PROVERBS 22:17–21
THE WORDS OF THE WISE
[1 Timothy 1:3-12]
God's wise men wrote these truths down so that we could be wise and so that we could readily share them with others(CIT). [The sayings in 22:17-24:34 were written by wise men other than Solomon, and were compiled either in his lifetime or later. As stated in 22:20, the following portion (22:17-24:22) includes 30 sayings. Walvoord, John & Zuck, Roy. The Bible Knowledge Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Victor Books, 1983, S. 954]
[The first section in Proverbs comprises the first nine chapters. The second comprises the tenth chapter up to chapter 22:16 which contain general proverbs usually, though not always, consisting of one verse. The third section starts here and goes to the end of the twenty fourth chapter, and is more connected and paragraphic in its style. The fourth section includes the twenty-fifth chapter to the twenty-ninth inclusive. The fifth section extends from the thirtieth chapter to the close, the authorship of which is still unsettled and in controversy.]
The subject this third section of the book addresses is spiritual truths, which are in this passage called "excellent things." These spiritual truths are directly related to man's spiritual nature-its moral condition, interests, and obligations. They are the greatest realities in the universe, of greater long term import to man than the whole material creation.
To awaken attention the teacher now address his students directly, intently, and personally as the pronouns "you" and "I" indicate. [Ministers must not simply preach and teach before their hearers, but must talk to them. Nor is it enough to preach to them all in general, we should address individual persons as we teach our congregation.]
I. AN APPLIED AND AMPLIFIED LIFE, 22:17-19.
II. ASSURED ANSWERS AND TRUTH, 22:20-21.
The exhortations in verse 17 show how to gain God's knowledge. "Incline your ear and hear the words of the wise, and apply your mind to my knowledge" (NASV). ["Bow down thine ear, and hear the words of the wise, and apply thine heart unto my knowledge" KJV].
Note first the authority, ability, and integrity of those who taught. Those who teach are those who have been taught and have gained sufficient wisdom from God to be wise.
Note next the imperatives or exhortations: pay attention (4:1, 20; 5:1; 7:24), listen (1:8; 4:1, 10, 20; 5:1, 7; 7:24; 8:32-33), and apply your heart ( 2:2). These verbs call us to pursue and obey what is presented in the sayings or "Words of the Wise."
Nothing less than our full attention will do. We are to "incline," lean our head forward so we don't miss a word; "hear," take it all in and ponder it; and "apply," or to grasp the meaning with our all our mind and use our whole intellect to decide how to put it to work.
We are thus powerfully exhorted to get wisdom and grace, by laying hold of "the words of the wise," both written and preached, and the knowledge which this book gives men of good and evil, sin and duty, rewards and punishments. To these words, to this knowledge, the ear, the chief receptacle of wisdom, must be bowed down in humility and in serious attention and the heart, the center of thinking, choosing, deciding, must be applied in faith, and love, and intensive consideration. For the ear will not serve without the heart [Henry, Matthew: Matthew Henry's Commentary. Peabody: Hendrickson, 1991, S. Pr 22:17].
People often say, "I wish I knew what God wants me to do." If you have heard or thought those words, you are not alone. No matter how I've longed to know which direction to go next, I've not heard God speak audibly (yet I have heard Him speak louder than that) nor does He often tell me in prayer exactly the thing to do next. For me, discerning God's will has required an ongoing, process of clarifying His leading step-by-step as I walk in the light of His Word.
In this verse the Book of Proverbs help us learn how to discern what God wants. We do so by paying attention, listening, and applying God's teachings to our daily life. This process demands active listening. We listen for God's direction by reading and studying Scripture, by praying, by worshiping, by hearing God's Word taught, by participating in Bible studies, and by engaging in conversation with other believers, all the while applying the Word to our life.
As we listen for God to speak to us through our daily spiritual disciplines, we build confidence and trust in Him. He reveals His ways and we learn to follow His will. As we listen, understand and apply His Word, He the proves Himself a wise counselor and guide in every step of faith. We should pray: Father, speak to me through Your Word for I have determined to follow Your will for me. Help me to listen, grasp, and apply what You say so that I may learn to confidently trust You.
Reasons for the exhortations are given in verses 18-19. Verse 18 states that laying hold of God's Word brings delight or causes goodness within us. "For it will be pleasant if you keep them within you, that they may be ready on your lips."
What a wonderful thought! Digesting God's Word causes pleasant, good or delight [n weem] to occur within us! These verses encourage me to stay at the discipline of Scripture memory. The idea of having His Word "ready on the lips" should convince us of the importance of maintaining this discipline. Nothing chases away biblical illiteracy like memorizing Scripture. So "let them be fixed," or build them into your life and speech with diligence so that they become foundational. God's words are to permeate our innermost parts [lit. belly] until they flow from our lips.
