Tremper Longman How To Read Proverbs Sparknotes

In his book How to Read Proverbs, Tremper Longman III, provides the reader with a few basic skills he feels is necessary to the understanding of Proverbs. First, Longman starts the book off by giving the reader an understanding of why they should read Proverbs. According to Longman, the purpose of the book of Proverbs is “to present wisdom and to provide a rich picture of what it means to be wise. Proverbs applies these abilities in one special area, that of interpretation” (13). Readers should read proverbs for the purpose of “gain[ing] wisdom, which is the ability to navigate life” (16). Next, Longman gives the reader a definition of a proverb. He describes a proverb as seemingly random saying.
Longman also presents the reader with questions
In chapter nine he says, “The language about Jesus being the firstborn of creation is not to be pressed literally as if Jesus were a created being. But – and this is crucial – the association between Jesus and Woman Wisdom in the New Testament is a powerful was of saying that Jesus is the embodiment of God’s Wisdom” (110). In Matthew 11:19 Jesus makes that distinction for Himself, he claims that his behavior represents that of Woman Wisdom. “The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, “Look at him! A glutton and a drunkard, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!” Yet wisdom is justified by her deeds”. Using the imagery of Christ as Woman Wisdom is helpful to me because it shows how unattainable wisdom is without God. Jesus is the only perfect and wise human. Any wisdom we attain is not through our own merit but, through God. The only way we gain and keep wisdom is to stay in communion with God. Our hearts are full of folly and aren’t bent toward wisdom. God is like the corrective lenses to our fuzzy vision. With reverence to Him we see everything clearer and can then choose the correct path or make the right
I gained a sort of confirmation in light of the many different foolish actions that take place on campus. In discussion on Proverbs 22:10 Longman says, “The last quoted proverb [proverbs 22:10] reminds us that the harm of false words focuses on relationships. The words of fools don’t bring people together, rather they tear them apart” (148). He then goes on to say that false words destroy relationships through many different mediums; Proverbs categorizes those mediums as lies, arguments, insult/slander, gossip/rumors, and flattery/bragging. Although some of what is spread around campus is true it’s false in more than one way. Individuals who start rumors misrepresent reality by exaggeration and a stretching of the truth, adding lies in to make the gossip more spreadable. Proverbs characterizes people like this as mockers. They use the truth to hurt others or, laugh at them and ridicule them. Their intent is not in love, growth, or progression it’s to expose, hurt, and shame others. I’ve always thought that people spread gossip to take the magnifying glass off of themselves, placing it on someone else. Rather than having their sin and shortcomings on display they’d rather have that of their brothers on display. This is a mark of a foolish heart. When you reverence the Lord you recognize the goodness in God’s creation. You can then cover and aid in the