Finding the Knowledge of God: The Role of Imitation in Proverbs 1-9

The book of Proverbs is the preeminent work of wisdom in the Bible, loved and studied by people of all walks and types. Although some find interest in the mundane and universal tone it seems to espouse, recent scholarship has sought to unravel the theological and philosophical qualities that underlie its aphoristic content. As the introduction and interpretive key for this book, Proverbs 1−9 provides a cohesive wisdom program to a proverbial son for guidance throughout his life.

Within this complex literary tapestry, the proverbial father teaches the son how to become one of the wise. The goal of wisdom, however, is not merely mundane success or practical skills. Rather, the father provides fifteen lessons that point to Yhwh. For the son to become wise, he must grow in his knowledge of God. To grow in his knowledge of God, he must become more like God, achieved through imitating his character, behavior, and desires. Thus, in this spiral relationship, the path to knowing God lies in walking with him in his ways. As the father teaches throughout Proverbs 1−9, this is the way of wisdom.