Proverbs 8:1-36
1 Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice?
2 She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths.
3 She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors.
4 Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man.
5 O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart.
6 Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things.
7 For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickednessa is an abomination to my lips.
8 All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing frowardb or perverse in them.
9 They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge.
10 Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold.
11 For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it.
12 I wisdom dwell with prudence,c and find out knowledge of witty inventions.
13 The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate.
14 Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength.
15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.
16 By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth.
17 I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.
18 Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness.
19 My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver.
20 I leadd in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment:
21 That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures.
22 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old.
23 I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was.
24 When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water.
25 Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth:
26 While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields,e nor the highest part of the dust of the world.
27 When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compassf upon the face of the depth:
28 When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep:
29 When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
30 Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him;
31 Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men.
32 Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways.
33 Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not.
34 Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors.
35 For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtaing favour of the LORD.
36 But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.
To the writerProverbs 8:1 provides one of the clearest proofs that the Lord Jesus is the Son of the Father from eternity. It is certainly not the only Scripture that proves this precious and wonderful truth, for all Scripture is united in this matter. However, this paper is written to answer some of the arguments some have advanced in objection to applying Wisdom as symbolising the Lord Jesus.
The New Testament tells us that 'Christ' is 'God's power and God's wisdom' (1 Corinthians 1:24 - JND's. N.Tr.). Is it therefore even remotely possible that a chapter asProverbs 8:1 that deals so extensively with the subject of wisdom has no connection with Christ whatever?
However, one objection is that wisdom is spoken of as 'she' in verses 1-2, so that this cannot refer to Christ personally. There is a beautiful answer to this. Verses 1 to 11 use the female pronouns to deal with the subject of wisdom subjectively, that is, as appealing to the response of individuals. This is the truth of 'Christ in you.'
But from verse 12 to the end of the chapter, the female pronoun is not used. In fact, the writer in the first 11 verses reports the actions and words of the woman wisdom, but from verse 12 it is not a report, but a Person, calling Himself 'I Wisdom' speaking directly. This is not simply subjective, but objective. Thus the emphasis is not on how people are affected, but on truth that is absolutely true no matter how it affects men. All this long address is intended, not as an example for us to follow, but as a statement of marvellous facts to bow our hearts with adoration at the feet of Him who is Wisdom.
Following this great objective presentation, chapter 9 returns to the subjective 'her' and 'she,' for surely it is most becoming that after the objective has been declared, a subjective response should manifest itself. It is a beautiful result of bowing to the Lord Jesus and to His pure wisdom.
Another objection to applying these verses to the Lord Jesus is that in verses 24 and 25 Wisdom speaks of being 'brought forth,' and it is supposed that this must mean that wisdom did not always exist, while Christ always existed. But this view fails to consider verses 22-23, in which Wisdom declares, 'Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of his way, before the earth was.' We cannot therefore consider that being 'set up' or being 'brought forth' refers to a point of time when this occurred. Just as He was 'set up from eternity,' so He was brought forth from eternity. Similarly, the Lord Jesus is called 'the Only Begotten Son of God' (John 3:18). Some have dared to insist that this implies that Christ was begotten at some point of time, but it is not so. This phrase rather refers to His being eternally begotten of God. Men's thoughts do not settle this question, but the Word of God does.
Also, if we dare to apply this scripture strictly to the principle of wisdom, and not the Lord Jesus, then are we saying that God acquired wisdom at some point of time? Surely every believer would consider the very thought of this to be thorough nonsense. Just as God's wisdom is eternal, being one of His eternal attributes, so in fact is His beloved Son eternal, the One who is Wisdom personified.
These verses (12-26) are magnificently beautiful in describing something of the relationship and companionship of Persons, not merely of God's delight in a principle, or a mere principle delighting in God. Yes, the rejoicing spoken of is on the part of Wisdom (v. 30), just as the Lord Jesus, the Son of the Father, rejoices in the Father's fellowship; a fellowship and relationship which is eternal.