Lawre

nce
Colle
ge
Chap
el
resto
 Muslims &
Christians
attended
 Murree
Christian
School
choir
brought
music
Refreshments

afterwards

Mr Saleem
of
ZOR
Engineers
 Chapel Address
on the occasion of
The Re-dedication
of
The College Chapel
of
Lawrence College,
Ghora Gali, Murree
Readings from the Holy Bible
1. The Old Testament
PROVERBS 9 vv 1-6
 Exegeting

Proverbs 9:1-6
 Proverbs 9:1-6
Wisdom has built her house; she has hewn
out its seven pillars. She has prepared her
meat and mixed her wine; she has also set
her table. She has sent out her maids, and
she calls from the highest point of the city.
“Let all who are simple come in here!” she
says to those that lack judgement. “Come
and eat my food and drink the wine that I
have mixed. Leave your simple ways and
you will live; walk in the way of
understanding.”
 Step 1. List the units of thought:
• Wisdom has built her house;
• she has hewn out its seven pillars.
• She has prepared her meat
• and mixed her wine;
• she has also set her table.
• She has sent out her maids,
• and she calls from the highest point of the city.
• “Let all who are simple come in here!”
• she says to those that lack judgement.
• “Come and eat my food
• and drink the wine
• that I have mixed.
• Leave your simple ways
• and you will live;
• walk in the way of understanding.”
 Step 2. Shape the Structure:
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat
and mixed her wine;
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her maids,
and she calls from the highest point of the city.
“Let all who are simple come in here!”
she says to those that lack judgement.
“Come
and eat my food
and drink the wine
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and
you will live;
Walk in the way of understanding.”
 Step 3. Observe the different parts:
Wisdom has built her house; Who? OBSERVATIONS
she has hewn out its seven pillars. • Wisdom (= ?)
• W’s maids
She has prepared her meat • The simple / lack judgement
and mixed her wine; What?
she has also set her table. • W’s house & its 7 pillars
She has sent out her maids, • W’s meat & wine
• W’s table
and she calls from the highest point• of Simple ways
the city. • The way of understanding
“Let all who are simple Where? [When?]
come in here!” • The city’s highest point
she says to those that lack judgement.• “Here” (W’s house)
Why?
“Come • In order to live
and eat my food How?
and drink the wine • By eating & drinking W’s fare
that I have mixed. • By leaving simple ways
• By walking in the way of
Leave your simple ways understanding
and you will live;
 Step 4. Question the meaning & significance of the parts

Wisdom has built her house; • Who / what is “wisdom”?

she has hewn out its seven pillars. • What are the seven pillars?
She has prepared her meat Why are they hewn out (of
and mixed her wine; stone)?
• Why is the wine mixed?
she has also set her table.
• Why has wisdom done every-
She has sent out her maids,
thing herself in preparation for
and she calls from the highest point her guests?
of the city.
• Who are the simple that lack
“Let all who are simple judgement?
come in here!” • What are the simple ways they
she says to those that lack judgement. must leave?
“Come • What kind of life is promised?
and eat my food • What is the choice presented?
and drink the wine • What is the difference between
that I have mixed. “eating & drinking”
Leave your simple ways and
and you will live; “walking”?
 Step 5. Suggest some Answers
(either by reflection or by referring to commentaries)
• Wisdom:
Wisdom has built her house;
the wisdom of God
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
the Creator of a
She has prepared her meat
wisely ordered
and mixed her wine;
universe
she has also set her table.
She has sent out her maids, • Seven:
and she calls from the highest point suggests perfection
of the city. or simply a mark of a
“Let all who are simple prosperous home
come in here!” • Hewn out pillars:
she says to those that lack judgement.
“Come
suggests effort,
and eat my food
craftsmanship
and drink the wine • Mixed wine:
that I have mixed. enjoyment,
Leave your simple ways richness, complexity,
and you will live; subtlety of wisdom
Step 6. What is the over-all Subject of the passage?
Wisdom has built her house;
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat Wisdom
and mixed her wine; - the wisdom
she has also set her table.
of
She has sent out her maids,
and she calls from the highest point God
of the city. the Creator
“Let all who are simple of
come in here!”
she says to those that lack judgement.
a
“Come wisely ordered
and eat my food universe
and drink the wine
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and you will live;
 Step 7. What does the passage say about this
over-all Subject?
Wisdom has built her house; Wisdom
she has hewn out its seven pillars. • Has gone to great
She has prepared her meat
and mixed her wine;
trouble to prepare
she has also set her table. for her guests
She has sent out her maids, • Invites to her
and she calls from the highest point house all who lack
of the city.
“Let all who are simple her insight
come in here!” • Invites the simple
she says to those that lack judgement.
“Come
to feed at her rich
and eat my food table
and drink the wine • Exhorts them to
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
obey her
and you will live; instruction
walk in the way of • Promises them life
Step 8. What is the heart-beat of the passage?

Note:

The Heart-Beat
of a passage
is
the central point
or
core message
of that passage.
 What is the heart-beat of the passage?
Wisdom has built her house; Suggestion
she has hewn out its seven pillars.
She has prepared her meat
and mixed her wine;
Embrace
she has also set her table. Wisdom
She has sent out her maids,
and she calls from the highest point to really live
of the city.
“Let all who are simple
come in here!”
she says to those that lack judgement.
“Come
and eat my food
and drink the wine
that I have mixed.
Leave your simple ways
and you will live;
walk in the way of
The Chapel
Address
 Exposition
Wisdom and Love are two of the
most previous treasures we can
ever have
• true wisdom, as opposed to false
wisdom (which we call folly) and
• true love, as opposed to all the
cheap and false kinds of love that
this world offers.
Where can true wisdom and true love
be found?
That is the most important question
a young man can ever ask.
The Book of Proverbs was written to
answer this crucial question.
For it was written as guidance to
young men on how to follow the
straight path.
In particular this section speaks
about
• Wisdom personified as
– a responsible woman of
character,
in contrast with a second woman,
• Folly,
–a woman of loose character.
Wisdom has built a house
• she has worked hard to cut
stones for it;
• she has gone to much trouble to
adorn it with 7 pillars;
• she has completed her task
perfectly,
(for 7 symbolises both
perfection and completion)
But more than completing a beautiful
building,
• she has prepared a wonderful meal with
special drinks, and
• she has set the table herself in
readiness for guests;
• she has sent out her servants with the
invitations,
but many are too busy with other more
important business, so
• she goes out herself and calls people to
come.
Who is this woman Wisdom?
– Is she not the wisdom of God
himself - offered to us?

This House of God that we re-

dedicate today is not only a
beautiful building.
It is also the place where God
invites us to come and be fed on
His Word.
 This House of God
as well as being a place of prayer is
also
a place for spiritual nourishment.
 God invites us
to come away
from the busyness of our lives outside
and
find time and space
to listen to Him speaking to us
in His Holy Word
from which He feeds us spiritually,
and from where
we will get our true Wisdom
and learn of His real Love.
 May we want
to come
and accept
His loving invitation
to dine with Him!
The End