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Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 28:23

Exegetical and Hermeneutical Commentary of Proverbs 28:23

He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favor than he that flattereth with the tongue.

Pro 28:23

He that rebuketh a man.

Reproof


I.
Regard reproof as a duty.

1. Speaking generally, we may be bound to administer reproof out of regard to the individuals to whom we may address ourselves. An obligation rests upon us to love our neighbours as ourselves. This obligation requires us, of course, to study to promote their welfare. If we saw a man thoughtlessly going near the heel of a horse that was likely to kick at him, and to imperil his life, we should instinctively caution him to avoid the danger. If we knew a friend about to take in hand a business which, from our knowledge and experience, we were quite sure would prove his ruin, we should certainly give him the benefit of our opinion. Much more, therefore, when we see him doing anything or neglecting to do anything to the injury of his character, his usefulness, his happiness, or his eternal well-being, shall we go and faithfully acquaint him with our opinion of his conduct.

2. Another reason why we should give reproof may be the regard we have, not simply to the individuals to whom we may address ourselves, but to the interests of society.

3. There is only one other reason which we would touch upon–we mean, the mind of God upon the matter, as it is revealed in Holy Scripture (Lev 19:17). Let us now notice some particular classes of persons upon whom this duty devolves.

(1) First, upon ministers.

(2) The same duty rests upon masters. They are monarchs in the small kingdom of the household, and are bound to see that nothing is allowed therein that is in any way to be condemned.

(3) It rests also upon parents.


II.
The spirit and manner in which reproof ought to be administered.

1. It should be given in a spirit of prayer. There are differences of natural constitution, and differences of natural judgment, which may affect a persons fitness to discharge the duty; but no man ought to set about such a work without lifting up his heart to God, that his words may be uttered with wisdom, that the opening of his lips may be with grace.

2. A spirit of love ought, also, to influence us. We should be most watchful lest a feeling of anger, wrath, or malice should prompt us, and the hatred of the offence should be lost in the indulgence of our ill-temper and pride.

3. Our reproof, also, should vary in its mode, according to the disposition of the person to be reproved.

4. Reproofs, though deserved, should be administered with a sparing hand. Incessant finding fault defeats its own end. It only irritates the reproved.

5. In rebuking, take care not to overstate the fault. The offender is generally prejudiced in his own favour. He will be apt to think that even a fair statement is excessive; much more will he detect injustice, if he be unfairly charged.


III.
The effects which reproof is calculated to produce. It should produce, of course, always the fruit of righteousness. The life of the reproved ought to be amended; the good advice ought to be taken in a thankful and obedient spirit. This is not unfrequently the case, but oftentimes it is the contrary.

1. Some men are scornful, and obstinately wicked. It is likely to prove discouraging, to use no stronger word, to attempt to bring them out of their faults and errors. There is little good to be got by reproving the confirmed sinner. Your reward will be, probably, that he will hatch up some slanderous report to blacken or blot your character.

2. We may indulge a hope, however, although this be so in bad and extreme cases, that a happier consequence may oftentimes be looked for. This our text encourages us to expect. It is written, He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with his tongue. Even men who are wise and good may be irritated, annoyed, and for a season be offended with us; but, when the disturbance in the atmosphere shall have subsided, it shall be more clear and healthy than it was before. The mans good-sense, assisted or produced by the Holy Spirit of God will triumph over his passion; and he will feel no disposition to complain of the bitter medicine that was administered to him. The reproof which has been given him will send him to his knees. It will lead him to pray that he may see his errors, and that he may have grace to overcome them. (T. W. Thompson, M.A.)

Fuente: Biblical Illustrator Edited by Joseph S. Exell

Afterwards; when he comes calmly to consider the fidelity of the reprover, and the benefit coming to himself by the reproof, and withal the baseness and mischief of flattery.

Fuente: English Annotations on the Holy Bible by Matthew Poole

23. (Compare Pro 9:8;Pro 9:9; Pro 27:5).Those benefited by reproof will love their monitors.

