Al – Bad Company Corrupts Good Character 1: 10-19

Bad Company Corrupts Good Character
1: 10-19

A proverb is a short and memorable saying designed to be our blueprint for living in the world that ADONAI has created. It is important to note that proverbs are not promises; they are generally true principles, all other things being equal.

For the first time we are introduced to the metaphor of the path. As we shall see, this image will be developed in a way that involves the idea of two possible paths, one godly and one evil. Here, the son is being warned to stay off the path of those who are trying to make him involved in their evil dealings. The parents have heard and obeyed the instruction of Moses (see the commentary on Deuteronomy, to see link click Bw – Sh’ma Isra’el). The concept of obeying your parents starts in the Torah (see Deuteronomy Bp – Honor Your Parents), and continues in the B’rit Chadashah (see Ephesians By – The Responsibilities of Children and Parents: The submission of children). But what will the children do with this teaching?²⁸

The son’s allegiance to the family’s inherited world view must be clearly set apart from that of the gang because bad company ruins good character (First Corinthians 15:33). This timeless principle can also be applied to all of us no matter what age or generation. Peer pressure, or going along with the crowd, can lead an otherwise good person into bad behavior. In warning against the wicked sinners, the father gives wisdom to the son, exposing their schemes. Unlike the father, who represents wisdom’s traditional world view, the sinners represent a counterfeit gang that has no fear of ADONAI (see Ai – The Fear of ADONAI is the Beginning of Wisdom). The supposed gains of the wicked are merely counterfeits of the blessings of the wise. The father’s warning is based upon the fear of ADONAI, and the certainty that Ha’Shem will uphold justice (16:5), not the counterfeit “wisdom” of the world (see the commentary on First Corinthians An – The Foolishness of Worldly Wisdom).²⁹

Introduction (1:10): My son, if sinners entice you, do not give in to them (1:10 Hebrew). That this crime is treated first is an indication of its prevalence. The prophet Hosea, in particular, denounced the existence of organized gangs and bandits (Hosea 4:2, 6:9, and 7:1). The verb entice (Hebrew: pathah) is related to the noun simpleminded (Hebrew: pethi) seen in the prologue (1:4). It is also used by the Philistines when trying to enlist Samson’s new bride in their plot to discover the meaning of the riddle (Judges 14:15). Jeremiah also uses the verb to accuse ADONAI of enticing him into his role as the prophet of judgment (Jeremiah 20:7). All these instances also carry the connotation of deception. The parents are warning the son against the attraction that the violent gang of sinners represents, because under the surface of the attraction is deception. They look like they will plunder others, but in reality, they will only plunder themselves and anyone associated with them.³⁰

Let’s understand two things here. First, who are the sinners? Every one of us is a sinner. Even the wise father-figure speaking here is a sinner. So who are the “sinners” he is warning against? The structure of the Hebrew noun suggests habitual, chronic sinners. Bullying is how some people make their way through life. In the extreme, this kind of person is a professional criminal. The key to his human profile is anyone who gets ahead by his own devices, anyone who is out for number one. They are the “sinners” whom we must be aware of. You will encounter them. Secondly, note how this scenario actually plays out in our lives. This father is not wasting his breath. He is telling his son, “When people-like-this come to you, not if they do but when they do, here’s what to do . . .” The father-figure in our passage knows what his son will experience, and he warns him. What do all of us inevitably run into? If not an urban gang, some self-centered, narcissistic back-stabber?³¹

Sinners’ temptation (1:11-14): The temptation consists of two couplets: the proposition to join them in their bloody butchery (verses 11-12), and their enticements for doing so (verses 13-14). Verse 11 exposes their thorough preparation for their blatant crime in verse 12. Verse 13 exposes their corruption, and verse 14 their sinister brotherhood.³²

The parents even take on the voice of the sinners who try to entice their son. If they say: Come along with us; let’s lie in wait for someone’s blood, let’s ambush some harmless soul (1:11 NIV). Their cowardice is suggested by the fact that they ambush their innocent. They don’t even give their victims a fighting chance. Their only object is to get rich at the expense of others. The parents continue to associate the sinners with the dark side.³³ The criminals assure the novice of swift success: Let’s swallow them alive, like the grave (see Af – Sh’ol); let’s swallow the whole, like those who go down to the pit of death (1:12 NLT). They swallow up their victims as swiftly as the grave swallows up the dead. It is as if some innocent traveler falls unexpectedly into some deep pit somewhere and is utterly lost, never to be seen again. Just as the grave is never satisfied, so the evil of the wicked and their cruelty knows no end.

The motivation driving these addicted sinners is revealed as they confess: We will get all sorts of valuable things and fill our houses with plunder (1:13 NIV). As their final pitch, they promise: Throw in your lot with us, and we will share a common purse (1:14 ESV). The sinners claim to operate by a kind of “criminal code of conduct” when they say they will share the plunder. But the only “code” they live by is to get rich at the expense of others. The parents imply that while the gang wants the son to participate in the violence, and therefore benefit from the shared bag of loot, in reality, they will entangle their accomplice in guilt and ultimate retribution.

