater trust in our own opinion, or of someone else, rather than in God’s instruction. If you let wisdom go—then you have just forfeited your life! “Just in proportion as Wisdom is retained and guarded, so is life secured, and so far as the hold upon her is lost, so are the hopes of life diminished. Life depends upon the observance of her precepts” (P.P. Comm. p.

88).

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4:14 Do not even enter the path that wicked men travel. So much for the idea that one must try something before they can condemn it! The expression, “Don’t knock it until you have tried it”, isn’t an expression heard from the lips of wise men. (Psalms 1:1) Point To Note: The expression “Do not enter”, clearly informs us that evil is something that is chosen. It isn’t genetic and neither it is totally environmental. Before one can become an evil person, one must choose this lifestyle, one must start walking down a definite path. “Evil men”-If you are practicing evil, then you are evil. By the way, if man is born inherently depraved, then everyone has already entered this path!

4:15 “Avoid it”-Which suggests that we will all encounter many invitations to enter the broad way. “Avoid it” also suggests that evil can only be avoided when we reject it and abhor it (Romans 12:9). “The injunction, so absolutely stated, to have nothing to do with sin, is required, if not indeed prompted, by the knowledge of the fact that youth, confident in its own power of resistance, frequently indulges in the fatal mistake of imagining that it can dally with sin with impunity” (P.P. Comm. p. 89).

“Turn away from it and pass on”-I like this statement. Pass on by because there is something much better to do with your life and your time! Pass on because you don’t want to miss out on the real fun in life (Ecc. 12:1; 1 Peter 3:10-12).

4:16 “cannot sleep unless they do evil…robbed of sleep unless they make someone stumble”-Compare with Psalm 36:4. Any sin is addictive, any sin can consume your thoughts. “How sick to find peace only at the price of another man’s misfortune” (Alden p. 47). Instead of “to live is Christ” (Phil. 1:21), for some people, “to live is to sin”. People, whose greatest satisfaction in life is to get others to join them in their sin (Romans 1:32). Kidner notes, “There is more than irony in this picture of upside-down morality, where wickedness has become meat and drink and even duty. It is a warning against setting foot on a path which one might think adventurous and diverting, for it can lead as far as this. The Bible does not hide the fact that one can become as zealous for evil as for good” (p. 67). Sin can become so much a part of your life that you can become convinced that you can’t live without it!

4:17 “Sin is so much a part of them that it is like their food” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 914). Keep this verse in mind when you hear people arguing that the drunkard can’t stop drinking, or that the sexual addict can’t give up his 6

pornography, or being a homosexual is natural. Any sin can deceive us into thinking that it is natural, second-nature, feels so right, we were born this way, or that we can’t live without it!

4:18 The path of uprightness and wisdom leads to enlightenment, it is like the first rays of light in the morning, which gradually increase to the full light of noonday. One understands more and more about the important things of life (Hebrews 5:14; Psalm 119:97ff).

4:19 In contrast, evil only leads to confusion, darkness, doubt, bewilderment, growing uncertainty, etc… (Jeremiah 23:12; John 12:35). The person in sin understands less about the truths of life, they understand less of reality, they understand less about what makes relationships work, what is right and wrong, and so on. They become increasingly useless as moral guides for the next generation.

“They do not know over what they stumble”-could mean that the sinner becomes so blind, that they don’t realize the cause for all their problems is the sinful life they are living. They aren’t able to recognize sin as sin, or the destruction that such a sin will bring. “Sins, however great and detestable they may be, are looked upon as trivial, or as not sins at all, when men get accustomed to them” (P.P. Comm. p. 90).

Another Appeal: 4:20-27 “The constant repetition of such a call (introducing nearly every paragraph of this section of the book) is deliberate, for a major part of godliness lies in dogged attentiveness to familiar truths” (Kidner p. 68).

