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Expanded Comments |
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| 1 When thou sittest to eat with a ruler, consider diligently what is before thee: |
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| 2 And put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite. |
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| 3 Be not desirous of his dainties: for they are deceitful meat. |
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| 4 Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. |
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| 5 Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven. |
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| 6 Eat thou not the bread of him that hath an evil eye, neither desire thou his dainty meats: |
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| 7 For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he: Eat and drink, saith he to thee; but his heart is not with thee. |
As he thinketh – Alexander the Great willed to be conqueror of the world and, at a cost of wealth and a stream of blood, he accomplished wonders. OV195:5
In his heart – The mental determination or will represents the real man, from the divine standpoint. OV315:4; SM339:2; R5246:2
The Lord knows whether we are seeking to please him. R5124:4, R5247:1
The mind has something to do with our physical condition. One-half of the people in the world are sick because they think they are so. The mistake of Christian Science is that they carry this principle too far. R5247:6
We should seek to cultivate helpful thoughts and thus exercise a helpful influence upon ourselves or others. R5248:1
A man's thoughts shape themselves according to the structure of his brain. OV137:4; R4774:4
So is he – A man is not always what on the surface he seems to be. His real character is deep down--the purpose of his life. R5246:5
If he thinks justly, he will speak and act justly; if his thoughts are selfish and ignoble, his words will be deceitful and his conduct dishonest. R2890:3, R4821:2
Heart-thinking, guided by certain principles, has to do with the real man God is considering--not the old creature, but the new. These constitute transformation of character. R5246:6
The body and mind are both strengthened by thinking about things noble, good and pure. SM338:1
The instructions of the Word, received into good and honest hearts, lead to obedience and the development of the fruits of the spirit. R5908:5
This same principle is applicable to the whole world, though not on a scale so far-reaching. R5247:4
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| 8 The morsel which thou hast eaten shalt thou vomit up, and lose thy sweet words. |
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| 9 Speak not in the ears of a fool: for he will despise the wisdom of thy words. |
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| 10 Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless: |
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| 11 For their redeemer is mighty; he shall plead their cause with thee. |
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| 12 Apply thine heart unto instruction, and thine ears to the words of knowledge. |
Apply thine heart – Not just our heads. This implies the study of ourselves, as well as of the Word, to see just what portions of the Word apply to our present necessities. R2093:6*, R2094:1*
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| 13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. |
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| 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from Sheol. |
Shalt beat him – If the child needs it. E368
Deliver his soul – Spare his being for years of usefulness. E368
From hell – Sheol. Wise correction will save a child from vicious ways which lead to premature death, and possibly prepare him to escape the Second Death. R2599:4; E368
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| 15 My son, if thine heart be wise, my heart shall rejoice, even mine. |
My son – The exhortation is that of a parent or a teacher who has had experience in life. To profit by instruction is an evidence of wisdom. R2073:3
Be wise – in heavenly wisdom; this makes the glad father. R1502:2
The aim of some parents to have their sons be men of wealth, power, fame or social prominence is not a worthy ambition. R1502:2
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| 16 Yea, my reins shall rejoice, when thy lips speak right things. |
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| 17 Let not thine heart envy sinners: but be thou in the fear of the LORD all the day long. |
Not ... envy sinners – Thereby missing the joy and peace which naturally flow from a heart full of love and reverence for the Lord. R1502:2
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| 18 For surely there is an end; and thine expectation shall not be cut off. |
There is an end – To the brief pleasures of sinners. R1502:2
The end of the walk of honesty and uprightness will eventually be better than that of pleasures and sensualities. R2074:1
Not be cut off – Shall have a never-failing source of consolation. R1502:2
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| 19 Hear thou, my son, and be wise, and guide thine heart in the way. |
Guide thine heart – If the heart is right, the actions will regulate themselves accordingly. " Keep thy heart, for out of it are the issues of life." (Prov. 4:23) R1502:2
In the way – Describing a youth starting upon life's journey where two roads meet--one upward, an honorable course of morality; one downward, gratification of depraved tastes. R2073:6
This way of morality and temperance is not the same as the "narrow way" of self-denial in which the Christian is to walk. R2074:5
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| 20 Be not among winebibbers; among riotous eaters of flesh: |
Not among winebibbers – Realizing the force of example, those who feel strong along this line will forego the exercise of their liberties for fear of stumbling their weaker neighbors. R3270:6, R3746:3
The Lord's consecrated may not turn aside from their more important message, the calling of the bride, to urge upon the world the excellent but temporary and partial reform of total abstinence. R4337:2, R4338:4, R4156:3,6
It would be perfectly right for us to express our sentiment on the liquor question at the polls. R4156:2
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| 21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. |
For the drunkard – "No drunkard shall inherit the kingdom of heaven." (1 Cor. 6:10) No drunkard, therefore, can hope to be a member of the Body of Christ. R4600:6
Having once been a drunkard, and having turned from it, the individual would be a drunkard no longer. R4601:1
Total abstinence may be much more necessary today than it was centuries ago because the race is gradually becoming weakened. R4156:5
And the glutton – Drunkenness and gluttony are classed together. Both are unworthy of true manhood and bring their sure reward of poverty and disgrace. R1444:4
