Finding the Knowledge of God: On the Formative Role of Imitation in Proverbs 1−9 (original) (raw)

The book of Proverbs is the preeminent work of wisdom in the biblical canon, loved and studied by people of all walks and types. Although some find interest in the mundane and universal tone it appears to espouse, recent scholarship has sought to unravel the theological and philosophical qualities that underlie its aphoristic content. As the introduction and interpretive key for this book, Proverbs 1−9 provides a cohesive wisdom program to a proverbial son for guidance throughout his life. Within this complex literary tapestry, the proverbial father teaches the son how to become and be one of the wise. The goal of wisdom, however, is not merely for mundane success or practical skills. Rather, the father provides fifteen lessons that point to Yhwh. For the son to become wise, he must grow in his knowledge of God, which is achieved primarily through becoming like God in his character, behavior, and desires. Although some scholars over the past few decades have rejected or criticized the presence and role of imitatio Dei (imitation of God) in the Hebrew Bible, this project endeavors to show that God and his ways are at the heart of the wisdom program in Proverbs 1−9. As the proverbial father teaches, the proverbial son must first look to worthy examples such as his parents, teachers, and ideal figures throughout biblical history. The son is also instructed to follow and emulate the enigmatic figure of Wisdom, who is his exalted teacher and representative of Yhwh. By following these righteous examples, the son will ascend the wisdom trajectory, which begins and ends in God. While there are many important instructions for the son throughout Proverbs 1−9, the center and goal for the whole wisdom program is ultimately that the son will imitate God by walking in his ways. If he grows in the likeness of God, he will also grow in the knowledge of God. As the father teaches in Proverbs 1−9, this is the way of wisdom. In other words, the proverbial son must learn to follow the well-worn path of imitatio Dei.