Restoration
Quarterly 40.4 (1998) 221-237
Copyright © 1998 by
Restoration Quarterly, cited with permission.
THE FORMATION OF CHARACTER IN THE
BOOK OF PROVERBS
DAVE BLAND
Introduction
From the very
inception of
on
her faith to the next generation. The instruction of youth was a religious
responsibility,
the very reason for the choosing of Abraham: “...for I have
chosen
him, that he may charge his children and his household after him to
keep
the way of the Lord by doing righteousness and justice; so that the Lord
may
bring about for Abraham what he has promised him” (Gen 18: 19).
While there was no set form that Israelite
households followed in carrying
out
their responsibility to instruct, it seems probable that different social
strata
implemented the educational task differently. Concerning
instructional
responsibility, R. A. Culpepper concludes: “Education in
ancient
a
period of time the training process underwent changes, taking on new
forms
to meet the challenges of new circumstances.
valuable
perspective on the efforts of a community to educate its youth in
the
formation of moral character. While Proverbs does not describe a
systematic
way in which this responsibility was carried out, one can identify,
various
parts of the process throughout the course of the book.
The development of
moral character in Proverbs, and Wisdom Literature
in
general, has been of little interest among scholars. This should not come
as
a surprise since Proverbs itself is treated as a resident alien of Scripture.2
1
R. A. Culpepper, “Education,” in The
International Standard Bible Ency-
clopedia,
vol. 2 revised (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1982) 21.
2
Proverbs has been marginalized for several reasons. I) Canonically,
it appears
in
the third and least authoritative section of the Hebrew Scriptures. 2) Theolog-
lcally,
wisdom does not seem to fit into the frame of the test of the QT. Gerhard von
Rad's emphasis on Heilsgeschichte and
Walter Eichrodt's use of covenant margin-
alized
the Wisdom Literature. Wisdom Literature is deemed anthropocentric. It is
222 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
Contrary to popular opinion, however, Proverbs
and Wisdom Literature are
a
vital part of the theology of the First Testament. What I wish to do in this
article
is to highlight the contribution Proverbs makes to the task of moral
development
in youth. I begin by demonstrating that the literary or formal
context
of Proverbs is the family. Once this is established, I investigate how
character
is developed within this familial context
The
Familial Context
The setting for the
final form of Proverbs is the post-exilic period during
the
time of the Persian empire.3 Before reaching the apex of its
contribution
to
Israelite culture during the post-exilic period, Israelite wisdom went
through
several stages of growth and development. The earliest stage was
the
pre-exilic period of folk wisdom. Stage two was the monarchic period in
which
wisdom was developed, nurtured, and incorporated into the court
setting.
The third phase of development occurred after the exile. During this
time
the final form of the book of Proverbs took shape. This final phase was
the
most productive time for Wisdom Literature in
The post-exilic period
was a time when
It was a time of transition.
the
land to depend on for her identity. She had to struggle with how she
could
maintain her identity in this context. Wisdom helped reshape
former
nationalistic focus by placing her religious beliefs in a different
literary
form (the proverb) and extracting the exclusive language of cove-
nant.
As a result, unlike many nations taken into exile,
only
to survive but also to thrive. Religious and personal identities were not
lost,
but were instead redefined. As Ronald Clements concludes, “In some
respects
wisdom became a 'transitional philosophy,' maintaining identifiable
centered
on human achievement and ability. In the biblical canon, Proverbs is too
secular
or the rest of the neighborhood. 3) Formally, wisdom is not narrative as is
the
majority of the Hebrew Scriptures. How one deals with
what appears to be
random
collections of Proverbs is an enigma. The self-contained Proverbs have no
literary
context. They thus give the appearance of moralistic platitudes.
3
See Hartmut Gese, “Wisdom Literature in the Persian Period,” in The
bridge
History of Judaism: Introduction; The Persian Period,
eds. W. D. Davies and
Louis Finkelstein, vol. 1 (Cambridge: Cambridge
University Press, 1984) 189-218.
See also Ronald E. Clements, Wisdom in
Theology (Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1992).
Patrick Skehan posits a post-exilic editing
based on linguistic and structural evi-
dence.
See “A Single Editor for the Whole Book of Proverbs,” in Studies in Ancient
Israelite Wisdom, The
Library of Biblical Studies, ed. Harry M. Orlinsky (New
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 223
links
with the past, but adapting them to new ways and conditions.”4 Thus
wisdom
flourished in its use for a couple of reasons. First, the original edu-
cational
function that wisdom fulfilled was heightened during the post-exilic
period
by the need to instruct Jews living in a predominantly Gentile world
in
the religious and cultural ways of Jewish communities. Second, the lack
of
covenantal language enabled wisdom to ground moral instruction in
something
higher than Jewish nationalism.5
Within this
environment the family takes on new significance. Having
been
removed from the land,
that
had for centuries shaped her lifestyle. From the time the Israelites left
units
known as the bxA tyBe the
“father's house”). Such a social system gave
them
security, identity, and economic stability. But now with
dispersed
across the
words
are apropos in this regard:
Taken in a larger
context, some useful observations may be made which
have
a bearing upon the role of wisdom in a biblical theology. The most
obvious
is that, in the post-exilic period, wisdom appears to have flour-
ished
as part of a program of education carried out with the approval of,
and
probably within the location of, the individual household. Begin
early,
be persistent and, if necessary, do not shun physical punishment,
in
order to achieve results. These are seriously repeated maxims for
instruction,
aimed at parents, instructors and pupils. The very roots of
religion
and virtue are seen to rest within the relatively small household
context
of family life. The rewards of adherence to the dictates of
wisdom
are claimed to include security, prosperity and ultimately happi-
ness.
