SEV Biblia, Chapter 16:6
¶ Por misericordia y verdad será purgado el pecado; y con el temor del SEÑOR se aparta del mal.
Clarke's Bible Commentary - Proverbs 16:6
Verse 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged ] This may be misunderstood, as if a man, by showing mercy and acting according to truth, could atone for his own iniquity. The Hebrew text is not ambiguous: w[ rpky tmaw dsjb bechesed veemeth yechapper avon; "By mercy and truth he shall atone for iniquity." He-God, by his mercy, in sending his son Jesus into the world, - "shall make an atonement for iniquity" according to his truth-the word which he declared by his holy prophets since the world began. Or, if we retain the present version, and follow the points in rpky yecuppar, reading "iniquity is purged" or "atoned for," the sense is unexceptionable, as we refer the mercy and the truth to GOD. But what an awful comment is that of Don Calmet, in which he expresses, not only his own opinion, but the staple doctrine of his own Church, the Romish! The reader shall have his own words: "'L'iniquite se rachete par la misericorde et la verite.' On expie ses pechez par des oeuvres de misericorde envers le prochein; par la clemence, par la douceur, par compassion, par les aumones: et par la verite-par la fidelity, la bonne foi, la droiture, requite dans le commerce. Voyez chap. iii. 3, xiv. 22, xx. 28."'Iniquity is redeemed by mercy and truth.' We expiate our sins by works of mercy towards our neighbour; by clemency, by kindness, by compassion, and by alms: and by truth-by fidelity, by trustworthiness, by uprightness, by equity in commerce." If this be so, why was Jesus incarnated? Why his agony and bloody sweat, his cross and passion, his death and burial, his resurrection and ascension? Was it only to supply a sufficient portion of merit for those who had neglected to make a fund for themselves? Is the guilt of sin so small in the sight of Divine justice, that a man can atone for it by manifesting good dispositions towards his neighbours, by giving some alms, and not doing those things for which he might be hanged? Why then did God make such a mighty matter of the redemption of the world? Why send his Son at all? An angel would have been more than sufficient; yea, even a sinner who had been converted by his own compassion, alms- deeds, &c., would have been sufficient. And is not this the very doctrine of this most awfully fallen and corrupt Church? Has she not provided a fund of merit in her saints, of what was more than requisite for themselves that it might be given, or sold out, to those who had not enough of their own? Now such is the doctrine of the Romish Church-grossly absurd, and destructively iniquitous! And because men cannot believe this, cannot believe these monstrosities, that Church will burn them to ashes. Ruthless Church! degenerated, fallen, corrupt, and corrupting! once a praise now a curse, in the earth. Thank the blessed God, whose blood alone can expiate sin, that he has a Church upon the earth; and that the Romish is not the Catholic Church; and that it has not that political power by which it would subdue all things to itself.
John Gill's Bible Commentary
Ver. 6. By mercy and truth iniquity is purged , etc.] Or “expiated” f462 , and atoned for: not by the mercy and truth of men; not by alms deeds or showing mercy to the poor; nor by speaking truth and keeping promises, and doing justice between man and man; for, though these are duties to be performed, they will not atone for sin; and may be done by persons destitute of the grace of God, and whose iniquities are not purged or pardoned: but by the mercy and truth of God; through his “mercy”, in sending Christ to be the propitiation for sin; and through his “truth”, in fulfilling his promises concerning Christ; and particularly concerning pardon on the foot of his sacrifice and satisfaction, where mercy and truth have met together: or through the grace and truth come by Jesus Christ; or through his atoning sacrifice, by which he has finished transgression, made an end of sin, and made reconciliation for iniquity; in which there is a rich display of his own and of his father’s grace and mercy, truth and faithfulness; and by the fear of the Lord [men] depart from evil ; having that put into their hearts, and excited and influenced by the grace and goodness of God, men are engaged to abstain from evil, and the appearance of it; it teaches them to deny ungodliness and worldly lusts, and to live soberly and godly in this world.
Matthew Henry Commentary
Verses 6 - By the mercy and truth of God in Christ Jesus, the sins of believer are taken away, and the power of sin is broken.
Original Hebrew
בחסד 2617 ואמת 571 יכפר 3722 עון 5771 וביראת 3374 יהוה 3068 סור 5493 מרע׃ 7451
