Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 15:24

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Proverbs 15:24. The way of life is above to the wise — There is a treble antithesis here:

1. The way of the wise, and that of the fool.

2. The one is above, the other below.

3. The one is of life, the other is of death.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Bringing joy to others (15:1-33)

Words can easily cheer others or enrage them, help them or hinder them. Therefore, people should think carefully about what they say (15:1-5). In addition to being wise in their speech, they must be honest in the way they earn their income (6-7). In fact, they must be upright in all aspects of their daily lives. Only then will God, from whom nothing can be hidden, accept their sacrifices and prayers (8-11). Another matter concerning habits of speech is that those who readily criticize others are usually offended when others criticize them (12).
Inner joy enables believers to be outwardly cheerful, even amid afflictions. Because they fear God and love others, they are truly contented even though not wealthy (13-17). A series of warnings shows that wrongdoing creates its own hardships: bad temper causes arguments (18); laziness means harder work in the long run (19); folly creates family tensions (20); ignorance results in plans going wrong (21-22).
Those who bring joy to others can be assured of God’s goodness to them (23-24), but God opposes those who plot evil and use their positions of power to exploit the poor and the defenceless (25-29). A cheerful face, like good news, brings refreshment to others (30). Again the book records that to gain wisdom, people must be willing to learn, reverent towards God and humble in spirit (31-33).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"To the wise, the way of life goeth upward, That he may depart from Sheol beneath."

There are many of these proverbs that carry strong intimations of life beyond death, and this is another. Only those whom God redeems shall, in any real sense, depart from Sheol, "Whither all footsteps tend, whence none depart."John Greenleaf Whittier, Forgiveness.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Above ... beneath - The one path is all along upward, leading to the highest life. It rescues the “wise” from the other, which is all along downward, ending in the gloom of Sheol.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 15

Fifteen. I love this first one here.

A soft answer turns away wrath: but grievous words stir up anger ( Proverbs 15:1 ).

How oftentimes a person comes just raging and a soft answer turns away wrath. If you rage back at them, then get out the gloves, you know, because you're soon going to be going at it. But a soft answer, how it can just mellow out a situation. Oh God, help us to respond with soft answers rather than with grievous words which only tend to stir up the whole scene.

The tongue of the wise uses knowledge aright: but the mouth of fools just pours out foolishness. The eyes of the LORD are in every place, beholding evil and the good ( Proverbs 15:2-3 ).

Yikes. The Bible says that everything is open and naked before Him with whom we have to do. The eyes of the Lord are everywhere. You cannot hide from God. It is folly to think that you can hide any action from God. I think that we need to have a greater consciousness of, "Thou Lord seest me" ( Genesis 16:13 ). That we do not hide anything from God. The eyes of the Lord are everywhere. You say, "Oh, I thought that God was too holy as to behold evil. Or to look upon evil." God cannot look upon sin. That word look upon is an implication. To look upon it with favor or condoning it, He cannot do that. But He surely sees it. He's not blind. The eyes of the Lord are in every place. He's beholding the evil and the good.

A wholesome tongue is a tree of life: but perverseness therein is a breach in the spirit. A fool despises his father's instruction: but he that regards reproof is prudent. In the house of the righteous is much treasure: but in the revenues of the wicked is trouble. The lips of the wise disperse knowledge: but the heart of the foolish does not so. The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD ( Proverbs 15:4-8 ):

Now we got another that's an abomination to the Lord--the sacrifice of the wicked. God isn't interested in any sacrifices that the wicked might offer to Him. I think that it is a tragedy when the church goes public to collect funds. Solicit funds from the public, from wicked people. Accepts the gifts of wicked people, because it's an abomination to the Lord, the sacrifice of the wicked. God doesn't need it. He doesn't care for it.

but the prayer of the upright is his delight. The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD ( Proverbs 15:8-9 ):

So the sacrifice of the wicked. Now the way of the wicked is an abomination unto the Lord,

but he loves him that follows after righteousness ( Proverbs 15:9 ).

Oh, how God loves to see you doing the right thing. How God loves to see you make the right decision. How God loves to see you doing righteousness.

