Proverbs 24:13-22 - Proverbs 30 Wise Sayingss - for Carpenter Flock

COLLECTION 3: The Thirty Sayings of the Wise (24.3-24)

A. Prologue: Saying 1 (22.17-21)
B. Prohibitions about Power, Greed, and Wealth (22.22-23.11) [2-11]
C. Character and Cautions for a Wise Son (23.22-24.2) [12-20]
D. Trying Circumstances (24:3-12/13-22) [#21-30]
            1. Strength in Distress
            2. Involvement with the Wicked

SAYING NUMBER 26: Sweet Wisdom. (24.13-14)

 ¹³ My son, eat honey because it is good, 

And the honeycomb which is sweet to your taste;

¹⁴ So shall the knowledge of wisdom be to your soul; 

[or Know that wisdom is thus for your soul nasb] all versions imperative beside kjv, nkjv

If you have found it, there is a prospect, 

And your hope will not be cut off.

honey…  The twenty-sixth saying teaches that one should develop wisdom because it has a profitable future. The saying draws on the image of honey; its health-giving properties make a good analogy to wisdom.  –-NETBible Study Notes

good… H2896 towb: good, pleasant, agreeable.  – Enhanced Strong’s Dictionary
…its health-giving properties make a good analogy to wisdom.  --Allen Ross in EBC

What good does honey do for you?

honeycomb…  The wisdom writer here follows a tradition found in both Psalm 19:10 and Ezekiel 3:3 in which God’s words/laws are equated with wisdom and are therefore to be desired. In most Old Testament texts honey represents a natural resource, probably the syrup of the date rather than bees’ honey.  … Here the reference to the honeycomb differentiates the product as bees’ honey. Note also that honey from the comb would be the freshest and tastiest kind. Akkadian texts also use honey figuratively as they speak of praise being sweeter than honey or wine.  -–IVPBBC

14---

know…  H3045 – yada: Know … has its existential sense of experiencing and internalizing wisdom, … as in the preamble to Proverbs.   --Waltke in NICOT

wisdom… H2451 - chokmah: wisdom (shrewdness, skill)

…those who find Christ God’s wisdom (1` Cor. 1:30), find eternal life and the realization of an eternity of bliss in which they shall not be disappointed…

prospect…  (ʾaḥărît) after part, end (of place), latter part, future (of time). --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

hope…  H8615 - (tiqwâ) 1.cord (Josh 2:18, 21, only); 2.hope. This root means to wait or to look for with eager expectation. …Waiting with steadfast endurance is a great expression of faith. It means enduring patiently in confident hope that God will decisively act for the salvation of his people. --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

The motivation is that wisdom will have a long future to it.  --Allen Ross in EBC

be cut off…  H3772 - karath: To cut off; cut down

hcsb—never fade; nlt—cut short

> Those who find Christ, God’s wisdom (1 Cor. 1:30), find eternal life and the realization of an eternity of bliss in which they shall not be disappointed.

> In addition to the literal meaning of this root, “to cut off” (Ex 4:25; I Sam 5:4) and “to cut down” (I Kgs 5:20; a “woodcutter” in Isa 14:8) there is the metaphorical meaning to root out, eliminate, remove, excommunicate or destroy by a violent act of man or nature. It is sometimes difficult in a given context to know whether the person(s) who is “cut off”’ is to be killed or only excommunicated. --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

Pr. 23.17-18

Do not let your heart envy sinners,

 But be zealous for the fear of the LORD all the day;

For surely there is a hereafter,

 And your hope will not be cut off.

Thought / discussion:

How many observations can you make about wisdom from these verses?

1. Wisdom is good/sweet like honey.
2. We should “eat” wisdom.
3. Wisdom is good/sweet to/for your soul.
4. Wisdom is found.
5. Wisdom gives hope.
6. Wisdom’s hope will not be cut off.

