Have you ever tried to study the book of Proverbs? The most I have ever managed is to just read the thing through, and then instantly forget most of it. Yes, I know the last discourse in Proverbs 31 fairly well, and Proverbs 7 too. I use both of them in classes often. But the rest of the book seems like a list of unconnected maxims. When I cannot see a structure, I usually do not understand what I am reading, and when I don't understand, I don't remember. I always thought it was me and my penchant for charts—I see them in my mind practically everywhere, but never in Proverbs. Evidently others have the same problem with this book. I certainly never thought about it as something theological.
Enter Professor Longman and suddenly Proverbs makes much more sense to me. Although he admits that it is difficult to see, he actually shows you some structure. Then he explains the theology behind it and you suddenly feel a need to actually study this book. In the process he also explains Hebrew poetry, the right and wrong ways to view a proverb, and how to apply something that was originally meant for a young man to your own life. He will help you find both the Proverbs in various Biblical narratives, and then discover Christ in the Proverbs. Finally, he leads you in "following the themes" in Proverbs, choosing three and laying them out before you. This short (163 pages) guide will change how you view Proverbs forever.
Each chapter ends with questions for thought, which makes it a good book for both personal and class study.
How to Read Proverbs is published by InterVarsity Press Academic.
Dene Ward
Enter Professor Longman and suddenly Proverbs makes much more sense to me. Although he admits that it is difficult to see, he actually shows you some structure. Then he explains the theology behind it and you suddenly feel a need to actually study this book. In the process he also explains Hebrew poetry, the right and wrong ways to view a proverb, and how to apply something that was originally meant for a young man to your own life. He will help you find both the Proverbs in various Biblical narratives, and then discover Christ in the Proverbs. Finally, he leads you in "following the themes" in Proverbs, choosing three and laying them out before you. This short (163 pages) guide will change how you view Proverbs forever.
Each chapter ends with questions for thought, which makes it a good book for both personal and class study.
How to Read Proverbs is published by InterVarsity Press Academic.
Dene Ward
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