Simple or Prudent

Verse 15 declares that the simple (immature, easily led) are prone to accept hearsay without question; but the prudent take time for thought and verification as the Scriptures admonish, Pro 17:4; Pro 22:3; 1Th 5:21; 1Jn 4:1.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

CRITICAL NOTES.

Pro. 14:16. Rageth, is presumptuous, or haughty.

MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.Pro. 14:15-18.

REVELATIONS OF CHARACTER

I. Four marks of a foolish man. When a piece of ground is left to itselfleft in the hand of nature alone, without the intervention of the hand of manthere will be a variety in its productions, but there will be no wheatno grain to give seed to the sower and bread to the eater. When human nature is left to itself there will of necessity be a variety in its productions, but, however unlike they may be in many respects, they are all alike in this, that they are equally unprofitable to God and injurious to man. We have here

1. The man who believes too much in others. The simple believeth every word. It is possible to have too much faith. The blessedness of having it in abundance depends entirely upon the foundation upon which it restsupon the object in which a man trustsin the person in whom he believes. Those who have faith in the words of men and women of worthless characterlike the young man of chap. Pro. 7:7will find their ruin will be in proportion to the confidence. We stigmatise as a fool the man who shows his purse to any wayfarer whom he meets upon the high road; we know that his fellow-traveller may be only seeking a fitting time and place to rob him. In this world of fallen men and women we must withhold our faith until we have some knowledge. There are many now in the world whose foolish credulity has led to the other extreme of universal scepticism. From believing everybody and everything they have come to believe nothing, and to brand all men as liars. He who begins by being a simple one, who believeth every word, will most likely end in being a disbeliever and a scoffer. We are not required to believe in God without ground for our belief. He does not demand from us an unreasoning credulity, but an intelligent faith.

2. The man who believes too much in himself. He rages, or is presumptuous, and is confident. As the foolishness of the first man took the form of over-confidence in others, so this man shows his want of wisdom by undue confidence in himself. (On this character see Homiletics on chap. Pro. 12:15, page 271.)

3. The man who is easily offended. Such a man reveals his folly by the insignificance of the matters which generally arouse his passion. The man who is soon angry is generally more angry about trifles than about things of importance. A parent who is easily vexed by his childrens transgressions is generally most severe in punishing those that really least deserve punishment. Such a person does not take into account the amount of moral wrong done, but the amount of immediate and personal inconvenience which he suffers. For if a man is soon angry he has no time to put things in their right lightto weigh the offence in the balance of right and of reason. The man who is soon angry shows that his mind is not filled with high and noble aspirations; if it were, there would be no room for vexation at small offences. God is slow to anger, because only things worthy of His notice can arouse itbecause He is filled with high and holy purposes of good towards the human race. (See also on chap. Pro. 12:16, page 272.)

4. The man who, by wicked plots against his fellow-men, incurs their hatred. This man possesses more mental activity than the others. But he uses it against himself, because he uses it against his fellow-men. He is of wicked devices, and is hated. A man cannot devise plans of evil any more than of good without mental labour. Probably Satan is the most active creature in the universe. He is ever going to and fro in the earth, and walking up and down in it. And many of his human children imitate him in this respect. This man has not the simplicity of him who believeth every word, nor of him who haughtily rejects the counsel of others, nor of him who allows his feelings to carry him away. He sets about his plans with cool deliberateness, but he is a fool for all that. He is a fool, because, as we have seen over and over again, his plans of wickedness will not only fail, but will overthrow himself (see chap. Pro. 12:3; Pro. 12:5; Pro. 12:7). But the special element of foolishness in the man of wicked devices which is here noted is that his way of life is sure to bring him the hatred of his fellow-creatures. No man can afford to set at nought the good-will of his fellow-men. To be an object of universal execration is only the lot of a man who lives to injure others, and it is a very poor investment of life to put it to a use which will only bring such interest.

II. The marks of a wise man.

1. He walks through life with caution. To say that a man looketh well to his going is only saying that he acts like a rational and responsible creature. Even the animals, in obedience to the instinct of self-preservation, look to their goings, and avoid many dangers which beset them. The smaller birds, though apparently flying about without any care, have a quick eye for the hawk soaring above them, or for the cat crouching beneath. All creatures, whether brutes or men, instinctively look to their goings so far as regards their bodily life. The traveller on a dangerous road instinctively picks his waydoes not set down his foot without looking to see where there is firm ground to tread upon. The man whose lot is cast in a city where a pestilence is raging naturally takes all possible precautions to avoid the infection. A mariner does his best to guide his vessel clear of rocks and quicksands. The prudent man extends this caution to every act of his life. As a merchant, he weighs probabilities before he embarks in any enterprise. He does not enter into speculations as men engage in a game of billiards. He considers the results of his actions in relation to others as well as to himself. Above all, he looks to his goings in relation to their morality; he frames his life, as we have before seen (chap. Pro. 13:14), according to the law of God within him in his conscience, and without Him in the revealed word.

