The Preacher's Complete Homiletic Commentary on the Books of the Bible, Volume 13 (of 32) / The Preacher's Complete Homiletic Commentary on the Book of the Proverbs

by Rev. W. Harris

TABLE OF CONTENTS

	Introduction and Preface	[1]
VERSES	CHAPTER I.
	Critical Notes	[2]
1–4	The Author, His Method and His Object	[2]
5, 6	The Characteristics of a Wise Man	[4]
7–9	The Root of True Knowledge and the Means of Its Attainment	[6]
10–19	Enticement to Sin and Exhortation Against Yielding to It	[7]
20–33	The Cry of Wisdom	[11]
	CHAPTER II.
	Critical Notes	[18]
1–5	Human Understanding and Divine Knowledge	[18]
6–11	God as a Giver, and Man as a Receiver	[21]
12–20	The Character of Those from Whom Wisdom Preserves	[24]
21, 22	The Contrast in the End from the Contrast in the Way	[27]
	CHAPTER III.
	Critical Notes	[28]
1–4	Blessings from the Remembrance of God’s Commandments	[29]
5, 6	Exhortation to Confidence in God	[32]
7–12	The Way (1) to Health, (2) to Wealth, (3) to Endurance	[34]
13–18	Wisdom and Her Gifts	[39]
19, 20	One of the Proofs of God’s Wisdom	[43]
21–26	God’s Keeping, the Reward of Man’s Keeping	[45]
27–29	Doing Justice and Loving Mercy	[47]
30	Unlawful Strife Forbidden	[49]
31–35	The Oppressor Not to Be Envied	[50]
	CHAPTER IV.
	Critical Notes	[52]
1–4	The Reciprocal Duties of Parents and Children	[52]
5–13	The One Thing Needful	[54]
14–19	Contrasted Paths and Opposite Characters	[58]
20–27	The Path of Safety	[62]
	CHAPTER V.
	Critical Notes	[67]
1–20	Bitter and Sweet Waters	[67]
21–23	Three Reasons for Avoiding the Way of Sin	[73]
	CHAPTER VI.
	Critical Notes	[75]
1–5	Self-Imposed Bondage	[75]
6–11	Industry and Indolence	[78]
12–19	A Student of Iniquity	[81]
20–23	The Law of God’s Word	[86]
24–35	A Special Sin and Its Penalties from Which He Who Keeps God’s Law Will Be Kept	[89]
	CHAPTER VII.
	Critical Notes	[92]
1–4	The Source of True Life, etc.	[93]
5–27	A Picture Drawn from Life	[95]
	CHAPTER VIII.
	Critical Notes	[99]
1–3	The Nature of Wisdom’s Call	[101]
4–9	God’s Speech Meeting Man’s Need	[103]
10, 11	Wisdom Better Than Wealth	[107]
12, 13	Wisdom and Prudence	[109]
14–16	The Source of True Power	[112]
17–21	The Reward of Earnest Seekers	[113]
22–31	The Personal Wisdom of God	[117]
32–36	Exhortation Founded on Human Obligations to Divine Wisdom	[121]
	CHAPTER IX.
	Critical Notes	[124]
1–12	Wisdom’s Feast	[124]
13–18	The Feast of Folly	[133]
	CHAPTER X.
	Critical Notes	[136]
1	Parental Grief and Gladness	[137]
2	The Comparative Value of Righteousness and Riches	[139]
3, 4	Divine and Human Providence	[142]
5	The Use and the Neglect of Opportunities	[146]
6, 7, & 11	The Way to Present Blessedness and Future Fame	[149]
8	The Doer and the Talker	[151]
9, 10	Opposite Characters	[153]
12	Love and Hatred	[156]
13, 14	Laying Up to Give Out	[158]
15, 16	A False and a True Estimate of Life	[161]
17	The Influence of Example	[164]
18	Three Degrees of Moral Foolishness	[166]
19–21	Speech and Silence	[168]
22	The Source of True Riches	[172]
23	A Touchstone of Character	[174]
24	The Inheritance of Fear and Desire	[175]
25	The Whirlwind and the Sure Foundation	[177]
26	The Vexatiousness of a Sluggish Servant	[179]
27	Long Life	[179]
28	Hopes Realized and Disappointed	[180]
29	God’s Way, Destruction and Salvation	[183]
30	The Earth the Possession of the Righteous	[187]
31	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see pages [158] and [168])	[188]
32	Acceptable Words	[189]
	CHAPTER XI.
