Study Questions: Proverbs Week #9

Kyle Bartholic   -   February 20, 2025

Humility & Generosity

Proverbs 11:1-31 (CGS#9)

INTRODUCTION: The book’s opening section (chapters 1–9) has helped us understand the beginning of wisdom as the fear of the Lord. On that foundation we are prepared to receive the instruction of the “proverbs proper,” beginning in chapter 10.[1] Over the final five weeks of the Proverbs sermon series, we will hit some of the “highlights” of the book of Proverbs. These highlights will look at individual Proverbs or groups of Proverbs. So, let’s go back and review what is a Proverb? Kathleen Nielson gives a helpful explanation.

“We haven’t discussed it much so far, but we’ve been reading poetry all along in Proverbs. Wisdom literature can include both poetry and prose (think of Ecclesiastes), but the book of Proverbs is all poetry, of a variety of kinds. First, what is poetry? As opposed to prose, which develops ideas through what we usually see as paragraphs, poetry is more concise language, usually appearing on our pages in lines. Poetry is carefully patterned, condensed language; it says the most in the fewest words. And it often uses pictures, or imagery (as we’ve seen), to communicate. In much of Proverbs’ first nine chapters, we find poetry that develops ideas over a number of lines. But in chapter 10 we meet the collection of proverbs. Some of them cluster and form larger units of meaning, but many stand alone as individual proverbs. So, what is a proverb? People often say a proverb is like wisdom in a nutshell: it’s especially condensed poetry. A proverb is a short and pithy saying, easy to remember. According to the scholar Leland Ryken, a proverb brings a “moment of epiphany”: that is, a quick highpoint of insight (Words of Delight, page 315). It often just makes you say “Yes!” as you suddenly see some truth with intense clarity. “A joyful heart is good medicine, / but a crushed spirit dries up the bones” (17:22). Yes! “Like a gold ring or an ornament of gold / is a wise reprover to a listening ear” (25:12). Yes! We should note that individual proverbs are found not just in Proverbs and the wisdom books; they appear throughout the Bible. Jesus sometimes used this way of teaching, as we noted in the Sermon on the Mount. The epistle of James is full of proverbial sayings: for instance, “The one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind” (James 1:6). But the book of Proverbs is a remarkable concentration of these concentrated sayings.” [2]

Chapter 11, with all of its individual sayings, focuses on the values of humility and generosity. In doing so, it contrasts these things with pride.  This word for pride is from a root that suggests boiling up, and is used of the arrogance of those who must have everything their own way, and will not be ‘kicked around’: e.g. Pharaoh (Neh. 9:10), Israel (Neh. 9:16, 29), the social rebel (Deut. 17:12, 13), the bogus prophet (Deut. 18:20), the murderer (Exod. 21:14). Lowly (av, rv) is a rare word, found only here and (as a verb) in Micah 6:8 (‘walk humbly with thy God’), where it suggests the biddable spirit that is the opposite of the insubordination just considered.[3]

When we examine Proverbs 11, we will come to see that true generosity flows from a place of humility. And from humility, generosity includes right motivation and right action.

 

 

 

 

GETTING STARTED – As a group, take time to answer this question. Have you ever done the right thing for the wrong reason? What was it, and how did it go?

IN THE WORD –   Let’s dig back into the passage(s). It is important to strengthen our muscles in reading God’s Word. On Sunday, we walked through the passage in the sermon. Hopefully, that helped you to see the landmarks of the passage with fresh eyes. Now, with your group, go back through it and see what God is saying to you specifically.

First, before you read the passage, take a moment to ask God’s Spirit to quiet your mind and heart and to illuminate the text to you. Second, read the passage aloud to the group. Then, follow the simple method below. (O.P.A)

Observe: Make 8-10 observations from the passage. Pay close attention to observe and note repeated words and phrases, names, places, and themes.

 

 

Principles: From your list of observations, what patterns or big ideas do you see emerging? Can you distill it down into 2-4 big idea truths?

 

 

Apply: Moving from your list of principles, it is time to apply God’s Word. Remember, we believe that God’s Word is living and active and that it can change the way we live Monday- Friday. What is one tangible way to apply a truth from your list above?

 

Note: Another way to approach your time together is to talk through the following questions.

  1. What did you hear God’s Spirit say to you through the passage this week? How does it encourage you? How does it sharpen you?
  2. Is there an image, word, or picture that stands out to you in the passage from this week, and what about it is powerful or helpful?
  3. When you think of a truly humble person, what qualities stand out to you? And how do you think they grew into being a humble person?
  4. What is your natural willingness to be generous? Is it easy or hard for you? How is generosity a spiritual discipline, whether it is easy or hard to do?
  5. When you think of your resources (time, talents, and treasure), how are you being radically generous with those things for the greatest good of others? What is your motivation to be generous with your resources?

 

 

 

 

[1] Kathleen Nielson, Proverbs for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2020), 83.

[2] Kathleen Nielson, Proverbs for You, ed. Carl Laferton, God’s Word for You (The Good Book Company, 2020), 83–84.

[3] Derek Kidner, Proverbs: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 17, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1964), 86.