2. He walks thus cautiously because he recognises moral danger. He fears. This makes all the difference in the lives of men. Some recognise the fact that they are in a world full of moral pit-falls and rocks which will be their ruin unless they take heed to their ways, and others do not. Some know the moral atmosphere is laden with moral pestilence, but others do not discern its impurity. The wise man departs from evil because he fears itfears it in itself as a soul-destroying power. When a man is a partaker of Divine wisdom, he as instinctively departs from evil as he would involuntarily turn aside if he saw a deadly serpent lying in his path, or would parry a sword-thrust made at him by an adversary. His main business is, not to take care of his life, but of his character.

III. The respective reward of the wise and foolish. The first are crowned by an increase of knowledge, the second have an inheritance; but it is only to be given over to their foolishness. The wise mans moral sense becomes more developed, by reason of use it is more and more able to discern good and evil (Heb. 5:14). He is more and more removed from that simplicity which believeth every wordhe can try the spirits, whether they are of God (1Jn. 4:1), while the foolish man is more and more the dupe of his own credulity, or of his own self-conceit, and becomes more and more the slave of uncontrolled passion.

ILLUSTRATION OF Pro. 14:17

Socrates, meeting a gentleman of rank in the street, saluted him, but the gentleman took no notice of it. His friends, observing what passed, told the philosopher that they were so exasperated at the mans incivility that they had a good mind to resent it. But he calmly made answer, If you meet any person in the road in a worse habit of body than yourself would you think you had reason to be enraged with him on that account. Pray, then, what greater reason can you have for being incensed at a man for a worse habit of mind than any of yourselves?

OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS

Pro. 14:15. He who applies himself to wisdom takes heed of his own ways, foreseeing dangers, preparing remedies, employing the assistance of the good, guarding himself against the wicked, cautious in entering on a work, not unprepared for a retreat, watchful to seize opportunities, strenuous to remove impediments, and attending to many other things which concern the government of his own actions and proceedings. But the other kind of wisdom is entirely made up of deceits and cunning tricks, laying all its hope in the circumventing of others, and moulding them to its pleasure, which kind Pro. 14:8 denounces as being not only dishonest, but also foolish.Lord Bacon.

The simple believeth every word, whether true or false, useful or injurious. Charity, indeed, believeth all things (1Co. 13:7), but not things that are palpably untrue. It is the truth which it readily believes. It believes all that it can with a good conscience to the credit of another, but not anything more. Epicharmus says, The sinews and limbs of faith are not rashly to believe (Act. 17:11). The prudent man looketh well to his goingwhether it tends to grace and salvation, or to sin and perdition; he believeth not every wordas, for instance, the flattering words of seducers, who commend to him false doctrine or licentious practice (Eph. 5:15).Fausset.

We may apply the verse in all its emphasis of meaning to eternal concerns. The simple hear different persons on the subject of religion, and take for granted that all they hear is right. They are easily bewildered by sophistical arguments; led away by appeals to feeling; swayed and mastered by false eloquence; seduced by flattery. They are the sport of all that is noveltossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine. On the contrary, when interests so vast are at stake the prudent man will feel his way, taking nothing upon trust. He first bends his earnest thought to the question of the divine authority of the Biblea question next in importance to that of the being of God; and having ascertained its authority, he will go to it, with humble-minded candour and anxiety, to learn its lessons. Having the map he will examine for himself the way to heaven. Having a divine directory, he will trust no human guide.Wardlaw.

History is full of examples of men who have lost their lives by means of their credulity, amongst whom were those great men, Abner and Amasa. Some have been betrayed into the worst of sins, by believing groundless reports of others, as Saul in the case of David, and we might almost add, David himself in the case of Mephibosheth. The nation of the Jews was threatened with desolation by the easy temper of Ahasuerus, who believed without examination the malicious suggestions of the wicked Haman. The whole world was ruined by the simplicity of Eve, and the easy credit she gave the serpent.Lawson.

To believe every word of God is faith. To believe every word of man is credulity. Admit only the one standard; like the noble Bereans, who would not believe even an apostles word, except it was confirmed by the written testimony (Act. 17:11).Bridges.

