Jarl Waggoner's Articles

Notes on the International Sunday School Lessons

Spring 2006

by Jarl K. Waggoner

Lesson 1 - Psalm 8:1-9

8:1 - “Lord our Lord” - The words for “Lord” are Yahweh and Adonai respectively. Yahweh (Jehovah) is his personal name and speaks of his self-existence and covenant love; Adonai speaks of him as sovereign Lord, or Master (EDT, 505-8).

8:1 - “how excellent is thy name” - “Name,” as it is often used in Scripture, here refers to the “revealed character of God” (BKC, 797). “Excellent” is the same Hebrew word translated “majestic” in verse 9 (cf. NIV). It denotes superiority (TWOT, 1:13). “Wherever God has in any wise revealed Himself at any time, there is one respect in regard to which this revelation is always entirely consistent, and that is that God is always found to be ‘majestic’” (Leupold, Exposition of Psalms, 102).

8:2 - “out of the mouth of babes . . . still the enemy” - The idea is that God’s power is demonstrated by his use of weak things to silence his enemies. See Matthew 21:15-17. Kidner notes, “The free confession of love and trust is a devastating answer to the accuser and his arsenal of doubts and slanders” (Psalms, 1:66-67).

8:4 - “mindful of him . . . visiteth him” - NASB translates, “take thought of him . . . care for him.” The two verbs “convey the care of God, who remembers positively by acting on behalf of the human race” (NIVBC, 803).

8:4 - “man . . . son of man” - “Man” (enosh) is a word that may emphasize man’s frailty (Leupold, 103; cf. TWOT, 1:59). “Son of man (adam)” is simply a “poetic synonym of ‘man’” (Craigie, Psalms 1-50, 108).

8:5 - “angels” - The word is Elohim, which usually refers to God. NASB translates the word “God” here, and Leupold (104, 107) and Craigie (108) are among those who prefer this translation. The Septuagint (LXX) takes the word “in its rarer, generic sense, to mean supernatural beings, i.e, ‘angels’ . . . and Hebrews 2:7, 9 follows that translation” (Kidner, 67). Verses 6-8 seem to allude to the image of God in man (cf. Gen. 1:26). “Man was created as God’s own representative on earth, over the Creation but lower than God. David was amazed that God should exalt finite man to such a place of honor” (BKC, 797).

8:6 - “hast put all things under his feet” - “Human beings are God’s appointed governors (vassals) over creation” (NIVBC, 803). This extends to all created things but verses 7-8 specifically single out living creatures (Craigie, 108). Because of sin man’s “dominion has never been fully realized” (BKC, 798). Hebrews 2:6-8 applies the passage to Christ, thus showing that “while all is ‘not yet’ subjected to man, our Forerunner is already ‘crowned with glory and honour’” (Kidner, 1:68).

Lesson 2 - Psalm 104:1-13

Background - Many commentators observe that this psalm presents a poetic view of the Creation week (LBC, 1119; Kidner, Psalms, 2:368). Some, however, argue that the imagery goes beyond Creation week and speaks also of the Flood (Barker, “The Waters of the Earth,” GTJ, Spring 1986).

104:1 - “Bless the Lord” - The word used here (barak) means to “bless, praise, salute” (BDB, 138).

104:1-2 -“clothed with honour and majesty . . . coverest thyself with light” - “Clothed with honour and majesty” essentially is a paraphrase of “thou art very great” (Leupold, Exposition of Psalms, 723). The figure here and in verse 2 is of a king putting on his royal garments. “Light” was the first of God’s creation after the initial creation of the heavens and earth. The metaphor presents God as separate from his creation but closely identified with it.

104:3 - “layeth the beams of his chambers in the waters” - This is more literally “upper chambers.” “God’s dwelling place is pictured figuratively as being in upper chambers on the waters. He was like a builder making a private room by laying the foundation beams above the waters of the sky” (BKC, 868).

104:4 - “maketh his angels spirits” - The word for “angels” simply means “messengers.” Since the word for “spirits” can also mean “wind,” some take the meaning here to be that God makes the wind his messengers and likewise he makes the fire his ministers (cf. NASB). This translation fits the context quite well. However, Hebrews 1:7 quotes the verse with reference to angels.

