Bridges on Proverbs 24:23-26
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 24:23-26
 
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23.  These things also belong to the wise. It is not good to have respect of persons in judgment. 24.  He that saith unto the wicked, Thou art righteous; him shall the people curse, nations shall abhor him: 25.  But to them that rebuke him shall be delight, and a good blessing shall come upon them. {a good...: Heb. a blessing of good} 26.  Every man shall kiss his lips that giveth a right answer. {that...: Heb. that answereth right words}
 
We have had a solemn exhortation to the people. (Numbers 16:29-33.) We have now a word to the wise, specially to those in authority. God has given many laws against respect of persons in judgment.† It is not good.† Nay — rather he rebukes it as an hateful abomination.† Let truth be considered, not favor. This is an evil in the Church, as much as in the State. No responsibility is more momentous in our sacred high places, than “doing nothing by partiality.”† Man, corrupt as he is, often abhors unrighteous judgment.† A bad magistrate deprives us of the blessing of good laws.
On the other hand, there is no greater national blessing, than a government rebuking the wicked.† This was a part of Job's God-fearing character.† The good blessing that came upon Nehemiah's upright administration is abundantly manifest.† Indeed generally every one will kiss — pay the homage of love and respect† — to him who giveth a right answer in judgment. He is a public treasure; “a blessing in the midst of the land.” Is not then the responsibility of rulers, and the welfare of thousands depending on them, a quickening impulse to prayer? And may not our want of “godly quietness” be traced to this neglect? (1 Timothy 2:1, 2.)
But we are not rulers. Yet are not many of us in authority — Parents — Heads of Families — Teachers and Guardians of the young? Uprightness and consistency alone can maintain that influence so essential to usefulness. For a spiritual ruler to say to the wicked — Thou art righteous, is indeed perfidious dealing with his Divine Master; cruel deceit to immortal souls; hiding the ruin, which he is bound to reveal; acting the part of a minister of Satan under the cover of a minister of Christ. His people will live to curse and abhor him, perhaps throughout eternity. Even the very people that hate both his Master and his message, will kiss his lips that giveth a right answer — a reluctant but honorable witness to his faithfulness.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Numbers 16:29-33
29 If these men die the common death of all men, or if they be visited after the visitation of all men; then the LORD hath not sent me. {the common...: Heb. as every man dieth} 30 But if the LORD make a new thing, and the earth open her mouth, and swallow them up, with all that appertain unto them, and they go down quick into the pit; then ye shall understand that these men have provoked the LORD. {make...: Heb. create a creature} 31 And it came to pass, as he had made an end of speaking all these words, that the ground clave asunder that was under them: 32 And the earth opened her mouth, and swallowed them up, and their houses, and all the men that appertained unto Korah, and all their goods. 33 They, and all that appertained to them, went down alive into the pit, and the earth closed upon them: and they perished from among the congregation.
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 23:6-8. Leviticus 19:15. Deuteronomy 1:17; 16:19.
 
 
Exodus 23:6-8
6 Thou shalt not wrest the judgment of thy poor in his cause. 7 Keep thee far from a false matter; and the innocent and righteous slay thou not: for I will not justify the wicked. 8 And thou shalt take no gift: for the gift blindeth the wise, and perverteth the words of the righteous. {the wise: Heb. the seeing}
 
Leviticus 19:15
15 Ye shall do no unrighteousness in judgment: thou shalt not respect the person of the poor, nor honour the person of the mighty: but in righteousness shalt thou judge thy neighbour.
 
Deuteronomy 1:17
17 Ye shall not respect persons in judgment; but ye shall hear the small as well as the great; ye shall not be afraid of the face of man; for the judgment is God's: and the cause that is too hard for you, bring it unto me, and I will hear it. {respect...: Heb. acknowledge faces}
 
Deuteronomy 16:19
19 Thou shalt not wrest judgment; thou shalt not respect persons, neither take a gift: for a gift doth blind the eyes of the wise, and pervert the words of the righteous. {words: or, matters}
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 18:5; 28:21.
 
 
Proverbs 18:5
5 ¶ It is not good to accept the person of the wicked, to overthrow the righteous in judgment.
 
Proverbs 28:21
21 ¶ To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 82:2-4.
 
 
Psalm 82:2-4
2 How long will ye judge unjustly, and accept the persons of the wicked? Selah. 3 Defend the poor and fatherless: do justice to the afflicted and needy. {Defend: Heb. Judge} 4 Deliver the poor and needy: rid them out of the hand of the wicked.
 