We are not willing to be blindfolded at our meat, nor to eat our supper without a light, especially in strange places, where we neither know well the fidelity of our host, nor what dishes are set before us, and shall we be more provident for the outward man, than for the inward? Shall we keep out of our bodies such food as is not wholesome and savoury, and receive into our souls such food as will poison us? No wrong is thus done to any man. We use to tell silver and to weigh gold, and yet we prejudge not them at whose hands we receive them.Dod.

Trust is a lovely thing, but it cannot stand unless it get truth to lean on. It is a well-known characteristic of the little child to believe implicitly whatever you tell him It remains a feature of the child until it is worn off by hard experience of the world. In this world a man is obliged to be suspicious. Man suffers more from man than from the elements of nature or the beasts of the field. A time is coming when this species of prudence will be no longer needed. When the people shall be all righteous, there will be no deception on one side, and no distrust on the other.Arnot.

A prudent man looks forward to the consequences of things, and particularly to the consequences of his own conduct. O, how much misery and mischief might be avoided or prevented by attending only to this single principle, for what are most of the calamities we see in the world owing to but thisthat men will not look before them? To the want of this wise foresight Moses attributed all the rebellions and enormities of the Jewish people, and therefore breathed forth this ardent prayer on their behalf, O, that they were wise, that they understood this, that they would consider their latter end (Deu. 32:29).Mason.

Pro. 14:16. The evil from which the wise man departeth may mean either suffering or sin. Both may with propriety be included, the one being the cause of the other.Wardlaw.

Fear is sometimes thought to be an unmanly principle. But look at the terrible extent of the evil dreaded. Without it is vanity and disappointment (Rom. 6:21). Within it is the sting of guilt (1Co. 15:56). Upward we see the frown of God (Joh. 3:36). Downward everlasting burnings (Mar. 9:44). The fool, however, never fears till he falls. Such a fool was the raging Assyrian, blindly confident in his own might, till the God whom he despised turned him back to his destruction (2Ki. 19:28-37).Bridges.

He (the good man) can never trust in himself, though he be satisfied from himself (Pro. 14:14). He knows that his sufficiency is of God; and the fear that causes him to depart from evil is a guardian to the love he feels. Love renders him cautious; the other makes him feel confident. His caution leads him from sin, his confidence leads him to God.A. Clarke.

They which are in greatest safety are farthest from carnal security. The godly have not so many sins as the wicked, and yet they feel them more, and fear them more, and flee from them faster. And the wicked have not more valour than the godly, nor so much freedom from punishment, and yet go beyond them in audacity and fleshly confidence. When David was dealt with by Nathan, he confessed his fault, he craved pardon, he set his heart to seek help from heaven against his sin; but when Ahab was spoken to by Macaiah, he persecuted the prophet, he proceeded in his purpose, he promised himself a safe return. Josiah, hearing the law of the Lord read by Shaphan, rent his clothes in grief and fear, but Jehoiakim hearing the words of God read by Baruch, in regard of the curses therein denounced, did tear the book and burn it in wrath and fury.Dod.

A wise man knows that the enemy is strong, and that his own defences are feeble. His policy therefore is, not to brave danger, but to keep out of harms way. He seeks safety in flight. The fools character is mainly made up of two features; he thinks little of danger and much of himself. He stumbles on both sides alike. That which is strong he despises, and that which is weak he trusts. The dangers that beset him are great, but he counts them as nothing; the strength that is in him is as nothing, but he counts it great. Thus he is on all hands out of his reckoning, and stumbles at every step.Arnot.

As a foolish fear is a betrayer of the strength of man, so a wise fear is the safety of him. Wherefore Cyprian saith, the divine wisdom hath found out an excellent policy that by the help of fear we should be delivered. Great is the benefit of Gods providence, that sometimes fear is made both a virtue and a victory. A wise man departeth from evil before he cometh to it, for then the parting, as most easily, so is most happily made.Jermin.

Fear a religious principle. The beginning of religion in the heart is a subject of curious inquiry and of great practical importance. There is no sufficient reason for supposing that it is in all men alike, we have no rule for saying that religion must either necessarily, or that it does usually proceed from the same cause. Different men are affected by different motives; and what sinks deep into the heart of one, makes little impression upon another. Thus it is, that religion sometimes, not seldom indeed, has a violent origin in the soul, and begins in terror: A wise man feareth and departeth from evil.Paley.

Pro. 14:17. Some pettish spirits are like fine glasses, broken as soon as touched, and all on fire upon every slight and trifling occasion; when meek and grave spirits are like flints that do not send out a spark but after violent and great collision; feeble minds have a habit of wrath, and, like broken bones, are apt to roar with the least touch: it argues a very unsanctified spirit to be so soon moved. Let it be like the fire of thorns, quickly extinct.Salter.

