Luke 3:8-9
“Do those things that prove that you have turned to God and have changed the way you think and act. Don’t say, ‘Abraham is our ancestor.’ I guarantee that God can raise up descendants for Abraham from these stones.

9 The ax is now ready to cut the roots of the trees. Any tree that doesn’t produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into a fire.”

10 The crowds asked him, “What should we do?”

11 He answered them, “Whoever has two shirts should share with the person who doesn’t have any. Whoever has food should share it too.”

12 Some tax collectors came to be baptized. They asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?”

13 He told them, “Don’t collect more money than you are ordered to collect.”

14 Some soldiers asked him, “And what should we do?”

He told them, “Be satisfied with your pay, and never use threats or blackmail to get money from anyone.”

If you were to read starting from verse 10, it would just look like commands of what people need to do to please God and be one of his children, as opposed to the fact that they are descendants of Abraham being the only thing necessary.

Although James seems to make is clear in what he’s explaining regarding good works–writing that it’s the kind of faith that saves us (James 2:14), how good works show that our faith is genuine (James 2:22), James and John the Baptist using the word or metaphor of deadness (Luke 3:8-9, James 2:26 [stones, bad or dead fruit]) etc., some still seem to have a hard time with this. So we can go to other parts of the Bible like Luke, which happens to be written after James (did Luke know what James wrote?) to find more explanatory material. Luke explains that these good works are proof (as in God’s Word Translation, NET and NLT to name a few) while most say, Bear fruits in keeping with repentance as does ESV, NASB and NIV. If it wasn’t for the former, I’m not sure I would understand the latter, looking at that part of that verse by itself.

Joel B. Green, in his commentary on Luke, makes some very interesting (to me anyway) parallels on the current (in the narrative) descendants of Abraham who feel their pedigree is enough, to some of what’s written in the Old Testament. Since Luke’s narrative here is describing John the Baptist speaking to a specific nationality and religion, he can utilize their own heritage and knowledge to convict them of their prideful and incorrect view of their standing before God.

Such an understanding is repudiated by John, who insists that children of Abraham are not identified by birth into the covenant community but through response to God’s gracious initiative. The crowds are like the wilderness to which they have come to hear John — empty, unproductive, lifeless — and so they must become fruitful, producing in their lives behaviors that demonstrate their relation to God (cf. Acts 26:20).

John produces two warnings to the crowd, both of which follow hard upon his declaration that their privileged status is now insecure. First, he reminds them that they can be replaced by stones! John draws on a number of pertinent images — Abraham, the father of many nations; the ability of God to give Abraham a child (Genesis 18:14); the portrayal of “stones” as inanimate, used as a metaphor for lifeless gods and humans (cf. Acts 17:29); the election and shaping of a nation, God’s people, in the exodus and crossing of the Jordan, together with the stones to memorialize the event; the fact that God’s promises to Abraham have been coming to realization in the Lukan narrative (Luke 1:55, 73)…

As in the Scriptures, the behaviors for which John calls are not themselves the basis for membership in God’s covenant people; rather, they are manifistations of that relatioinship. To put it differently, these are the natural outgrowth of lives reoriented around the God who is himself merciful (cf. Luke 6:36).

Joel B. Green, The Gospel of Luke, pgs. 176; 178

Many other things could be written about like the Beatitudes, what Jesus Himself said about these things etc.

We measure Scripture’s story by ours. The attitude the psalm [Psalm 1] commends involves delighting in Yhwh’s teaching—especially (we might add) when its story seems irrelevant or it takes a different stance from us. That is the moment when studying Scripture becomes interesting, significant, and important. We then delight in it. The way that delight expresses itself is by *talking about it day and night–in other words, ceaselessly.

John Goldingay, Psalms 1-41, pg 84, referring to Psalm 1

I will say this without trying to sound prideful of myself but I can boast about what God has done (Jeremiah 9:24). Often, parts of the Old Testament can be difficult to get through. Most people don’t read most of it. Last year when I read through the Old Testament I had an attitude of marvel at the fact that I was reading the inspired words of the living, all powerful, holy God who created the heavens and the earth, and me. All of the words are from Him! I didn’t care if it was a list of genealogy (which commentators can help us see the value of), or repetition, or whatever. I was fascinated with it all and of course the God who had it written down for us and is always speaking through it.

