Proverbs 21:4 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 21:4

Comments

An authoritative look, a capable, self-reliant look. The word translated there ‘proud’ in the Hebrew is roomy. But the translation is sound. A roomy heart, that is, a person who thinks he has the ability, the capacity to take up any challenge or to do anything. A high, authoritative, confident look, and a proud, capable heart – that is the unconverted. These things are valued enormously. As unbelievers we are independent of God. ‘And the plowing of the wicked,’ the tillage of the wicked; I am sure that is the best translation, it works much better elsewhere where tillage is referred to. ‘The plowing of the wicked,’ it stands for the work of the wicked, of course. Everything that they do is sin. Everything?I remember when I was first taught this, years and years ago, as a young Christian – everything is sin. Is that not rather a sweeping statement? Because a person does not trust in the Lord, and does not believe in him, and has this authoritative manner and capable confident, self-reliant way, everything he does is sin? Yes, because if it is not a sin in the action, there will be probably be a sin in the motive, there will be a sin somewhere. It will be tainted with sin, but the whole thing, proud, independence from God taints everything that you do and all your life.

Application

This is the great difference between saved and unsaved. If we are saved, we have been humbled. If we are saved, we bring everything before the Lord, so we value humility. It does not mean to say that we go around looking as though we are desperate failures. No, but nothing should be done without prayer and submission to God, the seeking of his guidance and the asking of his blessing, the seeking of the light of the word upon the things we do.

Questions

If you have a modern translation, you will note that fifty percent of the modern translations translate this a little differently: ‘An high look and a proud heart,’ and a light, or the lamp, of the wicked is sin. The Hebrew word translated here ‘plowing’, you have only got to change a couple of tiny vowel points and it is the word for lamp. And some translators cannot make sense of the ‘plowing’ so they think it looks a little easier if they use the term lamp and assume that a small mistake has been made somewhere or something has been missed. The meaning works very well as a lamp too if you want it that way. ‘The plowing of the wicked,’ the lamp of the wicked – if you took it that way, it would be the knowledge, the learning, the understanding of the wicked. Well of course it is sin, because the learning of the unbeliever and his body of knowledge leaves out the great first cause, God. He is discounted. Revelation is ignored. No light of revelation. Try to understand human nature without the revealed word of God, without any information from on high, and it means all your conclusions will be wrong and contrary to what God has said and done and they will be wicked. Well it actually works pretty well either way, but probably ploughing or tillage is right.

Outline

Purpose

Introduction

Proverbs 21:4 Commentary and Bible Study