Bird's-eye view
This proverb provides a concise and penetrating diagnosis of the unregenerate heart. It operates in two clauses, with the second being the necessary result of the first. The internal reality of the wicked man is that his very soul, the seat of his desires and appetites, craves that which is evil. This is not a description of an occasional stumble or a momentary lapse; it is a description of a fundamental orientation. Because his internal motor is geared toward evil, the inevitable external consequence is a complete lack of grace, favor, or mercy toward his neighbor. He is a spiritual black hole, consuming all and giving nothing. The verse is a stark reminder of the doctrine of total depravity: sin is not just what we do, but what we are, and what we want. The corruption within necessarily poisons all relationships without.
The logic flows from the inside out. The soul's desire dictates the eye's perception. Because the wicked man loves evil, he cannot truly love his neighbor. His neighbor is either a tool to be used, an obstacle to be removed, or an object of envy to be coveted. He is incapable of showing true favor because his heart is a fountain of malice. This proverb, then, is not just a moral observation but a profound theological statement about the nature of sin and its social consequences.
Outline
- 1. The Inward Corruption and Its Outward Fruit (Prov 21:10)
- a. The Engine of Wickedness: A Soul that Craves Evil (Prov 21:10a)
- b. The Social Consequence: A Merciless Eye (Prov 21:10b)
Context In Proverbs
Proverbs 21 is a collection of antithetical and synthetic proverbs that contrast the way of the righteous and the way of the wicked. A central theme throughout the chapter is the source of man's actions. For example, verse 2 states that "Every way of a man is right in his own eyes, but the LORD weighs the hearts." Verse 4 connects a "haughty look" and a "proud heart" to the "plowing of the wicked," which is sin. Our verse, verse 10, fits squarely within this theme by identifying the "soul" as the source of the wicked man's desire. It follows a proverb about the misery of living with a contentious woman (v. 9) and precedes a proverb about the educational effect of punishing a scoffer (v. 11). The chapter as a whole paints a picture of a world governed by a just God who sees the heart and ensures that actions, which flow from that heart, have consequences. The wicked man's craving for evil is not happening in a vacuum; it is happening before the face of a holy God who will ultimately bring all such desires to judgment.
Key Issues
- The Doctrine of Total Depravity
- The Nature of Sin as Desire
- The Connection Between Inward Piety and Outward Conduct
- The Biblical Definition of a Neighbor
- The Antithesis Between the Righteous and the Wicked
The Fountainhead of Malice
Modern therapeutic sensibilities want to treat sin as a mistake, a misstep, or the unfortunate result of a bad environment. The Bible, and this proverb in particular, will have none of it. Sin is not an accident that befalls the wicked; it is the native desire of his soul. The Hebrew word for soul here is nephesh, which refers to the whole inner person, the seat of appetites, will, and desires. The problem with the wicked man is not that he has been poorly coached, but rather that his very being is oriented toward evil. He doesn't just do evil; he craves it. He wants it. It is his food and drink.
This is what the Reformed tradition means by total depravity. It does not mean that every unregenerate man is as outwardly vile as he could possibly be; God's common grace restrains much evil. What it means is that sin has corrupted every part of him, including his will and his desires. He is not a good man who sometimes does bad things. He is a bad man, and the evil he does flows naturally from the fountainhead of his corrupt heart. Until God intervenes through regenerating grace, he is utterly unable to desire the ultimate good, which is the glory of God. Instead, his soul craves evil, and this central, driving appetite defines him.
Verse by Verse Commentary
10 The soul of the wicked craves evil;
The proverb begins with the internal diagnosis. The subject is the "soul of the wicked." This is not just his mind, or his emotions, but the totality of his inner man. And what does this soul do? It "craves evil." The verb here implies a deep longing, a lusting after. This is not a passive state but an active, hungry desire. The object of this desire is "evil." This is comprehensive. It means he delights in what is contrary to God's law and character. He finds pleasure in injustice, he is energized by malice, and he is drawn to perversity. This is the engine room of his entire life. His thoughts, plans, and actions are all downstream from this fundamental craving. He doesn't fall into sin by accident; he runs toward it with open arms because it is what his soul loves.
His neighbor finds no favor in his eyes.
The second clause is the direct and unavoidable consequence of the first. Because his soul is a furnace of evil desire, it is impossible for him to look upon his neighbor with genuine "favor." Favor here means grace, kindness, or mercy. The wicked man's eyes, the windows to his soul, cannot see a neighbor to be loved; they can only see a pawn to be used, a competitor to be crushed, or a resource to be plundered. He is fundamentally selfish. Since his primary desire is for evil, and the law of God is summarized as loving God and loving your neighbor, his central craving puts him at war with his neighbor by definition. He cannot show mercy because his heart has no room for it. He cannot extend grace because he is entirely consumed with gratifying his own evil appetites. The man who is not right with God on the inside can never be right with his neighbor on the outside.
Application
The first and most humbling application of this verse is to see ourselves in it. Apart from the regenerating grace of God in Jesus Christ, this is a perfect description of every one of us. Our souls, by nature, crave evil. We are born curved in on ourselves, with no favor for our neighbor in our eyes. This proverb should therefore drive us to our knees in gratitude for the gospel. God did not leave us in this state. In Christ, He gives us a new heart and a new spirit (Ezek. 36:26). He circumcises our hearts so that we might love Him. He pours His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, enabling us to begin to show favor to our neighbor.
Second, this verse is a diagnostic tool for our own sanctification. When we find ourselves acting without favor toward our neighbor, when we are sharp, critical, envious, or merciless, we must not simply try to modify our external behavior. We must ask what our soul is craving in that moment. Is it craving vindication? Control? Comfort? Selfish ambition? The lack of favor in our eyes is a dashboard warning light, indicating a problem with the engine of our souls. The solution is not to tape over the light, but to go to God in repentance, confessing the evil desire of our heart and asking Him to reorient our cravings toward Him and His righteousness.
Finally, this proverb teaches us to be wise about the world. We must not be naive about the nature of unregenerate man. The wicked are not simply misguided; their souls crave evil. This is why a society that abandons God will inevitably become a place where neighbor preys upon neighbor. True social harmony is a fruit of the gospel, for only the gospel can change a soul that craves evil into a soul that craves righteousness and shows favor to all.