All of this indicates that religion is taken out of its cultic setting
and
is markedly domesticated. Parents, rather than priests, hold the key
to
its seriousness and success! Yet it is never secular in the formal sense,
since
it recognizes that, deprived of its religious foundations, it cannot
succeed
and will lack its indispensable starting-point.6
The post-exilic period is a time of transition
and change. The household
becomes
the focal point in enabling
people.
It is the central sphere for the development of moral character.7
4
Clements, Wisdom in Theology, 125.
5
Ronald Clements, “Wisdom and Old. Testament Theology,”
in Wisdom in
Ancient
bridge:
6
Clements, “Wisdom and Old Testament Theology,” 281.
7
See Ronald Clements, Wisdom in Theology, 125ff.;
James Crenshaw, “Education
224 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
It
is this historical context that lies behind the literary form of the book
of
Proverbs. The book of Proverbs is framed in a familial setting. After the
introductory
paragraph (1:1-7), the exhortation of the first wisdom poem
sets
forth the context: “Hear, my child, your father's instruction, and do not
reject
your mother's teaching; for they are a fair garland for your head, and
pendants
for your neck” (1:8-9). The book concludes with the picture of the
well-ordered
house and the capable woman offering counsel (31:10-31). She
is
the one who “opens her mouth with wisdom, and the teaching of kindness
is
on her tongue” (31:26). In addition, it is noteworthy that the sentence
sayings
of 10:1-22:16 begin with this affirmation: “A wise child makes a
glad
father, but a foolish child is a mother's grief” (10:1).8 Such a
declara-
tion
at the beginning sets the tone for hearing the sayings in a familial
context.
As Ronald Clements concludes: “For wisdom the household had
become
both a school and a spiritual training ground.”9 In spite of clues
which
may point to the existence of schools in
responsibility
for instruction in the book of Proverbs falls on the family.11
in
instruction
does the family play a significant role,” in The Roots of Wisdom: Oldest
Proverbs of
ster/John Knox, 1995)
24.
8
.The NRSV is used whenever Scripture is quoted in this article.
9
Clements, Wisdom in Theology, 143.
10
In brief, there are three major arguments for the existence of schools in
ancient
schools;
2) the high literary quality of much of the OT is difficult to explain without
the
existence of schools; 3) archaeological evidence points to the existence of
schools.
Fragmentary inscriptions found and dated around the twelfth century BCE
seem
to be the school exercises of young students.
Bernard Lang is of the
opinion there were schools in
described
in Prov 1:20-33 of Dame Wisdom in the city gate rebuking the young men
who
were assembled to learn but were not listening. See Lang, Wisdom and the
Book
of
Proverbs: A Hebrew Goddess Redefined (New York: Pilgrim,
1986). However,
it
is difficult to offer a definitive argument for schools in
is
poetic! Both James Crenshaw and Stuart Weeks maintain that no definitive answer
can
be known from the current evidence. See Crenshaw in “Education in
JBL;
Weeks in Early Israelite Wisdom (Oxford: Clarendon, 1994).
G. I. Davies in
his
article “Were There Schools in Ancient Israel?” sees the evidence as strongly
in
favor
of schools. See Wisdom in Ancient
eds.
John Day, Robert Gordon, and H. G. M. Williamson (
University Press, 1995) 199-211.
11
Carole R. Fontaine draws the following conclusion: “Within the private
sphere
of the family, the most important sage roles are those that emphasize
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 225
Responsibility for instruction is placed on the
shoulders of both father and
mother.
Sometimes the reference to the father-son relationship in Proverbs
is
understood as actually referring to the relationship between a teacher and
his
student. However, throughout Proverbs the mother, as well as the father,
is
assumed to have the responsibility to teach.12 King Lemuel gives
credit to
his
mother for the instruction he received as a youth: “The words of Lemuel,
king
of
examples
of the kind of advice his mother offered him.13 It is also possible
that
the advice given to the son in Proverbs 7 comes from a woman. The
image
in 7:6 of the person looking out the window of the house may imply
a
female figure.14 Whether it actually is or not, in ancient
role
plays an important part in the education of children. This is why the
children
(sons) of the capable woman in Prov 31:28 rise up and call her
blessed.
