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INTRODUCTION
We seldom give the Old Testament the proper attention it deserves as a silent yet powerful witness to the presence of the Son of God before His Incarnation. However, when we open our hearts to Scripture, we discover that the Old Testament does not speak solely of the Creator Father and the Spirit hovering over the waters, but also of a mysterious “Son” reverently and awefully alluded to in many passages. One of the most enigmatic and deeply theological texts is Proverbs 30, verses 3 and 4. Reading it takes us to the heights of divine mystery and, at the same time, to a touching closeness with the person of Christ—long before Bethlehem.
1. KEY TEXT: PROVERBS 30:3–4
“I have not learned wisdom, nor have I knowledge of the Holy One. Who has ascended to heaven and come down? Who has gathered the wind in his fists? Who has wrapped up the waters in a garment? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son’s name? Surely you know!”
(Proverbs 30:3–4, ESV)
This passage, apparently hidden within the Book of Proverbs, is a jewel of progressive revelation. It appears as a rhetorical question filled with mystery, a spiritual challenge addressed to our soul, not just to our intellect. Here, the wise man Agur—the author of this proverb—confesses his ignorance… but in that confession lies the seed of Messianic revelation.
2. A PROPHETIC QUESTION: “WHAT IS HIS SON’S NAME?”
In the Old Testament, the concept of the “Son of God” was not fully revealed, although multiple anticipations, shadows, and figures appear: Isaac, the son of the promise; David, the king adopted by God; Solomon, the wise king. However, none of them can truly say: “I have ascended to heaven and come down.” Only one can: the eternal Word made flesh—Jesus Christ.
Jesus Himself takes up this idea in the Gospel of John:
“No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man.”
(John 3:13)
Here is the fulfillment of what Proverbs only dimly glimpsed. The Son mentioned in the Old Testament is none other than the Eternal Son of the Father, the Second Person of the Trinity, who was with God from the beginning and would be fully revealed in the fullness of time.
3. THEOLOGICAL DIMENSION: THE PREEXISTENCE OF THE SON
Christian theology clearly affirms that the Son of God did not begin to exist at the Incarnation but is eternal, “begotten, not made,” as we proclaim in the Creed.
The Church Fathers saw in this passage of Proverbs an implicit proof of the Trinity, especially of the existence of the Son alongside the Father before creation. Saint Athanasius, Saint Gregory Nazianzen, and other patristic authors referred to these words to show that the idea of a Divine Son is not foreign to the Old Testament, but veiled—hidden in poetic and sapiential language.
The final question in the text—“What is his name and the name of his son, if you know?”—seems like a spiritual provocation. The wise man acknowledges his ignorance, but in the heart of the believer, the answer resounds: The name is Yahweh, and His Son is Jesus Christ.
4. CHRIST IN THE OLD TESTAMENT: MORE PRESENT THAN WE THINK
Not only Proverbs speaks of the Son. Many other biblical figures anticipate His coming:
- The Angel of the Lord who guides Israel and receives worship (Exodus 3).
- The Son of Man in Daniel’s visions (Daniel 7:13–14).
- Wisdom personified, who was with God in creation (Proverbs 8), identified by the Fathers with the Logos.
This leads us to see all of Scripture as a love story, a great letter from the Father to humanity in which, from the very beginning, the Son appears in the shadows, preparing the way for the true Light.
5. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR ME TODAY?
a) To Know the Son Is to Know the Father
Jesus said:
“Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” (John 14:9)
Many today seek “spirituality” or “wisdom,” but shy away from Christ. Proverbs 30 reminds us that without knowing the Son, there is no true knowledge of the Holy One—that is, of God.
b) Recognize the Humility of Our Intelligence
The wise man Agur says, “I have not learned wisdom…”. This humility is the first step toward true faith. In a world saturated with opinions, information, and pseudo-knowledge, it is urgent to recover reverent silence—the posture of the one who listens.
c) Contemplate Christ Through the Old Testament
Reading Scripture with a Christological key enriches our faith. Christ is everywhere: in the burning bush, in the rock that gushes water, in the pillar of cloud… and in the wise man’s mysterious question: “What is the name of his Son?”
d) Bear Witness to the Son in Today’s World
The question from Proverbs is not just rhetorical—it’s missionary. Today, many people do not know the name of the Son. We do. We are called to proclaim it with conviction, with love, and with the authority that comes from faith.
6. A PASTORAL KEY: HOW TO TEACH THIS IN THE CHURCH?
This text is ideal for:
- Adult catechesis, showing the continuity between the Old and New Testaments.
- Biblical formation talks, highlighting the unity of Revelation.
- Personal meditation, as a lectio divina exercise.
- Evangelizing the unchurched, who seek spirituality but haven’t found the Son.
Let us remember that many today seek the “universal God,” the “Creator Father,” but reject or ignore the Son. Without Him, everything remains in shadow.
7. CONCLUSION: WE ALREADY KNOW THE NAME OF THE SON
The wise man asked: “What is his name, and what is his son’s name, if you know?”
Today we can answer with joy, with certainty, and with faith:
“You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” (Matthew 16:16)
He is the one who went up to heaven and came down.
He is the one who gathers the wind in His hands.
He is the one who wraps the waters in a garment.
He is the one who established the ends of the earth.
He is the one who made the Father known.
And He is the one who will come again in power and glory.
FINAL PRAYER
Lord Jesus, Eternal Son of the Father,
You were with God in the beginning,
and all things were made through You.
Teach us to recognize You in the Scriptures,
to worship You as true God,
and to proclaim You as the Savior of the world.
May our words, actions, and thoughts
boldly proclaim
that You are the Son mentioned from of old,
the Alpha and the Omega,
the One who was, who is, and who is to come. Amen.
