Proverbs 4:3 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 4:3

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Here you can see that this is a parable, that Solomon in the first person, is projecting himself into his parable, and speaking as the earthly father, because this was not actually true of him literally. Solomon was not an only son of course. Well I suppose he was probably the most loved, but this is just little hint. He is projecting himself into the part of an earthly father training his children, and this earthly father is saying, I in turn receive this knowledge, this instruction from my parents, because they wanted me to prosper, and I want you to prosper. This is how the word of God is preached. We say the Lord has opened my eyes to things I never saw. He has brought me to see the way of salvation in his mighty love, not for his benefit but for mine, he has reached out to me, and he has saved me. In that spirit we preach on the message, and we give testimony to others also.The implication here is that this which we're being instructed in is exactly the same that previous generation were. We are not talking about scientific technology now, we are talking something far higher and something far more profound – the ability to handle knowledge, the rules of wisdom, and these endure, they never change. They are no different now than they were a thousand years ago, or two thousand, or three thousand years ago.

Application

Anybody who wants to develop wisdom must prepare in this way. You cannot be fickle and changeable and have wisdom. The two things are mutually exclusive: they won't mix; it can’t be done. Now if I look at myself and I say, 'Well, I am a changeable person, I am a fickle person. I like to change my views every five minutes; I like to change my opinions every six months; I am not the same person in many respects that I was six months ago, a year ago. If I am a fickle, changeable person – I don't like remembering things and storing them in my mind, I like to play each day as it comes by ear – I can never have wisdom because wisdom and fickleness, shallowness, changeability: they just won't go together. Wisdom must have a home which isn't having the furniture moved around every five minutes. Wisdom won't live in such a mind, such a home. Wisdom must have stability; you must be someone who has a cupboard for everything. The person who can receive wisdom is a stable person, a person who does not change readily, a person who is a creature of pattern and habit and order and form. This is the word of God, this is not my judgement. Wisdom is something which doesn't change from generation to generation.

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Proverbs 4:3 Commentary and Bible Study