CRITICAL NOTES.—
PLACES OF THE PATHS “in the midst of the highways.” “These ways
are roads, solitary paths, not streets in the city, and the
delineation proceeds in such an order as to exhibit Wisdom; first, in
Proverbs 8:2, as a preacher in the open country, in grove and field,
on mountains and pl... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.—
PROVERBS 8:5. WISDOM. This is a different word from the one used in
Proverbs 8:1, and may be translated “subtilty,” or “prudence,”
and though it is here used in a good sense, may, when the context
requires it, be translated “artful cunning.”
PROVERBS 8:6. EXCELLENT, literally “pri... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.—
PROVERBS 8:11. RUBIES, “pearls.”
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH— Proverbs 8:10_
WISDOM BETTER THAN WEALTH
I. WISDOM IS TO BE PREFERRED TO WEALTH BECAUSE IT BELONGS TO A HIGHER
SPHERE. The wisdom by which men succeed in finding gold and silver
reveals the superiority of mind ov... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.—
PROVERBS 8:12. DWELL WITH or “inhabit.” WITTY INVENTIONS,
“skilful plans” _(Stuart)_, “sagacious counsels” _(Zöckler)_
PROVERBS 8:14. SOUND WISDOM, the same word as in chap. Proverbs 2:7
(see note there). Stuart reads here, “As for me, my might is
understanding;” Delitzsch, “Mine... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Proverbs 8:14_
THE SOURCE OF TRUE POWER
I. MORAL WISDOM IS THE STRENGTH OF KINGS. “I have strength; by me
kings rule.” There is a kind of strength in all wisdom. The
serpent’s strength is in his subtlety. The strength of the kingdom
of darkness consists in a kind... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.—
PROVERBS 8:17. EARLY, _i.e._, “earnestly” (see on ch. Proverbs
1:28).
PROVERBS 8:18. DURABLE. Zöckler thinks this rather signifies
“growing.”
PROVERBS 8:21. INHERIT SUBSTANCE, “abundance.”
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Proverbs 8:17_
THE REWARD OF EARNEST SEEKERS
I. THE M... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.—
PROVERBS 8:22. JEHOVAH POSSESSED ME. The signification of this verb
has been the subject of much discussion; ancient expositors, believing
Wisdom here to be the eternal Son of God, deemed it necessary to
reject the translation of the Septuagint, etc., who rendered it
_created_, as t... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.—
PROVERBS 8:36. SINNETH AGAINST, “misseth,” so Stuart, Delitzsch,
and Miller.
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH— Proverbs 8:32_
EXHORTATION FOUNDED ON HUMAN OBLIGATIONS TO DIVINE WISDOM
I. BECAUSE CHRIST, THE ETERNAL WISDOM, HAS MANIFESTED HIS SYMPATHY
WITH MAN, WE ARE UNDER OBLIG... [ Continue Reading ]