Bridges on Proverbs 25:27
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 25:27
 
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27.  It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
 
Honey is good; but in moderation. (Chapter 24:13.) It is not good to eat much honey. (Verse 16.) A man's own name and reputation is honey to him. Let him carefully preserve it from “the dead fly that spoils it.” The honor of God is connected with the honorable profession of his people. But this carefulness is a virtue on the brink of vice; a duty on the borders of imminent danger. To be puffed up by our own endowments, to listen to our praise; to force ourselves upon public attention, thus to search out our own glory, is not glory. As unseemly is it to seek our own glory, as to ascribe to ourselves our own being.
Yet is there no danger of seeking the fame, rather than the substance, of godliness, a well-known name in the Church, rather than an unknown name in the book of life? Few ministers, but have been severely exercised here; identifying their usefulness with their honor; cherishing the desire for public approbation, rather than for unnoticed fruitfulness; dreading to be counted upon an ordinary level, as “vessels of wood and earth,” rather than of “gold and silver.” (2 Timothy 2:20.) Oh! it is a mighty victory over self, to trample man's judgment under foot, and eye only God's approval. Nothing is right except it be wrought in the true spirit of the gospel; “doing nothing in vain-glory, but in lowliness of mind each esteeming others better than himself.” The great apostle spoke of matters of glorying only by compulsion. A vain-glorious spirit cankers many a plausible profession. (John 5:44; 12:43.) Did we turn from the flattering glass of self-love to the pure and faithful mirror of the law, the inconceivable deformities opening to view would constrain us to take the lowest place among the most unworthy. Most wholesome is the recollection — “That which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.” (Luke 16:15.)
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Critics seem much perplexed by the difficulty of supplying a negative in the last clause. Yet Professor Lee observes (Heb. Gram. 242:13), ‘The most frequent ellipsis is of the negatives, e.g. Psalm 9:19. Deuteronomy 33:6. 1 Samuel 2:3. Psalm 44:17. Proverbs 25:27; 30:3, &c.’
 

 
Psalm 9:19
19 Arise, O LORD; let not man prevail: let the heathen be judged in thy sight.
 
Deuteronomy 33:6
6 ¶ Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.
 
1 Samuel 2:3
3 Talk no more so exceeding proudly; let not arrogancy come out of your mouth: for the LORD is a God of knowledge, and by him actions are weighed. {arrogancy: Heb. hard}
 
Psalm 44:17
17 ¶ All this is come upon us; yet have we not forgotten thee, neither have we dealt falsely in thy covenant.
 
Proverbs 25:27
27 ¶ It is not good to eat much honey: so for men to search their own glory is not glory.
 
Proverbs 30:3
3 I neither learned wisdom, nor have the knowledge of the holy. {have: Heb. know}
 
 
Proverbs 24:13
13 ¶ My son, eat thou honey, because it is good; and the honeycomb, which is sweet to thy taste: {to...: Heb. upon thy palate}
 
 
Proverbs 25:16
16 ¶ Hast thou found honey? eat so much as is sufficient for thee, lest thou be filled therewith, and vomit it.
 
 
Footnote:
Philippians 4:8, with Ecclesiastes 10:1.
 

 
Philippians 4:8
8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. {honest: or, venerable}
 
with
Ecclesiastes 10:1
1 ¶ Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour. {Dead...: Heb. Flies of death}
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 20:6; 27:2.
 

 
Proverbs 20:6
6 ¶ Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find? {goodness: or, bounty}
 
Proverbs 27:2
2 ¶ Let another man praise thee, and not thine own mouth; a stranger, and not thine own lips.
 
 
Footnote:
Genesis 11:4; 2 Kings 10:16. Daniel 4:30.
 

 
Genesis 11:4
4 And they said, Go to, let us build us a city and a tower, whose top may reach unto heaven; and let us make us a name, lest we be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.
 
2 Kings 10:16
16 And he said, Come with me, and see my zeal for the LORD. So they made him ride in his chariot.
 
Daniel 4:30
30 The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty?
 
 
2 Timothy 2:20
20 But in a great house there are not only vessels of gold and of silver, but also of wood and of earth; and some to honour, and some to dishonour.
 
 
Footnote:
Philippians 2:3. Galatians 5:26.
 

 
Philippians 2:3
3 Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
 
Galatians 5:26
26 Let us not be desirous of vain glory, provoking one another, envying one another.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Corinthians 12:1-11. See Lyttleton on Conversion of St. Paul
 

 
2 Corinthians 12:1-11
1 ¶ It is not expedient for me doubtless to glory. I will come to visions and revelations of the Lord. {I will come: Gr. For I will come} 2 I knew a man in Christ above fourteen years ago, (whether in the body, I cannot tell; or whether out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) such an one caught up to the third heaven. 3 And I knew such a man, (whether in the body, or out of the body, I cannot tell: God knoweth;) 4 How that he was caught up into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to utter. {lawful: or, possible} 5 Of such an one will I glory: yet of myself I will not glory, but in mine infirmities. 6 For though I would desire to glory, I shall not be a fool; for I will say the truth: but now I forbear, lest any man should think of me above that which he seeth me to be, or that he heareth of me. 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure through the abundance of the revelations, there was given to me a thorn in the flesh, the messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I should be exalted above measure. 8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me. 9 And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ's sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong. 11 ¶ I am become a fool in glorying; ye have compelled me: for I ought to have been commended of you: for in nothing am I behind the very chiefest apostles, though I be nothing.
 
 
John 5:44
44 How can ye believe, which receive honour one of another, and seek not the honour that cometh from God only?
 
John 12:43
43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.
 
 
Luke 16:15
15 And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God.