91. Richard Baxter, “What Are the Best Preservatives Against Melancholy and Overmuch Sorrow?” in The Morning Exercises at Cripplegate, vol. 3, ed. James Nichols (London: Thomas Tegg, 1844), p. 253.
92. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, p. 541.
93. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 108.
94. George Herbert, “Joseph’s Coat” (poem).
95. Wilfred M. McClay, “The Strange Persistence of Guilt,” Hedgehog Review 19, no. 1 (spring 2017), available at www.iasc-culture.org/THR/THR_article_2017_Spring_McClay.php.
96. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 168.
97. On 21:2 Longman writes, “Humans do not define standards of virtue: God does.” Longman, Proverbs, p. 390.
98. This paraphrases Kidner, Proverbs, p. 129.
99. Ibid., p. 114.
100. Ibid., p. 155.
101. Ibid., p. 165.
102. Longman, Proverbs, p. 307.
103. Quoted in Os Guinness, The Call: Finding and Fulfilling the Central Purpose of Your Life (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2003), p. 124.
104. Ibid.
105. This discussion is in C. S. Lewis, “The Great Sin,” in Mere Christianity (New York: Macmillan, 1959), pp. 121–28.
106. Lewis Smedes, Love Within Limits: A Realist’s View of 1 Corinthians 13 (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1978), p. 34.
107. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 485.
108. William Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act 2, scene 3.
109. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, pp. 585–86.
110. D. A. Carson, The Difficult Doctrine of the Love of God (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway, 1999), p. 39.
111. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 99.
112. Donald B. Kraybill, Steven M. Nolt, and David L. Weaver-Zercher, Amish Grace: How Forgiveness Transcended Tragedy (San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, 2010).
113. Ibid., p. 181.
114. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 133.
115. Shakespeare, Troilus and Cressida, act 2, scene 3.
116. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 157.
117. C. S. Lewis, Reflections on the Psalms (Orlando, Fla.: Harcourt, 1958), pp. 93–95.
118. Dorothy L. Sayers, Creed or Chaos? (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1949), p. 81.
119. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 136.
120. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, pp. 126–27. Waltke is quoting F. S. Fitzsimmonds from the New Bible Dictionary.
121. Benjamin Schmolck, “Open Now Thy Gates of Beauty” (1730), trans. Catherine Winkworth, 1863.
122. “Craving refers to aspirations rooted deeply within his personality, but its unclear specific objects could be his inordinate desire to do nothing but sleep or, more probably, his passion for the necessities of life such as food and drink.” Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 188.
123. Sayers, Creed or Chaos?, p. 81.
124. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 156.
125. Sayers, Creed or Chaos?, p. 51.
126. “What is sanctification?” Westminster Shorter Catechism, question and answer 35.
127. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 109.
128. Katharina A. von Schlegel, “Be Still My Soul” (hymn), 1752, trans. Jane L. Borthwick, 1855.
129. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 153.
130. C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves (New York: Harcourt, Brace, 1960), p. 94.
131. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 81.
132. Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices, p. 16.
133. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 72.
134. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, p. 320.
135. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 46.
136. The Hebrew word in Proverbs 5:19, sagah, is translated here as “be intoxicated.” But the verb literally means to wander and get lost. The verse then tells the young man to “lose himself” in his wife’s love.
137. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 81.
138. Dietrich Bonhoeffer, “Self-discipline,” quoted in ibid.
139. Thomas Cranmer, “Collect for Peace,” U.S. Book of Common Prayer (1928), http://justus.anglican.org/resources/bcp/1928/MP.htm.
140. Charles Wesley, “Let Heaven and Earth Combine” (hymn), 1745.
141. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 46.
142. Ibid., p. 42.
143. Lewis, Four Loves, pp. 66–67.
144. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 33.
