Proverbs 8:22 “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.
The writer of this poetry had in his mind that he was personifying wisdom as a beautiful woman who leads men to righteousness and happiness, in contrast to the superficially attractive prostitute described in Proverbs 7 who leads men to desolation and death.
When John wrote his prologue, Proverbs 8:22 was not far from his mind:
John 1:1-5 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) He was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life, and the life was the light of men. (5) The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.
The Greek expression for “Word” is the basis of our English word “logic”. In just the same way that “wisdom” is personified as a woman in Proverbs, God’s plan or “logic” (the Greek word is logos) was from the beginning. This purpose was made actual when Jesus the son of God was born.
Sometimes God has more in mind than did an Old Testament prophet:
1 Peter 1:10-12 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, (11) inquiring what person or time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. (12) It was revealed to them that they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.
It was not just a matter of John making use of an old Hebrew poem to express a new truth (though it was that too). The old Hebrew poem was originally intended by God to express a greater truth that would come to fruition hundreds of years after the poem was written; Jesus was planned by God from the very beginning.
So, yes. Proverbs 8:22 refers to Jesus.
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