Proverbs 3:1-12

CHAPTER 3
TEXT Proverbs 3:1-12

1.

My son, forget not my law;

But let thy heart keep my commandments:

2.

For length of days, and years of life,

And peace, will they add to thee.

3.

Let not kindness and truth forsake thee:

Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:

4.

So shalt thou find favor and good understanding

In the sight of God and man.

5.

Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,

And lean not upon thine own understanding:

6.

In all thy ways acknowledge him,

And he will direct thy paths.

7.

Be not wise in thine own eyes;

Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:

8.

It will be health to thy navel,

And marrow to thy bones.

9.

Honor Jehovah with thy substance,

And with the first-fruits of all thine increase:

10.

So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,

And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.

11.

My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah;

Neither be weary of his reproof:

12.

For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth,

Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.

STUDY QUESTIONS OVER 3:1-12

1.

Is remembering what parents said a part of obedience (Proverbs 3:1)?

2.

How desirable are the blessings of obedience mentioned in Proverbs 3:2?

3.

How would kindness and truth forsake one (Proverbs 3:3)?

4.

What Bible persons were said to have the favor of both God and man (Proverbs 3:4)?

5.

How would you relate the two statements of Proverbs 3:5 to each other?

6.

How can we acknowledge God (Proverbs 3:6)?

7.

What feelings does Proverbs 3:7 reveal about those who are wise in their own eyes?

8.

Apply the illustrations in Proverbs 3:8.

9.

Why does giving honor God (Proverbs 3:9)?

10.

Should God be given the first of our paycheck or what is left over from it (Proverbs 3:9)?

11.

What are vats (Proverbs 3:10)?

12.

Where is Proverbs 3:11 quoted in the New Testament?

13.

What motivates God to reprove (Proverbs 3:12)?

PARAPHRASE OF 3:1-12

1-6.

My son, never forget the things I-'ve taught you. If you want a long and satisfying life, closely follow my instructions. Never forget to be truthful and kind. Hold these virtues tightly. Write them deep within your heart. If you want favor with both God and man, and a reputation for good judgment and common sense, then trust the Lord completely; don-'t ever trust yourself. In everything you do, put God first, and He will direct you and crown your efforts with success.

7, 8.

Don-'t be conceited, sure of your own wisdom. Instead trust and reverence the Lord, and turn your back on evil; when you do that, then you will be given renewed health and vitality.

9, 10.

Honor the Lord by giving Him the first part of all your income, and He will fill your barns with wheat and barley and overflow your vats with the finest wines.

11, 12.

Young man, do not resent it when God chastens and corrects you, for His punishment is proof of His love. Just as a father punishes a son he delights in to make him better, so the Lord corrects you.

COMMENTS ON 3:1-12

Proverbs 3:1. In this and succeeding verses the material divides itself into 2-verse thoughts, the first verse giving the commandment and the second verse the promise or explanation. Check this for yourself. Too many children instead of not forgetting their parent's law and keeping the commandments get it backwards: they keep forgetting what they were told. If one remembers his father's instruction, his father should not have to keep reminding him of his duty. Remembering what one is told is a necessary part of obedience.

Proverbs 3:2. The long life promised to the righteous is contrasted with the shorter life of the wicked as set forth over and over again in Psalms 37. That it is natural to want to live is seen in the fact that people seek to extend their lives by medical and surgical means. Peace meant even more to them because of the warring world in which they lived. The blessings that come to the obedient, then, are major in importance.

Proverbs 3:3. Being kind and always telling the truth would especially make for the life of peace promised in Proverbs 3:2 (as far as the individual was concerned). If one loves, he is kind (1 Corinthians 13:4). Brotherly kindness is to be added to one's character (2 Peter 1:7; Ephesians 4:32). Concerning truth, Pulpit Commentary says it is that absolute integrity of character, both in word and deed, which secures the unhesitating confidence of all. The son was to grace his life with them (bind them about thy neck), and he was to imbed them in the very fibre of his character (write them upon the tablet of thy heart). The heart is like a table or tablet on which can be written either good (2 Corinthians 3:3) or bad (Jeremiah 17:1).

Proverbs 3:4. Both God and man will approve and appreciate one who follows kindness and truth. Concerning having the favor of both God and man, notice these passages: The child Samuel grew on, and increased in favor both with Jehovah, and also with men (1 Samuel 2:26); And Jesus advanced in favor with God and men (Luke 2:52); He that herein serveth Christ is well-pleasing to God, and approved of men (Romans 14:18). Man's greatest happiness is attained when he has the favor of God and the respect of his fellowmen.

