Bird's-eye view
This proverb, like many in the book, presents a sharp contrast between two character types, revealing the internal reality of each through their external actions and reputations. It is a compact statement on the relationship between character, conduct, and consequence. The verse is neatly divided into two parallel clauses. The first deals with the man of explosive, uncontrolled passion, the "quick-tempered man." His sin is loud, visible, and immediate. The second clause deals with the man of calculated, controlled malice, the "man of evil schemes." His sin is quiet, hidden, and premeditated. The proverb teaches us that both forms of unrighteousness, the hot-headed and the cold-blooded, are destructive. One leads to the public shame of foolishness, while the other leads to the social consequence of being hated. At root, both are expressions of a heart not governed by the wisdom that fears the Lord.
The wisdom of God here is intensely practical. It is not enough to avoid blowing up in a fit of rage if your heart is a cold cauldron of manipulative plots. Conversely, it is no good to be free of malicious scheming if you are a slave to a short fuse that detonates over trivialities. Both men are out of fellowship with God and man. The proverb forces us to examine both the passions that master us and the plans we harbor. True righteousness, the kind that flows from the gospel, is a matter of a transformed heart that has learned to govern its spirit, not just one way or the other, but altogether.
Outline
- 1. The Two Faces of Folly (Prov 14:17)
- a. The Folly of Uncontrolled Passion (Prov 14:17a)
- b. The Hatred Earned by Controlled Malice (Prov 14:17b)
Context In Proverbs
Proverbs 14 is a chapter full of these stark antithetical pairings. The wise woman builds her house, but the foolish tears it down (14:1). The upright fears the Lord, but the devious despises Him (14:2). A fool's mouth invites a beating, but the lips of the wise preserve them (14:3). This verse fits seamlessly into that pattern. It follows a warning about the fool being "hotheaded and yet feels secure" (14:16) and precedes the observation that "the simple inherit folly" (14:18). The immediate context, therefore, is a sustained meditation on the nature of wisdom and folly. Verse 17 provides two specific case studies of the fool in action: the fool who cannot control his temper, and the fool who uses his mind to devise evil. Later in the same chapter, the theme of anger is picked up again: "Whoever is slow to anger has great understanding, but he who has a hasty temper exalts folly" (14:29). This repetition underscores the importance of self-control as a key component of biblical wisdom.
Key Issues
- The Sin of Uncontrolled Anger
- The Connection Between Anger and Folly
- The Nature of Premeditated Sin
- The Social Consequences of Sin
- The Distinction Between Passionate and Calculating Wickedness
The Hot and the Cold
The world tends to have a certain romantic notion about the man of passion. We make excuses for him. "He has a good heart, just a bad temper." "He doesn't really mean it; he just explodes." We treat his sin as a foible, an unfortunate but perhaps even endearing character flaw. The Bible will have none of it. Uncontrolled anger is not a personality quirk; it is folly. It is stupidity in action. It is a man setting fire to his own house because he is irritated with the cat.
But then there is the other man, the man of evil schemes. Our culture might condemn him more readily, but often only when his schemes are discovered. This is the man who smiles to your face while planning your ruin. He is the smooth talker, the manipulator, the office politician, the treacherous friend. He doesn't have a "temper problem." He has a heart problem. His mind is a dark workshop where evil is forged. The proverb tells us his end is not admiration for his cleverness, but hatred. People eventually see him for what he is. This verse warns us against two kinds of spiritual disease: the acute, feverish infection of rage, and the chronic, cold cancer of malice. Both are deadly.
Verse by Verse Commentary
17A A quick-tempered man acts in folly,
The Hebrew for "quick-tempered" literally means "short of spirit." This is the man with a short fuse. He is easily provoked, and when he is provoked, he doesn't just feel anger; he acts. The anger immediately translates into foolish deeds or words. Anger, as we know, is not only unkind; it is also profoundly stupid. When a man is in the grip of a warp-spasm, his reason has fled the scene. He makes decisions he will regret, says things that cannot be unsaid, and breaks things that cannot be easily mended, whether we are talking about crockery or relationships. The proverb states it as a simple equation: a short temper equals foolish action. It is not a possibility; it is a certainty. He who cannot rule his own spirit is like a city with broken-down walls (Prov. 25:28), defenseless against the invading army of his own foolish impulses. This man promotes folly, he puts it on a throne for all to see (Prov. 14:29). His life is a series of self-inflicted wounds, all because he will not, or cannot, put a leash on his own spirit.
17B And a man of evil schemes is hated.
Now we turn from the hot-head to the cold-heart. The "man of evil schemes" is a different breed. The Hebrew word for schemes (mezimmah) can sometimes be used in a positive sense of discretion or prudence, but here the context makes it clear that these are malicious plans, wicked devices. This is not the man who erupts; this is the man who plots. He is calculating. His sin is not one of momentary passion but of settled intention. He thinks about how to get ahead at another's expense. He devises ways to undermine a rival. He nurses his grievances and plans his revenge. While the quick-tempered man broadcasts his folly for all to see, this man hides his wickedness behind a facade of control. But the proverb tells us the outcome. He is hated. Why? Because while a fit of temper might be forgiven as a moment of weakness, a calculated scheme reveals a deep-seated corruption of character. It is a more personal and treacherous form of evil. When his plots are inevitably discovered, the response is not pity, as it might be for the fool, but a deep and abiding hatred. He has shown himself to be an enemy of mankind, a serpent in the garden, and he reaps the reward of universal revulsion.
Application
This proverb is a diagnostic tool for our own hearts. Every one of us is tempted toward one of these two poles of sin. Some of us are naturally combustible. The slightest friction can set us off. We justify it, excuse it, or even take a perverse pride in our "passion." This proverb calls us to repent. Your temper is not a personality trait; it is a sin that makes you act like a fool. It grieves the Holy Spirit and lays waste to your testimony. The answer is not to count to ten, but to crucify the flesh. It is to confess the pride and unbelief that fuels the anger and to ask God for the fruit of the Spirit, which is self-control.
Others of us are not prone to outbursts. We are cool, collected, and in control. Our temptation is to harbor resentment, to entertain bitter thoughts, to replay offenses, to devise little schemes of social revenge or manipulation. We may look righteous on the outside, but inwardly we are running a little Borgia court. This proverb warns us that this path leads to being hated, first by men, and most importantly by God. The gospel call is to a radical, inside-out cleansing. It is not enough to manage your anger or to suppress your schemes. You must be given a new heart. Christ did not die to make us better managers of our sin. He died to kill our sin and to make us new creatures. The man who is quick to anger must learn the meekness of Christ. The man of evil schemes must learn the open-hearted love of Christ, who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return, and who, when He suffered, made no threats, but entrusted Himself to Him who judges justly.