Bible Commentaries
Proverbs 8

Verses 1-5

Pro 8:1-5

Proverbs 8:1-5

"This chapter forms at once the nucleus and the climax of this section of Proverbs. It includes a profound presentation of Wisdom as the moving principle of the ways of God.”

The great problem in the chapter is the interpretation of Proverbs 8:22-31. Are they to be understood as speaking of Christ; or, are they merely a personification of Wisdom in the literary and poetic sense alone?

That the passage most certainly carries the most significant overtones of Jesus Christ himself is undeniable, although it falls short of being a prophecy. It is primarily a personification of Wisdom; and that pinpoints the stupidity of the Arian heresy that tried to challenge the Divinity and Eternal Existence of Christ upon the basis of a personification, a personification that does not pretend to say even one word about Jesus Christ.

Nevertheless, Christ is most certainly in it; and there is nothing here that, in any sense, contradicts the New Testament revelation concerning either our Lord Jesus Christ or the acceptance for generations of the teachings of Christian theologians who have applied many of the things written here to Christ.

"Solomon, the wisest of men, had in himself personally become (almost) a personification of a dark and vicious life. Being himself so wise, how could he have failed to know that someday there would indeed be an Incarnate Wisdom, a glorious and eternal contrast with the Incarnate Vice (whom he had just described in the previous chapter, and to which he himself bore a striking resemblance)? In his marvelous description of Wisdom personified, and in tracing out her sweet and high-souled utterances the teacher (Solomon), unconsciously to himself, becomes a prophet, and presents, as we shall see, a faint and wavering image of Him who of God was to be made the Wisdom of God unto men and who would exhibit the perfect life embodying in their fullness all of the attributes of Wisdom.”

"The Christological interpretation of this chapter has existed from the earliest Christian centuries. Such New Testament passages as 1 Corinthians 8:6; Colossians 1:15-18; Hebrews 1:3; and Revelation 3:14, written by the apostles Paul and John, clearly teach that the terminology used in this chapter regarding Wisdom has its full and complete meaning only in, `Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God’ (1 Corinthians 1:24).”

Deane’s outline of the chapter is:

"I. Wisdom calls all to listen (Proverbs 8:1-5), and gives reasons for trusting her (Proverbs 8:6-11).

II. Displays her excellence (Proverbs 8:12-21).

III. She discourses regarding her eternity (Proverbs 8:22-31).

IV. She again warns against disobeying her commandments.”

Proverbs 8:1-5

WISDOM CALLS ALL TO HEAR HER WORDS

"Doth not wisdom cry,

And understanding put forth her voice?

On the top of high places by the way,

Where the paths meet, she standeth;

Beside the gates, at the entrance of the city,

At the coming in of the doors, she crieth aloud:

Unto you, O men, I call;

And my voice is unto the sons of men.

O ye simple, understand prudence;

And ye fools, be of an understanding heart."

What a contrast there is between the woman Wisdom, as depicted here, and the woman Vice as revealed in the previous chapter! "Wisdom does not speak in whispered seductive tones under the cover of twilight and darkness"; she thunders the truth from the gates of the city, shouts it in the public streets, and demands that all men of every class and condition heed her admonitions.

"O, ye simple, ye fools ... understand" (Proverbs 8:5). "The `simple’ here are not the mentally handicapped, but sinners. The word `fools’ is what we call the moral vocabulary of Proverbs. The word is used 49 times in Proverbs, eighteen times in Ecclesiastes, and three times elsewhere.”

Proverbs 8:1. Wisdom is again personified and is again feminine. Here is Hebrew parallelism in which the second line is a restatement of the first: “wisdom” and “knowledge” go together as do “cry” and “put forth her voice”. This section is very similar to Proverbs 1:20-22 : “Wisdom crieth aloud in the street; She uttereth her voice in the broad places; She crieth in the chief place of concourse; At the entrance of the gates, In the city, she uttereth her words: How long, ye simple ones, will ye love simplicity? And scoffers delight them in scoffing, And fools hate knowledge?” In Proverbs 1:20-21 the material is set forth in the declarative mood while Proverbs 8:1 introduces the material with the interrogative mood. “The interrogative form, which expects an affirmative answer, is a mode of asserting a truth” (“Pulpit Commentary”). However, it is just the opposite in Proverbs 1:22 and Proverbs 8:5—Chapter 1 being interrogative and Chapter 8 exclamatory.

Proverbs 8:2. “She takes her stand...in the most open and elevated parts of the city where she may be best seen and heard by all who pass by...where many paths converge, and where people meet from different quarters” (“Pulpit Commentary”).