 Four prohibitions build on his truth and warn against unwise actions and reactions.  –Paul Koptak in NIVAC

SAYING NUMBER 27:  Violence  (24.15-16)

> This is spoken, not so much by way of counsel to wicked men (they will not receive instruction, ch. 23:9), but rather in defiance of them, for the encouragement of good people that are threatened by them.[1]  --Matthew Henry

> To make a point the speaker spoke to his son as though he were addressing a wicked man in this saying. This device gives the warning more force since the wicked man’s main concern is his own self-interest. –Thomas Constable’s Expository Notes

> It would be futile and self-defeating to mistreat God’s people, for they survive—the wicked do not!  The warning is against attacking the righteous; to attack them is to attack God and His program, and that will fail (see Matt 16:18)  --Allen Ross in EBC

And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church, and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.

 ¹⁵ Do not                              Do not

lie in wait,                          plunder

O wicked man,

against the dwelling       resting place;

of the righteous;              his (out of order)

¹⁶ For a righteous man may fall seven times 

And rise again,

But the wicked shall fall by calamity. 

Hatred to the righteous is deeply rooted in the wicked man.

lie in wait…   H693 - 'arab: to lie in wait, ambush, lurk  --BLB
Frequently the enemies of the pious are described as those who “lurk,” lie in wait for the unsuspecting: Ps 10:9; 59:3; Lam 4:19; Ezr 8:31.  --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
> But it is venturing upon a haxqrdou course---He that toucheth you, toucheth the apple of mine eye.” (Zech ii.8)  “I am Jesus, whom thou persecutest!”—struck the most relentless persecuter “trembling” to the earth.  --Charles Bridges in GSC

dwelling…  H5116 - nāweh: 1. pasture, abode of shepherd, habitation; 2. dwelling, abiding (Ps 68:13, only).

righteous…  H6662 - tsaddiyq:  just, lawful, righteous

resting place…  The metaphor his resting place refers literally to the abode of animals.   --Waltke in NICOT

dwelling … resting-place.  [Both nouns have a pastoral association. Unless they are rhetorical choice for ‘house,’ they may suggest that the admonition is addressed to city criminals who went out to attack righteous men living in agricultural settlements, because these were not defended.]  –-Cohen in Proverbs by Soncino Books…

plunder…  H7703 - shadad: (Piel). 1C1 to assault. 1C2 to devastate.  --Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon

resting place…  H7258 – rebets: resting or dwelling place, place of lying down  --Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon

16-----

For signals the connection between the admonition (v. 15) and its validation (v. 16).   --Waltke in NICOT

fall…  naphal (naw·fal): v. A primitive root;  1 to fall, lie, be cast down, fail. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to fall. 1A2 to fall (of violent death). 

>The intensification shows clearly that the life of the righteous does not pass

without unmerited suffering (see I: 107).   --Waltke in NICOT

> Since the righteous rise after a violent and final fall, his recovering points to his resurrection from the death.   --Waltke in NICOT

seven times… an idiom for ‘often.’ (Ibn Ezra). –-Cohen in Proverbs by Soncino Books…
rise again… …they will rise again; for virtue triumphs in the end. (Whybray, Book of Proverbs) –Allen Ross in EBC
fall…  H3782 - shadad: (Niphal) 1b1 to stumble. 1b2 to be tottering, be feeble.  --Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon
calamity…  1 bad, evil. 2 evil, distress, misery, injury, calamity. 3 evil, misery, distress, injury.   --Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon

 Discussion / thought:

1. What consolation or hope does this Proverb give us if we are attacked and oppressed.
2. Can you think of a Bible story that illustrates this saying?  ( Daniel 6:1-12)

SAYING NUMBER 28:  Gloating. (24.17-18)
> To complete the thought we might add at the end of this saying “and turn it on you.” Gloating over someone else’s misfortune is a practice God disapproves even if the other person is the adversary of the righteous (cf. Matt. 5:44).  Fear of God’s displeasure should warn the wise away from this attitude and activity.  –Thomas Constable’s Expository Notes
> The Lord finds gloating so morally repulsive that he would rather turn away from his retributive justice than to look at abhorrent gloating.   --Waltke in NICOT

What makes gloating such a grievous offense?

