The Pulpit Commentary — Proverbs — Section 195

III. THE CHARACTER OF THE MESSAGE. (Vers. 5, 6.) Wisdom calls those who hear her me8sengers to forsake folly, to walk in righteousnee~, and thus to enter into life. The ,visdom of God himself calls those who hear his voice to: 1. '!'urn from their iniquity, turning away from the fellowship of the unholy as well as from the prnctice of sin. 2. Enter into closest fellowship with bim himself; thus eatin<T of the bread and drinking of the water of life; thus walking in tho way of truth,"'holiness, love wisdom; thus" going in the way of understanding." 3. Partake with him the lif~ -which is Divine and eternal-life for God, life in God, lire with God for ever.-0. Vers. 7-9.-The pena7ty and promise of instruction. It is not only the function of the ~inister of Christ _to "reprove, re~uke, and exhort" (2 Tim. iv. 2); the "man of God is to be so furmshed from Scripture as to be able to administer "reproof correction, and instruction in righteousness" (2 Tim. iii. 16, 17). But instruction: especially when it takes the form of correction, has its penalty as well as its recompense. I. THE PENALTY OF INSTRUCTION. (Vers. 7, 8.) It is in the heart of the wise to rebuke iniquity. '!'hose who are upright aud true, who hate evil even as God hates it ~re stirred to a holy indignation when they behold the dark and shameful manifesta: tions of sin, and remonstrance rises to their lips. It is as "fire in their bones" until they have" delivered their soul." 2. Rebuke is often decidedly advantacrcous. It not ,,nly relieves the mind of the godly speaker, but it shames those who sh~uld be made to blush for their deeds. Even when it fails to impress the principal defaulter, the a ..ch-criminal, it may produce a wholesome influence on the minds of those who ,,itncss it. A. burning flame of righteous wrath will sometimes consume much unrighteousness. 3. Nevertheless, it is true that the wise must count on the contrary king the result. It may be that remonstrance will be thrown away, that it will come to nothing but shame on the part of him that reproves-a "blot on the page," and nothing but provocation to him that is rtibuked, inciting him to hatred (ver. 8). The likelihood must be reckoned, and the wise must act accordingly. If there is hope of doing good, some risk may well be run. All interposition is not here discounte- nanced. Good men must use their discretion. There is a time to speak, using the language of strong and even severe reproach. On the other hand-this is the truth of the text--there is a time to be silent, to leave abandoned and guilty men to be condemned of God. Reproach would be lost upon them ; it would only come back with a severe rebound, and wound the speaker (see Matt. vii. 6). II. THE PROMISE OF INSTRUCTION. (Vers. 8, 9.) 1. '!'here are those in whom is the spirit of docility. They are ready to learn. Of these are the yonng. Our Lord com- mended the spirit of childhood partly for this reason, viz. that it is the spirit of .-locility. It llas openness of mind, eagerness of heart to receive instruction. Of these, also, arc those in whom the spirit of wisdom dwells, but who have fallen into error. 2. Instruction in these cases will be well repaid. If we rebuke a wise man, a man who ii; essentially good but accidentally wrong, we shall meet with appre- ciation: "he will love us." If we impart instruction to those already wise, we shall add to their excellency (ver. 9). So that intelligent, well-timed instruction will de, two things. (1) It will restore the erring-a most valuable and admi~able ac~ion, on which the best of men may truly congratulate themselves. (2) It will multiply the power of the good. It will add knowledge and wisdom to those who are already wise; it will make good men better, happier, worthier, in themselves; it will also make them more influential for good in the sphere in which they move. This, then, is the three- fold lesson of the text: 1. Know when to be silent under provocation. 2. Speak the word of reproach in season. 3. Communicate knowledge to all who will welcome it.-C. Vers. 10, 11.-Digging deep, rising high, lasting long. (See homilies on eh. i. 7 and iii. 1-4.) The fact that we meet with the oi.iening sen_tence ~f the t~xt in no less than three other places (Job xxvii. 28; Ps. cx1. 10; eh. 1. 7),_gives to 1t a pecu- liar significance. It indicates that the Divine Author of the Il1ble would impres, deeply on our minds the truth- I. THAT ON THE FEAR OF Gon, AS ON A SOLID ROCK, ALL HU!IAN WISDOM RESTS. Nothing which a man can have in his outward circumstance~ or in hi~ mind wiU en. tx. 1-18.] THE PHOvERBS. 193