Proverbs 8:3. By lifting up her voice in the gates and doors to the city, she would be heard by all who were coming in and by all who were going out. It would be for the great who entered and for the lowly who entered. Nor does wisdom speak feebly—she crieth aloud! Most people know what is right and wrong, what is wise and foolish, what should and shouldn’t be done. How thankful we should be that wisdom is that prominent!

Proverbs 8:4. Wisdom and understanding were being spoken about in Proverbs 8:1-3; now they themselves begin to speak, and their direct quotation runs from this verse through Proverbs 8:10.

Proverbs 8:5. More parallelism: “ye simple” and “ye fools” go together, and “understand prudence” and “be of an understanding heart” are parallels. The simple are “those not yet perverted but easily influenced for good or evil”. This is where each person begins. If people do not acquire wisdom later on, then they are considered “fools”. The interjection form (introduced by “O”) shows the urgency of being directed in the right way. “Webster” says of “prudence”: “Ability to regulate and discipline oneself through the exercise of the reason.”

STUDY QUESTIONS - Proverbs 8:1-5

1. What is the relationship between wisdom and understanding (Proverbs 8:1)?

2. What is meant by “high places” here (Proverbs 8:2)?

3. How does wisdom “cry” in these high places (Proverbs 8:3)?

4. Why do men need great wisdom and understanding (Proverbs 8:4)?

5. Would having an understanding heart raise these from being simpletons and fools (Proverbs 8:5)?

Verses 1-9

Pro 8:1-9

Wisdom and Understanding Cries out

to be heard and Embraced (Proverbs 8:1-9):

"Doth not wisdom cry, And understanding put forth her voice? On the top of high places by the way, where the paths meet, she stands; beside the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors, she cries aloud:" (Proverbs 8:1-3). Note the equivalence that exist between wisdom and understanding. Wisdom cries out to the simple who are "void of understanding" (see Proverbs 1:22; Proverbs 7:7). Solomon has previously revealed this fact at Proverbs 1:20 ff. If wisdom is truly the "principle thing" (Proverbs 4:7) and "thy life" (Proverbs 4:13) then all should give diligence to obtain her. Note again that in every place and every situation there is wisdom and understanding that must be exercised by man. She is always available yet the simple reject her for selfish and foolish reasons.

"Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of men. O ye simple, understand prudence; and, ye fools, be of an understanding heart" (Proverbs 8:4-5). Just as wisdom and understanding are equivalent even so the simple and foolish are one and the same. Wisdom and understanding cries out to the simple fool that he may avoid great trouble in life. She is available to all if only man would seek her. To wisdom and understanding is added "prudence." We examined this word at Proverbs 1:4 as it related to discretion. Prudence is “a minding to do so and so, purpose, intention... thoughtfulness, prudence” (LS 872). The American Heritage Dictionary defines the word as, “careful management... caution... forethought” (AHD 998). Wisdom is crying to be heard among the simple that they would use forethought and caution when making a decision.

"Hear, for I will speak excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things" (Proverbs 8:6). Wisdom is identified as both "excellent and right things." Those with wisdom will:

1. Understand righteousness and discretion (Proverbs 2:9-11).

2. Will be delivered from evil men and the strange woman of adultery (Proverbs 2:12-16).

3. Preserve discretion (judgment and tact) (Proverbs 5:2)

4. Be satisfied with the "wife of thy youth" (Proverbs 5:18).

5. Wisdom will guide one in paths of righteousness (Proverbs 6:22).

"For my mouth shall utter truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing crooked or perverse in them. They are all plain to him that understands, and right to them that find knowledge" (Proverbs 8:7-9). The language of wisdom is truth and all things that are wicked are an "abomination" to her. Those who have wisdom as the apple of their eye and the principle thing in life are those who have a passionate hatred for "wickedness". Wisdom’s words are defined not only as truth but righteousness. Crooked and perverse words are absent from wisdom. The wise will not let crooked or perverse words fall from their lips. Those perceptive and receptive to truth find wisdom to be right. Wisdom and understanding fit the very nature that God created in us all (see Romans 2:14 ff).

Verses 6-11

Pro 8:6-11

Proverbs 8:6-11

REASONS WHY MEN SHOULD HEED HER ADMONITIONS

"Hear, for I will speak excellent things;

And the opening of my lips shall be right things.

For my mouth shall utter truth;

And wickedness is an abomination to my lips.

All the words of my mouth are in righteousness;

There is nothing crooked or perverse in them.

They are all plain to him that understandeth,

And right to them that find knowledge.

Receive my instruction, and not silver;

And knowledge rather than choice gold.

