The truth about the Proverbs 31 woman.

Proverbs 31. I'd always heard this chapter preached in the context of women doing their best to be virtuous and generally modelling their lives after this highly enterprising, hard-working and praiseworthy superwoman. Just thinking of all the things that I had to do to be like this woman made me feel fatigued!

The story of the virtuous woman begins in Proverbs 31:10. In all of my years of hearing this passage preached, I never heard anyone focus on the very first thing that is said of this woman-

"Who can find a virtuous wife?"

More of a question, really. The Passion Translation says - "Who could ever find a wife like this one-."

Believer, of ourselves, nobody like this exists. It is impossible for anybody to be like the virtuous woman by their own power. Romans 3:10 buttresses this point:

"As it is written:
“There is none righteous, no, not one;"

The question -"Who can find a virtuous wife?"- is akin to the one that Jesus' disciples asked Him after His encounter with the rich, young ruler who thought he had been doing a good job of keeping the Law aka human effort at obedience towards attaining right-standing with God. The man went away from Jesus sorrowful. See Luke 18: 24-27 for what transpired after this “virtuous man" went away sorrowful, bearing in mind that “riches” here is any form of capital or good works that we think we can amass to make God have a good opinion of us:

24 “And when Jesus saw that he was very sorrowful, He said, “How hardly shall they that have riches enter into the Kingdom of God!
25 For it is easier for a camel to go through a needle’s eye, than for a rich man to enter into the Kingdom of God.”

26 And those who heard it said, “Who then can be saved?”

27 And He said, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.””

The answer to the question - "Who can find a virtuous wife?" - is exactly the same as the one that Jesus gave to His disciples in Luke 18:27 above - “What is impossible for people is possible with God.”

A virtuous woman is impossible to find; but our being virtuous God has made possible through Jesus Christ. Believer in Christ, you and I who believe in Jesus Christ are the virtuous woman.

There is so much more to Proverbs 31.Whenever we read any portion of the Scriptures, it's not about us or what we must do. It's about Christ and what He has done. Sorry this is getting pretty long but I felt that I should add this for context:

Christ Himself teaches us how to read the Scriptures (Old Testament.) Here's what He did with the two despondent disciples (Cleopas and his companion) on the road to Emmaus on the day of His resurrection-Luke 24:27-

"Then beginning with Moses and with all the prophets, He explained to them the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures."

That same evening, the two disciples went to Jerusalem to share their experience of Christ with the other disciples. Jesus appeared to them there; check out what He did in verse 45 (MSG)-
“He went on to open their understanding of the Word of God, showing them how to read their Bibles this way.”

There was no New Testament at this time. Christ taught His disciples about Himself from the Old Testament. The Old Testament is filled with faith pictures of our Saviour Jesus Christ and our salvation in Him. Christ teaches us to read the Old Testament, including Proverbs 31, by bringing Him out of “all the Scriptures.”In one of the most popular passages of the New Testament, Christ Himself made one reference to Himself in the Old Testament: the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up in the wilderness is a picture of Christ lifted up to save the world from sin and death. See John 3-

14 “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. 17 For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved."

Christ draws a parallel between how the Israelites that were bitten by snakes got to escape death and how we who look to Jesus for salvation from sin and death get to “not perish but have eternal life.” Just imagine what would have happened if the Israelites had rushed off to offer sacrifices, keep the Law or make restitution for their sins instead of just looking expectantly at the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up as God told them to. Many churchgoers are making this mistake. Here's more on Christ's analogy of the bronze serpent that Moses lifted up as Himself: Toyin Olamide Obire's answer to What's the difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament?

It's not about what we must do- the arm of flesh (human effort) will fail. It's all about what Christ has done and us (by Grace) receiving His freely-given benefits that cause us to reign in life.

This chapter of Proverbs is not for women alone. It is for the entire body of Christ; the bride of Christ. Verse 10 says:

"Who could ever find a wife like this one—
she is a woman of strength and mighty valor!
She’s full of wealth and wisdom.
The price paid for her was greater than many jewels."