 
Footnote:
1 Timothy 5:21. Hooker — in ‘reverence and awe unto the prelates, whom Christ hath placed in seats of higher authority over me’ — suggests, that ‘the ancient canon be specially remembered, which forbiddeth a bishop to be led by human affection in bestowing the things of God.’ — Eccl. Pol. book vii. c. xxiv. 3, 7.
 
 
1 Timothy 5:21
21 I charge thee before God, and the Lord Jesus Christ, and the elect angels, that thou observe these things without preferring one before another, doing nothing by partiality. {preferring...: or, prejudice}
 
 
Footnote:
1 Samuel 8:1-5.
 
 
1 Samuel 8:1-5
1 ¶ And it came to pass, when Samuel was old, that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 Now the name of his firstborn was Joel; and the name of his second, Abiah: they were judges in Beersheba. 3 And his sons walked not in his ways, but turned aside after lucre, and took bribes, and perverted judgment. 4 ¶ Then all the elders of Israel gathered themselves together, and came to Samuel unto Ramah, 5 And said unto him, Behold, thou art old, and thy sons walk not in thy ways: now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Samuel 23:3, 4.
 
 
2 Samuel 23:3, 4
3 The God of Israel said, the Rock of Israel spake to me, He that ruleth over men must be just, ruling in the fear of God. {He...: or, Be thou ruler, etc} 4 And he shall be as the light of the morning, when the sun riseth, even a morning without clouds; as the tender grass springing out of the earth by clear shining after rain.
 
 
Footnote:
Job 1:1, 8; 29:7, 11-17.
 
 
Job 1:1, 8
1 ¶ There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil. 8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? {considered: Heb. set thy heart on}
 
Job 29:7, 11-17
7 ¶ When I went out to the gate through the city, when I prepared my seat in the street! 11 When the ear heard me, then it blessed me; and when the eye saw me, it gave witness to me: 12 Because I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. 13 The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy. 14 I put on righteousness, and it clothed me: my judgment was as a robe and a diadem. 15 I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. 16 I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out. 17 And I brake the jaws of the wicked, and plucked the spoil out of his teeth. {the jaws: Heb. the jawteeth, or, the grinders} {plucked: Heb. cast}
 
 
Footnote:
Nehemiah 5:7-9; 13:8-11, 25, 28, with 31.
 
 
Nehemiah 5:7-9
7 Then I consulted with myself, and I rebuked the nobles, and the rulers, and said unto them, Ye exact usury, every one of his brother. And I set a great assembly against them. {I consulted...: Heb. my heart consulted in me} 8 And I said unto them, We after our ability have redeemed our brethren the Jews, which were sold unto the heathen; and will ye even sell your brethren? or shall they be sold unto us? Then held they their peace, and found nothing to answer. 9 Also I said, It is not good that ye do: ought ye not to walk in the fear of our God because of the reproach of the heathen our enemies?
 
Nehemiah 13:8-11, 25, 28
8 And it grieved me sore: therefore I cast forth all the household stuff of Tobiah out of the chamber. 9 Then I commanded, and they cleansed the chambers: and thither brought I again the vessels of the house of God, with the meat offering and the frankincense. 10 ¶ And I perceived that the portions of the Levites had not been given them: for the Levites and the singers, that did the work, were fled every one to his field. 11 Then contended I with the rulers, and said, Why is the house of God forsaken? And I gathered them together, and set them in their place. {place: Heb. standing} 25 And I contended with them, and cursed them, and smote certain of them, and plucked off their hair, and made them swear by God, saying, Ye shall not give your daughters unto their sons, nor take their daughters unto your sons, or for yourselves. {cursed: or, reviled} 28 And one of the sons of Joiada, the son of Eliashib the high priest, was son in law to Sanballat the Horonite: therefore I chased him from me.
 
with
Nehemiah 13:31
31 And for the wood offering, at times appointed, and for the firstfruits. Remember me, O my God, for good.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Compare 1 Kings 19:18. Psalm 2:12. Hosea 13:2.
 
 
Compare
1 Kings 19:18
18 Yet I have left me seven thousand in Israel, all the knees which have not bowed unto Baal, and every mouth which hath not kissed him. {I have...: or, I will leave}
 
Psalm 2:12
12 Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.
 
Hosea 13:2
2 And now they sin more and more, and have made them molten images of their silver, and idols according to their own understanding, all of it the work of the craftsmen: they say of them, Let the men that sacrifice kiss the calves. {they sin...: Heb. they add to sin} {the men...: or, the sacrificers of men}
 
 
1 Timothy 2:1, 2
1 ¶ I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks, be made for all men; {exhort: or, desire} 2 For kings, and for all that are in authority; that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. {authority: or, eminent place}