Pro 1:3 | KingComments | STEP | The teaching of Solomon has the purpose to make his son, and us, wise, which will lead us to make the right choices in our life. He teaches an “instruction in wise behavior”. The wisdom teacher holds out to his son an instruction that offers insight into how life should be lived. It is a ‘manual’ for life. By presenting it in this way, he wants to lead his son, and us, to accept his instruction. It would be very stupid to refuse or ignore his ‘manual’ for life. The word ‘receive’ has to do with submission to the instruction or teaching, with the thought that what is being offered is worth accepting. By nature, we want to determine our own life and are not inclined to submit. So it is necessary for us to submit in order to gain insight into life. However, we are not forced to accept the instruction, but invited to so, though emphatically and insistently. The father emphatically gives orders and the son would be wise to obey them, but he must make the choice himself whether he wants to. No one requires us to read the manual that comes with a device before using it, but it is still urgently recommended. It can cost us a lot of money if we start using the device without having read the manual. That certainly goes for this manual for life, of course. The invitation expressed in this verse is that we accept the contents of this book and apply them in our lives. “Wise behavior” means using our minds enlightened by God’s Word to think through certain matters, make plans and assess risks in order to then make the right choice between good and evil. If we receive this instruction, we will also consider in our actions 1. “righteousness”, meaning acting according to the proper norm or standard, as is done, for example, with weights and measures to measure and weigh something correctly ( ); it means acting in accordance with God’s law; 2. “justice”, meaning acting as a result of and in accordance with an official, judicial verdict ( ), doing what is appropriate; 3. “equity”, that is, acting in a way that is fair and pleasing to others and that we act sincerely.

‏ Proverbs 1:3

To Receive Instruction

The teaching of Solomon has the purpose to make his son, and us, wise, which will lead us to make the right choices in our life. He teaches an “instruction in wise behavior”. The wisdom teacher holds out to his son an instruction that offers insight into how life should be lived. It is a ‘manual’ for life.

By presenting it in this way, he wants to lead his son, and us, to accept his instruction. It would be very stupid to refuse or ignore his ‘manual’ for life. The word ‘receive’ has to do with submission to the instruction or teaching, with the thought that what is being offered is worth accepting.

By nature, we want to determine our own life and are not inclined to submit. So it is necessary for us to submit in order to gain insight into life. However, we are not forced to accept the instruction, but invited to so, though emphatically and insistently. The father emphatically gives orders and the son would be wise to obey them, but he must make the choice himself whether he wants to.

No one requires us to read the manual that comes with a device before using it, but it is still urgently recommended. It can cost us a lot of money if we start using the device without having read the manual. That certainly goes for this manual for life, of course. The invitation expressed in this verse is that we accept the contents of this book and apply them in our lives.

“Wise behavior” means using our minds enlightened by God’s Word to think through certain matters, make plans and assess risks in order to then make the right choice between good and evil. If we receive this instruction, we will also consider in our actions

1. “righteousness”, meaning acting according to the proper norm or standard, as is done, for example, with weights and measures to measure and weigh something correctly (Deu 25:15); it means acting in accordance with God’s law;

2. “justice”, meaning acting as a result of and in accordance with an official, judicial verdict (Deu 16:18-19), doing what is appropriate;

3. “equity”, that is, acting in a way that is fair and pleasing to others and that we act sincerely.