I’ve always liked/loved reading the Bible. But this is a new level that God has brought me to. And to me it’s obvious that this is only something God could have brought about, compared to how I used to view the Old Testament. Not that I loathed parts of it or anything, I just wasn’t thrilled with all of it. I would hope that everyone who doesn’t yet delight in God’s words, teachings, commands, and even conviction of sin (which is God speaking directly to us as an individual–a bonus, just as a revelation or light going off when thinking on or reading Scripture), will pray that they would. This is God’s will. It may be there from the start (oh blessed ones), or take weeks, months, years or decades. But if you pray for it, want it and read the whole Bible regularly, it will happen. Now may be a good time to think about reading the whole Bible if you haven’t.

Goldingay’s translation of Psalm 1:2:

Rather, his pleasure lies in Yhwh’s teaching:
he talks about his teaching day and night.

I’ve been realizing that when the Psalmists write about meditating on God’s laws, especially in Psalm 119, they aren’t always referring to formal, ‘sit down and concentrate with your notebook’ meditation. That’s great of course, but I think their main intention is thinking about God’s words all day. Goldingay says that this means something we talk to ourselves about, sometimes out loud, thus his translation above, which is usually rendered in other translations “on his law he meditates day and night”. God’s Word Translation (GW), interestingly renders it “reflects on his teachings day and night”. I don’t think it needs to be as formal as many of us have been taught.

Psalm 119:97 GW
Oh, how I love your teachings! They are in my thoughts all day long.

It would be impossible to sit down and meditate on God’s teachings all day long everyday, which is what my literal mindedness used to believe. But just like praying ceaselessly (1 Thessalonians 5:17), it’s something we can do every chance we get, as opposed to 100% of the time. This only comes about when it’s something we love and care about and when we spend time reading or listening to something that gives us something we want to think and pray about.

Psalm 86:11 GW
Teach me your way, O LORD, so that I may live in your truth. Focus my heart on fearing you.

Thank you to the vegetable growing pastor down under for this commentary.

• Speaking The Truth In Love
• Philemon :6
• Jeremiah 29:11 – the comments are better than the post
• Psalm 23 …your rod and your staff, they comfort me.

I was going to do a post on ‘speaking the truth in love’ and saw that I already did one a few years ago. Good thing I noticed. So I rounded up some other ones that deal with interpretation of single verses. I still sometimes have to remind myself to look at the context, which can/should be quite broad sometimes.

The NIV says, “Be still and know that I am God” which has led some to believe this verse is about quiet, contemplative prayer.

It’s more likely in this verse that God is telling us to be quiet and quit fretting about all that’s going on in the world (easier said than done) and know that God is the ruler and will be glorified and exalted in all that is happening. So important in difficult times.

Spurgeon says in his Treasury of David:

“Be still, and know that I am God.” Hold off your hands, ye enemies! Sit down and wait in patience, ye believers! Acknowledge that Jehovah is God, ye who feel the terrors of his wrath! Adore him, and him only, ye who partake in the protections of his grace. Since none can worthily proclaim his nature, let “expressive silence muse his praise.” The boasts of the ungodly and the timorous forebodings of the saints should certainly be hushed by a sight of what the Lord has done in past ages.

I love the term timorous forebodings, which is what we hear and read about a lot these days (and apparently in Spurgeon’s day too!) when there are so many books, sermons by spurious pastors and articles on ‘headline prophecy’ (trying to match current events with Bible prophecy), the impending doom that is always being predicted, etc. Not that impending doom isn’t upon us, we just can’t predict it, or anything else that may or may not happen.

I bring this up mainly because I read this in my two favorite translations and like how they put it:

Psalm 46:10 GW
Let go of your concerns! Then you will know that I am God.
I rule the nations. I rule the earth.

Psalm 46:10 REB
‘Let be then; learn that I am God,
exalted in the nations, exalted in the earth.’

Read the whole Psalm to see the context. The idea of the beginning of this single verse needs to be balanced with others and not misunderstood to the other extreme of course.

If any Hebrew geeks or anyone else want to chime in, feel free.

Luke 12:29-34 GW
“Don’t concern yourself about what you will eat or drink, and quit worrying about these things. 30 Everyone in the world is concerned about these things, but your Father knows you need them. 31 Rather, be concerned about his kingdom. Then these things will be provided for you.

32 Don’t be afraid, little flock. Your Father is pleased to give you the kingdom. 33 “Sell your material possessions, and give the money to the poor. Make yourselves wallets that don’t wear out! Make a treasure for yourselves in heaven that never loses its value! In heaven thieves and moths can’t get close enough to destroy your treasure.

