TRV
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Commentary on Proverbs 30 verses 18–23
Here is, I. An account of four things that are unsearchable, too wonderful to be fully known. And here,
1.The first three are natural things, and are only designed as comparisons for the illustration of the last. We cannot trace, (1.) An eagle in the air. Which way she has flown cannot be discovered either by the footstep or by the scent, as the way of a beast may upon ground; nor can we account for the wonderful swiftness of her flight, how soon she has gone beyond our ken. (2.) A serpent upon a rock. The way of a serpent in the sand we may find by the track, but not of a serpent upon the hard rock; nor can we describe how a serpent will, without feet, in a little time creep to the top of a rock. (3.) A ship in the midst of the sea. The leviathan indeed makes a path to shine after him, one would think the deep to be hoary (Job 41:32), but a ship leaves no mark behind it, and sometimes it is so tossed upon the waves that one would wonder how it lives at sea and gains its point. The kingdom of nature is full of wonders, marvellous things which the God of nature does, past finding out.
2.The fourth is a mystery of iniquity, more unaccountable than any of these; it belongs to the depths of Satan, that deceitfulness and that desperate wickedness of the heart which none can know, Jer 17:9. It is twofold: - (1.) The cursed arts which a vile adulterer has to debauch a maid, and to persuade her to yield to his wicked and abominable lust. This is what a wanton poet wrote a whole book of, long since, De arte amandi - On the art of love. By what pretensions and protestations of love, and all its powerful charms, promises of marriage, assurances of secresy and reward, is many an unwary virgin brought to sell her virtue, and honour, and peace, and soul, and all to a base traitor; for so all sinful lust is in the kingdom of love. The more artfully the temptation is managed the more watchful and resolute ought every pure heart to be against it. (2.) The cursed arts which a vile adulteress has to conceal her wickedness, especially from her husband, from whom she treacherously departs; so close are her intrigues with her lewd companions, and so craftily disguised, that it is as impossible to discover her as to track an eagle in the air. She eats the forbidden fruit, after the similitude of Adam's transgression, and then wipes her mouth, that it may not betray itself, and with a bold and impudent face says, I have done no wickedness. [1.] To the world she denies the fact, and is ready to swear it that she is as chaste and modest as any woman, and never did the wickedness she is suspected of. Those are the works of darkness which are industriously kept from coming to the light. [2.] To her own conscience (if she have any left) she denies the fault, and will not own that that great wickedness is any wickedness at all, but an innocent entertainment. See Hos 12:7, Hos 12:8. Thus multitudes ruin their souls by calling evil good and out-facing their convictions with a self-justification.
II. An account of four things that are intolerable, that is, four sorts of persons that are very troublesome to the places where they live and the relations and companies they are in; the earth is disquieted for them, and groans under them as a burden it cannot bear, and they are all much alike: - 1. A servant when he is advanced, and entrusted with power, who is, of all others, most insolent and imperious; witness Tobiah the servant, the Ammonite, Neh 2:10. 2. A fool, a silly, rude, boisterous, vicious man, who when he has grown rich, and is partaking of the pleasures of the table, will disturb all the company with his extravagant talk and the affronts he will put upon those about him. 3. An ill-natured, cross-grained, woman, when she gets a husband, one who, having made herself odious by her pride and sourness, so that one would not have thought any body would ever love her, yet, if at last she be married, that honourable estate makes her more intolerably scornful and spiteful than ever. It is a pity that that which should sweeten the disposition should have a contrary effect. A gracious woman, when she is married, will be yet more obliging. 4. An old maid-servant that has prevailed with her mistress, by humouring her, and, as we say, getting the length of her foot, to leave her what she has, or is as dear to her as if she was to be her heir, such a one likewise will be intolerably proud and malicious, and think all too little that her mistress gives her, and herself wronged if any thing be left from her. Let those therefore whom Providence has advanced to honour from mean beginnings carefully watch against that sin which will most easily beset them, pride and haughtiness, which will in them, of all others, be most insufferable and inexcusable; and let them humble themselves with the remembrance of the rock out of which they were hewn.