4:20-22 In this section note that every sense or part of the body must cooperate in this task of acquiring wisdom. The ears must be attentive, the attitude must be receptive (James 1:21) and humble, the eyes must be open to truth, the heart or the mind must be willing to dwell upon such truths and abandon any misconceptions or preconceived ideas.

“Keep them in the midst of your heart”-i.e. memorize and cherish them, let such things be principles and truths that you would never abandon, for in doing so it would mean abandoning and betraying yourself! (Psalm 119:11). “health to all their whole body”-So much for the idea that Christianity is harmful to the mind and the emotions. Serving God, naturally preserves the

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body against the harmful consequences of various sins, but faithfulness also goes along way to helping a person stay emotionally and mentally healthy.

4:23 The “heart” also includes the mind, the will, the emotions, the whole inner being (3:5). Jesus stated the same truth in Matthew 6:21; 12:34-35 and 15:1819.

Point To Note: 1. Carefully chose what you will value, because what you prize, value and believe in will naturally control every other aspect of your life. What you treasure or cherish in your heart will set your priorities and will determine what you do with your time, talents and money. 2. Today we are faced with many people who claim, “My personal beliefs in no way influence any of my decisions”, or my performance of certain business, secular or professional duties. What a foolish statement! It is impossible to keep the convictions of the heart from remaining silent. “Here the word ‘heart’ means more than mental or emotional capacity; it also encompasses one’s values” (Bible Knowledge Comm. p. 914). 3. Before we protect or guard anything else— let us make sure that we have guarded our hearts. “Keep thy heart more than any other keeping” (P.P. Comm. p. 91). For our habits, lifestyle and eternal destiny will all be determined by what we allow ourselves to believe and value. 4. There are too many people who somehow think that they can live good lives, and yet think evil things. 5. Solomon would agree that Christians need to be reminded that if they are putting garbage into their minds, if they are allowing themselves to watch movies, T.V. shows, etc… which are sending the opposite message than that found in the Scriptures, that they are making a fatal mistake. Someone has noted that when a person says, “You need to be more opened-minded”, in our culture that typically means that someone is wanting to back up a dump truck and use your mind as a mental landfill.

4:24 After thoughts come words: “yet it is not enough to take care of the first and let the second take care of themselves. Superficial habits of talk react on the mind; so that…cynical chatter, fashionable grumbles, flippancy, half-truths, barely meant in the first place, harden into well-established habits of thought” (Kidner p. 68). “The only thing worse than evil is evil that tries to look good.

Lies, deceit, hypocrisy, and falsehood don’t ever belong in the mouth of a wise man” (Alden p. 48). If we aren’t controlling our tongues, then we aren’t doing a very good job of guarding our hearts. This is one reason why Christians need to be very careful about being sucked into conversations or relationships in which the topic of conversation consists of running down the Church, the elders, the 8

importance of biblical doctrine, etc…..If someone is complaining about the elders, the first question that should cross our mind is, “Why aren’t they talking to the elders about this?” (Matthew 18:15; 1 Tim. 5:19) 4:25 There is so much good to be accomplished in this life---that wise men and women don’t have the time to look somewhere else! “Shifty eyes, furtive glances, and winking are all characteristic of deviousness” (Alden p. 48). “With a steady aim, minor decisions are governed by the ultimate goal” (Kidner p. 68).

Christians don’t have the time or energy to allow themselves to be distracted!

Souls need to be saved, new converts need to be strengthened, your children need a godly, consistent example and sound teaching. Compare with Hebrews 12:1ff.

4:26-27 One must make the conscious decision to remain on the right path.

Wisdom never overrules our own freewill. The right path for the godly person isn’t that complicated, the right path is the path in which we avoid sin and evil. If we put God first in all things, then everything else will work out (Matthew 6:33).

The “right or the left”: That is, in removing sinful anger, let us be careful that we don’t remove our hatred of evil. In removing sinful passion, let us not remove our passion for living or our passion for what is good and noble. In removing pride, let us not at the same time give into self-pity, or a false humility.

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