First let's get something clear about erroneous notions of Paul and his founding a new religion, which he didn't. True, the halakhah of his Judaism switched from the Pharisaic oral law to the Ruach Hakodesh, but his religion was still one of the Judaisms of the time, not a new non-Judaism Gentile religion.

The fear of the L-rd is the beginning of Wisdom (1:7,29; 9:10;

15:33) and "life indeed" (19:23). Moreover, whether to fear the

L-rd is a choice (1:29) with ethical implications (14:2; 16:6)

that are a matter of life and death (21:16). The aim of

acquiring wisdom is acquiring more trust in the L-rd (22:19) as

we seek Him (28:5). The waywardly complacent fool makes the

wrong choice (14:16,33; 15:17, 17:16), and the Book of Proverbs

strongly exhorts the pursuit of Biblical wisdom as something of

incomparable value (16:16; 23:23), asserting that whoever does

not tremble at the wise words of Scripture is a doomed fool

(19:16), even if he is outwardly religious (15:8; 21:27; 28:9)

and generally presumed righteous (20:9; 21:2; 30:12).

The Book of Proverbs deals with practical wisdom, with matters

like marrying well and finding a good spouse (see 18:22;

31:10-31). Also wisdom itself is something that is found. Wisdom

(chochma) is presented metaphorically as a lady street preacher

(1:20-33; 8:1-9:12) and is contrasted with the lethal allure of

Dame Folly (Aishet K'siloot "a woman of folly"), presented in

contrast as an adulterous street walker (2:16-19; 6:24-7:27;

9:13-18; 23:27-28; 30:20). Both women make strong appeals to the

passersby in front of their respective houses. The house of one

is blessed and the other is cursed (see also 14:1), and all who

enter the house of one or the other will share in either the

house's blessing or its curse. This poetic teaching against

sexual immorality falls within the larger theme of "bad company

destroys good morals" (I Cor. 15:33) which includes 1:10-19;

2:12-22; 3:31-35; 4:14-19; 14:7; 22:5,14,24-25; 28:7; 29:3; 31:3

and passages which deal with ethical qualities like envy, greed,

covetousness, violence, mercy, generosity, and kindness

(11:24-26; 15:27; 21:13,31,26; 22:9,16,22-23; 23:4-6,17; 24:1;

27:4; 28:20,22,25; 28:27; 29:7; 30:14-15).

Seen in a feminine image, Wisdom is the most desirable of women

and the tree of life (3:13-18; 4:22; 8:35-36--see also 11:30).

Seen in a masculine image, he is the Father's Son (Prov. 30:4),

working as a master worker, a carpenter's assistant used

instrumentally to create the world (3:19; 8:22-34).

PROVERBS 8:30 "Then I was by him (at his side), as an artisan

(craftsman). I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing

always before him."

(When the Word became flesh, he became the craftsman at Joseph's

side...Joseph the carpenter from Nazareth, Joseph the son of

Dovid; likewise, the Word in the beginning was the craftsman at

the side of G-d. The feminine metaphor with which this chapter

began has changed to a masculine one. Amon is a masculine noun

meaning artisan or craftsman. Another possible meaning is

foster-child. In any case, as Keil and Delitzsch have shown, at

this point in the chapter the feminine determination disappears.

See how the word is used in Jeremiah 52:15. To be filled with

the Spirit of G-d like Bezalel meant to be filled with wisdom to

build creatively as a craftsman--see Exodus 31:3. Thus Wisdom is

pictured as a craftsman with G-d, even as Yochanan 1:1 says, "In

the beginning was the Word and the Word was with G-d." In

Proverbs 30:4 more light is thrown on this passage: Wisdom is

like a Son, a Son working creatively at his Father's side.

However, Hosea 11:1-4 shows that the divine fatherhood is moral

and spiritual, in contrast to the sexual or physical ideas of the

Baal cults, or in contrast to the ignorant scoffers at the

Biblical doctrine of G-d the Father of His Word Yehoshua. These

critics show the same ignorant tendency to create a non-biblical

strawman "trinity" and then burn it down with ill-informed

polemics, like the ignorant railings of certain Muslims against

the Qur'anic version of the "trinity.")

PROVERBS 30:4 "Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended?

Who hath gathered the wind in his fists? Who hath bound the

waters in a garment? Who hath established all the ends of the

earth? What is his name, and what is his Son's name, if thou

canst tell?"

(It will not do to try to bring Israel in here as the Son, since

the context reflects back to Proverbs 8 and especially 8:30.

