This passage teaches us about the person and work of Christ not in false personification or in the Arian way but in the true biblical and Trinitarian way.
Our Old Testament text for Trinity Sunday is often avoided. It seems too abstract on the one hand and too loaded on the other. Rather than shy away from this difficulty, I suggest we press in and find a helpful way for our hearers to grow deeper in their devotion to the biblical teaching of the Trinity.
Let us start with a question: What is “wisdom” in Proverbs 8? It seems to describe a lot of qualities which seem familiar to us as people: A voice that is calling (verses 1 and 4), being a craftsman (verse 30), delight (verse 31). These are all things which are part and parcel to the human experience. So, maybe we should ask a different question: Who is wisdom in Proverbs 8?
One answer worth exploring is to examine if this is an example of personification? Personification is where you take an abstraction or figure of speech, and you give it concrete human qualities. So, is Proverbs 8 personifying an abstract idea like wisdom?
I suppose there is a way you can read it like this, but that is only one possible answer. What then are some other potential solutions?
For one answer you can look back to the ancient Church. How did they read this? Well, there was one person who read it wrong, and his name was Arius. He later founded a false teaching called Arianism or the group known as the Arians (no not the national socialist kind). For a more storied version of this problem so it can be used as an illustration in the sermon:
“ARIANS, this ancient sect, was unquestionably so called from Arius, a presbyter of Alexandria, in the early part of the fourth century. It is said he aspired to episcopal honors; and after the death of Achilles, in A. D. 313, felt not a little chagrined that Alexander should be preferred before him. Whether this circumstance had any influence on his opinions, it is impossible to say; but one day, when his rival (Alexander) had been addressing the clergy in favor of the orthodox doctrine, and maintaining, in strong and pointed language, “that the Son of God was co-eternal, co-essential, and co-equal with the Father,” Arius considered this as a species of Sabellianism, and ventured to say it was inconsistent and impossible, since the Father, who begat, must be before the Son, who was begotten: the latter, therefore, could not be absolutely eternal (a false way of reading Proverbs 8). Alexander at first admonished Arius and endeavored to convince him of his error; but without effect, except that he became the bolder in contradiction. Some of the clergy thought their bishop too forbearing, and it is possible he felt his inferiority of talent; for Arius was a man of accomplished learning, and commanding eloquence; venerable in person, and fascinating in address. At length Alexander was roused and attempted to silence Arius by his authority; but this not succeeding, as the latter was bold and pertinacious, Alexander, about the year 320, called a council of his clergy, by whom the heretic was deposed and excommunicated.”[1]
So, maybe we should ask a different question: Who is wisdom in Proverbs 8?
So, let us stay away from that bad answer to the question of who or what wisdom is in Proverbs 8. Others would say Proverbs 8 is an anticipation of Christ (incarnate as the Son of God) in a true Trinitarian way. Given the previous bad example of the Arians, you might ask, “How this can be?” This seems impossible to do without denying the Trinity and falling into the sin of Arius.
However, if we take a closer look at how the New Testament uses Proverbs 8, then we can see there is a way to interpret this passage as a “hypostasis.”
What is a hypostasis? It means this passage is referring to an actual divine person of our one God in unity of the Trinity! Each of the three persons of the Trinity, as contrasted with the unity of the Godhead, is a sacred mystery but no insignificant reality. The single person of Christ, with His hypostatic union in the two natures in Christ, is both 100% human and 100% divine.[2]
This is the way the New Testament reads and interprets Proverbs 8. Just look at 1 Corinthians 1:23:
“But we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a scandal to the Greeks foolishness. But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.”
Or you can also look at the way John 1:1-3 connects to Proverbs 8:30 nicely with how all things were made for and through Christ. Even Colossians 1:15-16 agrees with Proverbs 8:30-31. This reflects Paul’s deep theological understanding of this passage in Proverbs which is again seen in the next chapter in Colossians 2:3.
The final New Testament use of Proverbs 8 is in Revelation 3:14 proving the New Testament talks about Christ as the one for whom and through whom God created the world. This allows us to see the proverbs passage in its true light. Namely, that it refers to the divine person of Christ. Jesus is the person of the Trinity by which we know God the Father’s grace, favor, and attitude towards humanity rightly, all of which is on full display in His holy incarnation, ministry, passion, death, and glorious resurrection. Again, none of this would be possible to believe in without the Holy Spirit creating, preserving, and growing faith in the one true God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. This passage teaches us about the person and work of Christ not in false personification or in the Arian way but in the true biblical and Trinitarian way.
Since we are using questions and answers to give progression and development to the sermon, we will use that structure for preaching:
“This structure identifies a significant question for the hearers (in other words, one that cannot be easily answered, and addresses matters which are significant to the hearers) and then theologically considers one or more feasible answers before arriving at a satisfactory resolution.
The question is simple, memorable, and remains the same throughout the entire sermon. It cannot be answered with a “yes” or “no,” but invites the hearers into processing various answers. The movement toward a faithful answer provides the dynamic progression of the sermon. This progression could be a movement from false answers to a true answer or from partial answers to a full answer. The preacher avoids trite false answers which will insult the hearers, and he seeks to have a final resolution that proceeds from the Gospel.
The sermon usually opens by depicting the human or textual dilemma that raises the focusing question. The answers are then arranged in a climactic scheme, offering more development to the later answers. In dismissing the false or partial answers, the preacher is clear about the theological reasoning that guides the discussion and, thereby, teaches the hearers how to think through matters theologically. Along the way, the preacher is careful not to raise distracting issues or to change the question. Finally, the sermon concludes by proclaiming the satisfactory gospel-based answer.”[3]
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Additional Resources:
Craft of Preaching-Check out out 1517’s resources on Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31.
Concordia Theology-Various helps from Concordia Seminary in St. Louis, MO to assist you in preaching Proverbs 8:1–4, 22–31.
Lectionary Kick-Start-Check out this fantastic podcast from Craft of Preaching authors Peter Nafzger and David Schmitt as they dig into the texts for this Sunday!
The Pastor’s Workshop-Check out all the great preaching resources from our friends at the Pastor’s Workshop!
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[1] Watson, Richard. “Arians,” in A Biblical and Theological Dictionary. New York: Lane & Scott, 1851. 83.
[2] Cross, F.L. and Livingstone, Elizabeth A., eds. The Oxford Dictionary of the Christian Church. Oxford, New York: Oxford University Press, 2005. 818.
[3] https://concordiatheology.org/sermon-structs/thematic/question-answered/
