The Fifth Sunday in Lent, commonly called
Passion Sunday.
The
Collect.
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W
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E beseech
thee, Almighty God, mercifully to look upon thy people; that by thy great
goodness they may be governed and preserved evermore, both in body and soul;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
1 The proverbs of Solomon
the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know wisdom and instruction; to
perceive the words of understanding; 3 To receive the instruction of
wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4 To give subtilty to the
simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion. 5 A wise man will hear,
and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise
counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of
the wise, and their dark sayings. 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning
of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. 8 My son, hear the
instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For
they shall be an ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck.
(Prov 1:1-9)
As was discussed in the introductory devotion, this Book is, by Scriptural
claim, the proverbs of Solomon, son of David and King of Israel. There
is a class of skeptics that developed in Europe decades ago who claim the title
of Higher Critics. Just how high these low-swamp dwellers are is a matter of
speculation. But one thing is rather certain: they are anything but HIGH on the
veracity and infallibility of Holy Scripture – perhaps whatever they smoke in
their pipes may explain why they are considered `high.' They begin their
approach to Scripture in precisely the same manner as that old serpent of the
Garden – Satan. They treat the Holy Bible with no greater reverence than any
other literary work. They believe they can examine its technical merit, its
historicity, style and mannerism in just the same way as a "Dime
Novel" of the late 19th century. There is one area
which they consider unprofitable to investigate in their examination, and that
one area is the strongest testimony to its authenticity – the INTERNAL EVIDENCE
of the Scriptures themselves.
They
have dug up from trash bins and Vatican dumps two manuscripts that are faulty
in their compilation (leaving our large sections of Scripture with only a blank
space to evidence the missing words) and which do not agree, even with each
other in many parts and places. In addition to a reliance on faulty manuscript
evidence, the critics who are far less knowledgeable of Greek and Hebrew than
the Reformers and translators of the Received Text Bibles, presume to be
qualified to render a `more accurate' meaning than the Church Fathers of old
time. In every instance of changes in words, there is a corresponding weakening
of the text. Time does not afford a more in depth discussion here on Manuscript
Evidence underlying the Geneva, King James, and Luther Bibles other than to say
that these Reformed Bibles are based on 95% of all manuscript evidence (Textus
Receptus) – all of which agrees with one another. So, instead of approaching
the Book of Proverbs with the same question as Satan - "Yea, hath
God said?" – but with a faith and certainty that God has preserved
His Holy Word without error from the beginning. So can we agree, at least from
the start, that this Book has for its author, Solomon, son of David and King of
Israel? If we cannot agree here, there is no point in reasoning together
further. Can two walk together, except they be agreed?
(Amos 3:3)
Solomon
was a son of David in the royal sense in which Christ was the Son of David. He
did not ask of God riches and wealth, but Wisdom. Give me now wisdom and
knowledge, that I may go out and come in before this people: for who can judge
this thy people, that is so great? And God said to Solomon, Because this was in
thine heart, and thou hast not asked riches, wealth, or honour, nor the life of
thine enemies, neither yet hast asked long life; but hast asked wisdom and
knowledge for thyself, that thou mayest judge my people, over whom I have made
thee king: 12 Wisdom and knowledge is granted unto thee; and I will give
thee riches, and wealth, and honour, such as none of the kings have had that
have been before thee, neither shall there any after thee have the like.
(2 Chron 1:10-12) Even this answered prayer of Solomon was wise in itself and
may be compared to the very Words of Jesus centuries later: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
(Matt 6:33) God did grant wisdom to Solomon, but Solomon was the first offender
in violating that wisdom with the many women with whom he cavorted. The same
lure of the flesh that seduced David made Solomon, his son, victim of the same.
But it may be concluded that a life lived outside the parameters of natural and
carnal wisdom compelled Solomon to write down these Proverbs as a warning and
counsel to others who followed. It is full of wisdom and sound counsel
particularly for the young.
Solomon
employs his counsel as an elder teacher and by the personification of wisdom.
He opens the Book under study with an introduction (verses 1-4), 1 The
proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel; 2 To know
wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding; 3 To
receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity; 4 To
give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.
