Proverbs Study – Lesson 30 (Proverbs chapter 23:1-18)
Proverbs 23
V. 1-3 When invited to eat dinner with a king it is a good idea to remember why you were asked to dine with such a noble person. They do not just ask you to do this on a whim. There is usually a substantial purpose behind the invitation, and it is most likely not just to eat food. V. 1 says ‘to consider diligently what is before you’. Not to be too analytical, but …going to such a meal with your eyes open and at least giving some thought as to why you were asked is important. The meal if the truth be known is not the focus. The meal in all probability is the means to accomplish the intended goal of the meeting or encounter, whether the intention is good or bad. Keeping this in mind the king or nobleman may be honoring his guest for some great accomplishment. Or, he may have invited you to dine because he is trying to get you to do something or get you to impart some important information that they are not privy too. They may want to win you over to their side or use you to influence someone else for their cause. Or, it may be for publicity. Again the reason for being invited to the meal may not be for evil or devious purposes. But, knowing that there is a reason for your invite may help you to exercise due caution or allow you to not make a fool of yourself saying something that is inappropriate.
The writer of this proverb makes two important points in these verses. First he advises that you use your manners and not be given to excessive appetite. Your manners show your character. If you are given to appetite it gives the impression that you are weak and unable to control yourself and could be easily influenced. Even if there is no real agenda for the meal, getting too comfortable may allow you to be careless and say something that you will regret. He makes a second point in v. 3 saying that the delicacies or dainties set before you are deceptive and may just be for enticement and entrapment, influencing you to do or say something that aligns with their purposes. Jimmy Stewart in one of his movies said it best. He said, ‘the best way to make a man talk is to make him comfortable’. The king or nobleman may say ‘here have another glass of wine’ or ‘have some more of this exquisite food’ making one comfortable, encouraging the conversation to flow freely. Business diner meetings are based on this principle. The writer of this proverb may advise you to enjoy the meal, but be aware of your surroundings. Even knowing this may not be enough. It may take more than you think to act appropriately and be aware of what is set before you so that you may not regret the outcome of such a wonderful meal.
V.4-5 Solomon says a lot about prudence and diligence and self control and hard work and how they make a difference to the bottom line and how life treats us. But, there is a difference between exercising these virtues and being blessed because of them and their application and having a goal to be rich. Having the goal and laboring to be rich opens up a can filled with all sorts of pitfalls and problems. When one’s goal is to be rich they often end up veering off of the path of righteousness and virtue giving into methods and schemes that although may be highly profitable are not completely honest. When the goal is to be rich greed begins to take over and dominates decisions making selfish decisions an obsession, eventually not giving much thought to what is right or wrong. In doing so human wisdom begins to dominate the thinking, tabling or setting aside God’s wisdom or principles, focusing on the mirage or dream of what could be. But, the writer of this proverb warns that dreams or goals founded on wrong principles have a way of vaporizing into nothingness ‘flying away like an eagle toward heaven’ (v. 5) leaving you little or nothing. He advises us to work toward a surer goal and foundation, using God’s principles that will give a solid return.
V. 6-8 This section kind of relates somewhat to the first part of this chapter in that sometimes a gift or meal given may have an ulterior motive behind it. However, most translations translate the person found here offering the meal as stingy or covetous. They have an agenda, but be aware that the meal is not free. As a matter of fact, if the truth were known, every bite that you eat of this meal is tallied and totaled by a stingy person expecting and eventually demanding a pay back with substantial interest. The tough part is that it all looks so good. What they offer has great curb appeal. In this setting you may think that you have misjudged this person, they are not what you first thought. But, beware, your first impression may be accurate. He says here that this person offers things that we want. Good stuff. Nothing shoddy. He encourages us to indulge and to eat as much as you want, have more, let me help you. But, wait there is a warning. He says that the smile on their face does not match the intent of their heart. He says that their heart is not with you. They have no interest at all in your enjoying what they have set before you. V. 8 says in the end any pleasure that you had from the encounter will be spoiled so bad that it will make your stomach turn and sour making you regret that you had ever originally complimented them on their generosity.
V. 9 We are reminded to not waist our time speaking words of wisdom to a fool. Not only will a fool not heed the wisdom shared, but they will actually despise you for doing so. The interesting thing is that some that may be categorized as fools might be rich or just proud. I Cor. 1:18-25 A fool could be any one of us in a particular situation or circumstance, not listening to the wisdom shared and actually despising the person sharing it with us. A true fool however, never listens to reason, making it a waste of time to try and share anything of substance and benefit with him.
