Bible Commentaries

The Programme of Life

Proverbs 3:2).

Reward must follow goodness. We are not taught to be good for the sake of the reward; in fact, it is impossible to make hope of reward the motive of goodness. It is not goodness; it is self-seeking. It is natural, however, that the good man should have all that God deems best for him. "No good thing will he withhold from them that walk uprightly." All possible limitations of this promise are really only variations of method, not changes of nature. By discipline God refines the taste, enlarges the capacity, and simplifies the motive; and thus discipline itself does the winter's work in our nature, in preparation for the golden and prolific summer. The winter may be harsh, but May plants the most beautiful flowers in soil which has been held fast in the grip of frost. "0 fear the Lord, ye his saints: for there is no want to them that fear him." "My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus." Goodness marches onward, inspired by promises which fill the heart with the joy of assured victory. "He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly." "Happy is he that hath the God of Jacob for his help, whose hope is in the Lord his God."

"Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table of thine heart: so shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man" ( Proverbs 3:3-4).

Mercy and truth are the great pillars and ornaments of man. Strength and beauty make up the fulness of perfection. Strength is stern, it is softened by beauty; beauty is frail, it is dignified by strength. Every man should be anxious about truth; but truth should tend towards mercy. The perfect man combines both. We lose nothing by gentleness. The mighty oak looks well when swaying in response to the rocking winds.

This wise father advises his son to make mercy and truth his ornaments—"bind them about thy neck." The figure is beautiful, and has had a Christian adaptation---"Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering." This is the abiding decoration. It brightens as time passes; it is rendered more valuable by long use.

Not only spiritual but social blessings are promised to the obedient son. "So shalt thou find favour and good understanding in the sight of God and man." In the long run the good man gets his right place, and wields his right influence. "The expectation of the wicked shall perish." The success of the bad man is apparent, not real; it is a glittering but an insubstantial prize. "The eyes of the wicked shall fail, and they shall not escape, and their hope shall be as the giving up of the ghost."

Character, in proportion to its depth, compass, and intensity, requires time for its full exposition and establishment. The politic man may find short cuts to popularity, but the profoundly earnest man takes nothing for which he cannot return a fair equivalent. If he works long without recognition, his recognition will be the more valuable when it is accorded. The young man has here a programme which cannot fail. There is a miserable and vile saying, that "honesty is the best policy." No man can possibly be honest who works only for politic ends—the policy vitiates the honesty. Let young men look well to their moral foundations, and how cold soever, or stormy, the winds which blow around them, their standing-place shall not be shaken.

"Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths" ( Proverbs 3:5, Proverbs 3:6.)

There is a self-reliance that is wisdom; there is a self-reliance that is presumption. Where there is self-reliance towards Proverbs 3:7-10).

This is a continuation of the same idea. Goodness has a happy effect upon the body, upon the circumstances, upon the whole man. Its result is altogether excellent, without defect or blemish of any kind. How stupendous the folly, as well as the sin, of those who seek prosperity elsewhere than in a right relation towards God! He is deemed insane who lights a taper in presence of the summer sun that he may shed light upon his way; but how mad is he who sets his own ignorance against the counsel of the most High! "Woe unto them that are wise in their own eyes, and prudent in their own sight!"

The wise father now calls his "son" to honour the Lord with the firstfruits of all his increase, and promises that giving shall be getting—"So shall thy barns be filled with plenty, and thy presses shall burst out with new wine." No man can "serve God for nought," but the man who serves him for sake of the reward shall perish in expectation. To every faithful servant God's promise is true: "The Lord shall command the blessing upon thee in thy storehouses, and in all that thou settest thine hand unto; and he shall bless thee in the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee." We should soon be richer if we made ourselves poorer by generous service. "Whosoever shall give to drink unto one of these little ones a cup of cold water only in the name of a disciple, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward."

It is to be borne in mind still that this exhortation is addressed to a young Proverbs 3:11-12).

There is hardly a heart that will not understand the meaning of "chastening," but many hearts fail to connect the word "chastening" with the word "Lord," and some who acknowledge the connection misinterpret the purpose of the union. The course of human life is a course of "chastening." Among the child's earliest experiences are those of pain, restraint, rebuke, correction. Throughout the educational period the same experiences prevail. The mercantile, the professional, the domestic circles, all have their ordeals. It is to be understood, therefore, that "chastening" is not a word confined to the vocabulary of religion. The shadow falls everywhere; summer has its shadow as well as winter. A survey of human society will show the observer that "chastening" seems to be unequally distributed. The rod is not administered to all uniformly, periodically, and with common measure. The eyes of the wicked stand out with fatness, they have more than heart could wish; while many a godly man is tottering under an intolerable burden, or smarting with anguish which he cannot express. How is this? His chastening is not atheistic: it is "the chastening of the Lord." The divine sculptor is using a sharp chisel; the heavenly Father is employing a heavy rod; the severe refiner sits over a glowing furnace. Thus "chastening" is taken out of the heart-chilling region of atheism, and set down in the midst of the very household of God. There is a "chastening" that hath on it no superscription; but there is also a chastening which is written within and without by the finger divine.