"Such is the way of an adulterous woman, who, when she has done the deed of sin, wipeth herself, and will say that no wickedness has been done." Such is the conduct of the Church that believes on Christ, when, after committing fornication with idols, she renounces these and the devil, and is cleansed of her sins and receives forgiveness, and then asserts that she has done no wickedness.
I will describe two persons who have sinned the same abominable sin of fornication, yet between these two who have fornicated, the one is not aggrieved nor feels pain nor is vexed but experiences what was said in Proverbs concerning the adulterous woman “who having washed herself, if she does something, says she has done nothing wrong.” See with me the other who after the mistake is unable to contain himself but punishes the conscience, tortures the heart, is unable to eat and drink, who fasts not because of a judgment but because of grief of repentance. I will describe him as the kind of person who “appears sad all day long” and who wears himself down with suffering and who goes “wailing from the groaning of his heart,” who sees his sin reproved before himself on account of all which happened before. And see that this sort of person punishes himself not only for one day nor one night but for a long time. Who do you say has hope before God? Is it that first person who has fornicated and does not care but is callous and also has hardened himself just as one who has “given himself up to licentiousness”? Or is it this latter person who after one sin goes into mourning, lamenting it?This latter [has some grounds for hope]. The more such a one is burnt by the fire of grief, the more he is shown mercy, and there is for him such sufficient time for punishment, as there is a time of punishment given to that person who fornicated and was grieved.
“Such is the way of a prostitute: when she has washed herself she says that she has done something wrong.” Clearly this is said of her who, after having washed herself at the source, does not remember the vices of her sins, assumes the virtue of preaching, and, wiping away her stains with living water, has no more awareness of her sin but is urged on by the ardor of faith. For in a certain way she says that she has done nothing wicked now that she has become a messenger of the truth, and by forgetfulness she renounces her impurity now that she preaches chastity in her devotion. For this is the power of Christ the Lord, that even a sinner who washes himself in his water returns afresh to virginity and forgets what he had done before. And in his new birth he manifests the innocence of infancy, he does not know the sins of youth, and although he had been an adulterer because of the corruption of sin, he becomes a virgin because of faith in Christ.
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SUMMARY
Proverbs 30:20 offers a chilling depiction of the adulterous woman's moral depravity, characterized by the casual commission of a grave sin, its immediate and effortless concealment, and a brazen, unrepentant denial of any wrongdoing. This proverb, part of Agur's collection of profound observations, exposes a hardened conscience and a deceptive heart, where a serious transgression is treated with the same nonchalance as a simple meal, leaving no trace and eliciting no remorse, epitomizing a profound spiritual blindness.
CONTEXT
EXPOSITION AND ANALYSIS
Key Word Analysis
Verse Breakdown
Literary Devices
Proverbs 30:20 masterfully employs several literary devices to convey its powerful and disturbing message. The most prominent is Metaphor, where the act of adultery is strikingly likened to the mundane act of "eating" and "wiping one's mouth." Eating is a common, often innocent, activity, making its use here to describe a grave sin all the more unsettling; it suggests the casual, unburdened nature with which the sin is committed, devoid of any sense of guilt or struggle. "Wiping her mouth" serves as a vivid Imagery of effortless concealment, implying that the act leaves no physical trace, no evidence, and no internal mark of guilt. This imagery also contributes to the device of Irony, as the woman's outward declaration of innocence ("I have done no wickedness") stands in stark contrast to the profound moral transgression she has just committed, highlighting her self-deception and moral callousness. The proverb also utilizes Synecdoche, where the "way" of the woman represents her entire character and moral disposition, emphasizing that her actions stem from a deeply ingrained pattern of behavior rather than an isolated incident.