104:6 - “the waters stood above the mountains” - Most commentators see this as describing the separation of the waters and the dry land in Genesis 1:9-10. However, some argue that Noah’s flood is in view here (Barker, 75-80; Whitcomb, The World That Perished, 37-42).

104:9 - “they turn not again to cover the earth” - This seems to be a clear allusion to the promise of God in Genesis 9:15, after the flood. This statement would seem more natural if the immediate context in Psalm 104 related to the flood rather than Creation.

Lesson 3 - Psalm 139:1-3, 7-14, 23-24

139:1 - “thou has searched me” - David is declaring what God has already done. He is “not saying that God continually puts men to the test, probes into their thinking, and thus knows what goes on in their inmost minds, true as this is. He is recording that, as far as his own experience goes, God has let the full force of His Omniscience play upon every thought and activity of the psalmist and therefore has alwyas known him more intimately than he knows himself” (Leupold, Exposition of Psalms, 943).

139:2 - “thou understandest my thoughts afar off” - The idea is that God is aware of one’s thoughts “before they are fully formed” (Leupold, 944). Cf. verse 4.

139:7 - “spirit” - NASB and NIV capitalize “Spirit” to indicate the reference is to the Third Person of the Trinity. Here, however, it seems “spirit” is simply synonymous with “presence” and does not explicitly refer to the Holy Spirit.

139:8 - “hell” - The Hebrew word is sheol, which is a general term for the place of the dead. It often simply means “grave” or “death” (EDT, 1098-99). It is equivalent in meaning to the Greek word hades. Sheol-hades in the Bible appears to be the temporary place of the dead, both saved and unsaved. The saved are in “paradise” (Luke 23:43) or “Abraham’s bosom,” while the wicked are in another portion of hades suffering (Luke 16:22-23). With Christ’s resurrection, those in “paradise” were transferred to heaven (Eph. 4:8) (Hoyt, The End-Times, 36-46).

139:9 - “wings of the morning” - This could refer to “sunbeams, morning clouds, or even the incalculable velocity of light” (LBC, 1175). Probably most interpreters prefer the latter idea, that even if the psalmist could travel at light speed to the ends of the earth, the Lord would still be there (cf. Leupold, 945).

139:10 -“thy right hand shall hold me” - The Lord’s omnipresence (vv. 7-9) is not frightening to David but comforting. It means that no matter where David might be, he will have the Lord’s guidance and support.

139:13 -“possessed my reins . . . covered me in my mother’s womb” - NASB’s translation is better and clearer: “You formed my inward parts; You wove me in my mother’s womb.” God’s active involvement in the formation of a person in the womb is evidence of both God’s omniscience (vv. 1-6) and omnipresence (vv. 7-12).

139:24 -“see if there be any wicked way in me” - David desired an examination of him by God to “prove his loyalty, thus showing that he was not like the wicked mentioned in 139:19-22" (BKC, 892). The purpose was not to reveal this to God but to David.

139:24 -“lead me in the way everlasting” - The “way everlasting” is one that leads to “life and fellowship with God” (NIVBC, 929). BKC (893) suggests this refers to a prolonged life as David followed the Lord.

Lesson 4 - Psalm 145:1-13

Background - Psalm 145 is an acrostic poem. Each verse begins with a succeeding letter of the Hebrew alphabet, with one Hebrew letter (nun) missing. “Throughout the psalm [David’s] personal praise will mingle with that of all generations and all creatures” (Kidner, Psalms, 480).

145:1-2 -“bless thy name for ever . . . every day will I bless thee” - “Every day” seems to be a further explanation of “for ever.” David simply was expressing his intent to “praise the Lord as long as he has any being” (Leupold, Exposition of Psalms, 976).

145:4-6 -“mighty acts . . . wondrous works . . . terrible acts” - These terms all speak of God’s mighty “saving interventions” (Kidner, 481). The “terrible,” or “awesome” (NASB), acts are those that “show both God’s wrath and His grace” (LBC, 1186).

145:5 - “I will speak” - David shifts from what each generation will speak to another (vs. 4) to what he personally will speak.

145:6 - “I will declare thy greatness” - All the wondrous works of God and his “‘awe-inspiring acts’ . . . are worthy themes for the devout mind. All this adds up to the ‘greatness’ (v. 6) of His being, which can never be sufficiently declared” (Leupold, 977).

