Genesis to Revelation: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Participant Book: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible

Genesis to Revelation: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Participant Book: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible

by James Crenshaw
Genesis to Revelation: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Participant Book: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible

Genesis to Revelation: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Participant Book: A Comprehensive Verse-by-Verse Exploration of the Bible

by James Crenshaw

eBookGenesis to Revelation: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Participant Book - eBook [ePub] (Genesis to Revelation: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Participant Book - eBook [ePub])

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Overview

What does the Bible say? What does it mean? How does it relate to my life? Genesis to Revelation, a comprehensive, verse-by-verse, book-by-book study of the Bible, will strengthen your understanding and appreciation of the Scripture by helping you engage on these three levels. Newly revised, these Abingdon classics are based on the NIV translation and are presented in an easy-to-read format. Each of the volumes includes thirteen sessions and a separate Leader Guide.

Study the entire Books of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Songs in this comprehensive study beginning with a look at the springs of life in Proverbs and ending with Song of Songs' declaration that love is as strong as death. Some of the major ideas explored in this study are: the cost of getting involved, joy unlimited, the constancy of friendship, time to love and to hate, and the old and the new. The meaning of the selected passages is made clear by considering such aspects as ancient customs, locations of places, and the meanings of words. The simple format makes the study easy to use. Includes maps and glossary with key pronunciation helps.


Product Details

ISBN-13: 9781501848483
Publisher: Abingdon Press
Publication date: 12/19/2017
Series: Genesis to Revelation series
Sold by: Barnes & Noble
Format: eBook
File size: 501 KB

About the Author

James L. Crenshaw is the Robert L. Flowers Professor of Old Testament at Duke University, Durham, North Carolina.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

EVERYTHING FLOWS FROM THE HEART

Proverbs 1–4

DIMENSION ONE: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 1

1. What is the beginning of knowledge? (1:7)

2. What happens to people who acquire wealth by means of violence? (1:19)

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 2

3. Despite our efforts to learn about life's mysteries, who grants true wisdom to individuals? (2:6)

4. From what does wisdom deliver young men? (2:16)

5. What happens to those who surrender before the adulterous woman's seductive speech? (2:18-19)

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 3

6. What happens to young people who heed the teachings of their parents? (3:1-2)

7. Whom should we trust? (3:5)

8. What special relationship exists between God and the subject of divine discipline? (3:11-12)

9. What does wisdom hold in each of her hands? (3:16)

10. What three things is wisdom like? (3:15-18)

11. In the beginning, when God created the world, what assisted the Creator? (3:19-20)

12. When should we help others? (3:27)

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 4

13. What does wisdom place upon the head of the one who loves her? (4:9)

14. What characterizes the separate paths of the righteous and the wicked? (4:18-19)

15. What flows from the human heart? (4:23)

DIMENSION TWO: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE MEAN?

* Proverbs 1:1. The Book of Proverbs consists of several individual collections that have been brought together in a single book. Verse 1 associates these proverbs with King Solomon, who was reputed to have been wiser than all the peoples of the East and of Egypt. (See 1 Kings 4:30.) Stories intended to demonstrate Solomon's wisdom have found a place in the record of Israel's early kings. (See 1 Kings 3; 4:29-34; 10:1-13.)

* Proverbs 1:2-7. We do not know whether this introduction applies to the entire Book of Proverbs or just to the first collection in 1:1–9:18. Verses 2-6 state the teacher's wish to bestow wisdom on two kinds of people those who are being newly instructed in the ways of wisdom (the young or the simple) and the mature person who still may "add to their learning." These two verses set the foundation of wisdom's goal: to convey in both broad and specific teachings the Two Ways of life. Throughout Proverbs, life is portrayed with its real choices toward God and righteousness (wisdom) or toward sin and death (folly). The final verse stands as a motto for the educational task. Knowledge begins with faith, and any reasonable person wants to learn. The young are beginning to learn; the wise continue to learn; and the simple fool either refuses to learn or willfully rejects the lessons of wisdom.