145. “Since the tongue is involved so fundamentally in all the thoughts, imaginings, longings and plans which lie behind the whole of our earthly life, it leaves the mark of its own defilement everywhere.” J. A. Motyer, The Message of James: The Tests of Faith, The Bible Speaks Today, Leicester, England; Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1985, p. 122.
146. Joy Davidman, Smoke on the Mountain: An Interpretation of the Ten Commandments (Philadelphia: Westminster John Knox, 1954), p. 111.
147. In 19:5, the Hebrew word puah, translated here as “pouring out,” means literally “breathing” out lies. The image conveyed is that every time one speaks he is lying.
148. This entire reflection is based on a passage, partially quoted here, in Lewis Smedes, “The Power of Promising,” Christianity Today, January 21, 1983.
149. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 541.
150. Charles Gabriel, “In Lovingkindness Jesus Came” (hymn), 1905.
151. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 45.
152. Ibid., pp. 44–45.
153. Longman, Proverbs, p. 238.
154. John 8:1–11 is not found in the oldest New Testament manuscripts, but many believe it is a reliable and very old account, from another source, that became attached to the Gospel of John. It also fits with all the rest of the accounts of Jesus’ character. See D. A. Carson, The Gospel According to John (Leicester, UK: InterVarsity Press, 1991), p. 333.
155. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 92.
156. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 152.
157. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 8.
158. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, p. 496.
159. Westminster Confession of Faith, 15.4.
160. Franz Delitzsch observes that “the door of penitence [from our side] . . . does not always remain open.” Quoted in Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 242.
161. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 155.
162. Ibid., p. 133.
163. Edward Shillito, “Jesus of the Scars,” in Masterpieces of Religious Verse, ed. James Dobson Morrison (New York: Harper Brothers, 1958), p. 235.
164. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 11.
165. Ibid., pp. 358–59.
166. See discussion in Anthony C. Thiselton, The First Epistle to the Corinthians: A Commentary on the Greek Text, New International Greek Testament Commentary (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2000), p. 1059.
167. Michael Mann and Christopher Crowe, The Last of the Mohicans (1991), screenplay available at www.awesomefilm.com/script/lastmohi.txt.
168. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 151.
169. There are exceptional situations in which an immediate criminal investigation is called for. It is right to report illegal business practices or sexual and physical abuse to authorities directly (“whistle-blowing”). Individual citizens do not “wield the sword” (Romans 13:1–7). That is, they should not seek to handle criminal behavior—that is the task of the state. But in the vast majority of situations these rules apply: (1) don’t jump to conclusions but carefully inquire when you hear complaints, (2) talk to parties personally and respectfully, (3) and if they won’t listen to you, try to get others to speak to them whom they respect. If the parties are Christian you may ask church leaders to intervene (see August 10)
. But do all these things rather than the ordinary responses—quickly condemning them to others, trying to get them fired, trying to embarrass them online, or threatening lawsuits.
170. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 115.
171. Based on the quote “All courses may run ill” in J. R. R. Tolkien, The Fellowship of the Ring, p.94.
172. Lewis, Abolition of Man, p. 80.
173. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 133.
174. Lewis B. Smedes, Mere Morality: What God Expects from Ordinary People (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 1989), p. 237.
175. These are true accounts of Christians who were trying to work ethically in their workplaces, related to the author.
176. Judith Martin, Miss Manners: A Citizen’s Guide to Civility (New York: Random House, 1999), p. 62.
177. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 208.
178. J. R. R. Tolkien, The Return of the King (1954; New York: Houghton Mifflin, repr. 2004), p. 378.
179. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 61.
180. D. M. Lloyd-Jones, Healing and the Scripture (Nashville, Tenn.: Thomas Nelson, 1982), p. 14.
181. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 49.
182. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, p. 247.
183. John Owen, cited in I. D. E. Thomas, A Puritan Golden Treasury (Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth, 1977), p. 192. But this quote is also attributed to Robert Murray M’Cheyne in D. A. Carson, A Call to Spiritual Reformation: Priorities from Paul and His Prayers (Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 1992), p. 16.
