Verse 33. - The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom; that which leads to and gives wisdom (see Proverbs 1:3, 7, etc.; Proverbs 9:10). 'Pirke Aboth,' 3:26, "No wisdom, no fear of God; no fear of God, no wisdom. No knowledge, no discernment; no discernment, no knowledge." Before honour is humility (Proverbs 18:12). A man who fears God must be humble, and as the fear of God leads to wisdom, it may be said that humility leads to the honour and glory of being wise and reckoned among the wise (ver. 31). A man with a lowly opinion of himself will hearken to the teaching of the wise, and scrupulously obey the Law of God, and will be blessed in his ways. For "God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble" (James 4:6; comp. Luke 1:52). The maxim in the second clause has a general application. "He that shall humble himself shall be exalted" (Matthew 23:12; comp. Luke 14:11; James 4:6). It is sanctioned by the example of Christ himself, the Spirit itself testifying beforehand his sufferings that were to precede his glory (1 Peter 1:11; see also Philippians 2:5, etc.). Septuagint, "The fear of the Lord is discipline and wisdom, and the beginning of glory shall answer to it." Another reading adds, "Glory goeth before the humble," which is explained to mean that the humble set before their eyes the reward that awaits their humility, and patiently endure, like Christ, "who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God" (Hebrews 12:2).
15:29. God sets himself at a distance from those who set him at defiance. 30. How delightful to the humbled soul to hear the good report of salvation by the Lord Jesus Christ! 31. Faithful, friendly reproofs help spiritual life, and lead to eternal life. 32. Sinners undervalue their own souls; therefore they prefer the body before the soul, and wrong the soul to please the body. 33. The fear of the Lord will dispose us to search the Scriptures with reverence; and it will cause us to follow the leadings of the Holy Spirit. While we humbly place all our dependence on the grace of God, we are exalted in the righteousness of Christ.
The fear of the Lord is the instruction of wisdom,.... It is "the beginning of wisdom", Proverbs 9:10; it leads unto it, instructs a man in it; by means of it he attains to true spiritual and evangelical wisdom; it teaches him to abstain from sin, and to serve the Lord; and to seek the salvation of his soul in the way God has appointed, which is by his Son Jesus Christ, which to do is the highest wisdom;
and before honour is humility; the fear of God and humility go together, where the one is the other is; and as the one is the way to wisdom, the other is the way to glory; Christ's humiliation was before his exaltation; men are first humbled and laid low in their own eyes, and then they are raised out of their low estate, and are set among princes; and shall inherit the throne of glory, being made kings and priests unto God; it is a frequent saying of Christ's, "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted", Luke 14:11; such an one is raised to a high estate of grace, and at last to eternal glory.
Before honour is humility.--Humility leads to it. (Comp. Luke 1:52.)
and before honour is humility; the fear of God and humility go together, where the one is the other is; and as the one is the way to wisdom, the other is the way to glory; Christ's humiliation was before his exaltation; men are first humbled and laid low in their own eyes, and then they are raised out of their low estate, and are set among princes; and shall inherit the throne of glory, being made kings and priests unto God; it is a frequent saying of Christ's, "he that humbleth himself shall be exalted", Luke 14:11; such an one is raised to a high estate of grace, and at last to eternal glory.