Bridges on Proverbs 27:22
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 27:22
 
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22.  Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
 
The allusion is to the Eastern mode of beating off the husk from the corn by braying it in a mortar.† Yet the husk sticks not so close to the grain, as foolishness to the fool. The beating of the mortar may separate the one. The other will not depart by repeated strokes. Much is said of the effectiveness of correction.† But of itself it works nothing. What can it do for the fool, that despises it?† “The rod” as an ordinary means, “will drive foolishness out of the heart of a child.”† But the child is here become a man in strength of habit, and stubbornness of will. As soon, therefore, “can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots,” as those can do good, “who are accustomed to do evil.” (Jeremiah 13:23.)
Examples of this incurable hardness abound. The deluge — that besom of divine vengeance — destroyed the race, not the foolishness, of man. Nay — God himself declared its inefficacy for this end. (Genesis 8:21.) Pharaoh was once and again brayed in the mortar; yet did not his foolishness depart from him.† Ahaz under the same infliction “trespassed yet more against the LORD,” and stands out as a beacon to all ages — “This is that king Ahaz”!† “Why should ye be stricken any more?” — was the desponding complaint of God concerning his Israel.† The deepest infliction of chastisement produces only the fruit of blasphemy and hardened impenitence.† If Manasseh's foolishness, when brayed in the mortar, departed from him;† this was not the innate power of affliction, but the superadded power of Sovereign Grace, which can turn any evil, even sin itself, to eternal good. The belief in the necessary working of affliction for our saving good is a fatal delusion. Never did it of itself bring one soul to God. In all cases, it is only what God is pleased to make it. It may even be tenfold more severe. The blows may be so mighty as to make the most stupefied soul quiver with intense feeling. Still if the rock be broken, the broken pieces will retain all their native hardness. The man may be crushed, yet not humbled. Still will he cling to his foolishness; and part with Christ and heaven, rather than with that which is interwoven into every part of his nature. Was it not thus — Christian — with thyself, till Omnipotent love awakened what chastisement alone could never have stirred, the cry of unreserved submission? — ‘Lord! spare me not; bruise me; humble me; do anything with me but leave me under my sins. Who can deliver me, if thou dost not?’ Most welcome is the “bemoaning” of the penitent child to his yearning father. “Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God. Surely after I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh; I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. Is Ephraim my dear son? Is he a pleasant child? For since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still; therefore my bowels are troubled for him: I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD.”†
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Many commentators conceive a reference to this mode of punishment still practiced in the East. See Calmet — Parkhurst. Horne's Introduction, iii. 157. Burder's Oriental Customs. But perhaps the figurative allusion is more simple.
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 23:13, 14; 29:15, 17.
 
 
Proverbs 23:13, 14
13 Withhold not correction from the child: for if thou beatest him with the rod, he shall not die. 14 Thou shalt beat him with the rod, and shalt deliver his soul from hell.
 
Proverbs 29:15
15 ¶ The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame. 17 ¶ Correct thy son, and he shall give thee rest; yea, he shall give delight unto thy soul.
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 12:1; 15:10.
 
 
Proverbs 12:1
1 ¶ Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.
 
Proverbs 15:10
10 ¶ Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die. {Correction: or, Instruction}
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 22:15.
 
 
Proverbs 22:15
15 ¶ Foolishness is bound in the heart of a child; but the rod of correction shall drive it far from him.
 
 
Jeremiah 13:23
23 Can the Ethiopian change his skin, or the leopard his spots? then may ye also do good, that are accustomed to do evil. {accustomed: Heb. taught}
 
 
Genesis 8:21
21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man's sake; for the imagination of man's heart is evil from his youth; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done. {a sweet...: Heb. a savour of rest or, satisfaction} {for the imagination: or, through the imagination}
 
 
Footnote:
Exodus 9:27; 10:16; 12:29-32; 14:5.
 
 
Exodus 9:27
27 And Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said unto them, I have sinned this time: the LORD is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.
 
Exodus 10:16
16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste; and he said, I have sinned against the LORD your God, and against you. {called: Heb. hastened to call}
 
Exodus 12:29-32
29 ¶ And it came to pass, that at midnight the LORD smote all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, from the firstborn of Pharaoh that sat on his throne unto the firstborn of the captive that was in the dungeon; and all the firstborn of cattle. {dungeon: Heb. house of the pit} 30 And Pharaoh rose up in the night, he, and all his servants, and all the Egyptians; and there was a great cry in Egypt; for there was not a house where there was not one dead. 31 And he called for Moses and Aaron by night, and said, Rise up, and get you forth from among my people, both ye and the children of Israel; and go, serve the LORD, as ye have said. 32 Also take your flocks and your herds, as ye have said, and be gone; and bless me also.
 
