Discovering Jesus in the Proverbs

Discovering Jesus in the Proverbs

What are the Proverbs? 

How we answer this question will have a great bearing on if we discover Jesus in the Proverbs or not.

Is Proverbs like Twitter? Yes and No 

The Primary author of the book is Solomon 

Solomon didn’t write chapters 30 and 31

Solomon spoke over 3000 proverbs and over 1000 songs

Only about 800 proverbs are recorded in the Scriptures. 

Solomon’s wisdom was known throughout the earth.

The “keyword” in the book of Proverbs is Wisdom.

Proverbs 1:8-12

The book of Proverbs addresses how to relate to children, neighbors, and even the government. 

What do we do with the promises in the book of Proverbs?

Proverbs 3:1-2; Proverbs 3:5-6

Are proverbs promises or just general principles? 

Jesus is the perfect prophet, priest, and king

The Proverbs are God’s answer for the great longing for a great teacher — but even this answer points to someone greater. 

Jesus embodied perfect wisdom.

Luke 11:31

“The Proverbs don’t just land in the middle of the Old Testament like some unexpected aliens from outer space. No, they grow out of Exodus 20. ~ David Murray 

The Proverbs take the principles of the Law and put flesh on them. 

The Proverbs show us what obedience to the Law looks like daily. 

Law and Gospel Catagories 

“Distinguishing between law and the gospel is the highest art in Christendom, one who ever person who values the name Christian ought to recognize, now and possess.” ~Martin Luther

Luther’s Five Crucial elements of the True Gospel: 

1.  The Law / Gospel distinction 2. The Doctrine of Justification by Faith 3. The Definitions of Faith and Repentance 4. The inability of the human will to obtain salvation 5. the Reality of sin in the life of the believer and the necessity of living by the gospel daily. 

Generally, the law is anything we do or are told to do to earn favor with God. 

The gospel then are the “done” statements – what Jesus has done for us and what that means (statements of fact — a declaration). 

Is the act of Faith a work that merits salvation? 

The answer to this comes down to the proper order of things: Regeneration precedes faith, and faith proceeds justification (being made right with God).