He who corrects a mocker brings shame on himself; he who rebukes a wicked man taints himself. Sermons
I. EVERY REFUSAL OF WISDOM IMPLIES THE PREFERENCE OF THE OPPOSITE. It implies that the associations of folly are more congenial than those of sound sense (ver. 6), which is a preference of death to life, in its effect. II. THE SCOFFING HABIT IS AN INDICATION OF FOLLY. (Ver. 7.) Under the general head of fools come scoffers and wicked men of every degree. The cynic may prefer to speak of evil men and actions as fools and folly - "worse than a crime, a blunder" - and he utters more truth in this than he intends. III. THE SCOFFER IS ABUSIVE, AND THIS IS SIGNIFICANT OF HIS TEMPER. (Vers. 7, 8; comp. Exodus 5:16; Psalm 115:7.) 1. He neither has nor desires to have self-knowledge, and therefore hates the teacher who holds the mirror up to nature, and makes him see himself as he is. 2. He is the foil to the wise man, who is thankful for corrections, because he is set upon improvement and progress; and therefore loves the correcter, holding him creditor of his thanks, and recognizing the loyalty of the band which wounds. 3. The great distinction of the wise man from the fool is that the former has indefinite capacity of progress; the latter, qua fool, none. 4. As there is an indissoluble connection between folly and wickedness, so are wisdom and rectitude at one (ver. 9). - J.
Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee. How to give it, and how to take it. Reproofs are like sharp knives, very needful and very useful; but they should not be in the hands of children. Those who handle them rashly will wound themselves and their neighbours. Sometimes reproofs are unskilfully administered, and sometimes unfaithfully withheld. The scorner is the principal figure in the scene of the text. He is in a state of nature. He has no spiritual life or light. He is a blusterer. He is hollow-sounding brass. He magnifies himself. He laughs at the good and at goodness. Accustomed to exaggerate everything, he exaggerates even his own wickedness. He glories in his shame. If you reprove such a scorner, you will probably get to yourself shame. You have trampled on a snake, and it is his nature to spurt forth his venom on you. Your stroke has stirred up every motive within the scorner to redouble his blasphemy. If you could find the scorner alone, his courage would not be so great. Whisper softly into his ear your solemn reproof. Find a soft spot about him, or make one by deeds of kindness. H you gain a brother thus, it is a bloodless victory. The joy is of the purest kind that lies within our reach on earth. The second half of the lesson is, "Rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee." There is a double blessing; one to him who gets reproof, and one to him who gives it. It is the mark of wise man that he loves the reprover who tells him his fault.(W. Arnot, D. D.) II. As USEFULLY ADMINISTERED. 1. By rebuking a wise man you enlist his affection. Every true man will feel grateful for wise counsels. 2. By instructing a wise man you render him a benefit. Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser. (David Thomas, D.D.) (H. G. Salter.) The invitation of Wisdom is addressed only to the simple, not to the scorner. She lets the scorner pass by, because a word to him would recoil only in shame on herself, bringing a blush to her queenly face, and would add to the scorner's wickedness by increasing his hatred of her. Her reproof would not benefit him, but it would bring a blot upon herself: it would exhibit her as ineffectual and helpless. The bitter words of a scorner can make wisdom appear foolish, and cover virtue with a confusion which should belong only to vice. "Speak not in the hearing of a fool; for he will despise the wisdom of thy words." Indeed, there is no character so hopeless as that of the scorner; there proceeds from him, as it were, a fierce blast, which blows away all the reproaches which goodness makes to him. Reproof cannot come near him; he cannot find wisdom, though he seek it; and as a matter of fact, he never seeks it. If one attempts to punish him, it can only be with the hope that others may benefit by the example; it will have no effect upon him. To be rid of him must be the desire of every wise man, for he is an abomination to all, and with his departure contention disappears. They that scoff at things holy, and scorn the Divine Power, must be left to themselves until the beginnings of wisdom appear in them — the first sense of fear that there is a God who may not be mocked, the first recognition that there is a sanctity which they would do well at all events to reverence.(R. F. Horton, D.D.) People SolomonPlaces JerusalemTopics Abuse, Bad, Becometh, Blemish, Blot, Correcteth, Corrects, Dishonor, Gets, Getteth, Gives, Incurs, Injury, Instructeth, Instructor, Insult, Insults, Invites, Mocker, Pride, Rebukes, Rebuketh, Receiving, Reprover, Reproves, Reproveth, Reviling, Says, Scoffer, Scorner, Shame, Sharp, Sinner, Teaching, WickedOutline 1. The discipline4. and the doctrine of wisdom 13. The custom 16. and error of folly Dictionary of Bible Themes Proverbs 9:7 5550 speech, negative Library The Temple of Wisdom(Preached at Wellington College, All Saints' Day, 1866.) PROVERBS ix. 1-5. Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: she hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. She hath sent forth her maidens; she crieth upon the highest places of the city, Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and to him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. This allegory has been … Charles Kingsley—Discipline and Other Sermons The Dryness of Preachers, and the Various Evils which Arise from their Failing to Teach Heart-Prayer --Exhortation to Pastors to Lead People Towards this Form Of Letter xxi (Circa A. D. 1128) to the Abbot of S. John at Chartres To Pastors and Teachers From his Entrance on the Ministry in 1815, to his Commission to Reside in Germany in 1820 The Authority and Utility of the Scriptures An Analysis of Augustin's Writings against the Donatists. The Gospel Feast Proverbs Links Proverbs 9:7 NIVProverbs 9:7 NLT Proverbs 9:7 ESV Proverbs 9:7 NASB Proverbs 9:7 KJV Proverbs 9:7 Bible Apps Proverbs 9:7 Parallel Proverbs 9:7 Biblia Paralela Proverbs 9:7 Chinese Bible Proverbs 9:7 French Bible Proverbs 9:7 German Bible Proverbs 9:7 Commentaries Bible Hub |
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