Galatians 3:28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.

In Christ we are all treated alike. In the OT economy it would seem the society needed rules that would find a way to be accepted and not outrightly rejected. A stubborn and stiff necked people had to be brought along slowly to see things God’s way. Here are some of those things I have a problem with if they are lived out in today’s society.

• Exodus 22:16
  Laws About Social Justice
  “If a man seduces a virgin who is not betrothed and lies with her, he shall give the bride-price for her and make her his wife.
• Exodus 22:17
  If her father utterly refuses to give her to him, he shall pay money equal to the bride-price for virgins.

Is it social justice if a man can take a girl’s virginity and buy his way out of trouble?

Deuteronomy 22:13-15 English Standard Version

Laws Concerning Sexual Immorality

13 “If any man takes a wife and goes in to her and then hates her 14 and accuses her of misconduct and brings a bad name upon her, saying, ‘I took this woman, and when I came near her, I did not find in her evidence of virginity,’ 15 then the father of the young woman and her mother shall take and bring out the evidence of her virginity to the elders of the city in the gate.

So parents have to have their daughters certified pure before a wedding but there is no test required that certifies a man is a virgin? Worse than that, I find this instruction to be harmful from Proverbs 6:26 for the price of a prostitute is only a loaf of bread, which is encouraging young men to give in to their lustful appetites rather than control them.

Now we have good advice in the later part of Proverb 6.

“27 Can a man carry fire next to his chest and his clothes not be burned?

28 Or can one walk on hot coals and his feet not be scorched?”

Followed up with bad advice.

“30 People do not despise a thief if he steals to satisfy his appetite when he is hungry,

31 but if he is caught, he will pay”

So sin is OK as long as you don’t get caught? I think not. This is what we get when we allow society to determine what is moral. When society creates law, the law loses its purpose.

Proverbs 6:20 My son, keep your father’s commandment, and forsake not your mother’s teaching.

In my experience my earthly father had no commandments and my mother never taught me anything. In order for me to have a proper understanding of this part of the proverb I need to relate to someone else’s life, not my own.

At the time of the writing of this proverb the people who might read it were Jewish and living under the commandments of God. Their history showed a sequence of non-compliance that resulted in rulers that followed other gods and false prophets. Not the best example, but one that fits my parents who did not raise me in a manner related in any way in believing in anything except perhaps life is a struggle.

Since this is part and parcel to our bible perhaps I should look to the author of the writing and not my earthly parents.

God is the author, so my father would be Father God. My mother who teaches might be best described as the church, that is where I can find bible teachings. But what is the lesson for today? The title assigned to this section is “Warnings Against Adultery”, plural, warnings not just a warning.

The proverb lists reasons why it is a good thing to follow the advice of mom and dad, but considering they didn’t give me advice, then let us leave it to the bible to advise us. 

“Bind them on your heart always; tie them around your neck.When you walk, they will lead you; when you lie down, they will watch over you; and when you awake, they will talk with you. For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life,”

Then we find the words in Proverbs 6:24 “to preserve you from the evil woman, from the smooth tongue of the adulteress.” These words make it sound like it is the woman’s fault. Wow, adultery is one sided, men are trapped by women, not the other way around? Seems wrong to me.

Oh, I get it now, women were treated differently than men.