	Critical Notes	[190]
1	Just Weight	[190]
2	Pride and Humility	[192]
3	The Infallible Guide	[195]
4	See Homiletics on chap. x. 2	[139]
5, 6	Made or Marred by Desires	[199]
7	The Death of the Wicked	[201]
8	The Wicked Coming in the Stead of the Righteous	[203]
9	The Just Man Delivered from the Mouth of the Hypocrite	[204]
10, 11	The Reward of the Righteous Citizen or Ruler. The Fate of the Unrighteous One	[206]
12, 13	Contempt and Tale-Bearing	[211]
14	Helmsmanship	[214]
15	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see page [75])	[216]
16	A Gracious Woman	[217]
17	Mercy and Cruelty	[219]
18–20	Sowing and Reaping	[223]
21	Deliverance from a Confederated Opposition	[227]
22	Precious Things Possessed by Unworthy Owners	[229]
23	The Desire of the Righteous, and the Expectation of the Wicked	[231]
24–26	The Liberal and the Niggardly Man	[233]
27	Diligent Seekers	[237]
28	Trust in Riches, and Trust in God	[238]
29	Foolish Home Rulers	[240]
30	The Winner of Souls	[241]
31	The Recompense of the Righteous and the Wicked	[244]
	CHAPTER XII.
	Critical Notes	[246]
1	The Love of Knowledge and the Proof of It	[246]
2	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see pages [29] and [227])	[249]
3	A Right Desire and the Means of Its Attainment	[250]
4	A Husband’s Crown	[251]
5–8	Thoughts and Words and Their Result	[254]
9	Show and Reality	[259]
10	Care for Animals and Cruelty to Men	[261]
11	Satisfaction from Tillage	[266]
12–14	The Desire of Wicked Men and the Fruit of Righteousness	[267]
15, 16	Two Examples of Foolishness and Wisdom	[271]
17–19 & 22	Wounding and Healing	[274]
20	Joy from Peace	[278]
21	All Working for the Good of the Righteous	[280]
23	The Concealment of Knowledge and the Proclamation of Foolishness	[283]
24	The Reward of Diligence	[285]
25	Heaviness of Heart and Its Cure	[286]
26	The Guide and the Seducer	[288]
27	The Loss of the Slothful, and the Gain of the Diligent	[289]
28	The Way of Life	[291]
	CHAPTER XIII.
	Critical Notes	[292]
1	The Wise Son and the Scorner	[293]
2, 3	Keeping the Mouth	[294]
4	The Disappointment of the Sluggard’s Desires	[296]
5	A Lawful Hatred	[297]
6	Overthrow by Sin	[299]
7, 8	The Law of Compensation	[300]
9	The Abiding Light	[303]
10	The Parent of Strife	[305]
11	The Ways of Growing Rich	[306]
12	Deferred and Accomplished Hope	[308]
13	Bound by Law	[312]
14	Living by Rule	[313]
15	A Bad Way and a Good Understanding	[316]
16	Dealing with Knowledge	[320]
17	A Social Link	[321]
18	The Way to Honour	[323]
19	The Abomination of the Fool	[324]
20	Companionship, Constructive or Destructive	[326]
21	Pursuit and Repayment	[330]
22	An Inheritance Incorruptible	[331]
23	Land and Its Tillers	[333]
24	The Child and the Rod	[334]
25	Want and Satisfaction	[337]
	CHAPTER XIV.
