Exegeting Proverbs

Proverbs 9:1-6
*
PCJB
PP Presentation
devised and prepared
at
Gujranwala Theological Seminary
may be copied for non-commercial use only
June 2005
Proverbs 9 : 1-6 The TEXT

Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn out

its seven pillars. She has prepared her meat
and 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
food and drink the wine that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways and you will live; walk
in the way of understanding.”
Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 1. List the units of thought:

 Wisdom has built her house;

 she has hewn out its seven pillars.
 She has prepared her meat
 and 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 food
 and drink the wine
 that I have mixed.
 Leave your simple ways
 and you will live;
 walk in the way of understanding.”
Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 2. Shape the structure:
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat
and
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 food
and drink the wine
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
 Proverbs 9:1-6 OBSERVATIONS
Step 3. Observe the different parts: Who?
 Wisdom (= ?)
Wisdom has built her house;  W’s maids
she has hewn out its seven pillars.  The simple / lack judgement
She has prepared her meat
and What?
mixed her wine;
 W’s house & its 7 pillars
she has also set her table.
 W’s meat & wine
She has sent out her maids,
 W’s table
and  Simple ways
she calls from the highest point of the  The way of understanding
city. Where? [When?]
“Let all who are simple  The city’s highest point
come in here!”  “Here” (W’s house)
she says to those that lack judgement. Why?
“Come  To live
and eat my food How?
and drink the wine  By eating & drinking W’s fare
that I have mixed.  By leaving simple ways
Leave your simple ways  By walking in the way of
and understanding
you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
 Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 4. Question the meaning & significance of the parts
Wisdom has built her house;  Who / what is “wisdom”?
she has hewn out its seven pillars.  What are the seven pillars? Why
She has prepared her meat are they hewn out (of stone)?
and  Why is the wine mixed?
mixed her wine;  Why has wisdom done every-
she has also set her table. thing herself in preparation for
She has sent out her maids, her guests?
and  Who are the simple that lack
she calls from the highest point of the
judgement? What are the
city. simple ways they must leave?
“Let all who are simple  What kind of life is promised?
come in here!”  What is the choice presented?
she says to those that lack judgement.
 What is the difference between
“Come
“eating & drinking”
and eat my food
and drink the wine and
that I have mixed. “walking”?
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 5. Suggest some Answers : 1
(either by reflection or by referring to commentaries)
Wisdom has built her house;  Wisdom:
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat the wisdom of God the
and Creator of a wisely
mixed her wine; ordered universe
she has also set her table.  Seven:
She has sent out her maids, suggests perfection or
and simply a mark of a
she calls from the highest point of the prosperous home
city.
 Hewn out pillars:
“Let all who are simple
come in here!” suggests effort,
she says to those that lack judgement. craftsmanship
“Come  Mixed wine:
and eat my food
image of enjoyment,
and drink the wine
richness, complexity,
that I have mixed.
subtlety of wisdom
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 5. Suggest some Answers : 2
(either by reflection or by referring to commentaries)
Wisdom has built her house;  Wisdom’s involvement in
she has hewn out its seven pillars. every preparation:
She has prepared her meat God’s generosity
and  The simple:
mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
The naïve, ignorant and
even foolish
She has sent out her maids,  Life:
and
she calls from the highest point of theAuthentic, lasting life, as
city. opposed to deadness and
“Let all who are simple
eventual death
 Eating:
come in here!”
she says to those that lack judgement. Feeding on what is provided;
“Come
 Walking:
and eat my food
and drink the wine Obeying wisdom
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
An Exegetical Danger

Beware
Allegorizing!
Q:
How is an extended metaphor
different from
an allegory?
An Exegetical Danger
A:
A metaphor draws attention to ONE idea
in a pictorial form
that symbolises
ONE idea in reality

An allegory has MANY points of symbolism

corresponding to
MANY aspects of reality
 Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 6. What is the over-all Subject of the passage?
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat
and
mixed her wine; Wisdom
she has also set her table. - the wisdom
She has sent out her maids,
and of
she calls from the highest point of the God
city.
“Let all who are simple the Creator
come in here!”
she says to those that lack judgement. of
“Come a wisely ordered
and eat my food universe
and drink the wine
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
 Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 6. What does the passage say about this over-all Subject?
Wisdom has built her house; Wisdom
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
 Has gone to great
She has prepared her meat
and trouble to prepare for
mixed her wine; her guests
she has also set her table.  Invites to her house all
She has sent out her maids, who lack her insight
and  Invites the simple to
she calls from the highest point of the city.
“Let all who are simple feed at her rich table
come in here!”  Exhorts them to obey
she says to those that lack judgement. her instruction
“Come  Promises them life
and eat my food
and drink the wine
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 7. What is the heart-beat of the passage?

The Heart-Beat
of a passage
is
the central point
or
core message
of that passage.
The Heart-Beat
of a passage
should be:

An ACCUATE statement
in one sentence of
the HEART of the passage
that faithfully REPRESENTS
its EMPHASIS
(not a statement of
a secondary theme
or idea within the passage)
The Heart-Beat
of a passage
should also be:

A CONCISE statement
of
this central point
(not a precis of the total passage)
Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 7. What is the heart-beat of the passage?

