Bridges on Proverbs 28:23
 
 
Charles Bridges on Proverbs 28:23
 
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23.  He that rebuketh a man afterwards shall find more favour than he that flattereth with the tongue.
 
Too often the flatterer finds more favor than the reprover. ‘Few people have the wisdom to like reproofs that would do them good, better than praises that do them hurt.’ And yet a candid man, notwithstanding the momentary struggle of wounded pride, will afterwards appreciate the purity of the motive, and the value of the discovery. ‘He that cries out against his surgeon for hurting him, when he is searching his wound, will yet pay him well, and thank him too, when he has cured it.’
Unbelief, however, palsies Christian rebuke. Actual displeasure, or the chilling of friendship, is intolerable. But Paul's public rebuke of his brother Apostle produced no disruption between them. Many years afterward Peter acknowledged his “beloved brother Paul” with most affectionate regard. The Apostle's painful rebuke of his Corinthian converts eventually increased his favor with them, as the friend of their best interests. The flatterer is viewed with disgust; the reprover — afterwards at least — with acceptance. A less favorable result may often be traced to an unseasonable time, a harsh manner, a neglect of prayer for needful wisdom, or a want of due “consideration” of our own liability to fall. (Galatians 6:1.) Let us study the spirit of our gracious Master, whose gentleness ever poured balm into the wound which his faithful love had opened. A rebuke in this spirit is more like the support of a friend, than the chastening of a rod.
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
1 Kings 22:6-8, 27. Jeremiah 26:7, 8.
 

 
1 Kings 22:6-8, 27
6 Then the king of Israel gathered the prophets together, about four hundred men, and said unto them, Shall I go against Ramothgilead to battle, or shall I forbear? And they said, Go up; for the Lord shall deliver it into the hand of the king.
7 And Jehoshaphat said,
Is there not here a prophet of the LORD besides, that we might enquire of him?
8 And the king of Israel said unto Jehoshaphat,
There is yet one man, Micaiah the son of Imlah, by whom we may enquire of the LORD: but I hate him; for he doth not prophesy good concerning me, but evil. And Jehoshaphat said, Let not the king say so.
27 And say, Thus saith the king, Put this
fellow in the prison, and feed him with bread of affliction and with water of affliction, until I come in peace.
 
Jeremiah 26:7, 8
7 ¶ So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD. 8 Now it came to pass, when Jeremiah had made an end of speaking all that the LORD had commanded him to speak unto all the people, that the priests and the prophets and all the people took him, saying, Thou shalt surely die.
 
 
Footnote:
Dr. South. See his Life.
 
 
Footnote:
 
 
Footnote:
Galatians 2:11-14, with 2 Peter 3:15.
 

 
Galatians 2:11-14
11 ¶ But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?
 
with
2 Peter 3:15
15 And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you;
 
 
Footnote:
1 Corinthians 5. with 2 Corinthians 2:1-10.
 

 
1 Corinthians 5
1 ¶ It is reported commonly that there is fornication among you, and such fornication as is not so much as named among the Gentiles, that one should have his father's wife. 2 And ye are puffed up, and have not rather mourned, that he that hath done this deed might be taken away from among you. 3 For I verily, as absent in body, but present in spirit, have judged already, as though I were present, concerning him that hath so done this deed, {judged: or, determined} 4 In the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, when ye are gathered together, and my spirit, with the power of our Lord Jesus Christ, 5 To deliver such an one unto Satan for the destruction of the flesh, that the spirit may be saved in the day of the Lord Jesus. 6 Your glorying is not good. Know ye not that a little leaven leaveneth the whole lump? 7 ¶ Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us: {is sacrificed; or, is slain} 8 Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, neither with the leaven of malice and wickedness; but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. {the feast: or, holyday} 9 ¶ I wrote unto you in an epistle not to company with fornicators: 10 Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world. 11 But now I have written unto you not to keep company, if any man that is called a brother be a fornicator, or covetous, or an idolater, or a railer, or a drunkard, or an extortioner; with such an one no not to eat. 12 For what have I to do to judge them also that are without? do not ye judge them that are within? 13 But them that are without God judgeth. Therefore put away from among yourselves that wicked person.
 
2 Corinthians 2:1-10
1 ¶ But I determined this with myself, that I would not come again to you in heaviness. 2 For if I make you sorry, who is he then that maketh me glad, but the same which is made sorry by me? 3 And I wrote this same unto you, lest, when I came, I should have sorrow from them of whom I ought to rejoice; having confidence in you all, that my joy is the joy of you all. 4 For out of much affliction and anguish of heart I wrote unto you with many tears; not that ye should be grieved, but that ye might know the love which I have more abundantly unto you. 5 ¶ But if any have caused grief, he hath not grieved me, but in part: that I may not overcharge you all. 6 Sufficient to such a man is this punishment, which was inflicted of many. {punishment: or, censure} 7 So that contrariwise ye ought rather to forgive him, and comfort him, lest perhaps such a one should be swallowed up with overmuch sorrow. 8 Wherefore I beseech you that ye would confirm your love toward him. 9 For to this end also did I write, that I might know the proof of you, whether ye be obedient in all things. 10 To whom ye forgive any thing, I forgive also: for if I forgave any thing, to whom I forgave it, for your sakes forgave I it in the person of Christ; {person: or, sight}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 27:14.
 

 
Proverbs 27:14
14 ¶ He that blesseth his friend with a loud voice, rising early in the morning, it shall be counted a curse to him.
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 9:8; 27:5, 6. Psalm 141:5. Compare Ecclesiasticus 7:5. Alas! that the example of godly Asa should present an exception to the rule! 2 Chronicles 16:7-10. When Bernard Gilpin publicly rebuked church abuses before his diocesan, instead of incurring his displeasure, the bishop treated him with marked favor. ‘Father Gilpin’ — said he — ‘I acknowledge you are fitter to be bishop of Durham, than I am to be the parson of your church.’ Life of Bp. Carleton, p. 58. When the philosopher asked Alexander the reason of his dismissal — ‘Either’ — replied the monarch — ‘thou hast not marked my error, which is a proof of thy ignorance; or thou hast held thy peace, which is a proof of thy unfaithfulness.’ — Plutarch's Life.
 

 
Proverbs 9:8
8 Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
 
Proverbs 27:5, 6
5 ¶ Open rebuke is better than secret love. 6 Faithful are the wounds of a friend; but the kisses of an enemy are deceitful. {deceitful: or, earnest, or, frequent}
 
Psalm 141:5
5 ¶ Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities. {me; it shall be a...: or, me kindly, and reprove me; let not their precious oil break, etc}
 
Compare
Ecclesiasticus 7:5
5 justify not thyself before the Lord; and boast not of thy wisdom before the king.
 
2 Chronicles 16:7-10
7 ¶ And at that time Hanani the seer came to Asa king of Judah, and said unto him, Because thou hast relied on the king of Syria, and not relied on the LORD thy God, therefore is the host of the king of Syria escaped out of thine hand. 8 Were not the Ethiopians and the Lubims a huge host, with very many chariots and horsemen? yet, because thou didst rely on the LORD, he delivered them into thine hand. {a huge: Heb. in abundance} 9 For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him. Herein thou hast done foolishly: therefore from henceforth thou shalt have wars. {to shew...: or, strongly to hold with them, etc} 10 Then Asa was wroth with the seer, and put him in a prison house; for he was in a rage with him because of this thing. And Asa oppressed some of the people the same time. {oppressed: Heb. crushed}
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Footnote:
Chapter 15:23.
 

 
Proverbs 15:23
23 ¶ A man hath joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good is it! {due...: Heb. his season}
 
 
Galatians 6:1
1 ¶ Brethren, if a man be overtaken in a fault, ye which are spiritual, restore such an one in the spirit of meekness; considering thyself, lest thou also be tempted. {if: or, although}