Correction is grievous to him who forsakes the way: and he that hates reproof shall die. Now hell and destruction are before the LORD: how much more then the hearts of the children of men? ( Proverbs 15:10-11 )

In other words, it goes back to God. "The eyes of the Lord are in every place beholding the evil and the good." "Hell and destruction are before the Lord." He understands it. "How much more the hearts of the children of men?" How God understands us. That's not the wonder. The fact that understanding us as He does He still loves us, that's the wonder.

A scorner loves not one that reproves him: neither will he go to the wise. A merry heart will make a cheerful countenance: but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is broken. The heart of him that has understanding seeks knowledge: but the mouth of fools feeds on foolishness. All the days of the afflicted are evil: and he that is of a merry heart hath a continual feast. Better is little with the fear of the LORD, than great treasure and trouble therewith. Better is a dinner of vegetables with love, than a barbecued ox with hatred. A wrathful man stirs up strife: but he that is slow to anger appeaseth strife. The way of the lazy man is as a hedge of thorns: but the way of the righteous is made plain. A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish man despises his mother ( Proverbs 15:12-20 ).

Now again, Solomon equates, "My son, he's a wise boy." Foolish, "Oh, it's his mother's son, you know. "A wise son makes a glad father: but a foolish man despises his mother."

Folly is joy to him that is destitute of wisdom ( Proverbs 15:21 ):

When foolishness is a person's joy, folly is a person's joy, the guy is just destitute of wisdom.

but a man of understanding walks uprightly. Without counsel purposes are disappointed: but in the multitude of counselors they are established ( Proverbs 15:21-22 ).

You can establish the purposes. You can figure the way to go.

A man has joy by the answer of his mouth: and a word spoken in due season, how good it is! ( Proverbs 15:23 )

Oh, that word. Just, you know, so appropriate. Oh, it's so right. How good it is. The word spoken in due season.

The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath. The LORD will destroy the house of the proud: but he will establish the border of the widow. The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the LORD ( Proverbs 15:24-26 ):

Now here again, you got to look up all these things that are abomination to God. "The thoughts of the wicked are an abomination to the Lord."

but the words of the pure are pleasant. He that is greedy of gain troubles his own house; but he that hates gifts shall live. The heart of the righteous studies before he answers: but the mouth of the wicked just pours out evil things. The LORD is far from the wicked: but he hears the prayer of the righteous. The light of the eyes rejoices the heart: and a good report makes the bones fat. The ear that hears the reproof of life abides among the wise. He that refuses instruction despises his own soul: but he that hears reproof gets understanding. The fear of the LORD is the instruction of wisdom; and before honor is humility ( Proverbs 15:26-33 ).

"He that exalteth himself shall be abased; he that humbleth himself shall be exalted" ( Matthew 23:12 ). "Before honor is humility."

Solomon tells us the purpose of a proverb is, "To know wisdom and instruction; to perceive words of understanding; to receive the instruction of wisdom, and justice, and judgment, and fairness; to give subtlety to the simple, and to the young man knowledge and discretion. A wise man will hear, and increase his learning" ( Proverbs 1:2-5 ). So it's good. Listen, hear, and increase your learning and understanding of the ways of the Lord, the path of the just.

Father, we thank You for the instruction and the wisdom and the learning that we can receive. Incline our hearts towards wisdom. Let us seek instruction in Thy way. Let us follow after it. Help us, Lord, to avoid the path of the foolish or of the slothful or of the wicked. That we might walk in the pathway of righteousness and truth, following after Thee, serving Thee, knowing Thee, loving Thee. In Jesus' name we pray. Amen.

Shall we stand.

Your next assignment will be the next five chapters, sixteen through twenty. And three weeks hence, the Lord willing, we will get into the Proverbs from chapter 16-20. So it gives you plenty of opportunity to really study them and to take them to heart and to learn. And I would exhort you as did James, "Be ye doers of the Word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves" ( James 1:22 ). It isn't enough to know. It's important that we follow, that we practice, that we put it into practice in our lives. And in those areas where we're having difficulty in putting it into practice, then let us seek the Lord. If one of these really speaks to you, say, "Wow, that cuts." Oh, rejoice. God is dealing with you. Now, don't just pass over and say, "Man, I was really cut last night by that proverb. Oh boy, really got me, you know." And then you forget about it. That's foolishness.

