Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible
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Proverbs
Book: Proverbs
Chapter: 1
Overview:
The use of the
Proverbs.
(1-6) Exhortations to fear
God and
obey parents.
(7-9) To avoid the enticings of sinners.
(10-19)
The address of
Wisdom to sinners.
(20-33)
1-6 The lessons here given are
Plain, and likely to benefit
those who feel their own ignorance, and their need to be taught.
If young people take heed to their ways, according to
Solomon's
Proverbs, they will gain knowledge and discretion.
Solomon
speaks of the most important points of
Truth, and a greater than
Solomon is here.
Christ speaks
By his
Word and
By his
Spirit.
Christ is the
Word and the
Wisdom of
God, and he is made to us
Wisdom.
7-9 Fools are persons who have
No true
Wisdom, who follow their
own devices, without regard to reason, or reverence for
God.
Children are reasonable creatures, and when we tell them what
they must do, we must tell them why. But they are corrupt and
wilful, therefore with the instruction there is need of a
Law.
Let Divine truths and commands be to us most honourable; let us
value them, and then they shall be
So to us.
10-19 Wicked people are zealous in seducing others into the
paths of the
Destroyer: sinners
Love company in
Sin. But they
have
So much the more to answer for. How cautious young people
should be! "Consent thou not." Do not say as they say, nor do as
they do, or would have thee to do; have
No Fellowship with them.
Who could think that it should be a pleasure to one
Man to
destroy another! See their idea of worldly wealth; but it is
neither substance, nor precious. It is the ruinous mistake of
Thousands, that they overvalue the wealth of this world. Men
promise themselves in vain that
Sin will turn to their
advantage. The way of
Sin is down-
Hill; men cannot stop
themselves. Would young people shun temporal and eternal ruin,
let them refuse to take one step in these destructive paths.
Men's greediness of gain hurries them upon practices which will
not suffer them or others to live out half their days. What is a
Man profited, though he gain the world, if he lose his
Life?
much less if he lose his soul?
20-33 Solomon, having showed how dangerous it is to hearken to
the temptations of
Satan, here declares how dangerous it is not
to hearken to the calls of
God.
Christ himself is
Wisdom, is
Wisdoms. Three sorts of persons are here called
By Him: 1.
Simple ones. Sinners are fond of their simple notions of good
and evil, their simple prejudices against the ways of
God, and
flatter themselves in their wickedness. 2. Scorners. Proud,
jovial people, that make a jest of every thing. Scoffers at
religion, that run down everything sacred and serious. 3. Fools.
Those are the worst of fools that hate to be taught, and have a
rooted dislike to serious
Godliness. The precept is
Plain; Turn
you at my reproof. We do not make a right use of reproofs, if we
do not turn from evil to that which is good. The promises are
very encouraging. Men cannot turn
By any power of their own; but
God answers, Behold, I will pour out my
Spirit unto you. Special
Grace is needful to sincere
Conversion. But that
Grace shall
never be denied to any who seek it. The
Love of
Christ, and the
promises mingled with his reproofs, surely should have the
attention of every one. It may
Well be asked, how long men mean
to proceed in such a perilous path, when the uncertainty of
Life
and the consequences of dying without
Christ are considered? Now
sinners live at ease, and set sorrow at defiance; but their
calamity will come. Now
God is ready to hear their prayers; but
then they shall cry in vain. Are we yet despisers of
Wisdom? Let
us hearken diligently, and obey the
Lord Jesus, that we may
enjoy peace of
Conscience and confidence in
God; be free from
evil, in
Life, in
Death, and for ever.