The fact that both
parents are frequently referred to as fulfilling this
teaching
role strongly points to the recognition that it was the pupil's natural
parents
who were involved. The father's reminiscence of his father's teachings
in
4:3 further depicts parental, not school, education. Thus whether or not
Proverbs was composed for use in schools, its literary context is the instruction
teaching,
and these fall equally to father and mother.” Fontaine, “The Sage in Family
and
Tribe,” in The Sage in
and
Leo G. Perdue (Winona Lake: Eisenbrauns, 1990) 164. Raymond Van Leeuwen
remarks,
“The social setting of the instructions in Proverbs 1-9 is portrayed as
parental
address to adolescent 'sons' about to undertake the journey to full adult-
hood
with its responsibilities and rewards....Hence, the primary purpose of these
chapters
is protreptic: to entice the 'untutored' (ytiP,) to a wisely ordered
(8:5-21)
and
godly life (1:7, 29; 2:5; 3:5-12; 8:13; 9:10)” (113). Later he comments, “But
our
interest
lies rather in the explicit, self-conscious function of these texts as
instruction
to
youth in a situation of passage into adulthood” (115). See Raymond C. Van
Leeuwen, “Liminality and Worldview in Proverbs 1-9,” Semeia 50 (1990) 111-44.
124:1-4;
6:20-21; 10:1; 15:20; 17:25; 20:20; 23:22-25; 29:15; 30:11; 30:17;
31:26, 28. There are some 14 references to the Mxi in Proverbs as it
relates to an
instructional context: 1:8; 4:1-4; 6:20; 10:1;
15:20; 19:26; 23:22; 23:25; 29:15;
30:17; 31:1.
13
Note that the advice given about sexual temptation and drinking alcohol is the
kind
of advice one would give to a young adult.
14
The "woman at the window" was a popular motif on Phoenician ivories.
The
LXX translates this verse using the third person
feminine. For further argument see
Athalya Brenner, “Proverbs 1-9: An F Voice?” in On
Gendering Texts: Female and
Male Voices in the Hebrew Bible,
eds. Athalya Brenner and Fokkelien Dijk-Hemmes
(Leiden: E. J. Brill,
1993) 113-30.
226 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
of
the (actual) father to his (actual) son. “Father” means father, just as the
parallel
“mother” (1:8; 4:3; 6:20) must mean the actual mother, not a
“schoolmarm.” A home,
not a school, is the literary milieu of Proverbs.15
The
Function of Family
The purpose of the
household in Proverbs is for the instruction of youth.
But how does this purpose fit into the theology
of Proverbs? Or is it simply
marginal
to the book's concerns? Theologically speaking, Proverbs has been
deemed
anthropocentric.16 It is centered on human accomplishment and has
been
accused of being the first cousin to secularism. Recently, however
scholarship
has argued that wisdom is more theocentric.17 Creation theology,
according
to proponents, is at the core of the wisdom corpus. This
theological
focus aligns wisdom material more with the mainstream of OT
thought.
It is creation that reveals the nature and character of God in
Wisdom Literature.
I would argue, however, that creation theology is not an
all-inclusive
motif. In Proverbs the creation motif is, for the most part,
confined
to the promotion of social ethics and the treatment of the poor and
oppressed.
While creation constitutes an essential aspect of the theology of
the
sages, it is not the only aspect of their theology, nor even the most
important.
The anthropocentric still looms large.
Thus how the anthropocentric
and theocentric dimensions relate to one
another
is the issue.18 While it should not be denied that the theocentric
view
is
foundational, it is not in the foreground in Proverbs. The anthropocentric
pole
is front and center. The concern for the success and well-being of the
individual
and the community has precedence. Proverbs begins and ends
with
a focus on humans, specifically the family. What ties these two theological
I5
Michael V. Fox maintains, “There is no justification for the common
assumption
that the speaker is a schoolteacher.” See Fox, "Ideas of Wisdom in
Proverbs 1-9," JBL
116 (1997) 620. See his further comments in nn. 10 and 11.
16
See, for example, Walter Brueggemann, In Man We Trust (
Knox Press, 1972); Sibley Towner, “The Renewed
Authority of Old Testament
Wisdom for Contemporary Faith,” in Canon and
Authority, eds. George W. Coats
and
Burke O. Long (Philadelphia: Fortress,1977) 132-47.
17
See Leo G. Perdue, Wisdom & Creation: The Theology of Wisdom Literature
(Nashville: Abingdon
Press, 1994). See also Lennart Boström, The God of the
Sages: The Portrayal of God in the Book of
Proverbs (
Wiksell International,
1990).
18
Lennart Boström observes: “The remarkable thing about the book of Proverbs
is
that the anthropocentric approach never collides with the theocentric. The
probable
explanation is that the sages regarded the two as complementary and not,
mutually
exclusive.” See Boström, The God of the Sages, 139.
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 227
perspectives
together is that they serve a common goal. Their goal is the
formation
of moral character.19 Both Yahweh and parents are involved in the
task
of training youth in the way in which their moral character should
develop.20
The result is that the theocentric and anthropocentric views are no
longer
perceived as conflicting poles. The synthesizing force which engages
the
human and divine wills is the formation of moral character.21 This
fact
also
explains why the anthropocentric captures center stage in the book. The
sages
were deeply concerned with the moral formation of individuals for the
sake
of maintaining order in society and the larger community.
At this point,
however, a qualification is in order. Proverbs is not con-
cerned
with the family's psychological or emotional well-being. Nor does
Proverbs engage in introspection, scrutinizing
family dysfunctions and idio-
syncrasies.
