Original Meaning
THE FINAL CHAPTER of proverbs collected by “the men of Hezekiah,” like the others in the collection (25:1–29:27; see comments in ch. 25), intertwines reflections on rule and public character with general sayings about the moral life. While the latter clearly apply to all, the juxtaposition implies that they especially apply to rulers. Also, the insights on rule remind readers that we all wield power in some form to some degree and therefore need to handle it responsibly.
While chapter 29 does not fall into an obvious outline, the repetition of “thrive” (root rbh, “increase”) in 29:2 and 16 and the recurrence of “wise/wisdom” in between (29:3, 8, 9, 11, 15) ties the first half together. The wise person sees righteousness and wickedness for what they are and makes the right choice. Verses 13–14 juxtapose sayings about Yahweh and the king near the middle of the chapter, as do verses 25–26 near the end, so we set our markers there.
Cycles of thriving righteousness and wickedness (29:1–16)
Discipline of sons and servants, justice for nations (29:17–27)
Other features point to an intentional arrangement. Verses 12–14 link long-lasting rule with discernment and justice.1 Verses 15–21 present topics in a leapfrog fashion, its key terms and themes showing up in every other verse: “child/son” (29:15, 17), “sin/no restraint” (29:16, 18), “discipline/ correct” (root ysr, 29:17, 19), “revelation/see” (root ḥzh, 29:18, 20), and “servant” (29:19, 21).2 Verses 22–27 may take the form of an alphabetic acrostic (see discussion at v. 22). Key words and themes show up in proverbs about the people (29:2, 18) and the rise and fall of rulers, good and bad (29:2, 16; cf. 28:12, 28), showing the effects of one on the other in a more critical assessment of the work of kings. The Hebrew for “man” (ʾiš, 29:1, 3, 4, 6, 9, 10, 13, 20, 22, 26, 27) appears frequently throughout, suggesting that matters of living wisely are always both personal and public, never one or the other.
Cycles of Thriving Righteousness and Wickedness (29:1–16)
SOMETIMES THE WICKED rule, sometimes the righteous, but the wise know that the wicked will eventually fall. The wise ways of restraint and peace come to the forefront, for they are always in season.
29:1. The ox that would not bend its neck for a yoke became a symbol for recalcitrant Israel (Ex. 32:9; Deut. 9:6; 2 Kings 17:14; Isa. 48:4). We would expect “stiff-necked” (lit., “make the neck hard”) to be in contrast with “broken,” but like a clay jar that shatters (šaber), such a person is “destroyed,” broken beyond repair. A rebuke is a wound (Prov. 27:5–8), but it is given to prevent something much worse. Those who refuse this means of prevention will be denied any means of restoration (cf. 6:15b, which repeats the second line of this verse).3
29:2. The contrast between the plural righteous people who “thrive” (rbh, lit., to “increase, become many”; cf. 28:28; 29:16) and the singular wicked person who “rules” suggests that these righteous people are the ones who really hold the power. People thrive when there is a single good ruler; they do not go into hiding (cf. 28:28) but rejoice. Clearly, one bad ruler can do great harm and cause many to groan. Wisdom and folly are never experienced in isolation, but their effects are especially pronounced when practiced by someone in authority.
29:3. This saying pits love of wisdom against visiting prostitutes, similar to the personifications of wisdom and folly that run throughout the book (4:6–9; 9:1–18; 31:10–31). A father finds joy in a son who lives well, raises a family of his own, and passes on his parents’ wise ways along with the estate (cf. 28:7). Conversely, a father’s wealth can be squandered (lit., “destroyed”; cf. 19:9; 21:28), losing all the father has worked so hard to keep, both the wealth and the more precious possession of the son (cf. 5:7–10). Jesus told a story about such a lost son (Luke 15:11–32). In Proverbs, however, those who find wisdom find “wealth” (hon, Prov. 8:18), and happily in Jesus’ parable, the son “came to his senses.”
