Proverbial Wisdom & Common Sense: A Messianic Jewish Approach to Today's Issues from the Proverbs
The seeker of a good commentary on Proverbs usually faces a problem. He is often greeted with either a drab, verse-by-verse version, or a hopelessly incomplete summary of the entire book. In order to benefit from such a commentary, the reader, then, has to reach for other books—a topical arrangement so as to organize the myriad of miscellaneous thoughts and axioms and a commentary explaining the meaning of many of the words that have a Hebrew/Israeli background.This work, by Derek Leman, solves this problem. It enables the reader to grasp the meaning of the various proverbs, while organizing them in a way that provides a summary of key thoughts on a variety of different topics. It is unique in both style and scope.Proverbial Wisdom & Common Sense is a relatively complete, though not verse-by-verse, commentary on the Book of Mishlei (Hebrew for Proverbs). It is written in a devotional style and topical format.The writing is devotional in that it is divided into short, easily digestible chapters (or sub-chapters) suitable for daily reading. A person can read and understand the topic for that day and start applying it to his or her life. In this day, when godly wisdom is increasingly critical, not just for success, but for survival, this is a tremendous resource.The writing is topical, too. Proverbs 10–29 are divided into topics and sub-topics, and exposited in this section of the book. Discourses from King Solomon and various foreign kings (Proverbs 1–9 and 30 and 31) are addressed in separate chapters. They make an excellent study in-and-of themselves.This commentary is a virtual encyclopedia of practical advice from the Scriptures. Subjects covered include family relationships, sexual immorality, finance, poverty and wealth, reputation and gossip, laziness and diligence, honesty and justice, love and kindness, humility and pride, anger and violence, controlling the tongue and practicing discipline. Which of these does not need to be addressed in our day and age?As the publisher of Lederer/Messianic Jewish Publishers, I generally don’t write forewords to books we publish. This could become a "default" practice; that is, I could write forewords for all our books and not need to find others to do so. Moreover, I could write laudatory forewords for the books, which could become self-serving.In the case of Proverbial Wisdom & Common Sense, though, I am pleased to write the foreword. For many years now, I have maintained that people involved with Messianic Judaism have something unique to offer.We bring to the Christian world the wealth of material previously researched and written by Jewish (albeit, non-Messianic) scholars. Moreover, we bring to the Jewish world the thinking and writing of Yeshua the Messiah and his followers—the New Testament—so often ignored.Proverbial Wisdom & Common Sense is an example of this, and, therefore, makes a significant contribution to studies on the Book of Proverbs, that pithy, practical compilation of sayings and aphorisms of the nation of Israel.