Proverbs 3:5. Other commands to trust Jehovah: Trust in Jehovah (Psalms 37:3); Commit thy way unto Jehovah; Trust also in him (Psalms 37:5). Trust means to rely upon, put confidence in. This we need to do toward God and not to suppose that we are self-contained and self-sufficient of ourselves. Man makes a grave mistake when he does not pray, does not commit his way to God, and does not depend upon God. So often, though, men turn earthly assets and strong-points into occasions of pride and as a result fail to think of God. Thus, Jeremiah 9:23-24 says, Thus saith Jehovah, Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom, neither let the mighty man glory in his might, let not the rich man glory in his riches; but let him that glorieth glory in this, that he hath understanding, and knoweth me. And 1 Timothy 6:17 says, Charge them that are rich in this present world, that they be not highminded, nor have their hope set on the uncertainty of riches, but on God. See also Isaiah 31:1; Psalms 20:7; Psalms 44:1-8; Psalms 118:8-9.

Proverbs 3:6. This expression covers the whole area of life's action...It guards against our acknowledging God in great crises and solemn acts of worship only...To acknowledge God is, therefore, to recognize in all our dealings and undertakings God's overruling providence (Pulpit Commentary). Begin, continue and end every work, purpose, and device with God. Earnestly pray for His direction at the commencement; look for His continual support in the progress; and so begin and continue that all may terminate in His glory...The great sin of the human race is their continual endeavor to live independently of God (Clarke). Man's need of acknowledging God is well stated by Jeremiah in Jeremiah 10:23: O Jehovah, I know that the way of man is not in himself; it is not in man that walketh to direct his steps. By praying at the outset of the day, we acknowledge that a good day is dependent upon Him. By thanking God before we eat, we acknowledge that He has made the possession of food possible. By praying before we begin a trip, we acknowledge that His help is important in making the trip safely. And there are many other such examples of acknowledging Him in all our various ways, which carries His promise to direct our paths.

Proverbs 3:7. Romans 12:16 similarly warns, Be not wise in your own conceits. Man doesn-'t have to possess very much knowledge, it seems, until it goes to his head: Knowledge puffeth up (1 Corinthians 8:1). Instead of thinking how great we are, we should be thinking of how great God is and how small we are and as a result fear Him and depart from evil instead of proudly living in sin. Job was one who feared God, and turned away from evil (Job 1:1). After enumerating some of man's sins in Romans 3:10-17, the next verse (Proverbs 3:18) seems to explain the whole matter: There is no fear of God before their eyes. Proverbs 3:5-7 hang together: trust Jehovah (Proverbs 3:5), acknowledge Him (Proverbs 3:6), fear Him (Proverbs 3:7) and don-'t lean on your own understanding (Proverbs 3:5), don-'t be wise in your own eyes (Proverbs 3:7).

Proverbs 3:8. The results of obeying the parental instructions contained in Proverbs 3:5-7 are contained in those verses and in the 3 that follow: God will direct your paths (Proverbs 3:6); you will depart from evil (Proverbs 3:7); it will be health to you (this verse). The marrow in one's bones plays a very important part in one's overall health. We may be ignorant of some lasting connection that the navel has with one's health after one's birth that it is spoken of so prominently. Could it here be used as a symbol of utter dependence upon God (raised in previous verses) that we must maintain in a spiritually healthy condition? Clarke explains the problem thus: The central region of the body is taken as the representative of all the vital organs.

Proverbs 3:9. The injunctions also show that the honoring of God does not consist simply of lip-service, of humility and confidence in Him, but also of external worship, and incorporeal things (Pulpit Commentary). Yes, God can be honored with substance (Material gain) if it be presented in the right spirit and in proportion to one's material blessings. Other passages on giving God the first-fruits of the harvest: Exodus 23:19; Deuteronomy 26:1-2. Just as the Lord claims the first day of each week as His day (Revelation 1:10; Acts 20:7; 1 Corinthians 16:2), even so He claims the first portion of man's produce and earnings. Abel's acceptable sacrifice was the firstlings and the fat of his flock (Genesis 4:4). People who spend and spend and spend out of their paychecks and then give something out of what is left to God are likely to dishonor rather than honor Him with their gift. Tithers always give of the first-fruits rather than of the left-overs!. Remember, too, that the first thing Noah did after the flood was not build a house for himself but an altar to God (Genesis 8:20); those who were scattered from Jerusalem are reported in their preaching the word rather than in their finding jobs for the support of themselves (Acts 8:1; Acts 8:4); and Jesus taught all of us to seek first the kingdom of God and its righteousness before what we are going to eat, drink, or wear (Matthew 6:31-33).