* Proverbs 1:8-19. Above all, the wise are individuals who practice self-control. Violence breeds further violence, and therefore is to be avoided at all costs. This section warns young men that their choice of companions is crucial to their well-being. They must resist appeals to get rich by putting youthful energy to work at highway robbery. Those who surrender to generous offers of sharing the spoil acquired through murder will in the end be covered with their own blood. But those who heed their parents' advice will wear a garland and necklaces, signs of prosperity in the ancient world.

* Proverbs 1:20-23. The author depicts wisdom as a person competing for a hearing in the hustle and bustle of daily activity within the city. The language comes from prophetic literature where God complains that frequent calls have met with stubborn resistance. Just as a spurned Lord eventually turns away and leaves the people to their destruction, so wisdom will withdraw from desperate individuals who seek her in vain.

* Proverbs 2:6. The motto in 1:7 claims that one must be religious in order to achieve true wisdom. This verse goes one step further: God is the source of all knowledge. One cannot become truly wise apart from the love of God. This assertion that God grants wisdom and proclaims understanding contrasts with the conviction that knowledge can be gained by using the intellect. The same tension pervades Proverbs 3:5.

* Proverbs 2:16-19. This is the first reference to the archenemy of young men, the foreign woman. We shall encounter the seductress throughout the first part of Proverbs. Opinions differ as to the identity of the strange woman. Is she a representative of fertility worship who invites young Israelites to sacrifice their virtue to a foreign goddess? Is she a foreigner residing in Israel? Is she an Israelite whose loose conduct sets her apart as foreign to the ways of decency? Since she is described differently in different places, we cannot be sure who she is. In any event, she cannot ensnare those who make room for wisdom in their heart.

* Proverbs 3:1-4. The sages believed that knowledge enriched life in more than one way. Not only did it help persons steer successfully through life's rough seas, but wisdom also brought well-being and assured long life. In one sense, wisdom was the ability to cope. Without such ability persons fell victim to life's negative forces.

As reminders of the power of knowledge, loyalty and faithfulness are to be worn like amulets or even inscribed on the tablet of the heart. The imagery is taken from Deuteronomy, which urges a similar use of God's words. Those who cherish wisdom will enjoy respect from persons and favor from God.

* Proverbs 3:11-12. Discipline was a favorite topic of the sages. Parents punished their children because they loved them. In the same manner God reproved those who were special. This response to human suffering was sufficient in some instances, but the Book of Job, for example, demonstrates the complexity of the problem and the danger of such simple answers.

* Proverbs 3:19-20. The orderliness of the universe impressed the sages. Therefore, it was natural to assume that divine wisdom accomplished the creative deed. This theme is fully developed in Proverbs 8:22-31.

* Proverbs 4:1-6. The family setting stands out in this section. Both father and mother are mentioned, although the father alone is responsible for teaching the son. Elsewhere a mother's teaching is set alongside the father's. (See Proverbs 6:20.) Nowhere, however, do we read that daughters receive instruction. The address, my sons, is a technical expression meaning "student." Father means "teacher."

* Earlier, the prophet Amos had urged people of the Northern Kingdom to seek the Lord and live (Amos 6:6). Here the teacher promises life to those who abide by his instructions.

* Proverbs 4:14-19. Two paths are compared — the path of the righteous and the way of the wicked. The wise walk along the first way, and fools the second. Light characterizes the way of wisdom, darkness the path of folly. The dark path represents danger. Death greets those who stumble in darkness.

DIMENSION THREE: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE MEAN TO ME?

Proverbs 1:7 — Faith and Knowledge

The author of this verse believed that the first step in becoming learned was a religious one. To ancient Israelites, the fear of the Lord encompassed worship, though that is seldom mentioned in Proverbs, and also religion, which meant one's entire orientation toward a life of faith. (See, for example, Deuteronomy 10:12-13.) We are not certain whether the beginning of knowledge meant the first stage or the main ingredient. Perhaps both ideas are intended.

Our culture generally sees religion as a segment of our entire orientation to life, among family, school, work, and so on, rather than as a foundation for all that we think and do. Given that context and the teaching of Proverbs, what do you think is the proper relationship between knowledge and religion? What conflict exists between secular learning and religious teaching? Should persons give at least equal credence to spiritual truths as to nonreligious ones? Why or why not? In what ways might your life change if your entire orientation were religious, as defined here?