THEOLOGICAL AND THEMATIC CONNECTIONS
This proverb serves as a stark theological commentary on the insidious nature of sin, particularly its capacity to harden the human heart and blind the conscience. It illustrates a dangerous progression from transgression to denial, revealing a profound spiritual sickness where the sinner not only commits evil but loses the capacity to recognize it as such. This moral blindness is a perilous state, as it precludes genuine repentance and leaves the individual entrenched in their destructive path. The casualness of the act and the immediate denial underscore the insidious power of self-deception, which is a fundamental aspect of human fallenness. While the act is hidden from human eyes and denied to human ears, the wisdom literature consistently reminds us that such behavior is never hidden from God, who sees all and knows the deepest secrets of the heart, holding all accountable for their actions and intentions.
REFLECTION AND APPLICATION
Proverbs 30:20 offers a chilling portrayal of a hardened heart, a conscience seared to the point of denying obvious wrongdoing. While the specific example is adultery, the principle extends to any sin we might commit and then attempt to rationalize, minimize, or outright deny. This proverb calls us to a profound self-examination, urging us to consider whether we, too, are guilty of "eating" our sin and then "wiping our mouths," pretending "I have done no wickedness." It challenges us to cultivate a tender conscience, one that is sensitive to sin, quick to acknowledge it, feel godly sorrow, and pursue genuine repentance. True wisdom involves confronting our own deceitful hearts, embracing honesty before God and others, and seeking purification from hidden faults, rather than allowing sin to normalize and harden us to its destructive power. It is a call to live in the light, where truth prevails over self-deception.
Questions for Reflection
FAQ
What does "she eateth, and wipeth her mouth" mean metaphorically?
Answer: This phrase is a powerful metaphor for the casual and unburdened commission of sin, followed by an immediate and effortless attempt to conceal it. "She eateth" suggests that the act of adultery is consumed with ease, perhaps even pleasure, much like a simple meal. It implies a lack of struggle or remorse in the act itself, portraying a desensitized approach to grave transgression. "And wipeth her mouth" symbolizes the immediate and thorough removal of any evidence or trace of the transgression, both physically and morally. It's an act of covering up, of erasing the signs of guilt, as if to say, "nothing happened here," leaving no visible sign of wrongdoing or internal sense of shame. This vivid imagery highlights the profound moral callousness and deceptive nature of the individual, who seeks to appear innocent while actively engaged in sin.
How does this proverb relate to the broader biblical teaching on sin and repentance?
Answer: Proverbs 30:20 stands in stark contrast to the broader biblical call for repentance and confession. The adulterous woman's denial ("I have done no wickedness") demonstrates a hardened heart and a seared conscience, which are antithetical to genuine repentance. The Bible consistently teaches that sin, especially unconfessed and unrepented sin, leads to spiritual death and separation from God (e.g., Romans 6:23). True repentance involves acknowledging sin, feeling godly sorrow for it, confessing it to God, and turning away from it (e.g., Psalm 32:5, 1 John 1:9). This proverb serves as a solemn warning against the dangerous path of denial and self-deception, which prevents one from seeking God's forgiveness, experiencing His cleansing, and walking in the path of righteousness and restoration.
CHRIST-CENTERED FULFILLMENT
Proverbs 30:20, in its stark portrayal of a heart hardened by sin and self-deception, powerfully underscores the human condition that necessitates a Savior. The adulterous woman's casual commission of sin, immediate concealment, and brazen denial ("I have done no wickedness") perfectly illustrate the depth of human depravity and our innate tendency to suppress the truth and justify ourselves. This moral blindness and unrepentant spirit are precisely what Jesus Christ came to address. He is the light that exposes the darkness of hidden deeds and the deceitfulness of the human heart (John 3:19-21). Unlike the woman who wipes her mouth clean and denies, Christ offers true cleansing, not through concealment, but through confession and His atoning sacrifice on the cross (1 John 1:9). He came to give us a new heart and a new spirit, replacing our stony, self-deceiving hearts with hearts of flesh that are sensitive to sin and desirous of righteousness (Ezekiel 36:26). In Christ, we find the grace to acknowledge our wickedness, receive complete forgiveness through His shed blood (Ephesians 1:7), and walk in the truth, liberated from the destructive "way" of denial and self-justification, empowered by the Holy Spirit to live a life of integrity (Romans 8:1-4).