IN the first verse of this portion we are again reminded that it is the wise who are grateful for counsel and help; the foolish scorner will not accept rebuke.
1 A wise son heareth his father’s instruction:
But a scorner heareth not rebuke.
It is the part of true wisdom to own that the more experienced may save me much by instructing me as a result of what has been learned of a road already trodden, and which to me is all new ground. The self-confident scorner will pass on, indifferent to the words of the wise, to learn for himself by bitter experience of the snares and pitfalls he might have been saved from, had he been humble enough to accept counsel from those competent to teach. Contrast Isaac (Gen. 26) with Simeon and Levi (Gen. 34:25-31).
2 A man shall eat good by the fruit of his mouth:
But the soul of the transgressors shall eat violence.
3 He that keepeth his mouth keepeth his life:
But he that openeth wide his lips shall have destruction.
The evil speaker is but laying up trouble and sorrow for himself in the future; as the one into whose lips grace is poured shall surely find grace when in need himself. To control the lips is to keep the life. The perfect man is the one who has his tongue in subjection. He who lacks wisdom in this respect will bring sure destruction upon himself. Of this Shimei is a solemn warning (1 Kings 2:8); while David, when tempted greatly to speak for himself, illustrates the opposite (1 Sam. 17:28, 29).
4 The soul of the sluggard desireth, and hath nothing:
But the soul of the diligent shall be made fat.
The New Testament reiterates the principle here declared, that “if a man will not work, neither shall he eat.” It is as true in the things of the spiritual life as of the natural. The diligent seeker after the precious truths laid up in the word of God is the one who is made to rejoice over that Word as one that findeth great spoil. The sluggard’s portion is leanness of soul and dissatisfaction continually. Contrast Ezra 7:10 with the returned captives (Hag. 1:2-6).
5 A righteous man hateth lying:
But a lawless man is loathsome, and cometh to shame.
6 Righteousness keepeth him that is perfect in the way:
But lawlessness overthroweth the sinner.
Truth in the inward parts is the secret of practical righteousness. That which is false is necessarily hateful to the one who is in the way of holiness. He has judged iniquity, and his concern is to so walk in secret before God as to glorify His name in this world, where it has been so terribly dishonored. The insubject man makes himself odious, and is overthrown by his own sin, being put to shame even here, and whose future portion is to be cast into outer darkness for eternity. Contrast Jehoiada and Athaliah (2 Kings 11).
7 There is that feigneth himself rich, yet hath nothing:
There is that feigneth himself poor, yet hath great riches.
It is the nature of fallen man to act the hypocrite. The poverty-stricken will pretend to wealth; the wealthy will feign poverty. He who has nothing desires to be esteemed as one who has much; and he who has great riches ofttimes considers his safety to lie in being considered one who has little or nothing. The first is proud and vain; the last, mean and miserly.
The one is the spirit of Laodicea (Rev. 3:17): the other we see carried out by the wily Gibeonites, to deceive Joshua and the army of Israel (Josh. 9).
8 The ransom of a man’s life are his riches:
But the poor heareth not rebuke.
The verse is confessedly ambiguous. Various renderings give little help. The thought seems to be that riches are the confidence of their possessor. He therefore can haughtily scorn the one who would reprove him. But the indigent is crushed by a rebuke, having no spirit left to enable him to stand against it. Both are natural men, apparently.
9 The light of the righteous rejoiceth:
But the lamp of the lawless shall be put out.
Brightly burns the flame of testimony when fed with the oil of grace, which the righteous alone possess. The lamp of the lawless may flare for a moment, but the true state of affairs will soon be manifested. He lacks the oil, so the light must fail. Compare the ten virgins (Matt. 25).
10 Only by pride cometh contention:
But with the well-advised is wisdom.
What a commentary on the subtle pride in all quarters are the many bitter contentions between individual saints and collective bodies meeting in the name of Christ! Only by pride cometh strife. It is well that this solemn word be kept in mind. If pride were judged, and the sin of it frankly owned before God, how soon would much that has been contended for be seen in its true light, as contrary to the Scriptures, and hence opposed to the spirit of Jesus Christ! It is an old saying, that “it takes two to make a quarrel.” Where the effort to maintain a foolish dignity prevails, or covetousness leads the heart to desire what belongs to another, contention speedily is stirred. But if met by lowliness and grace on the part of the offended one, how soon must the strife cease! With the well-advised is that wisdom which enables him to give the soft answer that turneth away wrath. In the matter of the strife between the herdmen of Abram and Lot, we see how pride was at the root. Most effectually did Abram meet it, when he offered first choice to the man who had no title whatever to the land which Jehovah had given to the other (Gen. 13).