34 Your heart will be where your treasure is.

Psalm 1:1-3 NIV
Blessed is the one
who does not walk in step with the wicked
or stand in the way that sinners take
or sit in the company of mockers,
2 but whose delight is in the law of the Lord,
and who meditates on his law day and night.
3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—
whatever they do prospers.

I’ve often wondered about “whatever he does prospers”. I always thought it to be a general truth like a Proverb and not a hard and fast rule or promise that comes about 100% of the time.

For friends who may be interested in one thing I’ve been doing lately–As part of my concentration on the Old Testament, I’m going through all of the OT verses and passages I have memorized (too many single verses!) and reading them in context again. I also look things up in a commentary if I feel a need. Since I don’t have a lot of newer (which isn’t necessarily better of course) OT commentaries in book form, I often go to e-Sword, where there are plenty of commentary modules of dead people that are out of copyright. One of the ones I especially like is Spurgeon’s Treasury of David which is on the Psalms. (The one in e-Sword doesn’t contain additional quotes that Spurgeon compiled for each verse in addition to his own commentary.)

So after my update on what I’ve been doing, here is an interesting quote from Spurgeon on the last part of Psalm 1:3 :

“And whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.” Blessed is the man who hath such a promise as this. But we must not always estimate the fulfilment of a promise by our own eye-sight. How often, my brethren, if we judge by feeble sense, may we come to the mournful conclusion of Jacob, “All these things are against me!” For though we know our interest in the promise, yet are we so tried and troubled, that sight sees the very reverse of what that promise foretells. But to the eye of faith this word is sure, and by it we perceive that our works are prospered, even when everything seems to go against us. It is not outward prosperity which the Christian most desires and values; it is soul prosperity which he longs for. We often, like Jehoshaphat, make ships to go to Tarshish for gold, but they are broken at Ezion-geber; but even here there is a true prospering, for it is often for the soul’s health that we should be poor, bereaved, and persecuted. Our worst things are often our best things. As there is a curse wrapped up in the wicked man’s mercies, so there is a blessing concealed in the righteous man’s crosses, losses, and sorrows. The trials of the saint are a divine husbandry, by which he grows and brings forth abundant fruit.

Even though the word prosper may have changed somewhat in meaning over time, we westerners still think dangerously temporal and materialistic. Too dangerous for our spiritual health.

Joshua 1:1-6
Then Joshua secretly sent out two spies from the Israelite camp at Acacia Grove. He instructed them, “Scout out the land on the other side of the Jordan River, especially around Jericho.” So the two men set out and came to the house of a prostitute named Rahab and stayed there that night. 2 But someone told the king of Jericho, “Some Israelites have come here tonight to spy out the land.”

3 So the king of Jericho sent orders to Rahab: “Bring out the men who have come into your house, for they have come here to spy out the whole land.” 4 Rahab had hidden the two men, but she replied, “Yes, the men were here earlier, but I didn’t know where they were from. 5 They left the town at dusk, as the gates were about to close. I don’t know where they went. If you hurry, you can probably catch up with them.” 6 (Actually, she had taken them up to the roof and hidden them beneath bundles of flax she had laid out.)

I’ve often thought about Rahab’s lie and how she was commended in the New Testament (Heb 11:31; James 2:25). John Calvin has quite a bit to say about this in his commentary and is able to embrace the fact that not everything is black and white.

Jos 2:4 -
4. And the woman took the two men, etc. We may presume that before Rahab was ordered to bring them forth the rumor of their arrival had been spread, and that thus some little time had been given for concealing them. And indeed on receiving the kingﾒs command, had not measures for concealment been well taken, there would have been no room for denial; much less would she have dared to lie so coolly. But after she had thus hidden her guests, as the search would have been difficult, she comes boldly forward and escapes by a crafty answer.

Now, the questions which here arise are, first, Was treachery to her country excusable? Secondly, Could her lie be free from fault? We know that the love of our country, which is as it were our common mother, has been implanted in us by nature. When, therefore, Rahab knew that the object intended was the overthrow of the city in which she had been born and brought up, it seems a detestable act of inhumanity to give her aid and counsel to the spies. It is a puerile evasion to say, that they were not yet avowed enemies, inasmuch as war had not been declared; since it is plain enough that they had conspired the destruction of her fellow-citizens. It was therefore only the knowledge communicated to her mind by God which exempted her from fault, as having been set free from the common rule. Her faith is commended by two Apostles, who at the same time declare, (Heb 11:31; Jas 2:25) that the service which she rendered to the spies was acceptable to God.

It is not wonderful, then, that when the Lord condescended to transfer a foreign female to his people, and to engraft her into the body of the Church, he separated her from a profane and accursed nation. Therefore, although she had been bound to her countrymen up to that very day, yet when she was adopted into the body of the Church, her new condition was a kind of manumission from the common law by which citizens are bound toward each other. In short, in order to pass by faith to a new people, she behooved to renounce her countrymen. And as in this she only acquiesced in the judgment of God, there was no criminality in abandoning them.

As to the falsehood, we must admit that though it was done for a good purpose, it was not free from fault. For those who hold what is called a dutiful lie to be altogether excusable, do not sufficiently consider how precious truth is in the sight of God. Therefore, although our purpose, be to assist our brethren, to consult for their safety and relieve them, it never can be lawful to lie, because that cannot be right which is contrary to the nature of God. And God is truth. And still the act of Rahab is not devoid of the praise of virtue, although it was not spotlessly pure. For it often happens that while the saints study to hold the right path, they deviate into circuitous courses.

Rebecca (Gen 27:1-46*) in procuring the blessing to her son Jacob, follows the prediction. In obedience of this description a pious and praiseworthy zeal is perceived. But it cannot be doubted that in substituting her son Jacob in the place of Esau, she deviated from the path of duty. The crafty proceeding, therefore, so far taints an act which was laudable in itself. And yet the particular fault does not wholly deprive the deed of the merit of holy zeal; for by the kindness of God the fault is suppressed and not taken into account. Rahab also does wrong when she falsely declares that the messengers were gone, and yet the principal action was agreeable to God, because the bad mixed up with the good was not imputed. On the whole, it was the will of God that the spies should be delivered, but he did not approve of saving their life by falsehood.

* A guy named Ed. wrote that a misprint of Genesis 28:0 should be 27:0. I assume this means the whole chapter of Genesis 27. And I know that Ed. means editor.

With a bonus – Unusual translation of the day:

Psalm 119:120 REB
The dread of you makes my flesh creep;
I stand in awe of your decrees.

My flesh hath trembled for fear of thee. ^[1] At first sight the prophet seems to contradict himself. He had just now said, that, by Godﾒs severity, he was gently drawn to love his testimonies; now he declares, that he was seized with terror. But although these two effects differ widely from each other, yet, if we consider by what kind of discipline God forms us to reverence his law, we will perceive that they entirely harmonize. We require to be subdued by fear that we may desire and seek after the favor of God. Since fear, then, is the beginning of love, the prophet testifies, that he was awakened by a heart-felt fear of God to look well to himself. Nor is the mortification of the flesh so easy a matter, as that every one should consent to enter upon it, without the constraint of violent means; and, therefore, it is not wonderful if God struck his servant with terror, that, in this way, he might bend his mind to a holy fear of him. It is an evidence of no common wisdom to tremble before God when he executes his judgments, of which the majority of mankind take no notice. We are then taught by these words of the prophet, that we ought to consider attentively the judgments of God, that they may not only gently instruct us, but that they may also strike us with such terror as will lead us to true repentance.

^[1] The verb rmo, samar, rendered hath trembled, denotes being seized with horror, so that the hair stands on end. It occurs in Piel in Job 4:15. This state of horror was produced on the mind of the Psalmist by a contemplation of the divine judgments executed on the wicked, who are rejected like dross; and he was thus brought to fear God.

–John Calvin, Calvin’s Commentaries

The Fear of the Lord is a subject of interest of mine. Also see:

• The Fear of the Lord – more links at the bottom

Many of you have seen the “parody of exegetical maximalism” by Moisés Silva. I don’t believe I have so you can see how I found it by going through the trail of interesting articles, mainly dealing with translation and the NIV 2011.

I was reading a rare post at The Voice of Stefan titled The NIV and the Messiah in the Old Testament. He mentioned a post by Rod Decker titled English Bible translation reviews: NIV-11 and ESV. After seeing that, I saw a link to another post of his titled Another exegetical “grump” on grammatical maximalism. From there a commenter named Evan May mentioned that you are able to look at pages 11-13 in God, Language and Scripture by Moisés Silva (Click to LOOK INSIDE! and find the pages), the parody which Decker mentions.

