Handouts, Notes & Exams

In 1979 I submitted the following paper for OTS410: Advanced Studies: Proverbs, one of my upper division undergraduate courses at Biola University for my Biblical Studies degree, beginning to develop my analytical skills writing and researching the bible. At the bottom of this post are comments from my professor and the grade for this paper. Enjoy.

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Proverbs: The Simpleton

By Joseph B. Bustillos

OTS410: Advanced Studies: Proverbs
Professor Edward M. Curtis
May 4, 1979

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At that time Jesus answered and said, “I praise Thee, 0 Father Lord of heaven and earth, that Thou didst hide these things from the wise and intelligent and didst reveal them to babes.” (Matthew 11:25)

As a young Christian coming out of Roman Catholicism it was fantastic dealing with God as a person. There He was forgiving my sins, changing my life, teaching me about Himself through His Word. I was no longer caught up in the maze of trying to please a God with good deeds; never knowing if He was pleased or just uninterested.

There was only one word that I could find that might adequately describe my new-found relationship with God: Simplicity. That word described to me the tranquility, the security, the reality of what God was doing in my life. Compared to the ritualistic mysticism of Catholicism God’s entrance into my life made me know that His love never required me to try to please (actually appease) Him, just simply to confess my need of Him and His salvation and to accept that salvation.

Then one day I had the misfortune, of colliding head-on into the stern rebuke of Proverbs: “How long, 0 Simple Ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing?” (Proverbs 1:22). Needless to say, I was taken aback. Had I done something wrong? Was God in any way displeased by my attitude of simplicity? Because I lacked the resources I set this particular question aside until a more convenient date presented itself.

“Behold, now is the acceptable time…” It is, therefore, the purpose of this paper to examine the question: ” When is the virtue of Simplicity no longer a virtue?”

Beginning in chapter one we will briefly touch on the subject of the simpleton as found in the book of proverbs.

To give prudence to the Naive, to the youth knowledge and discretion… (Proverbs 1:4)

Dr. Gill, who authors his own commentary on the whole Bible, feels that the simple should be thought of as having shallow understanding, incautious, credulous, and easily imposed upon.¹ But by, learning at the school of wisdom the simple, though as harmless as doves, may possess a knowledge of exquisite divine things, possibly know even more than the wise and sage philosophers among the Gentiles, or any of the Rabbis and masters of Israel.²

Joseph S. Exell, editor of the Biblical Illustrator, points out that the word translated in the NASB as “Prudence” is translated elsewhere as “subtlety.” This word often carries with it an ill sense, for a crafty will to deceive others. But in this case (as the NASB translates it as “Prudence”) it carries with it the meaning of understanding to prevent dangers that crafty men might “bring upon them.³

Exell goes on to write that “Simple” comes from a verb (pathah)⁴ which signifies “to allure or seduce one that wants understanding of God’s truths and will, and so is easily allured to any error or wickedness by good works as giving credit to everything, because not able to examine things for want of judgement.”⁵ “””Simple” is not, in this case, “silly,” but guileless, unsuspecting, easily drawn aside, over-trustful.⁶

The International Critical Commentary points out that the word “naive” emphasizes the idea of immaturity (not “stupid”) and is translated in other places as “babe” (Ex. 2:6), “child” (2 Kings 4:29). “young man” (John 17:7). or without respect of age “servant”(2Samuel 9:9).⁷

Dr. J. Vernon McGee says in reference to this verse that being prudent is the meaning of giving subtly to the simple; it is to act prudently.⁸

How long, 0 Naive Ones, will you love simplicity? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing. (Proverbs 1:22)

The now famous” verse that set this whole study in motion finds the word “simplicity” expounded upon by Dr. Gill as the simple foolish thing, agreeably to their character, being weak simple men, men of weak capacities and shallow understandings; and such were the first persons called by Christ through the ministry of the word.⁹

It is interesting to note that while in verse four the word “simple” carried a neuter morality, in this verse the simpleton, or the naive one moves closer to “being a full-fledged fool.¹⁰ In the Biblical Illustrator, Joseph Exell’s work, the “simple ones” are described as those who are as weather-vane, light of head, and turned by every wind. They are shallow of heart and live the easy life of hand to mouth.²

Exell goes on to show in what respects every unregenerate sinner may be said to be a “simple one.”¹¹ They may be far from this character, in point of natural sagacity, acquired learning, and speculative knowledge of religious things. But in the long run they are really just simpletons. Exell points out seven reasons:

