Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Proverbs 28:21

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Selfish ambition (28:1-28)

A bad conscience makes a person a coward, but a clear conscience gives a person courage (28:1). Some characteristics of a corrupt society are instability in the government, exploitation of fellow citizens (even among the poorer classes), lawlessness, reversal of moral standards, injustice and greed. In spite of this, some will always remain true to God (2-7).
Even those who are religious may be guilty of exploiting the poor and misleading the upright, but their religious exercises will not help them escape God’s judgment. Those who are poor yet godly see this truth and believe that one day they will prosper, whereas their oppressors will suffer (8-12). Hidden sins and a hardened conscience alike bring God’s judgment (13-14).
Although an individual may suffer a lifetime for causing the death of another, a whole nation may suffer because of the fury and ignorance of a despotic ruler (15-17). Those who live and work honestly need not fear the future (18-19), but those who are greedy will in the end be driven into poverty. Some are so greedy they can be bribed even by a piece of bread (20-22)!
No one should neglect these warnings, for a sincere rebuke is better than flattery (23). In their greed for riches, people at times cheat their parents, stir up trouble, become self-centred, neglect the poor and ignore injustice. But those who live only for themselves will one day suffer as they have made others suffer (24-28).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"To have respect of persons is not good; Neither that a man should transgress for a piece of bread."

"The first line here is also found in Proverbs 24:23, referring there, as it does here, to the administration of justice."The Pulpit Commentary, op. cit., p. 537. See our comments there. "Some renditions here give the thought that a judge given to favoritism will swerve from the right decision upon the very smallest of temptations, `a crust of bread.'"Ibid. Kidner warned that, with regard to favoritism, "The preacher is just as vulnerable as the judge."Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries, op. cit., p. 172.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

Dishonest partiality leads men who have enslaved themselves to it to transgress, even when the inducement is altogether disproportionate. A “piece of bread” was proverbial at all times as the most extreme point of poverty (compare the marginal reference).

Smith's Bible Commentary

Chapter 28

Twenty-eight:

The wicked flee when no man pursueth: but the righteous are as bold as a lion ( Proverbs 28:1 ).

The contrast of the wicked and the righteous. We had an awful lot of that early in the proverbs.

For the transgression of a land many are the princes thereof: but by a man of understanding and knowledge the state thereof shall be prolonged ( Proverbs 28:2 ).

When the land is bad, there's many changes of dynasties, governments. When evil existing. But a man of understanding and knowledge, the state, his position will be prolonged.

A poor man that oppresseth the poor is like a sweeping rain which leaves no food. They that forsake the law praise the wicked: but such as keep the law contend with them. Evil men understand not judgment: but they that seek the LORD understand all things ( Proverbs 28:3-5 ).

This calls to mind the second chapter of Corinthians, First Corinthians, where Paul declares that, "The natural man understandeth not the things of the Spirit, neither can he know them. They are spiritually discerned. But he which is spiritual understands all things, though he is not understood of men" ( 1 Corinthians 2:14-15 ). So evil men understand not the judgment, but they that seek the Lord, God gives to us an understanding, an oeidus, an intuitive knowledge of things.

Better is the poor that walketh in his uprightness, than he that is perverse in his ways, though he be rich ( Proverbs 28:6 ).

An honest poor man much better than a perverse rich man.

Whoso keepeth the law is a wise son: but he that is a companion of riotous men will bring shame to his father. He that by usury and unjust gain increases his substance, he shall gather it for him that will pity the poor ( Proverbs 28:7-8 ).

God will take it away from you and distribute it among the poor.

He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be an abomination ( Proverbs 28:9 ).

Prayer at some times in some places is an abomination. Now, we look at prayer as really the highest function of a Christian duty or experience. You know, a man in prayer, you see that as the highest form of the communion of a man with God. But it is possible that even our prayers can be an abomination. And if I if I'm not regarding the law of God, if I turn away my ear from obedience to the law of God, my prayers are useless. The Bible says that, "God's hand is not short, that He cannot save; neither is His ear heavy, that He cannot hear. But your sins have separated you from God" ( Isaiah 59:1-2 ).

The psalmist said, "If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord hears me not when I pray" ( Psalms 66:18 ). So my prayer becomes almost deceitful. It's an abomination. I say, "Well, I know I'm not so good. I know I'm not doing what I should but, I still pray." Well, hey, if your hands are filled with blood and you raise those bloody hands to God in prayer, God's not going to hear you. Your sin has separated between you and God. It isn't that God can't hear you; He won't hear you. So prayer becomes an abomination. It becomes a deceitful thing. I think, "Well, I'm not too bad because I still pray." But yet my prayers are worthless. They're an abomination.

Whoso causeth the righteous to go astray in an evil way, he shall fall himself into his own pit: but the upright shall have good things in possession. The rich man is wise in his own conceit; but the poor that hath understanding searcheth him out. When righteous men do rejoice, there is great glory: but when the wicked rise, a man is hidden. He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy ( Proverbs 28:10-13 ).

