Attributed commentary excerpt
John Gill's Exposition on Proverbs 24:34
A historical reference excerpt for this verse. Read it alongside the biblical text and other available sources.
Exposition of the Old and New Testament
John Gill (1697–1771) · 18th-century historical commentary
Source: BibleWord.ai's local reference edition of this named work.
Blessed [is] the man that heareth me, etc.] Christ in his Gospel, as speaking by his ministers; for hearing them is hearing him, (<421016>Luke 10:16); they have their commission from him; are his ambassadors, and represent him; receive their gifts from him; speak according to his mind and will, revealed in his word, and preach him himself. This shows with what attention and reverence the Gospel should be heard; what credit should be given unto it; how it ought to be put in practice; this accounts for the efficacy of it on the souls of men, it being no other than the word of Christ, or Christ himself speaking; and from hence it appears how sad and dreadful will be the case of such that despise it: to hear it is the way to have the knowledge of Christ, and an increase of it; faith in Christ, and a growth therein; the joy of faith, and a furtherance of it; love to Christ, and aboundings in it; and to have spiritual food and nourishment; wherefore it is both the duty and privilege of persons to hear the Gospel of Christ, since these things come by it; watching daily at my gates; the gates of Wisdom’s house, the church of Christ, which are the public ordinances thereof; called in Scripture the gates of Zion, (<198702>Psalm 87:2); in allusion to the gates of cities, where Wisdom cries, or the ministers of Christ preach, (<200121>Proverbs 1:21 8:3); see (<232601>Isaiah 26:1,2); or to the gates of kings, palaces, where courtiers watch to be admitted and received as favourites, or to give in their petitions for themselves or others, (<170610>Esther 6:10). The church is the palace of the great King; it is an honour to be admitted here, to have a name and a place here, and to sit with the King at his table. Or to the door of the tabernacle, where the people of Israel assembled for worship; or to the gates of the temple, where the priests and Levites watched, (<022942>Exodus 29:42 <19A004>Psalm 100:4 122:2). “Watching” is opposed to sleep, both to bodily sleep and to sleepy frames of soul; and to intemperance, not only by eating and drinking, but with the cares of this life; and it denotes circumspection, diligence, and attention. Here sensible sinners watch in the ministry of the word and ordinances, if anything drops that they can catch at, suitable to their case and circumstances; as Benhadad’s servants did, (<112033>1 Kings 20:33); and here souls, under darkness and desertion, watch for spiritual light and comfort, as they that watch for the morning; and here every believer watches for his spiritual edification and establishment in the truth; and which should be “daily” or “day after day”, one Lord’s day after another; taking all opportunities, in season and out of season, consistent with the duties of their calling, to hear the word; and so they are to continue to the end of life; for happy is he that shall be found thus watching when his Lord cometh, (<421237>Luke 12:37); waiting at the posts of my doors; either in allusion to scholars, who wait the opening of the school doors to go in first, as Jarchi observes: Christ is a teacher; sensible souls are his disciples or scholars; the church is the school where they learn of him, and learn him; and waiting at the door posts of it shows early seeking to Christ, and eagerness for instruction from him, (<422138>Luke 21:38). Or the allusion may be to clients, waiting at the doors of counsellorsf240, for counsel, and for patronage and protection, to plead their cause for them; Christ is the wonder…
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