For wisdom is better than rubies;

And all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to her."

"Proverbs 8:6-9 here form a group of aphorisms, all saying substantially the same thing, with variations of phraseology.” Men should heed the words of Wisdom because they are true, righteous, valuable, more desirable than gold, just, holy and absolutely devoid of anything crooked or corrupt.

"They are all plain ... to them that find knowledge" (Proverbs 8:9). There’s something special about this verse. "We have the assumption here that people know in their hearts that God’s moral procedure is right, and a direct recognition of the insight of the conscience. The world is divided into two classes, the wise and the fools, and it depends upon the man’s will to which of these he shall belong.”

Proverbs 8:6. Wisdom also claims to have imparted “excellent” things in Proverbs 22:20 : “Have I not written unto thee excellent things of counsels and knowledge?” Wisdom is never wrong but

always “right”. Those who would “excel” must always exalt wisdom.

Proverbs 8:7. And “truth” is tied in with wisdom and excellence and righteousness. Wisdom always speaks the truth because wickedness (lying, deceit, etc. ) is not only foreign to wisdom but is actually abominable to it. Oh, that each of us might be so wise that wickedness is abominable to our lips! Remember this when you find yourself involved in some church-trouble.

Proverbs 8:8. Yes, and here comes “righteousness” to go along with or be a stronger expression of the “right things” of Proverbs 8:6. And it is set over against or in contrast to “wickedness” in Proverbs 8:7. The “all are” of the first statement is what logic calls a “universal positive”, and the “nothing is” of the second statement is called a “universal negative”. Both of these statements are “absolutes”, showing that everything about wisdom is righteous, and nothing about it is wicked.

Proverbs 8:9. While wisdom may be “too high for a fool” (Proverbs 24:7), it is certainly obtainable to one who wishes to see and understand. Our verse describes the type of person we should all be: one who understands because he has been looking for knowledge. To all such, wisdom is “plain”, clear, not difficult.

Proverbs 8:10. With this verse closes the statement by wisdom and understanding that began in Proverbs 8:4. More parallelism in this verse (find it). The opportunity to learn through “instruction” might be said to be a “silver” opportunity while the actual acquisition of “knowledge” through that instruction may be said to be a “golden” possession. Notice that a knowledge of the true and the right is here said to be a higher goal and a greater possession than wealth.

Proverbs 8:11. The author of Proverbs here comments on the truthfulness of what wisdom and understanding affirmed in Proverbs 8:10. He says the possession of wisdom is greater than possessing rubies—or anything else! Similar statements of such evaluation of wisdom: “How much better it is to get wisdom than gold! Yea, to get understanding is rather to be chosen than silver” (Proverbs 16:16); “The gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver, And the profit thereof than fine gold. She is more precious than rubies: And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her” (Proverbs 3:14-15); “Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom; Yea, with all thy getting get understanding” (Proverbs 4:7). As valuable as wisdom is, it is not something that can be acquired by money (like some commodity): “It cannot be gotten for gold, Neither shall silver be weighed for the price thereof” (Job 28:15). Euclid of Alexandria was right of long ago. Called the “father of Geometry”, when his “king asked if there were not an easier way to learn geometry than by the study of the ‘Elements’ (Euclid’s set of books), Euclid answered, ‘There is no royal road to geometry’ (“World Book Encyclopedia”).

STUDY QUESTIONS - Proverbs 8:6-11

1. Is true wisdom ever wrong (Proverbs 8:6)?

2. Does wisdom ever compromise with wickedness (Proverbs 8:7)?

3. How would a student of logic designate the two statements in Proverbs 8:8?

4. Are some things plain to one person that are not to others (Proverbs 8:9)?

5. In what other passages is wisdom valued greater than earthly treasures (Proverbs 8:10)?

6. How were rubies used in those days (Proverbs 8:11)?

Verses 10-11

Pro 8:10-11

The Value of Wisdom (Proverbs 8:10-11):

"Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold" (Proverbs 8:10). Man has a choice in this life as to what he chooses to value. Some value recognition and other value money. Some place great value on family and other value their collections. Value comes in many varieties but that which will profit above even gold and silver is wisdom, instruction, and knowledge. Wisdom has value that will never fade. The greatest investment that man can make is to gain wisdom.

"For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared unto it" (Proverbs 8:11). Solomon now associates wisdom, instruction, and knowledge together so that they are one and the same. Wisdom is "better than rubies." Solomon then goes a step further and says that wisdom is even better than "all the things that may be desired." Fame, fortune, and beauty have nothing on wisdom. Those who have all the wealth and fame in this world actually have nothing when compared to the man or woman with wisdom. The most poverty stricken individual who has obtained this precious wisdom is actually in better shape than the man who has fame and fortune but little wisdom.

