Posted by Jeff Short on August 1, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
– Proverbs 16:8
Proverbs doesn’t denounce wealth in itself, just as the rest of Scripture, though wealth is never exalted as a goal or the ultimate mark of God’s favor. This proverb highlights wealth in relation to ethics and approaching legality. The terms,
righteousness and
right, refer to justice. The contrast is between having
little or
great revenues, or income. The proverb does not exalt poverty, for
little is what we would call a modest income. The point of interest is how the
little or the
great is obtained. It is better to be just in whatever we have, whether
little or
great (Proverbs 15:16; 21:6-7).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 31, 2017 · Leave a Comment
When a man’s ways please the LORD, he maketh even his enemies to be at peace with him.
– Proverbs 16:7
This proverb is in the group themed on God’s sovereignty and it’s best to take it that way. In this light, the proverb encourages trust in the Lord rather than being moved by fear of man (Proverbs 21:1; 29:25). On another level, the proverb presents a general truism because walking in wisdom means a man reconciles broken relationships and doesn’t unnecessarily stir up strife (Proverbs 15:1, 4, 18; 25:21-22).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 30, 2017 · Leave a Comment
By mercy and truth iniquity is purged: and by the fear of the LORD men depart from evil.
– Proverbs 16:6
The word for
purged means covered, i.e., atonement. It is the word often used in the law for expiation of sin. At first blush, the first statement could seem to speak of a justification by works, but that would contradict other Scripture and miss the point of the proverb badly. The phrase
mercy and truth is paralleled with the
fear of the Lord. The first phrase is most often used of God and expresses his covenant faithfulness (Psalm 85:10). The second indicates the beginning of wisdom and so refers to the way of wisdom (Proverbs 1:7). Both result in
iniquity is purged and
depart from evil. The point of the proverb is not the outward rites or works, but rather the inward truth and genuineness, as in Proverbs 15:8. The thought is similar with other proverbs (Proverbs 14:16, 27; 15:27).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 29, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Every one that is proud in heart is an abomination to the LORD: though hand join in hand, he shall not be unpunished.
– Proverbs 16:5
The first statement emphasizes God’s hatred of the
proud. The word for
abomination is strong, meaning disgusting and abhorrent. The offense of human pride is consistently spoken of in Proverbs and elsewhere in Scripture (Proverbs 6:16-17; 8:13; 29:23; Isaiah 2:11-12, 17; Daniel 4:37; Luke 14:11; et al). The second statement features the figure of speech,
though hand join in hand. The meaning is uncertain but most likely indicates the surety of something, as in Proverbs 11:21. The point of the proverb is that God will bring all pride into judgment.
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 28, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The LORD hath made all things for himself: yea, even the wicked for the day of evil.
– Proverbs 16:4
This proverb is an advanced piece of theology pertaining to the sovereignty of God over his creation. The word for
himself is the same as in verse 1 that was translated
answer. The first statement reveals Yahweh has made everything and everything is made for his purpose (Romans 11:36; Revelation 4:11). The
day of evil, or trouble, speaks of judgment. The wicked will come to their deserved end and even this is by God’s purpose and for his glory (Job 21:30; Romans 9:21-22). The depth of theology here is beyond the scope of a brief commentary. God has a will and purpose from beginning to end for his creation from before the foundation of the world (Isaiah 46:9-10; Ephesians 1:9-11). All of history is moving toward God’s designed end and this proverb emphasizes that the rebellion of the wicked and their rejection of his revealed will do not thwart his purpose (Daniel 4:35). Asaph wrote that even man’s wrath praises God and all else is restrained by God (Psalm 76:10).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 27, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Commit thy works unto the LORD, and thy thoughts shall be established.
– Proverbs 16:3
The word for
commit means to roll on and indicates total reliance. The word for
works simply means things done. The first part of the proverb teaches a full submission to God’s will in all our thoughts and doings. This is to walk in wisdom and results in our
thoughts being
established, or stood upright. Trusting God in this way relieves burden and prospers us in his way (Proverbs 19:21).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 26, 2017 · Leave a Comment
All the ways of a man are clean in his own eyes; but the LORD weigheth the spirits.
