Understanding The Bible
STUDY REFERENCE
Clarence E. Mason's "OLD TESTAMENT POETIC BOOKS"
The Book of Proverbs
INTRODUCTION, SUMMARY OUTLINE, and OUTLINE

Dr. Clarence E. Mason, Jr.
Philadelphia College of Bible
1969

THE BOOK OF PROVERBS
Introduction, Summary Outline, and Outline

INTRODUCTION

Inspiration

Proverbs was in the canon upon which our Lord placed His unqualified endorsement (Lk. 24:44; Mt. 5:28; Jn. 10:35b).

Dispensational Position

Proverbs is a book which transcends all dispensations. It is not limited to any particular dispensation, but is applicable at any time and place. "It is well to observe that there is no question of redemption or propitiation in this book; it purposes a walk according to the wisdom of God's government." God deigns to apply His wisdom to the details of life in this world of confusion and evil."

Relation to Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes

As already indicated in previous notes, these other two books of Solomon preceded the writing of Proverbs (Eccl. 12:9-14). In this book we have slightly less than 500 (494) or one-sixth of the 3000 proverbs written by him (1 Ki. 4:32). These proverbs comprise slightly more than half of the book of Proverbs (17 1/2 of the 31 chapters).

SUMMARY OUTLINE

  1. Wisdom and folly contrasted 1-9
  2. Proverbs of Solomon, set in order by himself 10:1-22:16 (375 proverbs)
  3. Words of the wise 22:17-24:34
  4. Proverbs of Solomon copied out by the men of Hezekiah 25-29 (119 proverbs)
  5. Three supplementary collections 30-31

OUTLINE
(Smeeton - Mason)

  1. Wisdom and folly contrasted 1-9
    1. The aim of the book 1:1-6
    2. Wisdom's basis 1:7-19
    3. Wisdom's warning 1:20-33
    4. Wisdom, the deliverer 2
    5. Wisdom's rewards 3:1-10
    6. Wisdom, the supreme prize 3:11-20
    7. Wisdom secures safety 3:21-26
    8. Do good and not evil 3:27-30
    9. Jehovah's friendship 3:31-35
    10. A father's advice 4:1-9
    11. The two paths 4:10-19
    12. Health for the whole man 4:20-27
    13. The strange(r) woman 5
    14. Sorrows of suretyship 6:1-5
    15. The sluggard 6:6-11
    16. The sower of discord 6:12-19
    17. Father's and mother's warning 6:20-35
    18. Another warning against strange women 7
    19. Eternal wisdom's manifesto (cp. 1 Cor. 1:24, 30) 8
    20. Wisdom's invitation 9:1-6
    21. The scoffer 9:7-12
    22. Folly's invitation 9:13-18
  2. Proverbs of Solomon, set in order by himself
    1. Proverbs 10-12. 91 proverbs - The Blessing of Jehovah
      Every proverb may be illustrated by some Scriptural person or incident, as for example:
      1. v. 1a, Solomon
      2. v. 1b, Esau
      3. v. 2a Haman
      4. v. 2b Mordecai
      5. v. 3a Habakkuk
      6. v. 3b rich fool
      7. v. 4a some Corinthians (2 Cor. 9:6a) and some Thessalonians (2 Thes. 3:7-12)
      8. v. 4b Ruth
      9. v. 5a Paul
      10. v. 5b Demas
      11. v. 6a Paul
      12. v. 6b Nero
      13. v. 7a Paul
      14. v. 7b Nero
      15. v. 8a Nebuchadnezzar
      16. v. 8b Belshazzar
      17. v. 9a Joseph
      18. v. 9b Ziba
      19. v. 10a cp. Judas' kiss
      20. v. 10b Belshazzar
      21. v. 11a Samuel
      22. v. 11b Nero
      23. v. 12a Doeg, the Edomite (1 Sam. 9-19)
      24. v. 12b Nathan and David (2 Sam. 12:1-14)
      25. v. 13a Solomon (1 Ki. 3:5-28)
      26. v. 13b Rehoboam (1Ki. 12:8-19)
      27. v. 14a Timothy (2 Tim. 3:14-15)
      28. v. 14b Elymas (Acts 13:6-11)
      29. v. 15 "not in the day of wrath," 11:4
      30. v. 16a Abel
      31. v. 16b Cain
      32. v. 17a David
      33. v. 17b Saul (1 Sam. 15:23)
      34. v. 18a Lev. 19:16 "talebearer," Joab (2 Sam. 3:27)
      35. v. 18b the accusers of Jeremiah (Jer. 37:11-15)
      36. v. 19a Haman before King
      37. v. 19b Christ before judges
      38. v. 20a Peter (Acts 8:23)
      39. v. 20b Simon Magus
      40. v. 21a Samuel
      41. v. 21b Saul
      42. v. 22 Habakkuk and Paul (Hab. 3:17-19; Phil. 4:11-13)
      43. v. 23a Balaam (Num. 31:16)
      44. v. 23b Phinehas (Numb. 25:6-13)
      45. etc.
    2. Proverbs 13-15. 93 proverbs - Better Things
    3. Proverbs 16-18. 85 proverbs - The Safe Name
    4. Proverbs 19:1-22:16. 106 proverbs - The Right Way
  3. Words of the wise
    1. Words of truth 22:17-21
    2. Various warnings 22:22-23:14
    3. Parental joy 23:15-28
    4. Perils of wine 23:29-35
    5. Wisdom's power 24:1-12
    6. Wisdom's reward 24:13-20
    7. True loyalty 24:21-22
    8. Respect of persons 24:23-29
    9. The field of the sluggard 24:30-34
  4. Proverbs of Solomon copied out by the men of Hezekiah 25-29 (119 proverbs)
  5. Three supplementary collections 30-31
    1. Agur's fourfold mysteries, 30
    2. A mother's anxiety, or Bathsheba's instructions to Solomon 31:1-9
    3. The ideal wife (or mother) 31:10-31
 

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2021-07-01