Scriptural Verse Exegesis: Proverbs 14:12

 “There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.”

We read this verse in the Old Testament Book of Proverbs. The Hebrew Word, מָשָׁל mâshâl, Strong’s H4912 is translated “proverbs” in Proverbs 1:1. “The proverbs of Solomon the son of David, king of Israel.” Nineteen times in the Old Testament מָשָׁל mâshâl is translated as “proverbs.” However, mâshâl, Strong’s H4912 is also translated “parable,” eighteen times in the Old Testament.

Parables are spiritual teachings hidden within earthly language. Parables are utilized by God in Scripture to hide spiritual truths. The way in which we may be able to understand a word in a verse is by comparing how God uses particular words placed in the original Hebrew of the Old Testament and the original Greek as found in the New Testament identified by Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance throughout the entire Word of God: The Bible. The Bible therefore is its own dictionary. We do not apply our definition of words as derived from a dictionary like Merrium Webster’s or the Oxford Dictionary but rather the definition God gives them as they are found throughout and within the context of Scriptures. We also know that hidden within Scripture is the ultimate spiritual meaning that reveals aspects of the Gospel of The Lord Jesus Christ. Only one true Gospel exist within Scripture, the Gospel of life which is the Lord Jesus Christ. Four inflections of the Greek word, εὐαγγέλιον-euangelion Strong’s G2098 are found in the New Testament translated as “gospel,” one hundred and one times. Two times the modifier “another” is placed in front of gospel.  “Another gospel” is one of death, one of many ways unto death.

Proverbs 14:12 is repeated verbatim in Proverbs 16:25 emphasizing and doubling down on its importance. “There is a way that seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.” Proverbs 16:25

The key word in examining this verse is “way” then the plural “ways.”  The word “way,” is from the Hebrew word, דֶּרֶךְ derek-Strong’s H1870 is found 590 times in the Old Testament. It is found twice in Jeremiah 21:8, “And unto this people thou shalt say, Thus saith the LORD; Behold, I set before you the way of life, and the way of death.”

The way of life directly refers to Christ who said, “Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6

Matthew 7:16: “Because strait is the gate, and narrow is the way, which leadeth unto life, and few there be that find it.” The gate is Christ who is the only entrance leading to eternal life. The true Gospel is Christ and He is the only begotten Son God set before man as the way of life. So narrow is the way it is only Christ. The second usage of the word way in both verses is translated as plural and indicating the many ways man may seem to know what he thinks is right contrary to the one true and exclusive way is which is Christ.

Apart from Christ as the true —“way” any other way would be a false way. Therefore, a false way would be another gospel that would consist of a teaching, a doctrine, a spiritual path to follow that does not harmonize with the way that exist in Christ that we may only know through His Word: The Bible.  Any way apart from Christ is therefore a competing gospel. Any other gospel apart from Christ would be man-made–predicated on human reason, human emotion, human desire, human reasoning and sinful human nature. These are the “way(s) that seemeth right unto a man.”

Other gospels, expose how man becomes vain in his imaginations and develops many ways in which to attempt to explain away God or man’s accountability before a just and righteous God. Examples include man placing his trust in his scholasticism, or his textual criticism of the Bible. Man devises and trusts in ways in which to provide an alternative view of the creation and the veracity of the Word of God through the bias of evolutionary theory and natural selection. Unregenerate man is incapable of knowing God and can only trusts in his own wisdom. “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” Romans 1:21-22

Man’s other gospels are incapable of presenting the true gospel and its attributes related to sin, salvation, atonement, election, and judgment. False ways or another gospel leads to God’s judgment which ends in death. The end of the way or gospels which seems correct to man are the way of death. Two paths exist; Christ, the way unto life, or man’s way unto death. False ways or other gospels in some respects, may identify with a claim they are of Christ and may display some aspects of the true gospel. However, a key characteristic of a false way or another gospel is identified again two times by Christ. “But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.”  Matthew 15:9 and “Howbeit in vain do they worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.” Mark 7:7. The doctrines and commandments of men are contrived from the sinful mind of man and seem to be right but cannot stand the scrutiny of God’s “way,” revealed through comparing scripture with scripture and thereby being given the understanding by God through the Holy Spirit.

Teaching the doctrines and commandments of men takes place withing the ecclesiastical realm: The churches and congregations. In other words, the churches and congregations comprised of several denominations devised their own “ways which seemeth right.” Examples include the churches self-confidence in their traditions, their reliance on human authority structures, in their conviction of being the guardians of truth, their certainty that going to and remaining in the church was and is the “right way.”

What “seemed right” to the churches and congregations and looked biblical was they had pastors, sacraments, Bibles, worship services, missionary programs appearing to be paths that seemed righteous but in reality, where ridden with doctrines and commandments of men made prior to the end of the church age when God removed himself from the churches and congregations on May 21, 1988 initiating judgment upon them for their “other” gospels. (I Peter 4:17) The churches devised ways that seem right however, they are the ways unto death.

Without God, The Holy Spirit within the churches they continue to exist on their own. Forming their own doctrines and teaching the commandments of men rather than God. Just some examples of doctrines held by the churches and congregations that have flourished since 1988 include free-will gospels/do it your self-salvation programs, universal atonement, sacraments as a means of grace, charismatic signs of tongues, dreams, visions, voices, etc. prosperity doctrines that include extortion, social justice gospels and “God loves everyone” heresies. Female pastors and excusing sinful sexual lifestyles.  Justification and endorsement of all of these attributes “seem right” unto so many and all lead to death.  You could understand proverbs 14:12 as there is a way that seemeth right unto your church, but the end thereof is the way of death. “To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them.” Isaiah 8:20. We know that the light (Christ) went out in the churches during the Great Tribulation because “they did not speak according to this (God’s Word) word.”

God’s Word: the Bible are His commandments, the Bible is His law providing illumination, the reproofs within the Word provide direction unto the way of life. “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:” Proverbs 6:23.

In conclusion, We may understand Proverbs 14:12 and 16:25 to read, “There is another way which seems right to man as an individual or collectively that leads to death apart from the only way that leads to life by and through the Lord Jesus Christ: The Word of God.”

The question becomes where does my trust reside, does it reside in my own wisdom and intellect or does it reside in my church, in my pastor, in my denominations focused and prioritized doctrines and teachings all ways which seem right or does my trust reside in the Bible alone, comparing scripture with scripture, praying for illumination from the Holy Spirit alone that will attest to the way, the truth, and the life that only resides in Christ.

May the Lord already have given you the blessing.

J.R. Carman