The focus is on the family as an environment of instruction. It is
on
the call to youth to respond openly to sagacious instruction (1:20-33).
What is the basic
content of the instruction that parents give? The
fundamental
thrust is revealed in the prologue in Prov 1:1-7. This is the
purpose
statement of the book.22 The recipients of these proverbs are taught
“righteousness, justice
and equity” (v. 3)23 This instruction is fleshed out in
the
wisdom poems of chapters 1-9, which are a series of parental admoni-
tions
to the young adult.24 In like fashion, the purpose of the dense
thicket
of
sayings in chapters 10-29 is to instruct in the way of righteousness.
Clustered at the beginning of this section is a
series of proverbs on the
19
I am indebted to William Brown for calling attention, to the central role that
character
development plays in the Wisdom Literature. Unlike Brown, however, I
do
not see the theology of character as the template through which all of
Wisdom
Literature is interpreted. See William Brown, Character
in Crisis: A Fresh Approach
to
the Wisdom Literature of the Old Testament (Grand Rapids:
Eerdmans, 1996).
20
Note the collaborative effort of parent, youth, and Yahweh as described in
Prov 2:1-8. Parents initiate the instruction
responsibility (2:1-2), but Yahweh is the
one
who provides the resources for accomplishing the task (2:6-8).
21
See William Brown, Character in Crisis, 1-4.
22
The five statements in verses 2-6 begin with the preposition
,”l”,
which is
connected
with the infinitive construct.
23
See 2:9 and 8:20. See also William Brown, Character in Crisis, 26,
43-49.
24
Claudia Camp has observed: Wisdom personified as feminine offers an
interpretive
framework for the collection of proverbs. The feminine image enables
the
book of Proverbs to be a unified whole and function as part of a canon of
religious
literature. It enables the sentence sayings to be cradled in a narrative
context.
However, Camp does not clarify how the narrative context informs our
understanding
of the individual proverbs. See Camp, Wisdom and the Feminine in
the
Book of Proverbs (Decatur, GA: Almond Press, 1985).
228 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
righteous
and the wicked which serves to set the agenda for the rest of the
sayings.25
What the way of righteousness involves is fleshed out in the
myriad
of sayings that follows. Among other things, it encompasses the
appropriate
use of speech, respect for others, a proper sense of timing in
dealing
with people, integrity in relationships, the ability to resolve disputes,
the
proper use of wealth, and reverence for Yahweh. In Proverbs the
righteous
person is one who knows how to live responsibly before God. In
many
respects, the term is synonymous with “wise.” Righteous persons live
wisely
because they are obedient both to God and to the teachings of the
sages.26
Thus in Proverbs, the
anthropocentric focus and the theocentric founda-
tion
unite to accomplish a common goal: instruction in the formation of
moral
character. Through the gift of wisdom, the human dimension yields
to
the divine will to enable the divine to do its work in the lives of
individuals
who have nurtured a “listening ear.” The parent provides the
initial
instruction to youth. Yahweh empowers those who incline their heart
to
understanding (2:1-22).27 Proverbs is a collection of sayings,
experiences,
and
insights written primarily to equip youth to contribute to the well-being
of
the community.
The
Process of Moral Instruction
In
the book of Proverbs, the means by which moral instruction is passed
on
to youth is multifaceted. Again, Proverbs does not layout this process in
an
organized fashion. Elements of the process are implicitly referred to
throughout
the book. I want to identify and describe a few: the employment
of
the rod, the use of wise reproof, the implementation of oral repetition, the
art
of discernment, and the skill of observing life.
25
The largest number of sayings in Prov 10-29 on any single topic deals with
the
righteous and the wicked. John Goldingay has discovered that the righteous/
wicked
sayings cluster at the beginning of chapters 10-22. In 10:1-11:13 forms of
the
root for righteous (qdc)
appear nineteen times and for wicked (fwr)
eighteen.
He concludes that the concentration of
righteous/wicked sayings at the beginning of
the
unit establishes an ethical context for chapters 10-22. See John Goldingay,
“The
Arrangement of Sayings in Proverbs 10-15,” JSOT
61 (1994) 75-83.
26
Boström, 213.
27
For further reflection on the educational process described in Proverbs 2, see
Michael V. Fox, “The
Pedagogy of Proverbs 2,” JBL 113 (1994) 233-43.
Fox
summarizes
the text with the following remark: “Father, mother, and God
collaborate
with the youngster in the shaping of moral character which will remain
a
reliable source of protection” (243).
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 229
Two means by which
youth are instructed are referred to in Proverbs
29:15: “The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a
mother is disgraced by a
neglected
child.” Two forms of discipline are described here: physical and
verbal.
The first form has to do with the use of the rod in the process of
instruction.
Sages appear to promote the use of corporal punishment as the
following
proverb graphically depicts:
Do not withhold discipline from your children;
if you beat them with a rod, they
will not die. If you beat
them with the rod, you will save their lives from Sheol
(23:13-14).28
The common stereotype of pedagogy in
mindless
affair that includes a healthy dose of zealous thrashings. John
Collins remarks, “It is typical of all ancient
wisdom that learning and
education
was thought to involve suffering.”29 However, strictness is not
viewed
as incompatible with love (13:24).30
While there is little
doubt that ancient cultures resorted to physical
punishment
in the educational process, there is some sign of at least the limi-
tations
of corporal punishment as the following proverb suggests:
A rebuke (hrAfAG;)
strikes deeper into a discerning person than a hundred blows
into
a fool (17:10).