Fuente: Jamieson, Fausset and Brown’s Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible

He that rebuketh a man,…. His friend and acquaintance, for any fault committed by him; which reproof he gives in a free and faithful manner, yet kind, tender, and affectionate. The word rendered “afterwards”, which begins the next clause, according to the accents belongs to this, and is by some rendered, “he that rebuketh a man after me” b; after my directions, according to the rules I have given; that is, after God, and by his order; or Solomon, after his example, who delivered out these sentences and instructions. The Targum so connects the word, and renders the clause,

“he that rebukes a man before him;”

openly, to his thee: but rather it may be rendered “behind”; that is, as Cocceius interprets it, apart, alone, privately, and secretly, when they are by themselves; which agrees with Christ’s instructions,

Mt 18:15;

afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue; for though the reproofs given him may uneasy upon his mind at first, and may be cutting and wounding, and give him some pain, and so some dislike to the reprover; yet when he coolly considers the nature and tendency of the reproof, the manner in which it was given, and the design of it, he will love, value, and esteem his faithful friend and rebuker, more than the man that fawned upon him, and flattered him with having done that which was right and well; or, as the Targum, than he that divideth the tongue, or is doubletongued; and so the Syriac version; see Pr 27:5.

b “post me”, Montanus, Tigurine version, Baynus; so some in Vatablus and Michaelis, R. Saadiah Gaon; “ut sequatur me”, Junius & Tremellius.

Fuente: John Gill’s Exposition of the Entire Bible

23 He that reproveth a man who is going backwards,

Findeth more thanks than the flatterer.

It is impossible that aj can be the suffix of ; the Talmud, Tamid 28a, refers it to God; but that it signifies: after my (Solomon’s) example or precedence (Aben Ezra, Ahron b. Josef, Venet., J. H. Michaelis), is untenable – such a name given by the teacher here to himself is altogether aimless. Others translate, with Jerome: Qui corripit hominem gratiam postea inveniet apud eum magis, quam ille qui per linguae blandimenta decipit , for they partly purpose to read , partly to give to ‘ the meaning of postea . , Ewald says, is a notable example of an adverb. Hitzig seeks to correct this adv. as at Neh 3:30., but where, with Keil, is to be read; at Jos 2:7, where is to be erased; and at Deu 2:30, where the traditional text is accountable. This may be formed like and ; but if it had existed, it would not be a . The accentuation also, in the passage before us, does not recognise it; but it takes and together, and how otherwise than that it appears, as Ibn-Jachja in his Grammar, and Immanuel

(Note: Abulwald ( Rikma, p. 69) also rightly explains , as a characterizing epithet, by (turned backwards).)

have recognised it, to be a noun terminating in aj. It is a formation, like , 1Ki 6:10 (cf. Olshausen’s Lehrb. p. 428f.), of the same termination as , , and in the later Aram.-Heb. , and the like. The variant , noticed by Heidenheim, confirms it; and the distinction between different classes of men ( vid., vol. i. p. 39) which prevails in the Book of Proverbs favours it. A is defined, after the manner of Jeremiah (Jer 7:24): a man who is directed backwards, and not , forwards. Not the renegade – for , opp. , does not lead to so strong a conception – but the retrograder is thus called in German: Rcklufige one who runs backwards or Rckwendige one who turns backwards, who turns away from the good, the right, and the true, and always departs the farther away from them (Immanuel: going backwards in his nature or his moral relations). This centrifugal direction, leading to estrangement from the fear of Jahve, or, what is the same thing, from the religion of revelation, would lead to entire ruin if unreserved and fearless denunciation did not interpose and seek to restrain it; and he who speaks

(Note: Lwenstein writes , after Metheg Setzung, 43, not incorrectly; for the following word, although toned on the first syllable, begins with guttural having the same sound.)

so truly, openly, and earnestly home to the conscience of one who is on the downward course, gains for himself thereby, on the part of him whom he has directed aright, and on the part of all who are well disposed, better thanks (and also, on the part of God, a better reward, Jam 5:19.) than he who, speaking to him, smooths his tongue to say to him who is rich, or in a high position, only that which is agreeable. Laudat adulator, sed non est verus amator . The second half of the verse consists, as often (Psa 73:8; Job 33:1; cf. Thorath Emeth, p. 51), of only two words, with Mercha Silluk.

Fuente: Keil & Delitzsch Commentary on the Old Testament

      23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

      Note, 1. Flatterers may please those for a time who, upon second thoughts, will detest and despise them. If ever they come to be convinced of the evil of those sinful courses they were flattered in, and to be ashamed of the pride and vanity which were humoured and gratified by those flatteries, they will hate the fawning flatterers as having had an ill design upon them, and the fulsome flatteries as having had an ill effect upon them and become nauseous. 2. Reprovers may displease those at first who yet afterwards, when the passion is over and the bitter physic begins to work well, will love and respect them. He that deals faithfully with his friend, in telling him of his faults, though he may put him into some heat for the present, and perhaps have hard words, instead of thanks, for his pains, yet afterwards he will not only have the comfort in his own bosom of having done his duty, but he also whom he reproved will acknowledge that it was a kindness, will entertain a high opinion of his wisdom and faithfulness, and look upon him as fit to be a friend. He that cries out against his surgeon for hurting him when he is searching his wound will yet pay him well, and thank him too, when he has cured it.