The price paid for you and I who believe in Jesus Christ was greater than many jewels; far above rubies. Our "brideprice" was the blood of our Saviour and Bridegroom: Jesus Christ Himself.

Recall Proverbs 31:10 says that this virtuous woman is "full of wealth and wisdom"?Throughout the book of Proverbs, Wisdom is depicted as a walking, talking Entity. "Wisdom" is a Person. His name is Jesus Christ. See this in 1 Corinthians 1:30-

"But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— 31 that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.”"

The virtuous woman is "full of wealth and wisdom." Also, “Her price is far above rubies.” See Who this price that is more precious than rubies is and what God's word says of those who embrace Wisdom (Jesus Christ) - in Proverbs 3:

13 "Happy is the man who finds wisdom,
And the man who gains understanding;
14 For her proceeds are better than the profits of silver,
And her gain than fine gold.
15 She is more precious than rubies,
And all the things you may desire cannot compare with her.
16 Length of days is in her right hand,
In her left hand riches and honor.
17Her ways are ways of pleasantness,
And all her paths are peace.
18 She is a tree of life to those who take hold of her,
And happy are all who retain her."

Recall it is said of the virtuous woman in Proverbs 31:10-

“Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.”

Wisdom - Christ Himself - gave Himself for us. He is our Price that is more precious than rubies. His life was the price that was paid for the salvation of His bride (all believers in Christ,) making us virtuous. Wisdom is a Person. Jesus Christ is His Name. Wealth (riches and honour) always follows the one who embraces Wisdom and does not put any confidence in his own human ability (arm of flesh that will fail) to become "a virtuous woman."

Thought to point out that Jesus Christ who is Grace-personified is the "Tree of Life" according to verse 18 above. See the "forbidden fruit" from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil as a picture of the Law that many are striving to keep in order to be godly (be like God) in Romans 7:8-12 (MSG version.)

Dependence on human effort at attaining godliness like Eve did is the definition of being under Law - smack where Satan wants everyone to be; the letter (law) kills. But utter trust and dependence on Jesus Christ the Tree of Life is life. Here, we get to bear "much fruit" (John 15:5) so it is not a case of us Grace children sitting around idly and having no works to show for our faith as antichrist preachers like to teach. Good works always follow after faith in Christ. Dead works and Death follow after law-keeping (human effort at obedience) in order to be godly aka "be like God."

Back to Proverbs 31. I'm not sure that any of my former colleagues or bosses would call me "lazy." More often, I was the "overzealous staff" with zero patience regarding whatever I saw as "slacking-off" among my fellow employees. But just thinking about all the things that I had to do to be like this Proverbs 31 woman made me feel fatigued! That is what law-keeping does. You can never do enough. But the virtuous woman (the bride of Christ) can do all things through Christ who strengthens her. That's you and I in Christ. We are weak of ourselves and strong in Him. Verse 21 says of us:

"She is not afraid of snow for her household,
For all her household is clothed with scarlet."

See The Passion Translation of the same Proverbs 31:21-

"She is not afraid of tribulation, for all her household is covered in the dual garments of righteousness and grace."

"Scarlet" speaks of the blood of Jesus through which we enjoy God's abundance of grace and His gift of righteousness. "Snow" speaks of tribulation or life's difficulties.

To be "clothed with scarlet" is to be "covered in the dual garments of righteousness and grace." None of us who believe in Jesus Christ should be afraid of "snow" or tribulation. Christ is transforming and taking us to that level by His grace. In Him, covered with the dual garments of righteousness and grace that are gifts from God, we get to reign in life. See this in Romans 5:17-

"For if by the one man’s offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.)"