Especially as one examines Proverbs 1-9,
corporal punishment is not among
the
tools used to educate youth; and though Dame Wisdom reproves, she
never
uses the rod. The description of the education process in chapter two,
for
example, is a collaborative effort among parents, youth, and Yahweh.31
Yahweh and Wisdom offer reproof; parents give
instruction. None resort to
the
rod.32
28
Eight times Fb,we (rod) is used to describe corporal
punishment in Proverbs
(10:13; 13:24; 22:8; 22:15; 23:13, 14; 26:3;
29:15). One time the term rF,Ho
(rod)
is
used (14:3). From Proverbs 13:24 we have coined the contemporary gnomic
saying
“Spare the rod and spoil the child.”
29
John Collins, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Knox Preaching Guides (
Knox, 1980) 40.
30
See 2 Sam 7:14-16. Also, Paul's advice to fathers is in keeping with the spirit
of
the sage: “Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in
the
discipline and instruction of the Lord” (Eph 6:4).
31
See Fox, “The Pedagogy of Proverbs 2.”
32
The social context of Proverbs is the world of the young adult. Notice the
kind
of advice given. Youth are to stay away from gang-related activities (1:8-19);
they
are to avoid the temptress (2:16-19; 5:1-23; 6:20-35; 7:6-27); they are to
avoid
the overuse of wine (23:29-35); they are to live a disciplined life and not
yield
230 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
The second form of
discipline described in Prov 29:15 is verbal:
reproof.33
The noun reproof (tHakaOT)
appears in Proverbs more than in any
other
book in the Hebrew Scriptures.34 Reproof in Proverbs has to do with
training
in moral instruction (see 19:25 and 21:11). Reproof in the mind of
the
sage is not something that is practiced by the contentious man
(26:17-28) or the
contentious woman (27:15-16). That is, reproof is
not
verbal
abuse or persistent nagging. Neither is reproof a verbal response that
comes
only in the context of an angry moment. When appropriately used,
reproof
is a skill that is learned through experience and through applying
wisdom.
The sages describe it as a work of art: “Like gold or an ornament
of
gold is a wise reprove to a listening ear” (25:12).35 Elsewhere
reproof is
described
as wholesome admonition:
The ear that heeds
wholesome admonition36 will lodge among the wise.
Those who ignore
instruction despise themselves, but those who heed admoni-
tion
gain understanding.
The fear of the LORD
is instruction in wisdom, and humility goes before honor:
(15:31-33).
This text envisions the instruction the sage
gives to the youth. It uses the
familiar
sapiential language of “admonition” or “reproof” (tHakaOT
vv. 31,
32). This is not just
any kind of reproof; this is wholesome, life-giving
(Myyi.Ha;
v. 31) instruction. Youth are exhorted to heed admonition
and
discipline.
Reproof has as its
goal the instruction of youth in the ways of righteousness,
justice,
and equity. In its best sense, the whole of Proverbs is a collection of
to
the temptation slothfulness (6:6-11; 24:30-34). This advice is blunt and
graphic-the
kind given to young adults, not grade school children!
33
The term is often used with rsaUm (discipline, instruction) in Proverbs
(3:11;
5:12; 6:23; 10:17; 12:1; 13:18; 15:5; 15:10;
15:32). The Hebrew word for “reproof”
is
also the word for reasoned argument such as would be put forward by a lawyer in
the
courtroom (cf. Job 13:6; 23:4; Ps 38:14).
34
It occurs twenty-four times in the OT; sixteen of those are in Proverbs. The
verb
hky
occurs 59.times in the OT. Its most frequent occurrence is in Job (17 times)
and
Proverbs (10 times).
35
In the context of this proverb, the gold referred to in the first line is more
than
likely
gold that is fashioned into an earring. Such attractive jewelry is compared to
the
process of offering reproof that is in good taste to one who has a receptive
ear.
Both the ring and reproof are viewed as works of
art.
36
The phrase for “wholesome admonition” is Myy.iH thakaOT;
literally “admonition
of
life.”
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 231
advice
that could be classified as reproof. In the opening paragraph of
1:8-19, a wise father offers reproof to the
listening ear of the son. The father
warns
the youth about the dangers of living by the rules of a gang-type
lifestyle.
The sage in 7:6-27 describes in graphic details the enticing and
destructive
ways of the temptress. This is wise reproof to the attentive ear.
King Lemuel recalls with appreciation the
constructive reproof his mother
gave
him as a youth (31:1-9). She warned him about the baleful temptations
of
the seductress and the ruinous effects of wine and strong drink, and she
admonishes
him as king to practice justice and righteousness toward the poor
and
afflicted (31:5, 8-9).
