Tuesday 17 June 2025
Then I was beside him, like a master worker; and I was daily his delight, rejoicing before him always, rejoicing in his inhabited world and delighting in the human race. (vs 30-31)
Background
Proverbs doesn’t pay much attention to significant events or people in the history of God’s people and, as a result, in the past it has not received as much attention as other books in the Bible from theologians. However, this is a fascinating passage and it is theologically significant. The writer of Proverbs gives voice to the person of Wisdom. The use of the first person (I and me) is suggestive of Wisdom’s divine nature. In the first verse of chapter 8 Wisdom is referred to in the feminine; at the start of creation she was the first to be brought into being. Let’s come back to this in a moment.
I am a prison chaplain and I preached at the prison on Mother’s Day. It's a difficult time as some men will not have known their mother or will have had a difficult relationship with her. I said, "Women are not mentioned very much in the Bible. So when they are it’s important to take notice of what is going on."
Afterwards a female colleague pointed out this is not true – women are mentioned in the Bible a lot. Her point was made clearly when I listened to Dr Paula Gooder’s 'Women of Holy Week' podcast from 2021. She tells the stories of nine women: some are named such as Mary Magdalene; some are not, for example the widow with two coins (Mark 12:42-44); and some are not mentioned but were almost certainly present. In the podcast they come alive. To my shame I hadn’t realised they were all there.
Wisdom is associated with God’s act of creation. She calls people to account (1:20-33) and has the power to offer salvation from death (8:35-36). These are things that in the New Testament are associated with Jesus who is called 'the wisdom of God' (1 Corinthians 1:24). In the Revised Common Lectionary the readings for Trinity Sunday include this reading which allows the personal language about Wisdom in Proverbs to relate to the persons of the Trinity, although this is usually translated into male language to reflect Jesus as a man. However, some theologians have started to use the personal descriptions of Wisdom as a model for talking about God in feminine terms. This model is not accepted by all and is a subject of debate.
To Ponder:
- In what ways is talking about God in masculine and feminine terms important?
- How can we put aside who we are and be more open to seeing what scripture has to say to us?
Prayer
God of creation, God of wisdom, you are far beyond imagination, speech and writing. Help me to know you better. Amen.
Bible notes author: Dr Tom Lunt
Dr Tom Lunt is a Methodist local preacher, prison chaplain and lecturer. He lives with his wife Liz in East Sussex.