V. 10-11 We kind of looked at this scripture in Prov. 22:28 stating that this verse may be applied not only to property boundaries, but general boundaries in our life. Again we mentioned that the reason to move the property boundary was to take advantage of something, land in this case, that was not yours using it for our own purposes. In olden days moving the property marker was an easy way to acquire, steal, land. One of the easiest and best targets for this land acquisition was the poor or fatherless. Someone who is not old enough to defend themselves are also usually not street smart, not realizing what they had and naive enough to believe that someone wouldn’t be mean enough to steal their property in this way. In life we often too late mature realizing what we have and that someone is taking advantage of us, maybe for years, having little to nothing left when we finally wake up and realize what’s going on. It takes effort and time to become knowledgeable to protect what is yours. However, doing so sooner rather than later can pay big in cutting the loses from this kind of thievery. V. 11 reminds anyone that is thinking about taking advantage of the fatherless and those who are unable to fend for themselves that they need to beware. He says that their Redeemer is aware of what is happening and knows right where the line should be and will plead their cause with their offender.
V. 12 He reminds us here that it is important to listen carefully to the words of wisdom so that we do not get it wrong. They say that we hear what we want to hear and if we are what they call ‘half listening’ or preoccupied we may not get it right. Getting it right is important. It is frequently in the finer points of wisdom that the pay off comes. Getting half of it right or a part of it right can either diminished the return or give no benefit at all. In some cases it may be even harmful. But, the other part of getting the benefit is in the application. He tells us that we need to apply our heart to what we hear, asking God the Holy Spirit to make clear the wisdom that we have been told so that we may apply it correctly getting the full benefit.
V. 13-4 At first glance these verses look like some very harsh verses. But, there are several ways to interpret or look at these verses. At any rate these verses do sound serious and they are. The first thing to note in these verses is the word correction describing the purpose and goal of what is trying to be accomplished. The wisdom shared here is definitely not to injure your child or to harm them within an inch of their life. Someone could read this verse with the impression that you will never injure your child with correction so don’t worry about going too far. But, neither of these perspectives are the case. It is true that we often are too soft and inconsistent on discipline when it comes to training our children, but there is an appropriate way and level of discipline and one can definitely go too far, going to the point of being out of control and being inappropriate in the discipline process. However, this verse does strike a serious note concerning discipline and the essential necessity of it being applied appropriately.
These two verses in actuality relate to Exodus 21:17 and Leviticus 20:9 which deals with a rebellious child that comes under the judgment and punishment of the OT Law which was death. In actuality what this verse is saying is that by applying proper discipline a child will refrain from becoming a rebellious child which in the end would receive the O. T. Law judgment of death. And, that sometimes this correction that is given needs to make an impression going far enough to make a change detouring bad behavior. The writer of this proverb knew that in general we are inconsistent with our discipline and soft, stopping short of making the proper impression with the discipline process to make a change in behavior. The goal is not to administer a certain discipline for a particular crime, but here he is telling us to be attentive and purposeful in our discipline to help a child make the necessary change in their outlook and behavior. He says in doing so we save them from further much more severe repercussions in life, in the O.T death and in our current era of grace saving them from being punished by our legal system and punished by life itself. In doing so Life is their outcome, not death.
V. 15-8 The writer of this proverb goes on to say that he is glad when his/her child gets it understanding and applying the wisdom of life. This verse is the proof as a continuation of v. 13-14 that this is a good parent and has the right perspective for the child in mind. There is no greater Joy than for a parent to see a child or their child applying wisdom for life. Really, words cannot explain it! He goes on to explain in v. 16 one of the key reasons for the joy that he experiences. He says that hearing their child speak what is right brings such pleasure because he knows that the old adage is true, … if you can say it then you know or understand it. Hearing these words come out of the mouth of a child tells a parent that their child is on the right track and has a good change of not only surviving in this world, but having an influence on it. The NIV says ‘my inmost being will rejoice when your lips speak what is right’. Then he goes on in v. 17 to give a warning of being distracted from the good path that they are on. Right living seems harder, and it is, than the easy quicker dishonest way to get ahead in life. He goes on to encourage his child to continue to put effort into the establishing the good things in their life that they just espoused in v. 16 with their lips. In V.18 he reminds them of the prize, namely a hope for God and good that is sure and that which will withstand and weather the storms of life.
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