John Gill Commentary Proverbs 9

Wisdom has built her house
Or "Wisdoms": of which see (Proverbs 1:20) ; Christ, the Wisdom of God, is meant, in whom and from whom all wisdom is. Various are the opinions concerning this house built by him. Some take it to be the whole circle of sciences, and the seven pillars to be the seven liberal ones, as Aben Ezra; though rather, as others, it may design the schools of the prophets, in which young men were trained up in the knowledge of divine and spiritual things. Some would have the whole universe to be meant, and the seven pillars to be the seven days of creation, as Jarchi; or the seven planets, as others: it is an odd notion of Grotius, that the human body is intended, with its five senses; and, to make up the number seven, adds the voice and memory: rather the human nature of Christ, which is a temple, a tabernacle, a house in which the Godhead dwells, is built by Wisdom, made without the hands of men; and then its seven pillars are the graces of the Spirit, by which it was supported and adorned; see (Isaiah 11:2) ; Some understand it of the temple of a regenerate man's heart; in which God, Father, Son and Spirit, dwell. But there are two other senses, which bid fairest one of them to be right; either the heavenly glory, the house not made with hands, Christ's Father's house, in which are many mansions for his people; and which is a city whose builder and maker is God, and is prepared by Christ; and stands firm upon the promises of God, the person, blood, and righteousness of Christ, and the grace of the blessed Spirit: or rather the church of Christ on earth, the house of the living God, the pillar and ground of truth; this is built by Christ upon himself, the rock and foundation; the materials of it are true believers, precious and lively stones; built up a spiritual house, and a fit and suitable habitation for God through the Spirit. Such a house there was under the Old Testament, and such an one there is under the New; and which is continually building up by Christ by means of the word and ordinances, and will continue to the end of the world; see (1 Timothy 3:15) (Matthew 16:18) (1 Peter 2:5) (Hebrews 3:6) ;

she has hewn out her seven pillars ;
ministers of the Gospel, compared to pillars for strength and stability, and for their being instrumental in supporting the interest and church of Christ; in allusion to the pillars in Solomon's temple, Jachin and Boaz; see (Galatians 2:9) (1 Kings 7:21) . These are said to be "hewn", being polished, beautified, and adorned with the gifts and graces of the Spirit by Christ, and thereby fitted for their work and service; and said to be "seven", because there is a complete and sufficient number of them, which Christ has provided, and always will provide for his churches, as long as they continue in the world. Though it may be these seven pillars may denote in general the firmness and solidity of this spiritual building, the church, and the continuance of it by the power of God; or they may have respect to the seven states of the church in so many periods of time, to last to the end of all things, signified by the seven churches in the book of the Revelation; so Cocceius ^F3 .

FOOTNOTES:

• F3: Vid. Lexic. Heb. col. 623.

She has killed her beasts
Or, "her sacrifice" ^F4 : a crucified Christ, the principal of the provisions in Wisdom's house, or the church of Christ. The death of Christ was prefigured by the slaying of beasts for sacrifice under the old law; was foretold in prophecy, and is expressed by "killing" him in the New Testament; and which shows his death not to be natural, but violent. It is commonly ascribed to the Jews as a wicked action of theirs; but was not without the counsel and determination of God, and the will and consent of Christ; and this death was as a victim to justice, by way of sacrifice and satisfaction for sin, and was vicarious; was offered up in the room and stead of his people, to make atonement for their sins; and which is no other than himself, his soul and body, as in union with his divine person; a sacrifice voluntarily offered up by himself, exceeding acceptable, and well pleasing to God; effectual to the purposes for which it was offered, and so never to be repeated: and his death, being a sacrifice, becomes a feast; a crucified Christ is suitable food for faith, as he is the Lamb in the midst of the throne, as though he had been slain; he is evidently set forth in the Gospel as crucified, and as such is spiritual and savoury food to his people, nourishing and strengthening, quickening and comforting, and extremely satisfying: thus the Gospel feast, in which the slain Lamb of God makes the chiefest part, is expressed in the same language as here, "my oxen and my fatlings are killed", (Matthew 22:4).