At bottom line, it is not Solomon who is the Author of Proverbs, but God
Himself who breathed the inspiration to counsel these words of Godly Wisdom to
improve our lives and govern our natures. I have conversed with many men and
women who believe they are somehow more holy than others through their
frequently reading the Bible through and through many times over. Quite often,
these are the more judgmental and harsh-natured Christians I have ever known.
While it may be true that they have learned large portions of Scripture, or at
least read it, that knowledge of Scripture has failed to mollify their sharp
dispositions or rendered their natures more useful to the service of God and
His Church. Knowledge without Wisdom is useless. Not only are we profited in
knowing good counsel, but we must as well UNDERSTAND its meaning to us. Wisdom
been summarized by Plato with the following characteristics: 1) the principle
of doing things RIGHT; 2) the principle of justice in doing things with equal
enthusiasm in public as well as private; 3) the principle of fortitude in not
fleeing danger without confronting it; and 5) the principle of temperance in
subduing desires, and living moderately. If we are, indeed, simple-minded, then
we also need to exercise humility in all our daily discourse. To the able young
man or woman, good knowledge and discretion in behavior should be forefront.
Next,
in verses 5-6, Solomon explains the EFFECT of Wisdom on it practitioner: 5 A
wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding
shall attain unto wise counsels: 6 To understand a proverb, and the
interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings. True
Wisdom is dynamic in nature and never stale or motionless. In order for sound
to echo, there must be an opposing mountain. In order for Wisdom to be received
and acted upon there must be a sympathetic heart to Wisdom. A magnet of iron
attracts iron of the same nature. Just as a thirsty man will never perish in
the desert with an abundance of drinking water, neither will a wise man go
without hearing and understanding the Wisdom made available to him. Wisdom also
helps to KNOW wise words when one hears them, and even to understand those
words of deep and challenging import. Above all, Wisdom is constantly growing.
Solomon
now points out the catalyst for wisdom, and what is it? When we have wrestled
in vain with our flesh and know our end can only result in doom and damnation,
our thoughts justly turn to the wrath and judgment of God that our behaviors
have warranted. In the deep waters of our soul, there arises a nagging fear of
the Lord and His righteous judgment. Such a fear can be useful in
compelling our souls to the Ark of our Salvation – the Lord Jesus Christ! What
wicked man is there that could approach the Judgment Seat without fear and
trembling? 7 The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction. Let us acknowledge that
there are different degrees and orders of fear. The fear that arises from our
guilt and sin is a formidable and soul-quenching fear. We fear for eternal
damnation, for being granted our just rewards for our sinful acts of wickedness
in the world. Please read verse seven again. Is there not great mercy and grace
to be found there? Those who come to FEAR the Lord have the assurance of
getting knowledge and wisdom of the Lord. Knowledge, combined with wisdom, will
always lead straight to Christ! What of the fools who disdain wisdom and
knowledge? They fear not – even the fires of Hell; but it is to these very
fires that they are being driven by their own sins.
Why
are any destroyed? My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge:
because thou hast rejected knowledge, I will also reject thee, that thou shalt
be no priest to me: seeing thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also
forget thy children (Hosea 4:6) When I read this last verse from Hosea,
my heart laments the tragedy of deprivation of moral and religious education
which was once a prominent part of public education in America.
How does Solomon emphasize the
merits of wisdom? 8 My son, hear the instruction of thy father,
and forsake not the law of thy mother: 9 For they shall be an
ornament of grace unto thy head, and chains about thy neck Here we
see, as in the Fifth Commandment, a two-edged sword. Forget not that we not
only have an earthly father, but an Heavenly One as well. If we have Godly
parents who raise us up in the nurture of God's Word, then shall our ears be
open to the counsel and wisdom of the Heavenly Father of whom our parents
taught us. If we have so received that wisdom, then our appearance will be full
of works of grace, and even our thoughts shall follow on the path of grace and
wisdom. Our conduct shall be restrained by golden chains of wisdom: And
Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and
arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck
(Gen 41:42) Remember that it was the wisdom of Joseph that saved Egypt and the
House of Israel.
