Proverbs Essay -- Bible Religion

Proverbs Choice and Discernment, the Two shipway of LivingIn studying the book of Proverbs there is a similar theme of choice and discernment, the teachings of decision-making and the repercussions of your actions. These books are made up of extremes and polar opposites. The dualisms are the rich and poor, the righteous and the wicked, and the wise and the foolish. There is advice given and it is up to the judgment of the some one(a) to which category they will fall into. There are two ways of living, and based on the persons discernment and ultimate choice to which one they will get to live. This paper will focus on Proverbs 10, 12, and 14, Solomons Proverbs, to display this theme of choice and discernment. Proverb 10 is an antithetical parallelism, because the second telephone circuit is opposite of the first. This musical passage is both observational and didactic. Some of the passages are subtle entities and some are teachings that promote an ideal. Wise children engage th eir fathers proud of them foolish ones flummox their mothers grief (101). This first passage is very simple if you are wise, consequently you will be good to your parents, the teaching is, do not be foolish. The neighboring passage has great insight, wealth you get by dishonesty will do you no good, but honesty can save your life (102). This passage is an ellipsis because it leaves out detail to how exactly honesty can save your life, but it will do you more good than being dishonest. You will be rewarded for choosing to act wisely. The Lord will not let good people go hungry, but he will keep the wicked from getting what they fate (103). This passage shows the world as a just world, that God/dess will keep things even keel, even though this is not the case. Things are unfair sometimes, and utilise observation on personal life experiences, bad things can happen to good people. Although this passage does teach that if you choose to be good, you will be taken care of, and if you choose to be wicked you will not always get what you want. There are two choices here on how to live, good or wicked, and good judgment would be choosing to be good. It encourages again the need for right decision making. These passages lack emotion they are just a steady string up of advice. They speak of retribution you will get whats coming to you. If you choose to be lazy, you will be poor and not achieve any status, if you choose... ... that if you make the right decision, God will help you, he will guide and save you. This maybe the details that are left out of Proverbs, there may not be a need for detail at all. It doesnt matter what the situation is, dont be lazy, the out come then will be the help of the Lord. This advice is God/dess guidance, it is then up to you which path you will take, what decisions will be made, and which life you choose to live. The Lord can alone bring us this far He/She is unable to help, if we are do not make the right decisions and live righ teously. Works CitedBricker, Daniel P. The Doctrine of the Two Ways in Proverbs. Doctoral candidate in Old Testament at Fuller Theological Seminary, Pasadena. 1995. ATLA index. Buttrick, George Arthur. The Interpreters Bible, twelve volumes. Abingdon Press, Nashville, 1984. Clifford, Richard J., A Commentary by Proverbs, The Old Testament Library. Editorial Advisory Board James L. Mays, Carol A. Newsom, David I. Petersen. Westminster John Knox Press, Louisville, Kentucky, 1999. Drane, John. Introducing the Old Testament. Harper & Row, Publishers. San Francisco, 1987.