Be not righteous over much; neither make thyself over wise: why shouldest thou destroy thyself?
Be not righteous over much warns against carrying righteousness and wisdom to a self-destructive extreme, where self-righteous display and pretended wisdom bring ruin rather than life. It forbids going beyond what God has commanded by adding human rules, duties and strictness to worship and obedience, as if His revealed word were insufficient. That overmuch righteousness includes extreme professions of holiness and fanatical strictness in the flesh that appear near the truth but end in wild and destructive acts, instead of balanced, meek and sensible godliness. Keeping God's commandments is not being righteous over much, nor does the warning excuse giving God as little as possible or calling for less seriousness and guardedness. In the teaching of those who held it otherwise, it expresses the worldly warning that faithful righteousness can bring earthly ruin, yet without promising worldly prosperity for virtue, since true virtue remains worthwhile even in suffering.
Sense of the Warning
The verse warns against taking righteousness or wisdom to a self-destructive extreme. Excessive self-righteousness and pretensions to wisdom bring ruin upon the person who indulges them. It stands as an admonition to Sabbath keepers not to press righteousness or wisdom beyond their proper bound. It warns against righteousness that is overmuch in outward quantity and display while lacking the right quality, for righteousness put on exhibition may be excessive in show without being genuine righteousness. It warns against conceited claims to excessive wisdom, and the overwise man is an especially intractable fool.
It warns against excessive effort that impairs and ruins strength. Physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual strength is needed for work, endurance, and battle, and it can be worn out and destroyed by overdoing just as by idleness, gluttony, licentiousness, irregular and fitful living, and doing violence to one's nature. Young men who need such strength must therefore avoid such excess. It expresses the worldly warning that faithful righteousness can bring ruin, as John the Baptist's faithful preaching led to imprisonment and death. The verse does not promise that virtue brings worldly prosperity or that God repays every good deed with immediate earthly reward. True virtue is worthwhile in itself even when it brings suffering, and persecution for Christ's sake can be counted as joy.
Adding to God's Requirements
Even outwardly righteous Christian service can become excessive, and excess in such service is intemperance that displeases God when it is inconsistent with true faith. Righteousness and wisdom are not to be pursued to a self-destroying extreme.
The warning forbids going beyond what God has commanded in worship and making oneself righteous by adding human rules and religious duties without divine command. Such self-made devotion and claiming of merit is prideful lawmaking rather than obedience, treating God's revealed ordinances and word as insufficient. Obedience instead adheres to the rule God has given, without adding to it or taking away from it.
The same overreach appears when interpretation of the second commandment is turned into a stricter rule than the command itself, condemning the making or keeping of images even when they are not made for worship. Such excess can foster self-righteousness and condemnation of others.
Being righteous overmuch also means taking extreme positions and claiming extra holiness and sanctity. It applies to doctrines coming so near the truth that the dividing line is hard to distinguish, yet leading those who go over the line to believe their desires, feelings, and propensities are sanctified, elevated above others, holy, and safe to follow. Such fanaticism is Satan's work when he cannot induce worldliness or open sin but finds a desire to serve God, and it can accomplish as much or more harm than open wickedness. It may for a time restrain outbreaking sin, but it surely ends in some wild, foolish, or terrible act that proves a sidetrack turning down from the main road to destruction. Opposite to this over-righteousness, true Christian experience is perfectly balanced, sensible, serene, peaceful, meek and quiet, with unbounded joy joined to a sound mind.
Overmuch righteousness in the flesh is outward religious earnestness in one's own strength, full of service, piety, and profession, giving money, time, and talents in church work. It shows itself in extreme strictness such as fasting and weeping, puritanical dress and manner, and keeping all known duties and many extra ones, like a Pharisee. That way does not satisfy and keeps losing what it gains. It must be ceased, unlearned, and left behind, to become nothing, be still, stop self-working, and simply let God teach by His Spirit.
What It Does Not Excuse
Obedience to God's commandments, including the fourth commandment, is not being righteous overmuch and does not destroy the one who obeys, for keeping the commandments is the whole duty of humanity and every deed will be brought into judgment. Strictness in church regulation is not answered by this warning, and to invoke it as a plea for greater leniency or diminished religious seriousness is a deception that leaves Christians unguarded. The warning gives no leave to withhold wholehearted service from God in order to reserve as much as possible for self and the world while giving God and His cause as little as possible, for to plead righteous overmuch in defense of lingering on the dividing line between God's people and the world endangers the soul.
The charge that truly godly people are too particular or righteous overmuch does not excuse mocking or persecuting vital godliness. Those who bring that charge should beware, since they may come to change their opinion only when it is too late. The coming day of judgment will bring everyone before Jesus, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.