I love commentaries. Sometimes I have to wonder though, if what I’m reading is anything similar to this.

Allen Ross, in his exposition of Genesis, Creation and Blessing, mentions that there are poetic elements in the creation account in Genesis:

What God created is here called “the heavens and the earth,” a poetic expression (merism) signifying the whole universe. Other examples of this poetic device are “day and night” (meaning all the time) and “man and beast” (meaning all created physical beings). “Heaven and earth” thus indicates not only the heaven and the earth but everything in them. Genesis 2:4 also uses this expression in a restatement of the work of creation throughout the six days.

–Allen P. Ross, pg 106

Within that framework though he believes that the term “day” means a 24 hour period. This may come as a shock, so I hope you’re sitting down and not using one of those standing desk things.

The meaning of the term “day” (yôm) in this chapter [Genesis 1] has received varying interpretations. Although the word normally means a twenty-four-hour day, it can also mean a longer general period of time (Isa. 61:2) or an idiom “when” (as in Gen. 2:4). In this chapter, however, it must carry its normal meaning. Support for this view includes the following: (1) elsewhere, whenever yôm is used with a number, it means a twenty-four-hour period; (2) the Decalogue bases the teaching of the Sabbath day on the six days of creation and the seventh day of rest; (3) from the fourth day on, there are days, years, signs, and seasons, suggesting that the normal system is entirely operative; and (4) if yôm refers to an age, then the text would have to allow for a long period of “day” and then a long period of “night”—but few would argue for the night as an age. It seems inescapable that Genesis presents the creation in six days.

–Allen P. Ross, pg 109

However, that paragraph is all the space he spends on the subject. It’s either not that important, it’s a simple and obvious concept, or both. In any case, on to the rest of the book. I like his style.

Also see:
Is a “Day” Really a Day in Genesis 1? Here’s What the Hebrew Scholars Say! which goes farther in every way than I want to get into here

Psalm 1 is more like wisdom literature than a typical psalm (if there is one). Psalm 1 exhorts us to keep our commitment to moral living that meets with the LORD’s standards. It would be silly to use our favorite psalm verses that we like to hang on to (which taken out of context is a whole other problem for many of them) and then be living lives not worthy of the Lord (Col. 1:10). Jerome said that Psalm 1 is, “The main entrance to the mansion of the Psalter.”

See this excellent post for more context on the quote and commentary on this foundational Psalm.

Unlocking the Psalms – Catholic Diocese of Salina

Haggai, Zechariah and Malachi by Iain M. Duguid

This book was given to me unsolicited by the publisher, EP Books, and I chose to review it. I had previously reviewed How to Enjoy Your Bible by this publisher.

This commentary is an exposition of the last three books of the Bible. It aims to interpret the Bible text section by section as opposed to verse by verse exegesis. At the end of each chapter is an Application section that deals with how the previous portion of Scripture applies to us today and how it points to Christ and the New Testament.

You will find that the theology is solidly evangelical and Reformed, the latter especially showing up in the Application section. If you aren’t familiar with that term, I don’t think it will be of major significance.

This popular level book is useful for pastors and laypeople who want to gain a better understanding of these three books of Scripture.

The author provides his own translation of these texts, however in the exposition, Hebrew words are mentioned sparingly but in a helpful and understandable way.

Why are these books important to study? “Gospel writers quote Zechariah 9 – 14 more often than any other biblical source in explaining Christ’s sufferings and death.” (pg 11) The commentary helps clarify many of the obscurities of the visions in Zechariah. Also, “The fundamental theological context of these books is the return from exile,”. The commentary helps bring into perspective this relatively small portion of history with equally ‘small’ but significant events.

I enjoyed reading this succinct 241 page book. Though it doesn’t go as in-depth as a more thorough and technical commentary, there weren’t any major questions left unanswered for me. I didn’t feel a need to to go another source for more information, although I wasn’t preparing a sermon or studying deeply.

The earlier mentioned Application section is very helpful. I felt these sections may have been a bit longer than necessary and stretching some things a little far. I wouldn’t have minded a little more content in the expositional portions, but that may be more of a preference than a criticism.

There are the dreaded endnotes instead of footnotes. If you want to look up a reference, to the back of the book you go.

