Just as dead flies foul the FRAGRANCE of a precious OINTMENT,
so does folly stain the REPUTATION of the WISE (10:1):
Unclean BEHAVIOR and unseemly CONVERSATION does not become
a SAINT who is exhorted to walk in the SELF SACRIFCIAL LOVE of the Savior and to COMMUNICATE THANKSGIVING for that
love received(Ephesians 5:2-4)
The RIGHT HAND of the WISE is a BETTER DEFENCE than the
left hand of the fool (10:2):
The "SAVING STRENGTH of His RIGHT HAND"(Psalms 20:6)
"His RIGHT HAND ... the ARM of His STRENGTH"(Isaiah 62:8)
The FOOL "walks by the way" (TAKES NO THOUGHT)
and reveals his folly (10:3),
but the WISE "leave not their place" (SUBMIT TO AUTHORITY) and, thus, PACIFY JUDGMENT (10:4):
The Lord commanded, "RENDER UNTO CAESAR the THINGS
WHICH ARE CAESAR'S; and UNTO GOD the THINGS THAT ARE GOD'S" (Matthew 22:21)
Paul exhorted, "RENDER therefore TO ALL THEIR DUES:
TRIBUTE to whom tribute is due; CUSTOM to whom custom; FEAR to whom fear; HONOR to whom honor" (Romans 13:7)
The Lord punished Israel by removing their people of substance
and replacing them with "CHILDREN AND BABES" who would OPPRESS THE PEOPLE (Isaiah 3:1-5)
Paul rebuked the Corinthians by exhorting them to set
in authority those "LEAST ESTEEMED" in the Church, which were the "WISE", who were ABLE TO
JUDGE BETWEEN brethren (I Corinthians 6:4-5)
It takes WISDOM to PERFORM ORDINARY TASKS such as DIGGING
a WELL, TAKING DOWN a FENCE, SQUARING STONES and CUTTING WOOD - IF one is NOT CAREFUL in these things then INJURY
MAY RESULT (10:8-9):
The believer is exhorted to be CAREFUL IN MAINTAINING
GOOD WORKS, which are good and PROFITABLE TO ALL (Titus 3:8) and are a believer's TRUE RICHES (I Timothy 6:17-19) showing forth GOD'S WORKMANSHIP (Ephesians 2:10)
WISDOM is BETTER THAN FORCE - while the latter may succeed
with great effort, the former INVOLVES LESS EFFORT (10:10):
The SERVANT of the Lord is exhorted NOT TO STRIVE, but
TO BE GENTLE and meek when encountering opposition LETTING GOD do the work (II Timothy 2:24-25) and SPARING ONE'S SELF the same temptation of pride and envy (Galatians 5:26; Galatians 6:1)
GOD IN HIS WISDOM ordained that the WORLD THROUGH ITS
WISDOM CANNOT KNOW HIM (I Corinthians 1:21) - they are "EVER LEARNING and NEVER ABLE to COME TO the KNOWLEDGE
OF the TRUTH" (II Timothy 3:7)
The Ruler who is INEXPERIENCED as a "CHILD"
and also a SERVANT OF PLEASURE rather than of people - spells WOE for all those under SUCH AUTHORITY (10:16 cf. Isaiah 3:1-5):
A RULER in the church should be PROVEN as one who knows
how to RULE HIS OWN HOUSE - in SOBERNESS and HOSPITALITY to others rather than in drunkenness and covetousness
for one's self gain (I Timothy 3:1-5; Titus 1:5-9)
A RULER in the church who is a NOVICE with no proven leadership
experience is one who is EASILY GIVEN TO PRIDE, and THEREBY, PRONE TO FALL (I Timothy 3:6-7 cf. Proverbs 16:18; Isaiah 14:12-19)
The Ruler who eats with PURPOSE and for STRENGTH rather
than with abandonment to self intoxication is a BLESSING to people under SUCH AUTHORITY (10:17):
Paul exhorts the BELIEVER to be VIGILANT concerning the
UNDERSTANDING of the LORD'S WILL (Ephesians 5:15-17) and to be FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT wherein is THANKSGIVING rather than
to be filled with wine wherein is excess (Ephesians 5:18-20)
IDLENESS and SLOTH will WEAR DOWN the STRUCTURE OF AUTHORITY
and will LEAD TO REVELERY - even though the revelers seek to justify their excesses by claiming the right of purchase
for luxurious living (10:18-19):
Israel's IDLE HANDS led them to IDOLATRY and REVELRY (Exodus 32:1-6)
and the RESULT was the LOSS OF 3000 LIVES (Exodus 32:25-29)
Belshazzar's IDLE HANDS led him and his nobles to REVELRY
and IDOLATRY (Daniel 5:1-4) and the RESULT was the LOSS OF HIS KINGDOM and the LOSS OF HIS LIFE
that very night (Daniel 5:26-30)
What is SAID IN the PRIVACY OF LUXURY has a WAY OF BECOMING
OPEN and RESULTING IN JUDGMENT (10:20):
Samson's WEAKNESS for WINE and WOMEN resulted in the LOSS
OF the SECRET OF HIS STRENGTH and the LOSS OF HIS LIFE (Judges 16:4-19,25-30)