Israel is scarcely mentioned or thought of in Proverbs. The

figure of a son toiling by the side of his father was a familiar

one, and is an arresting metaphor for G-d's primordial Wisdom

toiling creatively in the beginning with G-d. Likewise, Psalm

2:7, Psalm 89:27-28, and Isaiah 9:(5)6 are passages where the

Moshiach is pictured as G-d's Son, his firstborn in the sense of

his heir coming in divine glory (see Daniel 7:13-14 on the Son

who comes in the clouds with G-d) to "divide the spoil with the

strong" (Isaiah 53:12) and to govern eternally--Isaiah 9:7(6).)

The folly of the Fall (Gen. 3:1-24) itself is alluded to in Prov.

3:5-7,-Trust in the L-rd with all your heart, and do not rely on

your own insight. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will

make straight your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear

the L-rd, and turn away from evil" (see also 11:2; 12:9; 14:12;

15:25,33; 16:5,18-19; 18:12; 19:3; 21:4,24; 25:6-7,27; 26:12;

27:1-2; 28:26; 29:23, which also touch on the sin of pride and

presumption).

The book advocates honoring G-d with the tithe (3:9-10) and

remaining docile before Him to hear and obey His Scriptural

commands (3:11-12; 10:8,17; 12:1,15; 13:1,13; 15:5,10,12,31-32;

19:20,25; 20:18,30; 21:11; 24:6; 25:12; 27:5-6,17; 28:23; 29:1)

lest one backslide (26:11; 28:4). Obeying G-d requires hard

work, diligence, and shrewd planning for future needs (6:6-11;

10:4-5, 26; 12:11,24,27, 13:4; 14:4,23; 15:19; 16:26; 18:9;

19:15,24; 20:4,13; 21:5,17,25; 22:7,13; 24:27,30-34; 26:13-16;

27:18,25-27; 28:19), as well as self-control (16:32; 19:19; 20:1;

23:19-21, 29-35; 25:28; 29:11,22; 31:4-5), straightforwardness

and honesty of speech (4:24; 6:12; 10:10-11; 12:17,19,22;

14:5,25; 19:9,28; 21:6,28; 26:23-28; 30:8) and foreswearing all

treachery, dishonesty, and injustice (3:29; 10:2; 11:1,9,20;

13:5; 16:11; 17:23; 18:5; 20:17,23; 22:28; 24:10-12,24-25;

38:13), remembering that G-d hates the slanderer (10:18), the

gossip (11:13; 16:28; 18:8; 20:19; 26:20,22), the sower of

discord (6:12-19; 13:10; 26:21), and the one who gloats (24:17)

or belittles people (11:12) or is bitterly vengeful (24:29;

25:21-22) or is a mocker (30:17).

Part of the task of teaching shrewdness to the simple (1:4) is

warning him not to offer property as collateral for his

neighbor's debts or to similarly go into debt himself (6:1-5;

11:15; 17:18; 20:16; 22:26-27; 27:13). Also he must be taught to

be sensitive to the reactions of others and how they are

perceiving him (25:17; 27:14,23).

"Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all offenses" (10:12),

"whoever walks with the wise becomes wise" (13:20), meaning that

we should stay in fellowship with fellow believers and maintain a

loving relationship with them (see 17:9). But "the one who lives

alone is self-indulgent" (18:1a). "What is desirable in a person

is loyalty" (19:22a; 20:6; 25:19; 27:10).

Notice that the sage no less than the prophet preaches the Torah

and warns about its curses (see 2:22; 10:30; Deut. 28:63-67)

This book was written "for the wise" (1:5) but it also written

for young people (1:8,10; 19:27; 22:6), who will perish without

discipline (13:24; 19:18; 22:15; 23:13-14; 29:15,17). This book

reminds and we always need reminding, that "a good name is to be

chosen rather than great riches" (22:1).

This is a book concerning self-control and common sense in

matters of work, diligence, speech, honesty, and sex.

Prov. 1:22. The fool does not study the Word, does not tremble

at the Word, does not acknowledge it by his life though he may

always be "learning" it (II Tim. 3:6-7). He has not been "made

into a learner with a teacher" according to Matthew 28:19-20. A

disciple is a "learner with a teacher."

Prov. 1:33 Fearing no mischance means not fearing what Sartre

feared, the radical continguency of life, that "anything can

happen." (See 29:25; 28:1 and do a concordance study on "fear" in

the book of Proverbs.

Prov. 2:1-5 We study to know G-d, to please Him in all things,

and to enjoy him forever.

Prov. 3:11-12 Can you take correction from ministers?

Prov. 3:31 One year the New York Post headlines on April 16

"MARVELOUS!" and the picture was a prize fighter bleeding and

knocked senseless. Do you have any idea how angry this kind of

stupidity makes G-d?

