iv. 4), when all the streams of human wisdom and greatness which had
been flowing through the world for ages, had converged into one head and were seen to be powerless to accomplish the regeneration of the world. Then "God sent forth His Son." 2. The _place_ of the manifestation. When the wisdom of a commander has decided that a battle must be fought, his prudence is called in to decide where it must take place, where all lawful advantage will be upon his side. Our world was chosen by Divine prudence as the scene of the battle between the powers of Good and Evil because, seeing that here the human race had been most shamefully defeated by the devil, it was most fitting that here the Prince of Darkness should be defeated by One in human form--that the victory should be won where the defeat had been sustained. 3. _The manner in which, or the means by which, man's redemption was accomplished._ The life of the Incarnate Son of God was adapted to influence the hearts of men. His death for their sins was calculated as probably no other event could have been, to beget within them a love which is powerful enough to make them new creatures. The fact that millions of men and women have been thus born to a new life through the cross of Christ is a revelation of its adaptation to human needs, and a manifestation that Divine wisdom dwelt with Divine prudence in the plan of redemption; that in this, as in all His other workings, there is no exhibition of "sagacious counsels" (see Critical Notes).
+II. Divine wisdom and prudence act in union for the promotion of moral ends+ (verse 13). There is a wisdom and prudence which do not act in concert for this purpose, but for the very opposite. There is a manifestation of prudence choosing the best time, place, and method in which to work out an evil design. The plan of the tempter to ruin our first parents was a great display of united wisdom and prudence. The _time,_ the _place,_ the _means_ chosen were all calculated to effect the purpose. But the wisdom and prudence of God unite to put down sin, to banish its evil influence from the universe. As we see the combination of wisdom and prudence in the Father's plan of redemption, so we see them combined in every act and word of the Son of God while He was manifest in the flesh. The means He used to silence His enemies, to instruct His disciples, to enlighten the ignorant multitude, were all revelations of His Divine wisdom and prudence.
_OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS._
Verse 12. That is, this spiritual light, which the very first proverb (ch. i. 2, 3) says is holiness; takes possession of any _intellect; dwells in it;_ nay, _makes a dwelling in it;_ for holiness can dwell in nothing else; and that intellect, though it may be the very mind of God, is stirred up by nothing else to _do_ all that is grand in its total history (verses 22-30). Satan, with such splendid intellect, what is he but the universe's insanest fool? He toils for worse wages than anybody in the whole creation. But could wisdom get a lodging in that peerless intellect, what different results! She gets a lodging in our earthly faculties, and turns us about from sowing to our death, to a splendid harvest of eternal favour.--_Miller._
Wisdom, in the most comprehensive aspect, is to be regarded as giving origin to all arts and sciences, by which human life is improved and adorned; as by her inventive skill developing all the varied appliances for the external comfort and well-being of mankind; as planning the "wondrous frame" of universal creation, which, with all its varied beauty, fills us, in the view with astonishment and delight; and conceiving, in the depths of eternity, the glorious scheme--a scheme "dark with brightness all along"--which secures the happiness of man for ever, and in which she appears in her noblest and most attractive display, the whole, from first to last, discovering "the manifold wisdom of God."--_Wardlaw._
In the first address of Wisdom (ch. i. 22-33), her words were stern and terrible. The first step in the Divine education is to proclaim "the terrors of the Lord," but here she neither promises nor threatens, but, as if lost in contemplation, speaks of her own excellence. "Prudence." The subtilty of the serpent, in itself neutral, but capable of being turned to good as well as evil. Wisdom, high and lofty, occupied with things heavenly and eternal, does not exclude, yea, rather, "dwells with" the practical tact and insight needed for the common life of men.--_Plumptre._
Wisdom here beginneth to draw her own picture, and with her own pencil. . . . The force of the verse is, that Wisdom is there where there is a fitness of worth to entertain her.--_Jermin._
I draw all into practice, and teach man to prove by their own experience, what is "that good, and holy, and acceptable will of God" (Rom. xii. 2).--_Trapp._
All arts among men are the rays of Divine wisdom falling upon them. Whatsoever wisdom there is in the world, it is but a shadow of the wisdom of God.--_Charnock._
Prudence is defined, _wisdom applied to practice;_ so, wherever true wisdom is, it will lead to action. . . . The farther wisdom proceeds in man the more practical knowledge it gains, and, finding out the nature and properties of things, and the general course of Providence, it can contrive by new combinations to produce new results.--_Adam Clarke._
Verse 13. To fear retribution is not to hate sin. In most cases it is to love it with the whole heart. It is a solemn suggestion that even the _religion_ of dark, unrenewed men is in its essence a love of their own sins. Instead of hating sin themselves, their grand regret is, that God hates it. If they could be convinced that the Judge would regard it as lightly as the culprit, the fear would collapse like steam under cold water, and all the religious machinery which it drove would stand still.--_Arnot._
The godly avoid evil and do good--not merely from habit, education, the hope of reward, or the fear of punishment, but from hatred of evil and love of goodness.--_Cartwright._
The affection of hatred as having sin for its object is spoken of in Scripture as no inconsiderable part of true religion. It is spoken of as that by which true religion may be known and distinguished.--_Jon. Edwards._
Wisdom having shown where she dwelleth, she showeth likewise where she dwelleth not. . . . He that saith, "The fear of the Lord is to hate evil," is Himself the Lord that hateth evil. And, doubtless, every one should hate that which He hateth, whom all must love. Now, in an evil way, there be some ringleaders, and such are "pride, arrogancy, and the froward mouth," for these draw many other after them. . . . And as for the Eternal Wisdom, how much He hateth them, His little regard of Himself showeth plainly and fully. For it was His hatred of Satan's pride, reigning in wickedness, as well as His love to man captivated by it, that made Him to become man; yea, a worm, and no man, and by His humility to destroy pride, which He so greatly hated.--_Jermin._
It is not only Divine _holiness,_ observe, that "hates evil," it is Divine _wisdom._ This conveys to us the important lesson that the will of God, along with his abhorrence of all that is opposed it, is founded in the _best of reasons._ All that is evil is contrary to His own necessary perfection, and, consequently, to "the eternal fitness of things."--_Wardlaw._
As it is impossible to hate evil without loving good; and as hatred to evil will lead a man to abandon the evil way, and love to goodness will lead him to do what is right in the sight of God, under the influence of that Spirit which has given the hatred to evil, and the love to goodness; this implies the sum and substance of true religion, which is here termed the fear of the Lord.--_Adam Clarke._
God's people partake of the Divine nature, and so have God-like sympathies and antipathies (Rev. ii. 6). They not only leave sin, but loathe it, and are at deadly feud with it. They purge themselves--by this clean fear of God (Psa. xix. 7)--from all pollutions, not of flesh only, worldly lusts, and gross evils, but of spirit also, that lie more up in the heart of the country, as pride, arrogancy, etc.--_Trapp._
_MAIN HOMILETICS OF THE PARAGRAPH.--Verses_ 14-16.
