Encountering the Old Testament, 3rd Edition

A Christian Survey

series: Encountering Biblical Studies

Materials available for professors by request only

Chapter

22. Proverbs: Advice on Living in God's World

Discussion Questions

  1. How much attention should contemporary Christians give to the proverbs in the book of Proverbs?
  2. Since many of the proverbs are addressed to men, how applicable are they for women?
  3. Frequently in the book of Proverbs a proverb will admonish a child to heed a parent’s advice. For example, “My son, hear the instruction of thy father and forsake not the law of thy mother” (1:8). For how much of our life should we heed this admonition?
  4. How are wisdom and folly best illustrated in the Christian community today?
  5. It seems that some proverbs were borrowed from other ancient Near Eastern cultures. Should these be taken as seriously as the ones that are distinctly the proverbs of Israelites?

Class Activities

  1. Break the class into groups of three. Assign one of the topics for Solomon’s proverbs to each group. Ask the students to find a proverb on the topic which they have been assigned. Conclude with a feedback session where each topic is illustrated by a proverb. Class time allowed: 25 minutes.
  2. Ask the class to find examples of each purpose in the book of Proverbs and read it aloud in class. Class time allowed: 20 minutes.