145:8 - “The Lord is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy” - This matches God’s own description of his attributes in Exodus 34:6 (cf. Jonah 4:2).

145:9 - “The Lord is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” - The first “all” probably refers to all people, thus coinciding with all God’s works (cf. Leupold, 977). “Tender mercies” is translated “compassion” in NIV. The Hebrew word conveys the idea of a deep love, “usually of a ‘superior’ for an ‘inferior.’” (TWOT, 2:841).

145:10 -“All thy works shall praise thee” - “Praise” here can be translated “give thanks” (cf. NASB; NJB; NRSV), though it is essentially synonymous with “bless.” While ultimately the praise of God’s creation and people (“saints”) will reach its climax in the future, this praise is not exclusively reserved for the future (cf. Leupold, 978).

145:13 -“Thy kingdom is an everlasting kingdom” - The kingdom, which is mentioned previously in verses 11 and 12, is here defined as God’s dominion over creation. It is an everlasting kingdom in contrast to the kingdom of man (cf. McClain, The Greatness of the Kingdom, 19, 23).

Lesson 5 - Job 1:14-15, 18-19, 22; 3:1-3, 11

Background - Job is perhaps the earliest book of the Bible (cf. Archer, Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 456ff). Job lived in “Luz” (1:1), which probably was in northern Arabia (BKC, 718-19). Job’s trials were the result of a heavenly challenge unknown to Job.

1:15 - “Sabeans” - These probably were inhabitants of Sheba in southwest Arabia (BKC, 720; UBD, 941).

1:18 - “Thy sons and thy daughters were eating” - Job had seven sons and three daughters (v. 2). They alternated in hosting meals for all the children (v. 4).

1:19 - “the young men . . . are dead” - This means that all Job’s ten children–seven sons and three daughters–were killed, not just the sons. The Hebrew word means “young men” and there is a feminine form for “young women” (TWOT, 2:585-6). However, when both men and women are included, the masculine form is used. NKJV and NASB thus translate it “young people.”

1:22 - “sinned not, nor charged God foolishly” - Upon losing his children, as well as his earthly possessions, Job assumed the posture of one who grieves (vv. 20-21). Yet he also praised God. At this point, he did not blame God or sin. Eventually, he would do both.

3:1 - “After this” - This is after Job’s loss of his children after the onslaught of physical suffering (2:1-8), after his wife’s bitter counsel (2:9-10), and after his friends had sat silently with him for seven days (2:11-13).

3:1 - “cursed his day” - The “day” is the day of his birth (cf. NIV; 3:3). “Cursed” is a word that means to lower in prestige. It is the opposite of covenantal blessing (TWOT, 2:800).

Lesson 6 - Job 14:1-2, 11-17; 32:6, 8; 34:12; 37:14, 22

14:1 - “few days, and full of trouble” - Job was answering Zophar’s judgmental attitude and accusations against Job (11:1-20). In doing so, Job fell into apparent hopelessness. Here he declared the brevity and troubled nature of life.

14:11 - “As the waters fail from the sea” - NASB conveys the idea clearly: “As water evaporates from the sea.”

14:12 - “man lieth down, and riseth not” - Here Job seems to despair of “anything beyond death except existence in Sheol, which is not real life” (WBC, 473).

14:13 - “hide me in the grave” - “Grave” here is sheol. See comment on Psalm 139:8. Job seemed to see death as the way to escape his troubles.

14:14 - “will he live again?” - LBC (953) says the context indicates that Job expected a no answer to this question. However, NIVBC (758) suggests that Job was suggesting that “God could provide a remedy by simply taking his life till his anger was over and then, by resurrection, call him back from Sheol.”

14:16-17 - “thou numberest my steps: dost thou not watch over my sin? My transgression is sealed up in a bag” - This is interpreted in two very different ways: (1) God is watching every step for any slip and sealing them up for punishment (JFB, 3:35); (2) “Though counting his steps . . . God would no longer record his sin, for his offenses would be hidden. . . . For Job such a prospect was wonderful” (BKC, 736; cf. NIV translation).

32:6 - “Elihu . . . the Buzite” - Elihu was younger than the other three friends of Job. He had listened to the ongoing dialogue and was angered by Job’s justification of himself (v. 2) and by the other three’s failure to answer him (v. 3). Buz was probably located near Edom, south of the Dead Sea (Old ISBE, 535).