> The proverb censures the pollution of justice and the thwarting of it by another sin. --Waltke in NICO

¹⁷                                      And

Do not rejoice               do not let your heart be glad

when your enemy       when he

falls,                                 stumbles;

¹⁸ Lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, 

And He turn away His wrath from him. 

¹⁷ Synonymous parallel

rejoice…  H8055 – sâmach (saw-makh'): a primitive root; probably to brighten up, i.e. (figuratively) be (causatively, make) blithe or gleesome  --BLB
> There may be a holy joy in the destruction of God’s enemies, as it tends to the glory of God and the welfare of the church (Ps. 58:10); but in the ruin of our enemies, as such, we must by no means rejoice; on the contrary, we must weep even with them when they weep (as David, Ps. 35:13, 14), and that in sincerity, not so much as letting our hearts be secretly glad at their calamities. --Mathew Henry
enemy…  H341 - 'oyeb: The basic meaning of the verb is “to be hostile to,” “to be or treat as an enemy.”  --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
glad…  HH1523 – giyl: Root meaning is “to circle around” from which such ideas as “to circle in joy” are readily derived. The root meaning is more applicable to vigorous, enthusiastic expressions of joy; but, in the ot, it and its derivatives serve as poetic and prophetic terms for various kinds of joy.  .  --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
stumbles…  H3782 – kāšal: stumble, totter, stagger (usually from weakness or weariness, or in flight from attackers).  --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament
This implies to not even rejoice when they experience less severe troubles.
18---
displease…  H7489 - rāʿaʿ: be bad, evil. (Lit. it be evil in His eyes)

turn away… H7725 - shuwb: to return, turn back

turn away His wrath from him. 

And turn it upon thee (Metsudath David, Ralbag, Ibn Ezra).  Saadia Gaon proceeds to expound on this point that it is impossible to explain the verse in its simple sense, viz. that one should not rejoice at the misfortune in order that his enemy should not be released from this trouble or raised from his downfall, for then the command would be to see that the enemy remain with his punishment.  The intention is that God will see your cruelty and your vengeance and weigh your deeds against the deeds of your enemy.  In this way, He will declare you more wicked than he, and visit his retribution upon you (Malbim).  Alshich explains that the Lord will see whether the person rejoices because of the downfall of the wicked man who rebels against Him or because his personal enemy has fallen. –-Cohen in Proverbs by Soncino Books…

> To complete the thought we might add at the end of this saying “and turn it on you.” Gloating over someone else’s misfortune is a practice God disapproves even if the other person is the adversary of the righteous (cf. Matt. 5:44).  Fear of God’s displeasure should warn the wise away from this attitude and activity.  –Thomas Constable’s Expository Notes

wrath…  ʾap: nostril, face, anger. The double pe in the plural shows its derivation from ʾānēp.

Discussion / thought:

1. What is an enemy in this context?
2. What sins are the roots from which gloating grows?
3. Does this saying have any applications for our children’s sports leagues or competitions? 

SAYING NUMBER 29:  Fretting. (24.19-20)

> “If 24:17-18 tell us not to rejoice at the misfortunes of the wicked, these tell us not to worry when they succeed.”  --Koptak in NIVAC 

> It is foolish to envy the wicked, because they are doomed (see 3:31; 23:17-18; 24:1-2)  --Allen Ross in EBC

> …linked to the preceding two by the catchwords “wicked” (pl., vv. 16b, 20b) and “calamity/evil (vv. 18a, 20a) and by… --Waltke in NICOT

¹⁹ Do not fret       Nor be envious        

because of           of

evildoers,            the wicked;

²⁰ For there will   be no prospect for the evil man; 

The lamp of the wicked will be put out. 

cf. Ps. xxxvii.1
fret…  Fret” (Heb. tithar) means to burn up emotionally. The sage again addressed the problem of envying wicked people who enjoy temporary prosperity (cf. 23:17; 24:1).  –NETBible Translation Notes

> …the anger is not directed against anyone but is felt as an internal agitation, a fretting, connected with envy that maight occasion choosing evil to satify one’s passions (see 3:31). --Waltke in NICOT

envious…  H7065 - qana': (Piel) to be jealous of, envious of, zealous for, to excite to jealous anger

prospect…  H319 - 'achariyth: after part, end

lamp…    H5216 - niyr: The words nēr and nîr refer to the small bowl like objects which contained oil and a wick to be lit to provide light  --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

Will be put  out…  (Qal) to go out, be extinguished

…be put out in the darkness of Seol (Job 18:5-6; 22:177).  Why fret at or be envious of anyone with such a bleak future..

