Meditationen an Gnadenstuhl: Advice to a Wise Son II, Proverbs 16:25-33

Thursday, December 1, 2022

Proverbs 16:25–33

[25] There is a way that seems right to a man,

but its end is the way to death.

[26] A worker’s appetite works for him;

his mouth urges him on.

[27] A worthless man plots evil,

and his speech is like a scorching fire.

[28] A dishonest man spreads strife,

and a whisperer separates close friends.

[29] A man of violence entices his neighbor

and leads him in a way that is not good.

[30] Whoever winks his eyes plans dishonest things;

he who purses his lips brings evil to pass.

[31] Gray hair is a crown of glory;

it is gained in a righteous life.

[32] Whoever is slow to anger is better than the mighty,

and he who rules his spirit than he who takes a city.

[33] The lot is cast into the lap,

but its every decision is from the Lord. (ESV)

Advice to a Wise Son II

v.25 There is a fundamental flaw in the human perception of right and wrong versus God's perfect and eternal righteousness. Relying solely on human reason and sinful human rationalization inevitably leads to the path of death. We are the masters of justifying our actions—to ourselves, others, and even God—making them out to be good, right, and proper. In the clear light of God's Law, the wise person sees their sinfulness and the foolishness of measuring morality to flawed human standards.

v.26 This proverb is a simple observation of life. See Ecclesiastes 6:7: “All the toil of man is for his mouth, yet his appetite is not satisfied.” The flesh is never satisfied. The spirit finds slavery, not satisfaction, in wealth.

v.27 A worthless individual does not use his tongue to share Divine Wisdom, but to his own ends or even totally without thought for the consequences of his words: running his mouth simply to hear his own voice. His speech creates evil in himself and others, and that evil spreads like a brush fire.

v.28 This proverb builds on the previous. This individual is not simply worthless but is now deliberately dishonest. His words, pictured in a conspirator's low whisper, divide relationships between others by malicious gossip, rumor, and innuendo.

v.29 A man of violence takes the sins of the previous proverbs to a new level. His outright violent actions sweep up others into his wake, carrying them along in his wicked schemes. Recall Proverbs 1:10-19 about the tempting enticement to join a gang of sinners.

v.30 This proverb is also related to the individuals mentioned already in today's verses. In this one, the person pictured does not engage in obvious ways, such as gossip and violence, but in underhanded and hidden plots. Solomon teaches that subtle cues, like body language, can be used to spot these individuals' "tells" and clue one into their real purpose for their behavior.

v.31 Long life is a blessing God gives those who follow the way of life. See the promise of long life given in the fourth commandment, the only commandment with such a promise (Exodus 20:12; Deuteronomy 5:16; Ephesians 6:2-3). That is not to say that God contradicts Himself because some evil people also live a long time; we see this happen all the time, and some faithful people live only a short time. The existence of these individuals does not take away from the fact that God can bestow long life as a blessing and for His greater purposes, and it is not up to us to try to understand His motives. Keep in mind that the promise of long life for the righteous also carries an eschatological connotation—to the righteous belongs eternal life, the resurrection of the dead faithful. Believers have this life now, but it will not be fully realized until the final judgment. Wicked people may live one hundred years, but that is but a blink in the face of true eternal life with God.

v.32 This is a difficult proverb to unpack. Andrew Steinmann, author of the Concordia Commentary on Proverbs, says, "This verse commends patience over the hasty desire to accomplish some feat that will bring fame or reward. Since such feats are often foolhardy, risky, and dangerous, patience is commended. Its rewards may not appear to be as glorious, but they are enduring (Rom 2:7; Gal 5:22; Col 1:11; James 5:11)."

v.33 This proverb speaks of the ancient practice of casting lots (like flipping a coin, rolling a die, or drawing straws) to determine a course of action. This was not a random action to choose an outcome based on chance. Rather, it was symbolic of leaving the outcome up to God, and everyone would abide by the result in peace without jealousy or hurt feelings for that reason. The best example we have for this was the casting of lots to determine the successor of Judas Iscariot by the Apostles (Acts 1:24-26).