“Answers For A Study in the Book of Proverbs and Ephesians” is a weekly post in addition to the regular “apologetics” posts on the weekend where the original questions can be found at the bottom of the study, and then answers appear here mid-week. This gives you time to do your own research, and then check your answers. Keep in mind these will be basic answers with a little depth, but you can go much deeper for discussion if you’d like.
Note: The answers will focus on what the text of the Bible says, and commentaries and speculative answers will be noted as such. There are many scholarly commentaries out there but it will be important, as students of the Bible, to keep the text of the Bible as our first source. Commentaries can be used, keeping in mind that they are human thoughts about God’s Word. Scripture references here are taken from the NASB, unless otherwise noted.
The Goal for the notes, questions and answers: Share and reuse to lead your own Bible study!
Bible Study
Always remember to pray before you study and ask the Holy Spirit to teach you and lead you into the truth found in God’s Word – pray for protection from the evil one who will try to discourage, distract and deceive us when we commit to growing closer to the LORD.
NOTE: Questions are taken directly from the chapters, and answers should be found and cited from the Scripture text in order to be Biblically accurate (unless asked to summarize in your own words). Study Bibles, commentaries and your own thoughts can be used for “Discussion” or “Going Deeper” questions. Cite your sources to share with your group.
Daily Devotional:
Read one chapter a day from the book of Proverbs for five days and take two days off. This week do Proverbs chapters 21-25, note any questions you may have, or anything that stands out to you as a life application.
1. From your daily devotional reading in the book of Proverbs 21-25, discuss the following:
These Proverbs have a focus on life and conduct. Contrast the wise with the foolish on these topics (site specific verses to support your answers):
a. What is taught about raising children?
“Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it.” Proverbs 22:6
“Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child; the rod of discipline will remove it far from him.” Proverbs 22:15
“Do not hold back discipline from the child, although you strike him with the rod, he will not die. You shall strike him with the rod and rescue his soul from Sheol.” Proverbs 23:13-14
“Listen to your father who begot you, and do not despise your mother when she is old. Buy truth and do not sell it, get wisdom and instruction and understanding.” Proverbs 23:22-23
b. What is taught about gluttony and drunkenness?
“ When you sit down to dine with a ruler, consider carefully what is before you, and put a knife to your throat if you are a man of great appetite. Do not desire his delicacies, for it is deceptive food.” Proverbs 23:1-3
“Do not be with heavy drinkers of wine, or with gluttonous eater of meat; for the heavy drinker and the glutton will come to poverty, and drowsiness will clothe one with rags.” Proverbs 23:20-21
“Who has woe? Who has sorrow? Who has contentions? Who has complaining? Who has wounds without cause? Who has redness of eyes? Those who linger long over wine, those who go to taste mixed wine. Do not look on the wine when it is red, when it sparkles in the cup, when it goes down smoothly; at the last it bites like a serpent and stings like a viper. Your eyes will see strange things and your mind will utter perverse things. And you will be like one who lies down in the middle of the sea, or like one who lies down on the top of a mast. “They struck me, but I did not become ill; they beat me, but I did not know it. When shall I awake? I will seek another drink.”” Proverbs 23:29-35
c. What is taught about acquisition of wealth?
“The plans of the diligent lead surely to advantage, but everyone who is hasty comes surely to poverty. The acquisition of treasures by a lying tongue is a fleeting vapor, the pursuit of death.” Proverbs 21:5-6
“He who loves pleasure will become a poor man; He who loves wine and oil will not become rich.” Proverbs 21:17
“There is precious treasure and oil in the dwelling of the wise, but a foolish man swallow it up.” Proverbs 21:20
“A good name is to be desired more that great wealth, favor is better than silver and gold. The rich and the poor have a common bond, the LORD is the maker of them all.” Proverbs 22:1-2
“The rich rule over the poor, and the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” Proverbs 22:7
“He who oppresses the poor to make more for himself or who give to the. Rich, will only come to poverty.” Proverbs 22:16
“Do not weary yourself to gain wealth, cease from your consideration of it. When you set your eyes on it, it is gone. For wealth certainly makes itself wings like an eagle that flies toward the heavens.” Proverbs 23:4-5
- These are the best examples from Proverbs 21-25 to show God’s “best practice” principles for us to live by in these areas.
- Note: Remember that Proverbs are not “promises” but “principles” to live by, and they will give us the best chance at a happy, productive and responsible life here in this fallen world; even so, it does not make us immune to the evils that we live amongst, but it does help us to live through the evils when they come, especially knowing that we have Jesus walking through them with us.
d. What other things stood out in your reading of Proverbs this week?
Answers will vary here…
The Proverbs continue to show us the importance of wisdom, discernment and most importantly, looking to God for all of our needs, and waiting on Him to guide us through His Word and Spirit. They show us that we should be loving and trusting in Him for all our needs, and treating our neighbors as we would want to be treated ourselves.
Bible study:
Read Ephesians chapter 4, then to the best of your ability, answer these questions:
2. Re-read Ephesians chapter 4:1-32 with your table group. This chapter starts the second half of this letter that focuses on unity in the body of Christ. Note, we will do some cross-referencing practice here:
a. What are the characteristics included in the “walk” Paul lays out for Christians in a “manner worthy of the calling in which you have been called” (4:1-3)?
“Therefore I, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with which you have been called, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, showing tolerance for one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.”
- Worthy of the calling (of Christ Jesus
- Humility
- Gentleness
- Patience
- Tolerance for one another in love
- Diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in peace
b. Cross-reference by reading Galatian 5:16-26: What are the characteristic deeds of the flesh? What are the characteristic deeds, or fruits, of the Spirit? Self-reflection: What deeds of the flesh would you like to get rid of, and what deeds of the Spirit would like to get better at?
