Daniel Estes currently serves as Distinguished Professor of Bible at Cedarville University where he has been a faculty member since 1984. He received his PhD in Biblical Exegesis from the University of Cambridge in England and a Th.M. in Old Testament Exegesis from Dallas Theological Seminary. Estes has published Handbook on the Wisdom Books and Psalms, Life and Love: Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon and Learning and Living God’s Word: How to Study the Bible.

The purpose of the books is “to synthesize the unorganized data from a portion of the book of Proverbs into a more systematic statement of the pedagogical theory that underlies its teachings.” Estes arranges the material in a way familiar to other pedagogical writings by discussing worldview, values, goals, curriculum, instruction, teacher, and learner.

The worldview context of Proverbs 1-9 is a biblical worldview in the midst of surrounding cultural influences. The biblical worldview consists of an understanding of God being sovereign over the universe He has created. This same God can be known but one must have a reverential fear of Him in order to attain the wisdom that Proverbs speaks about. The value of Proverbs 1-9 in education lies in its emphasis on the teachability of an individual and the pursuit of wisdom, life, and righteousness. The goal of education begins and ends with a fear of God ultimately resulting in a personal knowledge of Him. Other goals that lead to the formation of a mature godly person are commitment, character, competence, protection and prosperity. The curriculum for education “encompasses the whole range of knowledge that Yahweh has made known, whether immediately by his revelation, or mediately through teachers transmitting tradition, or through personal observation by the learner.” Estes defines instruction as “the ways in which a teacher used curriculum in the process of educating the learner.” The material of Proverbs 1-9 includes nine different approaches to facilitate the learner to make wise choices throughout life. These insights present some practical ideas on how Proverbs were used in the ancient setting as well as stimulating some thought about how one could use these approaches in a contemporary setting. The three different metaphors of expert authority, facilitator, and guide provide a picture of the role of the teacher in helping the learner grow in maturity. The learner also plays a role in growing wise by receiving wisdom, responding to it, valuing it, and assimilating wisdom “as the central principle that organizes a coherent philosophy of life around the fear of Yahweh.”

Daniel Estes opens up the windows of wisdom by shedding light on a portion of the wisdom literature in Proverbs 1-9. The book of Proverbs has long been know for its capsule statements of wisdom but many people struggle to connect the dots and see a coherent picture of how everything fits together. Estes provides a basic theological foundation for educational practice and a practical strategy with goals that leads learners to mature in wisdom and godly character. The plethora of ideas and approaches to education leave little doubt about the value of learning from these few chapters in the Bible.

This book will appeal to educators, parents, and ministers who are looking for biblical approaches to educate children. One will learn how ancient Hebrews sought to educate children and guide them to grow in godliness and wisdom. The book is well researched and searchable through an index of authors and Scripture. Parents, especially fathers, cannot ignore the emphasis one sees throughout Proverbs 1-9 regarding the role a father plays in educating his children. Parents appeared to be the primary educators of their children and that role cannot be abdicated especially in today’s society. Using the Bible, especially the wisdom of Proverbs would be an appropriate platform to educate children in learning how to fear God and embrace wisdom. A subject index would be a valuable addition to the book to enable parents to refer to certain sections of Proverbs 1-9 for specific instruction.

Although the author only examines Proverbs 1-9 as a unit, he proposes an entire study of the Proverbs 1-31 that would provide a larger overall picture of pedagogical theory. The process of education and the outcomes of education differed significantly during biblical times. Educators will benefit from some of the creative ideas and metaphors that can inform their teaching in a way that reflects biblical approaches and concepts that will instill wisdom in the hearts and minds of their pupils. Much education today even in Christian homes occurs from a postmodern worldview. Grasping the biblical worldview as espoused in Proverbs 1-9 would have the potential to revolutionize the process and goals of education in today’s modern world.

This book has practical values to learners as well as challenging every person to be a continual learner that grows in the fear of God and learns wisdom. Listening and learning are not just things pupils are responsible for. Teachers and parents alike must listen and learn from God’s Word continually in the hopes of coming to a better understanding of wisdom