	Critical Notes	[339]
1	The House Builder and the House Destroyer	[339]
2	Fearing and Despising the Lord	[342]
3	Speech a Rod	[343]
4	The Clean Crib	[344]
5	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics see pages [274] and [379])	[345]
6	Seeking, but Not Finding	[346]
7–9	The Fool and the Prudent Man	[349]
10	Secrets of the Heart	[352]
11	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics see page [27])	[355]
12	What Seems to Be, and What Is	[355]
13	True and False Mirth	[358]
14	Satisfaction and Dissatisfaction	[360]
15–18	Revelations of Character	[363]
19	A Levelling Law	[368]
20, 21	An Aggravated Crime, a Questionable Virtue, and a Present Blessing	[370]
22	A Fatal Error and a Certain Good	[372]
23	The Profit of Labour	[374]
24	Wealth, with and without Wisdom	[377]
25	Deliverance by Truth	[379]
26	A Sure Refuge	[381]
27	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics see pages [381] and [313])	[384]
28	A King’s True Glory	[384]
29	Great Understanding	[386]
30	A Sound Heart	[387]
31	The Oppressed and Their Oppressors	[389]
32	The Death of the Righteous and the Wicked	[391]
33	The Hidden Made Manifest	[394]
34	National Salvation	[395]
35	A Wise Servant	[398]
	CHAPTER XV.
	Critical Notes	[399]
1, 2	The Use of Knowledge	[399]
3	Divine Intelligence	[401]
4, 5	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see pages [274] and [293])	[403]
6	Like in Circumstances, but Unlike in Character	[405]
7	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see page [399])	[406]
8, 9	Praying and Living	[406]
10	Out of the Way	[409]
11	Two Worlds	[410]
12	Self-Destroyed	[412]
13	A Cheerful Face and a Broken Spirit	[413]
14	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see pages [246] and [323])	[415]
15	The Continual Feast	[417]
16	A Treasure Without Trouble	[419]
17	Two Feasts	[421]
18	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see pages [386] and [400])	[423]
19	The Way of the Slothful and the Righteous	[423]
20	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see page [137])	[426]
21	Opposite Tastes	[427]
22	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see pages [214] and [590])	[429]
23	Joy from a Seasonable Word	[429]
24	The Upward and the Downward Path	[430]
25	Destruction and Establishment	[433]
26	Wicked Thoughts and Holy Words	[436]
27	The Curse of Covetousness	[437]
28	Studying to Answer	[440]
29	God Near and Far Off	[441]
30	Cheerfulness and Good Tidings	[444]
31–33	How to Give and Take Reproof	[446]
	CHAPTER XVI.
	Critical Notes	[450]
1	The Heart and the Tongue	[451]
2	The Weigher of Spirits	[454]
3	The Establishment of Thoughts	[456]
4	All Things for God	[458]
5	Heart-Pride	[461]
6	The Purging of Iniquity	[463]
7	Pleasing God	[466]
8	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics see pages [405] and [421])	[468]
9	Man Proposes, God Disposes	[468]
10–15	Kings (For Homiletics on verse 11 see also on page [190])	[472]
16	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics see page [107])	[477]
17	Soul-Preservation	[479]
18, 19	The End of Pride	[482]
20, 21	The Fruits of Trust in the Lord	[484]
22–24	An Unfailing Spring	[488]
25	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics see page [355])	[490]
26	The Mainspring of Human Industry	[490]
27–30	Different Species of the Same Genus	[491]
31	A Crown of Glory	[493]
32	Taking a City and Ruling the Spirit	[496]
33	The Lot and Its Disposer	[499]
	CHAPTER XVII.
	Critical Notes	[500]
1	See Homiletics on chap xv., 17	[421, 422]
2	The Foolish Son and the Wise Servant	[500]
3	The Trier of Hearts	[502]
4	The Evil Speaker and the Listener	[503]
5	A Double Revelation	[504]
6	Father and Children	[505]
7	A Twofold Incongruity	[506]
8	The Power of Gifts	[507]
9	How to Make Friends and How to Separate Them	[508]
10	Correction Must be Adapted to the Character of the Offender	[509]
11–13	Phases of Evil	[511]
14	The Beginning of Strife	[512]
15	Inversion and Restitution	[514]
16	Neglected Opportunities	[516]
17, 18	True Friendship	[518]
19	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics, see pages [192], [482], and [512])	[522]
20, 21	See Homiletics on chap. x. 1, 13, 14, etc., and on verse 24	[137], [158], [526]
22	The Merry Heart	[522]
23	Bribery	[524]
24	The Eyes of a Fool and Those of a Wise Man	[526]
25	See Homiletics on chap. x. 1	[137]
26	Smiting the Just	[528]
27, 28	Two Badges of a Wise Man	[531]
	CHAPTER XVIII.
	Critical Notes	[533]
1, 2	Solitude	[533]
3	The Short-lived Prosperity of Evil Men	[536]
4	A Good Man’s Mouth	[537]
5	See Homiletics on chap. xvii. 15 and 26	[514], [528]
6–8	Folly and Its Results	[539]
9	Twin-Brothers	[541]
10, 11	Two Citadels	[542]
12	See Homiletics on chap. xi. 2 and xvi. 18	[192], [482]
13	Answering Before Hearing	[544]
14	Sickness of Body and Wounds of Soul	[546]
15	Prudence and Knowledge	[549]
16	The Influence of Talent	[550]
17	Cross-Examination	[550]
18	The Use of the Lot	[552]
19	Castle Bars	[553]
20, 21	The Power of the Little Member	[555]
22	A Twofold Good	[557]
23	Rich and Poor	[558]
24	The Obligations of Friendship	[559]
	CHAPTER XIX.
	Critical Notes	[561]
1	The Better Part	[561]
2, 3	Ignorance Leading to Sin	[562]
4	Suggestive Comment. (For Homiletics see page [370])	[567]
5, 9	The End of a False Tongue	[567]
6, 7	Two Proofs of Human Selfishness	[568]
8, 9	See Homiletics on verses 2 and 5, and on chaps. viii. 36, and ix. 12	[121], [124], [562], [567]
10	Incongruities	[569]
11, 12	Two Kings	[571]
13, 14, 18	Domestic Sorrow, and How to Avoid it	[573]
15	See Homiletics on chap. vi. 9, 10	[79]
16	A Double Keeping	[575]
17	The Best Investment	[576]
18–20	Relative Duties	[578]
21	Many Plans Working to One End	[579]
22	Poverty of Heart and Poverty of Circumstance	[580]
23	See Homiletics on chaps. x. 27, xiv. 26, xviii. 10	[179], [381], [542]
24	See Homiletics on chap. xxvi. 12–16	[720]
25, 29	See Homiletics on chap. xvii. 10	[509]
26–29	Possibilities of Human Depravity	[581]
	CHAPTER XX.
	Critical Notes	[582]
1	Strong Drink	[582]
2, 3	See Homiletics on chaps. xiv. 29, xvi. 32, xix. 12	[386], [497], [571]
4	See Homiletics on chap. x. 4	[142]
5	Deep Sea Dredging	[584]
6–12	An Universal Challenge, a General Rule, and a Rare Virtue	[585]
10	For Homiletics see also chap. xi. 1	[190]
13	For Homiletics see chap. vi. 10, 11	[78]
14	Bargaining	[588]
15	See Homiletics on chaps. iii. 14, 15, viii. 11, xii. 14, xviii. 20, 21	[39], [107], [267], [555]
16	Necessary Security	[589]
17	Bad Bread	[589]
18	Thought Before Action	[590]
19	See Homiletics on chaps. x. 19, xi. 13	[168], [211]
20	An Unnatural Child and a Natural Law	[591]
21	See Homiletics, chaps. xiii. 11, xxi. 5, 7	[306], [609]
22	The Recompenser of Evil	[592]
23	See Homiletics on chap. xi. 1	[190]
24	God over All	[593]
25	Religious Vows	[595]
26, 28	Pillars of Government	[596]
27	The Candle of the Lord	[597]
29	The Glory of Youth and Age	[604]
30	Pain as a Preventive of Pain	[605]
	CHAPTER XXI.
	Critical Notes	[605]
1	The King of Kings	[606]
2	See Homiletics on chap. xvi. 2	[454]
3	The More Acceptable Sacrifice	[607]
4	The Ploughing of the Wicked	[608]
5–7, 17	Two Ways to Wealth	[609]
8	Two Ways	[611]
9, 19	An Angry Woman	[613]
10	The Desire of the Wicked	[614]
11	Instruction for Those Who Need It	[615]
12	God’s Surveillance of the Wicked	[616]
13	The Cry of the Poor	[618]
14	The Pacification of Anger	[619]
15	The Joy of Righteousness	[619]
16	Like to Like	[621]
18	The Ransom of the Righteous	[622]
19, 20	See Homiletics on verses 5, 7, and 9	[609], [613]
21	A Noble Pursuit and a Rich Prize	[624]
22	A Wise Man and a Mighty City	[625]
23	See Homiletics on chap. xiii. 2–3	[294]
24	A Name of Degrees	[627]
25, 26	The Sword of the Sluggard	[628]
27	The Sacrifice of the Wicked	[630]
28	Outlines and Suggestive Comments. (For Homiletics see page [275])	[631]
29	The Face and the Way	[631]
30, 31	Counsel Against the Lord	[632]
	CHAPTER XXII.