184. Lewis, Mere Christianity, p. 192.
185. Thomas Brooks, Precious Remedies Against Satan’s Devices (Philadelphia: Jonathan Pounder, 1810), p. 17.
186. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 182.
187. Ibid., p. 183.
188. Ibid., p. 155.
189. From C. S. Lewis, “The Weight of Glory” (1942), http://www.verber.com/mark/xian/weight-of-glory.pdf.
190. Ibid., p. 196.
191. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 141.
192. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 246.
193. How should a single adult approach the reading of the coming weeks on marriage and parenting? There are two ways to understand the relevance of this material to you. First, if there is any chance of your ever getting married, Proverbs will give great insight into what is actually involved, so you won’t be “flying blind” and either overly romanticizing or overly fearing marriage. Second, if you have friends who are married and are parents, this will help you to understand your friends and be a better support for them. Third, if you have living parents (or even if you do not), what Proverbs says about the relationship of parents to children will be illuminating and helpful.
194. The Bible does allow for divorce. Breaking one’s marriage vow through sexual unfaithfulness or desertion and abuse is grounds for divorce. So even the marriage bond, as solemn as it is, is not absolute. See Timothy and Kathy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage: Facing the Complexities of Commitment with the Wisdom of God (New York: Riverhead Books, 2011), pp. 92–93, 298–300.
195. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, p. 117.
196. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 46.
197. Ibid., p. 45.
198. If we remember that the original audience of Proverbs was young men, we can understand why the “kind of spouse to look for” texts always describe women. It would be just as right to hear these texts as warnings against “quarrelsome” husbands—who exist in large numbers.
199. William Gurnall, The Christian in Complete Armor (London: Blackie and Sons, 1865), p. 12.
200. John Newton, The Works of John Newton, vol. 1 (Edinburgh, Scotland: Banner of Truth, 1985,) p. 136.
201. For more on this very discussed subject see Tim and Kathy Keller, The Meaning of Marriage, pp. 191–218.
202. See Rachel Cusk, “Making House: Notes on Domesticity,” New York Times Magazine, August 31, 2016.
203. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 184.
204. There are two reasons that in this illustration it is a woman who is depicted as a pig. One is that Proverbs was written to be training for young men. The other, however, is that it is men who are the most likely to objectify, dehumanize, and commodify women by evaluating them primarily on their looks.
205. These two views are laid out in Kenneth Keniston and The Carnegie Council on Children, All Our Children: The American Family Under Pressure (New York: Houghton-Mifflin Harcourt, 1978).
206. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, p. 176.
207. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 46.
208. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 252.
209. Arthur Schlesinger, “Foreword,” in Charles C. Brown, Niebuhr and His Age (Harrisburg, Pa.: Trinity, 2002), viii–ix.
210. See Carl K. Spackman, “Parents Passing On the Faith,” (D.Min. diss., Westminster Theological Seminary, 1988).
211. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 80.
212. From Martin Luther King, Jr., “I Have a Dream,” https://www.archives.gov/files/press/exhibits/dream-speech.pdf.
213. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, p. 43.
214. C. S. Lewis, The Great Divorce (New York: HarperCollins, rev. ed., 2015), p. 118.
215. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, p. 463.
216. Paul Krugman, “For Richer,” New York Times, October 20, 2002.
217. Longman, Proverbs, p. 286.
218. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 93.
219. Ibid., p. 71.
220. J. R. R. Tolkien, The Two Towers (New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1954; repr., 2004), p. 550.
221. Here I follow Longman, Proverbs, p. 507, who does not think we should (as some do) read this verse as simply getting people to obey the Bible.
