Heidegger's Bible Handbook: Proverbs: Chapter Summary

The Inscription. משלי/Proverbs, what are they? Diversity of opinions on this book. Proverbs, strophes, similitudes, enigmas, fables, מליצה, a taunting parable, and חידה, dark sayings, 1. The wisdom of Solomon. He was the author of the Proverbs, not the collector. Who was Agur and Lemuel? 2. Who reduced the book to order? Isaiah or Solomon himself? 3. Concerning the authority of the book, the heresy of Theodore of Mopsuestia and of the Ancient Talmudists is refuted, 4. The Argument of the book. It is a compendium of Christian ethics, 5. The chronology of the writer, 6. There are five parts to the book: I. The Preface of the book, wherein the foundation of all virtues, wisdom and the true knowledge of the true God, is explained (Proverbs 1-9). II. The Proverbs of Solomon, written with his own hand, as it appears (Proverbs 10-24). III. The Proverbs of Solomon, gathered by the men of Hezekiah, King of Judah (Proverbs 25-29). IV. Proverbs written under the name of Agur (Proverbs 30). V. The Proverbs of Lemuel, suggested by his mother (Proverbs 31). A Synoptic Table of the book, and its Interpreters, ancient, Reformed, Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Hebrew, 7.