The following is an excerpt from the book, My Son, Hear My Words: Notes on Proverbs.

“Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him” (26:12). The one who is “wise in his own eyes” is the one who has rejected divine wisdom for the “way which seems right” to him (14:12; 16:25). He is contrasted with the fool in this passage. Therefore, we must understand the “fool” of this verse to be one who simply lacks wisdom, not one who has rejected wisdom. Because he only lacks wisdom, there is hope for him that if he can receive the right instruction, he can acquire wisdom. However, for one who is “wise in his own eyes,” in his arrogance he sees no need to listen, learn, or acquire godly wisdom, even though his deficiency of wisdom will be apparent to others. Solomon offers two examples to illustrate this point. “The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who can give a discreet answer” (26:16). Though the impoverished and miserable condition of the sluggard is apparent to those who know him, in his arrogance he cannot see the need to change anything about his life. “The rich man is wise in his own eyes, but the poor who has understanding sees through him” (28:11). The rich man of this verse is not a righteous man who happens to be blessed with riches. He is a rich man who puts his trust in riches. This rich man may believe that he is fully self-sufficient and that his prosperity is a sign that he has more than enough wisdom on his own and needs no wisdom from God. Yet the poor man who has understanding (divine wisdom) will be able to see the folly of the rich man’s arrogance.

You can read more comments on the book of Proverbs in My Son, Hear My Words: Notes on Proverbs. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!

The following is an excerpt from the book, My Son, Hear My Words: Notes on Proverbs.

“The Lord possessed me at the beginning of His way, before His works of old” (8:22). Wisdom is speaking here, reminding us that the wisdom we are considering is not the worldly wisdom of man. Therefore, the wisdom that we are to pursue is older than the world itself. It belongs to God, not to man; so we must look to God and to what He has revealed in order to acquire this wisdom.

“From everlasting I was established, from the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth” (8:23). There are three periods of time mentioned in this verse. First, there is the time before Creation (“from everlasting”). Second, there is the time of the Creation (“from the beginning”). Finally, there is the time in which man has inhabited the earth (“from the earliest times of the earth”) – which has been since the sixth day at the end of the Creation week, right before God “completed His work” and “rested on the seventh day” (Genesis 1:26-2:2). This means that divine wisdom predates any human society or culture. Man often takes pride in how the culture in which he is a part has grown and progressed throughout generations, gaining collective wisdom along the way. Much of this wisdom, though, is worldly wisdom. Godly wisdom came before all of this, and so it is independent of human reasoning. Therefore, what may be considered “common sense” or some enlightened realization by a particular society – even our modern society – is not necessarily true or wise. True wisdom existed since before Creation, during the Creation, and from the beginning of man. In the following verses, Solomon expands on these time periods.

You can read more comments on the book of Proverbs in My Son, Hear My Words: Notes on Proverbs. Follow the link to learn more about the book and purchase your copy today!