Proverbs 1-7: Sanctions and Ethics

"Discuss the relationship between ethics and sanctions in Proverbs 1-7." 

       Today we will be focusing on the ethics and  sanctions in Proverbs 1-7.  
     One of the first ethical sanctions  in Proverbs is in chapter 1 verses 8-9 

  "My sonne, heare the instruction of thy father, and forsake not the law of thy mother.

 For they shall be an ornament of grace vnto thy head, and chaines about thy necke."

      Here is a positive sanction.  He will have an "ornament" of grace and "chaines" around his neck.  (This doesn't mean chains in a bad sense.  In those times, people of wealth would sometimes wear chains around their necks.)  It is saying that listening to the parents is an ethical thing to do.  It will bring about good sanctions.  

     Here are some more verses that use ethical sanctions. Chapter 6: verses 9-11. 

     "How long wilt thou sleepe, O sluggard? when wilt thou arise out of thy sleepe?

 Yet a little sleepe, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to sleepe.

 So shall thy pouertie come as one that trauaileth, and thy want as an armed man."

     These sanctions are negative.  These verses say that if we are lazy and do not work, we will descend into poverty. Poverty is obviously a negative sanction.  

     Ethics and sanctions go hand in hand.  We have no need for sanctions if the sanction is not ethical.  

     Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!

"How important is the concept of historical sanctions in the Psalms?" Here is my answer.

 

  I believe that the importance of sanctions in Psalms was very significant.  I believe this because of the reasons that I will list in this essay.  

   

  God uses sanctions to protect the just from the wicked.  Without these sanctions, the world would continue to become horrid and corrupt.  The world needed these sanctions just as you would need to punish a child for doing wrong.  God uses these sanctions not because he wants to harm people, but rather, so that they can learn from their mistakes and do good in the future.  

  

  These sanctions would not be important if they were not a part of the Bible, but they are.  Anything and everything in the Bible is important, otherwise, the Bible would have never been written.  

  

  The historical value was not only important then, but it is also important now.  It is important now, because those sanctions can help us to not take a path of wickedness, but rather, a path of peace, goodness, love, and kindness.  This is the historical significance that the sanctions in Psalms hold.  This is the message that we are supposed to receive from not only Psalms, but in fact, the entire Bible.  The sanctions in Psalms are not to frighten and discourage the readers of Psalms (Of course, I'm sure that it frightened those living at that time.), they were to teach us.  

   

  Thank you so much for reading, and please let me know what you think!