29:4. A second proverb contrasting good and bad rule joins with verse 2 to create a frame around the wise son saying of verse 3, perhaps a subtle reminder that kings also rejoice and grieve over their sons. The contrast between justice that brings stability (lit., “causes a land to stand”) and evil that “tears it down” is clear. But the phrase that the NIV renders “greedy for bribes” is difficult, prompting a number of translations. The phrase reads a “man of that which is lifted up” (terumot, NIV “bribes”), an allusion to sacrifices of worship (Ex. 25:2–3). It is used here as a metaphor for rulers who help themselves to the “offering”—perhaps through taxes or by fraud (TNK). “Justice” (root špṭ; cf. Prov. 29:14, 26) is the highest responsibility of the king.
29:5. Following a saying about greedy kings comes this proverb about one who mistreats a neighbor. The flattery is certainly intended to cheat the neighbor in some way, but it is not clear whether “his feet” goes with the neighbor or the flatterer.4 If the first, the contrast is between the smooth words of flattery (5:3; 7:21; 26:28; 28:23) and the harsh capture of the net. If the latter, the proverb is like our “what goes around comes around,” consistent with the next proverb and the many references to traps in Proverbs (cf. 1:17–19; 26:27; 28:19).
29:6. The net spread out for others (29:5) is also the sin that traps the trapper. The contrast between one who is snared (moqeš; cf. 29:25) and one who rejoices (śameaḥ; cf. 29:2) is that between the cry of a captured bird and the song of one who is free. Gladness or rejoicing is a common response to righteousness in Proverbs (cf. 13:9; 23:24–25).
29:7. A literal translation reads, “A righteous one knows the rights of the poor [cf. 31:5, 8], a wicked one does not understand such knowledge.” The key to the saying is the word “know” (ydʿ ), which appears in both lines, reminding readers of the herdsman who is to “know” the condition of the flocks (27:23) and the ruler of understanding and “knowledge” (28:2). Both should be caretakers, authorities who make sure they know about human need and take steps to meet it (29:4, 13–14, 26). By extension, all who are righteous “know” the rights of the poor, but those who do not understand this knowledge are called “wicked.” Strong words!
29:8. A series of character sketches in verses 8–10 is marked by the Hebrew word for “man” at the start of each verse (ʾiš; plural, ʾanše), pitting the “mockers” and “bloodthirsty men” against a single “wise man.” This motif of incendiary fools and calming sages occurs throughout Proverbs, but here the picture is intensified by the presence of “men who scorn” (“mockers”; cf. 1:22) and the disastrous effects that spread throughout the city. Such people “stir up” (yapiḥu) the city like one who blows on a fire to inflame it. The saying is first of a series on the theme of speaking and listening (29:8–12).
29:9. The scope narrows in this second of three proverbs about types of “men” (see previous comment). The scene is a courtroom in which a wise man (lit.) “seeks justice” (root špṭ) from a “fool.” The result is the same as in verse 8—not conciliation or settlement but more uproar, here fueled by more scoffing with the addition of raging. The wise may calm anger, but not the rage of a recalcitrant fool (26:3–5). When read together, the two proverbs imply that mocking (i.e., rejecting all external standards of behavior) inevitably leads to social upheaval.
29:10. The third character sketch (see comments on v. 8) looks at “bloodthirsty men” (lit., “men of blood”; cf. 2 Sam. 16:8). This saying is complicated by a difficult second line, which can be translated, “the upright, they seek his life.” Typically, to seek one’s life denotes an intent to kill (cf. 1 Kings 19:10; Ps. 63:10), but “the upright” may be the subject of the second line, creating a contrast; in this reading, the upright seek the life of the person of integrity, perhaps to save it.5 Either way, the evil intent of the “bloodthirsty men” who hate integrity and the contrast with those who love it are clear (cf. Prov. 29:27).
29:11. This saying about self-control contains a number of idioms that give the interpreter pause. Translated literally, it reads: “A fool gives out all his breath/mind [ruaḥ; cf. 1:23], but the wise quietly holds it back.” The saying is akin to the pair at verses 8–9: The fool lets everything out, including his folly, mockery, and raging, but the wise give their words beauty and persuasiveness by making them few (cf. 12:15; 13:3; 14:3; 15:7; 17:28).
29:12. As written in Hebrew, this proverb does not say that the officials become wicked, only that they are (lit., “all his officials, wicked”). Yet the sense of the NIV holds true, for the character of the ruler determines the character of the court and even the nation. The implied admonition urges persons in authority to weed out the word of falsehood before it takes root (20:8).