What we are reigning over here is "Death." Recall that Adam did not drop dead physically right after his death sentence that he passed on to all of his descendants came into effect. Death is a process. See Adam's death sentence in Genesis 3-

17 "To Adam He said, “Because you listened to what your wife said and ate from the tree about which I gave you the order, ‘You are not to eat from it,’ the ground is cursed on your account; you will work hard to eat from it as long as you live. 18 It will produce thorns and thistles for you, and you will eat field plants. 19 You will eat bread by the sweat of your forehead till you return to the ground — for you were taken out of it: you are dust, and you will return to dust.”"

Sickness is "death begun." Lack is "death begun." Working so hard with stress with little to show for it or only to lose it all is "death begun." Like the Proverbs 31 woman that we are, we who believe in Jesus Christ get to have life and have it more abundantly in Christ- freely. Health for our body/freedom from anxiety and depression is “life begun.” Prosperity is “life begun.” Making wise decisions is “life begun.” We get to live in triumph over sin, earthly ills and death only through His power in us.

Also consider verse 22 of Proverbs 31:

"She makes tapestry for herself;
Her clothing is fine linen and purple."

See the Amplified Classic Version: “She makes for herself coverlets, cushions, and rugs of tapestry. Her clothing is of linen, pure and fine, and of purple [such as that of which the clothing of the priests and the hallowed cloths of the temple were made].”

"Fine linen" is what the priests that served in the Tabernacle wore and "purple" is the colour of royalty; the colour of kings. Christ calls we who believe "kings and priests" in Revelation 1-

5 "To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, 6 and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen."

When you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ our Wisdom from God with all your heart and do not lean on your own understanding or rely on what you think you know (Proverbs 3:5-6), He will help you to discern the depths of purpose and layers of meaning that saturate His word. Psalm 92 says Him:

“What mighty miracles and your power at work, just to name a few.
Depths of purpose and layers of meaning
saturate everything you do.
6 Such amazing mysteries found within every miracle
that nearly everyone seems to miss.
Those with no discernment can never really discover
the deep and glorious secrets hidden in your ways.”

With Wisdom (Jesus Christ) comes discernment. In Him, our heavenly Father freely lavishes His gift of discernment and much more on all who look to Christ alone for salvation. Only by receiving and walking in the glories of His finished work of our salvation and by Christ working in, through and for us do we get to reign over sin and death - Romans 5:16-17:

"And the result of God’s gracious gift is very different from the result of that one man’s sin. For Adam’s sin led to condemnation, but God’s free gift leads to our being made right with God, even though we are guilty of many sins. 17 For the sin of this one man, Adam, caused death to rule over many. But even greater is God’s wonderful grace and His gift of righteousness, for all who receive it will live in triumph over sin and death through this one Man, Jesus Christ."

A virtuous woman that is virtuous by her own human striving no one can ever find. But a virtuous woman is what God has made you and I who believe (the bride of Christ) to become through the sacrifice of Jesus. Proverbs 31 aptly ends thus:

"Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the Lord, she shall be praised.
31 Give her of the fruit of her hands,
And let her own works praise her in the gates."

The virtuous woman is the person who fears the Lord. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of Wisdom says Proverbs 9:10. Wisdom- our Saviour Jesus Christ - begins His work in us by opening our eyes more and more to see the heart of God our loving Father towards us: He is not a hard Taskmaster who is just waiting in the wings to catch us in sin so that He can punish us or let the devil have a go at us. He is not demanding that we keep the Ten Commandments in order to be godly. He is not asking us to strive to be the virtuous woman by our own power so that we might be a acceptable to Him. He knows we cannot (Romans 3:20.)

He knows how screwed up and messy we His sheep can be of ourselves and He helps us. Always.

In Christ our Wisdom from God, we get to know God as He truly is: our loving "Abba, Father" who sent His own Son to die the ONE-TIME death that the Law demanded of us for our entire lifetime of sins (Hebrews 9:27;) save us from our sins (Matthew 1:21;) make us righteous (Romans 5:19;) free us from every kind of sin, cleanse us, make us His own special people and cause us live right (all of this in Titus 2:14) and grant us everlasting life through His own Son and our Saviour Jesus Christ (John 3:16.)

Right believing always produces right living.