A lot of people seeking to cover their sins. Try to cover your sin, you're not going to prosper. "Be sure your sins will find you out" ( Numbers 32:23 ), God said. But whosoever will confess them and forsake them. In John we read, "If a man says he has no sin, he's only deceiving himself, the truth is not in him. But if we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" ( 1 John 1:8-9 ). Just confess and forsake your sins. God will be merciful to you. And it shows you the folly of going on and trying to cover your sin. You're not going to prosper. You're not going to get away with it. The best thing as far as sin is the confession and the forsaking, because then you can have and find mercy. Until you confess and forsake, you're going to have to answer for them.

Happy is the man that reverences always: but he that hardeneth his heart shall fall into mischief. As a roaring lion, and a ranging bear; so is a wicked ruler over the poor people. The prince that wanteth understanding is also a great oppressor ( Proverbs 28:14-16 ):

That is, the prince who lacks in understanding will be a great oppressor of the people.

but he that hateth covetousness shall prolong his days. A man that doeth violence to the blood of any person shall flee to the pit; and let no man stop him. Whoso walketh uprightly shall be saved: but he that is perverse in his ways shall fall at once. He that tills his land shall have plenty of bread: but he that follows after vain persons shall have poverty enough. A faithful man shall abound with blessings: but he that maketh haste to be rich shall not be innocent. To have the respect of persons is not good: for, for a piece of bread that man will transgress ( Proverbs 28:16-21 ).

James rebukes us for having respect of persons in our assemblies. And he points out how that if a person comes in in rags, you have a tendency to push him off in the corner. But if a guy comes in flashing diamonds and everything else, "Oh, come on down here, take this place of honor." He says, "Hey, you have respect of persons. That's not good. God is no respecter of persons. And for us to have respect of persons is not good. A person who has the respect of persons, for a piece of bread he'll transgress."

He that hasteth to be rich ( Proverbs 28:22 )

The get-rich-quick schemes.

has an evil eye, and considers not that poverty shall come upon him ( Proverbs 28:22 ).

There are a lot of get-rich schemes, or I should say get-rich scams that are all over the place today. If you haste to be rich, you're looking for a get-rich scam, you're going to lose your shirt. So many people trying to go to Vegas to get rich quick. Because every once in a while, some person hits the jackpot down there. And when they hit the jackpot, they make news. The papers publish the fact that this guy hit the jackpot on the dollar machine; he's won $287,000. And everybody around the country hears it. They don't tell you about the 280,000 that went away from Las Vegas selling their watch to the service station attendant in Barstow to get enough gas to get home. For every one winner, there's a thousand losers. He that hastes to get rich, he who's looking for a get-rich scheme is going to end up in poverty.

He that rebukes a man, afterwards shall find more favor than he who flatters with a tongue ( Proverbs 28:23 ).

That is, he who rebukes a man, afterwards he'll find more favor than the man who was flattered with his tongue.

Whoso robs his father or his mother, and says, It's no transgression; the same is a companion of the destroyer. He that is of a proud heart stirs up strife: but he that putteth his trust in the LORD shall be made fat ( Proverbs 28:24-25 ).

Oh, I love that. I've determined that we have an ungodly obsession with skinniness. I don't find any scriptures that talks about the blessing of skinniness.

He that trusts in his own heart is a fool ( Proverbs 28:26 ):

Now that's interesting, isn't it? Why? Because the scripture tells us in Jeremiah that, "The heart is deceitful and desperately wicked" ( Jeremiah 17:9 ). You don't really know it. So if you trust your own heart, you're a fool.

but whoso walketh wisely shall be delivered. He that gives unto the poor shall not lack: but he that hides his eyes [that is, from the poor] shall have many a curse. When the wicked rise, men hide themselves: but when they perish, the righteous increase ( Proverbs 28:26-28 ). "

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

To have respect of persons [is] not good, c, In courts of judicature, to give a cause or pass sentence in favour of a person, because he is rich, or is a relation, a friend, an acquaintance, or has done a kindness and against another, because of the reverse, Leviticus 19:15; nor in religious assemblies, making a difference between the rich and the poor, James 2:1; this is not good in itself, nor productive of good effects, and cannot be well pleasing to God, who himself is no respecter of persons;

for for a piece of bread [that] man will transgress; the laws of God and men; having used himself to such unrighteous methods of proceeding, he will do any base action for a small gain, he will stick at nothing, and do it for anything; as Cato used to say of M. Coelius the tribune,

"that he might be hired, for a morsel of bread, to speak or hold his peace;''

see Ezekiel 13:19.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      21 To have respect of persons is not good: for for a piece of bread that man will transgress.

      Note, 1. It is a fundamental error in the administration of justice, and that which cannot but lead men to abundance of transgression, to consider the parties concerned more than the merits of the cause, so as to favour one because he is a gentleman, a scholar, my countryman, my old acquaintance, has formerly done me a kindness, or may do me one, or is of my party and persuasion, and to bear hard on the other party because he is a stranger, a poor man, has done me an ill turn, is or has been my rival, or is not of my mind, or has voted against me. Judgment is perverted when any consideration of this kind is admitted into the scale, any thing but pure right. 2. Those that are partial will be paltry. Those that have once broken through the bonds of equity, though, at first, it must be some great bribe, some noble present, that would bias them, yet, when they have debauched their consciences, they will, at length, be so sordid that for a piece of bread they will give judgment against their consciences; they will rather play at small game than sit out.