29:13. The first Yahweh proverb of this chapter (cf. 29:25–26) levels the playing field between the poor and those who would take advantage of them (28:8; Ps. 72:14). The snap of the saying comes at the end of the first line when the “poor man” and the “oppressor” (lit.) “meet” (pgš; cf. Ps. 85:10). The poor person does not defer, the oppressor does not speak harshly (cf. Prov. 18:23), but both are silent before the one who made them (20:12; 22:2) and gave “light to the eyes.” The imbalance of power is restored with one look at the One who gives them the ability to see each other.
29:14. This saying links with the one before on the theme of the poor; set in contrast to the person who oppresses them is the king who judges with fairness (or “faithfulness,” ʾemet). Kidner catches the sense well: “The test of a man in power, and his hidden strength, is the extent to which he keeps faith with those who can put least pressure on him.”6 Association with Yahweh who judges the poor faithfully is strong, as is the theme of stability (29:4; cf. 20:28; Ps. 72:4–7, 12–14).
29:15. This saying contrasts teaching and correction, symbolized by the rod, with the child (or “youth,” naʿar) “left to himself.”7 This proverb does not relegate administration of discipline to the mother (cf. the father in 13:24) but uses her to highlight the common motif of gladness and shame (23:21–25). There may be word/sound play on “rod” (šebeṭ) and “shame” (mebiš). The parent who does not give needed correction risks receiving unwanted shame.
29:16. The salt of the proverb is in the wordplay on rbh, to “multiply, become great” (28:28; 29:2). The NIV translates it as “thrive” to include the sense of ascending to power and the resultant increase in sin. One might paraphrase to say that the wicked rise, and so the proverb assures readers that the righteous will see their eventual downfall, brought on by their own folly and the intervention of God. In its literary context, this proverb on corporate character is equally applicable to courts and households (cf. 29:14–15).
Discipline of Sons and Servants, Justice for Nations (29:17–27)
SAYINGS ABOUT HOUSEHOLD discipline and community justice are juxtaposed, revealing how much each has in common with the other.
29:17. The proverbs of verses 17–21 are linked by catchwords in a leapfrog fashion (see introduction). Akin to the saying at verse 15, this hopeful proverb stresses the positive aspect of “discipline”; if a son left to himself brings shame, the son who receives “discipline” (“instruction,” root ysr; cf. 29:19; 19:18; 22:6; 31:1) gives peace and delight.8 Again, what is given is returned in kind.
29:18. Although this proverb is well known, it is often misunderstood because of the varied translations. The KJV is familiar to many: “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he.” The NIV, making use of more recent scholarship, translates the troublesome first line by replacing “revelation” for “vision” and “cast off restraint” for “perish.” The “revelation” (ḥazon)9 is usually a prophetic vision (Isa. 1:1; Dan. 1:17; Hab. 1:1), yet this vision may be withheld in times of apostasy and crisis (1 Sam. 3:1; Lam. 2:9; Ezek. 7:26). Thus, the first line observes that when there is no such communication from God and his prophet, the people run wild like undisciplined sons (cf. Prov. 29:15–17; also Ex. 32:25).10
The second line narrows the focus to an individual who keeps the torah (certainly the teaching of the wise and possibly the torah of Moses) and is blessed or happy (ʾašre; cf. Ps. 1:1; Prov. 31:28). This saying does not elevate individual piety over social righteousness; rather, it observes that teaching, wisdom, and covenant are a constant resource for both. This proverb is too limited in its teaching if it is only taken as support for church programs and goal-setting.
29:19. A puzzling saying that seems to contradict all that has been said about teaching, this proverb appears not only to negate the influence of words but also to claim that understanding does not necessarily lead to an appropriate response. However, as one of two proverbs about servants in this chapter (cf. 29:21), the emphasis here falls on correction and even restraint (cf. 29:18). Servants were expected to follow orders, and at times more than a verbal prodding was necessary. While a servant may be wiser than a son (17:2; 29:15), the exception proves the rule. A wise person, perhaps a messenger to a ruler, was expected to “respond” or give an answer (22:21), but such learning is not in view here; a servant was to hear and do.