Proverbs 1:8-19 — Violence Breeds Violence

One test of education's value is its capacity for directing youthful energy along wholesome channels. Our society is prone to violence. Often prosperity depends upon a willingness to walk roughshod over the lives of all who stand in the way. The combined power of several people heightens the opportunity for harming others, since it permits a measure of anonymity.

What do you think about the assertion that those who resort to violence will be swallowed up by its power? Did not Jesus warn against the use of force for precisely this reason? What is the difference between military readiness and violence as a way of life? When does arguing from a position of strength encourage the use of the sword?

Proverbs 1:24-28 — The Fool Who Refuses to Learn

These verses express frustration by wisdom, who calls out to all who would give heed, but encounters only mockers and fools who reject or disdain wisdom's knowledge and who choose not to fear the Lord. Students who have the capacity, but lack the discipline, motivation, or value for learning will face calamity. In a reversal of fortune, those who mocked wisdom's gifts will be mocked by wisdom when disaster strikes. Those who refused to hear wisdom's call will be ignored when they call out for help. Wisdom seems content to let the fool face the consequences of his folly alone.

Compassion, as well as practicality, dictate that we make every effort to educate and encourage others to follow a wise path in life, both through our words and our example. Is there ever a point at which a parent, teacher, mentor, or friend is justified in giving up all attempts to teach someone who refuses to learn? At what point, or under what circumstances can (or should) we simply let someone face the consequences of their own willful folly?

Proverbs 3:2-7 — The Arrogance of Knowledge

Human wisdom is practical, including knowing and knowing how, but it has its limits. One gains wisdom through experience and obedience to God, but never fully "arrives," as there is always more to know, do, and be. By contract, divine wisdom, while also practical, has no limits and comes to us as a gift. Our own learning takes us only so far; only with the gift of wisdom may we mature into full righteousness.

These verses urge the learner to guard against the arrogance of assuming more importance in his own abilities and knowledge than is prudent or justified. Still, humility does not preclude finding joy in what we know and do. How do we balance pride in our accomplishments with the claim of wisdom?

Proverbs 4:20-27 — Everything Flows From the Heart

For the ancient Hebrew the heart was more than a pump sending blood throughout the body. This marvelous mechanism was regarded as the source of thought and feeling, which guided the actions of the whole body. It had to be protected from the many harmful distractions of life. The wise man must not engage in or succumb to gossip or lying ("corrupt talk from your lips"), temptation ("let your eyes look straight ahead"), poor choices ("give careful thought to the paths for your feet"), and unfaithfulness ("keep your foot from evil").

How do we face life with our eyes and hearts open and oriented toward God, when we are constantly bombarded with the violence, cynicism, corruption, and temptations in so many facets of the world and our own society? Is it even possible to have a pure heart?

CHAPTER 2

A FOUNTAIN OF JOY

Proverbs 5–9

DIMENSION ONE: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY?

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 5

1. What are the lips of an adulterous woman like? (5:3-4)

2. What is a good wife like? (5:18-19)

3. Who watches over men and women? (5:21)

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 6

4. What can lazy persons learn from an ant? (6:6-8)

5. What unwelcome guest comes upon persons who sleep when they should be at work? (6:10-11)

6. What sort of person uses body language to deceive others? (6:12-15)

7. What is God's commandment? (6:23)

8. What do persons who are guilty of adultery do to themselves? (6:32-33)

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 7

9. What should the personification of wisdom be called? (7:4)

10. What does the adulterous woman tell her lovers? (7:19-20)

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 8

11. Where does the personification of wisdom take her stand? (8:2-3)

12. What was the first of God's creative acts? (8:22)

13. What two things give wisdom joy? (8:31)

Answer these questions by reading Proverbs 9

14. Whom does wisdom invite to her banquet? (9:4)

15. Who profits from wisdom and who does not? (9:12)

16. What does folly lack? (9:13)

17. What ancient proverb does folly quote? (9:17)

DIMENSION TWO: WHAT DOES THE BIBLE MEAN?

* Proverbs 5:1-6. Here, a father warns his son about the hidden dangers of an adulterous woman's smooth speech. Although her words are pleasant like honey, they eventually turn as bitter as wormwood (a plant that produces a bitter-tasting oil). Those who accompany her go down to the region of the dead.

