Proverbs 3:1-12
(Pair of
verses) Do something and get the blessings .
The “Do”
part consists of positive “do” and negative “don’t” in v.1,3,5,6,7.
5-6 is
famous, but what is the before and after?
v.1-4
我兒，不要忘記我的法則，
你心要謹守我的誡命。
2 因為他必將長久的日子、
生命的年數與平安加給你。
Do 1 do not
forget, keep commandments-
Get 2 長久的日子、 生命的年數
a long and full
life, life: as welfare and happiness in king’s presence Pr 16:15; as
consisting of earthly felicity combined (often) with spiritual blessedness
3 不可使慈愛、誠實離開你，
要繫在你頸項上，刻在你心版上。
4 這樣，你必在神和世人眼前
蒙恩寵，有聰明。
Do 3 慈愛、誠實 “faithful covenant love” or “loyal
[covenant] love and faithfulness.” “Love” (ḥeseḏ) and “faithfulness” (ʾemeṯ)
are the two basic covenant terms in Israel...These words, coupled with
the allusion to Deuteronomy 6:8 and even Jeremiah 31:3, show that the
content of this disciplined life is the Yahwistic faith.
要繫在你頸項上，刻在你心版上。 One is a comparison of living out the duties and
responsibilities taught with binding a chain around the neck, and the other is a comparison of the
inward appropriation of the teachings with writing them on a tablet. So the
teachings are not only to become the lifestyle of the disciple but his
very nature
Get 4 蒙恩寵，有聰明the favor of good understanding,
meaning, a reputation for good understanding.
v.5-12
5 你要專心仰賴耶和華，
不可倚靠自己的聰明，
6 在你一切所行的事上都要認定他，
他必指引你的路。
Not 5 It is
dangerous for a person to rely upon mere human wisdom (Prov 14:12;
16:25). This warning doesn’t suggest that God’s children turn off their brains
and ignore their intelligence and common sense. It simply cautions us not
to depend on our own wisdom and experience or the wisdom and experience of
others. Abraham did this when he went to Egypt (Gen. 12:10–20) and so did
Joshua when he attacked the little town of Ai (Josh. 7). When we become
“wise in [our] own eyes” (Prov. 3:7), then we’re heading for trouble.[1]
Bāṭaḥ (“trust,” v. 5) carries the force of relying
on someone for security; the confidence is to be in the Lord and not in
human understanding. The call is for a trust characterized by total
commitment—“with all your heart” (v.
5), “in all your ways” (v. 6). Bînāh (“understanding”) is now cast in a
sinful mode (cf. 1:2, 6); so there is to be a difference between the bînāh that wisdom brings and the natural
bînāh that undermines faith.[2]
But 6 This
is a call for total commitment in trust for obedience in all things.
他必指引你的路The straight, even road is the right road; God will make the way
smooth for the believer.[3]
Not 7 不要自以為有智慧，
But 要敬畏耶和華，遠離惡事
The second
colon clarifies the first. If one fears the LORD and turns away from evil, then
he is depending on the LORD and not wise in his own eyes. There is a higher
source of wisdom than human insight.
Result 8 這便醫治你的肚臍， 滋潤你的百骨。
If a person trusts in the Lord and fears him (vv. 5–7), God will
bless him (v. 8).[4]
滋潤Just as a drink of water would bring physical refreshment to one’s body,
trusting in God and turning away from evil will bring emotional refreshment to
one’s soul.[5]
9 你要以財物
和一切初熟的土產尊榮耶和華。
10 這樣，你的倉房必充滿有餘，
你的酒醡有新酒盈溢。 [6]
Do 9 . To honor God means to give him the rightful place of authority
by rendering to him gifts of tribute. One way to acknowledge God in
one’s ways (v. 6) is to honor him with one’s wealth (v. 9).[7]
9-10 The imagery in vv. 9–10 is agricultural; however, all Israelites—not
just farmers—were expected to give the best portion (= first fruits) of their
income to Lord.[8]
Result 10
11 我兒，你不可輕看耶和華的管教，
也不可厭煩他的責備。
12 因為耶和華所愛的，他必責備，
正如父親責備所喜愛的兒子。 [9]
Do not 11也不可厭煩他的責備
厭煩 The common response to suffering is to loathe (dislike) it; however, the
righteous understand that it refines one’s moral character and that it is a
means to the blessing.[10]
Reason 12 This verse is quoted in Heb 12:5–6 to show that suffering in the
service of the Lord is a sign of
membership in the covenant community (i.e., sonship).[11]
** from v.1-12: Trusting, fearing involves our lifestyle of “do not forget, keep commandments” and
“要繫在你頸項”。 One is a comparison of living out
the duties and responsibilities taught” and 刻在你心版上let them be your nature, the inward appropriation of the teachings with
writing them on a table.
Avoiding
human wisdom or being wise in our own eyes. “In all things” also include your
money. Give God the rightful place of authority in your offering. “His
blessings” Are not necessarily what we usually see as good things, also include
His discipline. It is a blessings to our character and a sign of our membership
in the Family.
Is there any
human wisdom in our trusting? In what areas we do not trust, but insist to use
our own wisdom? Do I trust God all year round or I reserve 2 weeks a year for
my own e.g. my vacation is a “me” time?
[1]
Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Skillful
(pp. 38–39). Victor Books.
[2]
Ross, A. P. (1991). Proverbs. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms,
Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 917). Zondervan
Publishing House.
[3]
Biblical Studies Press. (2019). The NET Bible
(Second Edition). Thomas Nelson.
[4]
Biblical Studies Press. (2019). The NET Bible
(Second Edition). Thomas Nelson.
[5]
Biblical Studies Press. (2019). The NET Bible
(Second Edition). Thomas Nelson.
[6]
Mateer, C. W., Goodrich, C., Baller, F. W., Owen, G. S., & Lewis, S., eds.
(2016). 中文聖經和合本－神版（繁體） (C. W. Mateer, C. Goodrich, F. W.
Baller, G. S. Owen, & S. Lewis, Trans.; Pr 3:9–10). 公司.
[7]
Biblical Studies Press. (2019). The NET Bible
(Second Edition). Thomas Nelson.
[8]
Biblical Studies Press. (2019). The NET Bible
(Second Edition). Thomas Nelson.
[9]
Mateer, C. W., Goodrich, C., Baller, F. W., Owen, G. S., & Lewis, S., eds.
(2016). 中文聖經和合本－神版（繁體） (C. W. Mateer, C. Goodrich, F. W.
Baller, G. S. Owen, & S. Lewis, Trans.; Pr 3:11–12). 公司.
[10]
Biblical Studies Press. (2019). The NET Bible
(Second Edition). Thomas Nelson.
[11]
Biblical Studies Press. (2019). The NET Bible
(Second Edition). Thomas Nelson.
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