“But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh. For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another.” Galatians 5:16-26
Characteristic deeds of the flesh:
- Sets its desire against the Spirit
- Immorality
- Impurity
- Sensuality
- Idolatry
- Sorcery
- Enmities
- Strife
- Jealousy
- Outbursts of anger
- Disputes
- Dissensions
- Factions
- Envying
- Drunkenness
- Carousing
- Boastful
- Challenging one another
- Envying one another
- And things like these
Characteristic deeds of the Spirit (fruit of the Spirit):
- Love
- Joy
- Peace
- Patience
- Kindness
- Goodness
- Faithfulness
- Gentleness
- Self-control
- Crucified the flesh with its passions and desires
Self-reflection: Answers will vary as people are willing to share, or not.
c. There are many gifts with which a believer may be given at any time. What are some of the leadership gifts, and what are their purpose in the body (4:11-13)? What are some of the other spiritual gifts God gives (not an exhaustive list, but more can be found by cross-referencing Romans 12:4-8 and 1 Corinthians 12:4-20)? Self-reflection: What gift(s) did God give you, and are you using them? (Ask God to help you if you have not yet found a way to use your gifts!)
“And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ.” Ephesians 4:11-13
- Leadership gifts: Apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors and teachers
- Purpose: For equipping the saints (all Christians) for the work of service, and building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the. Unity of faith and the knowledge of the Son of God.
- Other Gifts (from Romans 12) “prophecy, according to the proportion of his faith; if service, in his serving; or he who teaches, in his teaching; or he who exhorts, in his exhortation; he who gives, with liberality; he who leads, with diligence; he who shows mercy, with cheerfulness.”
(From 1 Corinthians 12) “Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are varieties of ministries, and the same Lord. There are varieties of effects, but the same God who works all things in all persons. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, and to another the effecting of miracles, and to another prophecy, and to another the distinguishing of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, and to another the interpretation of tongues. But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually just as He wills. For even as the body is one and yet has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit. For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot says, “Because I am not a hand, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. And if the ear says, “Because I am not an eye, I am not a part of the body,” it is not for this reason any the less a part of the body. If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole were hearing, where would the sense of smell be? But now God has placed the members, each one of them, in the body, just as He desired. If they were all one member, where would the body be? But now there are many members, but one body.” ! Corinthians 12:4-20
Self-reflection: Answers will vary as people are willing to share, or not.
d. In the second half of this chapter, what warnings, and admonitions, does Paul give believers, and what does he say about how to live out our Christian walk (worldview)? Cross-reference by reading Romans 12:1-3. What does Paul say happens to a person who stays in a “pagan” walk/worldview?
“So this I say, and affirm together with the Lord, that you walk no longer just as the Gentiles also walk, in the futility of their mind, being darkened in their understanding, excluded from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, because of the hardness of their heart; and they, having become callous, have given themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. But you did not learn Christ in this way, if indeed you have heard Him and have been taught in Him, just as truth is in Jesus, that, in reference to your former manner of life, you lay aside the old self, which is being corrupted in accordance with the lusts of deceit, and that you be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self, which in the likeness of God has been created in righteousness and holiness of the truth. Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, and do not give the devil an opportunity. He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:17-32
- Warnings and admonitions: Do not walk like you used to walk (as Gentiles) who live in darkness and ignorance because of hardness of heart; giving themselves over to sensuality for the practice of every kind of impurity with greediness. Instead, in reference to your former life, lay aside the old self (corrupted by lusts of deceit) but be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and put on the new self in the likeness of God, in righteousness and truth. Be angry, but do not sin, or let the sun go down on your anger. Do not give the devil an opportunity. Get rid of your old habits, for example stealing, unwholesome speech, grieving the Holy Spirit, bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, slander, malice.
- Christian Walk: Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other just as God in Christ also has forgiven us.
“Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith.” Romans 12:1-3 (NASB)
- If one stays in their “pagan” worldview, the heart will become hardened, the person will become calloused, and the things of God will seem foolish and undesirable, allowing the things of the world to become more and more acceptable.
3. Going Deeper: In what ways do we see the teachings in our devotional book of Proverbs line up with the teachings of Paul here in Ephesians?
Answers may vary…
- Both studies focus on the characteristics of the of wisdom contrasted with that of foolishness. Proverbs uses righteousness versus wickedness; Ephesians uses deeds of the “flesh” versus “the fruit of the Spirit.” All of the characteristics listed in the New Testament book of Ephesians can be found in one form or another in the Old Testament book of Proverbs. Thus, the idea of the Christian Walk (walking with God) has not, and will not change over time. A focus on acquiring “God’s Wisdom” is the goal that both Solomon and Paul are teaching.
4. Memory Verses: Recite with your table group 1 Peter 3:15; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 4:6-7; and Romans 12:2 (12:1-3 for a challenge).
But in your hearts revere Christ as Lord. Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have. But do this with gentleness and respect 1 Peter 3:15 (NIV)
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. Ephesians 2:8-9 (NIV)
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4:4-7 (NIV)
Therefore I urge you, brethren, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual service of worship. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect. For through the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think more highly of himself than he ought to think; but to think so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith. Romans 12:1-3 (NASB)
Please join us as we continue to read and study Proverbs and Ephesians as part of our Christian Apologetics’ class each week!
Note: Class presentation, videos, reflections and Bible study questions are posted on the weekend – Bible study answers (like these) are posted mid-week.
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Teri Dugan
TeriDugan@truthfaithandreason.com
1 Peter 3:15
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