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PROVERBS AND GODLY WISDOM
Lesson Ten
Adultery: A Special Threat to Godly Wisdom
Proverbs 5 and 7:6-27
The objective of this lesson: there are some ungodly acts, like adultery, that may seem “desirable and innocent” at the moment of involvement but have lasting consequences which cannot be “undone” regardless of one’s later grief or effort. Remember, there is a difference between enduring consequences and divine forgiveness. Forgiveness does not necessarily mean an end to some consequences.
Proverbs is written to the young male Israelite, pleading with him to choose a life devoted to godly wisdom and not to wickedness. Obviously, if adultery occurred (or occurs), it included the mindset and action of both a male and a female. For whatever reason, the writer pled with only the male to avoid the adulterous sexual union.
Remember the context and the focus of the situation prior to making application.
Other Old Testament writings consider the involvement of both the male and the female. Consider, for example, Deuteronomy 22:22-27. The penalty for adultery in Israel was to be death for both the man and the woman. However, if the woman was forced in a field, it was to be assumed she cried for help, and no one heard her. (Remember an Israelite couple was regarded as “married” to each other from the time of engagement, even though they were not sexually active. Also remember that it was not uncommon for marriage to occur at an early age.) Do note the assumption favored the woman.
Proverbs is not the only Old Testament material regarding adultery. The injunctions against adultery would be a significant evidence that indicated adultery was a common problem.
In Proverbs, the young man was cautioned not to disregard godly wisdom when opportunity to yield to a strong impulse presented itself. Sexual desires can cause a young man to be extremely foolish. His strong sexual desire can cause him to consider only the pleasure of the moment. If he can be convinced to think only of the desires of the moment, he is likely to yield.
It is simple to forget about godly wisdom when temptation succeeds in capturing your primary attention. The initial objective of temptation is to capture a person’s attention. When a person allows temptation to control his/her attention, it succeeds in destroying the person’s ability to evaluate. This power of temptation can render a person’s knowledge and understanding useless. Allowing temptation to control our attention is the invitation for evil to “use and exploit me.”
The situation in Proverbs involved a married woman who was deliberately sexually unfaithful to her husband, and who looked for a seduction. She was not deceived, seduced by a man, or in any way a victim of evil circumstances. She was not the symbol of all Israelite wives, but a symbol of the adulterous females.
The adulteress deliberately did what she did. Her motives could have been numerous, but she knowingly seduced the young man.
In chapter 5 this woman was said to be quite persuasive in her speech, but she was disaster poised to bring ruin. The result of yielding to her seduction would be a bitterness that lingered, a “dying” that could not be avoided, and a sexual union with an unstable person (who was ignorant of her own instability).
That which seems desirable or pleasurable at the moment can produce long-term hurt and fallout.
The wise thing to do was avoid the situation. If the young man did not, he wasted his potential in his lineage, he wasted his future prosperity, and as he grew older, he would realize how stupid and thoughtless his reaction to this sexual opportunity was.
The long-term consequences that produce continuing hurt in this situation had to do with the values of the ancient world. Having a posterity that benefited from your physical success, and being regarded as wise among your people, were significant values then. Youthful adultery could easily destroy all three in Israel.
Please remember that Proverbs was writing about that situation thousands of years ago. Descendants were extremely important. To commit the act of adultery in Israel’s religious society was immediately dangerous and lastingly discrediting. Respect and prosperity were extremely difficult to find after such a foolish, discrediting act. Such consequences are uncommon in our society today. That does not make acts of fornication and adultery wise today, but the hurtful consequences have changed.
Adultery had a powerful ability to discredit by making a person’s “common sense” suspect through an incredibly selfish, foolish act. Adultery disregarded the honor of other people for the sake of indulging self. By committing adultery with the woman, the young man dishonored her husband.
Chapter 7:6-23 was a description, given in Hebrew poetic language, by a witness as he watched a seduction take place. The witness reported on what he actually saw and on what he knew was taking place. He observed a young man without judgment walking near the place the adulteress lived. Evidently, the young man knew she lived near, and was looking for temptation. The young man approached the temptation of opportunity under his imagined cover of early darkness (how often people foolishly think acts are hidden when those acts are obvious).
Stress two things. (a) Stress the danger of flirting with temptation. (b) Stress how easily it is to be deceived when we think we are hiding our evil.
The adulteress saw opportunity and responded quickly. She was prepared and knew what she was doing. Though she was married, she was dressed as a prostitute. As she met her opportunity, she called attention to herself. She had spent her time looking for opportunity, and she knew just what to do and say. She brazenly took the initiative, making it obvious she was opportunity. Examine her concept of religion—she was religious and did (in her thinking) the appropriate religious things. (“The God responsibilities were cared for, so God was not an issue or a problem.”) Examine the way she appealed to his ego: “I have been looking for you—you are important to me.” Examine how she appealed to his imagination: “My bed is brightly colored and filled with wonderful smells.” (She wanted him to imagine heightened sensual pleasures.) Examine how she made him feel secure. She wanted him to know there was only opportunity and no danger—for her to devote herself to his pleasure the entire night was no problem! Her husband would be gone for a month, and he had plenty of money with him. He would not come home unexpectedly. (This might even be just the first of many opportunities—maybe future opportunity was being offered.)
Focus on the four things the student is asked to examine. The concept of religion was limited to “doing the correct religious acts.” Successful temptation targets our ego. It likes to make us feel special. Temptation that is powerful appeals to the person’s imagination—it deceitfully promises what the person wants. Effective temptation makes us feel secure in our wrong doing.
The result: she convinced him to accept her offer. He, with assurance, followed her expecting a wonderful experience. He was like an ox led to the slaughter, a trapped stag waiting to be killed, and a bird unaware of the danger that surrounded it. He had no idea that his seduction would cost him his life.
Focus on this: What he expected and what were the actual results were two different things. He expected ONLY momentary pleasure. He got haunting, undesirable consequences that kept on lasting.
The caution: If she betrayed her husband, she would betray him. He was not the first she destroyed, and he would not be the last. The wise course: avoid the temptation presented by the opportunity. Neither exaggerate nor test the strength of your godly commitment!
Stay away from temptation—do not view temptation as your chosen way to prove godliness.
For Thought and Discussion
Because these are discussion questions, the teacher cannot predict what will be included in the discussion. This format is used to (a) make students think, and (b) to encourage students to express their insights. The teacher should choose thoughts that could determine the direction and focus of the discussion.
1. Discuss the focus of Proverb’s admonitions, especially in regard to adultery.
2. Discuss the relationship between godly wisdom and strong sexual desire.
3. In chapter 5, though the adulteress’ words were persuasive, discuss the consequences of yielding.
4. In the discussion of the act of seduction in chapter 7, discuss how the young man empowered temptation.
5. Discuss the adulteress of chapter 7 regarding her response to opportunity.
6. Discuss the things to be examined in the adulteress’ attitudes.
7. Discuss the result of the young man yielding to seduction.
Link to Student Guide Lesson 10
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David Chadwell & West-Ark Church of Christ