Two Women Call. Who Will You Follow?

I. Four introductory questions:

1. What is wisdom literature?

2. What is a proverb?

3. Who wrote the Book of Proverbs?

4. Who was Proverbs written for?

II. The Key to this Book (9)

1. Will you be wise, or will you scoff? (9:7-12)

2. Lady Wisdom invites you to life (9:1-6)

3. Madam Folly invites you to death (9:13-18)

An Outline of Proverbs

1:1-7 Introduction

Section One: The reason to heed the Proverbs

1:8-8:36 “Hear, my son, your father’s instruction:”
Ten appeals to listen to Wisdom

1.   Listen to Wisdom, not your friends, if you want to prosper in life (1:8-33)
2.   Seek Wisdom and you will find good and avoid evil (2:1-22)
3.   Remember Wisdom and she will lead you to life (3:1-35)
4.   Do not forget what Grandpa David said: Wisdom will honour you (4:1-9)
5.   Stay on the path of Wisdom to avoid the wicked and their snares (4:10-19)
6.   Know Wisdom and know your heart (4:20-27)
7.   Pay attention to Wisdom so you don’t lose your honour (5:1-23)
8.   Let Wisdom keep you from entrapment, poverty, calamity and judgement (6:1-19)
9.   Let Wisdom, not your urges, lead you (6:20-35)
10. Befriend Wisdom and you will live (7:1-8:36)

SUMMARY:

9:1-18 Which path will you choose, the way of Lady Wisdom or the way of Madam Folly?

Section Two: The Proverbs

10:1-22:16 Volume I of Solomon’s Proverbs

22:17-24:34 The 30 Sayings and the Collected Sayings of the wise

25-29 Volume II of Solomon’s Proverbs
(collected by Hezekiah’s men about 250 years after Solomon’s death)

30 The Oracle of Agur son of Jakeh

31 The Oracle of King Lemuel