CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:1. GRIEVOUS, “bitter,” “trying,” STIR UP; lit., “make to ascend,” like a flame fanned by bellows (Fausset). PROVERBS 15:2. USETH KNOWLEDGE ARIGHT, rather “makes knowledge attractive,” _i.e._, speaks so as to win the attention of the listeners; POURETH OUT, or “bubbleth... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:3. BEHOLDING, rather “watching,” “observing” (so Stuart, Miller, and Delitzsch). PROVERBS 15:4. WHOLE-SOME, “gentle,” “soft,” PERVERSENESS or “transgression,” A BREACH, “a crushing,” “a wounding.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:3_ DIVINE INTELLIGENCE I. THE ETERNAL... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:6. Miller translates the first clause, “The house of the righteous is great treasure” (see his Comment); REVENUE, rather “gain.” PROVERBS 15:7. DISPERSE; some translators read “winnow,” or “sift.” Stuart translates the last clause of this verse “The heart of the fool i... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:8_ PRAYING AND LIVING I. GOD LOVES RIGHTEOUS MEN WITH A SPECIAL LOVE. God has a love for all His human creatures—a love which springs out of His relationship to them as their Creator. He loves the “world” (John 3:16), but this love cannot be said to spring from liken... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:10. CORRECTION IS GRIEVOUS, or, “there is grievous correction.” Miller reads, “Discipline is an evil to him.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:10_ OUT OF THE WAY I. THERE IS A PRE-ORDAINED WAY FOR MAN TO WALK IN. 1. _Nature suggests this_. Everything there speaks of... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:11. HELL AND DESTRUCTION, “Sheôl,” and “Abaddôn,” two different names for the world of the departed. “Sheôl” is the unseen world in general, “Abaddôn” the place of _destruction, i.e._, the place where their bodies are destroyed (so Stuart, Zöckler, etc.). HOW MUCH MORE.... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:12_ SELF-DESTROYED I. THAT A SCORNER IS IN HOPELESS IGNORANCE. “Neither will he go unto the wise.” If a thirsty man will not go to the river to which he has free and easy access, there is no hope of his thirst being quenched. If he will not apply to the only source w... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:14. MOUTH, or “the countenance.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:13_ A CHEERFUL FACE AND A BROKEN SPIRIT I. THE OUTER MAN IS TO A LARGE EXTENT AN INDEX OF THE INNER LIFE. The joy of the heart is made visible upon the countenance. This is one of the infinitely kind and... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:15. AFFLICTED, or “toiling.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:15_ THE CONTINUAL FEAST I. ALL MEN HAVE DAYS OF AFFLICTION. They may be traced to one of four sources— 1. _Men are afflicted by reason of their relation to the first head of the human race_. Every man inher... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:16_ A TREASURE WITHOUT TROUBLE THE FEAR OF THE LORD IS BETTER THAN WORLDLY TREASURE—I. _Because the fear of the Lord tends to peace of mind_. In any piece of complicated machinery the condition of the internal works is a much more important matter than the ornamentin... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:17. DINNER OF HERBS, literally “a traveller’s meal.” PROVERBS 15:18. STIRRETH UP, lit. “mixes,” implying the reciprocal idea of giving and taking offence (Fausset). _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:17_ TWO FEASTS I. THE EQUALITY HERE EXISTING BETWEEN THE POOR MAN AND... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:19. MADE PLAIN, “is paved,” or “is a highway.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:19_ THE WAY OF THE SLOTHFUL AND THE RIGHTEOUS I. THE ONE THING COMMON TO THESE OPPOSITE CHARACTERS—A “WAY.” The eagle and the snail have both a way of motion, although the one swiftly clea... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:21. WALKETH UPRIGHTLY, rather “goes straightforward.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:21_ OPPOSITE TASTES I. JOY IS A REVEALER OF HUMAN CHARACTER. A stone cast into a lake will reveal the nature of its bed. If there is mud at the bottom this simple test will reveal it... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:23_ JOY FROM A SEASONABLE WORD I. A GOOD WORD YIELDS THE SPEAKER A PRESENT JOY. There is a present reaction of joy following every right deed which is its present and immediate reward. If a man gives his money to a right object from the highest motive he is silently... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:24. THE WAY OF LIFE IS ABOVE, etc., rather “An upward path of life,” etc. HELL, Sheôl, as in Proverbs 15:11. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:24_ THE UPWARD AND THE DOWNWARD PATH I. THE EXISTENCE OF A PLACE OF RETRIBUTION STATED AS A FACT. The word _Sheol_, here and el... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:25. ESTABLISH THE BORDER, or “Keep fixed the landmark.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:25_ DESTRUCTION AND ESTABLISHMENT I. THE CHARACTER OF THOSE DOOMED TO DESTRUCTION. In looking at the trees of a vast forest, the eye of the beholder is drawn to some which, towerin... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:26. THE WORDS OF THE PURE ARE PLEASANT, or “pure in His sight are pleasant words. _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:26_ WICKED THOUGHTS AND HOLY WORDS I. A PRESENT POWER OF THE WICKED MAN—HE THINKS. The ideas and purposes which fill his mind concerning himself, his fell... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:27. GIFTS, _i.e._, “bribes.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:27_ THE CURSE OF COVETOUSNESS I. A DEFINITION OF A COVETOUS MAN. “He that is _greedy_ of gain.” He desires more than enough, and he desires it to the exclusion of the rights of others. It is lawful and right... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:28. STUDIETH, _i.e._, “_considers_.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:28_ STUDYING TO ANSWER I. EVERY RIGHTEOUS MAN IS A STUDENT. The aim of study in any department of knowledge is, first to gain possession of certain facts, and then to make the knowledge of practical... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:29_ GOD NEAR AND FAR OFF I. GOD IS NOT FAR FROM THE WICKED IN A LOCAL SENSE. The most wicked man upon the face of the earth lives and moves and has his being by reason of his relation to that God whom he practically ignores. The power of life that he possesses is no... [ Continue Reading ]
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 15:30_ CHEERFULNESS AND GOOD TIDINGS Two views are taken of the meaning of the first clause of this verse. Some understand it to mean that the objective light that plays upon the eyes of the body rejoices the heart of the man who is under its influence; and others unde... [ Continue Reading ]
CRITICAL NOTES.— PROVERBS 15:33. INSTRUCTION OF WISDOM, rather a discipline of wisdom,” or “a training to wisdom.” _MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.— Proverbs 15:31_ HOW TO GIVE AND TAKE REPROOF I. REPROOF IS GOOD WHEN IT IS GIVEN WITH A GOOD INTENTION AND WHEN IT IS GIVEN WISELY. Those who unde... [ Continue Reading ]