Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Proverbs 30:1-3 Agur’s Prayers and Advice, Part 1
Friday, October 20, 2023
Proverbs 30:1–3
[1] The words of Agur son of Jakeh. The oracle.
The man declares, I am weary, O God;
I am weary, O God, and worn out.
[2] Surely I am too stupid to be a man.
I have not the understanding of a man.
[3] I have not learned wisdom,
nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. (ESV)
Agur’s Prayers and Advice, Part 1
v.1a: Proverbs 30 is introduced at the words of Agur and states that they are not merely his Wisdom but divine revelation, which he speaks with the authority of a prophet. We do not know who Agur was and, therefore, cannot date precisely when he spoke these words. It is presumed since they follow the proverbs of Solomon that were copied by Hezekiah's men (Proverbs 25-29), that they were added to the book of Proverbs no earlier than the reign of Hezekiah and were probably written during those years.
v.1b-3: The opening section of Agur's words deals with proclaiming God's work through His Word to bring us to Christ. This is the work of the Church, which is responsible for delivering God's gifts of Word and Sacrament to the people. The preaching of God's Word delivers God's promises to us and creates in us trust in those promises. Agur will skillfully use both Law and Gospel in his prophetic words to guide those who hear them to God's grace in Christ as well as guide them into a God-pleasing life.
This prophecy begins with a meditation on Scripture in the form of prayers that alternate with addresses to his hearers. This first prayer is an admission that Agur is burned out, not with physical labor but the labor of attaining Wisdom (see Ecclesiastes 1:13; 17-18). Despite all this, Agur claims that he is "too stupid." This refers to Proverbs 12:1, where we learn that one who hates discipline is "stupid." He further connects to Proverbs 9:10, "The fear of Yahweh is the beginning of wisdom. The knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.”
Agur claims to not have any Wisdom of his own, not even its beginning, which is fear of the Lord. Agur is not simply being modest but making a sincere confession that repents for failing to reach God's ideal for him. Even the wisest of men will never learn all that they can from God's Word. Our sinful nature impedes us, preventing us from learning God's Wisdom. We must instead rely on the mercy of God to supply the Wisdom we lack (see 1 Corinthians 1:18-29).