She has mingled her wine ; which also makes a considerable part in a banquet or feast, (Esther 5:6) ; and the church is called a banqueting house, or a house of wine, (Song of Solomon 2:4) . The love of Christ is compared to wine, (Song of Solomon 1:2Song of Solomon 1:4) ; to old wine for the antiquity of it, being more ancient than ours to him, or than ourselves, even as old as eternity; to wine, on the lees well refined, for the purity of it, being free from all motives and conditions in the creature; to strong generous wine, which exhilarates and refreshes the weak, the weary, and distressed. The Gospel of Christ is also compared to wine, (Song of Solomon 7:9) ; to old wine, for the ancient doctrines of it; and to neat wine, for the purity of it; and to generous wine, for the pleasure, joy, and comfort it gives: the blessings of grace which it exhibits may be so called from their comforting and refreshing nature, which are had freely, (Isaiah 55:1) ; and so are the joys of heaven, (Matthew 26:29) . Now the "mingling" of this wine is in allusion to the mixture of wine, either with something richer, as spice, (Song of Solomon 8:2) ; or rather with water, as Jarchi observes, which was usual in those hot countries, to make it fit and suitable drink for the bodies of men: the mixture was no doubt according to the strength of the wine; the wine of Sharon, being strong wine, was mixed two parts water and one wine ^F5 ; which, with the ancients ^F6 , before three parts water and two wine; though, according to Plutarch ^F7 , they had three ways of mixing, which they called by three different names; the one was three parts water and two wine, the other three parts water and one wine, the third was one wine and two water; the first of them was reckoned the best mixture ^F8 : one Cerassus is said to be the inventor of mixing wine with water ^F9 ; others ascribe it to Melampus ^F11 , and others to Amphictyon. And this, spiritually understood, does not design any impurity or degeneracy, such as is complained of, (Isaiah 1:22) ; for the love of Christ is pure and sovereign; the Gospel of Christ is free of all mixtures of human doctrines; the blessings of grace are all of free grace, without the mixture of men's works, and so is eternal life; salvation is all of free grace, and not by works of righteousness done by men mixed with it. But this may design the various displays of the love of Christ in the several acts of it, before time, in time, and now in heaven; or the joint display of the love of Father, Son, and Spirit, in the salvation of men, and the harmony and agreement of the divine perfections therein; and the publication of the Gospel, and the accommodation of the truths of it to the capacities of men: and perhaps some respect may be had to the blood and water that issued from the side of the slain Lamb of God, here prophetically and figuratively held forth.

She has also furnished her table ; which seems to design the ministration of the word, and the administration of ordinances in Gospel times; especially the ordinance of the supper, called the table of the Lord, (1 Corinthians 10:21) ; a well-furnished table has a variety of excellent provision upon it: and such is the ministry of the Gospel, which is signified by various sorts of food, as bread, meat, milk, honey, and delicious fruits; and Christ, who is the sum and substance of it, is expressed by several things that are eatable, as by a slain lamb, a fatted calf, the hidden manna, the bread of God and of life, whose flesh is meat indeed, and his blood drink indeed; and so is he held forth in the ordinances, particularly in the ordinance of the supper; the tame he sits at, and welcomes his guests; encourages them to eat and drink, and sups with them himself. Here his broken body, and his blood shed, are presented to the faith of his people, to be eaten and drank in a spiritual manner; a table richly furnished indeed!

FOOTNOTES:

• F4: (hxbj) "victimam suam", Pagninus, Montanus, Tigurine version, Baynus, Mercerus, so Ben Melech.
• F5: T. Bab. Sabbat, fol. 77. 1. & Nidda, fol. 19. 1.
• F6: Suidas in voce (poma) .
• F7: Apud Philander. in Vitruv. de Architect. l. 16. c. 5. p. 281.
• F8: Aristoph. Equi, Act. 3. Sc. 1. p. 355. & Scholia in ib.
• F9: Hygin Fab. 274.
• F11: Athenaei Deipnosophist. l. 2. c. 6. p. 45. & l. 4. c. 27. p. 179.

She has sent forth her maidens
Not moral virtues, or good works, which subserve the interest of Christ and religion, adorn the Gospel andits professors; nor the liberal arts and sciences, said to be handmaids to divinity; nor angels, ministeringspirits to Christ; but the ministers of the Gospel, who being so called does not suppose or encourage women'spreaching; but have the name to keep up the decency of the parable, and the propriety of the allegory: forsince Wisdom is represented as a lady, a princess or queen, it is proper that her attendants should bemaidens, or that she should employ such in inviting her guests; as Rebekah, Pharaoh's daughter, Esther, andothers, are said to have their maidens to wait upon them: and besides, it very fitly expresses the characterof Gospel ministers; as that they are the servants of Christ, followers of him, obsequious to him, humble andmodest, incorrupt in doctrine, pure in conversation, and whose voice is soft, pleasant, and delightful: beingnot the rough voice of the law, but the still, small, musical voice of the Gospel; a voice of love, grace,and mercy; of peace, pardon, and righteousness, liberty, life, and salvation; very charming, alluring, anddrawing.

