“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:
This week do Proverbs chapters 30-31 (last 2 chapters only), 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 30-31, discuss the following:
a. Proverbs 30 and 31 are written by two different people. What information (if any) can you find about who they are?
Agur: The text says “The words of Agur the son of Jakeh, the oracle” Proverbs 30:1. Not much is known about Agur, except that he was a wise teacher. Some scholars believe that he, and Lemuel, may have come from the same kingdom, Massa, in northern Arabia.
Lemuel: The text says “The words of King Lemuel, the oracle which his mother taught him:” Proverbs 31:1. Not much is known about Lemuel, except that he was a king who received wise teaching from his mother. His name means “devoted to God.”
From gotquestions.org
“The name Agur comes from a Hebrew word meaning “collector.” Agur and Jakeh are only mentioned here in the Bible and are otherwise unknown.”
“We don’t know much about King Lemuel, other than what is revealed in Proverbs 31. The name Lemuel means “for God” or “devoted to God.” Based on the one passage attributed to Lemuel, we know that Lemuel was a king, he had a wise mother, and he wrote some poetry. Many commentators have surmised that Lemuel is actually King Solomon—in which case the mother would be Bathsheba. It could be that Lemuel was a pet name for Solomon, used by his mother in tender address, and that Solomon wrote down her advice in the manner she would have expressed it. Another theory is that Lemuel is actually King Hezekiah. A third theory is that Lemuel and his mother are fictional characters created by Solomon as a picture of an ideal king and queen mother.”
b. What are some of the important teachings you learned from chapter 30?
Answers will vary…
Examples might include (from gotquestions.org):
“Agur’s proverbs offer insight regarding his thoughts on life. Agur was weary and worn out (verse 1), he did not consider himself wise (verses 2–4), and he considered God’s words completely true (verses 5–6). In Proverbs 30 Agur expresses to God a request that the Lord remove lying from him and give him neither riches nor poverty (verses 7–9).
Agur’s teachings include a warning not to slander servants (verse 10) and an observation that many people see themselves as better than they really are (verses 11–14). Agur then begins a numbered list of sayings that includes three things never satisfied (the barren womb, the land’s need for water, and the end of a fire, verses 15–16). Verse 17 adds that the person who mocks his parents will experience judgment.
Verses 18–19 list four things beyond Agur’s understanding: an eagle in the sky, a serpent on a rock, a ship on the seas, and a man with a woman. In verses 21–23 is a list of four things that cause the earth to tremble: a slave who becomes king, a well-fed fool, an unloved married woman, and a servant who replaces the wife in the household. Verses 24–28 note four small things that are very wise: ants, rock badgers, locusts, and lizards. Verses 29–31 specify four proud things: a lion, a rooster, a goat, and a king with his army. Verses 32–33 advise that, if you have been foolish in exalting yourself, you need to stop; also, prodding someone to anger is unwise.
These simple yet profound observations on life reveal many aspects of this otherwise unknown man named Agur. For example, Agur realized God’s wisdom was greater than his own. He understood the temptation of riches. He knew many aspects of life and of God’s creation would remain a mystery beyond his understanding. And Agur knew the importance of controlling anger, avoiding foolishness, and living for God. He encourages his readers to refrain from a life that dishonors God and results in judgment. Rather, Agur promotes living life with a proper fear of God and concern for other people.”
c. What are some of the important teachings you learned from chapter 31?
Answers will vary…
Examples might include (from gotquestions.org):
“The counsel from King Lemuel’s mother is good advice for any leader of men. She warns Lemuel not to fall into the trap of immorality; chasing after women will sap a king’s strength (Proverbs 31:3). Then she warns her son against the dangers of alcohol; a drunken king is never a good king. A ruler who craves beer and wine will pervert justice and act lawlessly (verses 4–7).
Finally, King Lemuel’s mother instructs her son about the necessity of true justice: “Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, / for the rights of all who are destitute. / Speak up and judge fairly; / defend the rights of the poor and needy” (Proverbs 31:8–9). May the Lord grant us many rulers like King Lemuel who heed this advice of a queen mother on ruling well.”
d. In general, what are your thoughts about the book of Proverbs? Would you be willing to recommend it as a daily devotional to others, and why? Would you read through them again, and why?
Answers will vary…
- In summary, it is important to note that the book of Proverbs provides instruction for wise living. These are not promises with guarantees, but principles to live by that will give us the best chance at a productive, successful and God honoring life.
- I would recommend reading the Proverbs regularly, as a daily devotional. They, along with the entire Bible, are not meant for a one time read, but a lifetime of study.
- Some suggestions might include: Reading 1 Proverb a day and repeat monthly (there are 31 Proverbs); or reading ½ of a Proverb a day for a two-month period of time; or reading through the wisdom literature entirely, 1 chapter a day then repeating, and this would include: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon.
- This would not substitute, but be in addition to, regular Bible study on the other books of the Bible as we have done in this particular class.
