16 July

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Proverbs 10-12

Proverbs 10

Here begin the proverbs proper. In this collection they are antithetical, They present a sharp contrast between wisdom and folly in the outworking of such in practical life. Seeing that this is indeed a collection of proverbs, there is no direct connection or system save this underlying purpose of contrast. No exposition is possible except to take each proverb and consider it in its separate value. In the majority of instances this is unnecessary, because they are self-evident expositions of one abiding truth. In this chapter we shall examine four such verses: Proverbs 10:10; Proverbs 10:15; Proverbs 10:22, and Proverbs 10: 23.

- Proverbs 10:10. The contrast here is between the method of deceit which causeth sorrow, the winking of the eye, which deceives others; and that of blunt and perhaps unwise speech which, nevertheless, causes only the fall of him who uses it.

- Proverbs 10:15. This is a plain recognition of the power of wealth, and the paralysis of poverty. It is a wholesome corrective to much nonsense talked today about the blessings of poverty. Wealth may become a curse, but poverty is inherently a destruction.

- Proverbs 10:22. The antithesis is not so clearly marked here. It is, nevertheless, present to the mind in the contrast between true riches and false.

- Proverbs 10:23. The text of the Revised Version here surely catches the true contrast. A man of understanding finds sport in wisdom. That is, he gets out of wisdom the same satisfaction that a fool gets out of wickedness.

Proverbs 11

- Proverbs 11:7. The antithesis of this proverb is between the condition described and that of one not described, that is to say, the expectation or hope of the wicked lies wholly on this side of the grave, and perishes at death.

- Proverbs 11:12. The word "despiseth" here must be understood as marking some outward manifestation of contempt. The contrast will then be plain.

- Proverbs 11:16. The method of this proverb is of comparison rather than of contrast, the idea being that a "gracious woman" will defend honor with the same strength and persistency as "violent men," or "strong men," as the Authorized Version had it, will retain riches. The word "violent" here suggests evil rather than good.

- Proverbs 11:21. The phrase "hand join in hand" indicates either co-operation in wickedness, or continuity of the same, as from father to son. The latter would seem to be more probable, as affirming the direct contrast to the statement that the "seed of the righteous" shall be delivered.

- Proverbs 11:22. A ring of gold in a swine's snout is out of place, and a useless waste of precious metal. So also is beauty in a woman who lacks discretion. If the thought of the contrast be carried out a little, it will be recognized that the swine will speedily destroy the luster of the gold, and so a woman lacking discretion will surely destroy her own beauty.

- Proverbs 11:30. Notice here the change from "He that winneth souls is wise" to "He that is wise winneth souls." Essentially the meaning is the same, but this setting makes more graphic the truth that winning souls is not easy. It needs wisdom.

Proverbs 12

- Proverbs 12:9 teaches us that it matters little that one is not counted as of any importance by his neighbors if, nevertheless, he is able to keep a servant, that is, to employ someone to minister to his need. That man is in a far worse case who honors himself, that is, keeps up an appearance out of pride, while, nevertheless, he lacks bread.

- Proverbs 12:12. The contrast here is between the feverish desire for the speculative method of obtaining, symbolized by hunting, with the natural and certain, if slower, process of growing.

- Proverbs 12:14. This proverb takes for granted that a man's words and works are good, and then teaches that they benefit him as well as those to whom he speaks and for whom he works.

- Proverbs 12:20. In order to appreciate the antithesis of the proverb it must be recognized that the writer takes it for granted that deceit in the heart is the cause of misery. Men who imagine evil