29:20. This proverb works on two levels—as a truth drawn from experience and as a piece of the mosaic of verses 17–21. The observation on the dangers of rash speech is simple enough, but to say that there is more hope for the fool who rages, mocks, and says everything that comes to mind (29:9, 11) is to use the hyperbole to show how serious this matter is (cf. the nearly identical 26:12). Certainly speaking without thinking is in view (10:19; 19:2), but in this context, the repetition of ḥzh (see, “revelation,” 29:18) suggests that hasty speech ignores the constraints of the “law” (torah) as well as the practices of discernment that see and learn (22:29; 24:32).
29:21. The main contrast of this proverb is between beginning (lit., “from youth”; cf. 29:15) and end; one who does not discipline a servant at the start will have trouble later on. Interpreters wrestle with the word translated “grief,” for it occurs nowhere else in the Hebrew Bible. The meaning is taken from the LXX, which differs from the Hebrew of this verse by making the youth wanton or reckless, not pampered. The NRSV opts for the more general meaning of “bad end.” The proverb implies that discipline provided early on will lead to a happier ending.
29:22. The last five verses of chapter 29 take the form of a partial alphabetic acrostic; acrostics also appear at the conclusion of the words of the wise (24:1–22) and the words of Lemuel (31:10–31).11 While a common theme is not immediately apparent, the linking of sayings about Yahweh and the king puts the primary focus on community justice (29:25–26). The first line of this verse is virtually the same as that of 15:18, a proverb that concludes with a picture of patience that calms quarrels. Here the second line adds a parallel picture of the hot-tempered person (lit., “master of wrath”) who multiplies or increases transgressions (cf. 29:2, 16; 28:28). As wrath goes uncontrolled, so does its damage. Perhaps some wordplay was intended by following “grief” (manon, 29:21) with “dissension” (madon).
29:23. The contrast between high and low is enhanced by the repetition of the root špl (“low”) at the center of the proverb. The word “pride” is used elsewhere for swelling waves (Ps. 46:4) that will eventually fall.12 “Honor” (kabod; cf. Prov. 3:35; 15:33; 18:12; 26:1, 8) must come from another or someone else (25:27; 27:1–2); yet a “lowly spirit” does hold it fast (cf. 4:4; 5:22). Better to be called up higher than put lower (cf. 25:6–7).
29:24. While the exact sense of this proverb is hard to determine, it is clear that the one who is friend with a thief (lit., “one who divides the take”; cf. 16:19) is no friend to himself (lit., “hates his own life/desire [nepeš]”; cf. 29:10). The second line can read “he hears an imprecation and does not tell,” most likely an allusion to Leviticus 5:1: “If a person sins because he does not speak up when he hears a public charge to testify regarding something he has seen or learned about, he will be held responsible.” To hold back testimony when it is called for is a crime of complicity, one that injures the community and, because it angers Yahweh, oneself.
29:25. The last verses of this chapter and the conclusion of the proverbs collected by Hezekiah’s men (cf. 25:1) name Yahweh and king (cf. 29:13–14) and repeat the contrast between the wicked and righteous (cf. 29:2, 7, 16). The first of two Yahweh sayings contrasts fear of human power with “trust in the LORD” (cf. 28:25). The first line depicts that fear as a hunter’s trap, but the second line speaks of protection, being set high above all dangers like a tower on a mountain (cf. 18:10–11; Job 5:11).13 One can show kindness to enemies without fear, since Yahweh rewards (Prov. 25:21–22). Perhaps the legal context of the previous verse is still in view, warning judges to fear no person, great or small, “for judgment belongs to God” (Deut. 1:17, 29).
29:26. Another proverb about judgment (cf. 29:24–25) sets the typical pattern of appeal to a ruler against the ultimate source of justice, Yahweh. A person’s first course of action is to reach the highest person in authority. This proverb does not look past that earthly authority but rather recognizes that role as a duty given by Yahweh and answerable to him. Perhaps some sense of limits on human judgment is implied as well; certainly the proverb lends assurance for those times when no justice from a ruler can be obtained.
