CRITICAL NOTES.—
Proverbs 10:31. Cut out, “rooted out.”
MAIN HOMILETICS OF Proverbs 10:30
THE EARTH THE POSSESSION OF THE RIGHTEOUS
I. From their relation to God it is theirs now. The estate of an English nobleman is the portion of all his family to a certain extent. They all live upon it, and partake of its productions. But the eldest son has a special inheritance in it—it is the perpetual possession of the heir of the house, and it is therefore his in a sense in which it is not the property of his brothers and sisters. “The earth is the Lord’s, and the fulness thereof” (Psalms 24:1), and it is therefore the property of His children—of those who are His sons and heirs (Romans 8:17). All men enjoy to some extent the blessings of the earth, but it belongs only to them whom Paul addresses when he says, “All things are yours, whether.… the world, or life, or death, or things present, or things to come” (1 Corinthians 3:21-22).
II. From their relation to God it shall be theirs in the future. The regenerated earth is to be the eternal abode of the righteous. The glorified body of the redeemed man will have enough of his present body to enable us to identify each other. Although we have not now the “body that shall be” (1 Corinthians 15:37), there will be such a relationship between the present and the future as shall make them the same individual man. So, although the earth is to be “a new earth” (2 Peter 3:13), there will be that about it which will enable the regenerated man to recognise his old home. And if in the new earth there is to dwell “righteousness,” it is because it is to be the abode of righteous beings. On this subject see also Homiletics on Chap. Proverbs 2:21-22.
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
Proverbs 10:30. Love of home is an impulse and emotion natural to, man; but to no people was fatherland so greatly delighted in, to none was exile and banishment from fatherland so dreadful a thought, as it was to the people of Israel. Expatriation is the worst of all evils with which the prophets threatened individuals and the people; and the history of Israel in their exile, which was a punishment of their national apostasy, confirms this proverb, and explains its form.… In general, the proverb means that the righteous fearlessly maintains the position he takes; while, on the contrary, all they who have no hold on God lose also their outward position. But often enough this saying is fulfilled in this, that they, in order that they may escape disgrace, become wanderers and fugitives, and are compelled to conceal themselves among strangers.—Delitzsch.
The desire of the righteous is not to stay upon earth, neither is that the reward which God hath appointed for them. They know a better place to go unto, and where better things than the earth can afford are provided for them. Hugo de Sancto Victore saith, therefore, making three sorts of men, “He is very delicate whose own country is delicious unto him; he is valiant to whom every country is his own; he is perfect to whom the world is a banishment. The first hath fastened his love upon the world, the second hath scattered his love in the world, the last hath extinguished his love from the world.” And this is the righteous man of whom it is here said that he shall never be removed, because he shall never be taken hence with an unwilling and reluctant mind. He having never set his affection upon the world, can never be removed from it. When he goeth hence, he goeth cheerfully and gladly; it is not a remove of him, but a pleasant passage to him.—Jermin.
Moved, not removed, but shaken: shall not be seriously disturbed.—Miller.
See also comments on chap. Proverbs 2:21-22.
(For Homiletics on Proverbs 10:31, see on Proverbs 10:13-14; Proverbs 10:20-21.)
OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS
The figure here is of a sprout or seedling which has the capacity to grow for ever. “Wisdom” is such a tree. It grows from the mouth of the good man, and will grow for ever; that is, the good man will incessantly spread abroad wisdom. God, who is invisible, spreads abroad wisdom only through the creature. But the ungodly tongue, literally “the tongue of upturnings,” overturning everything, and being in this world the great instrument for leading others astray, will be put in a condition to be foiled of such an influence: as the inspired sentence expresses it, will be “cut out.”—Miller.
As a tree full of life and sap brings forth its fruit, so in Isaiah 57:19, the cognate word is translated “the fruit of the lips.” The froward tongue is like a tree that brings forth evil and not good fruit. It “shall be cut down.” What is meant is, that the abuse of God’s gift of speech will lead ultimately to its forfeiture. There shall, at last, be the silence of shame and confusion.—Plumptre.