Seeing the great value of wisdom shouldn’t we all be diligently seeking after it? (see Proverbs 2:4-5). When one finds wisdom, a value that far exceeds silver and gold, you "understand the fear of Jehovah" (Proverbs 2:5). Jesus said, " The kingdom of heaven is like unto a treasure hidden in the field; which a man found, and hid; and in his joy he goeth and selleth all that he hath, and buyeth that field" (Matthew 13:44). Wisdom is of the greatest value among things of this world.

Verses 12-21

Pro 8:12-21

Wisdom is Identified (Proverbs 8:12-21):

"I wisdom have made prudence my dwelling, and find out knowledge and discretion" (Proverbs 8:12). We shall now see why it is that wisdom is greater in value than choice gold, silver, rubies, and all things viewed as precious and costly in this world. Again, wisdom is personified. She has "made prudence her dwelling place." The word "prudence" has been defined at Proverbs 1:4; Proverbs 8:5 as "expresses caution and wisdom in the conduct of affairs... implies not only caution but the capacity for judging in advance the probable results of one’s actions" (AHD 998). Wisdom is also personified in "discretion." To have discretion is to exercise prudence (careful forethought) with self-restraint and sound judgment. The man of discretion will measure his words carefully with self-restraint (i.e., he may upon first impulse give a knee jerk reaction to a conversation yet restrains such comments knowing that his words may cause a disturbance or have an adverse affect). When a man exercises prudence and discretion he keeps himself out of trouble and so here is one reason wisdom is greater in value than the treasures of this earth.

"The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil: Pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the perverse mouth, do I hate" (Proverbs 8:13). Now wisdom adds "the fear of Jehovah" to her identity. Said fear is the first step to obtaining the precious and valuable wisdom (Proverbs 1:7; Proverbs 9:10). When one searches for wisdom as great treasures they will gain an understanding of what it means to "fear Jehovah" (Proverbs 2:5). To "fear Jehovah" is to depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7). Wisdom "instructs" man to "fear Jehovah".

1. When one fears Jehovah they "hate:"

2. The character trait of "pride" and "arrogance" (self importance / egotistic / superiority complex).

3. "evil and the evil way" = all that the Lord condemns through His laws.

4. The practice of a "perverse mouth" - filthy communication out of one’s mouth.

5. We seem to run across this idea quite often in Proverbs (see Proverbs 4:24; Proverbs 8:7-8 and here at Proverbs 8:13).

"Counsel is mine, and sound knowledge: I am understanding; I have might" (Proverbs 8:14)

First, Wisdom is a counselor (one who gives sound guidance and direction to others).

Secondly, Wisdom is identified as understanding (many times over we have seen this in this study).

Thirdly, wisdom occupies great "might" or power. There is great power in giving sound guidance and direction to people. Might changes the direction or course of men’s life and that is a power of itself.

"By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. I love them that love me; and those that seek me diligently shall find me" (Proverbs 8:15-17). Wisdom is the very tool that prudent and discrete men of high positions use to govern and judge matters within the earth. Once again we find that those who will see wisdom as the "principle thing" in life (Proverbs 4:7), those who view wisdom as "thy life" (Proverbs 4:13), and those who have wisdom as the "apple of their eye" (Proverbs 7:2) will be those who "seek me diligently." Those who view wisdom as an item of great importance will find her (see also Proverbs 2:5). Those who say that we cannot know truth have give themselves over to the way of the simple.

"Riches and honor are with me; Yea, durable wealth and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yea than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver" (Proverbs 8:18-19). The riches and honor that come with wisdom is not the riches of this world but riches in eternal blessings of glory and honor. Again, wisdom reveals its value. The return for one’s investment in wisdom is "better than gold and choice silver." Prudence, discretion, understanding, and the fear of Jehovah is far more valuable to a person’s eternal being than any worldly treasure.

"I walk in the way of righteousness. In the paths of justice; that I may cause those that love me to inherit substance, and that I may fill their treasuries" (Proverbs 8:20-21). Wisdom is identified as walking in righteousness and justice (lawfully and fair with all by God’s divine standards). Wisdom is the cause of men’s treasuries being full (i.e., the substance or hope of man’s faith is a heavenly home... this endeavor is to be like treasure being stored up while in the here and now - see Matthew 19:21).

