Knockoffs, part 2

In one of my recent posts on Christian knockoffs, I pushed the buttons of a few folks (Craig, Stephanie, EG, and Zeb were most vocal). We all seem to share some distaste for Christian knockoff products.

Something resonated within me when Zeb wrote, “I think we should preach the gospel of Jesus Christ to the unbelieving world. The gospel is pure, it's powerful and it saves. These [Christian knockoffs] do not.” I don’t want to put words into Zeb’s mouth, but there is something appealing about refusing to borrow from the non-believing world around us and simply sharing God’s word. After all, the stuff of this world is tainted and useless compared to the Bible, right?

Yet, I still felt something missing from this approach, too. It reminds me too much of those who would try to counsel people using nothing but words from the Bible. (My students know that I find value in some of the work of non-believing psychologists and therapists.) I don’t think it wise to reject, simply on principle, from borrowing anything from non-believers.

So I began pondering again the legitimacy of borrowing from a non-believing culture to communicate the truth of the gospel. And then I remembered Amenemope.

The Instruction of Amenemope is an example of wisdom literature from ancient Egypt. Most biblical scholars, conservative ones included, believe Instruction of Amenemope serves as background and foundation for Proverbs 22:17-24:22. The two passages are not identical, but they are very similar – in some places they are so similar that there is little doubt one source directly influenced the other.

Curious? Read some excerpts for yourself…

Proverbs 22:17-18
Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise;
apply your heart to what I teach,
for it is pleasing when you keep them in your heart
and have all of them ready on your lips.

Instruction of Amenemope, Chapter 1
Give your ears and hear what is said,
Give your mind over to their interpretation:
It is profitable to put them in your heart,
But woe to him that neglects them!


Proverbs 22:20-21
Have I not written thirty sayings for you,
sayings of counsel and knowledge,
teaching you true and reliable words,
so that you can give sound answers
to him who sent you?

Instruction of Amenemope, Chapter 30
Mark for your self these thirty chapters:
They please, they instruct,
They are the foremost of all books;
They teach the ignorant.
If they are read to an ignorant man,
He will be purified through them.


Proverbs 22:24
Do not make friends with a hot-tempered man,
do not associate with one easily angered,

Instruction of Amenemope, Chapter 9
Do not fraternize with the hot-tempered man,
Nor approach him to converse.


Proverbs 23:1-2
When you sit to dine with a ruler,
note well what is before you,
and put a knife to your throat
if you are given to gluttony.

Instruction of Amenemope, Chapter 23
Do not eat a meal in the presence of a magistrate,
Nor set to speaking first…
Look at the cup in front of you,
And let it suffice your need.


Proverbs 23:4-5
Do not wear yourself out to get rich;
have the wisdom to show restraint.
Cast but a glance at riches, and they are gone,
for they will surely sprout wings
and fly off to the sky like an eagle.

Instruction of Amenemope, Chapter 7
Do not exert yourself to seek out excess
And your wealth will prosper for you;
If riches come to you by theft
They will not spend the night with you;
As soon as day breaks they will not be in your household;
Although their places can be seen, they are not there.


I remember discussing in seminary the issue of “borrowed material” in the Bible. Several students were greatly disturbed at the idea. For them, it made Scripture seem less reliable, less pure, even less divine somehow. After all, the wisdom of the world is tainted and useless, right?

But God saw fit to have the words of a pagan world included in the Bible. How should we make sense of this? Here are a couple of thoughts from the Expositor’s Bible Commentary on Proverbs.

“…To recognize the biblical texts as divine revelation does not necessarily mean that all its contents had to be previously unknown information…. Very likely the writers deliberately used well-known concepts and expressions from the pagan world to subordinate them to the true religion.”

“Inspiration does not exclude the divine use of existing material; but in Scripture it takes on a new force, a higher meaning, and becomes authoritative.”

So if we know by example (from God Himself) that using the creations from an unbelieving world is sometimes acceptable, how do we decide when and where it is most appropriate?

I have some thoughts percolating on that very idea. More coming later. Until then (and as always), I’m interested in your thoughts and observations.