Proverbs 3:1-4 “Faithfulness to the Father’s Teaching”

(1) My son, do not forget my law, but let your heart keep my commands; (2) for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you.

(3) Let not mercy and truth forsake you; bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart, (4) and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man.

Chapter 3 begins with the 3^rd appeal by the father to his son, which covers verses 1-12. This appeal includes six sets of instructions. The first two sets (v. 1-4) is an exhortation to remain faithful to the father’s teaching. The last four sets (v. 5-12) is an exhortation to remain faithful to the Lord.

In the first of instructions (v. 1-2), the father urges his son not only to remember his teaching, but to put into practice the wisdom that has been taught. By living according to wise principles, the son will reap three benefits.

1. Length of days – This phrase speaks of a life lived in and satisfied only in the Lord (Deuteronomy 30:20). This life is given to those who walk in obedience (Psalm 91:16; Proverbs 3:2) and wisdom (Proverbs 3:16).
2. Long life – This includes both a life with many years and a life worth living.
3. Peace – Even though your life will be long, it will not be burdensome. You will have inward tranquility. Indeed, the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your heart and mind.

In the second set of instructions, the wise father appeals to his son not to forsake mercy and truth. Mercy and truth are to be applied externally (“bind them around your neck”) and internally (“write them on the tablet of your heart”).

The external application of mercy is performing good and charitable acts to others. The internal application is development the Godly character of mercy, of lovingkindness. This is given to those who keep His covenants and His testimonies. (Psalm 25:10)

The external application of truth is faithfulness, obedience to God by walking in His commands. The internal application is the rejection of all falsehood and hypocrisy of character.

As mercy and truth increase in your life, you will reap benefits in your relationship with both God and man. A wise man desires and seeks the favor of God and also wishes to have the favor man. These were characteristic of our Lord (Luke 2:52).

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Related Scriptures: Mat. 23:23; 1 Peter 3:3-4

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“Being all fashioned of the self-same dust, let us be merciful as well as just.” – Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Proverbs 2:20-22 “Wisdom Blessing #5: Righteous Living”

 (20) So you may walk in the way of goodness, and keep to the paths of righteousness. (21) For the upright will dwell in the land, and the blameless will remain in it; (22) but the wicked will be cut off from the earth, and the unfaithful will be uprooted from it.

At the beginning of the chapter, the father tells the son how to gain wisdom. Desire, diligence, and effort exerted over time are some of the keys to gaining wisdom. It is not gained quickly or easily. Now, the father describes wisdom’s fifth reward. Wisdom will keep you in the way of goodness and to the paths of righteousness. This is no doubt the best path to be on throughout life as this path will allow you to dwell and remain in the land.

However, this speaks about more than just your life, it speaks toward the inheritance which the righteous will pass on. Wisdom’s enduring nature is seen as being passed on from generation to generation. This is what is happening in the book of Proverbs. The father who has wisdom is teaching his son wisdom so that it will be passed on to the next generation. The effort put forth to gain wisdom produces a more than a lifetime of fruit. It reaches into the next generation so they can receive its blessings.

However, the other path – the path of the fool, the one who rejects God and His ways – leads to death (see v. 18-19). These wicked men will be cut off and uprooted from the earth. There will be no enduring blessings, no lasting happiness, and no bright future.

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Related Scriptures: Psalm 37:9-34; Matthew 5:5

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He himself shall dwell in prosperity, and his descendants shall inherit the earth. The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, and He will show them His covenant. – Psalms 25:13-14

Proverbs 2:1-4 “The Admonition to Receive Wisdom”

(1) My son, if you receive my words, and treasure my commands within you,

(2) So that you incline your ear to wisdom, and apply your heart to understanding;

(3) Yes, if you cry out for discernment, and lift up your voice for understanding,

(4) If you seek her as silver, and search for her as for hidden treasures…

In these four verses, comprising the second of the 10 appeals from the father, the wise father presents the progression of gaining wisdom. In the rest of the chapter, he notes 5 benefits of gaining wisdom. Here is the progression of gaining wisdom presented in verses 1-4

1.   Reception of Wisdom

2.   Meditation on Wisdom

3.   Request for more Wisdom

4.   Pursuit of Wisdom

In verse 1, the son is exhorted to receive the lessons from his father and treasure them. Wisdom is hidden in the soul and valued it greatly because it may not be immediately used. However, by treasuring it, by hiding it one’s heart, it will be ready when the time comes that it is needed. Think of it as storing up for a rainy day. Indeed, these are the proper riches to store up.

