Introduction

• Types of proverbs:

  • Contrast – Proverbs 13:20

  • Comparison – Proverbs 26:9

  • Straight-forward advice – Proverbs 18:13

  • Extended (parable-like) – Proverbs 24:30

• Writers:

  • Solomon – Proverbs 1:1; 10:1; 25:1

    • I Kings 3:5-12; 4:29, 32; 10:6-7; Ecclesiastes 12:9

    • “Transcribed” by men of Hezekiah, Proverbs 25:1

  • Wise men otherwise unknown

    • Agur – Proverbs 30:1

    • King Lemuel (his mother) – Proverbs 31:1

• We need more wisdom in this world!

  • Proverbs 14:15-16

• Why aren’t these wise sayings always true?

  • These are general truths with exceptions.

    • God created humans with the ability to choose (Joshua 24:15).

    • Time and chance affect everything (Ecclesiastes 9:11).

  • Some passages may pertain to promises unique to Old Covenant Israel.

  • Different circumstances call for different applications of wisdom. (Proverbs 6:4-5; Proverbs 18:22 vs Proverbs 21:9)

    • There is wisdom in each view because all things are not always true in life. These proverbs approach from different angles, sometimes giving us several points of view on the same topic.

Proverbs 1:2 – The purpose of Proverbs: to know wisdom and instruction.

Proverbs 1:4 – Proverbs are for helping the young and naïve so they don’t have to learn everything the hard way.

Proverbs 1:5-7 – Pride works against wisdom!

Proverbs 1:10-19 – Peer pressure is not a new problem!

Proverbs 1:17-18 – Even a bird has enough sense to not enter an obvious trap, but people that run to evil set a trap for themselves!