The fruit of wisdom (proverbs)
Proverbs 31:10: This passage is often lifted up as the ideal for Christian women.
- This passage has for many come with a lot of shame and pressure.
- To understand proverbs 31, we have to go back to the beginning of proverbs.
- The first 9 chapters of proverbs are this volley between wisdom and folly.
- Both wisdom and Folly or foolishness are calling out to anyone who will listen.
- But here is the thing we MUST catch.
- In the first nine chapters of Proverbs both wisdom and folly are personified as a woman.
- Proverbs 1:20-21 Do you see how wisdom is personified as a woman with female pronouns?
- Do you also see how wisdom is everywhere? On the city walls, at the city gate, in the public square.
- The rest of chapter 1 and all of chapter 2 and 3, 4 go on to elaborate on the benefits of wisdom.
- But always with female pronouns.
- There is nothing sexiest about this, it is just a common Hebrew literary device.
- Then there is a dramatic shift in chapter 5.
- Proverbs 5:3-6 Another woman so to speak is introduced. But not just any woman, An adulteress.
- This adulteress represents folly and is also presented with female pronouns.
- The rest of chapter 5 and all of chapters 6 and 7 speak of the dangers of folly.
- Always personified as an adulteress woman.
- This is a common Hebrew literary device.
- So, for the first 9 chapters of the book of proverbs we have two women calling out to us to get our attention.
- The contrast could not be stronger.
- All the benefits of wisdom
- Or the lure and seduction of illicit sex.
Proverbs 3:17-18 Her ways are pleasant ways,
and all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her;
those who hold her fast will be blessed.
Proverbs 5: 5-6 Her feet go down to death;
her steps lead straight to the grave.
6 She gives no thought to the way of life;
her paths wander aimlessly, but she does not know it
- And when we look closely at the ways of wisdom, we realize that is Jesus.
- Jesus is the way to life and peace. Jesus is the tree of life.
There is a cost to wisdom: Proverbs 4:7
Wisdom is confounding: Proverbs 14:4
Proverbs 7:6 Give heed to what you give your attention to and what you look at. Proverbs 4:25
7:7 Be careful what crowd you hang out with.
7:8 Use wisdom with where you hang out.
7:9 Folly works under the cover of darkness.
7:10 Folly and seduction know their opportunity.
7:11 Folly is loud and runs counter culture.
7:12 Remember what was said about wisdom: On the city walls, at the city gate, in the public square.
7:13 The seductive and sexualized language shows that folly has great power to lure us.
7:15 Folly is always looking for you.
7:16-17The power of seduction continues.
7:18 This is a trick of Folly. Trying to convince us that folly is love.
7:21 Again, the power of seduction that folly holds.
7:22-23 This is the fruit of following the call of folly.
7:26 There is a massive crowd heading toward folly, further increasing it lure.
So now let’s go back to Proverbs 31:10.
- If both wisdom and folly have been personified as this fictious woman, why then when we get to Proverbs 31 does it suddenly refer to a literal woman? The fruit of wisdom is now personified as a woman.
- When you chose wisdom and Jesus, then your life looks like Proverbs 31.
- Proverbs 31 then is the promise of life in Jesus and the pursuit of wisdom.
- Proverbs 31:10 and following is the conclusion and fruit of the whole book, not a standard to live up to.