32:8 - “there is a spirit in man” - This is Elihu’s argument that he, though young in comparison to Job and the others, can speak wisdom. The “spirit” may refer to the Holy Spirit, but the point is that wisdom comes from God and is not dependent on one’s age.

34:12 - “God will not do wickedly” - Elihu did not charge that Job had brought suffering upon himself by his sin. However, Job had charged God with injustice (Job 9:17), and Elihu was determined to defend God’s justice and call Job to repent of this sin committed after his trials had begun.

37:14 - “consider the wondrous works of God” - Elihu was suggesting that a consideration of God’s works indicates that his ways are beyond comprehension. Thus Job should not seek to bring his case before God.

Lesson 7 - Job 38:1, 4, 16-17; 42:1-2, 5; Mark 16:1-7, 9-14, 20

Job 38:1 -"whirlwind" - This is a violent wind (BDB, 704) but is a different word from the one used in Job 1:19. The wind emphasized the great power of the one addressing Job. God was responding to Job's suggestion that God had been unjust (cf. Job 9:17).

38:4 - “foundations of the earth” - God’s question was where Job was when he created the earth. The point was to show Job how little he really knew and how arrogant it was for a mere human being to judge God’s ways.

42:2 - “thou canst do every thing . . . no thought can be withholden from thee” - In response to God’s questions and discourse, Job humbly acknowledged that God’s power is unlimited. “No thought can be withholden” is translated “no purpose of Yours can be thwarted” in NASB (cf. NIV).

42:5 - "I have heard . . . but now mine eye seeth thee" - Job's conversation with God has been a transforming experience. Though he has not seen any form of God in the whirlwind, he can say he has now "seen" God in the sense of gaining spiritual insight. "By this new light Job finds again the way of wisdom" (WBC, 489; cf. BKC, 774.).

Mark 16:1 - For harmony of post-resurrection events, see Walvoord, Jesus Christ Our Lord (192-5).

16:1 - "Mary Magdalene, and Mary . . . and Salome" - Also in this group were Joanna and other women (Luke 24:10).

16:1 - “anoint him” - The intent of the women was to “anoint” Jesus’ body, completing the burial procedures that were hurried on the day of crucifixion because of the approaching Sabbath, when such work could not be done.

16:4 - "the stone was rolled away" - The women found that the stone covering the tomb's entrance had been removed from it. According to Matthew 28:2-4, an earthquake had occurred and an angel had rolled the stone back. The guards, who had witnessed this, had apparently fled the scene before the women arrived.

16:5 - "a young man" - This was an angel, as made clear by the parallels in Matthew and Luke. Luke 24:4 says there were two angels. Mark mentions only the one that spoke to the women.

16:6 - "he is risen" - Upon seeing that the stone had been removed from the tomb, Mary Magdalene departed to tell Peter and John (John 2:2-10). She was not present to hear the angel's words that Jesus had risen from the dead.

16:7 - "he goeth . . . into Galilee . . . as he said" - Jesus had promised to meet them in Galilee after his resurrection (Matt. 26:32; Mark 14:28).

16:9-20 - The textual evidence for this section is much in dispute. See Hendriksen (Mark, 682-87) for discussion.

16:9 - “he appeared first to Mary Magdalene” - More detail is given in John 20:11-18. Mary apparently saw the opened tomb and ran to tell the disciples without entering the tomb with the other women and hearing the angel’s message. She returned to the tomb, following John and Peter (John 20:1-10). It was then that she saw two angels who spoke to her and then met the resurrected Lord.

16:9 - “out of whom he had cast seven devils” - See Luke 8:2.

16:12 - “appeared in another form unto two of them” - This is a brief summary of Luke’s account of Jesus’ appearance to two disciples traveling to Emmaus (Luke 24:13-35).

16:13 - “neither believed they them” - Luke 24:34 says that when the two returned to Jerusalem, they found the others saying that the Lord was risen and had appeared to Peter. Hendriksen (689) suggests that there was mixed reactions among the disciples. Some believed the reports of the resurrection they had heard, while others doubted. In support of this he points to the doubts expressed later when Jesus appeared to all of them (vv. 37-41).

16:14 - “he appeared unto the eleven” - Apparently this is the appearance recorded in Luke 24:36-49 and John 20:19-23 on the evening following Jesus’ resurrection. If so, “eleven” is used in a technical sense for the group of remaining disciples. Thomas was not with them at that time (John 20:24-29).