Bible study:
Read Ephesians chapter 6, then to the best of your ability, answer these questions:
2. Re-read Ephesians chapter 6:1-24 with your table group.
(6:1-9) In the first part of this chapter Paul addresses family and work relationships:
a. What should the parent-child relationship look like for both, and is it applicable still today?
“Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Honor your father and mother (which is the first commandment with a promise), so that it may be well with you, and that you may live long on the earth. Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord. Ephesians 6:1-4
- The parent-child relationship is not one of equality in role. Children should respect and obey their parents. Parents should lead and not provoke their children to anger, and this would be a common sense approach. The adult, without emotion and argument, should be disciplining appropriately, always taking the lead as a role model (and not a hypocrite in the eyes of the children or the LORD). The parent is to teach the children the ways of God through word and example, living a life honoring God in full view of the children, with the hope that they too would grow to honor and respect both their parents and God.
- These Biblical principles are found in both the Old Testament (Exodus 20:21 and Deuteronomy 5:16) and New Testament here, therefore, they are commands that are still applicable today.
b. What should the slave (worker) – master (boss) relationship look like for both, and is it still applicable to us today? Note: Remember the context of the writing, ancient cultures like these in the first century had no middle class; people worked as either a servant-slave or were part of the wealthy class.
“Slaves, be obedient to those who are your masters according to the flesh, with fear and trembling, in the sincerity of your heart, as to Christ; not by way of eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as slaves of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart. With good will render service, as to the Lord, and not to men, knowing that whatever good thing each one does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether slave or free. And masters, do the same things to them, and give up threatening, knowing that both their Master and yours is in heaven, and there is no partiality with Him.” Ephesians 6:5-9
- Today, we can, and should, apply this to a worker-boss relationship, and in doing so both parties should benefit from production in the workplace: The worker should always respect the boss, as he/she would Christ, knowing that their work is for the LORD (no matter what the job is) and that an honest and hard-working employee will not only be a role model for others, but for the employer as well.
- In kind, the boss/employer should always be fair and non-threatening, setting a good example as a role model for the LORD; understanding that they are ultimately responsible to God, and that their employee is not beneath them, but equal to them as a brother or sister in Christ.
- Note: It is again important to remember the cultural difference from these Biblical accounts to today, understanding that the Bible is an historical narrative of the times in which it was written. God has never condoned slavery, but instead set perimeters on behavior within the culture of that day for God-followers to live by. Christians are, and were, to understand that God Himself is the ultimate authority that we are all responsible to stand before on our own day of judgment, and we will give an account of how we treated each other and honored God (Matthew 22:37-38).
(6:10-24) In the second part of this chapter Paul addresses spiritual warfare and gives a very important overview of how to pray for protection:
c. Make a list of the parts of the “Armor of God” and what each are used for (6:10-18).
“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of His might. Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. Therefore, take up the full armor of God, so that you will be able to resist in the evil day, and having done everything, to stand firm. Stand firm therefore, having girded your loins with truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, and having shod your feet with the preparation of the gospel of peace; in addition to all, taking up the shield of faith with which you will be able to extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. With all prayer and petition pray at all times in the Spirit, and with this in view, be on the alert with all perseverance and petition for all the saints” Ephesians 6:10-18
- Belt of truth – found in God’s Word
- Breastplate of righteousness – know God is fighting for us
- Feet with the Gospel of peace – from the teachings and examples of Jesus
- Shield of faith – trust in the promises of God
- Helmet of salvation – confidence in the eternal hope of forgiveness of sin and our eternal home with the LORD
- Sword of the Spirit – The Word of God (the only offensive weapon)
- Prayer and petition at all times in the Spirit – Praying protection from the evil one for ourselves and our brothers and sisters in Christ
From gotquestions.org
- Ephesians 6:12 clearly indicates that the conflict with Satan is spiritual, and therefore no tangible weapons can be effectively employed against him and his minions. We are not given a list of specific tactics Satan will use. However, the passage is quite clear that when we follow all the instructions faithfully, we will be able to stand, and we will have victory regardless of Satan’s strategy.
The first element of our armor is truth (verse 14). This is easy to understand, since Satan is said to be the “father of lies” (John 8:44). Deception is high on the list of things God considers to be an abomination. A “lying tongue” is one of the things He describes as “detestable to Him” (Proverbs 6:16-17). We are therefore exhorted to put on truth for our own sanctification and deliverance, as well as for the benefit of those to whom we witness. - Also in verse 14, we are told to put on the breastplate of righteousness. A breastplate shielded a warrior’s vital organs from blows that would otherwise be fatal. This righteousness is not works of righteousness done by men. Rather, this is the righteousness of Christ, imputed by God and received by faith, which guards our hearts against the accusations and charges of Satan and secures our innermost being from his attacks.
- Verse 15 speaks of the preparation of the feet for spiritual conflict. In warfare, sometimes an enemy places dangerous obstacles in the path of advancing soldiers. The idea of the preparation of the gospel of peaceas footwear suggests what we need to advance into Satan’s territory, aware that there will be traps, with the message of grace so essential to winning souls to Christ. Satan has many obstacles placed in the path to halt the propagation of the gospel.