One of the reasons I like reading good expositions like this of the Old Testament is that in almost any section, things learned help to understand other portions of the Old Testament. This is the case over and over again with this book. Whether it’s history, feasts, symbols, Christology, references to passages in other books or any number of topics, this commentary will help you not only with these three unsung but important books of the Bible, but will help you understand the whole Old Testament at least a little bit better.

I highly recommend it.

Hardcover: 255 pages
Publisher: EP Books (Evangelical Press) May 2010
ISBN-10: 085234712X

Buy it from:
Amazon.com
Cumberland Valley Bible Book Service

A listing of the other EP Commentaries can be found here:
EP STUDY COMMENTARIES

I would like to write more about Proverbs. I’m not trying to teach, just relaying what I’ve been learning, mainly from commentators.

Proverbs 31:6-7 NLT
Alcohol is for the dying,
and wine for those in bitter distress.
Let them drink to forget their poverty
and remember their troubles no more.

It seems there is a literal part to this passage in that some mixture of alcohol was given to those who are dying, similar I suppose to very high doses of morphine to those who are in great pain because of cancer or some other grave illness.

But these two verses are a continuation of what Lemuel’s mother is instructing him in Proverbs 31:4-5:

It is not for kings, O Lemuel, to guzzle wine.
Rulers should not crave alcohol.
5 For if they drink, they may forget the law
and not give justice to the oppressed.

Spurgeon explains this well, although not all commentators agree that the king should open his cellars for the poor. Commenting on verses 6-7:

These somewhat singular sentences were spoken by the mother of Lemuel to her son, who was probably Solomon. She had already said to him, “It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; nor for princes strong drink: lest they drink and forget the law, and pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.” But such a king as Solomon was must have had an abundant store of wine of all kinds, so his mother urged him to give it to the sick and the sad and the poor who needed it more then he did. The Jews were in the habit of giving a cup of strong drink, usually with some potent drug in it, to stupefy those who were about to be executed. Perhaps that is the meaning of the words, “Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish.” We know too how persons who have been very weak and ill, on the very borders of the grave, have often been medicinally relieved by wine given to them which they could not possibly purchase for themselves. I believe this is the literal meaning of the text, and that if any man should be wicked enough to draw from it the inference that he would be able to forget his misery and poverty by drinking, he would soon find himself woefully mistaken; for if he had one misery before he would have ten miseries afterwards; and if he was previously poor he would be in still greater poverty afterwards. Those who fly to the bottle for consolation might as soon fly to hell to find a heaven; and instead of helping them to forget their poverty, drunkenness would only sink them still more deeply in the mire.

Bruce Waltke believes this is sarcasm to show that it’s not for kings to desire intoxicants. If anything it would be for the poor dull their senses and “forget their troubles”, which would obviously be no help at all as Spurgeon explains. Waltke says “its anesthetic effects merely deepen the drinker’s inability to face his problems.”

Waltke asserts in his commentary on Proverbs that this is a command to deliver the poor from their miserable material poverty and even goes so far as to say that this sarcastic command shouldn’t be taken literally at all and would be “completely out of harmony with wisdom”, even if using intoxicants for one who is dying (as was offered to Jesus).

Do you think there should be any literal component to this?

Psalms 102:18-22 TNIV
Let this be written for a future generation,
that a people not yet created may praise the Lord:
“The Lord looked down from his sanctuary on high,
from heaven he viewed the earth,
to hear the groans of the prisoners
and release those condemned to death.”
So the name of the Lord will be declared in Zion
and his praise in Jerusalem
when the peoples
and the kingdoms assemble to worship the Lord.

The Psalmist here intends to say that the rebuilding of Jerusalem would be a fact in history for which the Lord would be praised from age to age. Revivals of religion not only cause great joy to those who are immediately concerned in them, but they give encouragement and delight to the people of God long after, and are indeed perpetual incentives to adoration throughout the church of God. This verse teaches us that we ought to have an eye to posterity, and especially should we endeavour to perpetuate the memory of God’s love to his church and to his poor people, so that young people as they grow up may know that the Lord God of their fathers is good and full of compassion. Sad as the Psalmist was when he wrote the dreary portions of this complaint, he was not so absorbed in his own sorrow, or so distracted by the national calamity, as to forget the claims of coming generations; this, indeed, is a clear proof that he was not without hope for his people, for he who is making arrangements for the good of a future generation has not yet despaired of his nation. The praise of God should be the great object of all that we do, and to secure him a revenue of glory both from the present and the future is the noblest aim of intelligent beings.