1. The unregenerate are simple, in that they are satisfied with slight, superficial apprehensions of God,
2. The unregenerate are simple, in their being satisfied with slight thoughts of sin.
3. They are simple, in that they are easily induced to mistake good and evil, to put the one for the other.
4. They are simple, as to believing the strength of sin in their own hearts. They do not think their hearts so corrupt and prone to iniquity as described in Jeremiah 17. 9 (“The heart is more deceitful than all else, And is desperately sick; Who can understand it?”).
5. In consequence of these things, they are easily seduced into sin, and led to entire apostasy from their former seeming faith and holiness,
6. They are simple, as to the ground on which they imagine their spiritual state to be good. They are surprised at the niceness and scrupulousness of the saints in this matter.
7. And as to the approaches of death and eternity: these steal upon them at unawares.²

The International Critical Commentary says of the “naive” in verse 22 that they are those who positively love ignorance, and deliberately refuse to listen to instruction of, or to right living.¹² In fact the I.C.C. disagrees with the translation i found in the NASB. Their translation goes as follows:

So long as the guileless hold fast to righteousness they shall not be ashamed, but the foolish, being lovers of insolence, have become impious, have hated knowledge, and have become liable of reproof; Behold, I will pour forth to you the utterance of my breath and teach you my word.²

Not being well versed in the Hebrew language I find it futile to argue for or against the rendering found in either the I.C.C or the NASB. But having read through most of the text given in the I.C.C. it should be pointed out that the commentators of the I.C.C. tend to use (and possibly favor) the septuagint (LXX) version of Proverbs. This could explain the substantial difference between the two different renderings.

The Pulpit Commentary offers one short thought that basically summarizes all that has been said up.to this, point on this verse: “Those who are indifferent through thoughtlessness and inconsiderateness are therefore open to evil.”¹³

And I saw among the naive, I discerned among the youths, a Young man lacking sense, passing through the street near her corner; And he takes the way to her house, in the twilight, in the evening, in the middle of the night and in the darkness. And behold a woman comes to meet him, dressed as a harlot and cunning of heart. She is boisterous and rebellious, her feet do not remain at home; She is now in the streets, now in the squares, and lurks in every corner. So she seizes him and kisses him, and with a brazen face she says to Him: “I was due to offer peace offerings; Today I have paid my vows. Therefore I have come out to meet you, To seek your presence earnestly, and I have found you. I have spread my couch with coverings, with colored linens of Egypt, I have sprinkled my bed with myrrh, aloes and cinnamon. Come, let us drink our fill of love until morning. Let us delight ourselves with caresses. For the man is not at home. He has gone on a long journey he has taken a bag of money with him at full moon he will come home.” With her many persuasions she entices him; with her flattering lips, she seduces him. suddenly he follows her, as an ox goes to the slaughter, or as one in fetters to the discipline of a! fool, until an arrow pierces through his liver; As a bird hastens to the snare, so he does not know that it will cost him his life. Now therefore my sons, listen to me and
pay attention to my words of my mouth. Do not let your heart turn aside to her ways, do not stray into her for many are the victims she has cast down, and numerous are all her slain Her house is the way to Sheol, descending to the chambers of Death. (Proverbs 7:6- 27)

This is the story of one of the simpletons and his fall into the ways of death. When I first discovered this section I was excited to see what the commentators had to say because this was a complete story and not just a disjointed verse in the middle of a sea of thought.

I wanted to see how they would follow the development of the tragedy; that we might get to the crux of the matter of the breaking point in the simpleton. Unfortunately all the commentators focused primarily on the women. Dr. Gill wants to equate her with the Roman Catholic Church.¹⁴ And Dr. McGee uses this story to remind his readers of the dangers of many of the cults.¹⁵

Most of the other commentators offered little tid-bits of information such as “the ruin of most young men is due to bad company,”¹⁶ and “the young man is not represented (as RV. suggests) as going to her house, but only as following the road that led thither; he is strolling aimlessly within her domain, and so meets her.”¹⁷ One appetizing thought is presented, however, in the Pulpit Commentary. The note I scribbled beside verse 13 read simply, “like Potiphar’s wife.”¹⁸

“Like Potiphar’s wife!” That is it! In Genesis chapter 39 we have the story of Joseph the son of Jacob and how he dealt with Potiphar’s lustful wife. The single most powerful thing that separated Joseph and the outcome of his encounter with Potiphar’s wife and our friend, the simpleton, and the harlot was Joseph’s singleness of heart to do what was right in the sight of God and his master. The simpleton, on the other hand, presented no such conviction. He just wandered into the situation, and before he knew what hit him he found himself on the road to Sheol.

So what then is Proverb’s biggest warning to simpletons and those considering the life of “hand to mouth”? None of us, because we are not immutable beings, are in a state of permanence. And if we (I am speaking for all the simpletons in the world) refuse the invitation to enter Wisdom’s school (Prov.9:l-6) then we shall surely graduate to a more serious condition: “The simple acquire folly, but the prudent are crowned with knowledge” (Prov.18); for a man who is empty headed will end up wrongheaded. In fact to the truly empty headed, those Proverbs calls hasar-leb, senseless, folly is “fun (15:21), for they have nothing better to do than “chase after vanities”(Prov.12:11).¹⁹

Finally, where does simplicity fit in the Christian life? Is there anything wrong with desiring a simple, uncluttered, tranquil life? There is nothing wrong with such a desire as long as we realize as Christians that we are not to look after the ..circumstances, but that true peace and tranquility comes from realizing that we have fellowship with the Creator of the universe.²⁰ Certainly simplicity has a place in our lives as Christians, but not in our dealings with the world or our decision-making; we need to use prudence.²¹

Behold, I send you out as sheep in the midst of wolves; therefore be shrewd as serpents, and innocent as doves. (Matthew 10:16)

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BIBLIOGRAPHY

• Barth, Exposition and Practical Commentary. Portland: Hoyt, Foyg and Breed, 1872, 329-40.
• Cook, F.C. The Biblical Commentary. Proverbs to Ezekiel. Vol. 10. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1972.
• Dake, F. J. Dake’s Annotated Reference Bible. Georgia: Dake Bible Sales, Inc., 1963.
• Priver, S.R., D.D., ed. et. al. The International Critical Commentary. Proverbs. New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1978.
• Exell, Joseph S. The Biblical Illustrator. Proverbs. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1963.
• Dr. Gill’s Commentary of the Old Testament. Psalms to Isaiah. Atlanta, Georgia: Turner Lassetter, I960. Vol. 3.
• Kidner, Derek, Rev. The Proverbs. Illinois: InterVarsity Press, 1978.
• McGee, J. Vernon. Proverbs. Pasadena, OA:Thru the Bible Radio, 1977.
• Rahner, Karl, S.J., ed., et. al. Sacramentum Mundi. Vol. 6. New York: Herder & Herder, 1970.
• Scott, R.B.Y. The Anchor Bible. Proverbs & Ecclesiastes. New York: Poubleday & Co, Inc., 1965.
• Spence, H.P.M. And Joseph Exell, eds. The Pulpit Commentary. Proverbs. New York: Funk & Wagnalls Co.,
• Strong, James. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1977.
• “Wisdom.” The International Standard Bible Encyclopedia. IV. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Wm . B. Eerdmans Pub. Co., 1976.

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FOOTNOTES:

1. Dr. Gill’s Commentary of the Old Testament. Psalms to Isaiah. Atlanta, Georgia:Turner Lassetter, I960), III, 426.[↩]
2. Ibid.[↩][↩][↩][↩]
3. Joseph S. Exell. The Biblical Illustrator. Proverbs. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1963). p.4[↩]
4. James Strong. Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Book House, 1977). “Hebrew Dictionary.” p.96.[↩]
5. Exell. p.4.[↩]
6. Ibid. p.5.[↩]
7. The International Critical Commentary. Proverbs. S.R. Driver, D.D., ed. et.al. (New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1978). p.5-7.[↩]
8. Dr. J. Vernon McGee. Proverbs. (Pasadena, CA: Thru the Bible Radio, 1977). p.19.[↩]
9. Gill. p. 430.[↩]
10. Exell. p.21.[↩]
11. Ibid. p.24.[↩]
12. International Critical Commentary, p.23.[↩]
13. The Pulpit Commentary. Proverbs. Rev. Canon H.D.M. Spence, M.A. and Rev. Joseph S. Exell, eds. (New York: Funk and Wagnalls Co.), p.14.[↩]
14. Gill. p.460.[↩]
15. McGee. p.75.[↩]
16. Exell. p.177.[↩]
17. International Critical Commentary, p.147.[↩]
18. The Pulpit Commentary, p.153.[↩]
19. Rev. Derek Kidner. The Proverbs. (Downers Grove, Illinois: InterVarsity Press, I978). p.39.[↩]
20. 2 Corinth. 3:5,12-18; Hebrews 4:14-16[↩]
21. McGee — an overview of his book on Proverbs.[↩]