Exodus 14:5
5 And it was told the king of Egypt that the people fled: and the heart of Pharaoh and of his servants was turned against the people, and they said, Why have we done this, that we have let Israel go from serving us?
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
2 Chronicles 28:22.
 
 
2 Chronicles 28:22
22 And in the time of his distress did he trespass yet more against the LORD: this is that king Ahaz.
 
 
Footnote:
Isaiah 1:5. Compare 9:13. Jeremiah 5:3; 44:9, 10, 15, 16. Ezekiel 24:13. Amos 4:11, 12.
 
 
Isaiah 1:5
5 Why should ye be stricken any more? ye will revolt more and more: the whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. {revolt...: Heb. increase revolt}
 
Compare
Isaiah 9:13
13 For the people turneth not unto him that smiteth them, neither do they seek the LORD of hosts.
 
Jeremiah 5:3
3 O LORD, are not thine eyes upon the truth? thou hast stricken them, but they have not grieved; thou hast consumed them, but they have refused to receive correction: they have made their faces harder than a rock; they have refused to return.
 
Jeremiah 44:9, 10, 15, 16
9 Have ye forgotten the wickedness of your fathers, and the wickedness of the kings of Judah, and the wickedness of their wives, and your own wickedness, and the wickedness of your wives, which they have committed in the land of Judah, and in the streets of Jerusalem? {wickedness...: Heb. wickednesses, or, punishments, etc}
10 They are not humbled even unto this day, neither have they feared, nor walked in my law, nor in my statutes, that I set before you and before your fathers. {humbled: Heb. contrite}
15 ¶ Then all the men which knew that their wives had burned incense unto other gods, and all the women that stood by, a great multitude, even all the people that dwelt in the land of Egypt, in Pathros, answered Jeremiah, saying,
16 As for the word that thou hast spoken unto us in the name of the LORD, we will not hearken unto thee.
 
Ezekiel 24:13
13 In thy filthiness is lewdness: because I have purged thee, and thou wast not purged, thou shalt not be purged from thy filthiness any more, till I have caused my fury to rest upon thee.
 
Amos 4:11, 12
11 I have overthrown some of you, as God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah, and ye were as a firebrand plucked out of the burning: yet have ye not returned unto me, saith the LORD. 12 Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: and because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Revelation 16:10, 11.
 
 
Revelation 16:10, 11
10 And the fifth angel poured out his vial upon the seat of the beast; and his kingdom was full of darkness; and they gnawed their tongues for pain, 11 And blasphemed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, and repented not of their deeds.
 
 
Footnote:
2 Chronicles 33:12, 13.
 
 
2 Chronicles 33:12, 13
12 And when he was in affliction, he besought the LORD his God, and humbled himself greatly before the God of his fathers, 13 And prayed unto him: and he was intreated of him, and heard his supplication, and brought him again to Jerusalem into his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the LORD he was God.
 
 
Footnote:
Jeremiah 31:18-20. Compare Hosea 14:1-4. Luke 15:18-24.
 
 
Jeremiah 31:18-20
18 ¶ I have surely heard Ephraim bemoaning himself thus; Thou hast chastised me, and I was chastised, as a bullock unaccustomed to the yoke: turn thou me, and I shall be turned; for thou art the LORD my God. 19 Surely after that I was turned, I repented; and after that I was instructed, I smote upon my thigh: I was ashamed, yea, even confounded, because I did bear the reproach of my youth. 20 Is Ephraim my dear son? is he a pleasant child? for since I spake against him, I do earnestly remember him still: therefore my bowels are troubled for him; I will surely have mercy upon him, saith the LORD. {are...: Heb. sound}
 
Compare
Hosea 14:1-4
1 ¶ O Israel, return unto the LORD thy God; for thou hast fallen by thine iniquity. 2 Take with you words, and turn to the LORD: say unto him, Take away all iniquity, and receive us graciously: so will we render the calves of our lips. {receive...: or, give good} 3 Asshur shall not save us; we will not ride upon horses: neither will we say any more to the work of our hands, Ye are our gods: for in thee the fatherless findeth mercy. 4 ¶ I will heal their backsliding, I will love them freely: for mine anger is turned away from him.
 
Luke 15:18-24
18 I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, 19 And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants. 20 And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. 21 And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: 23 And bring hither the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: 24 For this my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.