Proverbs (Part 104) - Pro 9:4-5

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4. Pro 9:4 - "Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him," A. Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: i. This is the beginning of wisdom's message to those whom she calls to her feast in her house. ii. Wisdom's call is to anyone who is simple and desires to not remain that way (Pro 8:5). a. Whoso pron. - 1. = whoever 1: Any (one) who. b. Whoever pron. - I. 1. As compound relative, or with correlative in principal clause, which usually follows but occas. precedes; in generalized or indefinite sense: Whatever person or persons; any one who, or any who. c. Simple - B. absol. or as n. 1. a. As pl. Persons in a humble or ordinary condition of life. 2. a. As pl. Those who are unlearned, ignorant, easily misled, unsuspecting, etc. b. As sing. An ignorant or foolish person. d. The word of God, which is the word of wisdom (Pro 2:6), makes the simple wise (Psa 19:7; Psa 119:130). iii. Whoever is simple is encouraged by wisdom to turn into her house. a. The church is the house of God (1Ti 3:15). b. It is the place for the simple to be made wise by the preaching of the gospel (Eph 4:11-16). iv. Only simple people, who have the humility and the honesty to realize that they are simple, will ever obey the call of wisdom to come into her house. v. The simple who think themselves to be wise will never enter because they don't think they have anything to learn. vi. Scorners don't like being told what to do, and therefore will not go to the wise (Pro 15:12). B. as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, i. Wisdom's message is to him that lacks intelligence. a. Want v. - 1. a. intr. To be lacking or missing; not to exist; not to be forthcoming; to be deficient in quantity or degree. 2. a. trans. Not to have; to be without, to lack; to have too little of; to be destitute of, or deficient in; to fail to have, or get. b. Understanding n . - 1. a. (Without article.) Power or ability to understand; intellect, intelligence. b. of understanding, intelligent, capable of judging with knowledge. Similarly of some, of no, understanding. ii. If a man is willing to humble himself as a little child and admit that he lacks understanding and needs to be taught, he will enter the kingdom of God at wisdom's bidding (Mat 18:3-4). iii. But if a man thinks he's smart and doesn't have anything to learn from the word of God, the preacher, and the brethren, then wisdom's message is going to fall on deaf ears and do him no good. 5. Pro 9:5 - "Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled." A. Come, i. Wisdom calls out to the simple who are humble enough to realize and accept that they are simple and lack understanding (Pro 9:4) and invites them to come and dine with her. a. Come v. - 1. In its most literal sense it expresses the hitherward motion of a voluntary agent. a. To move towards, approach. b. esp. To reach by moving towards; hence, often merely, To arrive, present oneself. b. Jesus Christ, who is the wisdom of God (1Co 1:24), after His resurrection invited His disciples to "come and dine" with Him (Joh 21:12). c. The gospel message to God's children is to come and partake of God's provision (Isa 55:1-3; Mat 11:28; Rev 22:17). d. Those who hear and obey wisdom's call to come unto her are blessed. e. The wicked will not come unto God (Joh 5:40; Psa 10:4). B. eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. i. Wisdom building her house, furnishing her table, and sending out her maidens to call men to come into it is symbolic of Jesus Christ building His church, establishing its ordinances, and sending out his apostles and preachers to cry unto His children to come into His church (Pro 9:1-4). ii. One of the ordinances that Jesus Christ, who is the wisdom of God (1Co 1:24), instituted in His church is the Lord's Supper which consists of bread and wine (Luk 22:17-20). iii. Jesus bids His ministers to preach unto men to "come" to the great supper in His kingdom (Luk 14:15-17). a. Our Saviour after His resurrection invited His disciples to "come and dine" with Him (Joh 21:12). b. Wisdom exhorts us likewise. iv. How blessed we are to be welcome in God's house to eat at His table.