Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Proverbs 18:13-18 Avoiding Fools & Foolishness Pt.3

Tuesday, January 3, 2023

Proverbs 18:13–18

[13] If one gives an answer before he hears,

it is his folly and shame.

[14] A man’s spirit will endure sickness,

but a crushed spirit who can bear?

[15] An intelligent heart acquires knowledge,

and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.

[16] A man’s gift makes room for him

and brings him before the great.

[17] The one who states his case first seems right,

until the other comes and examines him.

[18] The lot puts an end to quarrels

and decides between powerful contenders. (ESV)

Avoiding Fools & Foolishness Pt.3

v.13 The fool gives an answer to a question he has yet to fully hear and understand. How can we be of help to another if we do not listen to them first? Not listening is a mark of stupidity.

v.14 A proverb about the power of positive thinking. This verse tells us that a good spiritual attitude will aid us during the course of an illness. Ultimately, we will recover, or in the end, we will go to be with God. Regardless, the believer looks forward to the resurrection of the dead when we will put on an immortal, incorruptible body (1 Corinthians 15). One with a "crushed spirit" does not have this good spiritual attitude and cannot bear illnesses or anything else in his life that goes wrong. Those people have no hope (see 1 Corinthians 15:13-19, specifically).

v.15 Compare this verse with Proverbs 15:14. In that verse, the heart seeks knowledge. Here, the heart acquires knowledge. Divine Wisdom called on others to seek and acquire knowledge (for example, Proverbs 9:1-6). This proverb tells us that those whose hearts have been given the gift of Wisdom have sought it out and found it. St. Peter also urges us to crave the Wisdom of the Gospel: “Like newborn infants, crave pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up in salvation.” (1 Peter 2:2).

v.16 This verse can be interpreted as referring to the gifts given by God to an individual and then faithfully used for the benefit of others or simply as the gifts given by one person to another. If we look at Proverbs 18:14 & 18:20, we can interpret this verse as being about the gift of enduring hardship. For example, Joseph used his God-given gift of interpreting dreams to benefit others, which gained him great influence and used, in turn, to help his relatives during a great famine (see Genesis 40-47).

v.17 This proverb warns us about how easy it is to sway justice by not being impartial. Impartiality comes through listening carefully to both sides of a dispute before rendering judgment.

v.18 This proverb continues the thought in verse 17. the casting of a "lot" refers to an appeal to God for guidance. The casting of lots was not merely a random way of deciding a matter but was an impartial way of determining God's will (see, for example, Joshua 18:8–10; Acts 1:24–26). In some disputes between powerful people, only God, the most powerful, can enforce a decision.