This will have its effects in the wise son who treasures these words. Once they are in his heart, they will affect his attitudes, which will affect his decisions, which will affect his future actions.

Verse 2 presents the next step after receiving the words of wisdom: meditating on them. Inclining the ear means to pay close attention. “Apply your heart to understanding” means ‘to turn’ to understanding. The son is to listen carefully and to apply, i.e. to turn, his heart toward the teaching in order to fully understand. This is meditation. This patient ruminating on lessons the father has taught ingrains wisdom and leads to success. The ear hears & the mind (heart) applies.

In verse 2, the ear and mind were involved. Now the mouth is involved in crying out and lifting up for wisdom. It is appropriate both to ask those who are older and wiser to help you understand and also to pray to God for understanding of what you are meditating on. This verse is actually more intense than asking, you are to “cry out” for discernment.” If it does not come immediately, do not quit. This verse tells you to intensify your request by lifting up your voice. Wisdom is not easily acquired. Effort and patience are required, which brings us to verse 4.

The father now gives the last step in the progression of gaining wisdom – pursuing wisdom. There are two concepts shown here. First of all is the value of that which is being sought. Wisdom has intrinsic value like silver. The second concept in this simile is the diligence in the search. Wisdom is like ‘hidden’ treasure. It is not available unless you search for it. You must expend the effort to reap the reward.

I have one last thought regarding this progression of wisdom. Gaining wisdom also develops good character. For example, verse 1 requires attentiveness to what is being taught. Verse 2 requires diligence to meditate on the words of the father in order to gain understanding. Verse 3 requires persistence not to give up if understanding doesn’t come right away. Finally, verse 4 demands patience to keep seeking and searching. Of course, there are many other character traits that can be applied. The point is that as you acquire wisdom, you will also be developing good character.

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Related Scriptures: Psalm 119:9-11; Matthew 6:19-21; 13:9; James 1:5

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“A prudent question is one-half of wisdom.” – Francis Bacon

Proverbs 1:8-19 “A Wise Father Instructs a Son to be Wise”

My son, hear the instruction of your father, and do not forsake the law of your mother; for they will be a graceful ornament on your head, and chains about your neck. My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. If they say, “Come with us, let us lie in wait to shed blood; let us lurk secretly for the innocent without cause; let us swallow them alive like Sheol, and whole, like those who go down to the Pit; we shall find all kinds of precious possessions, we shall fill our houses with spoil; cast in your lot among us, let us all have one purse” – my son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path; for their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed blood. Surely, in vain the net is spread in the sight of any bird; but they lie in wait for their own blood, they lurk secretly for their own lives. So are the ways of everyone who is greedy for gain; it takes away the life of its owners.

The first nine chapters of Proverbs include ten appeals from a father to his son. This first appeal is the typical format: the wise and loving father exhorts his son to pay close attention to the following instructions. The son is to esteem these lessons as a highly valued possession that is designed for his benefit.

This first appeal comes from both the father and mother as they exhort their son not join those greedy for gain. There are three sections to the wise father’s instruction.

First, the parents give the situation. The son is approached by a group of his peers who try to convince the son to join the group. This is peer pressure to join the ‘in crowd.’ These would-be friends promise companionship and all kinds of precious possessions. They entice with their words “Sure, we’ll have to break a few laws, but think of all the money we’ll have. You don’t have to do it alone, we’ll do it together.” The father wisely does this to point out the temptations so the son won’t be caught off guard.

The second part of the appeal is the warning to unequivocally reject any and all pleas from this ungodly crowd. The father’s words: “My son, if sinners entice you, do not consent. My son, do not walk in the way with them, keep your foot from their path.”

The third section of the instructions is the reasons for doing so. In this case, the sinners run to evil for their gain and trap themselves, running their own lives. The son can now recognize that even though he might gain some so-called friends and quick cash, he will embark on the path of the fool, the path of destruction. He will ultimately destroy his own life and losing both his friends and treasures.