One impressive idea of the text is that there is a possibility of treating godly chastisement in an ungodly spirit. It may be "despised," or it may be endured with impatience. Jeremiah complains in this strong language: "Thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return." In this case the godly chastisement was received in an ungodly spirit. Thus chastisement is hard to endure. It fails of its purpose. Instead of moving the spirit to lofty aspiration, or subduing it to penetential tears, it touches the flesh only, and thus it is as if healing medicine intended to be imbibed should be merely thrown upon the surface of the body. There are preparations intended to be taken, and preparations intended to be applied. Reverse the intention, and how absurd or terrible the result! It is even so with God's chastening: it is intended for the spirit, yet it may be arrested at the body; the smart of the flesh should tell upon the slumbering or rebellious spirit. It was thus that the Psalmist accepted "the chastening of the Lord,"—"Before I was afflicted I went astray: but now have I kept thy word." "It is good for me that I have been afflicted; that I might learn thy statutes."

The first word—"despised"—is severe; let it be assumed, then, that it contains no indictment against us; can we say as much of the second word—"weary"? Many hearts strong enough not to "despise" are yet weak enough to become weary and impatient. "Ye have need of patience, that, after ye have done the will of God, ye might receive the promise." God's purpose requires time for its exposition and realisation, and we require patience to abide its complete unfoldment—"Let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing." We know the victories of patience in various departments of service. Patience has accomplished what the most overwhelming strength could never effect. Look at a piece of sculpture: patience, not muscular force, curved the lips, moulded the eyelids, softened the lines into easy gracefulness, and made the rough stone beautiful as death if not palpitant as life; So with delicate machinery, so with refined painting; and Proverbs 3:13-30

The whole world is crying for happiness. There is a teacher who boldly declares the conditions upon which that supreme prize may be obtained. We have said that the Proverbs are not mere imaginings or suggestions, but that they express distinct personal experience: this being Proverbs 3:14).

The idea of trading suggests that wisdom and understanding are to be obtained in the way in which merchandise is produced for market uses, involving every species of calculation, effort, arrangement, and legitimate adventure. Sometimes wisdom is as merchandise which is brought from afar, through much toil of shipping and much risk of sailing, yet so determined is the merchant that he will be deterred by nothing that threatens to overwhelm him. Silver and gold are set down as types by which we are to understand and appreciate the varying degrees of value: in the case of wisdom and understanding even these types of things most precious are left far behind. All history shows how truly the world has been devoted to money-getting; when the wise man wanted a simile by which to indicate the eagerness which should characterise the studious disposition, he turned to the marketplace for his metaphor. Strabo tells us of men in his day who were entranced by the music of the accomplished harpist, but, to a Proverbs 3:15).

The wise man now employs another figure, even rubies; whether the gem which we understand by that word, or coral, or pearls, the thing indicated was preciousness or value; yet rubies, pearls, diamonds—yea, all precious stones—fall out of the reckoning when we would compute the intrinsic value of wisdom and understanding. Having used the images of silver, gold, and rubies, the wise man ventures farther, and challenges even desire or imagination itself to find out a fitting comparison for the value of wisdom. When we come to understand the divine word, and to realise its exceeding preciousness, we change our ideas of the value of things. Paul the Apostle emphatically did Proverbs 3:16, Proverbs 3:18).

Both the hands of Wisdom are filled with blessings for those who come to serve her. Like the God of Wisdom she can never give enough to her devotees and worshippers. She has nothing but reward for those who love her counsels and obey her behests. As for her ways, they are like the streets of the New Jerusalem, paved with gold; and as for her paths, they are full of peace without disturbance, sacredly calm as the very security of heaven. Not only does Wisdom give with the hand,—she grows, she abounds in fruitfulness, she surprises all her children with new products. She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her; every season brings new leafage, new blossoming, and new fruitfulness. There is no monotony in Proverbs 3:19-20).

In these verses the highest tribute of all is paid to the majesty and excellence of wisdom. We are called upon to look at earth and heaven, and to behold in their mechanism the wisdom and knowledge of God. "He hath made the earth by his power, he hath established the world by his Proverbs 3:21-22).

The exaltation of wisdom is followed by an appeal to the young man to keep fast hold of sound wisdom and discretion. We cannot live in pictures or in fleeting dreams, or in uncertain guesses after truth. We must lay hold with both hands upon everything we have gained as students in the school of wisdom. The very retention of our lessons involves an act of discipline. "Take heed to thyself, and keep thy soul diligently, lest thou forget the things which thine eyes have seen, and lest they depart from thy heart all the days of thy life: but teach them thy sons, and thy sons" sons." We have had to expend energy in securing Proverbs 3:23, Proverbs 3:26).