In Proverbs, offering
reproof is a way of holding up experiences of life
before
young adults in order for them to have an image of how they are to
live
morally responsible lives. To offer constructive reproof is one form in
which
moral instruction is taught. Good discipline aims at education; it is
concerned
with how much a youth learns, not how much it hurts. Though
rebuke
can turn into nagging and even verbal abuse (26:17-28), its construc-
tive
function is to develop character. In fact, reproof which is forthright but
wise
is more productive than a superficial demonstration of love.37
Reproof
finds
its theological moorings in the way in which Yahweh instructs his
children:
My child, do not
despise the Lord's discipline
or be weary of his reproof,
for
the Lord reproves the one he loves,
as a father the son in whom he delights
(Prov 3:11-12).
There is such a close relationship in this text
between the discipline of the
Lord and the discipline of a father to a youth
that the discipline of a loving
father
who offers wise reproof is really an extension of Yahweh's discipline.
Woven into the process
of reproof is a heavy dose of oral repetition.
Through memorization the sages infuse their
instructions into young, pliable
minds.
This is apparently what the sages are referring to when they exhort
youth
to keep the father's instructions “on your fingers and write them on
the
tablet of your heart” (7:3; cf. also 3:3; 1:9; 22:17-21).38 These
instructions
37
Compare the following proverbs: “Better is open reproof than hidden love”
(27:5). “Whoever reproves a person will
afterward find more favor than one who
flatters
with the tongue” (28:23). See also Eccl 7:5: “It is better for a man to hear
the
rebuke
of the wise, than to hear the song of fools.”
38
See André Lemaire, “Education: Ancient
Noel Freedman (New
York: Doubleday, 1992) 309.
232 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
are
packaged in the memorable form of the proverb. Parallelism39 enable
the
proverb
to be tucked away easily into the corners of the mind ready for
active
duty when the occasion arises. Proverbs make instructions portable.40
In terms of its
socio-historical context, the proverb was of primary
importance
during the transitional years of the post-exilic period. When
reframed
their beliefs, packaging them not in narratives but in proverbial
form
to pass on to their children. In fact, Gerhard von Rad holds that
throughout
daily
decisions than were the ten commandments.41 While Israel was in
exile,
proverbs served as survival tools.42 Even though the sages taught
youth
to develop reasoning skills, to plan for the future, to think critically,
there
were times when youth had to make immediate decisions in the heat of
temptations
and moral dilemmas. To have a mental storehouse of proverbs
provided
the resources for youth to meet the demands of such occasions.43
The sages, however,
are not interested just in having youth memorize
oral
instruction. They are quite concerned that youth learn to engage the
mind.
The sages want students to learn the art of discernment (1:2, 6). The
discerning
student is the one who develops a “listening ear” (25:12). The
sages
want to equip students with the ability to think critically.44 In
their
39
Parallelism is a dynamic quality of Hebrew poetry in which the second line
in
some way emphasizes, or seconds, the first line.
40
James Crenshaw refers to this portable quality when he defines the proverb
as
“a winged word outliving a fleeting moment.” James Crenshaw, Old Testament
Wisdom: An Introduction (Atlanta:
John Knox, 1981) 67.
41
Gerhard von Rad, Wisdom in
42
This is Ronald Clements's thesis in Wisdom in Theology (
Eerdmans, 1992).
43
Walter Harrelson's remarks are apropos (though he oversimplifies the thought
process
of wisdom): “Wisdom operates without the necessity of synthesis. This is
perhaps
its most characteristic feature. Humans need both disciplines of philosophy/
logic
and phronesis/wisdom thinking....They need the carefully articulated picture
of
the world and its parts which comes from systematic thought that aims at
synthesis.
They need equally-and this is my point-the mode of thinking that can
stop
short of synthesis. That is what the ancient world called wisdom....A society
needs
to have a large number of observations that can be applied to given situations
unthinkingly,
immediately, without necessary reference to some coherent scheme of
thought
within which they fit...” (10-11). See Harrelson, “Wisdom and Pastoral
Theology,”
44
See John Eaton, “Memory and Encounter: An Educational Ideal,” in Of
Prophets' Visions and the Wisdom of Sages,
eds. Heather A. McKay and David
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 233
instruction,
the sages give no pat answers.45 For example, while the proverbs
in
chapters 10-15 emphasize the simple, conventional theology of wisdom
(wise people prosper,
foolish people suffer), Prov 16:1-9 quickly dispels any
mechanical
or mindless approach to that theology. Pro v 16:1-9 throws a
wrench
in the conventional cogs of wisdom claiming that humans may make
their
plans, but Yahweh has the final say. This cluster of proverbs in verses
1-9 describes the complexity of a world that
lives with the tension between
human
freedom and divine sovereignty. No simple answers exist.
It appears, however,
that some students were attracted to the simple
route
of receiving wisdom. Prov 17:16 reveals the concern of the sages in
regard
to a lack of interest in learning discernment: “What is this price in the
hand
of a fool to acquire wisdom, when there is no mind?” Some students
believed
they could gain understanding apart from using the mind. All they
needed
to do was to pay the tuition cost and wisdom was theirs for the
taking.