Prov. 4:13 This matter of spiritual study is a life-or-death

matter.

Prov. 4:22 Have you learned to use your Bible as a therapy system

to bring inner healing (and consequent bodily healing) to

yourself?

Prov.4:23 Be very careful upon what you set your affections.

Prov.5:8 Flee from the lusts of youth and avoid even the

appearance of evil. Learn to run from disgrace and hide from

temptation in the L-rd.

Prov. 5:17 Polygamy is out, monogamy is in.

Prov. 6:6-11 Get a job, and don't be dumber than an ant.

Prov. 7:11 Don't let any spirit drive you, whether it be the

demon of gluttony, autoeroticism, gluttony, gambling, or

workaholicism.

Prov. 8:22 Creation's wisdom is created, but the rationality of

G-d in creation is uncreated, and it was this power in G-d that

came on the scene as the man Moshiach Yehoshua. Humanity has

wisdom the animals lack because, unlike animals, we are create in

the image of G-d. But G-d always imaged Himself by his

rationality in the Logos, the logic of G-d. The Moshiach is the

Chochmah Elohim (the Wisdom of G-d) who gave Moses the pattern

for the Tabernacle on Mt. Sinai (Exodus 25:40).

Prov. 9:13 We should strive to act on the prompting of the Ruach

Hakodesh rather than on impulse.

Prov. 10:8 Be aware of the worthless speech in your life.

Prov. 10:9 Secret sins will disgrace you.

Prov. 10:l7 Stay under Brit Chadasha kehillah discipline. Become

a disciple.

Prov. 10:28 If you are moving into maturity in the Spirit there

should be deep joy in your life.

Prov. 11:2 is a key theme.

Prov. 11:7 Put this together with Ps. 1 to define who the wicked

are and use it to lead people to Biblical discipleship.

Prov. 12:2-3 This typical proverb shows that deism is wrong. G-d

actively and morally intervenes in his world, though his hand is

veiled to the unwise.

Prov. 12:11 Be an entrepreneur for G-d, one of the dreamers who

do.

Prov. 12:15 Do you know the difference between servile

"submission" and Biblical accountability?

Prov. 13:2 The whole world is filled with political treachery and

military violence. Work only with sifted people you have tested

first.

Prov. 13:13 and 30:5-6 are reasons why we believe in the

inerrancy of the Bible.

Prov. 13:20 Can you avoid a sterile quarantine from your unsaved

friends and still witness to them without losing your testimony

with them?

Prov. 14:22 What is your arts project? Do you have a vision to

reach the lost through the talents G-d has given you?

Prov. 14:31 Think about the poor we pass daily on the sidewalk

and how we insult G-d by the way we treat them.

Prov. 15:1 Learn to be soft and humble and gentle in speech as a

minister.

Prov. 15:19 Your nightly prayer should be, "Make me industrious

tomorrow, L-rd, and give me strength and wisdom to know what to

do to serve you.

Prov. 15:32 When someone rejects the Besuras Hageulah ask why

they hate themselves.

Prov. 17:19 This is a pitfall in the ministry: a bitter sarcastic

tone in the voice.

Prov. 17:22 Never let HaSatan have your sense of humor.

Prov. 18:13 is the first rule of counselling.

Prov. 22:6 is why you should consider children's ministry. My

Sunday School teacher was Rav Sha'uline and G-d knew all the

potential little Shliach Sha'uls she was investing in. With the

L-rd now, her works still follow her.

Prov. 22:15 Traces of original sin.

Prov. 23:20 Avoid gluttony.

Prov. 24:7 Have you ever noticed that the unsaved have little to

oontribute to a spiritual discussion? By the fruit of their lips

you will know them.

Prov. 24:19-20 The problem of the prosperity of the wicked is

solved.

Prov. 25:21-22 Love your enemies.

Prov. 28:4 The unspiritually broadminded are carnallym

muddle-minded.

Prov. 28:9 Backslilders can't pray.

Prov. 23:13 Why we need to confess the L-rd before the

congregation.

Prov. 28:25 Envy is at the root of most quarrels, though it hides

under other pretexts.

Prov. 28:26 Get in touch with Moshiach Yehoshua and follow his

promptings.

Prov. 30:7-9 The two-way temptation of money.

Prov. 30:20 G-d, show us our moral blindness and wretchedness.

PROVERBS 3:19

The L-rd by wisdom hath founded the earth; by understanding hath

he established the heavens.

PROVERBS 8:23

I was appointed from everlasting, from the first (beginning), or

ever the earth was (begun).

PROVERBS 30:6

Add thou not unto his words, lest he rebuke thee, and thou be

found a liar.