Commentary - Proverbs 10:12

Bird's-eye view

Proverbs 10:12 is a masterful piece of Hebrew wisdom, presenting a stark, antithetical parallelism that contrasts two fundamental postures of the heart: hatred and love. These are not presented as mere emotions but as active, powerful forces with inevitable social consequences. Hatred is a disruptive agent; it is an agitator that actively "stirs up" strife. It goes looking for trouble, and where trouble is sleeping, it prods it awake. Love, in profound contrast, is a reconciling agent. It "covers all transgressions." This doesn't mean it engages in a cover-up or pretends sin doesn't exist. Rather, it means that love's default response to sin is to forgive, absorb the offense, and refuse to put it on public display for the purpose of shaming or further conflict. This proverb sets before us the two paths that build or destroy all human community: the path of grievance and the path of grace.

At its heart, this verse is a commentary on the very nature of fallen man and the nature of God. The natural man, driven by pride and self-interest, is a creature of hatred. He keeps meticulous records of wrongs and uses them to stir up strife for his own advantage. The redeemed man, animated by the love of God, is called to a different way. He is to emulate the God who, in Christ, covered our multitude of sins. Therefore, this proverb is not just good social advice; it is a description of the gospel's effect on human relationships. The gospel takes haters and makes them lovers.

Outline

Context In Proverbs

Proverbs 10 marks a significant shift in the book. The first nine chapters consist of longer, thematic discourses, primarily a father's extended exhortations to his son. Beginning with chapter 10, we enter the section of short, pithy, two-clause proverbs that characterize the bulk of the book. Chapter 10, verse 1 identifies these as "The proverbs of Solomon." Many of these proverbs, like our text, are structured as antithetical parallelisms, where the second line presents a truth that is the polar opposite of the first. This verse is situated among other proverbs dealing with speech and its consequences (10:11, 13-14), righteousness and wickedness (10:11, 16), and the ultimate outcomes of a life of wisdom versus a life of folly. The immediate context shows that hatred and love are not abstract feelings but are expressed through our words and actions, leading either to life and wisdom or to violence and ruin.

Key Issues

Two Ways to Live

This proverb is intensely practical. It presents two fundamental orientations toward our fellow man, especially our fellow man who has sinned. Every human interaction, particularly when an offense has occurred, will be governed by one of these two principles. There is no middle ground. Either you are a strife-stirrer or you are a sin-coverer. Hatred is the engine of the first, and love is the engine of the second. The world operates on the principle of hatred. It treasures grievances, broadcasts failures, and thrives on conflict. This is the way of Cain. But the church is called to be a city set on a hill, a community that operates on a different principle entirely. We are to be a people whose defining characteristic is love, a love that actively, intentionally, and supernaturally covers the sins of others, because our own sins have been covered by the blood of Christ.

Verse by Verse Commentary

12a Hatred stirs up strife...

The first clause is blunt. The word for "stirs up" means to awaken, to arouse, to agitate. Hatred cannot leave well enough alone. If there is a sleeping dog, hatred will kick it. If there is an old wound, hatred will pick at the scab. If there is a disagreement that has been settled, hatred will search for a reason to reopen the case. Hatred is a busybody, a meddler, a troublemaker. It thrives on conflict because conflict gives it a sense of power and justification. Notice that hatred doesn't just stumble into strife; it actively manufactures it. It does this through gossip, slander, insinuation, and the refusal to grant forgiveness. It keeps a detailed record of wrongs and brings it out at every opportune moment. This is the spirit of the accuser, Satan, whose native language is strife.

12b But love covers all transgressions.

The contrast could not be more complete. The word "covers" here is key. It does not mean that love engages in a conspiracy of silence to protect evildoers. It does not mean love calls sin something other than sin. The Bible is clear about the need for confrontation and church discipline. Rather, "covering" is the opposite of "stirring up." Where hatred seeks to expose and broadcast a fault for the purpose of creating strife, love seeks to deal with the fault in a way that promotes restoration and peace. It means not gossiping about the sin. It means forgiving the sin when it is repented of. It means absorbing the personal cost of the sin without demanding endless retribution. It means protecting the reputation of the offender, even while addressing the offense. This is precisely what God did for us in Christ. He did not ignore our sin; He dealt with it decisively on the cross. But in doing so, He "covered" it, removing it from us as far as the east is from the west (Psalm 103:12). He does not hold our transgressions against us. Christian love, therefore, is a reflection of this divine love. Peter quotes this very concept in the New Testament: "Above all, keep loving one another earnestly, since love covers a multitude of sins" (1 Peter 4:8).

Application

This proverb forces us to examine our own hearts and our relationships. When a brother or sister in Christ sins against you, what is your first impulse? Is it to pick up the phone and tell a third party? Is it to rehearse the offense in your mind, building a case against them? Is it to look for opportunities to subtly put them in their place? If so, you are walking in the way of hatred, and you are a strife-stirrer. You are tearing at the fabric of the fellowship that Christ died to create.

The path of love is the path of the gospel. The gospel tells us that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. God did not broadcast our shame to the universe; He covered it with the righteousness of His own Son. Our response to the sins of others, then, is a primary indicator of whether we have truly understood the grace that has been shown to us. To refuse to cover the sins of others is to demonstrate that we do not believe our own sins have been covered. A Christian who is a gossip, a slanderer, or a keeper of grudges is a walking contradiction. He is a man who has been forgiven a ten thousand talent debt and yet chokes his brother over a hundred denarii.

Therefore, we must actively cultivate the habit of covering sin. This means we must be quick to forgive. We must refuse to listen to gossip. When we must confront, we do it privately and for the purpose of restoration, not humiliation. We must choose to believe the best about others. We must put the blanket of charity over the failings of our brethren, not to hide the sin, but to heal the sinner. This is the hard, glorious work of love, and it is the only way to build a community that looks anything like the kingdom of our Lord.