Year 1, Week 47, Day 2 Bible Reading Observations

Year 1, Week 47, Day 2

I have a brief observation for today’s reading of Proverbs 28-29; Ecclesiastes 1.

Today’s reading is a part of a special segment of proverbial sayings that we began to look at in yesterday’s reading: “These also are proverbs of Solomon which the men of Hezekiah king of Judah copied” (Proverbs 25:1). The proverbial sayings, which started in Proverbs 25 and run through Proverbs 29, are attributed to Solomon, but they were compiled after the time of Solomon during the rule of Hezekiah. Many of the proverbial sayings in today’s reading pertain to matters related to kings and rulers and how they justly and generously govern: “When a land transgresses, it has many rulers, but with a man of understanding and knowledge, its stability will long continue” (Proverbs 28:2); and: “Many seek the face of a ruler, but it is from the LORD that a man gets justice” (Proverbs 29:26). Today’s reading also includes the first chapter to the Book of Ecclesiastes, which is also connected to Solomon, and will be explored more fully in subsequent day’s readings.

One of the things that struck me from today’s reading was the relationship between wisdom and the Law. In several sayings from today’s reading, the Law is referenced: “Those who forsake the law praise the wicked, but those who keep the law strive against them” (Proverbs 28:4); “The one who keeps the law is a son with understanding, but a companion of gluttons shames his father” (Proverbs 28:7); and: “If one turns away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer is an abomination” (Proverbs 28:9); and: “Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law” (Proverbs 29:18). The relationship between the Law and wisdom is a helpful conversation that requires careful thought. The Law and wisdom are different, but overlapping categories. The Old Testament uses the term Law, it can mean specific commands, or it can more broadly just mean instruction.

But whether it refers to specific commands or general instructions, Law is a term equated with God’s Word: “the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7b). There is much wisdom to be gained from knowing the Law: “Oh how I love your law! It is my meditation all the day. Your commandment makes me wiser than my enemies, for it is ever with me. I have more understanding than all my teachers, for your testimonies are my meditation” (Psalm 119:97-99); and: “See, I have taught you statutes and rules, as the LORD my God commanded me, that you should do them in the land that you are entering to take possession of it. Keep them and do them, for that will be your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the peoples, who, when they hear all these statutes, will say, ‘Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people.’ For what great nation is there that has a god so near to it as the LORD our God is to us, whenever we call upon him? And what great nation is there, that has statutes and rules so righteous as all this law that I set before you today?” (Deuteronomy 4:5-8).

A Lawful person will be a wise person and a wise person will be a Lawful person. They overlap because they cover common concerns such as how we live. The Law and wisdom are each concerned with living righteously rather than wickedly; they each seek to promote life lived by walking down a straight path rather than a crooked path. However, the way that the Law and wisdom reveal how we ought to live is somewhat different. Proverbial sayings are not strictly the same thing as Law commands, although proverbial sayings should have a great impact on our understanding of what living lawfully consists of. The commands of the Law are not expressed in the same way that wisdom literature is expressed but keeping God’s Law is wise living. For the most part, Law commands are straightforward in how they tell us what to do. On the other hand, proverbial sayings often require more effort to grasp the point of their moral implications. Proverbial sayings do have a prescription role to them, but Law commands usually have a more direct prescription, whereas, proverbial sayings sketch things more broadly and therefore, once the moral point is grasped, it can serve to provide the skill for doing what is right in a wider range of contexts. While I do not want to oversimplify, perhaps we could say that the Law states the prohibition (or requirement) is plain terms, while wisdom states a principle. Since there is not an exact Law command for every situation that comes up in life, wisdom can be seen as an additional way to navigate life. 

Both wisdom and the Law reveal to us the difference between a blessed life and a cursed life: “See, I am setting before you today a blessing and a curse: the blessing, if you obey the commandments of the LORD your God, which I command you today, and the curse, if you do not obey the commandments of the LORD your God” (Deuteronomy 11:26-28a); and: “The LORD’S curse is on the house of the wicked, but he blesses the dwelling of the righteous” (Proverbs 3:33).

What struck you in today’s reading? What questions were prompted from today’s reading?

Pastor Joe