INTERPRETING BIBLICAL PROVERBS

Earlier I posted a short lesson on how to understand biblical poetry. Hidden in that post was a section on how to interpret the proverbs. Since it may have been missed by some of you and since some of the “contradictions” I have discussed recently involve a misconstruing of parables, I am repeating part of it again with some additional examples.

Train up a child in the way he should go; and when he is old, he will not depart from it.

I was in a rather large Sunday school class years ago where the teacher read this very familiar proverb. He then asked the class how many believed this to be a universal truth. Only one person raised his hand and he was a young bachelor. The rest of the class had had too much experience. And yet many Christians continue to try to salvage this verse in one way or another as a literal promise from God. The most common explanation puts an emphasis on the first “he.” In other words, it is the parent's responsibility to figure out the best way to train their children according to their individual dispositions. And if you do that, God has promised that they will turn out OK. The unspoken implication is that if your children depart from God, it is your fault.

Others zero in on the phrase “when he is old” and state that you never know how a child will end up, for good or bad, until they have reached old age. So don't give up on them or blame yourself if they seem to be making bad choices when they are younger. That may also be true, but is probably not what this verse means, as expressed by other translations such as Today's English Version.

Teach a child how he should live, and he will remember it all his life. (i.e., Not just when he is older)

These attempts are probably misguided because they don't recognize the basic nature of the teachings in the Proverbs.

The OT divides itself into three general categories, the law, the prophets, and the writings (which include Psalms and the Wisdom Literature). These are roughly equivalent to the three ways in which the truth is communicated to mankind. Those are spelled out in this passage in Jeremiah 18:18 where Jeremiah's enemies say sarcastically, “Come, let us make plots against Jeremiah – for instruction shall not perish from the priest [the Law], nor counsel from the wise [Wisdom Literature], nor the word from the prophet [Prophecy].” From this breakdown one can see that if there is a hierarchy of truth in the Bible, the Wisdom Literature could, in a way, be called the lowest form. So exactly what kind of truth is expressed in the Proverbs?

Definition of a Proverb

(1) A short, pithy (2) figure of speech (3) in poetic form (4) expressing a general truth (5) based on common experience.

Not an (6) all-encompassing truth, (7) command or (8) promise from God.

    (1) Short and pithy: Because they are brief and to the point, they are sometimes obscure, leave out details, and don't spell out all situations or conditions. For example:

“Like mother, like daughter.” (Ezekiel 16:44) In what way are they alike?

“A gift opens doors; it gives access to the great.” (Proverbs 18:16) Does this recommend bribery?

“The hearing ear and the seeing eye – the LORD has made them both.” (Proverbs 20:12) So what?

    (2) It is a figure of speech (masal) just like the parables, and it contains figures of speech. That means that one must be careful in how it is interpreted, and it must be interpreted rather than just taken at face value. Witness the harm done by those who take "Spare the rod and spoil the child" in its literal sense.

    “She is like the ships of the merchant, she brings her food from far away.” (Proverbs 31:14)  This is a simile.

    “Strength and dignity are her clothing, and she laughs at the time to come.” (Proverbs 31:25) This is a metaphor.

Fortunately, the principle of poetic parallelism of thought allows both lines of these proverbs to explain each other. In the first proverb, the second line clarifies the first one; in the second proverb, the first line helps to explain the second line. That brings up the next point.

    (3) In poetic form: Another inherent fact about biblical proverbs is that they are written as poetry and, in common with much other poetry in the Bible, may contain archaic and obscure words which are hard to translate

Proverbs 29:18a

Where there is no vision, the people perish. (KJV)

Where there is no prophecy, the people cast off restraint (NRSV)

Where there is no vision, the people get out of hand. (Jerusalem Bible)

Where there is no one in authority, the people break loose. (NEB)

Where there is ignorance of God, the people run wild. (Living Bible)

Notice that the modern translations are in agreement in rejecting the KJV translation of the second phrase, but there is still little consensus as to the meaning of the first half of the sentence.

    (4) Expressing a General Truth:

“The poor are disliked even by their neighbors, but the rich have many friends.” (Proverbs 14:20)

“It is better to live in a corner of the housetop

than in a house shared with a contentious wife.” (Proverbs 25:24)

This is another characteristic about biblical proverbs that some readers find disturbing, especially if they are expecting moral truths in the Bible. Notice that neither of the above verses expresses what we would call a moral teaching in the least, just a statement of truth for better or worse.

    (5) Based on Common Observation: What are the sources of wisdom teachings?

“I will show you; listen to me; what I have seen I will declare – what sages have told, and their ancestors have not hidden.” (Job 15:17-18)

Hear, my child, your father's instruction, and do not reject your mother's teachings. (Proverbs 1:8)

Some of the proverbs are said to come directly from God, but most of them rely on common observations of ourselves, our ancestors, our parents, and people who are considered to be wise.

    (6) Not All-encompassing Truths:

One demonstration of this fact is that the wisdom literature in the Bible is actually of two sorts: The Book of Proverbs deals with the general rule while Job and Ecclesiastes demonstrate that there are exceptions to the rules. They could almost be called anti-wisdom literature.

This general limitation of proverbs can be seen in the following pairs of secular proverbs.

Look before you leap, but He who hesitates is lost.

The squeaky wheel gets the grease, but Silence is golden.

Absence makes the heart grow fonder, but Out of sight, out of mind.

Here is an example that some atheists quote to demonstrate what nonsense is in the Bible:

“Do not answer a fool according to his folly (i.e. in a foolish way) or you will be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly (i.e. as he deserves) or he will be wise in his own eyes.” (Proverbs 26:4-5)

There are two ways to defend these verses. One is that since proverbs are not all encompassing, there are times when one response is appropriate and times when the other is. The other interpretive approach is that both responses are always appropriate. Don't lower yourself to the level of the fool in correcting an obvious error, but always correct it or the person will go away assuming they are right. In either case, the reason for our response and the precise explanation of the phrase “according to his folly” is explained in the second line of each proverb.

    (7) Not Commands from God: I can illustrate this with a story that took place when I was in graduate school. A very responsible young lady in our college class at church approached the youth minister and asked if he would write a letter of recommendation to the phone company so that she wouldn't have to pay a deposit to get a phone hook-up. This would have involved absolutely no financial obligation on his part. He refused by saying that it would be going against God's commands. She was very hurt and confused and asked me where that idea was found in the Bible. I told her it probably came from one of these proverbs:

    “To guarantee loans for a stranger brings trouble, but there is safety in refusing to do so.” (Proverbs 11:15)

    “It is senseless to give a pledge, to become surety for a neighbor.” (Proverbs 17:18)

    “Do not be one of those who give pledges, who become surety for debts. (Proverbs 22:26)

But also consider the following:

    “A friend loves at all times, and kinsfolk are born to share adversity.” (Proverbs 17:17)

    “Some give freely, yet grow all the richer; others withhold what is due, and only suffer want. A generous person will be enriched, and one who gives water will get water.” (Proverbs 11:24-25).

Not only are the first group of proverbs not commands from God, but there is a great difference sometimes between doing what is prudent and sensible and doing what is loving and caring. 

    (8) Not Promises from God:

    "To watch over mouth and tongue is to keep out of trouble." (Proverbs 21:23)

    “Those who rebuke the wicked will have delight, and a good blessing will come upon them.” (Proverbs 24:25)

Are these statements always true? Just as with the proverb we opened with, they represent probabilities, not promises.