THE SOURCE OF TRUE POWER.
+I. Moral wisdom is the strength of kings.+ "I have strength; by me kings rule." There is a kind of strength in all wisdom. The serpent's strength is in his subtlety. The strength of the kingdom of darkness consists in a kind of wisdom of which our Lord speaks, when He says, "The children of this world are in their generation wiser than the children of light" (Luke xvi. 8). Many kingdoms have been founded and governed upon the basis of merely human sagacity. But in all such government there are elements of weakness. The foundation of all lasting, true government is to be found only in moral wisdom, in other words, in holiness. That king or ruler will in the long-run have the firmest hold upon his subjects who is himself ruled by Divine wisdom. His strength will be found in the fact, that he rules himself before he attempts to rule others. His personal character will be his chief strength. Christ Himself is strong to rule, because He is pre-eminently the "Holy One."
+II. Without moral wisdom there can be no righteous government.+ "By me princes decree justice." A man's laws will be the outcome of his character. He will not make righteous laws unless he has himself submitted to moral rule. We are assured that all God's decrees in relation to all His creatures are righteous, because we know Him to be altogether righteous. He was been declared by Him who knows Him best to be the "righteous Father" (John xvii. 25), therefore we know that only righteous laws can be decreed by Him. And it is only in proportion as rulers are influenced by Him, and partake of His character, that they rule in righteousness.
_OUTLINES AND SUGGESTIVE COMMENTS._
Verse 14. Wisdom's life is a thing of system. It has an assured result. It is the card-building of the spirit. One card supports another. It builds out with a declared dependence to the very end.--_Miller._
The Son of God is a counsellor, as Isaiah calleth Him; for He is both of the privy council of His Father, and the adviser of His Church. Moreover, He hath strength in Him, being the arm of God to conquer sin, with hell and Satan, and is able to do whatsoever He will. Substance (sound wisdom, see Critical Notes), or the being of things, is likewise His, for He causeth all creatures to be and subsist.--_Muffet._
Direction how to act in all circumstances and on all occasions must come from wisdom: the foolish man can give no counsel, cannot show another how he is to act in the various changes and chances of life. The wise man alone can give this counsel, and he can give it only as continually receiving instruction from God: for this Divine Wisdom can say, substance, reality, essence, (see Critical Notes on Sound Wisdom), all belong to me: I am the fountain whence all are derived. Man may be wise, and good, and prudent, and ingenious; but these he derives from me, and they are _dependently_ in him. But in me all these are independently and essentially inherent.--_Adam Clarke._
Many things are done, but not having _counsel_ for the foundation of them, are weak and rotten and fall again to nothing. Many have _understanding_ what is to be done, and how to do it, but have not _strength_ to effect it: again many have _strength_ of effecting, but have not _understanding_ how to go about it. But the eternal wisdom hath all. It is no strength which by His strength is not supported, no understanding which by His understanding is not enlightened, no counsel which by His counsel is not guided.--_Jermin._
"Knowledge is power," and knowledge in union with wisdom--the ability to use knowledge aright--multiplies the power. In proportion as there is "understanding" and "wisdom," is there "strength"--moral and spiritual strength--strength to act and to suffer, to _do_ and to _bear._--_Wardlaw._
Verses 15, 16. The chief monarchs of the world come unto their sceptres by the power and permission of the Son of God. Lawgivers and counsellors, by His direction and inspiration, give advice and invent politic laws. Inferior rulers keep their places, countenance, and authority by His assistance, whereunto they also rise by His secret disposing of matters. Finally, judges and justices who used to keep courts and sit on benches, do by Him, from Him, and for Him, pronounce sentence, handle matters of state, execute laws, and finally determine all cases.--_Muffet._
Here is a Divine prophecy concerning Him who said, "All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth" (Matt. xxiii. 18), and who has "on His head many crowns" (Rev. xix. 12), and "on his vesture and on His thigh a name written, King of Kings, and Lord of Lords" (Rev.