Proverbs 4:1

The instruction of a father.

A religious home

I. The love of a religious home. Two kinds of love for the offspring.

1. The natural love.

2. The spiritual love, which has respect to the spiritual being, relations, and interests of the children.

II. The training of a religious home.

1. The parent’s teaching is worth retaining.

2. The parent’s teaching is practical.

3. The parent’s teaching is quickening to all the powers, intellectual and moral.

III. The influence of a religious home.

1. The susceptibility of childhood.

2. The force of parental affection. Religious homes are the great want of the race. (David Thomas, D.D.)

Paternal exhortation

Doctrine and law form the staple of this appeal. By “law” understand “direction,” for life is an ever-bisecting course, and full of points that must bewilder inexperienced travellers. Do not venture upon great sea voyages without proper instruments and without being taught how to use them. So in life. Be enriched with doctrine or wisdom, and cultivate that tender filial spirit which gratefully yields itself to direction. It is at once wise and lovely for youth to consult the aged, and to avail themselves of accumulated experience. Any other spirit is vain, self-conceited, frivolous, and unworthy. Why should the father be anxious to instruct and direct the son? Because he has seen more of life, more of its mystery, its peril, its tragedy; therefore his heart yearns to preserve the young from danger. The father’s position is one of moral dignity and supreme benevolence. Having suffered himself, he would save his children from pain. (J. Parker, D. D.)

Attend to know understanding.

Knowing understanding

I. Young men have need often to be called upon to get true knowledge.

1. Because of their own backwardness to the work.

2. The impediments and diversions from attaining true wisdom.

3. There are many things to be believed, beyond the power of corrupted reason to find out.

4. There are many practical things to be learned, else they can never be done.

5. There are many faculties of the soul to be reformed.

6. There are many senses and members of the body to be directed to many particular actions, and each to its own.

Uses:

1. To blame young men that think their parents and teachers over-diligent.

2. To urge children to attend to their parents instructing them in piety.

3. To persuade parents and teachers not only to instruct, but also to incite to attention.

II. Every young man has need to be called on to look after true knowledge.

1. Because there is no disposition to this wisdom in the best by nature.

2. There is much averseness, because the principles of faith are above nature, and of practice against nature. (Francis Taylor, B.D.)

The invitation

I. Let our own children receive instructions. This charity must begin at home.

II. Let all young people take pains to get knowledge and grace. They are in the learning stage.

III. Let all who would receive instruction come with the disposition of children. Let prejudices be laid aside. Let them be dutiful, tractable, and self-diffident. (Matthew Henry.)