How does Romans 2:20 connect with Proverbs 1:7 about wisdom? Setting the Stage • Paul is writing Romans 2 to Israelites who are confident they possess God-given truth. • Solomon opens Proverbs by defining how true wisdom starts. • Both writers speak to people who think they already “know,” yet both insist that real knowledge is anchored in God Himself. Romans 2:20 — Knowledge and Truth in the Law “an instructor of the foolish, a teacher of infants, because you have in the Law the embodiment of knowledge and truth—” • God’s Law isn’t guesswork; it is the very “embodiment of knowledge and truth.” • The Jews Paul addresses see themselves as teachers and guides. • Possession of Scripture puts a person in a privileged place—but also under deep accountability (v. 21-24). Proverbs 1:7 — Where Knowledge Begins “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline.” • Reverent awe, not raw intellect, is the doorway to knowing anything rightly. • “Fools” despise what God calls wisdom; they push away correction and discipline. • Wisdom is relational: it starts with bowing before the LORD. Threads That Tie the Verses Together • Source: – Romans 2:20 points to God’s Law as the container of “knowledge and truth.” – Proverbs 1:7 points to the fear of God as the cornerstone of that knowledge. • Audience: – Paul speaks to self-confident teachers; Solomon contrasts the wise and the fool. • Responsibility: – Romans warns against merely owning the Law; Proverbs warns against despising it. • Outcome: – Law embraced in reverent fear produces wisdom (Psalm 19:7). – Law possessed without fear leads to hypocrisy and judgment (Romans 2:21-24). Additional Reinforcing Passages • Psalm 19:7: “The Law of the LORD is perfect, reviving the soul; the testimony of the LORD is trustworthy, making wise the simple.” • Psalm 111:10: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; all who follow His precepts gain rich understanding.” • 2 Timothy 3:15-16: Scripture “is able to make you wise for salvation” and fully equip you. • James 1:22: “Be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves.” Living in the Light of Both Passages 1. Start with awe. Cultivate a daily posture of fearing the LORD; that’s the launch pad for every other kind of learning. 2. Treasure the written Word. Treat Scripture as the embodied deposit of divine truth, not a collection of optional suggestions. 3. Teach, but stay teachable. Like Paul’s readers, we may know the text; like Solomon’s fools, we can still reject its discipline. Keep a humble, listening heart. 4. Match knowledge with obedience. Wisdom blossoms when the Law is practiced, not merely quoted. 5. Pass it on. Deuteronomy 6:6-7 calls parents to teach these truths diligently to children—mirroring Paul’s phrase “teacher of infants.” In short, Proverbs 1:7 gives the foundation—fear of the LORD—while Romans 2:20 points to the curriculum—the Law that embodies knowledge and truth. Hold both together, and genuine, God-honoring wisdom follows. |
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