Proverbs

NIV Application Commentary, Old Testament

by Paul E. Koptak

What is wisdom? Does occupying the top of life’s heap mean you have it? Does being near the bottom mean you don’t? Wisdom can certainly help you acquire wealth, influence people, or succeed at your career, yet it involves more than knowledge alone. It’s also a matter of understanding God’s perspectives in applying what you know and having the character to act accordingly. That is why true wisdom—the kind that begins with fear of the Lord—frequently runs counter to what our culture values and applauds. This is the wisdom the book of Proverbs teaches. Proverbs deals with the relationship between heaven and earth on a practical level that covers the broad swath of human activity. We could all use more wisdom in our lives; the book of Proverbs was designed to guide us into it. Proverbs is far from monolithic. It has multiple authors and employs diverse styles. But its goal remains simple: to equip us for living in a way that succeeds first and foremost in God’s eyes. Exploring the links between the Bible and our own times, Paul Koptak shares perspectives on Proverbs that reveal ageless truths for our twenty-first-century lives. Most Bible commentaries take us on a one-way trip from our world to the world of the Bible. But they leave us there, assuming that we can somehow make the return journey on our own. They focus on the original meaning of the passage but don’t discuss its contemporary application. The information they offer is valuable—but the job is only half done! The NIV Application Commentary Series helps bring both halves of the interpretive task together. This unique, award-winning series shows readers how to bring an ancient message into our present-day context. It explains not only what the Bible meant but also how it speaks powerfully today.

Genres: Biblical Studies, Nonfiction, Christian, Reference

721 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 1, 2003

Reviews

[Michael Philliber · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not a fan of the NIV, but I am a fan of this commentary series. And this particular commentary on Proverbs, by Paul Koptack is delightful! I think he gets the right feel for Proverbs, as it sits within the canonical and covenantal stream. I highly recommend it. Big volume, but worth the money and the time.

[Gary L Rau · Rating 5 out of 5]

Insightful

Like all the Application Commentary series, provides useful insight into the text from language and cultural context. Especially helpful are the observations into literary structure such as plays on Hebrew words, use of words in other Proverbs and texts, palindrome and acrostic.

[Matthew · Rating 4 out of 5]

It must be difficult to write a commentary on Proverbs, since there are so many different directions you could provide commentary on, but this author does as good a job as one can do