Proverbs 3:11

My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord,.... This seems to be introduced to prevent an objection that may be made to the above promise of plenty; seeing the children of God are often afflicted

My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction: My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord; neither be weary of his correction.

Despise not the chastening of the Lord; either, 1. By making light of it, or not being duly affected with if; and so this is one extreme opposed to the other in the next clause. Or rather, 2. By accounting it an unnecessary, and useless, and troublesome thing; but rather esteem it as a privilege and favour from God, and a benefit to thyself; for such negatives do oft imply the contrary affirmatives by a common figure called meiosis, as , and oft elsewhere. And this sense seems to agree better both with the following clause, which repeats the same thing with some aggravation, after the manner; and with the reason used to enforce this and the following command, , which concerns not such as are insensible, but rather such as had too deep a sense of the evil of affliction. Neither be weary of his correction; neither esteem it tedious and intolerable, but endure it with patience and cheerfulness.

Proverbs 3:11 My son, despise not the chastening of the LORD; neither be weary of his correction:Ver. 11. Despise not the chastening of the Lord.] Slight it not, but "sit alone," and "consider." Some think it a goodly thing to bear out a cross by head and shoulders, and wear it out as they may, never improving it. As a dog that getting out of the water into which he is cast shakes his ears; or as a man, that coming out of a shower of rain, dries again, and all is as before. Perdidistis fructum afflictionis, saith Augustine of such scape thrifts. Thus the proud Greeks (having lost two castles in Chersonesus, taken from them by the Turks) commonly said, that there was but a hog sty lost, alluding to the name of that country. Whereas that was the first footing that the Turks got in Europe, and afterwards possessed themselves of the imperial city of Constantinople. Shortly after, 1358 AD, Callipolis also being lost, the mad Greeks, to extenuate the matter, when they had any talk thereof, in jesting ways commonly said, that the Turks had but taken from them a bottle of wine. So Galienus, the Roman Emperor, hearing that Egypt was revolted, said, Quid? sine lino Ægyptio esse non possumus? What? cannot we be without the hemp of Egypt? So when Calais was taken from us by the French, the court parasites, to ease Queen Mary’ s mind (which yet they could not), said, that it was only a refuge for renagade heretics; and that no true Roman Catholic ought to deplore, but rather rejoice at the damage. At Regina gravi iamdudum saucia cura Vulnus alit venis. - Virgil. Monsieur de Cordes used to say that he would be content with all his heart to lie in hell seven years, on the condition that Calais were taken from the English. And a considerate English captain being asked by a proud Frenchman, When will ye fetch Calais again? gravely replied, Quando peccata vestra erunt nostris graviora, When your sins shall weigh down ours. God is to be seen in everything we suffer, since light afflictions, not improved, are but as a drop of wrath forerunning the great storms, a crack forerunniug the ruin of the whole. Neither be weary of his correction.] This is the other extreme, despair and despondency of spirit. See my "Love Tokens," p. 44, &c. Miserrimi facti estis, et pessimi permansistis. - Aug., De Civit. Dei, lib. i. cap. 33. Turk. Hist., fol. 185,186. England’ s Elisabeth. Heyl., Geog. Non quia dura, sed quia molles patimur. - Sen.

(11) Despise not the chastening of the Lord . . .—Comp. Job 5:17. A wonderful advance beyond the teaching of the Pentateuch: e.g., Deuteronomy 28, in which the Jews had to be treated as children, and punishment or reward follow as the immediate consequence of bad or good behaviour. Under such a discipline misfortune could only be regarded as a punishment, a sign of God’s displeasure; but now a further manifestation of His dealings with man is made. When He sends trouble upon His children, He is no longer to be regarded as an offended father punishing their faults, but as one who in love is correcting them. Even the New Testament quotes these words with approval, and without adding anything to their teaching (Hebrews 12:5-13). There it is shown how all God’s children must, without exception, submit to this discipline.

Verse 11. Despise not the chastening of the Lord] The word מוסר musar signifies correction, discipline, and instruction. Teaching is essentially necessary to show the man the way in which he is to go; discipline is necessary to render that teaching effectual; and, often, correction is requisite in order to bring the mind into submission, without which it cannot acquire knowledge. Do not therefore reject this procedure of God; humble thyself under his mighty hand, and open thy eyes to thy own interest; and then thou wilt learn specially and effectually. It is of no use to rebel; if thou do, thou kickest against the pricks, and every act of rebellion against him is a wound to thine own soul. God will either end thee or mend thee; wilt thou then kick on?

Fifth Address. Chap. 3. Proverbs 3:11-2011, 12. This short paragraph is at once in contrast and in harmony, with what precedes and follows it. It states the contrast that it may introduce the harmony. The pathway of wisdom, so the rest of the chapter insists, is the pathway of temporal prosperity. But the experience of life proves that there is another side to the truth. There is, these verses say, a contradictory side, but it is so in appearance not in reality; for to the childlike follower of wisdom the apparent exceptions and contradictions are but as passing discords and minor strains that lend force and sweetness to the overmastering harmony of love. Christian teaching itself has no better solution than this to give of the mystery of suffering. See Hebrews 12:3-13.

Despise ... be weary - The temper is not that of contempt. To struggle impatiently, to fret and chafe, when suffering comes on us, is the danger to which we are exposed when we do not accept it as from the hands of God.

11, 12. Despise not the chastening — Suppose it be the Lord’s will, as it may, that any affliction befall thee, contemn not the discipline, as if it were a mere natural occurrence or accident.