222. Waltke, Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31, pp. 16–17.
223. C. S. Lewis, Prince Caspian (New York: HarperCollins, 1951; repr., 2002), p. 220.
224. D. A. Carson, “April 11,” in For the Love of God, vol. 2 (Wheaton, Ill.: Crossway Books, 1999), n.p.
225. Kidner, Proverbs, p. 177.
226. Kenneth T. Aitken, Proverbs (Louisville, Ky.: Westminster John Knox, 1986), p. 216.
227. All commentators point out that the phrase “the blessing of the upright” is ambiguous. It could mean either the blessing conferred on them by God, which spills over to the rest of the city, or the blessing the upright confer on their neighbors and fellow citizens. It is best to read it as teaching both. See Aitken, Proverbs, p. 200.
228. Van Leeuwen, “Book of Proverbs,” p. 214. See Van Leeuwen’s entire, excellent reflection on 24:10–12.
229. Quoted in Charles Avila, Ownership: Early Christian Teaching (London: Sheed and Ward, 1983), p. 50.
230. For the many versions of this famous speech and poem, see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/First_they_came_.
231. C. S. Lewis, The Four Loves (New York: Harcourt and Brace, 1991), p. 52.
232. John Stott, The Cross of Christ (Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1986), p. 160.
233. This is taken from Bruce Waltke, “The Superiority of Jesus Christ to Solomon’s Wisdom,” in Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15, pp. 131–32. Waltke concludes this section, “Nevertheless, even though Christ’s wisdom is so much greater than Solomon’s, we do not discard the latter any more than we would throw away a five-dollar bill because we also owned a twenty-dollar bill.”
234. I am referring to the intertestamental book of Sirach, also known as Ecclesiasticus. See Longman, Proverbs, pp. 69–70. See especially Sirach 51:23–27 and how it compares with Matthew 11:28–30.
235. James Proctor, “It Is Finished” (hymn), 1864.
236. John Newton, “In Evil Long I Took Delight,” in Olney Hymns in Three Parts
(London and New York: T. Nelson and Sons, 1855), pp.205–6.
237. Edwin Hodder, “Thy Word Is Like a Garden, Lord” (hymn), 1863.
238. Longman, Proverbs, pp. 215–23.
239. William Cowper, “O for a Closer Walk with God” in John Newton, Olney Hymns in Three Parts (London and New York: T. Nelson and Sons, 1855), p. 21.
240. Isaac Watts, “Alas, and Did My Savior Bleed?” (hymn), 1707.
SELECT BIBLIOGRAPHY
Best books
Alter, Robert. The Art of Biblical Poetry. New York: Basic Books, 1985. See especially chapters 1, 2, 3, and 7.
Goldsworthy, Graeme. Gospel and Wisdom. The Goldsworthy Trilogy. Carlisle, UK: Paternoster, 2001.
Kidner, Derek. An Introduction to Wisdom Literature. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 1985.
Longman, Tremper. How to Read Proverbs. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2002.
Best commentaries
Kidner, Derek. Proverbs: Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries. Downers Grove, Ill.: InterVarsity Press, 2009.
Longman, Tremper. Proverbs. Baker Commentary on the Old Testament, Wisdom, and Psalms. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2006.
Van Leeuwen, Raymond C. “The Book of Proverbs.” In The New Interpreter’s Bible. Vol. 5. Nashville: Abingdon, 1997.
Waltke, Bruce. The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 1–15. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2004.
———. The Book of Proverbs: Chapters 15–31. New International Commentary on the Old Testament. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm. B. Eerdmans, 2005.
REDEEMER
The Redeemer imprint is dedicated to books that address pressing spiritual and social issues of the day in a way that speaks to both the core Christian audience and to seekers and skeptics alike. The mission for the Redeemer imprint is to bring the power of the Christian gospel to every part of life. The name comes from Redeemer Presbyterian Church in New York City, which Tim Keller started in 1989 with his wife, Kathy, and their three sons. Redeemer has begun a movement of contextualized urban ministry, thoughtful preaching, and church planting across America and throughout major world cities.
God's Wisdom for Navigating Life Page 36
