Step One - Inquire whether your dialogue partner considers themselves to be "a good person."
According to Proverbs 20:6, they will, because "Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness" (KJV).
Yet, is the verse teaching a divine truth about humanity, that men think themselves good when they are really not?
Look at the verse in context, even as it is punctuated in the King James:
"Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful man who can find?"
Consider another literal translation (NASB):
"Many a man proclaims his own loyalty, but who can find a trustworthy man?"Or a popular paraphrase (NLT):
"Many will say they are loyal friends, but who can find one who is truly reliable?"
It's clear that King Solomon is merely expressing frustration at being disappointed, at being let down by another person.
He is not, by divine inspiration, making an ontological declaration about the sinful human condition. And it's wrong to see in this verse a prediction of how moderns will answer the question, "Are you a good person?"
There are biblical verses that speak of one's blindness to personal sin but not this one. It's just Solomon feeling sorry for himself. Something his King never does ...
3 comments:
Hi:
I'm curious. I'm wondering why the questions about this verse. Was this verse brought up on the TV show?
I agree with you, there are many alternate translations. The NIV talks about claiming unfailing love. However, the point of the verse, no matter which translation you are looking at, is that people claim to be a certain type of person, but the reality is that they are not the type of person they claim to be.
I also agree that this is not the best verse to use. It does make the point, but because of the alternate translations people may get confused.
I've more often heard 1 John 1:8 brought up when someone claims to be a good person... "If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not in us."
But talking about scriptural support for the question "Would you consider yourself to be a good person?" misses the point of the question.
Of course, the truth comes out with the answers to the follow-up questions. Have you ever told a lie? Have you ever taken anything that did not belong to you? Have you ever looked with lust? (etc. see http://www.911christ.com/)
The verse was used in the show as a sure predictor of how most people will answer the question, "Are you a good person?"
The Bible tells us, in Proverbs 20:6, that most people will answer in the affirmative, that they are good people. A quick consideration of the Ten Commandments shows to the contrary.
I found this to be a gratuitous application of Scripture.
Reading the entire verse, not just the first phrase, I noted that "goodness" has an ontological meaning to the modern reader that is foreign to the author's original intent. The other English translations render the verse more clearly, in relational instead of ontological terms.
The verse says that people don't keep their word, can't even be trusted as friends, I'll agree with that.
I was reading through 1 John today for another post, no longer thinking about this post. But, since you mention it, 1 John 1:8 is a terrific verse for showing our contrary nature, especially taken with the promise in the verse that follows.
"good" in the KJV:
Ecclesiastes 2:26
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