Lesson 8 - Ecclesiastes 1:1-9; John 20:19-23

Eccles. 1:1 - “the Preacher, the son of David” - “Preacher” is one who gathers an assembly (Leupold, Exposition of Ecclesiastes, 38). Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon, David’s son, near the end of his life (BKC, 902; Archer, Survey of Old Testament Introduction, 478ff).

1:2 - “vanity of vanities” - “Vanity” means without value, significance, or meaning (BKC, 976, 979). NIV translates it “meaningless” (TWOT, 1:204).

1:3 - “under the sun” - This expression refers to purely earthly values, without reference to God (Leupold, 28, 43). It is the key to understanding Ecclesiastes. The hopelessness and meaninglessness of life that Solomon described is the perspective of one who lives without God.

1:4-7 - “one generation passeth away . . .” - In verse 3 Solomon had declared that the endless toil of a person “under the sun” produces no advantage for him. He illustrates this through the processes of nature, which he views as “wearisome repetition” (WBC, 586).

1:8 - “All things are full of labour; man cannot utter it” - “Full of labour” is better translated “wearisome” (cf. NIV; NASB). Solomon concluded that “all things in life are monotonous and futile, that no matter where one looks in nature, he finds the same tiresome, ceaseless round of activity” (WBC, 586). “Man cannot utter” this, or adequately express it with words.

1:9 - “there is no new thing under the sun” - This statement does not preclude new inventions or technologies. Rather, it seems to be saying that “there is no new source of happiness . . . which can be devised: the same round of petty pleasures, cares, business, study, wars, . . . being repeated over and over again” (JFB, 3:515; cf. LBC, 1260).

John 20:19 - Mary had reported Jesus' appearance to her (John 20:18) but the disciples had not believed her (Mark 16:11). When the two disciples traveling to Emmaus arrived back in Jerusalem to report the Lord's appearance to them, the disciples were declaring that Peter had seen the Lord and that He was indeed risen. Yet Mark 16:12-13 indicates the disciples did not believe the two disciples either. BKC (195) explains it this way: "When they returned to Jerusalem and reported the event to the rest of the disciples, they did not believe their report either (cf. v. 11). Apparently, despite affirmative statements (cf. Luke 24:34), the disciples initially seemed to regard Jesus' post-resurrection appearances as apparitions (cf. Luke 24:37)." Shortly after the arrival of the two from Emmaus, Jesus appeared to the disciples (John 20:19).

20:21 - "sent . . . send" - Two different words (apostello and pempto) are used, though there seems to be no distinction in their meaning here (cf. Morris, John, 846). The second word is in the present tense--"I am sending you."

20:22 - "Receive ye the Holy Ghost" - The two most common interpretations are: (1) This refers to a temporary filling of the Holy Spirit that would empower the disciples until the Spirit's coming at Pentecost (Kent, Light in the Darkness, 221; BKC, 343; Robt. 5:314; Walvoord, The Holy Spirit, 83). (2) This statement is prophetic, a promise that the disciples would later (at Pentecost) receive the Spirit (cf. Michaels, John, 349, though he does not endorse it).

20:23 - "are remitted . . . are retained" - the verbs are perfect passive and thus can be literally translated, "have been remitted . . . have been retained"; Robt. 5:314-315; cf. NASB. The idea is that God forgives sins or retains them based on people's response to the gospel of Christ. The apostles (and the church) then can pronounce an individual forgiven or not forgiven based on his response to Christ. They announce what God has already determined--that one who accepts Christ is forgiven and that one who rejects Him remains in his sins (cf. BKC, 343; Morris, John, 349; NIV Study Bible, 1637).

Lesson 9 - Ecclesiastes 3:1-8, 14-15

3:1 - "a time to every purpose" - The point seems to be that "the different types of activity mentioned in vv. 2-8 are to be conceived exclusively as forms of divine activity-there is a proper time for God to do things" (Leupold, Exposition of Ecclesiastes, 81). Verses 2-8 list 14 opposites. Some see this as significant: "The fact that Solomon utilized polar opposites in a multiple of seven and began his list with birth and death is highly significant. The number seven suggests the idea of completeness and the use of polar opposites-a well-known poetical device called merism-suggests totality" (BKC, 983).

3:2 - "plant . . . pluck up" - The beginning and end of plant life parallels that of human in the first part of this verse. To "pluck up" is to uproot, as when the roots of plants are removed in preparation for another planting.

3:5 - "cast away stones . . . gather stones" - This probably describes the clearing of ground of loose stones in preparation for building and the gathering of other stones to use in the building.

3:6 - "get . . . lose" - "Get" (BDB, 134) and "lose" (BDB, 1-2) seem to refer to searching and giving up a search (cf. NASB).

3:7 - "rend" - BKC (984) suggests this may refer to mourning, which was expressed by the tearing of the clothes (cf. Gen. 37:34). Since this would essentially repeat the thought of verse 4, however, it seems more likely to be taken literally as the tearing and sewing of clothes in the normal course of events.

3:14 - “whatsoever God doeth . . . shall be for ever . . . that men should fear” - Here Solomon “described the nature of God’s plan and the response it should elicit. . . . the work of God is eternal . . . and perfect and immutable” (BKC, 985).

3:15 - "That which hath been is now; and that which is to be hath already been" - This repeats much of the thought of 1:9. This may mean "that which hath been in the mind of God from eternity is now realized in time. . . . that which is to be hath already been-in the Divine counsels" (JFB, 3:521), or it may simply be a statement that the repetition of natural events supports the fact that God is sovereign (v. 14).

3:15 - "God requireth that which is past" - Literally, this reads, "God seeks that which is pursued" (cf. NASB). Ideas as to its meaning vary. It may mean that God has "ordained the continual circle of events in life so that each has its predetermined season" (WBC, 588; JFB, 3:521). Thus he causes past events to reoccur. It may mean that God repeatedly confronts us with the lessons of history (NIVBC, 1013), meaning that God's governance of the universe never changes; it produces the same lessons over and over (BKC, 985).

Lesson 10 - Proverbs 2:1-5; 3:1-6, 13-18

2:1 - “hide my commandments” - “Hide” is the same Hebrew word translated “hidden” in Psalm 119:11 (BDB, 860).

2:2 - “incline thine ear unto wisdom . . . understanding” - “Wisdom” (hokma, TWOT, 1:282-3) generally means skill for living (BKC, 902).”Understanding” refers primarily to discernment (TWOT, 1:103-4; Kidner, Proverbs, 36).

2:3 - “criest after knowledge” - JFB (3:416) describes this cdrying out in terms of prayer to God.

2:5 - “knowledge of God” - “Knowledge” (refers to knowledge gained by the senses (TWOT, 1:366-7; Kidner, 37).

3:1 - “my law” - This probably means Solomon’s teachings (Kidner, 63), although JFB (3:419), however, equates it with God’s law.

3:2 - “long life, and peace” - Promises such as this one in Proverbs are general principles, not guarantees (BKC, 904, 953 [on 22:6]). “Peace” (shalom) is translated “prosperity” in NIV. In a broader sense it also means “wholeness, health, and harmony” (BKC, 911).

3:3 - “mercy . . . truth” - The word here is hesed, often translated “lovingkindness” in KJV. See TWOT, 1:305ff; BKC, 911. “Truth” is faithfulness or dependability (TWOT, 1:52).

3:3 - “bind them about thy neck” - Similar symbolic language is used in Proverbs 1:9; 3:22; 6:21; 7:3.

3:4 - “favour . . . good understanding” - “Good understanding” is best understood as a good reputation (NASB; NKJV) or good name (NIV). “Favour” is translated “grace” in verse 34.

3:5 - “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart” - “Trust” emphasizes putting confidence in (TWOT, 1:101-2). “Heart” refers to emotions, intellect, and understanding (BKC, 911).

3:6 - “acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths” - “Acknowledge” is to know and fellowship with (Kidner, 63-64). To “direct paths” is to make straight (TWOT, 1:417; Girdlestone, Synonyms of the Old Testament, 100).

3:13 - “Happy is the man” - “Happy” means “blessed” (TWOT, 1:80). The same word is used in Psalm 1:1.

3:14 - “merchandise . . . gain” - This refers to profits made on investment (cf. Kidner, 65; BKC, 912).

3:17 - “pleasantness” - The word speaks of that which is lovely or beautiful (TWOT, 2:585).

3:18 - “She is a tree of life” - See Gen. 2:9; Prov. 11:30; 13:12; 15:4; Rev. 2:7; 22:2. The tree of life symbolizes “vitality and fullness of life” (NIVBC, 946).

Lesson 11 - Proverbs 8:1-5, 22-31

8:1 - “Doth not wisdom cry?” - Here wisdom is depicted as a woman (cf. v. 2) crying out in the street, offering herself to any who will receive her. In 7:4 wisdom is called a sister and friend. The figure contrasts with the immoral woman of 7:8-23.

8:2 - “places of the paths” - This refers to crossroads, or “where the paths meet” (NASB).

8:3 - “crieth at the gates” - The city gates is where business and legal proceedings were conducted (JFB, 3:436; BKC, 921).

8:5 - “simple . . . fools” - One who is simple “is naive and untaught” (BKC, 907, on 1:4; cf. Kidner, Proverbs, 39). A fool is one who is obstinate (Kidner, 40).

8:5 - “wisdom . . . understanding” - “Wisdom” is maskil, a word often used in a negative sense of crafty or shrewd. Here it is used positively of prudence (BDB, 791; TWOT, 2:697-98). For “understanding” (tebuna), see comment on Proverbs 2:2.

8:22 - “The Lord possessed me in the beginning of his way” - This and the following verses present wisdom as existing even before Creation. “Possessed” (qanah) can also mean “created” or “established,” and some argue for this meaning here (NIVBC, 955; cf. NIV). The idea that wisdom existed before Creation, however, argues that “possessed” is the correct rendering. Some also believe wisdom here refers to Christ. Most modern interpreters, however, reject this view (cf. WBC, 565) and simply see wisdom personified here as it is elsewhere (cf. vv. 1-5).

8:23 - “I was set up from everlasting” - NIV translates, “I was appointed from eternity.” “Appointed” is the same word used to describe the installation of a king in Psalm 2:6.

8:24 - “I was brought forth” - Wisdom is described as being “born”; yet this is poetic language. The passage actually indicates that wisdom is eternal (WBC, 565).

8:27 - “he set a compass” - This expression means “marked out the circle of the horizon” (WBC, 565; cf. NIV).

8:30 - “as one brought up with him” - The Hebrew here describes a “master builder” (NASB), or craftsman. Wisdom is “personified as an assistant in the Lord’s creative work” (BKC, 923). Thus, Solomon “poetically indicates that God was wise in what He created. Being at His side implies intimate association.”

8:31 - “Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth . . . the sons of men” - Wisdom is seen as a close observer of God’s creative work and rejoicing in “the world, His earth” (NASB), and particularly in mankind.

Lesson 12 - Proverbs 11:1-14

11:2 - “with the lowly is wisdom” - Pride is seen here as leading to shame or disgrace. Humility, however, does not lead to exaltation as such, but to wisdom. The verb form of the Hebrew word for “lowly” is translated “walk humbly” in Micah 6:8.

11:3 - “integrity of the upright shall guide them . . . perverseness of transgressors” - “Integrity” “refers to moral wholeness, being without moral blemish. When integrity is a way of life, it guides like a shepherd” (BKC, 928). “Perverseness” may be rendered “duplicity” (NIV).

11:4 - “day of wrath” - This could refer to “divine punishment in this life” (NIVBC, 959), death (BKC, 928), or judgment after death (cf. JFB, 3:448).

11:5 - “The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way” - NASB translates, “The righteousness of the blameless will smooth his way.” “Righteous living results in . . . a life with fewer obstacles and troubles” (BKC, 928).

11:7 - “his expectation shall perish . . . the hope of unjust men perisheth” - “Expectation” may speak of the afterlife (WBC, 567). The basic idea is that death brings an end to everything the wicked person had hoped to accomplish (BKC, 928). NIV translates, “When a wicked man dies, his hope perishes; all he expected from his power comes to nothing” (cf. NASB).

11:8 - “the wicked cometh in his stead” - This seems to be a general principle–namely that the trouble that the righteous escape falls instead on the wicked (NIVBC, 959; cf. NASB).

11:9 - “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbor: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered” - The godless person who destroys his neighbor through slander is contrasted with the righteous person who through his knowledge is delivered. Apparently the escape of the righteous is escape from the devastating effects of slander. He has “sufficient knowledge and experience to identify and end the slander” (NIVBC, 959).