	Critical Notes	[633]
1	Better Than Gold	[634]
2	Levelling Down and Levelling Up	[636]
3	See Homiletics on chap. xiv. 16	[364]
4	See Homiletics on chap. iii. 1–18	[24], [34], [39]
5, 6	A Hedged-Up Way	[637]
7	An Analogy Affirmed and a Contrast Suggested	[639]
8	A Worthless Seed and a Rotten Staff	[641]
9	The Bountiful Eye	[642]
10	A Man Who Ought to Dwell Alone	[643]
11	A Road to Royal Friendship	[644]
12	The Preservation of Knowledge	[645]
13	An Active Imagination	[647]
14	A Deep Pit	[649]
15	A Fact Stated and a Duty Inferred	[650]
16	Oppression and Servility	[651]
17–21	Trust from Knowledge, and Blessedness from Trust	[652]
22, 23	God the Spoiler of the Spoiler	[656]
24, 25	An Infectious and Dangerous Disease	[657]
26, 27	Suretyship and Its Dangers	[658]
28	See Homiletics on chap. xxiii. 10	[666]
29	The Destiny of the Diligent (See also Homiletics on page [285])	[659]
	CHAPTER XXIII.
	Critical Notes	[660]
1–3	The Temptations of the Table	[661]
4, 5	The Deceitfulness of Riches	[662]
6–8	Feigned Generosity	[664]
9	The Morally Incurable	[665]
10, 11	The Rights of Private Property	[666]
12–28	Parental Duties and Parental Joys	[668]
29–35	The Drunkard’s Picture	[673]
	CHAPTER XXIV.
	Critical Notes	[675]
1–6	House Building	[675]
7	A False Estimate and a True One	[677]
8, 9	See Homiletics on chap. vi. 12–19	[81]
10	The Day of Adversity	[678]
11, 12	Positive Punishment for a Negative Crime	[680]
13, 14	Honey and Wisdom	[682]
15, 16	A Social Ambush	[683]
17, 18	The Fall of an Enemy	[684]
19, 20	See Homiletics on verse 1, and on chap. xiii. 9	[303], [675]
21, 22	Rule and Reverence	[685]
23–26	Impartiality of Truth	[687]
27	Plan and Patience	[688]
28, 29	An Uncalled-For Testimony	[689]
30–34	The Sluggard’s Vineyard	[690]
	CHAPTER XXV.
	Critical Notes	[693]
1–3	God’s Mysteries and Man’s Research	[694]
4, 5	See Homiletics on chap. xx. 26 and 28	[596]
6, 7	Self-promotion	[696]
8–11	Two Ways of Treating an Enemy	[697]
12	Giving and Taking	[699]
13	See Homiletics on chap. xiii. 17	[321]
14	Clouds Without Rain	[701]
15	Forbearance and Persuasiveness	[702]
16	Use and Abuse	[703]
17	Obtrusiveness	[704]
18	See Homiletics on chap xii. 18	[274]
19, 20	Misplaced Confidence and Unseasonable Songs	[704]
21, 22	A Blessed Recompense	[706]
23	The Way to Treat a Backbiter	[708]
24	See Homiletics on chap. xxi. 9	[613]
25	Cold Water and Good News	[709]
26	The Evil Result of Moral Cowardice	[711]
27	Too Much of a Good Thing	[712]
28	A Defenceless City	[713]
	CHAPTER XXVI.
	Critical Notes	[714]
1	A Gift Wrongly Bestowed	[714]
2	The Causeless Curse	[715]
3–11	A Low Level	[716]
12–16	Self-Conceit and Indolence	[720]
17	Needless Interference	[721]
18–22	See Homiletics on chaps. xvii. 14, xviii. 6–8	[513], [539]
23–28	Counterfeit Friendship	[721]
	CHAPTER XXVII.