As small letters hurt the sight, so do small matters him that is too much intent upon them; they vex and stir up anger, which begets an evil habit in him in reference to greater affairs.Plutarch.

A man who falls into a passion does indeed commit a folly, but yet is far preferable to the coldly and selfishly calculating villain.Von Gerlach.

A man of wicked devices, one, who when offended, represses the indications of his anger, all the while meditating revenge, and waiting for the opportunity when he can wreak it. As he that is soon angry dealeth foolishly as regards himself, so he that wickedly deviseth revenge, while deferring the expression of his anger, bringeth on him the hatred of others. Thus there is danger on both sides, in hastiness, and in deferring anger through malice. The latter is the worst offence.Fausset.

The more hot-pulsed sinner may be lost; but the deep-set fool excels him both in guilt and danger. Alas! for the well-complexioned, coolly-settled, morally-esteemed, and long-established hypocritical professor. It is not all thinking that this book applauds, but that which is discriminate, the watching of our feet.Miller.

Though religion alloweth to be angry, yet it forbiddeth to be soon angry, because he that is soon angry is as soon dealing foolishly. The haste of his choler maketh him to outrun his understanding, and the smoke of his anger putteth out the light of his judgment.Jermin.

To be angry is to revenge the faults of others upon ourselves.Pope.

As fine gold doth suffer itself to be tried in the fire six or seven times, and yet the heat of the fire doth never change its nature or colour; or as good corn is first threshed with the flail, and then winnowed with the wind, and yet is neither broken with the one nor carried away by the other; even so we should suffer ourselves to be tried by injuries, and yet not by impatience, through anger, change our nature, nor yet our colour, nor be carried away with any inconvenience.Cawdray.

Pro. 14:18. This proverb is especially instructive with respect to the deep inner connection that exists on the one hand between foolish notions, and a poor, unattractive, powerless earthly position, destitute of all influence,and on the other hand between true wisdom and large ability in the department both of the material and the spiritual. Von Gerlach pointedly says, There is a certain power of attraction, according as a man is wise or foolish; the possessions also which the one or the other attains are in accordance with his disposition.Langes Commentary.

The child of Adam is born to folly (Job. 11:12). That is his inheritance. He received it from his first father (Gen. 5:3; Psa. 51:5). So long as he remains simple, he confirms the title. Unlike an earthly inheritance, he cannot relinquish it. He holds it in life, he still holds it firm in death, and reaps its bitter fruits throughout eternity.Bridges.

The prudent has not inherited much at this present date. He has not much of the world. He has not much of another. How shall we express his excellence? He has this poor thing that he calls piety. Where is its worth to him? Why, its worth to him is that it is a splendid crown. He makes a crown of knowledge. That is, he takes his piety, which is a mean, weak beginning, and makes it the badge of a glorious sovereignty. The Christian is a king. And by this is meant, that, when he becomes pious, everything becomes subject to him (1Co. 3:22).Miller.

The world says that none dies without an heir: Religion says that none dies without an inheritance. Everyone dying in this world is heir to himself in the next world.Jermin.

Fuente: The Preacher’s Complete Homiletical Commentary Edited by Joseph S. Exell

(15) The simple.See above on Pro. 1:22.

Believeth every word.And so, having no fixed principles by which to go, often takes a wrong step; while the prudent man considers well (Pro. 14:8) whither each step will lead, and therefore does not go astray.

Fuente: Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers (Old and New Testaments)

15. Every word Or, every thing. He is over credulous.

Looketh well to his going Is observant of his steps, looks well where he puts his foot, and does not place it anywhere until he is sure of his footing. The figure is very descriptive of a prudent, wary, or careful man, as opposed to the over-credulous simpleton. Bochart observes here: “Prudence without simplicity degenerates into craft: and simplicity without prudence is no better than mere fatuity” imbecility of mind. “To believe every word of God is faith; to believe every word of man is credulity.” Muenscher. Comp. Pro 14:8.

Fuente: Whedon’s Commentary on the Old and New Testaments

v. 15. The simple, the inexperienced, believeth every word, without examining its truth, be is driven to and fro without any judgment of his own; but the prudent man looketh well to his going, watching every step, not attempting anything without the most careful consideration.

Fuente: The Popular Commentary on the Bible by Kretzmann

Pro 14:15. The simple believeth every word Bochart observes well upon this verse, that as prudence, without simplicity, degenerates into craft; so simplicity, without prudence, is no better than downright folly. We must follow our Saviour’s counsel, and unite the serpent with the dove.

