Proverbs 22:21

Pro 22:21 That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?

Ver. 21. That I might make thee know the certainty.] And so find firm footing for thy faith. {Luk 1:3; Luk 1:5} "These words of God are true," saith the angel. {Rev 21:5} These words are "faithful and true" {Rev 22:6} - void of all insincerity and falsehood. How can it be otherwise, whenas they are, as Gregory {a} speaks, Cor et anima, the very heart and soul of the God of truth? There must needs be a certainty in these words of truth, neither need we hang in suspense. When some took Christ for John Baptist, some for Elias, some for Jeremiah; But "whom say ye that I am?" {Mat 16:14-15} - to teach that Christ would not have men stand doubtful, halt between two, be in religion as beggars are in their way, ready to go which way soever the staff falleth; but to "search the Scriptures," and grounding thereon, to get a certainty, a "full assurance of understanding," {Col 2:2} so as to be able to say, "We have believed, therefore have we spoken." {2Co 4:13}

{a} Greg., in Reg. iii.

John Trapp, A Commentary or Exposition upon All the Books of the Old and New Testament (1647–1656) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Pro_22:21

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth.

Certainties

This is an age of inquiry. The ideas of the ancient world are the ideas of the childhood of the race. The Bible is a human book, which we reverence and love as a sacred treasure on account of the Divine spirit which pervades it. Do not place the Bible on the altar of superstition and imagine it to be God. Seek God in it, but with this caution--that all of it is not the actual Word of God. Why should any man seek by unfair means to force another to think as he does? Does not Christ give us an example of mental freedom? He seeks the voluntary and unprejudiced consent of mind, heart, and will.

I. Know the certainty of the words of truth.

1. That God is the heavenly Father of mankind.

2. Our heavenly Father is just, merciful, and loving, and every man may have free access to the great parental heart.

3. Never attempt to escape from any penalty by doing wrong.

II. Wherever there is a penitent soul there is also a kind and forgiving God. Penitence is not perfection.

III. The transgressor must bear the penalty of his sin. It is a just and merciful law of God that the transgressor shall bear the penalty. The Lord Jesus will not save you from the physical penalty of your sin; but He will give you grace to bear the thorn which your own sin has thrust into your life. (William Birch.)

The Biblical Illustrator, edited by Joseph S. Exell (c. 1880s–1900s) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Specially he desires to secure accuracy, so that his pupil may teach others.

Jamieson, Fausset & Brown — Commentary Critical and Explanatory on the Whole Bible (1871) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

Verse 21. That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth]

1. These are words or doctrines of truth:

1) They are true in themselves.

2) Come from the God of truth.

3) Are truly fulfilled to all that believe.

2. These words of truth are certain, קשט koshet, they are not of dubious or difficult interpretation; they point directly to the great end for which God gave them; they promise, and they are fulfilled. He who pleads them by faith, receives their accomplishment in the spirit and power of Divine love. The Scriptures, as far as they concern the salvation of the soul, are to be experimentally understood; and, by this experimental knowledge, every believer has the witness in himself, and knows the certainty of the words of truth.

VI. What we know ourselves to be true, and of infinite importance to the welfare of men in general, we should carefully proclaim and witness, that they also may believe.

That thou mightest answer the words of truth]

1. When the doctrine of salvation is preached, there will be many inquirers. What is this doctrine? Have any persons received these blessings-the remission of sins, witness of the Holy Spirit, purification of the heart, c., &c.? Who are they? What are the collateral arguments that prove these things, and show us that you have not misapprehended the meaning of these Scriptures?

2. Inquiries of this kind should meet with the speediest and most distinct answers and the doctrines of truth should be supported and illustrated with the words of truth. "That thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee."

Adam Clarke's Commentary on the Bible (1810–1826) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

(21) That thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee?—This rendering is somewhat doubtful, but seems to give the best sense to the passage. The scholar is to be instructed not for his own profit alone, but in order that he may be able to teach others also. (Comp. 1Pe_3:15.)

A Bible Commentary for English Readers, edited by Charles John Ellicott (1878–1897) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

21. send unto thee] Rather, send thee, with A.V. marg. and R.V.

The verse is well rendered in the Rel. Tract. Society’s Annotated Bible:

“To teach thee truth, even words of faithfulness;

That thou mayest bring back faithful words to them that send thee”; i.e. to train thee in truthfulness, that thou mayest be faithful and trustworthy in whatever business thou art employed.

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges (gen. ed. J. J. S. Perowne; Cambridge University Press, 1878–1918) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth,.... Such are the doctrines of the Gospel; they are "the words of truth"; are written in the Scriptures of truth; come from the God of truth; the subject matter of which is Christ, who is the truth, and which the Spirit of truth leads into: there is a "certainty" in these; they are in the sure word of prophecy; are contained in the inspired and infallible word of God, and are no other than the Gospel of God; nothing is more sure than that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and truly and properly God; and that salvation is alone by him; and that whoever believes in him shall be saved; with many other things, which ministers of the word should affirm with boldness and assurance; and which others may come to a certain knowledge of, even to the riches of a full assurance of understanding; and which is the end of their being written in the word, and made known in the ministry of it;

that thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee; or, "return" (e) them to those that send to know what are the words of truth; that inquire concerning them with meekness and fear, and to whom a reason of the hope is to be given; as such are capable of, who have had the certainty of these words made known unto them, or who have been assured of the truth of them: and so Jarchi interprets it, to them that ask of thee instruction; as if it was written, as Lyra says it should, "to them that inquire of thee". It may be rendered, "to them that send thee" (f); to search for those things, and get the knowledge of them, in order to communicate them, which, when obtained, may be done. Unless God, Father, Son, and Spirit, should be intended, who are concerned in the sending of ministers to preach the Gospel to men; to whom they are to return an account of the words of truth, and of their dispensation of them to the souls of men; which when faithfully done, and success, they give up their account with joy, and not with grief.

