Proverbs 3:27-35 - Exposition

6. Sixth admonitory discourse. In this discourse the teacher still carries on his object, which is to demonstrate the conditions upon which true wisdom and happiness are to be attained. The discourse differs from the preceding in consisting of detached proverbs, and may be divided into two main sections—the first ( Proverbs 3:27-30 ) enjoining benevolence, that love to one's neighbour which is the fulfilling of the Law; the second warning against emulating the oppressor and associating with him, because of the fate of the wicked ( Proverbs 3:31-35 ). It is observable that all the maxims have a negative form, and thus present a striking contrast to the form adopted by our Lord in the Sermon on the Mount ( Matthew 5:1-48 .), and to the admonitions at the close of St. Paul's Epistles. In one instance in particular ( Proverbs 3:30 ), the teaching does not reach the high moral standard of the gospel (see Delitzsch and Lange).