Wisdom was a commodity, a matter of learning some techniques,
accepting
certain beliefs, and memorizing a few proverbs. But not so in the
eyes
of the sage. The answers were not cut and dried (cf. 26:4, 5). Students
had
to learn to think. They had to interact with others. Students who
accepted
the challenge came to realize that understanding is a process in
which
“Iron sharpens iron, and one person sharpens the wits of another”
(27:17).
Among other things,
lack of discernment manifests itself in those who
develop
the habit of speaking before thinking. The consequences result in
significant
harm inflicted on others (25:20; 27:14). In the same vein, the
person
who does not know how and when to use a proverb lacks
discernment.
Such a person is described as foolish (27:7,9). The
ability to
discover
that which is appropriate for a particular situation is an essential
ingredient
of wisdom (25:11). Thus for the sages, the development of moral
character
comes as a result of a genuine engagement of the mind in
discerning
what is appropriate or not appropriate for the occasion at hand.
The art of discernment
is also used to engage students in another process
of
instruction: the skill of learning to observe life. The strategy of the sage
is
to provide youth with opportunities to observe experiences at a distance
J. A. Clines (Sheffield: Sheffield Academic
Press, 1993) 179-91.
45
The individual proverbs are not timeless truths. Neither are they, contrary to
popular
opinion, general truths. Rather, they are sayings that are appropriated to
specific
contexts. It takes wisdom to know how and when to use a proverb. Wisdom
is
not so much in the proverb as it is in the proverb user. Alyce McKenzie
describes
proverbs
as more like spotlights than floodlights. See McKenzie, Preaching
Proverbs: Wisdom for the Pulpit
(Louisville: Westminster John Knox, 1996) xvii.
234 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
without
having to pay the consequences of irresponsible behavior. The sages
are
not interested in sheltering youth from the harsh realities of life. They
want
youth to know and experience vicariously the dangers of certain
lifestyles.
Thus youth are exposed to the crooked speech of wicked men
(2:12-15) and the
smooth deceptive speech of wicked women (2:16-19).
Youth are introduced to the violent behavior of
gangs (1:8-19). They are
escorted
to the red light district of town (7:6-27). They are shown the havoc
alcohol
wreaks on its victims (23:29-35). They even get a taste of the
devastating
consequences of a life of indolence (24:30-34). Exposing youth
to
experiences they can observe in others is a form of inoculation, a
powerful
means of “receiving instruction” (24:32).
The sage, however,
exposes youth not only to negative experiences but
to
positive ones as well. Youth are given a glimpse of the well-ordered
family
(31:1 0-31). They are shown the ways of the prudent so. They are
exposed
to the seven-pillared house of Dame Wisdom and the ordered life
she
offers (9:1-12). Youth observe the ways of the ant and see the results of
hard
work and self-discipline (6:6-8). They observe creation around them
and
learn wisdom (30:24-28). For the sage, then, instruction occurs in
observing
life. In the process of observing life, one learns to reflect on those
experiences
with discernment.
Wisdom devotes much
effort to the instruction of youth. While there is
no
complete picture of the process, the gravity of the task for both parents
and
youth is clearly portrayed. The process is rigorous. It calls on parents to
initiate
the process, to offer reproof, to seek out opportunities to instruct. It
calls
on youth to respond receptively: to receive reproof openly, to engage
the
mind for the task of memorizing, for thinking, for observing. But this
demanding
assignment seems always to appear in the context of a deep
respect
for the value of the individual as that individual seeks to contribute
to
the well-being of the whole community.
The
Goal of Moral Instruction
What is the goal of
these instructional tools and of the whole educational
process
of wisdom? To respond to that, it is first helpful to look at the
absence
of such training. One of the consequences of an undisciplined youth
is
that such a one wreaks havoc on the larger community. Prov 29:18 takes
the
principle of instruction beyond the home to the neighborhood and city:
“Where there is no prophecy the people cast off
restraint; but happy are
those
who keep the law.” The King James Version translates the first line in
the
most familiar way: “Where there is no vision the people perish.” The
proverb
is frequently understood to mean that where people have no dreams
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 235
for
the future they will not survive.46 This translation,however, makes
the
proverb
impotent. In 29:18 “vision”47 is a term that refers to moral
instruc-
tion
or revelation, not to the imagination or foresight of the people. In fact,
the
word “vision” or “prophecy” in the first line is parallel with “law”48
in
the
second. Thus verse 18a affirms that where people have no respect or
consideration
for the instruction of the wise, there is chaos: “the people cast
off
restraint.” That is, there is no discipline.49
With the second line
of the proverb, there is an important shift that
occurs,
a shift from the plural to the singular. This shift is lost in the NRSV
because
of its use of inclusive language. A somewhat more literal reading is
“...but blessed is he who keeps the law.” There
is a contrast between an
immoral
community in the first line and a morally responsible individual in
the
second. One implication may be that even though a society may lose its
moral
bearings and cast off restraint, an individual who follows sagacious
advice
can choose otherwise. Such a person maintains strong ethical char-
acter
even in the midst of a corrupt society.
This advice is
precisely what the parents seek to give their son in
1:8-19. Here the youth is tempted to become a
part of a gang that has no
regard
for others or for the community. Such a group rejects the instruction
that
is given them by their parents (v. 8). They cast off all restraint. They
steal,
abuse, and mistreat others in order to gain selfishly for themselves.