We now come to what may be called specifically the practical rewards of wisdom. Hitherto there has been much that is purely subjective. The wise man now does not hesitate to indicate that there will be a more positive and tangible kind of reward attached to sound wisdom and discretion. Not only are the ways of wisdom ways of pleasantness, but the wise man is to go in his own way safely, so much so that even his feet shall not stumble. "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way." The Lord takes knowledge of the feet of the good Proverbs 3:27-29).

To wisdom we must add charity, never forgetting that charity is only a form of justice. Yet this is constantly forgotten. Look at the expression—"to whom it is due;" these are the terms in which a debt would be described, and charity is a debt to the poor and needy. This is all we can owe them. For other commerce they have no capital. The Apostle Paul says he was a debtor to Greeks, and barbarians, and strangers of every kind; that is to say, he owed them the debt of the gospel,—he knew Christ and they did not, so he owed them Christ, and was bound to pay the infinite debt Proverbs 3:30).

Here, again, we are called to do good negatively. The strife-loving disposition is fatal to culture, solidity of goodness, and every instinct of beneficence. Where strife Proverbs 3:31-32).

The oppressor can realise but apparent success. He is not to be envied. His honour is but coloured smoke which the wind driveth away. Such envy always defeats itself and leads to self-condemnation. "Fret not thyself against evildoers, neither be envious against the workers of iniquity." The Lord himself must be left to deal with oppressors, and we must withhold our hand from judgment. The "froward" can neither pray nor love. To the froward the Lord will show himself froward. What a noise the froward man makes on earth; how he tramps and snorts and nods his proud plume in sign of sovereignty: yet in the morning he is not found, his memorial is blotted out, and his wooden sword is buried with him in a grave unknown. How different is the portion of the good! The divine secret makes them wise. They are on confidential terms with God. Father, Proverbs 3:33-35).

Again, the Lord himself deals with the wicked. The word rendered "habitation" often refers to "pasture" and "sheepfold," a reference to the time of wandering when Israel had no permanent dwelling-place. The old watch-cry was, "To your tents, O Israel,"—tents, not houses; temporary buildings, not durable structures; yet long after Israel had settled, the old watchword was in use. Perhaps the word "house," as applied to the wicked, is put in contrast to the word "habitation," or "hut," or "tent," as applied to the righteous. The Lord is against the scorners as against the strivers, although he scorns the scorners, yet to the lowly he giveth peace. "He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the Lord shall have them in derision." "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble." The word "fools," in verse thirty-five, may be taken as equivalent to "dull, stupid people," specially such as take no heed of God's threatenings, and who, therefore, are put to shame by every event in providence. Note how the simple twofold division is rigidly preserved—the wicked and the just, the wise and the fools; and the same distinction of issue—curse and blessing, shame and glory. The Scripture here, as everywhere, is consistent with itself; its law is from the beginning and is inexorable. "They that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the stars for ever and ever." Shame shall be the promotion of fools. How subtle the satire! How humbling the taunting irony! When the fool goes up for his crown he will be covered with shame as with fire, and will drop down his head towards the dust. Judge nothing before the time. On the morrow we shall see how it fares with those whose hearts are gross and whose feet kick against the pricks. Oh that revealing morrow! Many that are first shall be last; and the last shall be first.

Prayer

Almighty God, Father of all, and the Saviour of all, we bow before thy throne; we bless thee for the holy privilege; it touches our inmost heart, and leads us to new song and new prayer and new hope. Thou dost lead us along the line of life day by day. We are always beginning. There is no end to immortality; because we are immortal we can but begin, see new lights, further distances, brighter glories, and catch from afar some new tone of music; and thus we proceed, knowing that we are nearing a city which hath foundations whose builder and maker is God. These thoughts give us uplifting of soul; uplifting of soul makes us stretch out the hand in noble deed, in expressive sacrifice, in a thousand attestations of love to the Cross of Christ. We bless thee that this Cross makes us beneficent; being crucified with Christ we must indulge a larger love, a nobler brotherhood; our soul goes out to the uttermost ends of the earth, seeking in Christ's own spirit that which is lost. We bless thee for this holy religion. It is unlike all other; it makes us work; we cannot wait and tarry and linger and indulge ourselves by the road: this is the religion of inspiration, urging us to new effort, to wider and bolder enterprise, that we may tell every man in the hearing of his heart there is born unto him a Saviour. Thus we feed on the Son of God. His flesh is meat indeed, and his blood is drink indeed, and except we eat his flesh and drink his blood we have no life in us. Give us the higher meaning of these words; may we enter into all their spiritual significance; may our souls feed on the very heart of the Son of God. We bless thee for all noble thoughts, lofty aspirations, outgoings of soul marked by unselfishness: these are the miracles of God the Holy Ghost; these are the later wonders of the Cross. God forbid that we should glory save in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ It glorifies everything; it explains everything; it turns agony into joy; it makes earth bud with the blossoms and flowers of heaven: it is the power of God unto salvation. Teach us that Christ's burial was his crucifixion, and that his crucifixion was his birth, and that in one and the same act he includes the whole mystery of godliness.