Proverbs 3:10. Man is concerned about his own things and often leaves God out of his life and concerns or subordinates Him to an inferior place (second, third or fourth place). Here God promises to give man what he wants (barns be filled with plenty...vats overflow) if he puts God first in his life. The vats were olive-oil vats or grape-juice vats. Similarly Deuteronomy 28:8-12 says Jehovah will command the blessing upon thee in thy barns, and in all that thou puttest thy hand unto...And Jehovah will make thee plenteous for good...in the fruit of thy ground...Jehovah will open unto thee his good treasure the heavens, to give the rain of thy land in its season, and to bless all the work of thy hand. In Malachi 3:10-11 God promised agricultural blessings if they would honor Him with their tithes: Bring ye the whole tithe into the store-house...and prove me now herewith, saith Jehovah of hosts, if I will not open you the windows of heaven, and pour you out a blessing, that there shall be not room enough to receive it. And I will rebuke the devourer for your sakes, and he shall not destroy the fruits of your ground; neither shall your vine cast its fruit before the time in the field.

Proverbs 3:11. Immediately after telling of all the joyous blessings that God sends, we have another blessing listed, a blessing of a different nature, a blessing in disguisechastening. Unlike the other blessings, it comes not because of obedience but disobedience; nor is it like other blessings, joyous at the time, but grievous, but it proves to be a blessing in the peaceful fruit that it brings to those who are corrected by it. All chastening seemeth for the present not to be joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yieldeth peaceable fruit unto them that have been exercised thereby, even the fruit of righteousness (Hebrews 12:11); For they indeed for a few days chastened us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness (Hebrews 12:10); We are chastened of the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world (1 Corinthians 11:32). Our verse is similar to Job 5:17 (Behold, happy is the man whom God correcteth: Therefore despise not thou the chastening of the Almighty) and is quoted in Hebrews 12:5-6. Solomon urges his son not to despise or belittle, not to disregard or misunderstand God's chastening nor to be weary of it, for it will bring blessings (Psalms 94:12).

Proverbs 3:12. Satan tempts us because he seeks our destruction (1 Peter 5:8), and wicked people persecute us because they hate us (Luke 6:22), but God brings His hardship of chastening upon us because He loves us (this verse; Hebrews 12:6; Revelation 3:19). His chastening is compared to the correction of our earthly parents (this verse; Deuteronomy 8:5; Hebrews 12:7-9). Solomon has to tell us that it is God's love that causes Him to chasten. People's idea of love is not always right. The preacher who forcefully condemns sin and falsehood is accused of having an unloving attitude (Yet he is working to save people). The parent who corrects his children is criticized as harsh and unloving, but both God who corrects His children and parents who correct theirs do so because of love and concern (He that spareth the rod hateth his son; But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimesProverbs 13:24).

TEST QUESTIONS OVER 3:1-12

1.

What about the child who says to his parent, I forgot that I was supposed to do that (Proverbs 3:1)?

2.

What promises does Proverbs 3:2 spell out for the obedient child?

3.

To what is the heart likened in Proverbs 3:3?

4.

What two blessings come from being kind and always telling the truth (Proverbs 3:4)?

5.

In what does man have a tendency to trust instead of God (Proverbs 3:5)?

6.

What is the promise connected with acknowledging God in all our ways (Proverbs 3:6)?

7.

What does man often allow his little bit of knowledge to do to him (Proverbs 3:7)?

8.

What is the promise connected with fearing God and departing from evil instead of being wise in one's own conceit (Proverbs 3:8)?

9.

Comment upon Proverbs 3:9.

10.

What is the promise connected with giving God the first-fruits (Proverbs 3:10)?

11.

In what sense is chastening also a blessing (Proverbs 3:11)?

12.

Show how love is involved both in God's chastening of His children and in earthly parents-' chastening of theirs (Proverbs 3:12).