	Critical Notes	[723]
1	Divine Property	[724]
2	Self Praise	[725]
3, 4	Wrath and Envy	[726]
5, 6, 9–11, 14	Tests of Friendship	[728]
7	Want of Appetite	[731]
8	A Man and His Place	[732]
12	See Homiletics on chap. xiv. 15	[364]
13, 15, 16	See Homiletics on chaps. xix. 13, xx. 16	[573], [589]
17	A Social Whetstone	[733]
18	The Reward of Service	[735]
19	A Correct Likeness	[735]
20	Insatiability	[737]
21	A Crucible for Character	[738]
22	See Homiletics on chaps. xvii. 10, and xix. 26–29	[509], [581]
23–27	Moral Farming	[739]
	CHAPTER XXVIII.
	Critical Notes	[740]
1	Cowardice and Courage	[741]
2	The Penalty of Revolt	[742]
3	The Most Inexcusable Oppressor	[743]
4, 5	Lawkeepers and Lawbreakers	[744]
6	See Homiletics on chap. xix. 1	[561]
7	See Homiletics on chap. x. 1	[137]
8	See Homiletics on chap. xiii. 22	[332]
9	See Homiletics on chap. xv. 8, 9	[406]
10	See Homiletics on chap. xxvi. 23–28	[721]
11	Wisdom in Wealth and Poverty	[746]
12	See Homiletics on chap. xi. 10–11	[206]
13	Confession and Forgiveness	[747]
14	See Homiletics on chaps. xii. 15, xiv. 15–18	[271], [365]
15–17	Vice and Virtue in High Places	[749]
18	See Homiletics on chaps. x. 9–10, xi. 3	[154], [195]
19	See Homiletics on chap. xii. 11	[266]
20, 22	See Homiletics on chaps. xiii. 11, xxi. 5	[306], [609]
21	See Homiletics on chap. xvii. 23	[524]
23	See Homiletics on chap. xxvii. 5, 6	[728]
24	Robbing Parents	[751]
25a	See Homiletics on chap. xiii. 10	[305]
25b, 26	Self-Confidence	[752]
27	See Homiletics on chaps. xi. 24–26, xiv. 31	[234], [389]
28	See Homiletics on chap. xi. 10–11	[206]
	CHAPTER XXIX.
	Critical Notes	[754]
1	Reproof and Destruction	[754]
2	See Homiletics on chap. xi. 10–11	[206]
3	See Homiletics on chaps. x. 1, v. 1–20	[67], [137]
4	See Homiletics on chap. xvi. 10–15	[472]
5	See Homiletics on chap. xxvi. 23–28	[721]
6	A Snare and a Song	[755]
7	See Homiletics on chaps. xiv. 31, xxiv. 11, 12	[389], [680]
8	The Citizen’s Enemy and the Citizen’s Friend	[756]
9	See Homiletics on chaps. xxiii. 9, xxvi. 3–11	[665], [716]
10	Soul-Seekers and Soul-Haters	[757]
11	See Homiletics on chap. x. 19–21	[168]
12	A Moral Cancer in a King’s Court	[759]
13	See Homiletics on chap. xxii. 22–23	[636]
14, 15	See Homiletics on chaps. xvi. 10–15, xiii. 24, xix. 13, 14, 18	[355], [472], [573]
16	Victory Not with the Majority	[760]
17	See Homiletics on chap. xix. 13, 14, 18	[573]
18	Divine Revelation and Human Obedience	[761]
19, 21	Masters and Servants	[763]
20, 22	See Homiletics on chap. xiv. 17 and 29	[363], [386]
23	See Homiletics on chaps. xi. 2, xvi. 18–19	[192], [482]
24	Criminal Partnerships	[763]
25, 26	Safety from a Snare	[765]
27	See Homiletics on chap. xxviii. 4	[744]
	CHAPTER XXX.
	Critical Notes	[767]
1–9	The Sources of True Humility	[768]
5, 6	The Word of God	[770]
7–9	The Middle Way	[772]
10	See Homiletics on chap. xxiv. 28, 29	[689]
11–17	Four Manifestations of Ungodliness	[774]
18–20	Depths of Wickedness	[776]
21–23	Burdens Grievous to be Borne	[776]
24–28	Lowly Teachers	[777]
29–31	Kingly Qualities	[778]
32, 33	See Homiletics on chap. xvii. 14	[513]
	CHAPTER XXXI.
