I’ve been preaching Proverbs to the 6th-12th grade students at Sylvania Church, and have come across a sweet passage that validates Jesus’ claim that the Scriptures bear witness about Him (Jn. 5:39). Â Be encouraged that Jesus is exactly who He says He is, be stunned at the fullness of who He is, be humbled by what He provides for His people, and be challenged by the implications for your life since God’s plan is to “conform [His people] into the image of [Christ]” (Rom. 8:29).
Meet Wisdom Personified.
1) Woman Wisdom is wisdom personified (Prov. 8:1).
2)Â Woman Wisdom is God’s great delight (Prov. 8:30a).
3) Woman Wisdom delights greatly in God (Prov. 8:30c).
4) Woman Wisdom was with God when everything was created (Prov. 8:22-29).
5) Woman Wisdom is the agent through which everything was created (Prov. 8:30b).
6) Woman Wisdom delights in humanity (Prov. 8:31).
7) Woman Wisdom calls all types of people to follow her (Prov. 8:1-5).
8) Woman Wisdom produces holiness in those who follow her (Prov. 8:6-9, 12-13).
9) Woman Wisdom is not gained without personal sacrifice (Prov. 8:17).
10) Woman Wisdom is infinitely more valuable than everything else in existence (Prov. 8:10-11).
11) Woman Wisdom rewards those who seek her (Prov. 8:14-21).
12) Woman Wisdom is life for those who find her (Prov. 8:34-35).
13) Failure to find Woman Wisdom results in pain and suffering (Prov. 8:36).
Meet Wisdom Incarnate (“In Flesh”).
1) Jesus is wisdom incarnate (Lk. 11:49, 1 Cor. 1:24).
2) Jesus is God’s great delight (Mt. 3:17, Mk. 1:11, Lk. 3:22, Jn. 3:35, 5:20).
3) Jesus delights greatly in God (Jn. 14:31).
4) Jesus was with God when everything was created (Jn. 1:1-3, 14).
5) Jesus is the agent through which everything was created (Jn. 1:1-3, 14, Col. 1:15-23, Heb. 1:1-3).
6) Jesus delights in humanity (Jn. 13:1, Rev. 1:5b).
7) Jesus calls all types of people to follow Him (Rev. 7:9).
8) Jesus produces holiness in those who follow Him (Jn. 8:12).
9) Jesus is not gained without personal sacrifice (Mt. 16:24, Lk. 14:25-33, Jn. 3:30, Phil. 3:1-11).
10) Jesus is infinitely more valuable than everything else in existence (Mt. 13:44-46, Lk. 14:25-33, Phil. 3:7-11).
11) Jesus rewards those who seek Him (Mt. 6:20, Lk. 12:33, 1 Pet. 1:4, Heb. 11:6).
12) Jesus is life for those who find Him (Jn. 6:35, 14:6).
13) Failure to find Jesus results in pain and suffering (Jn. 3:36).
Did Solomon Call Jesus A Woman?
This is an important point of clarification: Solomon does not mean to suggest that Jesus is a woman. The key to understanding the use of “Woman Wisdom” is that the “father” who is righting is speaking metaphorically of the two “women” his son could pursue. The father spends the several chapters surrounding chapter 8 demonstrating to his son that Woman Wisdom is more desirable than Woman Folly. He isn’t calling (or even implying that) Jesus a woman. He is using a metaphor to speak to the heart of his son.
So What?
Now, you may be asking, “Does this have any impact on my life?” Â And I say, “Most definitely.”
1) Let the clear foreshadowing of Christ in Proverbs guard your faith. Â Contrary to the claims of some, faith in Jesus may not be compared to belief in the “Flying Spaghetti Monster.” Â Those who make such claims seem to forget that Christianity has Christ, whose life and works are better documented than any other ancient life and works in history. Â This is neither myth nor wishful thinking. Â There is great reason to believe Jesus is exactly who He says He is.
2) Worship the Triune Creator for the beauty of who He is. Â Delight yourself in the only One who is infinitely wonderful (Prov. 8:10-11, Mt. 13:44-46, Phil. 3:7-11). Â If you’re looking for some places to start, I’d recommend John and/or Hebrews.
3) Let the awareness of your sinfulness (Rom. 3:10-18, 23) make you thankful for the life Christ provides for those who seek and love Him. Â He only owed us wrath and judgment, but He has shown grace and mercy.
4) There are many things in Proverbs 8 that are completely foreign to people. For example, people are neither the agents through which all things were made, the most valuable beings in existence, nor the givers of life, for example. None of these things can characterize the Christian life.
There are a number of qualities in Proverbs 8 that must, however, characterize the Christian life:
- Love for God (Prov. 8:30c-31, Mt. 22:37-39),
- Love for people (Prov. 8:31, Mt. 22:38-39),
- Submission to God (Prov. 8:6-9, 12-13),
- Recognition of the infinite worth of Jesus (Mt. 13:44-46, Lk. 14:25-33, Phil. 3:7-11),
- Confidence that seeking Jesus is worth it (Prov. 8:14-21, Heb. 11:6),
- Trusting that life is found in Jesus alone (Prov. 8:34-36, Jn. 3:36, 6:35).
Do you notice these things increasingly classifying who you are? Â If not, see Psalm 119:9-11 & Proverbs 2.
I’d love your thoughts on how these truths encourage and/or challenge you!
Mikael says
Jesus is NOT the wisdom of Proverbs 8. Unless you believe he was “brought forth” as part of creation. This was how Arius interpreted Proverbs 8, and his exegetical basis and conclusions were condemned. Christ is in Proverbs, but don’t force him where he’s not.
Chad Barnes says
Thank you for commenting. I’m certainly open to being corrected, and here is what I think you would have to do to make your argument convincing: 1) You would have to demonstrate that the belief that wisdom, not Jesus, was “brought forth” results in less heresy than what you claim of my position. If “brought forth” implies “created,” as you suggest, then the passage would have to mean that God was at some point not wise and then “brought forth,” or created, wisdom. Were this the case, then the God who is the same yesterday, today, and forever added to His attributes, presumably making up for something He previously lacked. 2) You would have to explain away the parallels I spent the majority of the post highlighting.