Meditationen am den Genadenstuhl: Righteousness Saves the Wise Son From Death, Proverbs 10:1-5

Friday, August 19, 2022

Proverbs 10:1–5

[1] The proverbs of Solomon.

A wise son makes a glad father,

but a foolish son is a sorrow to his mother.

[2] Treasures gained by wickedness do not profit,

but righteousness delivers from death.

[3] The Lord does not let the righteous go hungry,

but he thwarts the craving of the wicked.

[4] A slack hand causes poverty,

but the hand of the diligent makes rich.

[5] He who gathers in summer is a prudent son,

but he who sleeps in harvest is a son who brings shame. (ESV)

Righteousness Saves the Wise Son From Death

With Proverbs chapter ten, we return to Solomon's proverbs. This next section from chapters ten to twelve is Solomon's introduction of Wisdom and righteousness to a son. It is a part of a greater section lasting until the end of the book, which serves as basic instruction in righteous living founded on Divine Wisdom. In Proverbs 10:1-5, Wisdom and righteousness are introduced as saving a wise son from death.

This passage is the tale of two sons, one wise and one foolish. The overarching theme is that of the blessing of hard work, which yields honest rewards. It is a linking passage tying everything that has come before with everything that comes after. Throughout, a wise son faithfully receives God’s Word and has a blessed relationship with his parents.

A wise son pleases his parents, but a foolish son brings them sorrow (v.1). Consider how Jesus taught His disciples that those who believe the Gospel and then perform good works reflect well on their Father in heaven (Matthew 5:14-16).

Treasures gained by wickedness are theft and fraud (v.2), sins against the fifth commandment (Exodus 20:15; Deuteronomy 5:19). Contrasted with such sin is the fruit of righteous labor. While it may seem in this broken world of ours that gain by any means is purely profitable – you snooze, you lose – but from the perspective of eternal salvation, only God determines what is profitable (James 4:13-15). Sinful gain serves only the sinful world. Honest gain serves the Lord.

The Lord feeds the righteous but hinders the satisfaction of the wicked (v.3). Those who acquire material gain through sinful means make no true profit at all, when viewed from God's perspective, and are counted by Him among the wicked, whom He will judge accordingly. Again, this is an eschatological warning. Eschatology is a fancy theological word that simply means things having to do with the day of judgment. Those who are righteous may seem foolish in the context of the sinful, mortal world, while the wicked appear clever and prosperous. But on the last day, when the time for judgment has come, the final eternal state of the wicked and the righteous will show the opposite is true.

Verse three is in the middle of this section and, as such, has the place of emphasis. What it emphasizes is the son's relationship with God. Righteousness gifted by faith in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus for the forgiveness of sins and granting of eternal life is the relationship God desires with every human being. He freely offers His Divine Wisdom to everyone. Your option is to choose to be foolish and reject this great gift.

Lazy hands create only poverty, while the diligent hand makes one rich (v.4). In the secular world, this is common sense, but in eschatological terms, diligent study of God's Word shows the richness of a life dedicated to the service of our neighbor, laying up great treasure in heaven – not by the works, but by the faith and trust in God that made the works possible.

Our time on this earth is short, but eternity is forever. A prudent son goes into the harvest when it is time to work, knowing his eternal rest is assured by grace through faith. The foolish son sleeps through the time of work, only to wake up and find the world has passed him by, the judgment is at hand, and no eternal rest awaits him.