Verses 22-31

Pro 8:22-31

God’s Relationship to Wisdom (Proverbs 8:22-31):

"Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, before the earth was. When there were no depths, I was brought forth, when there were no fountains abounding with water. Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth; While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the beginning of the dust of the world" (8:22-26). Wisdom has ever been (everlasting). Jehovah possessed wisdom before the world was even created. Before there was fountains of water, mountains, hills, the earth and its fields wisdom was. Before any part of the dust of the world was made wisdom existed. Wisdom is identified as being "everlasting" as is the Lord Jesus Christ (see John 1:1 ff). The identity of wisdom is prudence, discretion, righteousness, justice, and the fear of Jehovah. These principles were established with the Lord before the creation. Thereby the apostle Paul could refer to these eternal principles as a standard that must be met for one to be considered saved from the eternal wrath of God (see Romans 8:28-30; Ephesians 1:3 ff).

"When he established the heavens, I was there: when he set a circle upon the face of the deep, when he made firm the skies above, when the fountains of the deep became strong, when he gave to the sea its bound, that the waters should not transgress his commandment, when he marked out the foundations of the earth; then I was by him, as a master workman; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him, rejoicing in his habitable earth; and my delight was with the sons of men" (Proverbs 8:27-31). Wisdom stood beside Jehovah as He established the heavens and set a "circle upon the face of the deep." Isaiah 40:22 speaks of Jehovah sitting above the "circle of the earth" which indicates an early divine understanding of the shape of the earth. Here; the "circle" is not the earth as a whole but the confining of the waters upon the earth as is commented on at Job 26:10. Wisdom was by Jehovah as a "master workman" (i.e., she was involved in the creative process). Wisdom was Jehovah’s daily delight and wisdom’s delight was Jehovah. Man too delighted in wisdom.

Verses 22-36

Pro 8:22-36

Proverbs 8:22-31

REVELATION OF ETERNAL WISDOM’S PART IN CREATION

"Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way,

Before his works of old.

I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning,

Before the earth was.

When there were no depths, I was brought forth,

When there were no fountains abounding with water.

Before the mountains were settled,

Before the hills was I brought forth;

While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,

Nor the beginning of the dust of the world.

When he established the heavens, I was there:

When he set a circle upon the face of the deep,

When he made firm the skies above,

When the fountains of the deep became strong,

When he gave to the sea its bound,

That the waters should not transgress his commandment,

When he marked out the foundations of the earth;

Then I was by him as a master workman;

And I was daily his delight,

Rejoicing always before him,

Rejoicing in his habitable earth;

And my delight was with the sons of men."

These verses are among the most discussed passages in all the Bible. Here was a prominent battle ground of the great Arian controversy, which was led by Arius and his followers during the fourth century of this era. They denied the oneness of Jesus Christ with the Father, basing their arguments largely upon Proverbs 8:22 in this passage. We have already noted the stupidity of that argument, on the grounds that the passage does not even mention Christ. That many of the things here stated with regard to Wisdom are also most certainly true of Christ is no proof whatever that everything here said of Wisdom is also true of Christ. Therefore, even if Wisdom was created by God, how could that prove that Christ was a created being? This, of course, is totally apart from the fact that the Septuagint (LXX) mistranslation of Proverbs 8:22, upon which the Arians based their heresy, was simply that, a mistranslation.

"Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way" (Proverbs 8:22). This is the line which the Septuagint (LXX) translated, "The Lord made me the beginning of his ways." The Arians, of course, read this, "The Lord created me, etc." The current tragedy is that the RSV has erroneously translated this verse as, "The Lord created me at the beginning of his work." It is absolutely impossible that the RSV is correct in this rendition. F. C. Cook, writing in Barnes’ Notes, declared that, "There is no ground for the thought of creation either in the meaning of the root or in the general usage of the word.” Even the Anchor Bible rejected the stupid error of the RSV in this verse, rendering it, "The Lord possessed me, the first principle of his sovereignty.” Kidner identifies the source of the false rendition in the RSV, pointing out that, "Ugaritic literature (and the paganism that dominates it) has recently swung opinion toward `created’ as in the RSV.”

The false notion that, "Wisdom was the first of God’s works,” ^] overlooks the axiomatic truth that nothing could have been created, not even wisdom, without the Creator’s prior possession of it. Any other postulation on this appears to this writer as the height of the ridiculous.

Ordinary human intelligence dramatically refutes such a corrupt rendition. How, in the name of all that is reasonable, could God have created that Wisdom by which the worlds were made, if he did not indeed already possess it? Let the scholars who authored this ridiculous translation answer that! "To say that God at first lacked Wisdom by which he would create all things, and that He had first either to create it or learn it is absurd." The true translation of this Proverbs 8:22 is that in the KJV, which is also followed in the ASV.

