Dec 17 Devotional - Proverb 17 Bribery
December 17, 2024 – Proverbs 17 – Bribery
https://www.esv.org/Proverbs+17/
https://www.esv.org/Zechariah+3/
Earlier on I said there are a few Proverbs that are completely contradictory. Today we get to one of these situations in verses 8 and 23. In the first instance it seems that a bride is portrayed as a good thing and a way to get things done. In the second instance a bribe is obviously a bad thing because it perverts justice.
I have read some scholars who argue that both are correct. Their argument is that if you live in a culture where bribes are necessary to get things done then they should be used whenever necessary to get done what you need to get done. This might include things like getting (legitimate) imports cleared through customs, or building permits. They are basically saying that if bribes are necessary to get civil matters taken care of then that is what you do based on the culture. But, they also argue that if the bribes are to get guilty people out of jail or make less than savory things happen then they should not be used. I understand where these people are coming from, but we must first look at this from the biblical perspective.
First, we should ask if the Hebrew word for bribe is the same in both verses. It is. Then we need to ask if the word can mean different things in different situations. There are two instances where this word describes payments between kings that affect geo-political relations and some translations use “gifts” here (1 Kings 15:19; 2 Kings 16:8). In both these cases the kings should have been relying on the Lord, rather than purchasing foreign nations to deliver them from bad situations. So, I don’t think we can say this word for “bribe” never has a positive connotation. Second, what does the rest of the Bible teach about bribes? The Bible is consistent when it condemns bribes (Exod. 23:8; Deut. 16:19; Isa. 5:23). There are more verses than this, but I think these consistently represent what the Bible teaches.
So, what do we do with a proverb that says a bribe is a good thing? We have to realize that in the Bible proverbs are like proverbs today. In short pithy ways they teach how life works. Sometimes they don’t make a judgment call because they assume we know what the rest of the Bible teaches. If a proverb directs us to do something, or reiterates a promise made elsewhere in the Bible, then we should follow it. If it directs us to do something or believe something contrary to the rest of the Bible (rare, but it does happen) then we realize that might be how life works, but it is not God’s desired plan. We must do our best to work the way God intends and get on our knees and ask God to work things out without a bribe first. God can do anything!
Remember that engaging in corruption just begets more corruption and do what can be done to fix the practice. If the system can be fixed that is the first and best way to deal with the situation. If Christians won’t work to fix the system, it is unlikely others will.
Memory and Meditation: Proverbs 8:10
“Take my instruction instead -- ------, --- --------- ------ ---- ------ ----"