Proverbs 29:1 He, that being often reproved hardens his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy. The verse may be read, "He that reproveth another, and hardeneth his own neck." The Hebrew is, "A man of reproofs, that hardens his own neck." 1. Such a reprover of sin does it against his office. The office of a reprover binds him to be blameless. 2. Such a reprover can never reprove to a right end. It is not because he hates sin; if he did he would put it away from himself. 3. Such a reprover can never do it in a right manner. As long as a man has a beam in his own eye he cannot rightly deal with the mote in his brother's. 4. Such a reprover is a hypocrite. 5. Such a reprover is inexcusable. His reproving another man's sin makes himself inexcusable of his own. 6. Such a reprover is an absurd and impudent person. Such a man both wrongs his own soul and dishonours God. But the verse may be read, "He that, being often reproved, hardeneth his neck." Hebrew is, "Hardens his own neck." A "man of reproofs" equals a man often reproved. The Lord does not destroy a man nakedly, but upon consideration of sin. What a great sin it is, what a great ill it is, for man to sin against his reproofs.The greatness of the ill is set down in two ways. 1. By the great sinfulness of the thing. It is called the hardening of a man's own neck. 2. By the greatness of the punishment that God inflicts upon this sin. When God reproves a man of sin, the reproof primarily comes out of love. The end of reproof is to bring a man to good, to reduce him into a right way, to convert a man, and save his soul. There is no reason in the world why reproof should be taken otherwise than with all willingness and thankfulness and cheerfulness. First use of this: See here what an infinite punishment God is bringing upon a kingdom when He is taking away reprovers from them.The second use makes against those that despise the reproof of the wise. "Ye despise not men, but God." The Lord proportions punishments to men's sins. 1. Because hereby man's punishment appears to be so much the more equal and worthy. 2. Because this stops a man's mouth; it convinceth s man's conscience. 3. All the standers-by see the equity of it. Consider and see how God proportions punishments to sins in kind, quantity, quality, time, and place. (William Fenner.) Parallel Verses KJV: He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.WEB: He who is often rebuked and stiffens his neck will be destroyed suddenly, with no remedy. |
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