– Proverbs 16:2
The word for
clean means pure and could be used to refer to something undiluted or without admixture. The first phrase means that a man’s motives and objectives for his
ways are reasonable and justifiable to him (Proverbs 21:2). This statement is a wisdom observation and general truth. It doesn’t have the negative tinge as in the similar, Proverbs 30:12. The contrast in the second is Yahweh
weigheth, evaluates as in a balance, the
spirits. This phrase refers to the sovereignty and omniscience of God to see and judge truly the hearts, or minds, of men (Proverbs 5:21; 24:12). He is a righteous and objective judge of motives, as is meant by
spirits as a figure, because they are unseen and intangible. God sees and judges what man cannot.
The point of this proverb is to give us wisdom to know our self-knowledge and self-evaluation are both incompetent. A man is not capable of properly evaluating his own heart (1 John 3:20; 1 Corinthians 4:1-5). For this reason, we trust God’s judgments (Psalm 19:9) and seek wise counselors among men, because only fools follow their own hearts (Proverbs 12:15).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 25, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Chapter 16 begins the second part of the “Proverbs of Solomon” that runs from chapter 10 to chapter 22. The proverbs in this second part are primarily two lines that parallel. The first part featured mostly proverbs that were two-line contrasts. The parallel structure has the second phrase building on the first, expanding it rather than contrasting it. Most of these proverbs begin a phrase that is good and moves to better in the second, or the first phrase is something bad and the second goes to something worse. The proverbs in chapters 16 to 22 are also arranged and grouped more topically than in chapters 10 to 15. These proverbs deal with various topics such as, relationships with people, speech, wealth, business, justice, etc.
The preparations of the heart in man, and the answer of the tongue, is from the LORD.
– Proverbs 16:1
Verses 1-9 touch on God’s sovereignty. Statements about God’s sovereignty in Proverbs are specimens of theology that seem ahead of their time, like statements about life after death, etc. But, they reveal much wisdom to us. The word for preparations means arrangement, mental ordering, or plans. The first phrase states that a man plans, or thinks, of his answer in his heart, or mind, before speaking. The second phrase reveals that, despite man’s plans, the answer, or reply, is from the Lord. This proverb balances human responsibility and God’s sovereignty. Man plans and does, but, ultimately, what man plans and does fulfills God will (Proverbs 16:9; 19:21; 20:24; 21:1).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Posted by Jeff Short on July 24, 2017 · Leave a Comment
The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility.
– Proverbs 15:33
Proverbs begins with the root issue of acquiring wisdom. “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge” (Proverbs 1:7). There is no wisdom without the
fear of the Lord. Fools do not want the
fear of the Lord and therefore do not acquire wisdom, though they try to get it other ways (Proverbs 17:16). The word for
instruction means discipline, or training. So the
fear of the Lord is not only the beginning of the way of wisdom, but it is the whole course. Acquiring wisdom requires
humility, and that is the only way to the honor wisdom brings (Proverbs 3:16). The contrast is pride that refuses reproofs and goes on to destruction (Proverbs 18:12; 29:23).
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
« Previous Page — Next Page »
Proverbs 16:8
Posted by Jeff Short on August 1, 2017 · Leave a Comment
Better is a little with righteousness than great revenues without right.
Proverbs doesn’t denounce wealth in itself, just as the rest of Scripture, though wealth is never exalted as a goal or the ultimate mark of God’s favor. This proverb highlights wealth in relation to ethics and approaching legality. The terms, righteousness and right, refer to justice. The contrast is between having little or great revenues, or income. The proverb does not exalt poverty, for little is what we would call a modest income. The point of interest is how the little or the great is obtained. It is better to be just in whatever we have, whether little or great (Proverbs 15:16; 21:6-7).– Proverbs 16:8
Listen to the Proverbs sermon series
Share this:
Filed under 16, Proverbs, Short Comments · Tagged with Commentary, Justice, Proverbs, RIches, Righteous