Bridges on Proverbs 25:6-7
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 25:6-7
 
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6.†  Put not forth thyself in the presence of the king, and stand not in the place of great men: {Put...: Heb. Set not out thy glory} 7.†  For better it is that it be said unto thee, Come up hither; than that thou shouldest be put lower in the presence of the prince whom thine eyes have seen.
 
Our Lord applies this proverb more generally. (Luke 14:8-11.) Who needs not this caution against ambition? Even godly Baruch seems to have “sought great things for himself.” (Jeremiah 45:5.) Not even the fellowship of the Savior, his heavenly instruction, his divine pattern of holiness (Matthew 11:29), could restrain the “strife among the disciples — Who should be the greatest;”† repeated even after the most wondrous exhibition of humility;† nay, after they had just partaken with him of the holy feast.† “Loving to have the pre-eminence,” is the bane of godliness in the Church.†
Wolsey's fall is an instructive beacon to ambitious men, not to put forth themselves to set out their glory in the presence of the king.† The usurpation also of the place of great men usually subjects man to be put lower, to his own mortification. Not that we would discountenance fit and able men from putting themselves forward in public responsibilities. But the eagerness for the outward name, with a manifest incapacity for the discharge of the work, is strongly censurable. “Before honor is humility” (Chapter 18:12); shewn in a backwardness to obtrude either our presence or our opinion upon those in higher stations; shrinking from external respect, rather than courting the “vain show.” Thus were Gideon,† Saul in his early and better days,† and David, advanced to honor.†
Let each of us lay himself to the work of casting down our high tower of conceit; cultivating a deep sense of our utter worthlessness, and carefully pondering that example, which is at once our pattern and our principle. Oh! think of Him, who was “fairer than man,” being the most humble of men — nay — of Him, who was infinitely more than man, making himself “a worm, and no man.”† Think of that day, which will set us all on our own true base; when each of us shall stand before “the Great Prince” (Revelation 1:5), just that, and that only, which he counts us to be? What will it be to be put lower; to be utterly cast out in his presence, whom our eyes shall then see to our eternal confusion! (Ib. Verse 7.)
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Luke 14:8-11
8 When thou art bidden of any man to a wedding, sit not down in the highest room; lest a more honourable man than thou be bidden of him; 9 And he that bade thee and him come and say to thee, Give this man place; and thou begin with shame to take the lowest room. 10 But when thou art bidden, go and sit down in the lowest room; that when he that bade thee cometh, he may say unto thee, Friend, go up higher: then shalt thou have worship in the presence of them that sit at meat with thee. 11 For whosoever exalteth himself shall be abased; and he that humbleth himself shall be exalted.
 
 
Jeremiah 45:5
5 And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest.
 
 
Matthew 11:29
29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.
 
 
Footnote:
Matthew 18:1-4.
 
 
Matthew 18:1-4
1 ¶ At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
 
 
Footnote:
John 13:1-15.
 
 
John 13:1-15
1 ¶ Now before the feast of the passover, when Jesus knew that his hour was come that he should depart out of this world unto the Father, having loved his own which were in the world, he loved them unto the end. 2 And supper being ended, the devil having now put into the heart of Judas Iscariot, Simon's son, to betray him; 3 Jesus knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he was come from God, and went to God; 4 He riseth from supper, and laid aside his garments; and took a towel, and girded himself. 5 After that he poureth water into a bason, and began to wash the disciples' feet, and to wipe them with the towel wherewith he was girded. 6 Then cometh he to Simon Peter: and Peter saith unto him, Lord, dost thou wash my feet? {Peter saith: Gr. he saith} 7 Jesus answered and said unto him, What I do thou knowest not now; but thou shalt know hereafter. 8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me. 9 Simon Peter saith unto him, Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head. 10 Jesus saith to him, He that is washed needeth not save to wash his feet, but is clean every whit: and ye are clean, but not all. 11 For he knew who should betray him; therefore said he, Ye are not all clean. 12 So after he had washed their feet, and had taken his garments, and was set down again, he said unto them, Know ye what I have done to you? 13 Ye call me Master and Lord: and ye say well; for so I am. 14 If I then, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet; ye also ought to wash one another's feet. 15 For I have given you an example, that ye should do as I have done to you.
 
 
Footnote:
Luke 22:19-27.
 
 
Luke 22:19-27
19 And he took bread, and gave thanks, and brake it, and gave unto them, saying, This is my body which is given for you: this do in remembrance of me. 20 Likewise also the cup after supper, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood, which is shed for you. 21 ¶ But, behold, the hand of him that betrayeth me is with me on the table. 22 And truly the Son of man goeth, as it was determined: but woe unto that man by whom he is betrayed! 23 And they began to enquire among themselves, which of them it was that should do this thing. 24 And there was also a strife among them, which of them should be accounted the greatest. 25 And he said unto them, The kings of the Gentiles exercise lordship over them; and they that exercise authority upon them are called benefactors. 26 But ye shall not be so: but he that is greatest among you, let him be as the younger; and he that is chief, as he that doth serve. 27 For whether is greater, he that sitteth at meat, or he that serveth? is not he that sitteth at meat? but I am among you as he that serveth.
 
 
Footnote:
3 John 9, 10.
 
 
3 John 9, 10.
9 ¶ I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. 10 Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church.
 
 
Footnote:
Compare Ecclesiasticus 7:4. The poet elegantly contrasts Daedalus and Icarus — father and son, both provided with wings. The father, contenting himself with skimming the ground, was safe. The son, soaring aloft, perished. Hence a lesson of humility. Ovid, Trist. lib. iii. el. ii. 21.
 
 
Ecclesiasticus 7:4
Seek not of the Lord preeminence, neither of the king the seat of honour.
 
 
Proverbs 18:12
12 ¶ Before destruction the heart of man is haughty, and before honour is humility.
 
 
Footnote:
Judges 6:15.
 
 
Judges 6:15
15 And he said unto him, Oh my Lord, wherewith shall I save Israel? behold, my family is poor in Manasseh, and I am the least in my father's house. {my family...: Heb. my thousand is the meanest}
 
 
Footnote:
1 Samuel 9:21, 22; 15:17.
 
 
1 Samuel 9:21, 22
21 And Saul answered and said, Am not I a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel? and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? wherefore then speakest thou so to me? {so...: Heb. according to this word} 22 And Samuel took Saul and his servant, and brought them into the parlour, and made them sit in the chiefest place among them that were bidden, which were about thirty persons.
 
1 Samuel 15:17
17 And Samuel said, When thou wast little in thine own sight, wast thou not made the head of the tribes of Israel, and the LORD anointed thee king over Israel?
 
 
Footnote:
Ib. 18:18. Compare Psalm 131:1.
 
 
1 Samuel 18:18
18 And David said unto Saul, Who am I? and what is my life, or my father's family in Israel, that I should be son in law to the king?
 
Compare
Psalm 131:1
1 ¶ {A Song of degrees of David.} LORD, my heart is not haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great matters, or in things too high for me. {exercise...: Heb. walk} {high: Heb. wonderful}
 
 
Footnote:
Psalm 45:2, with 22:6.
 
 
Psalm 45:2
2 Thou art fairer than the children of men: grace is poured into thy lips: therefore God hath blessed thee for ever.
 
with
Psalm 22:6
6 But I am a worm, and no man; a reproach of men, and despised of the people.
 
 
Revelation 1:5
5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
 
 
Revelation 1:7
7 Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.