Bridges on Proverbs 25:18
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 25:18
 
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18.  A man that beareth false witness against his neighbour is a maul, and a sword, and a sharp arrow.
 
False witness is universally condemned. But where, save in the word of God, are its true character and deep aggravation of guilt adequately set forth? What a picture is here of cruelty and malice — nay — even of intentional murder! Three murderous instruments are before us, identifying the sixth and ninth commandments. The tongue, intended as “a tree of life,” becomes a weapon of death. Who can bear the sin involved in this fearful perversion? Often does the open perjury, as a sword and sharp arrow, pierce the fountain of life. And little better are those calumnies and unkind insinuations — all breaches of charity — uttered so freely in common conversation. ‘Consider, ye that deal in such conversation, whether you could think of treating the objects of your defamatory discourse, as Jael did Sisera (Judges 4:21), or as Joab did Abner. (2 Samuel 3:27.) Would you shrink with horror at the thought of beating out your neighbor's brains with an hammer, or of piercing his bowels with a sword, or a sharp arrow? Why then do you indulge in the like barbarity; destroying as far as you can, that reputation, which is dear to men as their life, and wounding all their best interests, by mangling their character?’ Other injuries a man may wear away or outlive. But defamation, notwithstanding all retrieving circumstances to heal the wound, too often leaves a scar to the dying day.
Truly affecting is it to think of the multitude of these mauls, swords, and sharp arrows even in the Church of God. It is not “setting the battle in array against the Philistines, army against army” (1 Samuel 17:21), but brother against brother. The Shibboleth of a party, not the standard of the cross, is the watchword for the destructive conflict. (Judges 12:6.) “How long! Lord! how Long?”
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 15:4, with 12:18. Jeremiah 9:3, 8.
 

 
Proverbs 15:4
4 ¶ A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. {A wholesome...: Heb. The healing of the tongue}
 
with
Proverbs 12:18
18 ¶ There is that speaketh like the piercings of a sword: but the tongue of the wise is health.
 
Jeremiah 9:3, 8
3 And they bend their tongues like their bow for lies: but they are not valiant for the truth upon the earth; for they proceed from evil to evil, and they know not me, saith the LORD. 8 Their tongue is as an arrow shot out; it speaketh deceit: one speaketh peaceably to his neighbour with his mouth, but in heart he layeth his wait. {in heart: Heb. in the midst of him} {his wait: or, wait for him}
 
 
Footnote:
Genesis 39:14-20. 1 Kings 21:10-13. Matthew 26:60-66. Acts 6:13, 14.
 

 
Genesis 39:14-20
14 That she called unto the men of her house, and spake unto them, saying, See, he hath brought in an Hebrew unto us to mock us; he came in unto me to lie with me, and I cried with a loud voice: {loud: Heb. great} 15 And it came to pass, when he heard that I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled, and got him out. 16 And she laid up his garment by her, until his lord came home. 17 And she spake unto him according to these words, saying, The Hebrew servant, which thou hast brought unto us, came in unto me to mock me: 18 And it came to pass, as I lifted up my voice and cried, that he left his garment with me, and fled out. 19 ¶ And it came to pass, when his master heard the words of his wife, which she spake unto him, saying, After this manner did thy servant to me; that his wrath was kindled. 20 And Joseph's master took him, and put him into the prison, a place where the king's prisoners were bound: and he was there in the prison.
 
1 Kings 21:10-13
10 And set two men, sons of Belial, before him, to bear witness against him, saying, Thou didst blaspheme God and the king. And then carry him out, and stone him, that he may die. 11 And the men of his city, even the elders and the nobles who were the inhabitants in his city, did as Jezebel had sent unto them, and as it was written in the letters which she had sent unto them. 12 They proclaimed a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people. 13 And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.
 
Matthew 26:60-66
60 But found none: yea, though many false witnesses came, yet found they none. At the last came two false witnesses, 61 And said, This fellow said, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and to build it in three days. 62 And the high priest arose, and said unto him, Answerest thou nothing? what is it which these witness against thee? 63 But Jesus held his peace. And the high priest answered and said unto him, I adjure thee by the living God, that thou tell us whether thou be the Christ, the Son of God. 64 Jesus saith unto him, Thou hast said: nevertheless I say unto you, Hereafter shall ye see the Son of man sitting on the right hand of power, and coming in the clouds of heaven. 65 Then the high priest rent his clothes, saying, He hath spoken blasphemy; what further need have we of witnesses? behold, now ye have heard his blasphemy. 66 What think ye? They answered and said, He is guilty of death.
 
Acts 6:13, 14
13 And set up false witnesses, which said, This man ceaseth not to speak blasphemous words against this holy place, and the law: 14 For we have heard him say, that this Jesus of Nazareth shall destroy this place, and shall change the customs which Moses delivered us. {customs: or, rites}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Judges 4:21
21 Then Jael Heber's wife took a nail of the tent, and took an hammer in her hand, and went softly unto him, and smote the nail into his temples, and fastened it into the ground: for he was fast asleep and weary. So he died. {and took: Heb. and put}
 
 
2 Samuel 3:27
27 And when Abner was returned to Hebron, Joab took him aside in the gate to speak with him quietly, and smote him there under the fifth rib, that he died, for the blood of Asahel his brother. {quietly: or, peaceably}
 
 
Footnote:
Lawson in loco. See God's estimate and threatening. Psalm 50:19-21. Ezekiel 22:5.
 

 
Psalm 50:19-21
19 Thou givest thy mouth to evil, and thy tongue frameth deceit. {givest: Heb. sendest} 20 Thou sittest and speakest against thy brother; thou slanderest thine own mother's son. 21 These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.
 
Ezekiel 22:5
5 Those that be near, and those that be far from thee, shall mock thee, which art infamous and much vexed. {infamous...: Heb. polluted of name, much in vexation}
 
 
1 Samuel 17:21
21 For Israel and the Philistines had put the battle in array, army against army.
 
 
Judges 12:6
6 Then said they unto him, Say now Shibboleth: and he said Sibboleth: for he could not frame to pronounce it right. Then they took him, and slew him at the passages of Jordan: and there fell at that time of the Ephraimites forty and two thousand.