But when the Holy Spirit begins to deal with you and say, "Hey, you're walking in the way of perversity. You're walking in the way of wickedness. You're walking in the way of death." Then listen and turn and say, "Oh God, help me. I don't want to perish with the wicked. I don't want to be destroyed with the unrighteous. I want to be with You, Lord, in Your eternal kingdom. I need Your help. I need Your strength, Lord, that I might live righteously. That I might walk in the path of the wise and the just." And seek God's help and seek God's strength and seek God's guidance. And let God deal with the issues of your life. Don't hate reproof. Don't scorn instruction. But receive it, that it might be to you the fountain of life to bring you into His eternal habitations. God bless you and God keep you, and God watch over you.

We covet your prayers, even as we will be praying for you and remembering you daily. Holding you up before God. That the God of all wisdom might grant unto you wisdom and understanding, that you might walk in His way of truth and righteousness. That you might be built up in your relationship with Jesus Christ until you come into that same image according to His Spirit in the power of His Spirit working in your life as He conforms you into the image of Jesus Christ. And thus, may you grow up into that fullness that God would have you to experience and to know of His grace and of His love and of His truth. In Jesus' name. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Everyone goes to Sheol (the grave) eventually (except believers who experience translation at the Rapture and do not die). However, the wise avoid Sheol as long as they can by being wise. Living wisely tends to prolong life.

"We may at least say that the language [of this proverb] anticipates what later Scripture will clearly teach about the ultimate destination of the way of life." [Note: Ross, p. 999.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

The way of life [is] above to the wise,.... Of "the way of life"; :-; this is said to be "above", or it tends "to [what is] above"; it leads to heaven and happiness above; the life itself it is the way of or to is above, it is hid with Christ in God; eternal life, glory, and happiness, is above; it is a house eternal in the heavens, an inheritance reserved there, and will be there enjoyed by the saints: the way to it is above; Christ is the way, and he is in heaven, at the Father's right hand, through whom only men can come at this life; wherefore those who are in the way of it have their thoughts, their hearts, their affections and conversations, above, Matthew 6:21. Faith, which deals with Christ the way, and by which men walk in him, is signified by soaring aloft, mounting up with wings as eagles, by entering within the vail, and dwelling on high, and by looking upwards, and at things unseen, and being the evidence of them. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the way of life is above the learned man", or wise man; the man that has no other than natural learning and wisdom, this way of life and salvation by Christ lies out of his knowledge; it is what the most sagacious and penetrating man could never discover; it is hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed to babes; or this is only known to such who are truly wise unto salvation; it is plain to them, and they highly esteem it, and choose to walk in it; it is an "ascent to him that understands", as the Syriac version renders it; it is a going up hill, it is an ascending upwards and heavenwards; such a man is continually looking upwards unto Christ, the author and finisher of his faith; pressing towards him, the mark for the prize; keeping his eye, not on things on earth, things temporal, which are seen here below, but on things above, things unseen, which are eternal in the heavens;

that he may depart from hell beneath; not from the grave, as "sheol" sometimes signifies: for wise men die as well as fools, and come to the grave, which is the house appointed for all living; even those who are in the way of life that is above do not escape death and the grave: but such are secured from everlasting ruin and destruction, from being destroyed soul and body in hell; they steer quite a different course and road from that; every step they take upwards carries them so far off from hell; which is the contrary way; the broad road of sin is the lower way, or what leads to hell and destruction beneath; the narrow way of faith in Christ is the upper way, and that leads to eternal life above.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      24 The way of life is above to the wise, that he may depart from hell beneath.

      The way of wisdom and holiness is here recommended to us, 1. As very safe and comfortable: It is the way of life, the way that leads to eternal life, in which we shall find the joy and satisfaction which will be the life of the soul, and at the end of which we shall find the perfection of blessedness. Be wise and live. It is the way to escape that misery which we cannot but see ourselves exposed to, and in danger of. It is to depart from hell beneath, from the snares of hell, the temptations of Satan, and all his wiles, from the pains of hell, that everlasting destruction which our sins have deserved. 2. As very sublime and honourable: It is above. A good man sets his affections on things above, and deals in those things. His conversation is in heaven; his way leads directly thither; there his treasure is, above, out of the reach of enemies, above the changes of this lower world. A good man is truly noble and great; his desires and designs are high, and he lives above the common rate of other men. It is above the capacity and out of the sight of foolish men.