Learning to be wise is difficult. That’s particularly evident in Proverbs 9, where the personifications of wisdom and folly begin their calls to passersby with identical language: “‘Whoever is simple, let him turn in here!’ To him who lacks sense she says …” (Proverbs 9:4, 16). Theologian and author Benjamin Quinn calls that similarity “arguably, the most frightening feature of Proverbs 9”—because it highlights the keen discernment required to differentiate between wisdom and foolishness. Thankfully, the Old Testament book of Proverbs helps believers in the quest to distinguish between the two. In his new introduction to Proverbs, Walking in God’s Wisdom, Quinn describes the biblical book as “God’s worldwide invitation” to hear and obey the way of wisdom in every area of life.
“I’ve come to believe that ‘get wisdom!’ in Proverbs 4:7 bears as much weight as better-known imperatives from Scripture,” writes Quinn, the BibleMesh Institute’s academic director and assistant professor of theology and history of ideas at Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary.
Quinn’s interest in Proverbs began as a teenager, when he read Proverbs 4:7 and wondered if it “carries as much punch as the Great Commandment and the Great Commission.” His interest eventuated in doctoral studies at the University of Bristol on how 4th- and 5th-century theologian Augustine of Hippo understood wisdom. Quinn’s latest book further explores the issue of wisdom in Lexham Press’s Transformative Word series. Among the questions he raises: Can Proverbs be read as a unified book with coherent themes rather than a mere collection of pithy sayings?
His answer is an emphatic yes. After a brief introduction, two chapters define biblical wisdom, showing it is a way of life more than a simple characteristic. “Everything is within the scope of wisdom’s purview,” Quinn writes, “and Proverbs suggests that wisdom serves as the proper lens through which to view all of life—like putting on a pair of eyeglasses to see more clearly.” The next three chapters explore themes in Proverbs 1-9 that lay “the thematic groundwork for the rest of the book.” The final two chapters consider practical wisdom for life from Proverbs 10-31. Topics addressed include friendship, finances, and family.
One highlight of the book is Quinn’s insight that the wisdom described in Proverbs culminates in Christ.
“We approach Proverbs with Christ at the center of our interpretive lens—the Wisdom of God who walked perfectly in the way of the Lord and who is the Way of the Lord (John 14:6). Jesus is the perfect Wisdom that comes down from above … Jesus’ life illustrates the wisdom of Proverbs,” Quinn writes, “as he modeled wisdom’s way on earth in the flesh.”
Proverbs’ focus on the “ordinary” components of life (e.g., marriage, leadership, anger, prayer), Quinn says, reminds us of the call to make Christ Lord over every facet of life.
“It reminds people from every social class, race, gender, and country that their day-to-day life matters to God,” he writes, “and their day-to-day life is an opportunity (even a responsibility) to promote wisdom’s way in the world.”