11 Wealth gotten by vanity shall be diminished:
But he that gathereth by labor shall increase.
That which comes easily, easily slips away. It is treasure for which one has toiled that he really values, and is careful in the use of. The principle abides when applied to the true riches, the precious truth of God. Some, like a sponge, readily absorb, but as readily give out under pressure. That which is valued is what has been won by labor. “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” Wealth such as this is surely worth the self-sacrifice and devotion required to obtain it; and when so obtained, it shall abide, and increase. See Ziba (2 Sam. 16:4; 19:29), as contrasted with Caleb (Josh. 14:6-14).
12 Hope deferred maketh the heart sick:
But the desire that cometh to pass is as a tree of life
The ever unsatisfied longing of a hungry soul results in faintness of spirit and sickness of heart. Such is the hopeless hope of the Christ-less. How blessed the contrast in the case of the Christian! He, too, at times is sick with longing; longing to behold the Beloved of his soul: but soon shall his desire be accomplished, and precious as the tree of life shall be its fulfillment. David once was sick with yearning desire. He would taste the water of the well of his childhood. But when his desire was met and the water was brought, it was too precious for him to taste: he poured it out before the Lord (1 Chron. 11:15-19).
13 Whoso despiseth the word shall be destroyed:
But he that feareth the commandment shall be rewarded.
14 The law of the wise is a fountain of life,
To depart from the snares of death.
15 Good understanding giveth favor:
But the way of transgressors is hard.
To despise the word of instruction, which is the law of the wise (giving favor with God and man, as so abundantly proven by both Joseph and Daniel, and a host of others), is to expose oneself to shame now, and eternal ignominy hereafter. But he that feareth the commandment, recognizing in it a fountain of life, will be preserved from the sorrows attendant upon the way of the transgressor, and the dark outlook beyond. Pharaoh despised the word, and fell beneath the avenging hand of the Lord. Saul despised the word, and was put to grief before the Philistines. The last three kings of Judah despised the word, and learned to the full, when too late, the terrible mistake made. Would that the solemn example of these, and many more whose lives are recorded in both sacred and secular history, would speak loudly to those bent on taking their own way and ignoring the commandment of the Lord, who has said, “To this man will I look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My word” (Isa. 66:2).
16 Every prudent man dealeth with knowledge:
But a fool layeth open his folly.
It is the part of ordinary prudence to lay to heart what we have been considering. Fools alone will refuse it, and thereby manifest their folly. Alas, that so large a number of those who as to this world are wise, should be fools as to the next! And yet, after all, true wisdom for the life that now is, is manifested by subjection to God and dealing with the knowledge His word imparts. It is the sinfully foolish one who turns a deaf ear to the voice of truth. Contrast Moses and Aaron with Korah and his company (Num. 16).
17 A lawless messenger falleth into mischief:
But a faithful ambassador is healing.
The messenger who runs unsent, waiting not for his commission from his master, will but fall into and produce mischief. The one who faithfully goes forth as the ambassador of another carries health and blessing. In the work of the gospel this is all-important. We live in a day of great restlessness and activity. But few are the servants who wait to get the mind of the Lord as revealed in His Word. The result is much mischievous teaching and faulty instruction, that bewilders and perplexes the hearers. Precious is the message of the faithful ambassador as he goes forth beseeching men to be reconciled to God (2 Cor. 5:20).
18 Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction:
But he that regardeth reproof shall be honored.
Men may foolishly consider it beneath them to bow to instruction, and learn from those competent to teach; but lasting honor comes to the one who is humble enough to receive help from whoever can impart true knowledge; while ignominy and poverty shall be the portion of the self-sufficient soul. See Johanan and the captains (Jer. 42. Comp. chapter 12:1).
19 The desire accomplished is sweet to the soul:
But it is abomination to fools to depart from evil.
20 He that walketh with wise men shall be wise:
But a companion of fools shall be destroyed.
