Proverbs 26:22 Commentary - Dr Peter Masters

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Proverbs 26:22

Comments

This proverb repeats chapter 18:8. The repetition is best explained by recognising the organisation of the book into themes, and interpreting each saying in the light of the theme in which it is found. Here the theme is strife and the proverb considers the part played by the receiver of gossip in promoting strife. The words of a talebearer, a slanderer, a gossip, are highly attractive to those who do not have the fear of God within them. They appear to impart privileged information, secrets not divulged to others, so that those who hear them treat them like choice morsels and swallow them quickly before they can be taken from them. The shame of this behaviour is considered in the earlier passage. The emphasis is now on the responsibility of the receiver of gossip to end it and not allow himself or herself to be involved in the strife that will otherwise inevitably follow. The gossip comes asking permission from his hearer to be partisan, unjust, spiteful, hateful. If permission is denied and the hearer of slander offers a firm rebuke, the slanderer will be put to shame and the matter will go no further. But if permission is granted and the hearer is flattered by receiving his message as a choice morsel then he encourages the talebearer and joins his side against the target of his malice and both parties contribute to the resultant strife. So then, the gossip has an opportunity to prevent strife by putting to death the evil within him, and the hearer of gossip also has an opportunity to end strife by rejecting the false words of the gossip.

Application

Let the one who hears an unjustified evil report be alert to recognise what he is hearing, and let him be impartial in rebuking the gossip. There are times when we must declare what evil others have done, but even then we need to scrutinise our own motives. We may be called to witness before a duly recognised authority, to give evidence at a trial, to expose a serious wrongdoing, but we must search our hearts to see if we are governed by bias, prejudice, revenge, jealousy, or hatred. We must report what we saw or heard with strict accuracy and with no exaggeration. While the day of grace continues, we must seek the good of others, and hope where possible for their repentance rather than their condemnation. Above all we must not give sly half-truths, designed to create prejudice in the hearer, by playing on the partiality which we know already exist in their hearts, by manipulating the weakness of fallen human nature. We must encourage others to come to a true judgment, just as we should come to a true judgment ourselves. As we should speak in this way, so we should insist that others speak to us in this way.

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Proverbs 26:22 Commentary and Bible Study