–Charles Spurgeon, The Treasury of David

Recently I let people know about a free online commentary on Proverbs by Charles Bridges (not to be confused with Jerry Bridges) in HTML (web page) format. A couple of days ago I found a post on Pyromaniacs titled Proverbs for nothing, and your Bridges for free! I was glad to learn that this commentary is also in PDF format, which makes it easier to look up the chapters.

While reading Waltke’s commentary I’ve been referring to Bridges fairly often and like it enough to buy it in book form. In fact if I were to do it again, I might read the Bridges and refer to the Waltke. On the Pyro site, a commenter mentioned that the Banner of Truth edition is the best. This is a healthy 656 page book which is more expositional or even devotional in nature but still goes verse by verse. Some of the editions look like they are scans of the original book (I can’t say for sure if this is or not). There is an edition in the The Crossway Classic Commentary Series edited by Alister McGrath, and J. I. Packer which I’m sure is ‘regular’ text, but keep in mind this is an abridged (condensed) edition.

Then to my surprise I found out he wrote a commentary on Ecclesiastes (I love that book) and Psalm 119, one of my favorite Psalms. It just keeps getting better. I wish I would have known that when I was studying Ecclesiastes. I already have a book on Psalm 119 that I haven’t read so I won’t be getting that anytime soon but would like to in the future.

Although it looks like he wasn’t a prolific writer, these resources are very helpful and I wanted to let you know about them if you’re interested.

Proverbs 25:2a GW
It is the glory of God to hide things

We want to figure everything out. We want to know everything. Transparency is a big buzzword regarding business, government and even the military.

Some people think that God is being sneaky by hiding certain things from us or trying to fool us, so we fill in some areas with human logic.

This verse has always been a little bit puzzling. I looked at the old commentary by Bridges, which I mentioned in a previous post, in addition to Waltke on this one. I love this quote and wanted to post it. I’m thinking about getting this commentary in book form. See the end of the quote for a link to a PDF file. I will be writing a post on the various editions soon.

[I]s not this shade of mystery our highest joy, as the dwelling-place of our adorable God and Saviour? Are not the clouds of his concealment the effulgence of his glory (Habakkuk 3:4), as the most simple, yet the most incomprehensible Being, whom the mightiest intellect can never “by searching find out to perfection?” (Job 11:7) ‘As there is’–says Bishop Hall–’a foolish wisdom, so there is a wise ignorance. I would fain know all that I need, and all that I may. I leave God’s secrets to himself. It is happy for me, that God makes me of his court, though not of his council. O Lord! let me be blessed with the knowledge of what thou hast revealed. Let me content myself to adore thy divine wisdom in what thou hast not revealed.’*

Thus it is the glory of God to conceal a thing–to do many things, of which the full development of their great end is far beyond our sight.The highest glory of earth is at an infinite remove–God conceals. For who could bear his full irradiation?¹

–Charles Bridges, A COMMENTARY ON PROVERBS (PDF File)

1. Exodus 33:20; Daniel 10:5-8, 17; Revelation 1:12-17

* Bp. Hall, viii. 5; xi. 8-1. This glorious concealment is however no precedent for the Tractarian principle of Reserve, which at once eclipses the freeness and fulness of Gospel, and paralyzes the energy of Christian life and hope. Blessed be God! “The that belong to our peace are brought to light by the Gospel.” The doctrine of the atoning cross is “delivered first of all” (en prwtoi; 1 Cor. xv. 3)–the primary truth in the fore-front of the Gospel. With self-abasing humility we acknowledge, that “secret things belong to the Lord our God.” But guilty indeed is the presumption of casting a cloud of concealment on “the things that are revealed, and which belong to us and to our children for ever”–not only as the foundation of our hope, but as the principle of our obedience. Deut. xxix. 20. Yet do not some of us need to be drawn further from the “secret things”and nearer to the things that are revealed?

A COMMENTARY ON PROVERBS by Charles Bridges (PDF File)

This commentary, written in 1847 is often mentioned positively by Bruce Waltke in his two volume commentary on Proverbs. I think it would be a good second commentary or good by itself. The chapter numbers are in Roman numerals so you have to brush up on that if your knowledge is weak like mine, but the verse numbers are as ours are (what’s the term?). This can easily be converted to an eBook if you have any kind of a reader or just save the file, which I would recommend in case it disappears.

Especially relevant for bloggers.