"Great controversy for ages has raged over the word from which the various words, made, possessed, and created have been translated.” But the truth is apparent even to the unlearned that God did not need to create wisdom, he possessed it! And if God had not already possessed it, He would never, in a billion years, have been able to create it! In this connection, it must be remembered that the wisdom mentioned here was that knowledge by which heaven and earth were created.

Many scholars have devoted countless pages to the discussion of the problem reviewed here; but we shall not further bother with an old controversy that was actually decided more than a thousand years ago. It is all resolved in the one incontrovertible truth that God did indeed "possess" (that’s the key word) all Wisdom, all Knowledge, all Intelligence, Omnipotence, Ubiquitousness, and Omniscience from the eternal past.

Furthermore, even the Septuagint (LXX) statement that, "The Lord made me (Wisdom) the beginning of his ways," in no way suggests that God needed to create wisdom. The passage merely says that God made it the beginning (or foundation) of all his works; and God could not possibly have done THAT unless he did indeed already possess Wisdom.

So the Arian heresy died because (1) It was founded upon a passage that did not say what they alleged that it said, and (2) because if it indeed had said such a thing, it would not have applied to Christ, because the whole passage is a literary personification in which Christ is not even mentioned.

"I was set up from everlasting" (Proverbs 8:23). It is impossible that this could have been said of any created thing. The eternity of wisdom as a possession of God is here clearly stated. This verse says that, "Wisdom is eternal.” The RSV translators, seeing that this contradicted their false rendition of Proverbs 8:22, made it read, "Ages ago"; but unless we are willing to allow modern unbelievers to re-write the holy Bible to please themselves, we should reject their changes out of hand.

"Before the earth was ... when there were no depths ... fountains ... mountains ...hills ... nor fields ... I was there" (Proverbs 8:23-27). "These several expressions all say that Wisdom is eternal.”

"When he made firm the skies above" (Proverbs 8:28). The basic truth of this statement is totally lost on some evil writers. The skies above us ARE INDEED FIRM. The atmosphere itself is a divine coat of armor that protects the planet earth (1) from the ultra-violet radiation that would destroy all life without that "firm" atmosphere which includes the protective layer of ozone, and (2) also from the myriads of wandering meteorites, which long ago would have pock-mocked our earth in a manner similar to that which is seen on the moon if it had not been for those "firm" skies. Every time one sees what is called "a falling star," he is really witnessing our "firm" skies burning up and destroying another meteorite.

The destructive critics writing in the International Critical Commentary have perverted this passage by identifying it with Babylonian mythology, affirming that the Bible here teaches that, "The sky was a solid dome supported on pillars, that there were two oceans, one beneath the earth and another above that solid dome, and that the rain came down when God opened the windows of heaven (Genesis 7:11). All of this is an imaginary construction of modern (unbelieving) authors who take literally the figurative and poetic expressions of Biblical passages and, putting them together, build a crude cosmology which the Bible does not teach.”

Unbelieving critics love to literalize Biblical passages for the purpose of denying the truth. A New Testament example is in the statement of Christ regarding the deceased daughter of Jairus, "The child is not dead, but sleepeth" (Mark 5:39).

Toy’s writing with regard to the "windows" of heaven was cited by Harris as another example of this same evil device. Ancient windows could not open and close as do ours. The Bible also noted that, "The windows of heaven" could let down barley and flour, and other blessings (2 Kings 7:2; Malachi 3:10); and even a grammar school student should be able to recognize such language as figurative.

This wicked habit of unbelieving writers may properly be called "the fundamentalism of critics." Quite inconsistently, they deny many plain and literal statements of God’s Word, making light of Christians who believe them; and then, they themselves will deliberately literalize any figurative passage that may serve their purpose.

"I was by him ... a master workman ... daily his delight ... rejoicing always before him ... and my delight was with the sons of men" (Proverbs 8:30-31). All of these expressions find their full explanation in the New Testament; and that is why Christian theologians for centuries have seen Jesus Christ as the Wisdom of God who is mentioned in this remarkable passage. Christ was in the beginning with God, and was God, and without him nothing was made that has been made (John 1:1-5). Yes, John used the word Logos here (a word identified with the philosopher Philo); but, "Philo’s [@logos] was impersonal ... So when John speaks of the Word (the [@Logos]), he teaches the true Hebrew idea of a personal, creating God, thus using Philo’s word to reject and contradict Philo’s thought.”

Proverbs 8:22. Wisdom is still speaking. Wisdom is not something new, something that only recently came along. It takes precedence in value over other things by virtue of its existence before there was anything here and because it is an attribute of God.

