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The Message of Wisdom: Learning and Living The Way of The Lord
‘For the LORD gives wisdom…he stores up sound wisdom for the upright… The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom’ (Proverbs 2:6, 7; 9:10). The Old Testament books of Proverbs, Job and Ecclesiastes are often referred to as the wisdom books of the Bible. The theme of wisdom, however, is not limited to these books: it actually pervades much of the Bible. Dan Estes explores wisdom in key passages in Scripture. In Part 1, he investigates the concept of wisdom in the book of Proverbs: what wisdom is and how it calls out to humans to follow its path. In Part 2, he considers how wisdom is presented in various contexts in the Old Testament, in passages from the law (Deuteronomy 30), history (1 Kings 3-4), prophecy (Jeremiah 8-9) and Psalm 112. Part 3 focuses on Proverbs to learn how wisdom affects our conduct in our work, our speech, our decisions and our righteous living. There is complexity in the biblical message of wisdom. Part 4 shows how the prominent theme of retribution in Proverbs is balanced and qualified in the books of Job and Ecclesiastes. In Part 5, Estes examines the culmination of wisdom in the New Testament, as we see that Jesus is the master teacher of wisdom and the source of all wisdom, and that we are challenged to live by God’s wisdom rather than falling into folly. Throughout the Bible, we are constantly challenged to learn God’s wisdom, to live God’s wisdom, and to love God’s wisdom.
282 pages, Paperback
Published June 18, 2020
About the author
Daniel J. Estes
16 books8 followersDaniel J. Estes (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is professor of Bible and dean of the school of biblical and theological studies at Cedarville University in Ohio. His books include Hear, My Son and Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms.
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January 5, 2021
Summary: A study of the theme of wisdom, primarily in the Wisdom literature of the Old Testament but also incorporating other passages in scripture including those in the New Testament focusing on the culmination of wisdom in Christ.
I’m not sure there has ever been an age when wisdom has been in abundant supply. In this work, Daniel J. Estes, an Old Testament professor at Cedarville University surveys the biblical material focusing around the Wisdom books of scripture: Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. His method is to present and elucidate the key passages in scripture on wisdom and to allow these texts to speak for themselves. Very simply, he believes the intent of wisdom in the Proverbs and throughout scripture is to “guide human beings, and especially the young, in the direction of the good life, not as contemporary culture measures it, but as the Lord defines it.”
He organizes his study of the biblical material into five sections:
1. The Concept of Wisdom. Through expositions of Proverbs 1, 2, 8, and 9, centering around the idea of the fear of the Lord as the beginning or source of wisdom, reflected in a life centered around obeying God and trusting his teaching.
2. The Context of Wisdom. Here, Estes widens his focus to the rest of the Old Testament considering history in the law, history, prophecy, and in Psalm 112. Throughout the choice between wisdom and folly is clearly evident.
3. The Conduct of Wisdom. Estes examines the teaching of Proverbs in four aspects that pervade daily life: work, speech, decisions and righteousness.
4. The Complexity of Wisdom. What happens when the law of retribution does not work–when the righteous suffer and the wicked seem to thrive? Job and Ecclesiastes address life when this principle doesn’t work and how to live wisely, by trusting in the all-knowing God, and enjoying as it is given, God’s good gifts in life.
5. The Culmination of Wisdom. Here as in other things, wisdom finds its fulfillment in Christ, who teaches wisdom and is the wisdom of God. To know him is to know wisdom’s source and to walk in wisdom.
While Estes provides lexical and contextual help, the focus is clearly expository and applicative. One hears in Estes writing a teacher who cares that his students walk in wisdom, and who understands how they can be drawn away from it into folly. In his chapter on wisdom in speech, he offers these insights in his concluding section of the chapter:
“Why is it so hard for us to be truthful? Truthfulness can fail for many reasons, but oftentimes it surrenders to fear. We fail to be truthful because we fear criticism, but then we end up looking like cowards when the truth eventually comes out. We fail to be truthful because we fear responsibility, but we end up trapped in a web of our deceptions. We fail to be truthful because we fear the personal cost of getting hurt, but we end up enslaved to the guilty conscience pricked by our dishonesty. We fail to be truthful because we fear upsetting others, but we end up missing the chance to provide constructive reproof that would actually help them” (pp. 121-122).
