THE FATHER’S EXHORTATIONS FOR THE SONSHIP CURRICULUM

Pro 1:1  The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel;

Pro 1:2 To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive the words of understanding;

Pro 1:3 To receive the instruction of wisdom, justice, and judgment, and equity;

Pro 1:4 To give subtilty to the simple, to the young man knowledge and discretion.

Pro 1:5 A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding shall attain unto wise counsels:

Pro 1:6 To understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words of the wise, and their dark sayings.

Pro 1:7 The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

 

 

You are right in recognizing that the father’s exhortations are primarily exhortations pertaining to the education that the son is receiving, either in the form of what I call a ‘pre-doctrinal exhortation’ or a ‘post-doctrinal exhortation.’ And so when the father’s exhortation pertains to things that the son needs to understand, appreciate, and respond to *before* he actually gets taught a particular aspect of his sonship education, (and therefore is what I call a ‘pre-doctrinal exhortation’), then this means that when the father appeals to his son to ‘receive his words’ he generally is referring to the very words of his exhortation, or else he is referring to the upcoming words for his education that he is going to give him. However when the father’s exhortation pertains to certain things that the son needs to understand and appreciate *after* he has been taught a particular aspect of his sonship education, (and therefore is what I call a ‘post-doctrinal exhortation’), then this means that when the father refers to ‘his words,’ or to ‘his law or commandments,’ or when he uses a similar type expression, he is generally referring to the particular aspect of the sonship education that he has just given to the son.

 

Pro 2:1  My son, if thou wilt receive my words, and hide my commandments with thee;

Pro 2:2 So that thou incline thine ear unto wisdom, and apply thine heart to understanding;

Pro 2:3 Yea, if thou criest after knowledge, and liftest up thy voice for understanding;

Pro 2:4 If thou seekest her as silver, and searchest for her as for hid treasures;

Pro 2:5 Then shalt thou understand the fear of the LORD, and find the knowledge of God.

 

Keep in mind that the various fatherly exhortations, admonitions, and the like, that are set forth in Proverbs 1 through 9 contain the full basic scope of all the exhortations, etc., that a father gives to his son as his son progresses through his sonship education from its beginning to its end. This is why some of the exhortations are of the ‘pre-doctrinal’ type, and others are of the ‘post-doctrinal’ type. And this is also why the nature and contents of the exhortations change that are set forth. For example, this is why those in Proverbs 1–2 are somewhat different from those that are in chapters 3–4; and why those that are set forth in chapters 5–7, and then in chapters 8-9, have some noticeable differences from those back in chapters 3 and 4. For the various exhortations, admonitions, etc., purposely correspond to specific contents of the education that the father is giving to his son, and that his son is receiving. And their progressive and developing nature is commensurate with, and directly tied to, the progress that the son is making in his education and edification; with the sonship education itself being contained in the appropriate and accompanying body of doctrine that the Lord has given for that education.

 

Pro 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.

Pro 2:7 He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.

Pro 2:8 He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.

Pro 2:9 Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.

Pro 2:10 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul;

Pro 2:11 Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

Pro 2:12 To deliver thee from the way of the evil man, from the man that speaketh froward things;

Pro 2:13 Who leave the paths of uprightness, to walk in the ways of darkness;

 

Now even though the father’s exhortations, admonitions, and the like, that are set forth in Proverbs 1–9 are generally of the ‘pre-doctrinal’ and ‘post-doctrinal’ variety, (with the doctrines /words for the sonship education itself being contained in the accompanying body of doctrine that the Lord has given for the education), this does not mean that the father ‘only exhorts and does not teach’; or in other words, only exhorts his son about his education, but does not actually engage in the education of his son. For the father does both; with the exhortations, etc… of Proverbs 1–9 relating all of the various progressive exhortations, admonitions, and the like that he gives his son as takes his son through the curriculum for his sonship education and as he teaches him its contents.

 

As brief as this is, I hope this is of some help.

 

Sincerely yours in our Lord Jesus Christ, who loved us and gave Himself for us,

Keith Blades

Enjoy The Bible Ministries