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Verse 1. Love. The progeny of God’s children brings forth the fruits of obedience and love. Worthington.—Wisdom teaches every virtue. Calmet.—This verse is not in Greek.
EXPLANATIONS
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Historical chapter commentary
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Verse 3. Seeking. Greek, “and hath confirmed the judgment,” and so forth Bible.—God will revenge any disrespect shewn to parents. Menochius.
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Verse 7. Father. Greek, “Lord … mother (8) and will serve them,” and so forth Bible.—Though you may feed your parents, you are still much in their debt. Saint Ambrose in Lu. 2. and 18. Exodus 20:12. Job 4:3.
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Verse 9. Father. Greek adds, “and thy mother.” Calmet.—Grabe marks this in another character, and substitutes “them” for him. verse 10.—And his, and so forth is wholly omitted. Bible.
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Verse 11. Foundations. Saint Augustine (de Civ. Dei. xxii. 8.) gives a memorable instance. The pagans deemed such curses most terrible. Orpheus. Genesis 9:25.—They are executed upon the wicked.
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Verse 12. Thee. Boast not of thy superior talents, nor say any thing disrespectful.
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Verse 13. A father. Greek, “mother.” Alexander was ashamed of having Philip for his father, pretending that he was the son of Jupiter Ammon. His mother Olympias, with much ingenuity, wrote to him, that he would thus make Juno her powerful rival!
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Verse 15. Fail. Bis pueri senes. They do not lose the character of fathers, how infirm soever, ( Calmet.) and those can never truly serve the invisible Deity, who despise their fathers, his visible images on the earth. Philo. Decal.
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Verse 16. Sin. Or ill-nature. Greek, “instead of sins, (17) a house shall be built up for thee.” Bible.—Thy family shall increase. Exodus 1:21. Calmet.—Alms, prayer, and sacrifice for parents merit reward. Worthington.
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Verse 18. Of. Greek, “Like a blasphemer is,” and so forth Calmet.—He who reviles his father, meditates blasphemy against the Deity. Menander.
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Verse 19. Meekness. Here a new subject begins. Goodness begets love. Saint Ambrose Off. ii. 7.
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Verse 20. Greater. The dignity of a person should be the measure of his humility, (Saint Ambrose de virg. 31.) as the most elevated are the most exposed to pride. Humility is taught only by true wisdom and the gospel. Matthew 11:29. Philosophy may inspire us with the contempt of riches, and so forth Calmet.—Yet humility is the most indispensable duty, and no less essential than delivery to an orator. Saint Augustine ep. 118. ad Diosc.—All human greatness comes from God, who requires us to shew our gratitude by humility. Worthington.
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Verse 22. In, and so forth The mysterious nature of God and providence, cannot be comprehended: and in many things we must confess our ignorance. Life is often spent in idle researches.
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Verse 26. Suspicion. Greek Comp. “their vain suspicion hath deceived many and their wicked thought has ruined their judgment. Not having the apples of the eye, thou wilt be deprived of light; and being ignorant, do not speak.” The latter sentence is marked by Grabe as wanting in his copy, as it is in the Vat. if we may believe the London edit. ( Bible.) which, however, is not an exact copy, no more than any of the other editions, of that famous MS. Grabe.
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Verse 27. Heart. Which fears neither God nor man. Saint Bernard cons. 1.—Those who have not shewn mercy, can expect none. Bible.—The impenitent see their folly, like Antiochus, when it is too late. Calmet.—They have loved the danger, which shall overtake them. Proverbs 1:26. He seems to refute those who believed in fate, and would take no precautions. Calmet.—Those who live in sin, tempting God to the last hour, generally perish. Worthington.
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Verse 29. Wicked. Greek, “hard,” obdurate in sin, like Pharao. Romans 2:5. Bible.—Sorrows. Or crimes, as the word often implies, and the punishment thereof. Calmet.—“Sin, by its own weight, leads to another, (Saint Gregory Mor. xxv. 12.) and while custom is not resisted, a necessity arises.” Saint Augustine Conf. viii. 5.
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Verse 30. Congregation. The proud or obstinate sinner will take no advice. Proverbs 18:3. Calmet.
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Verse 31. Understand. Greek, “shall devise a parable, and the ear of the hearer is the desire of a wise man.” Bible.
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Verse 33. Water, and so forth He delights to instruct the attentive. Calmet.—Resist. Greek, “shall expiate, or obtain pardon for sins.” Daniel 4:24 and Lu. 11:41. “Alms-deeds are a sort of baptism, which may be often repeated” to advantage. Saint Ambrose or. Max.—“When we bestow any thing, it is not of our own, but the gift of Christ. We give bread … He, the poor, renders us the kingdom of heaven.” S. Jerom in Ps. cxxxiii. God becomes our debtor. Saint John Chrysostom hom. liii. and lviii.—Our inheritance is secured. S. Cyp. de Op.—But then charity and repentance must accompany our alms. Saint Augustine de Civ. Dei. 21. ult.
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Some manuscripts add those who fear the Lord honor their father,
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Some manuscripts add Many are lofty and renowned, but he reveals his secrets to the humble.
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Some manuscripts omit verse 25.