The book from beginning to end reflects a kind of exegetical and moral clarity much needed in our day, beginning within the Christian community. Engaging this work is aided by a study guide written by Ian Macnair that follows the passages treated in the text, aiding in personal study and group discussion. This book is a gem for those who want to learn to live well and wisely with God and others.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
I’m not sure there has ever been an age when wisdom has been in abundant supply. In this work, Daniel J. Estes, an Old Testament professor at Cedarville University surveys the biblical material focusing around the Wisdom books of scripture: Proverbs, Job, and Ecclesiastes. His method is to present and elucidate the key passages in scripture on wisdom and to allow these texts to speak for themselves. Very simply, he believes the intent of wisdom in the Proverbs and throughout scripture is to “guide human beings, and especially the young, in the direction of the good life, not as contemporary culture measures it, but as the Lord defines it.”
He organizes his study of the biblical material into five sections:
1. The Concept of Wisdom. Through expositions of Proverbs 1, 2, 8, and 9, centering around the idea of the fear of the Lord as the beginning or source of wisdom, reflected in a life centered around obeying God and trusting his teaching.
2. The Context of Wisdom. Here, Estes widens his focus to the rest of the Old Testament considering history in the law, history, prophecy, and in Psalm 112. Throughout the choice between wisdom and folly is clearly evident.
3. The Conduct of Wisdom. Estes examines the teaching of Proverbs in four aspects that pervade daily life: work, speech, decisions and righteousness.
4. The Complexity of Wisdom. What happens when the law of retribution does not work–when the righteous suffer and the wicked seem to thrive? Job and Ecclesiastes address life when this principle doesn’t work and how to live wisely, by trusting in the all-knowing God, and enjoying as it is given, God’s good gifts in life.
5. The Culmination of Wisdom. Here as in other things, wisdom finds its fulfillment in Christ, who teaches wisdom and is the wisdom of God. To know him is to know wisdom’s source and to walk in wisdom.
While Estes provides lexical and contextual help, the focus is clearly expository and applicative. One hears in Estes writing a teacher who cares that his students walk in wisdom, and who understands how they can be drawn away from it into folly. In his chapter on wisdom in speech, he offers these insights in his concluding section of the chapter:
“Why is it so hard for us to be truthful? Truthfulness can fail for many reasons, but oftentimes it surrenders to fear. We fail to be truthful because we fear criticism, but then we end up looking like cowards when the truth eventually comes out. We fail to be truthful because we fear responsibility, but we end up trapped in a web of our deceptions. We fail to be truthful because we fear the personal cost of getting hurt, but we end up enslaved to the guilty conscience pricked by our dishonesty. We fail to be truthful because we fear upsetting others, but we end up missing the chance to provide constructive reproof that would actually help them” (pp. 121-122).
The book from beginning to end reflects a kind of exegetical and moral clarity much needed in our day, beginning within the Christian community. Engaging this work is aided by a study guide written by Ian Macnair that follows the passages treated in the text, aiding in personal study and group discussion. This book is a gem for those who want to learn to live well and wisely with God and others.
____________________________
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary review copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
December 27, 2020
In this book, Daniel J. Estes takes us through a view of wisdom throughout the Old & New Testaments ("an exercise in biblical theology"). He spends a good amount of his work in Proverbs, having us think about the invitation to wisdom, the search for wisdom and the contrasting paths of folly and wisdom, and then how wisdom can be demonstrated in various area of our lives. He reminds us that wisdom is "...not just knowing what God wants us to know, or even doing what God God wants us to do, but it is pre-eminently becoming what God wants us to be" (p.29). As he moves into the New Testament, he exhorts us to remember that Christ is the ultimate source of all wisdom.
The writer discusses other N.T. passages that deal with wisdom (Matthew 7, I Corinthians 1, Colossians 2, James 3 and Ephesians 5), and draws out insightful parallels with passages in the O.T., principally Proverbs.
This well-researched and written book is a place to which the reader can return again and again for wisdom. As Estes states in his concluding comments, "..learning what wisdom teaches requires that we live in the wise way that we have learned" (p.237). And that is a life-long, worthy pursuit.
The writer discusses other N.T. passages that deal with wisdom (Matthew 7, I Corinthians 1, Colossians 2, James 3 and Ephesians 5), and draws out insightful parallels with passages in the O.T., principally Proverbs.
This well-researched and written book is a place to which the reader can return again and again for wisdom. As Estes states in his concluding comments, "..learning what wisdom teaches requires that we live in the wise way that we have learned" (p.237). And that is a life-long, worthy pursuit.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews