Mother's Day
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Mother’s Day: How A Mother’s Love Is A Reflection of God
Mother’s Day: How A Mother’s Love Is A Reflection of God
As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you; And ye shall be comforted in Jerusalem.
God showing the example of a mother’s love and comfort for how He loves and comforts us. Jerusalem = the place of the Throne, ie. the presence of God
But we were gentle among you, even as a nurse cherisheth her children:
Paul presents this metaphor to characterize the love and care that he and his followers showed to the Thessalonians, and he is saying here that as Christians, as ambassadors for Christ, we should follow that same example. We should treat each other with the gentleness and caring that a mother shows their child.
The words of king Lemuel, the prophecy that his mother taught him.
king Lemuel = to El and for El (to God and for God), a king. Solomon was the royal seed in the line of Him Who is King of kings and Lord of lords. The Talmud says (Avoth d’Rab. Nathan, c. 39): “Solomon was called by six names: Solomon, Jedidiah, Ḳoheleth, Son of Jakeh, Agur, and Lemuel”.
What, my son? and what, the son of my womb? And what, the son of my vows?
Solomon’s mother asking, “for whom did I suffer through pregnancy and child birth, and so intensely love?” “What” repeated three times to emphasize the strength of the mother’s feelings.
Give not thy strength unto women, Nor thy ways to that which destroyeth kings.
Strength = the Hebrew word used here, chayil, is the same term used to describe the wife in v. 10. The mother is saying “don’t waste your time and energy on women and ways that pull you down, or get in the way of you being a good king”
It is not for kings, O Lemuel, it is not for kings to drink wine; Nor for princes strong drink:
Lest they drink, and forget the law, And pervert the judgment of any of the afflicted.
Lemuel’s mother warns him to avoid alcohol. A drunken and self-indulgent king would likely ignore the needs of his people. Not an absolute prohibition, since wine was a staple of normal diets and royal banquets. Proverbs condemns drunkenness (Prov 21:17; 23:29–35), a particular liability in a ruler responsible for maintaining law and order.
Give strong drink unto him that is ready to perish, And wine unto those that be of heavy hearts.
Let him drink, and forget his poverty, And remember his misery no more.
Open thy mouth for the dumb In the cause of all such as are appointed to destruction.
Dumb here just means someone not educated in how to defend themselves in court, and appointed to destruction means orphans. Solomon being instructed to care for those that have need.
Open thy mouth, judge righteously, And plead the cause of the poor and needy.
The king was responsible for administering justice in legal disputes. Solomon’s mother encourages him to take up the cause of the impoverished and needy. He should judge his kingdom righteously, just as God judges the world.
The twenty-two verses which follow, each begin with the twenty-two successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The acrostic cannot be reproduced in English, because the letters of the two alphabets vary in their number, order, and equivalents. This is to emphasize the great lesson King Solomon was to learn. Note the warnings against foreign women which, Solomon failed to heed.
Who can find a virtuous woman? For her price is far above rubies.
virtuous. The English use of this word limits it to one kind of excellence. The meaning of the Hebrew is wider: ḥayil = strong in all moral qualities
The heart of her husband doth safely trust in her, So that he shall have no need of spoil.
no need = no lack
She will do him good and not evil All the days of her life.
She is a continual asset to her husband, bringing him good, not harm. And this faithfulness is consistent. It continues all the days of her life.
She seeketh wool, and flax, And worketh willingly with her hands.
She is like the merchants’ ships; She bringeth her food from afar.
She riseth also while it is yet night, And giveth meat to her household, And a portion to her maidens.
She considereth a field, and buyeth it: With the fruit of her hands she planteth a vineyard.
She girdeth her loins with strength, And strengtheneth her arms.
She perceiveth that her merchandise is good: Her candle goeth not out by night.
She layeth her hands to the spindle, And her hands hold the distaff.
The distaff and spindle were tools used to make linen, which the excellent wife used to make clothing for her household and to sell for profit.
She stretcheth out her hand to the poor; Yea, she reacheth forth her hands to the needy.
She is not afraid of the snow for her household: For all her household are clothed with scarlet.
Clothed with scarlet = double layered. She makes sure her family is clothed warmly.
She maketh herself coverings of tapestry; Her clothing is silk and purple.
Her husband is known in the gates, When he sitteth among the elders of the land.
City gates were the social and economic hub of the city. The elders were the leaders responsible for legal rulings. The husband of the excellent wife was known and respected among the leaders of the town.
She maketh fine linen, and selleth it; And delivereth girdles unto the merchant.
Strength and honour are her clothing; And she shall rejoice in time to come.
Through good works and moral standing she is prepared for the future.
She openeth her mouth with wisdom; And in her tongue is the law of kindness.
She looketh well to the ways of her household, And eateth not the bread of idleness.
Her children arise up, and call her blessed; Her husband also, and he praiseth her.
Many daughters have done virtuously, But thou excellest them all.
This is saying that many women are noble (same word as in v. 10), but she surpasses them all—she is the best!
Favour is deceitful, and beauty is vain: But a woman that feareth the Lord, she shall be praised.
The Hebrew word used here for vain, hevel, is used figuratively to describe things that are brief and transitory. Here, it speaks to the fleeting nature of physical beauty.
Give her of the fruit of her hands; And let her own works praise her in the gates.
the works of an excellent wife should be known and praised by the people
But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law,
when the fullness of time came With this phrase, Paul brings together the idea of coming of age and the coming of Jesus. Paul stresses that the life, death, and resurrection of Christ occurred according to the plan of God, the fulfillment of the covenants and oaths we have been seeing all the way back in Genesis
born under the law Refers to Jesus’ identity as a Jew. He was born into the people who lived according to God’s law. Refers to the incarnation of Jesus—when the eternal Son of God became a human being, this would not be possible without women, a mother through which he was born
To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
redeem The Greek word used here, exagorazō, is a legal term meaning “buy out.” The idea is that Christ’s death has bought freedom for those who are enslaved to the law.
He that loveth father or mother more than me is not worthy of me: and he that loveth son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me.
