Proverbs

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Stylteralmaldo

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Does anyone have any good Catholic online resources dealing with the book of Proverbs?

I’ll be meeting with some recent converts to the faith in which we will be discussing that book. I’d like to read up on how our church has viewed the book over the centuries.

Thanks!
 
Antonio Fuentes has an article on Catholic Answers Here on the Book of Proverbs.

Catholic Culture’s Father William Most has a commentary Here on the Book of Proverbs.

That’s all I could find for now.
 
For a very simple outline, you can find that within the book of Proverbs itself.

The first division is chapters 1-9, “the proverbs of Solomon”(vs 1) presents 12 lessons in a godly household from parents to child using the phrase “my son,” in an order that is logical based on a child’s maturity level progressing over time.

You can underline each of those in the bible starting with the following sections:

#1. 1:8-9 : “my son…” Regard for Parent’s Wisdom.
#2. 1:10-1:33: “my son…” The Danger of Bad Companions.
#3. Chapter 2: “my son…” The Importance of Reading and Prayer
#4. 3:1-10: “my son…” Trusting and Honoring the Lord
#5. 3:11 - 3:20 “my son…” Submitting to the Discipline of the Lord
#6. 3:21 - 4:9 “my son…” Building Friendships and Relationships
#7. 4:10 - 4:19 “my son…” Divine Guidance in the Path.
#8. 4:20 - 4:27 “my son…” Guarding your Heart
#9. 5:1 - 23 “my son…” The Secret of a Happy Marriage
#10. 6:1 - 19 “my son…” How to Avoid Financial Ruin
#11. 6:20 - 35 “my son…” The Reality of the Government of God (aka Karma!)
#12. 7:1 - 27 “my son…” The Folly of Immorality.

Chapter 8, wisdom is venturing out on her own. This is the child leaving the home, and in chapter 9, the child is now an adult, and forms their own marriage, wisdom “hath builded her house…”, then you can loop back to chapter 1 and start over.

Chapter 10 starts a new section, vs 1, “the proverbs of Solomon” of contrasting parallelisms (“but”). Chapter 16 probably should have started with chapter 15 vs 33, because this starts a section of complimenting parallelisms (“and”).

The next section, Solomon was himself a student of wisdom, and quotes the “words of the wise” chapter 22:17. A division occurs again at chapter 24:23, chapter 25, 30:1, 31:1.

It’s important to remember the the words of scripture are inspired, but the chapter divisions, vs numbers, and your catechism, while sometimes useful and helpful, are not.

Psalm 119:89
For ever, O LORD, thy word is settled in heaven.

~Peter
 
Stylteralmaldo said:
Does anyone have any good Catholic online resources dealing with the book of Proverbs?
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Constructive criticism OK.?

Proverbs has good points except for 2. I find somewhat tongue in cheek Solomon’s advice on sexual restraint. It also points out his weak spot, and that is recognizing conflict of interest when he sees it.

With 50 wives under his belt, and a couple hundred offspring, (give or take one or two, who’s counting, and I bet he could name every one of them by heart. :rolleyes:), one would think he would leave the topic to others. The epitome of self restraint he would have been for sure.

Prov 2,16 I’ll need to remember in case I need it, of course remembering I don’t have the same perspective either, and who will ever have. The gymnastics in discernment must have been particularly taxing to him, and to this we need to give him credit. Imagine choosing from the charms of all these ladies without once ever lusting at one of them. What are the odds? Not to mention doing all this seeking under the approving watchful eyes of perfectly contented and pleased wife #1, …or is that #39?.

Must have been a real trial fending off the advances of a married woman after a nite of endless bed hopping.

In 17, he’s not through in his disgust and goes on putting down the hypothetical young lady who just so happens to be without 50 husbands to keep her libido at a manageable level. In fact he just realizes he’s on a roll in 18 and 19.

I imagine there must have been many women with a bit of spunk who gave this information a piece of their mind, but of course that never makes it in the Word does it. He didn’t get first reading in my Italian neighbourhood, as the ladies would be at him with rolling pins. 😃

Guy’s, c’mon.

AndyF
 
AndyF said:
Constructive criticism OK.?

Proverbs has good points except for 2. I find somewhat tongue in cheek Solomon’s advice on sexual restraint. It also points out his weak spot, and that is recognizing conflict of interest when he sees it.
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Here’s what Antonio Fuentes says about this section of Proverbs:
Certainly chapters 1-9, which form a kind of introduction to the whole book, must be much later, perhaps around the fifth century B.C. It was in this last period, after the exile, that the book was given its final form.
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So, it may be a little unfair to add hypocrisy to Solomon’s (admittedly large) list of vices simply by reading this part of Proverbs.
 
AndyF said:
Who is he?

Andy
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He’s a guy I met on the street the other day. I get all my answers from him. Sometimes he’s even right!!! 🙂

But seriously, he provides the Bible commentary for Catholic Answers. I believe he’s involved in the Navarre Study Bible, but I can’t be sure about that.
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Notworthy:
Antonio Fuentes has an article on Catholic Answers Here on the Book of Proverbs.

Catholic Culture’s Father William Most has a commentary Here on the Book of Proverbs.

That’s all I could find for now.
Click to expand...
 
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