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A Study of Proverbs 11
May 13, 2007
One of our members requested a study of Proverbs. The eleventh chapter repeats some points already made and introduces new ones. Give true measure. Avoid pride. Riches can't save you when enemies strike. Don't co-sign loans for strangers. And much more!
Bernie Parsons
A Study of Proverbs Chapter 11
by Bernie Parsons
Presented to the Load church of Christ on May 13, 2007
Proverbs 11:1: “A false balance is abomination to the LORD: but a just weight is his delight.”
Leviticus 19:35: “Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment, in meteyard, in weight, or in measure.
36: Just balances, just weights, a just ephah, and a just hin, shall ye have: I am the LORD your God, which brought you out of the land of Egypt.
37: Therefore shall ye observe all my statutes, and all my judgments, and do them: I am the LORD.”
Deuteronomy 25:13: “Thou shalt not have in thy bag divers weights, a great and a small.
14: Thou shalt not have in thine house divers measures, a great and a small.
15: But thou shalt have a perfect and just weight, a perfect and just measure shalt thou have: that thy days may be lengthened in the land which the LORD thy God giveth thee.
16: For all that do such things, and all that do unrighteously, are an abomination unto the LORD thy God.”
God is just, fair, and equitable, and expects us to be the same way. Corrupt and greedy men use a fake set of scales to cheat their customers. When I grew up in the hills of eastern Kentucky in the 1950s and 1960s, my mother warned us to watch the butcher as he weighed the meat, lest he press down upon the scales with his fingers.
Proverbs 11:2: “When pride cometh, then cometh shame: but with the lowly is wisdom.”
Proverbs 16:18: “Pride goeth before destruction, and an haughty spirit before a fall.”
Mark 7:21: “For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders,
22: Thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, blasphemy, pride, foolishness:
23: All these evil things come from within, and defile the man.”
James 4:6: “But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble.”
1 Peter 5:5: “Likewise, ye younger, submit yourselves unto the elder. Yea, all of you be subject one to another, and be clothed with humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.”
Luke 14:11: “For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.”
Pride is a terrible sin. God hates pride in all of its forms, and yet we live in a society that constantly emphasizes pride. Pride declares our own handiwork and accomplishments, and leaves God out of the equation. What we have and do, it is by the grace and gift of God.
Proverbs 11:3: “The integrity of the upright shall guide them: but the perverseness of transgressors shall destroy them.”
We have studied this self-explanatory proverb many times over already.
Proverbs 11:4: “Riches profit not in the day of wrath: but righteousness delivereth from death.”
James 5:1: “Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
2: Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
3: Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.”
1 Timothy 6:17: “Charge them that are rich in this world, that they be not highminded, nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, who giveth us richly all things to enjoy;”
As Josephus testified in his description of the destruction of Jerusalem, not only did the riches not save the Jews, but even led to their deaths. The Roman soldiers, having heard that the Jews were swallowing coins and jewels would disembowel them for the treasure.
Proverbs 11:5: “The righteousness of the perfect shall direct his way: but the wicked shall fall by his own wickedness.
6: The righteousness of the upright shall deliver them: but transgressors shall be taken in their own naughtiness.
7: When a wicked man dieth, his expectation shall perish: and the hope of unjust men perisheth.
8: The righteous is delivered out of trouble, and the wicked cometh in his stead.”
As before, we see the similar proverbs contrasting the righteous with the unrighteous.
Proverbs 11:9: “An hypocrite with his mouth destroyeth his neighbour: but through knowledge shall the just be delivered.”
Leviticus 19:16: “Thou shalt not go up and down as a talebearer among thy people: neither shalt thou stand against the blood of thy neighbour: I am the LORD.”
Titus 3:1: “Put them in mind to be subject to principalities and powers, to obey magistrates, to be ready to every good work,
2: To speak evil of no man, to be no brawlers, but gentle, shewing all meekness unto all men.”
James 3:8: “But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison.
9: Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.”
We must learn
to love our neighbors as ourselves.
Proverbs 11:10: “When it goeth well with the righteous, the city rejoiceth: and when the wicked perish, there is shouting.
11: By the blessing of the upright the city is exalted: but it is overthrown by the mouth of the wicked.”
Proverbs 14:34: “Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.”
Remember when Abraham argued to save Sodom and Gomorrah?
Proverbs 11:12: “He that is void of wisdom despiseth his neighbour: but a man of understanding holdeth his peace.
