What is the meaning of Proverbs 25:18? Like a club... • A club is a blunt weapon that smashes and crushes. • It illustrates open, obvious harm—damage you can see and feel at once. • Words can land the same way; a single lie can break trust and reputations instantly (Proverbs 12:18: “Speaking rashly is like the piercing of a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing”). • False testimony is never “just words.” It’s a spiritual assault. ...or sword... • A sword cuts with edge and precision, symbolizing deliberate, targeted injury. • Bearing false witness is intentional; it slices into another’s character, often with premeditated aim (Psalm 57:4 speaks of tongues that are “sharp swords”). • The damage may be internal—wounds to the heart, friendships, standing in the community. ...or sharp arrow... • Arrows strike from a distance, sometimes unseen until impact. • Lies can travel farther and faster than we expect—gossip, social media, hearsay—hitting people we never intended. • Proverbs 26:18-19 compares deceptive words to “fiery arrows and death,” underscoring their far-reaching, lethal potential. ...is a man... • Scripture pins accountability on the person, not just the act. • We cannot blame circumstances or emotions; the speaker chooses the weapon of falsehood (Matthew 12:36: “men will give account on the day of judgment for every careless word they have spoken”). • Personal responsibility is central to God’s justice. ...who bears false witness... • This echoes the ninth commandment (Exodus 20:16: “You shall not bear false testimony against your neighbor”). • God expressly hates “a false witness who gives false testimony” (Proverbs 6:19). • Lying in court, slandering, exaggerating—any distortion of truth about another qualifies. • Consequences are promised: “A false witness will not go unpunished” (Proverbs 19:5). ...against his neighbor • “Neighbor” covers family, friends, colleagues, even casual contacts (Luke 10:36-37). • Community thrives on trust; false witness rips the social fabric, sowing discord God abhors (Proverbs 6:19 again highlights “one who spreads discord among brothers”). • Paul urges, “Therefore each of you must put off falsehood and speak truthfully to his neighbor, for we are members of one another” (Ephesians 4:25). • Truth-telling reflects the Lord whose “word is truth” (John 17:17). summary Proverbs 25:18 draws a vivid picture: lying about someone is as violent as beating him with a club, cutting him with a sword, or shooting him with a sharp arrow. The verse insists that false testimony inflicts real, sometimes irreversible damage, and God holds the speaker fully accountable. He calls His people to safeguard community by guarding their tongues, speaking truth, and refusing every form of deceit. |
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