She has sent out her maidservants; she calls out from the heights of the city. Sermons
I. THE FIGURATIVE REPRESENTATION. Wisdom was termed, in Proverbs 8:30, a "workmistress," in reference to the structure of the physical world. Here she whose delight is in men and human life is represented as the builder, i.e. the founder of moral and social order. The seven pillars denote grandeur, and, at the same time, sacredness. Her home is a temple. Religion is "the oldest and most sacred tradition of the race" (Herder); and it contains within it art, science, polity - all that makes human life stable, rich, and beautiful. Preparation has been made for a feast. The ox has been slain, the spiced wine has been mixed (Isaiah 5:22; Proverbs 23:30), the table set forth. Her servant has been sent forth, and her invitation has been freely made known on all the heights of the city. It is an invitation to the simple, the ignorant, the unintelligent, of every degree. II. THE SPIRITUAL CONTENTS. These receive a richer unfolding in the gospel (Matthew 22:1-14; Luke 14:16-24). Instead of the practical personification of wisdom, we have the living presence of Christ, "the Wisdom of God." Instead of the abstract, the concrete; for an ideal conception, a real Example and a present Object of faith. Instead of the splendid palace temple, on the other hand, we have the thought of the kingdom of God, or the Church, resting on its foundations of apostolic truth. To the provisions of the table correspond the rich spiritual nourishment derivable from Christ, his Word and work - the true Bread sent down from heaven. To the invitation of Wisdom, the call to salvation by Christ. 1. The New Testament echoes the Old, and the gospel is essentially the same in every way. 2. The gospel of Christ is the unfolding, expansion, enrichment, of the ancient spiritual lore. 3. The relation of the Divine to the human remains constant; it is that of supply to want, knowledge to ignorance, love and light to sorrow and darkness. 4. The invitation to the kingdom of heaven is free and general, conditioned by nothing except the need of its blessings. - J.
Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither. Life is reduced to an alternative; there is clearly marked out for us all, at the beginning of our life, that all is one thing or the other, wisdom or folly. To these two voices, all the noise and tumult of life, and all the diverse voices in your own souls, may be reduced. They are all either the call of the wisdom of God, or they are the call of folly, sense, and sin. Let me counsel you, then —I. To CHOOSE. The curse of men — and of young people especially — is that they drift into passions and habits before they know where they are. But it is a low and discreditable thing for men, old or young, that they should be the creatures and sport of the mere circumstances around them. All your life should have in it the deliberation and the resolve of a calm, settled choice. Here is the manliness of manhood, that a man has a reason for what he does, and has a will in doing it. Be the masters and lords of the circumstances in which you stand. There are two courses in life. There are but two. The two are utterly irreconcilable and discordant. You cannot have them both. Then be men, and choose. II. CHOOSE WISDOM. 1. Look at these two personified claimants — Wisdom and Folly. Wisdom is closely connected with uprightness of heart. It is both an intellectual and a moral excellence. Wisdom has rectitude for an essential part of it, the fibre of its very being is righteousness and holiness. This wisdom is not only an attribute of the human soul. We rise to righteousness. If a man would be wise, it must be with a wisdom that was in God before it is in him. Our prayer should be, "In Thy wisdom make us wise." A further step has to be taken. Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. There, in that living person, is the highest embodiment of all wisdom. All which is not of God is the "foolish woman." All which does not inhere in Christ, and appeal to us through and from Him, is that clamorous and persistent voice which leads us all astray, if we listen to it. The world and sense — these are her grossest forms. But there are less offensive forms besetting us all. III. CHOOSE NOW. Wisdom appeals to conscience. Folly appeals only to the sense of pleasure and the desire for its gratification. Both ask for your decision now. There is a strange tendency to put off decision. But it is an awful risk for a man to run. Every day that you live makes it less likely that you will choose. Every day that you live makes it harder for you to choose aright. Every day that you live takes away some of the power of resolving, and takes away some motive to resolve. (A. Maclaren, D. D.) People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Calleth, Calls, Cries, Crieth, Damsels, Forth, Goes, Heights, Highest, Maidens, Maids, Places, Point, Saying, Summits, Tops, Town, Voice, Women-servantsOutline 1. The discipline4. and the doctrine of wisdom 13. The custom 16. and error of folly Dictionary of Bible Themes Proverbs 9:1-4 4478 meat Library The Temple of Wisdom(Preached at Wellington College, All Saints' Day, 1866.) PROVERBS ix. 1-5. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: she hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens; she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and to him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. This allegory has been … Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons The Dryness of Preachers, and the Various Evils which Arise from their Failing to Teach Heart-Prayer --Exhortation to Pastors to Lead People Towards this Form Of Letter xxi (Circa A. D. 1128) to the Abbot of S. John at Chartres To Pastors and Teachers From his Entrance on the Ministry in 1815, to his Commission to Reside in Germany in 1820 The Authority and Utility of the Scriptures An Analysis of Augustin's Writings against the Donatists. The Gospel Feast Proverbs Links Proverbs 9:3 NIVProverbs 9:3 NLT Proverbs 9:3 ESV Proverbs 9:3 NASB Proverbs 9:3 KJV Proverbs 9:3 Bible Apps Proverbs 9:3 Parallel Proverbs 9:3 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 9:3 Chinese Bible Proverbs 9:3 French Bible Proverbs 9:3 German Bible Proverbs 9:3 Commentaries Bible Hub |