Bridges on Proverbs 21:3
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 21:3
 
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3.  To do justice and judgment is more acceptable to the LORD than sacrifice.
 
Did Solomon mean to undervalue sacrifice? Never did man more highly honor it. (1 Kings 3:4; 8:64.) Perhaps the splendor of his sacrificial service may have given rise to the frequent national perverted trust in external forms. Sacrifice was appointed as a type of the Great Sacrifice for sin. (Hebrews 10:12.) But never was it intended to take the place of that universal moral obedience, which the law of God had from the beginning indispensably required. Yet how soon did man mistake the intention of the ordinance! How easily did he substitute the offering of bulls and goats for the more self-denying service of the heart.† Israel abounded in the observance of their outward ceremonials, while indulging the sin of Sodom and Gomorrah.† The Corban sacrifice stood in the room of filial obligation. The lesser services of “anise and cummin” were scrupulously observed to the neglect of “the weightier matters of the law — judgment, mercy, and faith.”† Justly therefore did our Lord commend the “discretion” of the scribe, who gave the due place and proportion to the ceremonial and moral service.† Both are his requirements; and a soundly-instructed conscience will aim at both. Yet plainly has he in some instances dispensed with the former;† never with the latter.† He has accepted the moral without the ceremonial; but never the ceremonial without the moral, observance. What would the world be without that justice and judgment, which at once “established the throne” (Chapter 16:12), “exalt the nation” (Chapter 14:34), and realize to their disciples a true interest in that richest of all possessions — the love of God! (Chapter 15:9. Compare Isaiah 64:5.)
We indeed have no sacrifice to place in the stead of these invaluable principles. But the same preference, and indeed exaltation, of external service prevail among us. Whether under the proper form of Popery, or the more plausible cover of Tractarian delusion, it is the true religion of man's heart — something to recommend us to the favor of God; something easier and less humbling than the “living sacrifice” (Romans 12:1) for his service. Christian professor! mark carefully the character of thy service. Let it be free and cheerful; else is it penance, not acceptable duty. Though it be in weakness, let it ever be in willingness, with the flower and strength of thy love. Look to it — art thou resting in the shell and surface, or art thou worshipping in the spirituality of service? Dost thou hear the voice calling thee from the dead forms, to seek the living power of godliness? Cain brought the sacrifice, not the heart. If thou speakest more, “what dost thou more than others?” (Matthew 5:47.) Remember those externals that stand in the place of a consecrated heart, are the delusion of the great deceiver. Let thine heart be with God, walking with him in the sound exercise of Christian obligation; honoring the Divine stamp on every commandment; making conscience of every duty; and though we come short of every one, yet daring not to neglect any. (Psalm 119:5, 6, 128.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
1 Kings 3:4
4 And the king went to Gibeon to sacrifice there; for that was the great high place: a thousand burnt offerings did Solomon offer upon that altar.
 
1 Kings 8:64
64 The same day did the king hallow the middle of the court that was before the house of the LORD: for there he offered burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings: because the brasen altar that was before the LORD was too little to receive the burnt offerings, and meat offerings, and the fat of the peace offerings.
 
 
Hebrews 10:12
12 But this man, after he had offered one sacrifice for sins for ever, sat down on the right hand of God;
 
 
Footnote:
1 Samuel 15:22. Isaiah 1:13, 14.
 
 
1 Samuel 15:22
22 And Samuel said, Hath the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to hearken than the fat of rams.
 
Isaiah 1:13, 14
13 Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. {iniquity: or, grief} 14 Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them.
 
 
Footnote:
Isaiah 1:11. Jeremiah 7:22. Hosea 6:6. Amos 5:21. Acts 7:42. Micah 6:6-8.
 
 
Isaiah 1:11
11 To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. {he goats: Heb. great he goats}
 
Jeremiah 7:22
22 For I spake not unto your fathers, nor commanded them in the day that I brought them out of the land of Egypt, concerning burnt offerings or sacrifices: {concerning: Heb. concerning the matter of}
 
Hosea 6:6
6 For I desired mercy, and not sacrifice; and the knowledge of God more than burnt offerings.
 
Amos 5:21
21 ¶ I hate, I despise your feast days, and I will not smell in your solemn assemblies. {in...: or, your holy days}
 
Acts 7:42
42 ¶ Then God turned, and gave them up to worship the host of heaven; as it is written in the book of the prophets, O ye house of Israel, have ye offered to me slain beasts and sacrifices by the space of forty years in the wilderness?
 
Micah 6:6-8
6 ¶ Wherewith shall I come before the LORD, and bow myself before the high God? shall I come before him with burnt offerings, with calves of a year old? {of a...: Heb. sons of a year?} 7 Will the LORD be pleased with thousands of rams, or with ten thousands of rivers of oil? shall I give my firstborn for my transgression, the fruit of my body for the sin of my soul? {body: Heb. belly} 8 He hath shewed thee, O man, what is good; and what doth the LORD require of thee, but to do justly, and to love mercy, and to walk humbly with thy God? {walk...: Heb. humble thyself to walk}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Matthew 23:23.
 
 
Matthew 23:23
23 Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye pay tithe of mint and anise and cummin, and have omitted the weightier matters of the law, judgment, mercy, and faith: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone. {anise: Gr. dill}
 
 
Footnote:
Mark 12:34.
 
 
Mark 12:34
34 And when Jesus saw that he answered discreetly, he said unto him, Thou art not far from the kingdom of God. And no man after that durst ask him any question.
 
 
Footnote:
Matthew 12:7. Acts 10:34, 35.
 
 
Matthew 12:7
7 But if ye had known what this meaneth, I will have mercy, and not sacrifice, ye would not have condemned the guiltless.
 
Acts 10:34, 35
34 ¶ Then Peter opened his mouth, and said, Of a truth I perceive that God is no respecter of persons: 35 But in every nation he that feareth him, and worketh righteousness, is accepted with him.
 
 
Footnote:
Matthew 22:37-39.
 
 
Matthew 22:37-39
37 Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. 38 This is the first and great commandment. 39 And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.
 
 
Proverbs 16:12
12 ¶ It is an abomination to kings to commit wickedness: for the throne is established by righteousness.
 
 
Proverbs 14:34
34 ¶ Righteousness exalteth a nation: but sin is a reproach to any people.
 
 
Proverbs 15:9
9 ¶ The way of the wicked is an abomination unto the LORD: but he loveth him that followeth after righteousness.
 
Compare
Isaiah 64:5
5 Thou meetest him that rejoiceth and worketh righteousness, those that remember thee in thy ways: behold, thou art wroth; for we have sinned: in those is continuance, and we shall be saved.
 
 
Romans 12:1
1 ¶ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.
 
 
Matthew 5:47
47 And if ye salute your brethren only, what do ye more than others? do not even the publicans so?
 
 
Psalm 119:5, 6, 128
5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes! 6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments. 128 Therefore I esteem all thy precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.