The wise do not react rashly out of heated passion but speak and act deliberately in full control of their emotions, aiming to restore the erring friendship, not to defend themselves.

Bruce Waltke, Proverbs

Proverbs 17:27-28 HCSB
The intelligent person restrains his words,
and one who keeps a cool head is a man of understanding.
28 Even a fool is considered wise when he keeps silent,
discerning, when he seals his lips.

Job 13:5
If only you would shut up and let that be your wisdom!

Proverbs 30:5-6 KJV
Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him. 6 Add thou not unto his words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.

Add thou not unto his words, because they are pure and perfect. This forbids the advancing of any thing, not only in contradiction to the word of God, but in competition with it; though it be under the plausible pretence of explaining it, yet, if it pretend to be of equal authority with it, it is adding to his words, which is not only a reproach to them as insufficient, but opens a door to all manner of errors and corruptions; for, that one absurdity being granted, that the word of any man, or company of men, is to be received with the same faith and veneration as the word of God, a thousand follow. We must be content with what God has thought fit to make known to us of his mind, and not covet to be wise above what is written; for, (1.) God will resent it as a heinous affront: “He will reprove thee, will reckon with thee as a traitor against his crown and dignity, and lay thee under the heavy doom of those that add to his words, or diminish from them,” Deut 4:2; Deut 12:32. (2.) We shall run ourselves into endless mistakes: “Thou wilt be found a liar, a corrupter of the word of truth, a broacher of heresies, and guilty of the worst of forgeries, counterfeiting the broad seal of heaven, and pretending a divine mission and inspiration, when it is all a cheat. Men may be thus deceived, but God is not mocked.”

–Matthew Henry’s Commentary on the Whole Bible

Matthew 11:25-26 HCSB
At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because You have hidden these things from the wise and learned and revealed them to infants. 26 Yes, Father, because this was Your good pleasure.

2 Corinthians 10:3-5
For although we are walking in the flesh, we do not wage war in a fleshly way, 4 since the weapons of our warfare are not fleshly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments 5 and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ.

I bought his Old Testament Theology because its single volume (but not abridged) edition was on sale for $10 and it was recommended by a few people. I haven’t read it yet except the section on Ecclesiastes, but I’ve read nothing but negative things from other commentators when he is mentioned (Eaton, Waltke and others). His work has been praised by many but his theology always seems to come into question. Maybe it’s because I’ve  been concentrating on wisdom literature and he’s a little wonky on that? What’s the deal?

Proverbs 2:1-6
My son, if you accept my words
and store up my commands within you,
2 listening closely to wisdom
and directing your heart to understanding;
3 furthermore, if you call out to insight
and lift your voice to understanding,
4 if you seek it like silver
and search for it like hidden treasure,
5 then you will understand the fear of the Lord
and discover the knowledge of God.
6 For the Lord gives wisdom;
from His mouth come knowledge and understanding.

As mentioned in a previous post, we are to pray earnestly for wisdom. We are also to value it more than any material thing. I think “value” is very important. It’s not just choosing it because we are committed to Christ and that’s what we’re supposed to choose or want, but it’s genuinely and wholeheartedly valuing it, wanting it more than anything else. If you went to a store and there was a certificate for wisdom and a check made out to you for a million dollars (or your currency of choice), with no strings attached, you’d easily want wisdom if you had to choose, as Solomon did. A million dollars would be great too, but wisdom would be valued even more and brings us eternally and infinitely greater returns. It improves our life indescribably more than material wealth. (Proverbs 3:13-18) Not many of us would naturally want some wisdom more than a million dollars. We need to pray for it zealously.

I can’t tell you how much different it is to study Proverbs when you really want wisdom than when you’re just studying a book of the Bible and learning some things about how to live better. It’s almost painful, but in a positive, yearning way. It also makes someone realize how little they know. It may take years or even decades of praying depending on God’s timing. If you don’t have it yet, it is God’s will so you know He will answer yes.

Proverbs 9:10 HCSB
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom,
and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

Psalm 19:9-10
The fear of the LORD is pure, enduring forever;
the ordinances of the LORD are reliable
and altogether righteous.
10 They are more desirable than gold–
than an abundance of pure gold;
and sweeter than honey–
than honey dripping from the comb.

1 John 5:14
Now this is the confidence we have before Him: whenever we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.

Also see:

• Proverbs: Creation in Proverbs
• Proverbs: Fear of the Lord
• Proverbs: Reading and Understanding Proverbs