- The shield of faith spoken of in verse 16 makes Satan’s sowing of doubt about the faithfulness of God and His Word ineffective. Our faith—of which Christ is “the author and perfecter” (Hebrews 12:2)— is like a golden shield, precious, solid, and substantial.
- The helmet of salvation in verse 17 is protection for the head, keeping viable a critical part of the body. We could say that our way of thinking needs preservation. The head is the seat of the mind, which, when it has laid hold of the sure gospel hope of eternal life, will not receive false doctrine or give way to Satan’s temptations. The unsaved person has no hope of warding off the blows of false doctrine because he is without the helmet of salvation and his mind is incapable of discerning between spiritual truth and spiritual deception.
- Verse 17 interprets itself as to the meaning of the sword of the Spirit—it is the Word of God. While all the other pieces of spiritual armor are defensive in nature, the sword of the Spirit is the only offensive weapon in the armor of God. It speaks of the holiness and power of the Word of God. A greater spiritual weapon is not conceivable. In Jesus’ temptations in the desert, the Word of God was always His overpowering response to Satan. What a blessing that the same Word is available to us!
- In verse 18, we are told to pray in the Spirit (that is, with the mind of Christ, with His heart and His priorities) in addition to wearing the full armor of God. We cannot neglect prayer, as it is the means by which we draw spiritual strength from God. Without prayer, without reliance upon God, our efforts at spiritual warfare are empty and futile. The full armor of God—truth, righteousness, the gospel, faith, salvation, the Word of God, and prayer—are the tools God has given us, through which we can be spiritually victorious, overcoming Satan’s attacks and temptations.
d. What is Paul praying for in the last part of the chapter (6:19-24), and why?
“and pray on my behalf, that utterance may be given to me in the opening of my mouth, to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel, for which I am an ambassador in chains; that in proclaiming it I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. But that you also may know about my circumstances, how I am doing, Tychicus, the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord, will make everything known to you. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, so that you may know about us, and that he may comfort your hearts. Peace be to the brethren, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love. Ephesians 6:19-24
- He wants the believers to pray on his behalf, to speak about the Gospel with boldness, even though he is in chains.
- He is also praying for the brethren (fellow believers) to have peace and love with faith from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ; and grace to be with all those who love the Lord Jesus Christ with incorruptible love.
3. Going Deeper: What can we know about the “spiritual world,” and should acknowledging it be an important part of our prayer life? How does Jesus model this for us? Cross-reference Jesus’ model by reading Matthew 4:1-11 and Matthew 6:9-13.
- Ephesians 6:12 tells us: “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Knowing this, we should include protection from this “warfare” regularly in our prayers, and be mindful of its effect all around us, especially when we are working for and, or learning, the things of the LORD.
- There are many other places in Scripture, both Old and New Testaments, where we see stories or events that involve the spiritual world, both angelic and demonic, therefore Christians should not be fooled into thinking it does not exist.
- Jesus gives us some examples on how to handle and pray about spiritual warfare. In Matthew 4 Jesus is tempted by Satan, and He uses the Word of God to combat Satan’s lies. This suggests that we should never talk directly to Satan, nor his demons, but instead use Scripture as the Armor of God describes in Ephesians 6:17. Here is how Jesus handled Satan in the wilderness temptation:
““Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And after He had fasted forty days and forty nights, He then became hungry. And the tempter came and said to Him, “If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.” But He answered and said, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God.’” Then the devil took Him into the holy city and had Him stand on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, “If You are the son of God, throw Yourself down; for it is written, ‘He will command His angels concerning You’; and ‘On their hands they will bear You up, So that You will not strike Your foot against a stone.’” Jesus said to him, “On the other hand, it is written, ‘You shall not put the Lord your God to the test.’” Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory; and he said to Him, “All these things I will give You, if You fall down and worship me.” Then Jesus said to him, “Go, Satan! For it is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and serve Him only.’” Then the devil left Him; and behold, angels came and began to minister to Him.” Matthew 4:1-11
- Jesus also teaches us to pray for protection from evil as He models a prayer to the Father:
“Pray, then, in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, Hallowed be Your name. ‘Your kingdom come. Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. ‘Give us this day our daily bread. ‘And forgive us our debts, as we also have forgiven our debtors. ‘And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. [For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.’]. Matthew 6:9-13
4. Memory Verses: Recite with your table group 1 Peter 3:15; Ephesians 2:8-9; Philippians 4:6-7; Romans 12:2; Colossians 1:16-17; and Romans 1:19-20
- “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)
- “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.” Romans 12:2 (NASB)
- “For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things have been created through Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:16-17 (NASB)
- “ because that which is known about God is evident within them; for God made it evident to them. For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.” Romans 1:19-20 (NASB)
Please continue to join us as we read and study the Bible 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