Fathers’ warning (1:15-18): Exactly halfway through his teaching, the father shifts his focus from the sinners and their alluring lies to his own rebuttal. He matches their persuasive rhetoric with his own vivid images. His warning also consists of two couplets. The first issues the command to reject joining the den of thieves because justice will prevail (verses 15-16). The second argues they trap themselves in ensnaring others (verses 17-18).³⁴

We now turn to the words of the parents after the quotation of the gang leader. They are blunt: My son, do not go along with them, do not set foot on their paths (1:15 NIV). For the first of many times, we encounter the metaphor of the path of life. According to Chapters 1-9, there are two paths: a wise and good path, and a foolish and evil path. The parents here urge their son to stay on the wise path, while the gang tries to get him to follow them on the evil path. The parents do not leave their advice unsupported. In the rest of the proverb they tell their son why it’s a bad idea to follow the path of sinners. For their feet rush into evil, they are in a hurry to shed blood (1:16 NIV).

The next verse initiates an analogy that is based on the well-used image of the bird hunter who casts a net to catch his prey (for example Psalms 91:3 and 124:7; Proverbs 6:5; Jeremiah 5:26; Hosea 9:8). For the net to work, it has to be camouflaged. No bird is going to walk into a trap that can be clearly seen. Thus, as the verse states: How useless to spread a net in full view of all the birds!³⁵ These men lie in wait for their own blood; they ambush only themselves (1:17-18 NIV)! That is, in hunting and robbing others, they are only hurting themselves in the long run. Punishment usually catches up with the crime. Even if punishment doesn’t catch the criminal, vengeance and rampant violence probably will. Violence produces violence. Therefore, in effect, they ambush themselves by ambushing others.³⁶

Conclusion (1:19): The father broadens the relevance of his teaching to everyone who fits this description: Such is the end of everyone who goes after unjust gain; it takes away the lives of those who get it. Such are the ways of everyone who is greedy for unjust gain. That includes money, of course, but much more. At its core, unjust gain succeeds by stepping over, or on, someone else. This can take many forms: bullies at school, computer hackers, Islamic terrorists, racists, political candidates stealing elections, intellectuals who rationalize violence in pursuit of their social utopia, and last, but not least, a faction splitting a congregation of God. And it only takes one person to get it going.³⁷ There are six things that ADONAI hates, yes, seven that are detestable to Him (6:16 Hebrew), and one of them is a false witness who pours out lies, and a person who stirs up descension in the congregation (6:19 Hebrew). However, the sages are not against the pursuit of profits through honest, hard work. Many of the Proverbs that follow actually encourage hard work with the intention of gaining profits (3:9-10, 22:22 to 23:11, 28:1-11, and 28:12-28).

Throughout the book of Proverbs, the parents, and in particular the father, are sources of authority addressing the son. There are good reasons for us to understand, for demands of this book to extend beyond boys and girls, young men and women and include more mature adults. We all need to listen to the voice of the parents of Proverbs as they instruct their son. However, it is important to understand that the text is not telling all children to listen without question to their parents. The parents in the book of Proverbs are not real people but an ideal couple. They are wise parents, and not everyone’s parents today are wise in the sense that Proverbs describes wisdom. In short, Proverbs asks us without reservation to listen to these parents, and to our own parents as they also reflect divine wisdom, and we will do so as we proceed. After all, the rewards are great. Here and elsewhere, wonderful rewards are presented as the motivation for following the godly path. How are we to understand the rewards in their original setting and today? As will become increasingly obvious, the blessings that flow from wise behavior are neither magical nor absolutely guaranteed. These are not promises, as such, but God’s blueprint for living.³⁸

Dear heavenly Father, praise You for how wonderfully gracious, loving and kind You are! Life is so much better to have a relationship with You, than to have foolish friends. They are nice for a short while, but foolish friends are only looking out for themselves. But You, almighty Heavenly Father, never fail and are always there to help and to guide me. For God Himself has said: I will never leave you or forsake you (Hebrews 13:5c). You promised to place Your Presence within those who have placed their trust in You. Yeshua answered and said to him: If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word. My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him (Jn 14:23).

Everyone enjoys having friends and being liked-but when the choice is: have friends who are in the world – or be alone with only ADONAI as one’s Friend; it is so much wiser to be alone with You as the only friend- our wonderful wise and faithful Heavenly Father, who is always with me! Even if You were my only friend, Your friendship is beyond measure and worth more than all the money in the world!

Trusting You, God, is like having an army of friends, for You are Almighty and All- Powerful. Walking with You means that there is always a friend right with me who can be reached to talk to right away – no waiting for a return call, no waiting for a text. People often get busy and cannot be reached to talk to; but You are always available 24/7 to guide and to talk to (Hebrews 13:5c). But know that ADONAI has set apart the godly for His own. ADONAI will hear when I call to Him (Psalms 4:3).

Thank You so much for the peace that You give that fills me when I trust and obey Your Word. You keep in perfect peace one whose mind stays on You, because he trusts in You. Trust in ADONAI forever, for the LORD Adonai is a Rock of ages (Isaiah 26:3-4).

Even when your child is all alone, your steadfast love is always there with him to guide, and to comfort. Thus says Adonai the Maker . . . ADONAI is His Name. “Call to Me, and I will answer you – I will tell you great and hidden things, which you do not know” (Jeremiah 33:2a-3). Thank You so very much for Your continual company with those who believe in You (Hebrews 13:5c). It is such a joy and pleasure to walk with You in obedience. In Messiah Yeshua’s holy Name and power of His Resurrection. Amen