The Heart-Beat of a passage

should also be:

A MEMORABLE statement
in contemporary language
(not simply a repetition of part of the text)
 Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 7. What is the heart-beat of the passage?
Wisdom has built her house; Suggestion 1.
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat
God calls us to
and a) leave our foolish ways
mixed her wine; and
she has also set her table. b) come & feed on his rich
She has sent out her maids, wisdom,
and which he has gone to great
she calls from the highest point of the trouble
city. to provide for us
“Let all who are simple
come in here!”
so that we may truly live,
she says to those that lack judgement. and
“Come c) follow his wise ways
and eat my food
and drink the wine
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
walk in the way of understanding.”
 Proverbs 9:1-6
Step 7. What is the heart-beat of the passage?
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars. Suggestion 2.
She has prepared her meat Embrace
and Wisdom!
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 Which is better?
come in here!”  Suggestion 1?

she says to those that lack judgement. . or

“Come  Suggestion 2?
and eat my food
and drink the wine What are the strengths
that I have mixed. and weaknesses of
 Suggestion 1?
Leave your simple ways
and  Suggestion 2?

you will live;

walk in the way of understanding.” Any other
Suggestion?
Exegeting Proverbs

Part 2b
Proverbs 9:1-6
Bringing in
LITERARY CONTEXT

Significant literary contexts:

 The immediate context (chapter 9)
 The larger (book) context
 The context within the Hebrew Scriptures
(OT)
 The ultimate context (the whole Bible)
THE LITERARY CONTEXT

Observe
THE IMMEDIATE CONTEXT
(Chapter 9):
 Section 1 – vv 1-6 Lady (Woman) Wisdom
 Section 2 - 7-12 Miscellaneous wisdom sayings
 Section 3 – vv 13-18 Dame (Woman) Folly
The Immediate
CONTEXT
The Literary Dynamics of Chapters 1- 9
The literary device
of
a familiar family situation:

A father speaking to his son about life

and
two paths open to his son…
The Choice:
Two Kinds of Paths (2:13)
The straight paths The dark paths
where dangers lurk:
crooked men and enticing
¨ women!

Warning: Warning:
Not to leave! Not to walk down!

Lead to life Lead to death

(8:35) (8:36)
The Immediate
CONTEXT
The Literary Dynamics of Chapter 9
The (disturbing?) use
of
the over-all metaphor:
The (female) figure of Wisdom
soliciting the choice of (male) Youth
in competition with
another female figure - Folly
The Young Men They Invite
Described 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) – the

crowds (8:3)
The men they beckon are immature, still in
the 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
The Immediate Context of Proverbs 9

The literary dynamics

The situation and metaphor
combined:
The implied reader of Proverbs 9 is a male,
choosing between two women
inviting him to enter an intimate relationship!
The Literary Dynamics

The ultimate significance of

this disturbing metaphor:
The invitation to him
to enter an intimate relationship
points to
the ultimate encounter on the path of life
involving the choice between
life and death!
 The Choice
Lady (Woman) Dame (Woman)
Wisdom Folly
People can be known by
the company they keep Q:
and What characterises
the people they avoid!
Folly?
Q: (9:13-18)
With whom is Wisdom
associated?
Whom does she avoid?
(8:6-15)
The Choice
A. Lady Wisdom
Wisdom known by her company:
 Includes Note:
 righteousness (8:6) – truth (8:7) Wisdom
–wholesome behaviour (8:8) – is not merely
good judgement (8:12) – intellectual,
common sense – success –
insight – strength (8:14.15) but also
entwined with
 Excludes
ethical behaviour
 deception, evil, pride and
arrogance (8:7-8,13)
The Choice
B. Dame Folly
Folly is:
 Brash (loud), rather than bold
 Sticks her nose in where it should not be
 Ignorant and doesn’t realise it!
 The complete opposite of Wisdom
 Understanding Their Message
Their message:
(understood by interpreting
a developing metaphor)
 Both desire relationship – come in with me!
 Both have prepared a meal: to eat with someone
is to form an intimate relationship (Ancient Near
Eastern culture)
 Both compete with each other (the young man
cannot have both!)
Discovering their Identity
Their identity
A clue found in the location of their houses:
 The highest point of the city

 Temples built at the top of a mount (highest

point)
Conclusion regarding the two Women:
 Lady Wisdom a metaphor for God

 Dame Folly a metaphor for any false god

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

Wisdom stands to invite Folly sits to hook a client

everyone individually
Wisdom’s banquet brings Folly’s meal is enticing –
life but
 A tree of life to those  Previous guests are all

who embrace her. dead!

 Happy are those who  She does not deliver

hold her tightly! what she promises!

The Lesson (Heart-Beat)

Embrace God’s Wisdom

and make her
an integral part of your life!
 THE LITERARY CONTEXT

Observe the ultimate (canonical) context:

the canon of
the whole Bible:
 OT setting: choosing between God and idols, life
and death
 Gospels: Jesus is God’s wisdom and source of life
 Epistles: Jesus (like Wisdom in Proverbs) is
the agent of creation and bringer of life
The Canonical Context

Wisdom and Jesus

The Canonical Context:
Wisdom and Jesus

In the NT
Jesus associates himself
with Wisdom
Mat 11:18-19
Paul also identified Him with Wisdom
1 Cor 1:30
Canonical Context:
Wisdom and Jesus
When Jesus associates himself
with Woman Wisdom,
He is using
a powerful (metaphorical) way of saying that
“I, Jesus, am
the embodiment of
God’s wisdom”
Canonical Context:
Wisdom and Jesus
When we read the NT
and 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…..
Canonical Context:
Wisdom and Jesus

…to embrace Wisdom

is
to enter into a close personal
relationship
with
Jesus Christ.
Canonical Context:
Wisdom and Jesus

Similarly regarding Madam Folly,

the choice now
is:

Do we dine with Jesus,

or with the devil?
THE END