Metaphysical Bible Interpretation of Proverbs Chapter 3
Metaphysically Interpreting Proverbs 3:1-12
3:1My son, forget not my law;
But let thy heart keep my commandments:3:2For length of days, and years of life,
And peace, will they add to thee.3:3Let not kindness and truth forsake thee:
Bind them about thy neck;
Write them upon the tablet of thy heart:3:4So shalt thou find favor and good understanding
In the sight of God and man.3:5Trust in Jehovah with all thy heart,
And lean not upon thine own understanding:3:6In all thy ways acknowledge him,
And he will direct thy paths.3:7Be not wise in thine own eyes;
Fear Jehovah, and depart from evil:3:8It will be health to thy navel,
And marrow to thy bones.3:9Honor Jehovah with thy substance,
And with the first-fruits of all thine increase:3:10So shall thy barns be filled with plenty,
And thy vats shall overflow with new wine.3:11My son, despise not the chastening of Jehovah;
Neither be weary of his reproof:3:12For whom Jehovah loveth he reproveth;
Even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.
August 24, 1947: Prov. 3:3
Can we be kind and still remain loyal to truth? Yes, with the help of the Christ.
Metaphysically why should kindness and truth be “bound about the neck” and written “upon the tablet of the heart”? So that they may be kept in mind continually. Kindness and truth furthermore give us a consciousness of power. The heart is spoken of as the center of affection; therefore if we love truth and kindness with all our heart we shall have them when we most need to express them.
Metaphysically Interpreting Proverbs 3:13-18
3:13Happy is the man that findeth wisdom,
And the man that getteth understanding.3:14For the gaining of it is better than the gaining of silver,
And the profit thereof than fine gold.3:15She is more precious than rubies:
And none of the things thou canst desire are to be compared unto her.3:16Length of days is in her right hand;
In her left hand are riches and honor.3:17Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.3:18She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her:
And happy is every one that retaineth her.
July 27, 1947: Prov. 3:13-18
What is one of the outstanding characteristics of wisdom? Reasonableness. Willingness to weigh the opinions of others is also a part of wisdom. Good judgment puts a person in the way of wisdom and makes his counsel acceptable because of its soundness.
Why is wisdom represented as having “length of days ... in her right hand”? The right hand is the one most frequently used, and as such it represents the habit of acting wisely and prudently. Habitual wise action conserves life and promotes health.
What have riches and honor to do with wisdom? They are by-products of wisdom. As we live wisely we realize abundance and the esteem of those who see the fruits of our observance of the divine law. “In her left hand are riches and honor.”
In what respect are the ways of wisdom “ways of pleasantness”? To gain enlightenment is a joy. To have understanding dawn, where ignorance, uncertainty, and confusion were before, is one of the greatest experiences of life. When the mind is awake and the thoughts alert, we know deep and abiding joy in life.
How does peace become a matter of course to us? Through the unfoldment and growth of understanding. Contention and conflict disappear with this growth. All who live in divine order are one at heart.
May 1, 1921: Prov. 5:13-18
Wisdom is discernment and judgment. It is knowledge and the ability to use knowledge. It includes high moral as well as mental excellence. Knowledge is merely a comprehension of facts. Knowledge may be gained from books at school, but wisdom must come from a higher source. “But, if any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all liberally and upbraids not; and it shall be given him.” Wisdom comes through a sincere mental cooperation with the Divine Source. This cooperation is more precious than any material possession can possibly be. When we become channels for the free expression of Divine Wisdom, we will find it leads to genuine happiness. If a man has wisdom, he knows what to do in order to obtain results in any line. He knows how to attain long life; he brings to himself honor and peace; his ways are ways of pleasantness and he realizes what true happiness means.
- UNITY magazine
Metaphysically Interpreting Proverbs 3:21-35
3:21My son, let them not depart from thine eyes;
Keep sound wisdom and discretion:3:22So shall they be life unto thy soul,
And grace to thy neck.3:23Then shalt thou walk in thy way securely,
And thy foot shall not stumble.3:24When thou liest down, thou shalt not be afraid:
Yea, thou shalt lie down, and thy sleep shall be sweet.3:25Be not afraid of sudden fear,
Neither of the desolation of the wicked, when it cometh:3:26For Jehovah will be thy confidence,
And will keep thy foot from being taken.3:27Withhold not good from them to whom it is due,
When it is in the power of thy hand to do it.3:28Say not unto thy neighbor, Go, and come again,
And to-morrow I will give;
When thou hast it by thee.3:29Devise not evil against thy neighbor,
Seeing he dwelleth securely by thee.3:30Strive not with a man without cause,
If he have done thee no harm.3:31Envy thou not the man of violence,
And choose none of his ways.3:32For the perverse is an abomination to Jehovah;
But his friendship is with the upright.3:33The curse of Jehovah is in the house of the wicked;
But he blesseth the habitation of the righteous.3:34Surely he scoffeth at the scoffers;
But he giveth grace unto the lowly.3:35The wise shall inherit glory;
But shame shall be the promotion of fools.
September 14, 1947: Prov. 3:30-31
Why is the Book of Proverbs of unfailing benefit to us? Because of its use of denials and affirmations that teach us in short, sententious statements the truths of life.
Is the use of violence ever justified? No. “Envy thou not the man of violence, And choose none of his ways.”
Of what spirit is unprovoked strife a sign? A spirit of contention or love of discord and confusion instead of peaceableness.
Transcribed by Lloyd Kinder on 10-28-2013
