Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl Proverbs 21:26-31—Wise & Foolish Behaviors 2a

Wednesday, April 12, 2023

Proverbs 21:26–31

[26] All day long he craves and craves,

but the righteous gives and does not hold back.

[27] The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination;

how much more when he brings it with evil intent.

[28] A false witness will perish,

but the word of a man who hears will endure.

[29] A wicked man puts on a bold face,

but the upright gives thought to his ways.

[30] No wisdom, no understanding, no counsel

can avail against the Lord.

[31] The horse is made ready for the day of battle,

but the victory belongs to the Lord. (ESV)

Wise & Foolish Behaviors 2a

v.26 This proverb connects to the previous one with the verb “crave.” The unbeliever is so greedy that he craves only that which satisfies his sinful desires. Contrasted is the righteous Wise person, who gives generously as he has been given (Psalm 110:3; 112:9; 2 Corinthians 9:9; James 1:5). The ultimate example is, of course, Christ (2 Corinthians 8:9).

v.27 This proverb repeats a theme common in Proverbs and the Old Testament in general: God rejects the worship of the wicked. Here, the wicked person's sacrifice is rejected even more so when it is offered with an evil intent. What is this evil intent? Most likely, it is a hypocritical sacrifice offered with the intent to be seen and recognized by others for the purpose of receiving accolades or admiration (Matthew 6:1-2; Luke 18:9-14).

v.28 Many proverbs deal with eighth commandment issues. Here the Wise are urged to listen carefully to a witness's testimony with an eye toward exposing falsehood. A witness is not to be taken at face value but evaluated by their character. When it is not, injustice can result (1 Kings 21:11-13). Above all, the true testimony of Christ is to be believed (John 5:31-36; 8:13-18).

v.29 A wicked person does not examine his words or actions and confess his sins, preferring to display a false persona to the world. The upright person examines himself, prayerfully receives discernment, and confesses his sins (Psalm 51). The Wise throws himself on God’s mercy and receives forgiveness. Then the Gospel works newness of life and cleanses him from his sinful behavior (1 John 1:8-2:6).

v.30 Human wisdom can succeed only if it originates with the Divine Wisdom of God. Therefore, we are not to trust our own understanding (Proverbs 3:5-6) because while we are in this life, we remain sinners (for more on this, see the Formula of Concord, Solid Declaration, Article VI, 7-9 at bookofconcord.org). It is critical to measure our thoughts and wants against God’s Word to ensure they are not distorted by our sinful desires.

v.31 At first glance, this Proverb may appear to discourage preparation and planning, but it is intended to prevent us from claiming our own efforts made success possible apart from God's blessing. We are not to take credit for what we have done but to give all the credit to God (Psalm 20:8; Luke 17:7–10), who has fully accomplished our salvation by his grace alone and has given us the victory in our crucified and risen Lord (1 Corinthians 15:54–57).