When the heart’s desire is attained, the soul rejoices. But the only desire of the fool is the gratification of his unbridled passions. He refuses to entertain the thought that iniquity is to be shunned. “Evil communications corrupt good manners.” Association with the wise tends to wisdom. Companionship with vain persons is conducive to further vanity, and results in moral and spiritual ruin. Contrast Rehoboam with the young king Josiah (1 Kings 12:8; 2 Kings 22).
21 Evil pursueth sinners:
But to the righteous good shall be repaid.
22 A good man leaveth an inheritance to his children’s children:
And the wealth of the sinner is laid up for the just.
Again and again throughout this book the principle of retributive justice, even in this life, is insisted on. The sinner pursues evil, but only to find evil pursue him; while the righteous man who extends his goodness to others is repaid in kind. And when at last called away from this world, the good man, whether he leaves a fortune in material things behind him or not, yet bequeaths to his descendants an honored name and a holy example—an inheritance of incalculable value. That which the evildoer has laid up is soon dissipated, and passes into hands better able to use it aright. Contrast Jonadab the Rechabite (Jer. 35:6-11) with Coniah (Jehoiachin, Jer. 22:24-30).
23 Much food is in the tillage of the poor:
But there is that is destroyed for want of judgment.
The poor husbandman will, if diligent, use every corner of his little plot, producing an amount and a variety of food that is often astonishing to his wealthier neighbor, many of whose broad acres are allowed to lie fallow, and much of whose crop may, through carelessness, be permitted to run to waste and be destroyed.
The man of small opportunities often makes the most of what he has, while the one of large privileges becomes slothful and neglectful.
We may see a needed lesson here as to spiritual things? Is it not frequently the case that a brother or sister with much leisure for study and prayer, boundless opportunities for the enjoyment of ministry, oral and written, and gifted in large measure, will be found to be taking his or her ease in a careless, lethargic spirit, gaining very little real food daily, and giving out little to others? On the other hand, how much more common a thing is it to find one whose daily toil occupies most of his waking hours, and whose talents and education are alike of a mean order, yet devoting himself earnestly to using what he has, letting scarcely a moment slip by wasted, and so gathering regularly much food for his own soul, and constantly imparting refreshment and blessing to his brethren!
The lack of spirituality is not the result of a lack of time to cultivate the things of God; but it betrays failure to use the opportunities presented.
We have heard of a blacksmith blowing a bellows, with a leaf of God’s word before him upon the wall, that he might glean a little for his soul as he attended to his forge; and of a cobbler pegging shoes with his Testament in front of him, from which ever and anon he snatched a precious morsel for his spiritual upbuilding. It was the tillage of the poor; but life and conversation proved there had been much food in it.
“No time for God” generally means “No heart for God,” if the full truth were told. The diligent soul will make time, and often proves that a small portion of Scripture, or a few minutes of prayer, bear rich fruit, when heart and conscience are truly exercised. See the prayer of Jabez (1 Chron. 4:9, 10).
24 He that spareth his rod hateth his son:
But he that loveth him chasteneth him betimes.
Family discipline should be patterned after the divine discipline of Hebrews 12. It is not love, but the lack of it, that leaves a child to himself; to develop, unchecked, tendencies and propensities which shall result in future sorrow. Ours is a day of great laxity on this point. The coming generation will reap the bitter fruit of the absence of restraint and the evident aversion to chastening, so manifest in the majority of homes. A sickly sentimentality, supposedly wiser and more compassionate than God Himself, has made it fashionable to decry the use of the rod, as a relic of a barbarous age; but the difference in the character of children and the home is certainly in the favor of Scripture, as any one may see who will.
It is even worse where, among Christians, government is ignored on the plea that grace is reigning. Grace never sets aside government. The two principles are not opposed, or antagonistic. In the divine ways, they go on side by side, as they should in the home. Contrast Eli (1 Sam. 3:13, 14) with Abraham (Gen. 18:19).
25 The righteous eateth to the satisfying of his soul:
But the belly of the lawless shall want.
The portion of the righteous may be small, but enjoyment is with it, for heart and conscience are at rest. But the lawless, though he riot in pleasure and plenty for a time, finds no real satisfaction; and his recklessness shall bring him to want at last. How much happier the portion of Lazarus at the gate of the rich man, with Abraham’s bosom awaiting him, than that of the lawless prodigal of the previous chapter (Luke 16 and 15).