Fuente: Commentary on the Holy Bible by Thomas Coke

The simple believeth every word: but the prudent man looketh well to his going. A wise man feareth, and departeth from evil: but the fool rageth, and is confident. He that is soon angry dealeth foolishly: and a man of wicked devices is hated. The simple inherit folly: but the prudent are crowned with knowledge. The evil bow before the good; and the wicked at the gates of the righteous. The poor is hated even of his own neighbour: but the rich hath many friends.

The poor in spirit is the object of the rich man’s hatred, if the one be a possessor of grace in his poverty, and the other not. But, what rich are here spoken of? Perhaps the rich of this world. Yes; such have many friends, at least, many who profess to be so; but not many promises. Go to now, ye rich men (saith Jesus) weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Jas 5:1 . But if Solomon means by the rich having many friends, the rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom, they have indeed multitudes of friends. God is their Father and friend; Jesus is their friend that loveth at all times: the Holy Ghost is their friend. Angels, and all the church of the first-born in heaven are their friends; and all the redeemed below. Precious thought to the exercised followers of the sinner’s friend!

Fuente: Hawker’s Poor Man’s Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

Pro 14:15 The simple believeth every word: but the prudent [man] looketh well to his going.

Ver. 15. The simple believeth every word. ] You may draw him any way with a wet finger, persuade him to anything, as Rehoboam, that old baby. N , was a very good rule of Epicharmus. Be not light of belief; try before you trust; look before you leap. Alioqui saliens antequam videas, casurus es antequam debeas, a Wisdom would, that as men should not be too censorious (“This man blasphemeth,” said they of our Saviour), so neither too credulous, as the giddy headed Galatians were to their seducing doctors; – “I Gal 1:6 wonder that ye are so soon removed,” &c. Let us leave to the Papists Ministrorum muta officia, populi caeca obsequia – their ministers’ dumb services, their people’s blind obediences; and ever count it a singular folly to take men’s bare authority in matters of faith, and not to “prove the spirits whether they are of God,” 1Jn 4:1 as those “noble” Bereans did, and are worthily renowned for it. Act 17:11

But the prudent man looketh well to his goings. ] He looketh not so much what others believe, or not believe, do or not do, as what he is bound to believe or do. He pins not his faith to another man’s sleeve; he frames not his pace by another man’s practice, but walks by line and by rule, treads gingerly, steps warily, lifts not up one foot till he finds sure footing for the other, as those [of] Psa 35:6 . This is to “walk exactly, accurately, b not fools, but as wise.” Eph 5:15

a Bern. de bono desert.

b

Fuente: John Trapp’s Complete Commentary (Old and New Testaments)

word: or thing.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Pro 14:15

Pro 14:15

“The simple believeth every word; But the prudent man looketh well to his going.”

He is a simpleton indeed who believes everything that he hears, or for that matter, everything that he reads in the newspapers. This also applies to many a religious pulpit. It is always the part of a wise man to weigh with the utmost care and attention the messages that are continually being shouted at him from all directions.

Pro 14:15. Such are like children (Eph 4:14). Older people often amuse themselves by taking advantage of an innocent childs gullibility by telling him all kinds of yarns and tales. And some people grow up and never doubt anything they hear. In contrast the prudent man considers whither the advice given will lead him; he always acts with deliberation (Pulpit Commentary).

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

simple: Pro 4:26, Pro 22:3, Pro 27:12, Rom 16:18, Rom 16:19, Eph 4:14, Eph 5:17, 1Jo 4:1

the prudent: Pro 14:8, Amo 5:13, Act 13:7

Reciprocal: Gen 37:33 – evil beast 2Sa 1:5 – How knowest 2Sa 15:11 – their simplicity 1Ki 2:18 – Well Neh 6:3 – And I sent Neh 6:4 – and I answered Psa 37:31 – steps Pro 7:7 – the simple Eze 13:6 – made Jam 1:25 – looketh

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Pro 14:15. The simple A foolish man; believeth every word Is easily deceived with the smooth words and fair pretences of false and deceitful men; but the prudent man The man well instructed and truly wise; looketh well to his goings Either, 1st, To his own goings: he ordereth his conversation and dealings in the world with due circumspection, not considering so much what other men say as what he ought to do. Or, 2d, To the goings of the deceiver: that is, he judges of mens words and professions by their conduct, which is a good rule. He is cautious, examining before he believes, and trying before he trusts, especially in matters of great moment; and considering things maturely before he does as he is advised. Bochart observes well upon this verse, that as prudence without simplicity degenerates into craft, so simplicity without prudence is no better than downright folly. We must follow our Saviours counsel, and unite the serpent with the dove.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments