Meditationen am Gnadenstuhl: Proverbs of Righteousness; Wealth & Words, Proverbs 11:1-11

Tuesday, September 6, 2022

Proverbs 11:1–11

[1] A false balance is an abomination to the LORD,

but a just weight is his delight.

[2] When pride comes, then comes disgrace,

but with the humble is wisdom.

[3] The integrity of the upright guides them,

but the crookedness of the treacherous destroys them.

[4] Riches do not profit in the day of wrath,

but righteousness delivers from death.

[5] The righteousness of the blameless keeps his way straight,

but the wicked falls by his own wickedness.

[6] The righteousness of the upright delivers them,

but the treacherous are taken captive by their lust.

[7] When the wicked dies, his hope will perish,

and the expectation of wealth perishes too.

[8] The righteous is delivered from trouble,

and the wicked walks into it instead.

[9] With his mouth the godless man would destroy his neighbor,

but by knowledge the righteous are delivered.

[10] When it goes well with the righteous, the city rejoices,

and when the wicked perish there are shouts of gladness.

[11] By the blessing of the upright a city is exalted,

but by the mouth of the wicked it is overthrown. (ESV)

Proverbs of Righteousness: Wealth & Words

v.1 This verse is about exactly what it says, putting one’s thumb on the scale to cheat your customer. In ancient times this was very difficult to regulate, and it is still technically so today. It is an abomination, that is, a violation of the seventh commandment. Likewise, the Lord’s favor is on those who do not cheat or steal from their neighbor, a positive motivator for honesty.

v.2 Arrogance begets shame. We disgrace ourselves when we violate the first commandment, "Thou shalt have no other Gods," by pridefully making ourselves gods. The humble, conversely, are wise in God's eyes. Remember, the beginning of Wisdom is the fear of the Lord, knowing He is God above all, and we are subservient to Him and His will.

Verses three to eleven give us another set of proverbs contrasting the righteous and the wicked. It begins with verse three, which is very general and can serve as an introduction or summary for the others. The upright, or righteous person, is guided by the commandments of God, unlike the wicked, who are ultimately undone by the judgment of God. This doesn't mean that hardship will not find the upright in their earthly life, nor does it mean that the wicked do not have ample opportunity to turn from their wicked ways before the final judgment, though their wickedness may find punishment on earth.

v.4 Wealth in this life is not in itself an evil thing, but at the final judgment, you do not get points for how much stuff you have accumulated! The wicked cannot stand before God on the last day and point to their worldly success to say, "Look how well I did!" Only the righteous will be delivered from eternal death. Of course, the Wise understand that this is not their personal righteousness, which merits them as much as the rich man's wealth, but their faith in the work of Jesus Christ for them on the cross, which has been applied to them by grace through faith as righteousness. Verse five simply summarizes verses three and four.

v.6 Righteousness is what saves. It is not our own efforts at "being a good person" that saves, but the righteousness of God, which He imputes to all believers (Genesis 15:6). Obedience to the Law gets us nowhere as far as salvation is concerned, nor is the comparison of our righteousness to that of another. Obedience to the Law is a fruit of faith, to benefit our neighbor, not ourselves.

v.7 Continuing this train of thought, this verse states that any hope that the wicked (unbelievers) had in their works or wealth is extinguished in the face of the final judgment. Any power or influence they had in the mortal world will pass away. The writer to the Hebrews says the same thing: “it is appointed for people to die once, and after that, judgment” (Hebrews 9:27).

v.8 We often lament that those we perceive as "bad people" can appear to have it pretty good in life compared to a believer that seems to struggle. Here is a proverb describing the difference. This verse speaks to God's justice as it is worked out in this life. The same event in the life of a believer is used to turn the believer to God as His deliverer, while the same type of event can be used by God to punish the non-believer. See all of Genesis chapter nineteen, the story of Lot, to better understand this proverb. Also, see Romans 8:28 and 1 Peter 3:18-22.

v.9 Words can hurt; more than that, they can destroy (8th commandment; Exodus 20:16; Deuteronomy 5:20). But knowledge of the Law can aid the Wise in exposing slander for what it is, delivering them from its effects.

v. 10 The Wise are righteous through grace alone and are a benefit to the world at large. God's people practice righteousness in the civil realm, improving all people's conditions. This is another of those passages that illustrate there cannot be any solitary Christians ensconced upon a mountaintop like a hermit. Believers are to participate in communal life, not only in their church but in the world, being an agent for good and against evil (easy example – participating in the electoral process and voting for candidates who support Godly activity such as pro-life legislation). Public corruption, on the other hand, eventually destroys society – the public rejoices when these corrupt powers perish.

v.11 This verse continues the thoughts of the previous verse, speaking to the power of public speech. Such speech can either build up a society or tear it down by disseminating hatred, anger, and conflict. Upright speech spreads the blessings of a community united in joyful service pleasing to the Lord.