Fuente: Matthew Henry’s Whole Bible Commentary

Timely Rebuke

Verse 23 suggests that a rebuke when circumstances warrant may not be warmly received at first; but will afterward be appreciated more than vain flattery, Pro 15:5; Pro 25:12; Pro 27:5-6; Psa 141:5; Ecc 7:5; Gal 2:11-14; 1Ti 5:20.

Fuente: Garner-Howes Baptist Commentary

(23) He that rebuketh a man, afterwards shall find more favour . . .i.e., when the man reproved comes to his senses, and finds how true a friend the reprover has been to him. Or, the words may perhaps mean, He that rebuketh a man (that is going) backwards. (Compare Jer. 7:24, and Jas. 5:20.)

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

23. Rebuketh Reproves, admonishes. “Those reformed by admonition will afterward be grateful to their monitors.” Stuart. A proverb often verified. Comp. Pro 27:6.

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

Pro 28:23 He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.

Ver. 23. He that rebuketh a man shall find, &c. ] He that binds a madman, or rouseth up one in a lethargy, hath but little thank for present; so here. In the sweating sickness, they that were kept awake escaped; but the sickness was deadly to them that were suffered to sleep. Let us keep one another awake, saith a reverend man, a – an unpleasing work on both sides, but we shall one day thank such. See how well Master Gilpin’s plain dealing with the Bishop of Durham succeeded, in his Life written by Bishop Carlton, p. 58.

a Dr Sibbes.

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

tongue. Put by Figure of speech Metonymy (of Cause), for what is spoken by it.

Fuente: Companion Bible Notes, Appendices and Graphics

Pro 28:23

Pro 28:23

“He that rebuketh a man shall afterward find more favor Than he that flattereth with the tongue.”

The scholars tell us that there’s difficulty in the Hebrew with the word `afterward’; and the same is true as it stands in our version. If the first line is rearranged to read, “He that rebuketh a man afterward shall find more favor,” then it might mean that the `afterward’ would refer to misdemeanor; but as it is the word applies to the time when the one who rebuked will find more favor.

To rebuke one who deserves it is a courageous thing to do, and only one’s true friend will do it. (See Jas 5:19). “The true friend says harsh things, but they are wholesome words that may lead to spiritual growth, and they show more real affection than the soft and flattering words of the fawning parasite. Deane favored this rendition: “He that reproves a man’s ways shall have more favor than he that flatters with the tongue.

Pro 28:23. Pro 27:5-6 praises open rebuke as better than love that is hidden. Such wounds of a friend are said to be faithful. Our verse says that one that rebukes a man will later find more favor than those who flattered the man when they should have been rebuking him. If a preacher believes this, he will be more faithful to Gods Word and will not let the people be lost without saying something about their sins. The smooth talkers who never say anything about the sins of the people will really do the people no good. In time to come (sometimes years later) people will look back and have more respect for the honest, outspoken, plain-spoken man than for the coward who was full of good words and fair speeches.

Fuente: Old and New Testaments Restoration Commentary

Pro 27:5, Pro 27:6, 2Sa 12:7, 1Ki 1:23, 1Ki 1:32-40, Psa 141:5, Mat 18:15, Gal 2:11, 2Pe 3:15, 2Pe 3:16

Reciprocal: 1Sa 25:33 – blessed Pro 9:8 – rebuke Pro 24:25 – a good blessing Ecc 9:17 – General 1Th 2:5 – used

Fuente: The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge

Pro 28:23. He that rebuketh a man That reproves him for his faults, though he may displease, nay, anger him at the first; afterward shall find more favour than he that flattereth When the person reproved comes calmly to consider the fidelity, good intention, and disinterestedness of the reprover, and the benefit coming to himself by the reproof, and withal the baseness and mischief of flattery, he will entertain a greater regard for such a man, than for one that humours him in every thing, and, with flattering words, countenances and encourages him in those practices which ought to be reprehended.

Fuente: Joseph Bensons Commentary on the Old and New Testaments