11:10 - “the city rejoiceth” - The thought is that the people of a city delight in the prosperity of the righteous because they bring the city success. Likewise, people rejoice when the wicked are punished. Society recognizes the benefits of righteous living and maintaining law and order.

11:11 - “by the blessing of the upright, the city is exalted” - This basically repeats the thought of verse 10, except here the emphasis is on speech. “‘The blessing of the upright’ is the beneficent words and deeds that bring enrichment to a community. But the words for the wicked have a disastrous effect on society” (NIVBC, 959).

11:12 - “despiseth his neighbour” - NIV translates, “derides his neighbor.” The word used means “‘to despise, belittle, hold in contempt’” (BKC, 929).

11:13 - “A talebearer revealeth secrets” - The “talebearer,” or “gossip” (NIV), is one who is “malicious rather than indiscreet” (Kidner, 91). His intention is to hurt another by revealing secrets. “He “that is of a faithful spirit,” that is, “a trustworthy man” (NIV) does not unnecessarily disclose things that will hurt a neighbor.

Lesson 13 - Proverbs 31:8-14, 25-30

Background - “King Lemuel” - Nothing is known of Lemuel, unless he is to be identified with Solomon as some writers, ancient and modern, assert (cf. UBD, 654). Some versions translate this “Lemuel king of Massa” (cf. NJB; cf. Kidner, 182).

31:8 - “the dumb . . . such as are appointed to destruction” - The “dumb” are not the literally dumb (unable to speak) but those who “cannot speak for themselves” (NIV). Literally, those “appointed to destruction” is “the sons of passing away” (JFB, 3:511). NIV translates “all who are destitute,” and NASB has “all the unfortunate.”

31:10 - Verses 10-31 form an acrostic poem, with each of the 22 verses beginning with a successive letter of the Hebrew alphabet.

31:10 - “a virtuous woman” - “Woman” can also be translated “wife.” “Virtuous” (hayil) “denotes in different contexts strength, wealth, ability” (Kidner, 184). NASB has “an excellent wife.” The description “signifies that she possesses all the virtues, honor, and strength to do that things that the poem will set forth” (NIVBC, 1007).

31:11 - “no need of spoil” - The Hebrew word for “spoil” usually refers to plunder. The idea may mean that one who finds a virtuous wife has gained more than the spoils of war could bring. NKJV translates the phrase, “he will have no lack of gain.”

31:13-14- “She seeketh wool . . . she is like the merchants’ ships” - The virtuous woman is described as one who sews and weaves to provide clothing for her family. The “simile with the merchant ships suggests that she brings a continual supply of “ food (NIVBC, 1007).

31:25 - “Strength . . . she shall rejoice in time to come” - The word for “strength” can refer to physical strength but here may refer to the woman’s industriousness (cf. TWOT, 2:659-60). Her future rejoicing speaks of her confidence.

31:26 - “in her tongue is the law of kindness” - “Law” here means instruction. NASB has, “the teaching of kindness is on her tongue.”

31:28 - “Her children arise up, and call her blessed” - According to JFB (3:513) “arise” has the idea of going into public. It pictures the woman’s children reaching maturity and going into public praising her (cf. Turner, Wise Words in a Wicked World, 90).

31:30 - “Favour is deceitful” - “Favour” is translated “charm” in NASB and NIV. It refers to “an attractive personality which makes a favorable impression” (TWOT, 1:303). Normally this is an honorable quality, but it can be deceitful–something that is merely outward and not indicative of one’s true character.

Abbreviations

BDB - Brown, Driver, and Briggs, Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament

BKC - Bible Knowledge Commentary

EDT - Evangelical Dictionary of Theology

GTJ - Grace Theological Journal

JFB - Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown, Commentary on the Whole Bible

NASB - New American Standard Bible

NIV - New International Version

NIVBC - NIV Bible Commentary

NJB - New Jerusalem Bible

NKJV - New King James Version

NRSV- New Revised Standard Version

Old ISBE - International Standard Bible Encyclopedia (original edition)

Robt. - Robertson’s Word Pictures in the New Testament

TWOT - Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament

UBD - Unger’s Bible Dictionary

Vine’s - Vine’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words

WBC - Wycliffe Bible Commentary