SAYING NUMBER 30:  Rebellion. (24.21-22)

> The reverse of this fear is not courage but foolhardy rebellion.  --Koptak in NIVAC   

> Verse 21a is used in 1 Peter 2:17, and v.22 is used in Romans 13:1-7.  --Allen Ross in EBC

²¹ My son, fear the Lord and the king; 

Do not associate with those given to change;

²² For their calamity will rise suddenly, 

And who knows the ruin those two can bring?

fear…  H3372 - yare': to fear, be afraid; to stand in awe of, be awed; to fear, reverence, honour, respect  --BLB

> In this discussion, biblical usages of yārēʾ are divided into five general categories:1) the emotion of fear, 2) the intellectual anticipation of evil without emphasis upon the emotional reaction, 3) reverence or awe, 4) righteous behaviour or piety, and 5) formal religious worship. Major OT synonyms include pāḥad, ḥātat, and ḥārad as well as several words referring to shaking or quaking as a result of fear.

> There are many examples of the third usage listed above. Such reverence is due to one’s parents (Lev 19:3), holy places (Lev 26:2), God (Ps 112:1), and God’s name (Ps 86:11).^[3]  --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

associate…  ʿārab: to be; become surety, mortgage, engage, occupy, undertake for; give pledges (Hithpael).

nasb, nkjv, nlt—associate with; esv, niv—join with:

given to change…  (šānâ; lit, “people who change,” i.e. political agitators; see notes)

The verb šānâ is sometimes used to describe a change in character or way or life. --Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

calamity…  H343 - 'eyd: 1 distress, burden, calamity. 1A burden (of the righteous). 1B calamity (of nation). 1C disaster (of wicked). 1D day of calamity.  --Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon

suddenly…  H6597 - pith'owm: suddenly, surprisingly, in a moment

…”suddenly,” which connotes unexpectedly. --Waltke in NICOT

ruin…  H6365 - piyd: misfortune, distress, calamity, i.e., a state or causation that causes trouble and hardship (Job 12:5; 30:24; 31:29; Pr 24:22+)  --Dictionary of Biblical Languages with Semantic Domains

those two… The pronoun “their” and “the two of them” in v. 22b look back to “the Lord and the king… --Waltke in NICOT

2015 TBC Men's Bible Study - The Gospel of Mark: A Serving Savior / Lesson 11 - “Transfiguration” - Mark 8:27-9:13

Lesson 11 - “Transfiguration” - Mark 8:27-9:13

ID: Inductive Questions (Asking the text questions like who, what, where, when, why, & how?”)

CR: Cross References (Comparing Scripture to Scripture, understanding the vague by the clear.)

WS: Word Study (Understanding definition, theological meaning, and usages in other passages.)

The WORD: What does the Bible say?

Context:  Read Mark 8:22-9:18 to help understand the context of this passage.  Read Mark 8:27-9:13 in a more literal or more dynamic translation than you usually use. 

In this lesson we see the climax of “eight chapters” of Christ’s ministry come to the climax of Peter’s inspired confession that Jesus was the Christ, and we see the disciples struggling to understand what that meant.

1.     WS: (8:27-29)  What did Peter mean when he said that Jesus was “the Christ” (christos)?  How did that compare to the popular opinions of the day?

2.     ID: (8:31-33)  What did Jesus say His mission was?  Why did Jesus say, “Satan, get behind Me?”  Why did Peter not yet understand?