The lips are a vehicle of communication. If we articulate what we have learn then the cycle of learning can be repeated, for the learner is not only to recite the lesson to the teacher but is now capable of instructing others.
Verse 19 reveals that the discipline Scripture memory yields trust or faith in the Lord. "So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you."
The first part of verse 19 introduces the exquisite purpose of the instructions that follow. The purpose of these teachings is "that your trust [Hebrew mib, 14:26; 21:22; 25:19] may be in the Lord." The outcome of the curriculum [the "knowledge," "counsels," and "truth"] is that it bring about trust in Yahweh. "I," the teacher, "have instructed," have made you to know what I have learned from long experience and study. The keeping of these instructions will develop the faith of those who are subject to the rule of the Lord.
"It is pleasing" to memorize the sayings ("keep them in your heart") and to be able to quote and talk about them ("have . . . them . . . on your lips") because they encourage people to trust . . . in the Lord. Romans 10:17 proclaims, "Faith comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ."
II. ASSURED ANSWERS AND TRUTH, 22:20-21.
Verse 20 affirms the good counsel and solid knowledge these written proverbs contain. "Have I not written to you excellent things of counsels and knowledge,"
God's Word has been recorded for repeated study and reading so that it might accomplish in greater and greater depth and power its great purpose of creating confidence and trust in Him. "Have I not written" emphasizes that the teacher has taken pains to write this excellent counsel and excelling knowledge out so that you will have a precise list of the (thirty) sayings to memorize or "write them on your heart."
The counsel in these [30] sayings [22:17-24:34] comes from the knowledge of the wise men whose words were true. A reason for the writing is stated again (22:18-19) in the next verse is so the app learner can give sound answers to those whom God sends him or her.
Verse 21 reflects God's concern that the message and its wisdom be entrust to those capable of delivering them accurately. "To make you know the certainty of the words of truth [lit. return to words of truth] that you may correctly answer him who sent you?"
The double task of the messenger is to learn correctly the teacher's message and be able to use what he learns from his given task to truthfully answer his teacher. Disciples or students are sent out with the truth in order to become skillful in its use and thus gain their teacher's approval.
["I may make you know," is a repetition of the form used in "I have instructed" (v. 19).] The words of truth is literally "return to words of truth" (Prov 25:13; 1 Pet 3:15). The same word [e'met] is rendered truth and reliable or certain in verse 21. The two uses of "truth" underscore the utter reliability of the teacher's sayings, a reliability to be matched in the student's recital of them when he is called to account.
The teacher of God's wisdom attempts to qualify his student/disciple through the understanding and application of these proverbs so that his disciple may have the right answer for those who question him and go to him for counsel, and thus become a teacher of truth himself.
[The final line of verse 21 casts light on the background of the (thirty) sayings. "Those who send to you" should be "those who send you," that is, commission you to represent them in diplomatic, administrative, or business activities. [Thought the one who sent you may be the learner's teacher or employer.] The student/disciple is clearly being trained for official responsibilities where he is not to freelance in the negotiations but to carry information/truth precisely from one party to another.]
The more a man knows of these spiritual truths, the more settled and unwavering is his faith. He has the witness in himself that God is true. He knows in whom he has believed. He is like a tree rooted by the river of the water of life. He stands not in the wisdom of man, but in the power of God.
IN CONCLUSION
This detailed account of the student's total engagement in the learning process is matched by the scope and intensity of the teacher's instruction and the truth of the subject matter. The faithful discharge of the teaching duty is not the primary motivation of the instruction though. The purpose for the teaching is found in verse 19, "So that your trust may be in the Lord, I have taught you today, even you." I pray that this will be the outcome of all my instruction.
Each of us needs to get alone with God and under the clear light of His Word as we abide in the Holy Spirit, ask the Lord to search us. If prayer is cold, if the reading of His Word is stale, if our spiritual strength be anaemic, if the privileges of grace be clouded or distant, if our testifying be unfruitful, is it not because we have become religious but without a personal inner abiding with the God of Truth and the truth of God?
Ask God to once again reveal His deep counsels and His life imparting knowledge. Ask that the great end of His revelation, which is that you might know and trust Him, be engendered and accomplished once more. Soak up His Word, His truth, applying it to you life until you again soar in His Spirit and are ready to step out in faith to do His life-changing will.
Will you do so right now? If not now, when?
Dennis Davidson - pastorfbc@bellsouth.net
