Agur son of Jakeh is a real wise man, prophet or scribe, but we know nothing about him. This new section at the close of the book of Proverbs claims to be recordings of inspired speech or revelation from God.
In 30:2-3 Agur expresses his human ignorance concerning reality and truth. He is frustrated with having reached his end, but still not knowing the conclusion. Agur (like Solomon) had reached the
end of human insight in a state of frustration because there was so much missing and so much that didn’t make sense.
In 30:4 Agur draws you and I, the readers, into his quest and his frustration. Agur begins to ask you and me if we know the ultimate answers. These are rhetorical questions and Agur is expecting negative answers. So, after verse 30:4 we, the readers, agree with Agur’s statement in 30:2-3 which basically says, “We do not know how this all works, nor do we have a life philosophy that is complete.” In other words, we, like Agur, need help from someone besides teachers, sages and
wise men. We need a revelation from God. This section of logically challenging questions is
meant to bring us to our knees as it did Job in Job 38 and is expressed in Ecclesiastes 7:24.
The section of 30:4 ends by basically saying not only do we not know any of these things, we
don’t even know the name of the one who does know them!
30:5 tells us the answer. There is the revealed word from God to help us where we can’t help ourselves. The Word of God picks up where our human knowledge leaves off.
30:6 is a firm warning not to try to add our human wisdom to God’s revelation nor to confuse
human philosophy with the authority of God’s word which is reality and Truth. Do not present
your philosophy as God’s word. This is a good ending to the book of Proverbs since it matches
the ending of God’s revelation to Moses in Deuteronomy 12:32 and God’s New Testament
revelation given to John in Revelation 22:18. |