Who is as truly intemperate as the drunkard. R2074:2
We are in sympathy with temperance in respect to intoxicants and "in all things." R3746:6
Come to poverty – Gluttony leads to poverty of both mental and physical strength. R2074:2
Drowsiness – Sloth or idleness or lack of energy, another form of intemperance. R2074:2
In an opposite direction, intemperance in energy and ambition for honors or wealth robs one of social enjoyment and spiritual privileges and joys. R2074:2
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| 22 Hearken unto thy father that begat thee, and despise not thy mother when she is old. |
Hearken unto – Or, honor. The obligations of honor to parents never ceases, though that of obedience does when the years of maturity and discretion are reached. R1502:5
Because of the sudden increase in knowledge, the young have outstripped their seniors. The resultant tendency is disrespect. R2074:2
The wise parent sets a good example in childlikeness, being ready to learn from and with his children along the lines of their superior educational advantages. R2074:3
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| 23 Buy the truth, and sell it not; also wisdom, and instruction, and understanding. |
Buy the truth – With reference to the ordinary affairs of life, dealings between men; and with reference to spiritual things, God and the divine plan. R2074:3
What we possess naturally is not of lasting value; what we may obtain instead is of priceless value, everlasting. R1656:2
Sell it not – Truth, wisdom and understanding are not too costly at any price; and should never be sold or compromised for the short-lived advantages of error. R1502:5
And instruction – Sought in meekness and with a ready and appreciative mind in the way of God's appointment; but never take council with the ungodly. R1502:5
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| 24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him. |
A wise child – Laying the foundation for a good, wise character before the children were born. R2074:4
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| 25 Thy father and thy mother shall be glad, and she that bare thee shall rejoice. |
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| 26 My son, give me thine heart, and let thine eyes observe my ways. |
My son – You who have repented of sin and are trusting in the precious blood of Christ. R3703:6
If you would be my son. R5702:5
We are treated as sons in a relative way the moment we turn from sin. Q400:1
Because of justification, instead of being human sinners, we are human sons; and now, because we are sons, God speaks to us as such. A233
Only by continued loyalty and obedience can sonship be maintained. R5702:3, R3207:4*
Give me thine heart – The affections and qualities of the mind to which God appeals. OV138:1; R4904:1, R4774:6
Including all that you have and are; in the highest, noblest and fullest sense--your body, worship, reverence, praise, treasure, time, talents, influence, money--all in joyful service. R3703:6, R2388:5; A233; F436
Not merely nine-tenths of your heart, but all of it. R4812:3
And I will make you a son on a higher plane than the human. A233
As the Apostle declares, it is our "reasonable service." (Rom. 12:1) R3704:1
The most that God does for anyone is simply inform him of the steps necessary to complete his justification. R5207:2
So long as our heart is loyal to the Lord it will control all the products of life because it will lead us to seek to know the Lord's will in everything. R4201:3
Observe my ways – Note God's qualities of character, of wisdom, justice, love and power, calling forth admiration and reverence. R5703:1
All who are sons of God will study his ways, especially from the study of the Bible. R5703:4
We are not to follow the Lord's ways in the execution of judgment because we are liable to make mistakes in such matters. R5703:1
The world does not realize that they are copying the Lord's ways in the inventions of this day. R5703:1
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| 27 For a whore is a deep ditch; and a strange woman is a narrow pit.
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| 28 She also lieth in wait as for a prey, and increaseth the transgressors among men. |
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| 29 Who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath contentions? who hath babbling? who hath wounds without cause? who hath redness of eyes? |
Who hath babbling? – The spirit of a sound mind would not permit one to take anything into his system that would befuddle his reason. R4337:2
Redness of eyes? – "Wine is a mocker, strong drink is raging." (Prov. 20:1) R2533:1
Picture of the drunkard. R4600:6, R1444:4
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| 30 They that tarry long at the wine; they that go to seek mixed wine. |
That tarry long – Most of such began the use of liquor with the intention of becoming moderate drinkers only. R5098:6, R3271:2
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| 31 Look not thou upon the wine when it is red, when it giveth his colour in the cup, when it moveth itself aright. |
Look not – Even the exceeding great and precious promises are not enough to hold our fallen appetites when constantly exposed to temptation. We must engage our attention and thoughts in another direction. R3271:4
While it cannot be said that the Bible commands total abstinence, under present conditions we, as followers of Jesus, are justified in urging it. R4600:3
97% of transportation companies forbid their employees from using alcohol. (1903) R3270:3
When it is red – There is a charm or enticement connected with alcoholic stimulants which gradually wastes the strong and quickly enthralls the weak of will. R4600:6
Moveth itself aright – Goeth down smoothly. R4600:6
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| 32 At the last it biteth like a serpent, and stingeth like an adder. |
Like a serpent – Throughout all Europe the blight of intoxication is awfully prevalent. (1906) R3746:6
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| 33 Thine eyes shall behold strange women, and thine heart shall utter perverse things. |
Strange women – Strange things, as in delirium tremens. R3271:4
The demoniacal power of liquor is associated with its twin sister, fleshly desire and general immorality. R4600:6
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| 34 Yea, thou shalt be as he that lieth down in the midst of the sea, or as he that lieth upon the top of a mast. |
Midst of the sea – Like floating wreckage. R4600:6
The top of a mast – In imminent danger of destruction. R4600:6
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| 35 They have stricken me, shalt thou say, and I was not sick; they have beaten me, and I felt it not: when shall I awake? I will seek it yet again. |
I felt it not – Those who become beastly drunk are unconscious of injury. R4600:6
When shall I awake? – Seem to have their chiefest pleasure in unconsciousness. R4600:6
Seek it yet again – Upon recovering from one debauch, their desire is to seek the stimulation again. R4600:6, R3271:4
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