A talebearer revealeth secrets: but he that is of a faithful spirit
concealeth the matter. Prov 11:13
Tale-bearers Traders in Scandal
concealeth the matter. Prov 11:13
Tale-bearers Traders in Scandal
"Whatever was confided to him he is sure to publish abroad. The word means a hawker, or travelling chapman. Such are always great newsmongers; and will tell even their own secrets, rather than have nothing to say." [Adam Clarke]
A talebearer. One celebrated nation of antiquity used to express this man’s character by a very significant figure. They called a talebearer a "seedpicker." There are men in the world who live by their seed-collecting: by going about here and there, from house to house, from street to street, through a town large or small, and gathering together all the little stories which can be told or made about the neighbors who are dwelling securely by them, and ignorant of the calumnies by which they are assailed.
A talebearer reveals secrets. Many motives go to make up a talebearer.
(1) Perhaps he is a witty man. He can intimate, rather than express, a scandal. His representations of character are pungent. His imitations, his caricatures of manner and of speech, are irresistibly comic. In society he is the life of his company. It is not till he is silent and departed—perhaps not even then—that you begin to feel that there has been virtually a talebearer among you, and that he has been revealing unkind secrets.
(2) Or he may be a man in whose own conscience there is a sore place. He knows something against himself. He is conscious of some lurking, some secret, some bosom sin. And it is a relief to him to hope that others are not so much better than himself. He finds a solace in his wretchedness in making company for his sin.
(3) There are others who cannot bear superiors. They do not like superiors in station, but superiors in character they cannot brook. Their only comfort is in a general disbelief of virtue. A ridiculous story to tell of the eminently good is to them as a draught of water to the thirsty.
III. "He that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter." He does not say what matter. But we may understand it to include two things: that which has been entrusted to him in the secrecy of confidence, and that which has become known to him to another’s disparagement.
If we could part forever with the disposition of the talebearer, we should have parted with that which, more than anything else, confuses and perplexes and embitters human life. It is the want of self-knowledge which makes us so keen-sighted. It is the want of acquaintance with Christ, as our Propitiation first, and then as our Example, which makes it possible for us to sit in the tribunal of judgment.
[C. J. Vaughan, Lessons of Life and Godliness, p. 1.]
A talebearer. One celebrated nation of antiquity used to express this man’s character by a very significant figure. They called a talebearer a "seedpicker." There are men in the world who live by their seed-collecting: by going about here and there, from house to house, from street to street, through a town large or small, and gathering together all the little stories which can be told or made about the neighbors who are dwelling securely by them, and ignorant of the calumnies by which they are assailed.
A talebearer reveals secrets. Many motives go to make up a talebearer.
(1) Perhaps he is a witty man. He can intimate, rather than express, a scandal. His representations of character are pungent. His imitations, his caricatures of manner and of speech, are irresistibly comic. In society he is the life of his company. It is not till he is silent and departed—perhaps not even then—that you begin to feel that there has been virtually a talebearer among you, and that he has been revealing unkind secrets.
(2) Or he may be a man in whose own conscience there is a sore place. He knows something against himself. He is conscious of some lurking, some secret, some bosom sin. And it is a relief to him to hope that others are not so much better than himself. He finds a solace in his wretchedness in making company for his sin.
(3) There are others who cannot bear superiors. They do not like superiors in station, but superiors in character they cannot brook. Their only comfort is in a general disbelief of virtue. A ridiculous story to tell of the eminently good is to them as a draught of water to the thirsty.
III. "He that is of a faithful spirit concealeth the matter." He does not say what matter. But we may understand it to include two things: that which has been entrusted to him in the secrecy of confidence, and that which has become known to him to another’s disparagement.
If we could part forever with the disposition of the talebearer, we should have parted with that which, more than anything else, confuses and perplexes and embitters human life. It is the want of self-knowledge which makes us so keen-sighted. It is the want of acquaintance with Christ, as our Propitiation first, and then as our Example, which makes it possible for us to sit in the tribunal of judgment.
[C. J. Vaughan, Lessons of Life and Godliness, p. 1.]
And withal they learn to be idle, wandering about from house to house; and not only idle, but tattlers also and busybodies, speaking things which they ought not. 1Ti 5:13
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 2Th 3:11
Conduct of the Disorderly
For we hear that there are some which walk among you disorderly, working not at all, but are busybodies. 2Th 3:11
Conduct of the Disorderly
There are marked traits of these kinds of people, and are found in both men and women alike. Both have the same troublemaking traits, that cause a great deal of problems in communities, and destroys peoples lives, if they are allowed to. These type of people need to be blocked, and boundaries against their activities put into place.
Their traits are - Doing every thing they should not do - impertinent meddlers with other people’s business; prying into other people’s circumstances and domestic affairs; magnifying or minifying, mistaking or underrating, every thing; newsmongers and telltales; an abominable race, the curse of every neighborhood where they live, and a pest to religious society. There is a fine paronomasia in the above words, and evidently intended by the apostle.
Though they work not at their own business, yet are very busy in other men's matters, and have the affairs of kingdoms, and cities, and towns, and neighborhoods, and churches, and families, upon their hands; which they thrust themselves into, and intermeddle with, though they have no business at all with them: these wander from house to house, and curiously inquire into personal and family affairs, are tattlers, full of prate and talk, and, like the Athenians, spend all their time in telling or hearing new things; and they also speak things which they should not; they carry tales from one to another, and privately whisper things to the disadvantage of their fellow creatures and Christians, and backbite and slander them. These are the pests of nations and neighborhoods, the plagues of churches, and the scandal of human nature." [John Gill]
What does scripture tell us to do:
2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
2Th 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
Their traits are - Doing every thing they should not do - impertinent meddlers with other people’s business; prying into other people’s circumstances and domestic affairs; magnifying or minifying, mistaking or underrating, every thing; newsmongers and telltales; an abominable race, the curse of every neighborhood where they live, and a pest to religious society. There is a fine paronomasia in the above words, and evidently intended by the apostle.