	Critical Notes	[779]
1–9	Divine Commands from a Mother’s Lips	[780]
10–31	A Model Matron	[781]

HOMILETIC COMMENTARY

ON

PROVERBS

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INTRODUCTION AND PREFACE.

The Hebrew word for proverb (mashal) means a comparison. Hence it includes more than we generally understand by the English word, viz., a pithy sentence expressing in a few words a well-known or obvious truth. When books were few it was most natural that observations on life and manners should be compressed into the smallest possible compass: hence proverbial teaching has been employed from the most remote antiquity. It is highly probable that all proverbial sayings were at first literally comparisons, as this would tend to fix them more indelibly upon the memory. But the word by degrees came to express that which we now understand it to signify.

Although a few more lengthy discourses are found in this book, it consists mainly of a few short proverbial sentences, often illustrated and enforced by most striking metaphors. It has been almost universally received by both Jewish and Christian writers as the inspired production of Solomon. The most convincing proof of its canonicity is the fact that the New Testament contains many quotations from it. Compare Prov. iii. 11, 12 with Heb. xii. 5, 6; Prov. iii. 34, with Jas. iv. 6; Prov. x. 12, with 1 Pet. iv. 8; Prov. xi. 31 (Sept.), with 1 Pet. iv. 18; Prov. xxii. 9 (Sept.), with 2 Cor. ix. 7; Prov. xxv. 21, 22, with Rom. xii. 20; Prov. xxvi. 11, with 2 Pet. ii. 22; Prov. xxvii. 1, with Jas. iv. 13, 14. But, were these wanting, its superiority to every other book of a similar character would constitute a most weighty internal evidence of its Divine inspiration. Moses Stuart says of it: “All the heathen moralists and proverbialists joined together cannot furnish us with one such book as that of the Proverbs.” And Wordsworth remarks: “The Proverbs of Solomon come from above, and they also look upward. They teach that all true wisdom is the gift of God, and is grounded on the fear of the Lord. They dwell with the strongest emphasis on the necessity of careful vigilance over the heart, which is manifest only to God, and on the duty of acting, in all the daily business and social intercourse of life, with habitual reference to the only unerring standard of human practice, His will and Word. In this respect the Book of Proverbs prepared the way for the preaching of the Gospel, and we recognise in it an anticipation of the apostolic precept: ‘Whatsoever ye do, do it heartily, as unto the Lord.’ ” Dr. Guthrie considered that “the high character which Scotsmen earned in by-gone years was mainly due to their early acquaintance with the Book of Proverbs.” (Sunday Magazine, Oct., 1868, p. 15.)

Although the greater part of the book was doubtless compiled by Solomon during his life, chapters xxv.—xxix. were not copied out until the days of Hezekiah, and the last two chapters are assigned in the book itself to other authors, of whom we know nothing. It seems startling at first sight that a man whose character we know from other parts of the Holy Scripture to have been marred by so many serious defects, should be the author of an inspired book, but Dr. Arnot remarks on this point that “practical lessons on some subjects come better through the heart of the weary, repentant king than through a man who had tasted fewer pleasures, and led a more even life. . . . Not a line of Solomon’s writings tends to palliate Solomon’s sins. . . . The glaring imperfections of the man’s life have been used as a dark ground to set off the lustre of that pure righteousness which the Spirit has spoken by his lips.” It is evident from the most cursory study of its contents that this book is rather ethical than doctrinal. The following Commentary has for its main object the setting forth the great moral lessons contained in it in a homiletic form. It does not pretend to be a critical Commentary, although the latest and best criticisms have been quoted where they seemed to throw any new light upon the text. But the book of Proverbs is not easy to treat homiletically. Prof. Lockler, the author of the expositions on the works of Solomon in Dr. Lange’s Commentary, says,—“A theological and homiletical exposition of the book of Proverbs has difficulties to contend with which exist, in an equal degree in but few books of the Old Testament, and in none in quite the same form. . . . To treat the book homiletically and practically, in so far as regards only brief passages, is rendered more difficult by the obscurity of many single sentences; and in so far as it attempts to embrace large sections, by the unquestionable lack of fixed order and methodical structure.”