Briefing: Proverbs was written several hundred years before the birth of Jesus. Is it possible to see Jesus in Proverbs?

Dispatch (Assignment): Read through the book of Proverbs and make a note every time you see a verse or saying that reminds you of something you have seen or read in the New Testament.

On the Street: The book of Proverbs is such a cool study. I observed and noted over 300 verses I could tie directly into the New Testament or teachings of Jesus. I have listed twenty of my favorites. I encourage you to do your own study and see what you find.

Compare Proverbs 1:28 (NIV) with Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV):

Proverbs 1:28 (NIV), “Then they will call to me but I will not answer; they will look for me but will not find me”

Matthew 7:21-23 (NIV), “Not everyone who says to me, “Lord, Lord,” will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. Many will say to me on that day, “Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons and in your name perform many miracles?” Then I will tell them plainly, “I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!”

Compare Proverbs 2:4 (NIV) with Matthew 13:44 (NIV):

Proverbs 2:4 (NIV), “and if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden treasure”

Matthew 13:44 (NIV), “The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field. When a man found it, he hid it again, and then in his joy went and sold all he had and bought that field.”

Compare Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) with Luke 6:45 (NIV):

Proverbs 4:23 (NIV) , “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it.”

Luke 6:45 (NIV), “A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

Compare Proverbs 6:23 (NIV) with John 8:12 (NIV):

Proverbs 6:23 (NIV), “For this command is a lamp, this teaching is a light, and correction and instruction are the way to life”

John 8:12 (NIV), “When Jesus spoke again to the people, he said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

Compare Proverbs 8:17 (NIV) with John 14:21 (NIV):

Proverbs 8:17 (NIV), “I love those who love me, and those who seek me find me.”

John 14:21 (NIV), “Whoever has my commands and keeps them is the one who loves me. The one who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love them and show myself to them.”

Compare Proverbs 8:22-31 (NIV) with John 1:1-3 (NIV):

Proverbs 8:22-31 (NIV), “The Lord brought me forth as the first of His works, before His deeds of old; I was formed long ages ago, at the very beginning, when the world came to be. When there were no watery depths, I was given birth, when there were no springs overflowing with water; before the mountains were settled in place, before the hills, I was given birth, before he made the world or its fields or any of the dust of the earth. I was there when He set the heavens in place, when He marked out the horizon on the face of the deep, when He established the clouds above and fixed securely the fountains of the deep, when He gave the sea its boundary so the waters would not overstep His command, and when He marked out the foundations of the earth. Then I was constantly at His side. I was filled with delight day after day, rejoicing always in His presence, rejoicing in His whole world and delighting in mankind.”

John 1:1-3 (NIV), “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through Him all things were made; without Him nothing was made that has been made.”

Compare Proverbs 8:32 (NIV) with Luke 11:28 (NIV):

Read Proverbs 8:32 (NIV), “Now then, my children, listen to me; blessed are those who keep my ways.”

Luke 11:28 (NIV), “He replied, “Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it.”

Compare Proverbs 8:35-36 (NIV) with John 5:39-40 (NIV):

Proverbs 8:35-36 (NIV), “For those who find me find life and receive favor from the Lord. But those who fail to find me harm themselves; all who hate me love death.”

John 5:39-40 (NIV), “You study the Scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.”

Compare Proverbs 10:25 (NIV) with Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV):

Proverbs 10:25 (NIV), “When the storm has swept by, the wicked are gone, but the righteous stand firm forever.”

Matthew 7:24-27 (NIV), “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

Compare Proverbs 11:1 (NIV) with Matthew 21:12-13 (NIV):

Proverbs 11:1 (NIV), “The Lord detests dishonest scales, but accurate weights find favor with Him.”

Matthew 21:12-13 (NIV), “Jesus entered the temple courts and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. “It is written,” he said to them, “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.”

Compare Proverbs 12:3 (NIV) with Matthew 7:17-20 (NIV):

Proverbs 12:3 (NIV), “No one can be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted.”

Matthew 7:17-20 (NIV), “Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot (continue to) bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot (continue to) bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.”

Compare Proverbs 12:14 (NIV) with Matthew 7:16 (NIV):

Proverbs 12:14 (NIV), “From the fruit of their lips people are filled with good things, and the work of their hands brings them reward.”

Matthew 7:16 (NIV), “By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thorn bushes, or figs from thistles?”

Compare Proverbs 13:9 (NIV) with Matthew 5:13-15 (NIV):

Proverbs 13:9 (NIV), “The light of the righteous shines brightly, but the lamp of the wicked is snuffed out.”

Matthew 5:13-15 (NIV), “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house.”

Compare Proverbs 14:31 (NIV) with Matthew 25:40 (NIV):

Proverbs 14:31 (NIV), “Whoever oppresses the poor shows contempt for their Maker, but whoever is kind to the needy honors God.”

Matthew 25:40 (NIV), “The King will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me.”

Compare Proverbs 15:8 (NIV) with Matthew 9:13 (NIV):

Proverbs 15:8 (NIV),“The Lord detests the sacrifice of the wicked, but the prayer of the upright pleases Him.”

Matthew 9:13 (NIV), “But go and learn what this means: “I desire mercy, not sacrifice.” For I have not come to call the righteous, but sinners.”

Compare Proverbs 15:29 (NIV) with Matthew 15:8 (NIV):

Proverbs 15:29 (NIV), “The Lord is far from the wicked, but He hears the prayer of the righteous.”

Matthew 15:8 (NIV), “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.”

Compare Proverbs 17:27 (NIV) with John 8:7 (NIV):

Proverbs 17:27 (NIV), “The one who has knowledge uses words with restraint, and whoever has understanding is even-tempered.”

John 8:7 (NIV), “When they kept on questioning Him, He straightened up and said to them, “Let any one of you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.”

Compare Proverbs 18:15 (NIV) with Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV):

Proverbs 18:15 (NIV), “The heart of the discerning acquires knowledge, for the ears of the wise seek it out.”

Matthew 7:7-8 (NIV),“Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”

Compare Proverbs 21:8 (NIV) with Matthew 10:16 (NIV):

Proverbs 21:8 (NIV), “The way of the guilty is devious, but the conduct of the innocent is upright.”

Matthew 10:16 (NIV), “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves. Therefore be as shrewd as snakes and as innocent as doves.”

Compare Proverbs 21:13 (NIV) with Matthew 25:45 (NIV):

Proverbs 21:13 (NIV), “Whoever shuts their ears to the cry of the poor will also cry out and not be answered.”

Matthew 25:45 (NIV), “He will reply, “Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.”

Investigational Resources: The entire Old Testament points to Jesus. The investigational resource for finding Jesus is the Bible.

Officer Safety Principle: Jesus is in Proverbs because He is wisdom. He is also truth, life and so much more. Wisdom is not all that Jesus is but all Godly wisdom comes from Him.

from The Book of Proverbs Through the Eyes of a Cop
©by Charles Gilliland. Used by permission.
Click here to check out the entire Through the Eyes of a Cop series!