Though they work not at their own business, yet are very busy in other men's matters, and have the affairs of kingdoms, and cities, and towns, and neighborhoods, and churches, and families, upon their hands; which they thrust themselves into, and intermeddle with, though they have no business at all with them: these wander from house to house, and curiously inquire into personal and family affairs, are tattlers, full of prate and talk, and, like the Athenians, spend all their time in telling or hearing new things; and they also speak things which they should not; they carry tales from one to another, and privately whisper things to the disadvantage of their fellow creatures and Christians, and backbite and slander them. These are the pests of nations and neighborhoods, the plagues of churches, and the scandal of human nature." [John Gill]
What does scripture tell us to do:
2Th 3:6 Now we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that ye withdraw yourselves from every brother that walketh disorderly, and not after the tradition which he received of us.
2Th 3:7 For yourselves know how ye ought to follow us: for we behaved not ourselves disorderly among you;
Withdraw Yourselves
In this passage the Apostle teaches the Thessalonians that in tranquility, sedateness of heart and life, they are severally, not only to work, but to do their own work, and so have need of no man. Thus the bread which is their own will be doubly sweet to them. If we revert to the military metaphor which underlies the word "disorderly," and may also underlie the word "withdraw," we may place another saying of the Apostle into connection with these injunctions. "Every man shall bear his own burden,"—his own proper and personal load. The word is used to signify a soldier’s kit or knapsack. In Christian warfare, then, each faithful soldier must see that he has his own weight, and that he does not encumber another with it, or take up another’s instead of his own. All acts of this kind are walking disorderly.
Believers then have daily work to do; not only Christian work, but all work done in a Christian spirit. The record of their days must never be like that said to have been found in the diary of Louis XVI., after the first French Revolution, the simple word occurring on almost every page, "Nothing, nothing!" Time rather must be redeemed, not wasted.
III. "But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing." The Apostle exhorts them not to lose heart, not to faint as cowards, in doing whatever is honorable and good—all actions which are fair in themselves and blissful in their results. An implied commendation is in the injunction. They are even now engaged in well-doing, and they are urged, by perseverance therein, to show forth "the patience of Christ." There is to be well doing in the widest sense of the word. Surveying the huge circumference of human love, Christ’s people are never to faint in the work of leaving the world better than they found it. "In due season we shall reap if we faint not."
[J. Hutchison, Lectures on Thessalonians, p. 322.]
"Have no fellowship with those who will not submit to proper discipline; who do not keep their place; ατακτως, such as are out of their rank, and act according to their own wills and caprices; and particularly such as are idle and busybodies. These he had ordered, 1Th_4:11, 1Th_4:12, that they should study to be quiet, mind their own business, and work with their hands; but it appears that they had paid no attention to this order, and now he desires the Church to exclude such from their communion."
[Adam Clarke]
Conclusion:
When you hear someone slandering and gossiping about someone else, you should take note of this, and realize that when you are out of ear shot, you will be talked about the same way. When anyone ever comes to me, and starts talking about someone else in a degrading way, I stop them, and make it clear I'm not interested in hearing it. I put an end to it right then. If you do this, you'll make enemies, and few friends. But, if someone is talking about you behind your back, they're not your friend anyway, they are an enemy you don't need in your life.
Lorna Couillard
Believers then have daily work to do; not only Christian work, but all work done in a Christian spirit. The record of their days must never be like that said to have been found in the diary of Louis XVI., after the first French Revolution, the simple word occurring on almost every page, "Nothing, nothing!" Time rather must be redeemed, not wasted.
III. "But ye, brethren, be not weary in well-doing." The Apostle exhorts them not to lose heart, not to faint as cowards, in doing whatever is honorable and good—all actions which are fair in themselves and blissful in their results. An implied commendation is in the injunction. They are even now engaged in well-doing, and they are urged, by perseverance therein, to show forth "the patience of Christ." There is to be well doing in the widest sense of the word. Surveying the huge circumference of human love, Christ’s people are never to faint in the work of leaving the world better than they found it. "In due season we shall reap if we faint not."
[J. Hutchison, Lectures on Thessalonians, p. 322.]
"Have no fellowship with those who will not submit to proper discipline; who do not keep their place; ατακτως, such as are out of their rank, and act according to their own wills and caprices; and particularly such as are idle and busybodies. These he had ordered, 1Th_4:11, 1Th_4:12, that they should study to be quiet, mind their own business, and work with their hands; but it appears that they had paid no attention to this order, and now he desires the Church to exclude such from their communion."
[Adam Clarke]
Conclusion:
When you hear someone slandering and gossiping about someone else, you should take note of this, and realize that when you are out of ear shot, you will be talked about the same way. When anyone ever comes to me, and starts talking about someone else in a degrading way, I stop them, and make it clear I'm not interested in hearing it. I put an end to it right then. If you do this, you'll make enemies, and few friends. But, if someone is talking about you behind your back, they're not your friend anyway, they are an enemy you don't need in your life.
Lorna Couillard
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