13: A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter.”
Just because we know something on someone does not mean that we should tell it. When we speak against our neighbor, we lose their trust and that of those to whom we speak.
Proverbs 11:14: “Where no counsel is, the people fall: but in the multitude of counsellers there is safety.”
People need wise leadership. People are like sheep in need of a shepherd.
Mark 6:34: “And Jesus, when he came out, saw much people, and was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd: and he began to teach them many things.”
Proverbs 11:15: “He that is surety for a stranger shall smart for it: and he that hateth suretiship is sure.”
Quite simply, don’t co-sign a loan for someone you don’t know—self-explanatory.
Proverbs 11:16: “A gracious woman retaineth honour: and strong men retain riches.”
Women should conduct themselves with honor, and men should be wise businessmen.
Proverbs 11:17: “The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.”
A good person looks after his well-being while the cruel hurts even himself.
Proverbs 11:18: T”he wicked worketh a deceitful work: but to him that soweth righteousness shall be a sure reward.
19: As righteousness tendeth to life: so he that pursueth evil pursueth it to his own death.
20: They that are of a froward heart are abomination to the LORD: but such as are upright in their way are his delight.
21: Though hand join in hand, the wicked shall not be unpunished: but the seed of the righteous shall be delivered.”
A repeat of the familiar proverb, but with a twist. Now it is said that even if the wicked stand together, they still shall be punished.
Proverbs 11:22: As a jewel of gold in a swine's snout, so is a fair woman which is without discretion.”
Titus 2:3: “The aged women likewise, that they be in behaviour as becometh holiness, not false accusers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things;
4: That they may teach the young women to be sober, to love their husbands, to love their children,
5: To be discreet, chaste, keepers at home, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God be not blasphemed.”
A woman must be pure and discreet, avoiding unseemly and compromising situations. Though beautiful, an indiscreet woman is a picture of ugliness.
Proverbs 11:23: “The desire of the righteous is only good: but the expectation of the wicked is wrath.”
A truly righteous person harbors no ill will and holds no grudges.
Proverbs 11:24: “There is that scattereth, and yet increaseth; and there is that withholdeth more than is meet, but it tendeth to poverty.
25: The liberal soul shall be made fat: and he that watereth shall be watered also himself.
26: He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him: but blessing shall be upon the head of him that selleth it.”
These proverbs refer to sharing the wealth, especially in hard times. Jesus and the apostles had somewhat to say on this subject.
1 Corinthians 10:24: “Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth.”
Galatians 6:2: “Bear ye one another's burdens, and so fulfil the law of Christ.”
2 Corinthians 8:13: “For I mean not that other men be eased, and ye burdened:
14: But by an equality, that now at this time your abundance may be a supply for their want, that their abundance also may be a supply for your want: that there may be equality:
15: As it is written, He that had gathered much had nothing over; and he that had gathered little had no lack.”
Proverbs 11:27: “He that diligently seeketh good procureth favour: but he that seeketh mischief, it shall come unto him.”
If you look after others, people commend you and return the favor as necessary. If you do ill to others, they shall turn their back upon you in your time of need.
Proverbs 11:28: “He that trusteth in his riches shall fall: but the righteous shall flourish as a branch.”
We have discussed this already in this chapter.
Proverbs 11:29: “He that troubleth his own house shall inherit the wind: and the fool shall be servant to the wise of heart.”
Matthew 12:25: “And Jesus knew their thoughts, and said unto them, Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation; and every city or house divided against itself shall not stand:”
If we turn on our own, we shall cause our house to fall. Not only families, but also the church, should heed this warning.
Proverbs 11:30: “The fruit of the righteous is a tree of life; and he that winneth souls is wise.
31: Behold, the righteous shall be recompensed in the earth: much more the wicked and the sinner.”
We are to edify, or build up, and not to destroy. Righteousness makes life worth living, and it makes our calling and election sure. The righteous are rewarded, but the wicked and sinners are punished.
Matthew 16:27: “For the Son of man shall come in the glory of his Father with his angels; and then he shall reward every man according to his works.”
Romans 2:3: “And thinkest thou this, O man, that judgest them which do such things, and doest the same, that thou shalt escape the judgment of God?
4: Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?
5: But after thy hardness and impenitent heart treasurest up unto thyself wrath against the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of God;
6: Who will render to every man according to his deeds:”
