Does Proverbs
29:18 Encourage and Incite Us To Have a Vision Statement?
A lot of my reading when I first became a Christian tended to centered
in the areas of personal development and organizational development. Possibly due to a former Army background,
precision of life and direction were important to me. I soon found, quoted and used Proverbs 29:18
to show the benefits of a person or organization developing a vision statement.
George Barna wrote a book which I still have: The Power of a Vision
Statement. The notion of a vision or mission statement is not in question. I think that it is helpful to think this
through. My personal vision statement
for my church is found in Revelation 5:9-10 where I envision with John the
great multitude and multi-ethnic redeemed people of God gathered around their
Redeemer is worship. That’s where I
believe we are heading. But here’s the
question: Can I root that vision-building on Proverbs 29:18?
The Book of Proverbs is practical, but not easy. It forms a genre of literature that falls
within the realm of Hebrew wisdom writings.
Interpreting Hebrew wisdom literature is an important and life-long
skill. We start in our journey understanding the precondition of all inspired
proverbial insight recorded in Proverbs
1:7 (ESV):
7 The fear
of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and
instruction.
The Book is made up of admonitions and wise saying, all intended to
lead us to love wisdom and instruction.
A lot of the book is written in a form of writing called
parallelism. Sometimes parallel thoughts
are synonymous and other times they show contrasts. Of particular note that the reader must keep
in mind, when wise sayings are mentioned we should beware of assuming that
there are never any exceptions, they are written as truisms; and also we should
never read on verse that communicates wise living and assume that this is all
Solomon had to say on the topic. There
is a sense, like many other Bible books, where we need to consider the entirety
of the Proverbs.
Trying to organize, classify Proverbs is difficult. Issue of money or adultery are clear. But in some cases it seems that we have wise
saying compiled and recorded for our benefit.
So it is with Proverbs 29:18.
The Immediate Context:
“The rod and reproof give wisdom, but a child left to himself brings
shame to his mother. When the wicked increase, transgression increases, but the
righteous will look upon their downfall. Discipline your son, and he will give
you rest; he will give delight to your heart. Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,
but blessed is he who keeps the law. By mere words a servant is not
disciplined, for though he understands, he will not respond. Do you see a man
who is hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him. Whoever
pampers his servant from childhood will in the end find him his heir.” (Proverbs 29:15–21, ESV)
A careful reading of a number of verses before and after verse 18 would
obviously give the reader the idea that the author is talking about wisdom in discipline. Solomon is dealing with positions of a son
and a servant, both under the responsibility of an authority figure.
English Text
Comparison:
|
ESV
|
NIV
|
KJV
|
TANAKH
(The Jewish
Bible)
|
|
“Where there is no prophetic
vision the people cast off restraint, but blessed is he who keeps the law.”
|
“Where there is no revelation,
people cast off restraint; but blessed is the one who heeds wisdom’s
instruction.”
|
“Where there is no vision, the
people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.”
|
“For lack of vision a people
lose restraint, But happy is he
who heeds instruction.”
|
The Hebrew word for vision is חָזוֹן pronounced ḥā·zō·wn. It
is translated in English “vision” like a vision in the night. It can also mean divine communication in a
vision, oracle, or prophecy. The word hazon can also refer to divine communication to
prophets (as in 1 Sam 3:1). How is the Bible
student to know exactly what it means?
Well the answer is found with the parallel structure of the verse:
|
“Where there is no prophetic vision the people cast off restraint,
|
|
but
|
|
blessed is he who keeps the law.”
|
One commentator takes
us out of the boardroom and the vision-casting mode and writes, “The context
here would suggest a vision of the potential for good that the proper
discipline of children possesses for the development of a godly society. Perish
means, literally, to run wild. Where there is no vision for the proper discipline
of children, a society produces a generation of young people who have no regard
for the law and literally run wild.”[1]
I think there is merit to this interpretation. I really think the second part of the
parallelism makes the case clear though.
The vision/revelation that the author has in mind is the Law. Where there is no Divine guidance through the
Law the people “cast off restraint” – do what they want! But what a blessing for those who keep the
Law![2]
Conclusion
The ESV Study Bible gives us a great summary:
“Verses 15 and 17 both
insist that parents should teach their children, and vv. 16 and 18 both
describe a society in upheaval. The chaos of a child out of control is
comparable to the chaos of a people who have abandoned integrity and
revelation. Verse 18 is notable in that it speaks of both prophetic vision and
the law. The teachings of wisdom are not opposed to either the prophets or the
Torah. As Proverbs endorses the fear of the Lord (1:7), so also it endorses
divine revelation in the Scriptures.”[3]
So when we hear
Proverbs 28:17 quoted to enhance individual and institutional goals, it is a
complete obliteration of the Hebrew proverb.
It is the Word of God that guides and direction our discipline of
children and our communities.
Happiness comes in
obeying the word of God. Anarchy comes from
disregarding God’s Word. That’s the
point.
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