29:27. Although this proverb sounds like a simple truism along the line of “dogs hate cats,” there is more here than first meets the eye. Similar in theme to verse 10, the double use of the word “detest” (“abomination,” toʿebah) communicates more than a feeling of mutual distaste; instead, the two ways of life are totally incompatible.14 Each line begins with that word; its initial taw comes last in the Hebrew alphabet, serving here to mark the end of the acrostic as well as the “proverbs of Solomon copied by the men of Hezekiah king of Judah” (25:1).
Bridging Contexts
THE CONCLUDING SECTIONS of “the men of Hezekiah” draw together those sayings on neighbors, family, kings, people, and their God to demonstrate wisdom at work at every level of social interaction.15 Nations need discipline, just like sons and servants (29:1); each needs teaching, correction, and even the threat of punishment or restraint when the first two are not heeded. The effects of wisdom and folly vibrate throughout the social network the way the entire spider web shakes when one strand is disturbed. Unrestrained sons disgrace and grieve their parents, but wise children bring them joy (29:3, 15, 17). Servants who are pampered instead of corrected bring problems, as do the officials of a ruler who listens to lies (29:12, 19, 21).
Rulers. The proverbs about rulers are like those that speak of the thriving of the righteous and the wicked (28:2, 28; 29:2, 16), showing that governments develop a character that is deeply felt by all the people. We can go so far as to say that they are in symbiotic relationship; people get the rulers they want and deserve, but a king can give stability to a nation by insisting that justice characterizes his rule (29:4, 7, 14, 18, 26). While this call to righteousness goes out to all the people (29:2, 27), a sort of trickle-down theory of righteousness is also at work in the sayings about the disciplinary role of the king. A wise ruler is like a wise parent, householder, or employer, who does everything necessary to teach, correct, and (when necessary) restrain.
In our day, we may have grown a bit too cynical about our expectations of leaders, believing that a certain amount of savvy requires some level of moral compromise as well. If national security is threatened, it is better to violate the civil rights of a few in order to ensure safety for the many. If a leader helps the economy get off the ground, why should we make a judgment on that leader’s personal life? We make a distinction between the ethics of the kingdom and the Realpolitik that leaders face every day.
To make this claim is not to say that the choices facing national leaders are not painfully complicated or that it is always possible to act in a way that violates no standards whatsoever. It is to say that the human tendency toward self-serving behavior insinuates itself into actions, both individual and collective. These proverbs place a large share of the burden on leaders to bring the guiding rule of wisdom to the people. Similarly, it is a responsibility of a nation’s people to reflect on its actions and to ask how well they conform to the standards of righteousness, justice, and fair dealing (1:3).16
There is mutual accountability implied in these proverbs, but the more direct teaching places responsibility squarely on the shoulder of rulers and others in authority, the people charged with the care and discipline of others. Thus, we may judge the character of our leaders by what they ask of us. Do they appeal to standards of fairness and compassion or only of our own interests? Again, the choices are not always as clear in life as the polarities of the proverbs, but the primary motivations of justice and self-interest often are; we can watch for these.
In each of the two parts of this chapter, proverbs about the king and Yahweh sit side by side, reminding readers that the shaping of personal and national character is never removed from the one who gives light to the eyes of rich and poor (29:13), sets those who trust on high (29:25), and brings justice to those who seek it (29:26). Rulers who serve as vice-regents to the King of heaven will judge the poor with faithfulness, not listening to lies (29:11, 13) or fearing any human influence or power (29:25); that one will have a throne that is secure. The contrast of snares and towers highlights the truth that fairness and justice bring the stability and security that armies and political strategies alone can never achieve.
Contrasts and comparisons. The first part of this chapter (vv. 1–16) is set apart by the repeated contrast between the righteous and wicked (vv. 2, 7, 16) and, more important, by five references to wisdom (vv. 3, 8, 9, 11, 15). Righteous rule benefits the people, especially the poor, but transgressions (perhaps against them) are many when the wicked rise to power and the people groan. So also mockers and fools inflame cities and upset assemblies, but the wise assuage anger, seek justice, and know when to exercise restraint (vv. 8, 9, 11). Children need correction if they are to love this wisdom, but the outcome is joy for parents instead of shame (vv. 3, 15).17
Images of violence are woven through this first part, vividly illustrating the outcomes that are much worse than the temporary pain of correction. The neck that will not bend to accept the yoke of correction will be broken forever (29:1). People and rulers alike are called to receive and give this correction; it may even be modeled in the sayings that are more critical of those in power. Earlier proverbs about rulers praised their godlike wisdom and powers of discernment, but these sayings are more akin to the reality of wicked rulers, a reality Israel knew firsthand.
If the first part of chapter 29 compares sons to people and their rulers, the second part (vv. 17–27) continues this format, juxtaposing a group on household discipline with the acrostic series of proverbs loosely gathered around justice in the community. Discipline of sons and servants at the start is necessary if householders are to have rest and avoid grief (vv. 17, 19, 21). So also a people that casts off restraint jettison torah as well as any learning that comes from “seeing” (vv. 18, 20); words in haste are only one form of unconstrained behavior (cf. 29:8, 10, 11–12). Anger and pride take their toll, but a lowly spirit is like the neck that bows to correction (29:22–23). Those who refuse to testify and protect the thief may do so out of fear of human reprisal, but in showing this respect for evil, such people hate themselves (29:13–14).
The series repeats the theme that has sounded again and again through the book: A people that practices justice is a people considered wise. As the people of Israel were getting ready to enter the land, Moses reminded them that they were a heavy burden indeed, “too heavy for me to carry alone” (Deut. 1:9). At the very start of his instructions to them, he reviewed the process of selecting leaders (Deut. 1:16–17), using words much like the concern of these proverbs:
And I charged your judges at that time: Hear the disputes between your brothers and judge fairly, whether the case is between brother Israelites or between one of them and an alien. Do not show partiality in judging: hear both small and great alike. Do not be afraid of any man, for judgment belongs to God.
Moses’ charge envisions small and great on the same playing field—no fear of any person, justice from God. This is the guiding vision that drove the sages (29:18) and their insistence that a people either moved toward this ideal of fairness and equality or away from it; either way, the corrective word was crucial. The word that gives this guidance, the torah of these proverbs, may have come from Moses and certainly comes from parents and sages. In any case, these proverbs agree with Moses that teaching (torah) directs, corrects, and, if need be, restrains and punishes to keep its people from destruction. In other words, the great contrast between the righteous and the wicked, the wise and fools, does not suggest that one is good and the other needs correction. No, all need to be taught, corrected, and held back from wandering toward destruction (cf. 24:11–12). Nothing is further from the contemporary mind.
Contemporary Significance
NEED FOR WISE discipline. Everyone has a story about parents who love their children by drawing clear boundaries and enforcing them. My favorite story about such “tough love” comes from a friend who got a call from the police. His underage granddaughter and friends had been caught using fake identification to get into a night club and buy liquor, so he went down to the station. When he arrived, the officer in charge offered to take him to the room where the girls were waiting. “That’s OK,” he said, “let them stew in there a while.” Then he asked the officer to tell him the whole story. After warnings were given and the girls were on their way home, they pleaded with him not to tell their parents, and the reason they had called him became clear. “Oh, no,” came the answer, “everyone’s parents are going to know about this.”
Our stories about parents and children may be like those that gave rise to these proverbs about correcting sons and servants, and by extension, the correction of whole peoples. The leapfrog connection of sons (29:15, 17), people (29:18, 20), and servants (29:19, 21) remind us that we have to face the unpleasant duty of setting limits and enforcing discipline. In doing so, we risk being seen as less than tolerant, indulgent, and encouraging, but we will also be known as people who know the value of boundaries and guidance. As another election day draws near, my television is flooded with ads for candidates who portray themselves either as supporters of education and social welfare or tough-minded guardians who will reduce crime through better law enforcement and prosecution. Why must we be forced to choose between teaching and setting limits?