While children should heed the instructions of their parents, the wise parents realize the importance of explaining the reasoning behind such instruction. The explanation will give the complete picture and thereby help keep the truth in the soul. This connects knowledge with understanding, both of which are aspects of wisdom.

(The lower painting is “The Rich Fool” by Rembrandt, 1627. See Luke 12:20)

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 13:20; Psalm 1:1; Romans 16:18; Ephesians 5:11

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“An investment in knowledge pays the best interest.” – Benjamin Franklin

Proverbs 8:17-21 “The Love & Value of Wisdom”

I love those who love me, and those who seek me diligently will find me. Riches and honor are with me, enduring riches and righteousness. My fruit is better than gold, yes, than fine gold, and my revenue than choice silver. I traverse the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of justice, that I may cause those who love me to inherit wealth, that I may fill their treasuries.

Who does wisdom love? Those that love her. Who finds wisdom? Those who seek her diligently. Loving wisdom goes hand in hand with seeking wisdom. A young man in love with a young lady will seek to be around her and to know everything about her. He rearranges his schedule to spend as much time as possible with her because he loves her. That is how we should love wisdom. We study wisdom (the Word of God) diligently. We schedule times to be alone with the Word of God so we can study and know all we can about it. The more you grow to love wisdom, the less of a chore and more of a pleasure this will be. A young lover would never say it is a chore to be around the one he delights in, and neither will you when you learn to delight in wisdom.

The rewards of wisdom are immense: riches – enduring riches, honor, and righteousness. The fruit of wisdom is better than the finest gold and the choicest silver! Wow! How can that be? The riches of wisdom are not earthly, or material, wealth. It is spiritual treasure and heavenly riches. “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal; but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal.” (Matthew 6:19-20)

This spiritual wealth can be passed onto offspring through a godly heritage. This is the greatest treasure that can be passed on to children & seeing their children walking with the Lord is the greatest joy a parent can receive. (3 John 1:4) Both of these beat gold and silver hands down!

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 3:16; 4:7-9; Matthew 6:33; Philippians 3:8-9

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Wise men talk because they have something to say; fools, because they have to say something. – Plato 

Proverbs 5:1-2 “The Call to Wisdom”

"My son, pay attention to my wisdom; lend your ear to my understanding, that you may preserve discretion, and your lips may keep knowledge."

These verses introduce the 8th of 10 appeals by the father to his son. (This appeal is in relation to sexuality purity.) The son is exhorted to learn from the father’s wisdom and understanding. Rather than learning through painful experience, the wise person will learn from those who are older and truly love them. The son is urged to pay close attention because what the father is about to tell him is important and will help him resist temptations common to youth. Because the father loves his son and knows what is about to be said will help him, he gives a second call for the son to pay attention and not turn a deaf ear to what follows.

Of course, the purpose of the appeal is for the son’s benefit. By listening and heeding the following warnings, the son will be able to both act wisely (“preserve discretion”) and speak wisely (“your lips may keep knowledge”).

It is common in our culture to have low expectations for young people. However, Solomon clearly expects the hearers of these words to have discretion and knowledge. As a young person, you can reject the low expectations of society, learn from those who are wise (including the Bible), and avoid the pitfalls that your peers fall into. The first step is by listening and paying attention to your parents.
Finally, the penalty for not paying attention and not heeding the words of the father is given in the last two verses of this chapter.

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 16:23; 20:15; 22:17; Mark 4:23; James 1:19

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“I don't think much of a man who is not wiser today than he was yesterday.”  - Abraham Lincoln

Proverbs 19:13 “A Son, A Father, and A Wife”

“A foolish son is ruin to his father, and a wife's quarreling is a continual dripping of rain.”

Looking at this verse, your first thought is probably about the plight of the father who has a foolish son and a nagging wife. But remember that Proverbs was written to young people about wise living. Most likely, the young man will one day have a son and a wife. From that perspective, it is a caution for young man to be wise in choosing a wife and in how he raises his children. What qualities should a woman have – in this case, not have - before you take her as a wife? What steps as a father should you take to ensure you do not have a foolish son?

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Related Scriptures: Proverbs 19:18;13:24; 22:15; 29:15-17; 18:22; 31:10-31

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“My most brilliant achievement was my ability to be able to persuade my wife to marry me.” -Winston Churchill