* Proverbs 5:7-14. Here the teacher pictures an unfortunate man who has fallen victim to an adulterous woman. As his life comes to an end, he complains about losing his wealth and health. He realizes he had only been working to turn over his money to the woman. For his trouble, he caught a life-threatening disease. Too late, he sees the cost of turning his back upon his teachers.

* Proverbs 5:15-23. In these verses, the beauty of faithfulness in marriage is contrasted with the ugliness of infidelity. The wife is compared to a well of pure water. The writer also pictures her as a lovely deer, and he urges strong affection for one so beautiful and good. The point of this praise is clear: Possessing such rare companionship, why thirst for water from an impure stream? Besides, God is watching and will surely punish sinners.

* Proverbs 6:1-5. The image of an adulterer being caught in a trap (in Proverbs 5) shifts now to a case of financial entrapment. In pledging to pay the debts of a neighbor and shaking hands on the deal, one may be trapped by that promise and beholden to a stranger. He would be wise to work immediately to extricate himself. As a gazelle or bird escapes the snares of its hunter, he must plead his case with his neighbor. The pledge this passage refers to was a pledge to repay the debt of a someone who is unable to repay the debt himself. The words neighbor and stranger are used synonymously. (See also Proverbs 11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26-27; 27:13.)

* Proverbs 6:6-11. The theme of laziness runs through the Book of Proverbs. Here sluggards are told to watch ants prepare for winter and learn a lesson. That lesson is stated in negative form. If one refuses to learn from ants, poverty will take complete control. The picture is particularly apt. A lazy person lies on his bed while want, personified as a robber, breaks into his house.

* Proverbs 6:12-15. Ancient Israelites understood the meaning of body language even though they did not call it such. This unusual section brings together various questionable acts such as crooked speech ("corrupt mouth"), winking, signaling "with his feet," and motioning "with his fingers." The final reference to a person "with deceit in his heart" who sows unrest gets to the real cause for this body language.

* Proverbs 6:16-19. This is the first numerical proverb we have encountered. The subject matter is like that of 6:12-15.

* Proverbs 6:20-35. In this section, the longest we have come upon so far, a father contrasts parental teaching with uncontrolled passion for another man's wife. To make his point, the father uses the image of two kinds of fire, a household lamp and lust's searing flame. The first gives off helpful light. The second destroys the person who lights it. The lamp wards off attacks by loose women whose speech is so appealing.

Two kinds of dangerous women are spoken of here. The first is a common prostitute and the second is an adulterous woman. The father reports that a prostitute's wages are cheap when compared to the excessive demands of a married woman. The father then uses an example of a thief who steals because of hunger. Necessity is no excuse for theft, he argues. Sexual hunger is no different.

* Proverbs 7:6-23. The style of this section is that of an autobiography. A teacher reflects on what he has observed from his own house. He draws a conclusion about the ultimate fate of the victim. Again the adulterous woman is the villain. The husband's absence gives her a perfect opportunity to seek a night of pleasure. She can play around safely, for she knows that he took plenty of money and will be gone a long time.

(Continues…)



Excerpted from "Genesis to Revelation: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs Participant Book"
by .
Copyright © 2017 Abingdon Press.
Excerpted by permission of Abingdon Press.
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Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

Table of Contents

1. Everything Flows From the Heart (Proverbs 1–4),
2. A Fountain of Joy (Proverbs 5–9),
3. The Truth Lasts Forever (Proverbs 10–14),
4. Listening for Understanding (Proverbs 15–18),
5. Why Human Plans Go Wrong (Proverbs 19:1–22:16),
6. A Future and a Hope (Proverbs 22:17–24:34),
7. Probing Life's Mysteries (Proverbs 25–29),
8. Worth More Than Rubies (Proverbs 30–31),
9. Everything Is Meaningless (Ecclesiastes 1–3),
10. No One to Comfort Them (Ecclesiastes 4–8),
11. The Race Is Not to the Swift (Ecclesiastes 9–12),
12. Lovers in the Garden (Song of Songs 1–4),
13. Love Is as Strong as Death (Song of Songs 5–8),

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