3.     ID/CR: (9:1)  When did some of the disciples see the “kingdom of God” present with power?

4.     ID/CR: (8:34-38)  What did Jesus say it meant to take up your cross and follow Him?  What did he say about it in other places?  (Matthew 10:38; / Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23 / Luke 14:27)

5.     ID/CR: (9:2-8)  Who did Jesus bring to the Mount of Transfiguration?  Who appeared with Him?  Was there special significance to those two men?  How did that experience impact Peter and John? (John 1:14; 1John 1:1-4 / 2 Peter 1:16-21)

6.     CR: (9:12-13)  Who were the “scribes”? (Matthew 16:21; Matthew 23:13; Mark 12:38; Mark 15:1)  Who was “Elijah”? (1 Kings 18:1-16; 1 Kings 18:17-29;  2 Kings 2:1-11; Malachi 4:1-6; Luke 1:17; John 1:21-25)  Where was it written that the Son of Man must suffer? (Psalm 22; Isaiah 53)

The WALK: What should I do?

1.     How would you answer the question, “Who is Jesus?”  How/why did you come to feel that way?

2.     What does it mean for you to “take up your cross and follow Christ?.  Are you ever “ashamed” of Jesus? 

3.     Jesus said that “Elijah” would prepare the way.  How can/do we prepare the way for Jesus and the Gospel in our sphere of influence today?

4.     How do you keep your focus on “things of God” during your day?

5.     Where in this passage do we see Gospel truths about God, Man, Christ, and our response?

Going Beyond:  1. Try an informal survey with some acquaintances.  Ask them who “Who is (or was) Jesus?”  Be sure to ask some clarifying questions (How did you arrive at that view?  What do you mean by _____? Etc.)  before you respond.  Were the responses what you expected?  How so?

2. What areas of theology are touched on in this passage?

q The Bible   q God   q God the Father   q Jesus Christ   q The Holy Spirit    q Man   q Salvation   q The Church   q Angels & Satan   q Future Things –

The Transfiguration of Jesus (Mark 9.1-10): Some Biblico-Theological Reflections

By Daniel B. Wallace

Cranfield concludes his section on this account by noting three main questions “(i) Is this a legend or a piece of theological symbolical writing or is it historical? … (ii) If then ix. 2-8 is in some sense a historical narrative, what was it that happened? … (iii) What is the theological significance of what is recorded in ix. 2-8?”¹ We will begin with his answers, adding some modifications along the way.

1.                Is this legendary or historical? Bultmann, Nineham, Perrin, et al. reject this story as true, calling it a legendary development of a resurrection-story. However, it is unlike any of the resurrection accounts in the following ways: (a) all of the resurrection appearances have Jesus being absent to begin with, while he is present here; (b) he speaks in the resurrection appearances and what he says is of great significance, while here he is silent; (c) if this were a resurrection appearance by Jesus to Peter, one might expect certain other features such as are found in the John 21 account; all such peculiar features are lacking here; (d) Moses and Elijah never appear with Jesus in the resurrection accounts; only angels appear in these pericopae and never with Jesus; and (e) Bultmann’s suggestion does not account for Peter’s suggestion about the tents.

On the other hand, there are several features in this story which give it the stamp of authenticity: (a) the mention of ‘after six days’ which seems to lack symbolical force and thus must simply be a historical note; (b) Peter’s use of the term ραββι, which is never used of Jesus outside of the gospels, and within the gospels only in pre-crucifixion narratives; and (c) Mark gives no clue at all that he is giving us other than an actual historical account. (d) Second Peter 1:16-18 is Peter’s own testimony to the historicity of this event (see NET Bible note there). (Since, however, the authenticity of 2 Peter is doubted by many—including Cranfield—it is rarely mentioned as evidence on the side of the historicity of this event.)

