Neville Goddard on Proverbs 8:22

Executive Summary

According to Neville Goddard, the 8th chapter of Proverbs personifies Wisdom, which speaks in the first person. This Wisdom, identified in Proverbs 8:22, is equated with the New Testament's Christ, the "first born of all creation." Neville emphasizes that this Wisdom was not created but was "possessed" by God from the beginning, representing an inherent and eternal capacity, much like the power to imagine. This primordial Wisdom is presented as fundamental to God's way of salvation.

Key Concepts

• The speaker in Proverbs 8:22 is understood to be personified Wisdom.
• This Wisdom is the Old Testament counterpart to the New Testament's Christ, the "first born of all creation."
• Neville prefers the translation "God possessed me" over "He created me" to describe Wisdom's origin.
• Wisdom is not a separate creation but an inherent capacity of God, similar to the power to think or imagine.
• This primordial Wisdom is identified as God's "way of salvation."

Detailed Explanation

Neville Goddard explains that the 8th chapter of Proverbs personifies a fundamental principle: Wisdom. In this personification, Wisdom itself is made to speak, and its words in verse 22 describe its origin and relationship to God. This personified Wisdom is not merely an abstract concept but is presented as a being that was with God at the very foundation of the world, rejoicing beside him "like a little child."

This Old Testament personification of Wisdom is directly linked to the New Testament's description of Christ. Neville teaches that Christ, as the "first born of all creation," is the fulfillment of what is described in Proverbs. The account of Wisdom being with God "at the beginning of his work" is presented as the foundation for understanding Christ's role in God's plan. This entire concept, originating in Proverbs, is identified as God's "way of salvation."

A crucial point in this interpretation is the distinction between being "possessed" and being "created." Neville critiques translations that say God "created" Wisdom, arguing this is inaccurate. He explains that one does not create the capacity to think or to imagine; these are inherent powers that are possessed from the beginning. Therefore, Wisdom is not something God made, but a fundamental capacity that has always been part of His being. It is an innate power that can be developed, but its existence is primordial and uncreated.

Important Quotes

“The Lord created me at the beginning of his work, the first of his acts of old.

— Christ Unveiled

“God possessed me in the beginning of his way, the very first of his acts of old.”

— Power

One translation has it: “He created me.” [Moffatt] That’s not a good translation. I can’t say I create my capacity to think. I can develop it, but it was with me in the beginning.

— Power

“I was beside him, like a little child, I was daily his delight, Rejoicing before him always, Rejoicing in his inhabited world, Delighting in the sons of men.”

— The Power And The Wisdom

Related Concepts

• Imagination: The source material explicitly uses the "capacity to imagine" as an analogy for the primordial Wisdom described in Proverbs. Just as imagination is an inherent power that is possessed rather than created, so too is this divine Wisdom. It is a fundamental aspect of being that can be developed.

Common Misunderstandings

• That Wisdom was created: A common misunderstanding, based on some translations, is that the Wisdom in Proverbs 8:22 was created by God as a separate act. Neville corrects this, stating that the better translation is "possessed," indicating that Wisdom is an eternal, inherent capacity of God, not a subsequent creation.

Practical Applications

The practical application of this teaching is to recognize the divine, creative capacity within yourself as an inherent power. Rather than seeking to acquire a power like imagination from an external source, you are to understand that it was "with you in the beginning." The work, then, is not to create this power but to develop the capacity you already possess.

Frequently Asked Questions

Who is speaking in Proverbs 8:22, according to Neville Goddard?

Neville teaches that the speaker is personified Wisdom, which he equates with Christ, the 'first born of all creation'.

Why does Neville prefer the translation 'God possessed me' over 'God created me'?

He prefers 'possessed' because Wisdom is an inherent capacity, like the ability to think or imagine, that was always part of God's being. It was not a separate entity that God created at a point in time.

How does this Old Testament verse relate to Christ?

Neville explains that the New Testament's description of Christ as the 'first born of all creation' is the fulfillment of the principle of primordial Wisdom described in Proverbs 8.