They are schemers, mischief-makers, a gang without scruples. However,
their
lifestyle is attractive, and they seem to have quite a following. They
share
equally in the spoils of their conquests. They practice the philosophy
“all for one and one
for all” (v. 14). Yet the youth who is being lured can
make
a choice to reject that enticing way of life and follow in the way of
sound
instruction. He can maintain strong moral character even in the midst
of
unscrupulous people. If he does, according to Prov 29:18, he is blessed.
46
George Barna uses this proverb as a biblical basis for stressing that churches
need
goals and visions. See Barna, The Power of
Vision: How You Can Capture and
Apply God's Vision for Your Ministry
(Ventura: Barna Research Group, 1992).
47
The Hebrew term is NOzHA.
See Amos 1:1; Isa 1:1; Nah 1:1.
48
hrAOT
(torah or instruction) here may refer to God's law as revealed through
the
prophets, but more likely it refers to the instruction given by the wise,
including
father
and mother.
49
William McKane translates this line as follows: “Where there is no vision
people
are undisciplined.” See McKane, Proverbs: A New Approach (
236 RESTORATION QUARTERLY
Those who are given solid moral training in the
home become respon-
sible
citizens in the community even when many in that community are
corrupt.
But the development of moral character is not for the sake of having
skills
for one's personal success. Moral instruction is about preparing youth
to
serve the larger community. The end result is imaged in Prov 31:10-31.
Here the youth has come of age and is now living
responsibly within the
family
and society. The capable woman is not depicting the ideal wife that
every
youth is supposed to desire; instead, she herself represents wisdom
incarnate.
She is what wisdom looks like when it is nurtured and developed.
The capable woman provides for the welfare of
her family as well as the
community.
Here the mature youth, the one who has come of age, who
is
now
established in the community, is actively involved in the lives of those
around
(vv. 13-19). She encourages others; she is a wise counselor (v. 26);
she
engages in instruction (v. 26); she ministers to the poor and the needy (v.
20); she has the respect of her friends and
family (v. 28-29). In a word, she
practices
righteousness, justice, and equity. The book of Proverbs is about
youth
who journey beyond the protected walls of home into the mainstream
of
society to fulfill their roles responsibly so that righteousness exalts the
nation
(14:34). Such is a description of one who truly fears the Lord. This
is
the goal of wisdom's instruction.
Conclusion
In Proverbs the
primary function of the family is to prepare youth for
living
morally responsible lives. Responsibility lies with both parents and
youth
in the educational process. Parents initiate the process (2:1-2; 4:1-4).
They provide the loving caring environment where
instruction can most
effectively
occur. They offer wise reproof; words that instruct,
encourage,
caution,
and guide. They give youth a mental repertoire of proverbial
sayings
that enable them to face daily moral decisions responsibly. They
actively
engage the mind of the youth in the art of critical thinking. They
provide
opportunities for youth to observe some of the harsh realities of life.
These parents are invested in the well-being of
their children.
The stereotypical view
of adolescence in our culture today describes it
as
a period of rebellion; it is a time to “sow one's wild oats.” Youth, it is
believed,
have little interest in moral or spiritual matters.50 Thus
conventional
wisdom advises, “leave them alone, be patient, lay low;
eventually
they will come around.” “If they do not have solid instruction
given
to them prior to the teen years, it's too late anyway.” William
50
Thomas G. Long, “Beavis and Butt-Head Get Saved,” Theology Today 51
(1994) 199-203.
BLAND/FORMATION
OF CHARACTER 237
Willimon refers to the present generation of
young people as the “abandoned
Generation”51 because parents have,
by and large, been absent from their
lives.
In contrast, Proverbs depicts fathers and mothers deeply engaged in
the
instruction of youth.
However, youth have
responsibility as well. They can choose to reject
a
parent's discipline. There is the youth who scoffs at instruction (13:1);
there
is the foolish son (10:1), the one who brings shame to his family
(29:15). But the responsible youth has
cultivated an attentive ear (2:1-2).
Such a youth is open to receiving instruction
(22:17-19). No, the task is not
easy.
In the initial stages, seeking wisdom and developing moral character
is
wearisome (2:3-4). It demands critical engagement of the mind. But the
one
who perseveres receives satisfaction. Such a youth delights in doing
right
(2:9-10).
However, neither
parents nor young people striving to live uprightly are
left
to their own devices. Underlying the whole instruction process is
Yahweh, who supplies the strength and grace for
both parties to fulfill their
responsibilities.
Yahweh gives wisdom. He offers protection from the
destructive
lifestyles of the wicked (2:7-8). He preserves the way of those
who
walk in integrity (2:7-11).
In submission to
Yahweh's will, parents strive to train up responsible
youth
in the way in which they should morally live out their lives. Youth, in
response,
endeavor to comply by cultivating the listening ear. They learn to
fear
the Lord and turn away from evil.
51 William Willimon, “Hunger in This Abandoned
Generation,” in Sharing
Heaven's Music: The Heart of Christian Preaching,
ed. Barry L. Callen (
Abingdon, 1995) 21-32.
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