2.                Assuming then that this was an actual historical event, what actually happened? Three options are (a) a vision, (b) a factual happening, or (c) a combination of these two. Two factors need to be considered in answering this question: First, we are reminded of Paul’s statement about a man he knows (though this is likely autobiographical) who visited the third heaven: “I know a man in Christ who fourteen years ago—whether in the body I do not know, or out of the body I do not know, God knows—such a man was caught up to the third heaven” (2 Cor 12:2, NASB). Paul’s inability to distinguish a vision from a factual event in his own life when it came to heavenly glory may well be a parallel to the transfiguration. Second, although Cranfield says that the transfiguration was meant for the disciples, if it was also meant for Jesus then this might presumably color our assessment of the account. In light of the self-revelation Jesus had just made six days earlier about his own suffering and death, and in light of the parallel with the heavenly voice at his baptism being followed by a major trial, it seems likely that the transfiguration would be equally an encouragement for Jesus. The presence of Elijah and Moses with him in the cloud would affirm his path to the cross and remind him of its necessity, for as Paul says, “the righteousness of God has been manifested, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God through the faithfulness of Jesus Christ… whom God publicly displayed as a mercy seat for sins…” (Rom 3:21-22, 25).

With these two factors in mind, what can we say? On the one hand, if the transfiguration had meaning only for the disciples, then whether it was a vision or a factual, sensory occurrence matters little, since that same question remained unanswered by Paul regarding the third heaven but the incident became a source of great encouragement to him to press on (cf. 2 Cor 12:4-5). At the same time, if 2 Peter is authentic (and I believe that it is), then Peter’s own statement about the transfiguration is that it was more than a vision; he treats it as a genuine factual, sensory experience (cf. 2 Pet 1:16-18). On the other hand, if this event had meaning for Jesus as well as for the disciples—that is, that it was meant to be an encouragement to him too—then it must surely have been a factual event, for otherwise how are we to account for him being both a part of the vision and a recipient of it?

3.                We conclude with notes on some of the theological significance of the transfiguration. The following comments are only preliminary; frankly, it would take years, perhaps a lifetime, to explore the depths of the meaning of the transfiguration. (a) It symbolized and foreshadowed both the resurrection and parousia. (b) It was a temporary unveiling of the Son of God’s eternal glory. (c) That this glory was seen and not just expounded on was so that “the disciples could taste in part what could not be fully comprehended” (Calvin). That is, as the old Chinese proverb says, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” (d) Moses and Elijah were a part of the picture to show both continuity with the OT in the ministry of Jesus and his own uniqueness and absolute authority (hence he alone wore the brilliant clothing, and he alone is identified from heaven as the one to be obeyed). (e) The cloud was a continuation of the Shekinah glory: the presence of God has returned fully in the person of Jesus Christ. And Moses and Elijah are there, silently endorsing him as the one in whom men meet God.

Our final two points are taken largely from 2 Peter rather than from Mark; they represent Peter’s own reflections on the theological significance of the transfiguration. (f) The certainty of Christ’s glory is transferred to believers: they too will glorified and this fact should give them confidence as they face death (cf. 2 Peter 1:16-18; 1 John 3:2). (g) The certainty of Christ’s glory also gives believers confidence in him as a prophet and those whom he authorizes as prophets (2 Peter 1:16-21). In sum, the transfiguration is a part of the heavenly glory that even the apostle Paul could allude to when he wrote, Λογίζομαι γὰρ ὅτι οὐκ ἄξια τὰ παθήματα τοῦ νῦν καιροῦ πρὸς τὴν μέλλουσαν δόξαν ἀποκαλυφθῆναι εἰς ἡμᾶς (Rom 8:18).

© 2015 Bible.org

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Lesson 11 - Mark 8:27-9:13

WORD

3. The commentators have multiple opinions about this, so don’t get too bogged down splitting hairs.

4. This question has two parts.  First, is what does Mark record Jesus saying about taking up your cross.  Second, is to look at the comments in other situations and Gospels.  This discussion should lay out the objective content to build on in the walk question two.

5. The article in the Extra section might be of some help with this question.

WALK

1. This might be a good an opportunity to have an “seekers” who might be attending share where they are in their understanding. 

4.  I see this as an opportunity for you to talk about the difference between “things of God” and “things of man” and for the men to share how they place reminders along the way to keep a spiritual perspective on things.

EXTRA

Dr. Daniel Wallace, Senior Professor of New Testament Studies at Dallas Theological Seminary, talks about the historical nature of the transfiguration, what actually happened, and the theological significance.