The Expositor's Bible: The Book of ProverbsHorton, Robert F. (Robert Forman)
Religion
The Expositor's Bible: The Book of Proverbs
Horton, Robert F. (Robert Forman)
Bible. Proverbs -- Commentaries
Again, how constantly He insisted on the mysterious fact that to him
that hath shall be given, and from him that hath not shall be taken what
he hath, precisely in the spirit of this saying: "Give instruction to a
wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a righteous man, and he will
increase in learning."[149] The entrance into the kingdom, as into the
house of Wisdom, is by humility. Except a man turn, and become as a
little child, he cannot enter. Wisdom is only justified of her children:
until the heart is humble it cannot even begin to be wise; although it
may seem to possess a great deal, all must be taken away, and a new
beginning must be made--that beginning which is found in the fear of the
Lord, and in the knowledge of the Holy One.[150]
The closing words in the invitation of Wisdom are entirely appropriate
in the lips of Jesus, and, indeed, only in His lips could they be
accepted in their fullest signification. There is a limited sense in
which all wisdom is favourable to long life, as we saw in chap. iii.,
but it is an obvious remark, too, that the wise perish even as the fool;
one event happens to them both, and there appears to be no difference.
But the Incarnate Wisdom, Jesus Christ, was able to say with a broad
literalness, "By Me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy
life shall be increased." With Him the outlook widened; He could speak
of a new life, of raising men up at the last day; He could for the first
time give a solution to that constant enigma which has puzzled men from
the beginning, How is it that Wisdom promises life, and yet often
requires that her children should die? how is it that the best and
wisest have often chosen death, and so to all appearance have robbed the
world of their goodness and their wisdom? He could give the answer in
the glorious truth of the Resurrection; and so, in calling men to die
for Him, as He often does, He can in the very moment of their death say
to them with a fulness of meaning, "By Me thy days shall be multiplied,
and the years of thy life shall be increased."
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account