Proverbs 8:23. Wisdom is “from everlasting”, “from the beginning,” “before the earth was.” What else can claim existence that far back? Only those things that are other attributes of God (such as His “power”), for He alone existed.

Proverbs 8:24. The Bible often divides the creation of the universe into three parts: heaven, earth and sea (Nehemiah 9:6; Exodus 20:11; Revelation 14:7; and others). Beginning with this verse these three are considered with being of shorter duration than wisdom: sea (this verse), earth (Proverbs 8:25-26), and heaven (Proverbs 8:27).

Proverbs 8:25. We use the mountains and hills as a gauge for comparing something that is old in our saying, “As old as the hills.” But wisdom existed even before there were any hills!

Proverbs 8:26. If wisdom had not been an attribute of God, earth would have been uninhabitable by man, there would have been nothing for him to eat or wear, etc.

Proverbs 8:27. Isaiah 40:22 also speaks of the “circle” of the earth.

Proverbs 8:28. Ever hear a child ask, “What if the sky fell down upon us?” God made it “firm” over our heads. The “fountains of the deep” are the “springs of the sea” mentioned in Job 38:16. Their strength mentioned here was manifested in the days of Noah when they burst forth at the special decree of God and, joined with the water that poured down for forty days and nights when the “windows of heaven” were opened, helped flood the earth until even the mountains were covered (Genesis 7:11; Genesis 7:19).

Proverbs 8:29. Go to any beach or seacoast, and you can observe the definite line where the ocean waters stop in their ebb and flow and in their swellings during great storms. Similarly does Job 38:8; Job 38:10-11 say that God “shut up the sea with doors” and “marked out for it a bound, and set bars and doors, and said, Hitherto shalt thou come, but no further; and here shall thy proud waves by stayed.” The “foundation” of the earth (or “foundations” of the earth in Job 38:4) is evidently to be taken figuratively and not literally since the Bible speaks of God’s hanging the earth on nothing—suspended it in space (Job 26:7). What, then, is meant by the foundation or foundations of the earth? “Clarke” takes a stab at the subject: “Those irreversible laws by which all motions are governed...the principles on which it is constructed, and the laws by which it is governed.”

Proverbs 8:30. God has His wisdom “with” Him in all of His creative acts. This is what made everything “good” that He created. See the reference to this after the various days of creation (Genesis 1:10; Genesis 1:12, etc.). “Daily” in our verse is reminiscent of the creative days of Genesis 1.

Proverbs 8:31. God made the earth as a dwelling place (Isaiah 45:18) whereas, as far as we know, the other planets were not so prepared. The finale of God’s creation, the climax of it all, was the creation of man (Genesis 1:26), mentioned in our verse.

Proverbs 8:32. If wisdom is that ancient; if wisdom is an eternal attribute of God; if wisdom was back there with God when everything was being created, then people should listen when wisdom speaks. In our verse wisdom says, “Hearken unto me...keep my ways,” and a blessing is pronounced upon those who do.

Proverbs 8:33. Another verse connecting our being wise with hearing, and not refusing, instruction. It is the foolish, not the wise, who refuse wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:8).

Proverbs 8:34. One who seeks wisdom lives in a state of expectation and anticipation. He watches and waits. “Waiting” is often involved in “watching” as in the cat patiently watching for a mouse or as in Christians watching for their Lord’s return.

Proverbs 8:35. A double blessing ultimately comes to those who through watching and waiting find wisdom: “life” (both here and hereafter, both spiritual and eternal) and the “favor of Jehovah” (the greatest possession that one can have).

Proverbs 8:36. One can sin against wisdom in several ways: by not desiring it, by not seeking after it, by not listening when it speaks, by not believing what it says, by not doing what it commands, by not desiring what it promises, and by not heeding its warnings. In which ever way or if in all ways one sins against wisdom, he is not merely wronging wisdom: he is wronging his own soul—he will be the one who suffers for it. Put very bluntly wisdom summarizes: “All they that hate me love death.” This statement exemplifies the fact that truth itself is blunt, unflinching, unbending, no respecter of persons.

