Proverbs 8:5 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 8:5

Comments

Notice the humbling method of the gospel: ‘O ye simple’ – naïve: that is what that means; we have seen this word before, seducible, open and naïve people – ‘understand wisdom’, spiritual discernment and insight. Come and understand these things. ‘And, ye fools’ – shallow, impulsive, is the sense – ‘be ye of an understanding heart’, and the word ‘understanding’ here means to divide or discern. It is very similar to wisdom: to distinguish and to be able to recognise dangers and foolishness. But look at the gospel and how it humbles.‘O ye simple ... ye fools.’ The terms seem to match up to the previous verse which calls out to the eminent and the well-to-do and the privileged and the rulers. Fools, says the Scripture, or simple, naïve, open people – even the well-to-do, even the professors, even the cabinet ministers, whatever they are; before the light of Scripture they are naïve, simple, open, suckers for the foolish things of this world. Every crackpot psychologist who comes along to explain why the present situation is as it is; they too will be trusted, however far removed they are from reality and from Scriptural standards. That is the sadness of it and the Scripture is blunt, it does not mince its words. You poor, foolish, susceptible person: come and get real wisdom from the word of God. That is the challenge of wisdom.

Application

If you come with confidence to the word of God, imagining that you can understand it easily, and your first impressions, as you read it, are correct, and that it is easy, and straightforward, you will not get wisdom. The call of wisdom is of course a call to the unconverted, but it is also a call to believers, who are seeking to grow in wisdom from the word of God. That call of wisdom is to come as simpletons, to come recognising our vulnerability to foolishness, how easily led astray we are, how easily we go the wrong way and misunderstand. But I do not want to have to consider myself as naïve and ignorant. Yes, but that is how I must consider myself, asking to be delivered from just pinning whatever meaning or understanding I want on the Scriptures, and dodging round things that challenge me. Come to the word of God humbly, that is the pre-requisite for being given wisdom by the Lord.

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Proverbs 8:5 Commentary and Bible Study