(e) (f) "qui miserunt te", V. L. "mittentibus te", Pagninus, Montanus, Gejerus, Michaelis, so Aben Ezra; "missoribus tui", Schultens.

John Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible (1746–1763) — public domain (CC PDM 1.0). Text via the HelloAO Bible API.

To them that send unto thee - Better as in the margin; compare Pro 10:26. The man who has learned the certainty of the words of truth will learn to observe it in all that men commit to him.

Albert Barnes' Notes on the Bible (1834–1885) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

Sent. Septuagint, "are sent to thee." Thou mayst become a teacher, (Haydock) or give satisfaction to thy parents, who have sent thee to my school. (Calmet)

George Leo Haydock (1774–1849), Haydock's Catholic Family Bible and Commentary, 1859 edition — public domain. Excludes Psalms (Douay-Rheims chapter numbering differs from Protestant) and Deuterocanonical books (Catholic canon only).

That I may make thee know the certainty of the words of truth; that I may teach thee, not false, or vain, or uncertain things, as the teachers of the heathen nations do, but the true and infallible oracles of God.

That thou mightest answer the words of truth; that being instructed by me, thou mayst be able to give true, and solid, and satisfactory answers.

To them that send unto thee, to wit, for thine advice in great and difficult matters. Or, to those that send thee, i.e. that employ the in any business of moment, whereof they expect an account from thee.

Matthew Poole's English Annotations on the Holy Bible (1683–1685) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword/MySword module.

21. The words of truth — The meaning is commonly supposed to be, that the pupil has been taught to discriminate between that which is true and good on the one hand, and false and evil on the other. So that he shall be capable of giving sound advice to those who consult him, and to manage the most difficult affairs to the satisfaction of those who employ him; as when a person is employed as an ambassador for a prince, or intrusted with any important agency for others.

Them that send unto thee — The marginal reading, “to those that send thee,” is preferred by some interpreters. Compare Pro_10:26; on the last clause, 1Pe_3:15.

Daniel D. Whedon (gen. ed.), Commentary on the Old and New Testaments (1874–1909) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

That I might make thee know the certainty of the words of truth. The object intended is to teach the disciple the fixed rule (firmitatem, Vulgate) by which truthful words are guided. (see Luk_1:4) Septuagint, "I therefore teach thee a true word and knowledge good to learn." That thou mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee. This implies that the pupil will be enabled to teach others who apply to him for instruction; "will be ready." as St. Peter says, "always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you". (1Pe_3:15) But the last expression is better translated, "them that send thee;" illis qui miserunt te, Vulgate; (see Pro_25:13) and we must conceive of these as being parents or tutors who send a youth to a school or wise man to be educated. The moralist expresses his desire that the disciple will carry home such wholesome, truthful doctrines as will prove that the pains expended upon him have not been useless. Septuagint, "That thou mayest answer words of truth to those who put questions to thee (toiv proballomenoiv soi )" The Syriac adds, "That I may make known unto thee counsel and wisdom." Bickell"s version (quoted by Cheyne) is, "That thou mayest know the rightness of these words, that thou mayest answer in true words to them that ask thee."

The Pulpit Commentary (1880–1919), ed. H.D.M. Spence-Jones & Joseph S. Exell — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

Answer - That thou mayst be able to give solid, and satisfactory answers.

John Wesley, Explanatory Notes Upon the Whole Bible (1754–1765) — public domain. Text via the GEBible commentary corpus.

v. 21. that I might make thee know the certainty, the strict correctness or verity, of the words of truth, that thou, equipped with this knowledge, mightest answer the words of truth to them that send unto thee? The reference is to the parents, who have sent their son to the teacher of wisdom and expect him to become proficient in the principles of true wisdom. After this introductory admonition to heed the precepts of truth the author offers maxims of pious conduct.

Paul E. Kretzmann, Popular Commentary of the Bible (1921–1924) — public domain. Text from a community e-Sword module.

to make known to you the certainty I wrote thirds for you in order that you should understand from them the certainty of the true words.

to respond with words of truth to those who send you To those who ask you for instruction.

Rashi on the Tanakh — English translations: “The Judaica Press complete Tanach with Rashi, translated by A. J. Rosenberg” (CC BY 4.0); “Pentateuch with Rashi's commentary by M. Rosenbaum and A.M. Silbermann, 1929-1934” (public domain); “The Metsudah Tanach series, Lakewood, N.J” (CC BY 4.0); and “The Book of Joshua, Metsudah Publications, 1997” (CC BY 4.0). Text via Sefaria.