STUDY QUESTIONS - Proverbs 8:22-36

1. Comment on God’s wisdom (Proverbs 8:22).

2. Are we to conceive of “everlasting” as having existed before time was (Proverbs 8:23)?

3. What “fountains” are referred to in Proverbs 8:24?

4. What is meant by the mountains being “settled” in Proverbs 8:25?

5. Where else does the Bible tell of God’s creating the universe (besides here in this section)?

6. What word in Proverbs 8:27 is especially noticeable?

7. What is meant by “firm” in Proverbs 8:28?

8. Is there a definite line where the ocean stops (Proverbs 8:29)?

9. Who is the “master workman” in Proverbs 8:30—wisdom or God?

10. Does “daily” refer to the creation-days of Genesis 1 (Proverbs 8:30)?

11. What is the force of “habitable” in Proverbs 8:31?

12. In what ways “blessed” (Proverbs 8:32)?

13. Hear and be wise, but don’t refuse and be ................ (Proverbs 8:33).

14. How does “watching” enter in (Proverbs 8:34)?

15. What two blessings are promised in Proverbs 8:35?

16. How can one sin against wisdom (Proverbs 8:36)?

Wisdom’s Call - Proverbs 8:1-36

Open It

1. Who or what sorts of things compete for people’s attention and loyalty these days?

2. What one possession do you value more than any other?

Explore It

3. How was wisdom depicted by Solomon? (Proverbs 8:1-3)

4. How is wisdom described in these verses? (Proverbs 8:1-36)

5. To whom does wisdom cry out? (Proverbs 8:4-5)

6. Why does wisdom say people should listen to her? (Proverbs 8:6-9)

7. To what are wisdom, instruction, and knowledge compared? (Proverbs 8:10-11)

8. With whom does wisdom dwell, and what does she possess? (Proverbs 8:12; Proverbs 8:14; Proverbs 8:18)

9. What does it mean to fear the Lord? (Proverbs 8:13)

10. Who uses wisdom? (Proverbs 8:15-16)

11. Whom does wisdom love? (Proverbs 8:17)

12. What did wisdom say about her origin and her role in creation? (Proverbs 8:22-31)

13. What did wisdom say would be the result of finding or not finding her? (Proverbs 8:32-36)

Get It

14. Why do you think wisdom was depicted as being out in the streets of the city?

15. If wisdom went walking through your neighborhood, how do you think people would respond?

16. In what way is wisdom like precious metals and stones?

17. How is wisdom better than precious metals and stones?

18. How is hating evil fearing the Lord?

19. What types of things do people today value more than wisdom?

20. How does having wisdom benefit your life?

21. Why is it important that wisdom was God’s first work of creation?

22. What is the role of wisdom in the universe?

23. How is wisdom’s role in your life demonstrated in your life-style?

24. How has the world responded to wisdom’s invitation?

25. How have you answered wisdom’s invitation?

26. What does it mean to find wisdom?

Apply It

27. What is one way in which you can increase wisdom’s role in your life?

28. What is something that you have mistakenly valued more than wisdom that you want to restore to its proper place?

Verses 32-36

Pro 8:32-36

Proverbs 8:32-36

THE EPILOGUE

"Now therefore, my sons, hearken unto me;

For blessed are they that keep my ways.

Hear instruction, and be wise,

And refuse it not.

Blessed is the man that heareth me,

Watching daily at my gates,

Waiting at the posts of my doors.

For whoso findeth me findeth life,

And shall obtain favor of Jehovah.

But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul:

And they that hate me love death."

"This conclusion states the happiness of those who obey her (Wisdom), and the evil fate of those who reject her.” Of course, the paramount application of these verses relates them either to the obedience or the rejection of Jesus Christ.

Proverbs 8:32. If wisdom is that ancient; if wisdom is an eternal attribute of God; if wisdom was back there with God when everything was being created, then people should listen when wisdom speaks. In our verse wisdom says, “Hearken unto me...keep my ways,” and a blessing is pronounced upon those who do.

Proverbs 8:33. Another verse connecting our being wise with hearing, and not refusing, instruction. It is the foolish, not the wise, who refuse wisdom and instruction (Proverbs 1:8).

Proverbs 8:34. One who seeks wisdom lives in a state of expectation and anticipation. He watches and waits. “Waiting” is often involved in “watching” as in the cat patiently watching for a mouse or as in Christians watching for their Lord’s return.

Proverbs 8:35. A double blessing ultimately comes to those who through watching and waiting find wisdom: “life” (both here and hereafter, both spiritual and eternal) and the “favor of Jehovah” (the greatest possession that one can have).

Proverbs 8:36. One can sin against wisdom in several ways: by not desiring it, by not seeking after it, by not listening when it speaks, by not believing what it says, by not doing what it commands, by not desiring what it promises, and by not heeding its warnings. In which ever way or if in all ways one sins against wisdom, he is not merely wronging wisdom: he is wronging his own soul—he will be the one who suffers for it. Put very bluntly wisdom summarizes: “All they that hate me love death.” This statement exemplifies the fact that truth itself is blunt, unflinching, unbending, no respecter of persons.