These Christ has a property in; he chooses and calls them, and fits them for his service; and theygive up themselves to him, and willingly engage in it. And these he "sends forth": from him they have theirmission and commission to preach the Gospel; to invite persons to the Gospel feast, to partake of theprovisions he has made: he sends them forth publicly into the world, into all places where his people are,into the streets and lanes; yea, to the hedges and highways, to invite, and even to compel them to come in.

And this supposes superiority in him, and authority given to them; she crieth upon the highplaces of the city ;
this is to be understood of the preaching of the Gospel, both by Christ himself in person, in the city ofJerusalem, in the temple, and other public places; and by his ministers, and by him speaking in them there orelsewhere; and which is not a mere whisper, but a cry, a proclamation made aloud, and to be delivered withfervency and earnestness: the "city" may mean the church of God, and the "highest places" the ordinancesthereof; and may in general denote the publicness of them; which are in the church, as the wings or pinnaclesof the higher parts or buildings of a city are in that, as the word ^F12 signifies.

FOOTNOTES:

• F12: (ypg le) "super alas"; Montanus, so BenMelech; "super pinnis", Piscator, Amama; "in pinnnaculis": Cocceius; "super convexitatibas", Schultens.

Whoso [is] simple, let him turn in hither

Into Wisdom's house, so well built and furnished; the church of Christ, as a house of instruction; a school, where such who are "simple", weak, and foolish, may learn. Here are many instructors; saints instruct one another; ministers of the word are teachers; yes, Father, Son, and Spirit, here teach and instruct, and none teach like them. Here many lessons are to be learned concerning themselves, concerning Christ, and concerning their duty to God and men; all sorts of persons may learn here, such who know ever so much or ever so little.

Or let him turn in here, as into an inn, into which passengers or travellers turn for accommodations; see (Proverbs 9:15Proverbs 9:16) . The saints are travellers here, at a distance from their Father's house, and need refreshment by the way; the church of God is an inn of good accommodations; here is room enough to entertain them; here are good lodgings for rest and safety, and good provisions, and all of free cost.

And now these are the words of Wisdom, or Christ, either in person, or by his maidens, his ministers, inviting such who are "simple" to turn in hither, and partake of the provisions in it; that is, not such who are quite stupid and insensible, sottish, incorrigible, and irreclaimable; but who are sensible of their folly and simplicity; who are but of weak capacities, apt to be credulous, and so easily imposed upon and deceived;

[as for] him that wants understanding

not the natural faculty of the understanding, nor an understanding of things natural and civil; but of things spiritual and evangelical, as of the grace of God; of salvation by Christ; of the work of the Spirit; of themselves and their state; of the Gospel, and the mysteries of it; and who are sensible of their ignorance and want of understanding; which is the first thing the Spirit of God convinces men of; or who are so in comparison of others, are weak in knowledge and experience. Now these Christ does not despise, but invites them into his house for instruction; and where can they be better? and who so fit and proper to be here, and be with Wisdom, than such as these?

she says to him : as follows.

Come, eat of my bread. Which stands for all the provisions of Christ's house; it designs the Gospel, which to a believer is more than his necessary food; and the ordinance of the supper, one of the symbols of which is bread; and more especially Christ himself, the bread of God, the living bread that came down from heaven, which is to be eaten by faith; and this only, for everything else is that which is not bread; and this daily, as the Israelites ate their manna; this is the believer's daily bread; and largely and freely, to which they are welcome by Christ; and with gladness and singleness of heart, joyfully and with sincerity.

and drink of the wine [which] I have mingled. Of the love of Christ; or of the love of the Father, Son, and Spirit, which meet and mingle together: to "drink" of this is to partake of it by faith, and be persuaded of interest in it; this may be drank largely of, for there is enough, a river of it; and without danger, it is not intoxicating as wine, wherein is excess; and it may be had freely, without money and without price, (Song of Solomon 1:2Song of Solomon 1:4) (5:1) (Isaiah 55:1) .