Christian Philosophy: How Christ Fulfills Proverbs 10:18

(Couldn't find a picture that could do it justice this time. Sorry!)

Proverbs 10:18 reads: “He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool.” Given that this proverb obviously talks about a godless man, how can the Lord Jesus Christ possibly be seen here (as long as Scripture is rightly read)? The answer is this: this proverb pictures Christ by showing us who He is NOT. This is the antithesis of Christ. And the opposite of Christ, as we have been covering throughout this series, is sin. If sin was a person, Proverbs 10:18 would be a portrait of that person.

The first clause gives us the first description of a “fool”: one who hides hatred with lying lips. In other words, this man covers the hatred in his heart by lying to others. In contrast, Christ, being God, is Love (John 1:1; 1 John 4:8). Therefore, love (Divine and true love, that is) resides in and fills Christ’s holy heart. And out of the good treasure of His heart, Christ speaks good things (Matthew 12:35). And all these good things, unlike the things the fool speaks, are true, Christ being truth itself (John 14:6).

The second clause gives us the second description of a “fool”: one who slanders. Unlike the slanderer, Christ speaks nothing but the truth. And, not only does He only speak truth, but He speaks truth in love, to the benefit, and not the ruin, of His hearers. Although texts like Matthew 23 show that Christ does speak negatively about certain people, this is because, again, 1) it’s true and 2) it’s necessary for the eternal welfare of His hearers. [1]

So, although this proverb illustrates Christ by showing who He is not, it still has a beautiful indirect picture of the Lord to gaze upon, so that the one who trusts in Him will become conformed to that beauty (2 Corinthians 3:18)!

[1] https://illbehonest.com/am-i-gossiping-or-building-up-tim-conway