Date

8-20-2026

Department

Rawlings School of Divinity

Degree

Master of Arts in Biblical Studies (MA)

Chair

Denise Pass

Keywords

Discipleship, Fear of the Lord, Teaching, Pedagogy

Disciplines

Religion | Religious Thought, Theology and Philosophy of Religion

Abstract

The fear of the Lord is a significant topic found throughout scripture, yet it is a concept that lacks recognition in our culture, and even in some churches today. The reality is that there is confusion about how to define the fear of the Lord and, thereby, confusion about how to teach the fear of the Lord. This thesis provides a biblical understanding of the fear of the Lord as described in Proverbs 1–9. The fear of God is evaluated through the lens of instruction throughout these chapters, providing a basis of understanding for the complexity of the definition of the fear of the Lord. Additionally, Proverbs, as an instructional book, provides an adequate understanding of the difficulty of instructing on fear of the Lord. This section of the study on the book of Proverbs seeks to prove that the fear of the Lord is an important concept meant for instruction, and that it should be taught with a proper pedagogy.

Additionally, this study will provide a basis for understanding discipleship as a pedagogy. As the Gospel of Matthew is evaluated for narrative examples of discipleship, the pedagogical approach will be evaluated with respect to authority, imitation, correction, obedience, humility, participation, and replication. Each pedagogical feature offers a new facet of the pedagogy Jesus initiates with His disciples, while also showing that these features apply to the themes found in the fear of the Lord. This thesis argues that Proverbs 1–9 provides a definition of the fear of the Lord, not simply as a theological concept, but with a pedagogical foundation, through which wisdom is intentionally cultivated and transferred, offering a model for discipleship, especially as a tool for instruction on the fear of the Lord. This thesis provides readers with the ability to identify features of instruction for the fear of the Lord, while pinpointing many of those instructional methods displayed through the example of discipleship as a pedagogy.

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