We have seen that the contribution of the collection of proverbs “copied by the men of Hezekiah” use juxtaposition to set examples of wise living in the domestic realm beside public and governmental examples of wisdom and folly. These proverbs, like those that came before, continue to stress the importance of wise and righteous character, but it is a mistake to assume that the polarities of wise and fool and the righteous and wicked mean that some people are simply good and some bad. The distinction, as we have seen again and again, is between those who respond to wisdom’s guidance, correction, and restraint and those who do not. The sages were much too realistic to believe that only bad people need correction or that we would not need laws if we all were better people, better Christians. For this reason they knew that kings were responsible for ensuring fair dealing and that even they needed the guidance of wisdom and the accountability that comes with awareness of Yahweh’s pervasive presence.
Misconceptions. Their wisdom corrects a number of misconceptions in contemporary culture. (1) Many believe that most decisions about behavior are a matter of personal choice; if it does not hurt anyone, why should something be called wrong? For starters, our vision may be limited (29:18, 20). The faulty logic of this way of thinking was exposed by a series of antidrug ads. Young men and women looked into the camera and said, “I killed a drug runner in Columbia”; “I bribed police”; “I helped so and so die of an overdose.” By participating in the drug trade, all sorts of unspeakable crimes take place.
(2) A second, related misconception believes that the church should only speak out about sins of private morality, as if drug use, sexual immorality, abortion, and gambling only affect those who practice them. We believe we can ignore the matters of justice and fair dealing in our communities, yet this is precisely why Jesus criticized the Pharisees (Matt. 23:23, 25).18
I have watched the eyes of more than one congregation glaze over when I begin to preach and teach about matters of justice. I’ve tried to understand why this is so, and I have wondered that there is some suspicion that a concern for such matters betrays a drift toward a more liberal understanding of the faith and the Scriptures, when the case is exactly the reverse. While it is true that voices in secular society have called for human rights and fairness, this does not mean they are out of harmony with the Bible; rather, I think that we can document that the source of their inspiration was the church and the Bible.
(3) We believe that freedom is a higher value than responsibility. We are a society that wants to live without limits on our economy, our lifestyles, and other freedoms, and so we have often unconsciously identified those freedoms with freedom in Christ. This is not a call for a return to big government involvement in managing and delivering social services, only a reminder that sometimes our desires for freedom end up becoming freedom from social responsibility.
Church and government. If these are the misconceptions, what does this collection tell us about the life of the church, its mission in the world, and its involvement with the powers of government? (1) It calls Christian individuals to wise living that exerts its influence in ever-widening circles. Parents discipline children in their homes in the hope that their character will become evident wherever they go. Those who serve in political arenas will hold the twin emphases of righteousness and discipline in their work, the first to define the vision, the second the means.
(2) The church, the collected body of Christ, makes its influence felt through the same twin emphases, disciplining itself to display a righteousness that includes the traditional signs of morality, but also exerting a correcting influence on society by means of careful analysis and critique of public policy and cultural trends. Some of my friends write movie reviews, others participate in political think tanks. Still others enter the political arena by running for office or serving on community organizations. All are concerned with promoting righteousness that is both personal and public.
Opinions vary as to how Christian influence on society should work. While some in our communities harbor fears that Christians plan to take over everything from school boards to political offices and dictate norms for behavior and censorship, such fears have proven to be unfounded. Moreover, the coming generation of evangelicals, at least as reflected in surveys of students at Christian colleges, forms no monolithic picture. There is some identification with the Republican party, but there is also a wide range of opinions on specific issues, some more conservative and some more liberal, accompanied by a marked degree of tolerance. In many ways, these students criticize a church that has abandoned its role in public life.19
Others, such as Robert Webber, believe the church does well to recover the ancient tradition of standing separate from the world and condemning its evil practices by refusing to join in, identifying with the world by participating fully in all that does not require compromise, and seeking transformation by living as countercultural witness. For Webber, the role of the church is not to change the world but to be the church.20
While Christians will debate the most appropriate role for church involvement in matters of state, the vision of wisdom that permeates every level reminds Christian readers of the kingdom of God, which, like salt that preserves the world, clings insistently to a vision of peace and prosperity for all. In that way, the proverbs about the king’s rule look beyond the successes and failures of human kings like Solomon and Hezekiah to the rule of Christ: “Endow the king with your justice, O God, the royal son with your righteousness” (Ps. 72:1). As the representatives of this king, the church will find ways to teach, correct, and support families and governments in their teaching for good and in their restraint of evil.