Be not righteous over much warns against carrying righteousness and wisdom to a self-destructive extreme, where self-righteous display and pretended wisdom bring ruin rather than life. It forbids going beyond what God has commanded by adding human rules, duties and strictness to worship and obedience, as if His revealed word were insufficient. That overmuch righteousness includes extreme professions of holiness and fanatical strictness in the flesh that appear near the truth but end in wild and destructive acts, instead of balanced, meek and sensible godliness. Keeping God's commandments is not being righteous over much, nor does the warning excuse giving God as little as possible or calling for less seriousness and guardedness. In the teaching of those who held it otherwise, it expresses the worldly warning that faithful righteousness can bring earthly ruin, yet without promising worldly prosperity for virtue, since true virtue remains worthwhile even in suffering.
Sense of the Warning
The verse warns against taking righteousness or wisdom to a self-destructive extreme. Excessive self-righteousness and pretensions to wisdom bring ruin upon the person who indulges them. It stands as an admonition to Sabbath keepers not to press righteousness or wisdom beyond their proper bound. It warns against righteousness that is overmuch in outward quantity and display while lacking the right quality, for righteousness put on exhibition may be excessive in show without being genuine righteousness. It warns against conceited claims to excessive wisdom, and the overwise man is an especially intractable fool.
It warns against excessive effort that impairs and ruins strength. Physical, intellectual, moral, and spiritual strength is needed for work, endurance, and battle, and it can be worn out and destroyed by overdoing just as by idleness, gluttony, licentiousness, irregular and fitful living, and doing violence to one's nature. Young men who need such strength must therefore avoid such excess. It expresses the worldly warning that faithful righteousness can bring ruin, as John the Baptist's faithful preaching led to imprisonment and death. The verse does not promise that virtue brings worldly prosperity or that God repays every good deed with immediate earthly reward. True virtue is worthwhile in itself even when it brings suffering, and persecution for Christ's sake can be counted as joy.
Adding to God's Requirements
Even outwardly righteous Christian service can become excessive, and excess in such service is intemperance that displeases God when it is inconsistent with true faith. Righteousness and wisdom are not to be pursued to a self-destroying extreme.
The warning forbids going beyond what God has commanded in worship and making oneself righteous by adding human rules and religious duties without divine command. Such self-made devotion and claiming of merit is prideful lawmaking rather than obedience, treating God's revealed ordinances and word as insufficient. Obedience instead adheres to the rule God has given, without adding to it or taking away from it.
The same overreach appears when interpretation of the second commandment is turned into a stricter rule than the command itself, condemning the making or keeping of images even when they are not made for worship. Such excess can foster self-righteousness and condemnation of others.
Being righteous overmuch also means taking extreme positions and claiming extra holiness and sanctity. It applies to doctrines coming so near the truth that the dividing line is hard to distinguish, yet leading those who go over the line to believe their desires, feelings, and propensities are sanctified, elevated above others, holy, and safe to follow. Such fanaticism is Satan's work when he cannot induce worldliness or open sin but finds a desire to serve God, and it can accomplish as much or more harm than open wickedness. It may for a time restrain outbreaking sin, but it surely ends in some wild, foolish, or terrible act that proves a sidetrack turning down from the main road to destruction. Opposite to this over-righteousness, true Christian experience is perfectly balanced, sensible, serene, peaceful, meek and quiet, with unbounded joy joined to a sound mind.
Overmuch righteousness in the flesh is outward religious earnestness in one's own strength, full of service, piety, and profession, giving money, time, and talents in church work. It shows itself in extreme strictness such as fasting and weeping, puritanical dress and manner, and keeping all known duties and many extra ones, like a Pharisee. That way does not satisfy and keeps losing what it gains. It must be ceased, unlearned, and left behind, to become nothing, be still, stop self-working, and simply let God teach by His Spirit.
What It Does Not Excuse
Obedience to God's commandments, including the fourth commandment, is not being righteous overmuch and does not destroy the one who obeys, for keeping the commandments is the whole duty of humanity and every deed will be brought into judgment. Strictness in church regulation is not answered by this warning, and to invoke it as a plea for greater leniency or diminished religious seriousness is a deception that leaves Christians unguarded. The warning gives no leave to withhold wholehearted service from God in order to reserve as much as possible for self and the world while giving God and His cause as little as possible, for to plead righteous overmuch in defense of lingering on the dividing line between God's people and the world endangers the soul.
The charge that truly godly people are too particular or righteous overmuch does not excuse mocking or persecuting vital godliness. Those who bring that charge should beware, since they may come to change their opinion only when it is too late. The coming day of judgment will bring everyone before Jesus, when every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord.