In Prov. 6:16-19, Solomon presents us with an anatomy of sin. The entire body—eyes, tongue, hands, feet, all directed by the heart—is implicated in seven abominable postures:
There are six things that the Lord hates,
seven that are an abomination to him:
haughty eyes, a lying tongue,
and hands that shed innocent blood,
a heart that devises wicked plans,
feet that make haste to run to evil,
a false witness who breathes out lies,
and one who sows discord among brothers.
Often this passage is read as a simple list of prohibited behaviors. But if we take a closer look at the structure of the text, we will discern that it reveals important truths about the source and scope of sin.
The litany of things God hates is structured as a chiasm:
A: haughty eyes
B: a lying tongue
C: hands that shed innocent blood
D: a heart that devises wicked plans
C’: feet that make haste to run to evil
B’: a false witness who breathes out lies
A’: one who sows discord among brothers
Note the connection between each pair (saving the outer pair for last): In the B pair, a lying tongue and lying witness correspond, and the latter is an intensification of the former. In the C pair, murderous hands complement feet running to evil—all limbs have become members of unrighteousness. At the center (D) is the heart, out of which are the springs of life (Prov. 4:23). Wicked plans take shape in the heart, which in turn directs all parts of the body in the service of sin. Evil doesn’t remain private—not only are these sins unconfined to the heart, they also necessarily involve other people as casualties.
Clear parallels can be observed here. We can see that sin issues from the heart, affects the whole body, and progresses in intensity. However, the link between the bookends of the passage is obscure. What is the relationship between haughty eyes (“a proud look”, in the KJV) and sowing discord among brothers?
A couple new testament passages illuminate the connection between these sins:
In Matt. 7:1-5, Jesus discusses eyes in the context of judgment among brothers. Eyes are the organ of judgment (Ps. 11:4). If they are clouded by pride, they will serve the cause of division, as opposed to fostering unity. We must be humble enough to acknowledge and remove the plank from our own eye before we point out the speck in our brother’s eye.
In Rom. 12:16, Paul connects humility with unity: “Live in harmony with one another. Do not be haughty, but associate with the lowly. Never be wise in your own sight.” By refusing to associate with the lowly, the haughty create division in the body. This mirrors Paul’s teaching on the church in 1 Cor. 12: no member of the body is to exalt itself above another. One member despising another rends the unity of the body.
Thus, by linking haughty eyes with sowing discord, Solomon is showing that pride is a divider and a destroyer.
The anatomy of sin sketched in Proverbs illustrates the pervasiveness of evil. But Proverbs also gives us an anatomy of holiness, echoing the path of wisdom God mapped for His people in the law:
Keep your heart with all vigilance, for from it flow the springs of life. Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. (Prov. 4:23-27)
You shall therefore lay up these words of mine in your heart and in your soul, and you shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall teach them to your children, talking of them when you are sitting in your house, and when you are walking by the way, and when you lie down, and when you rise. (Deut. 11:18-19)
A Christian’s eyes, mouths, hands, and feet are to be used in service of righteousness, with all things guided by a heart that meditates on God’s law. In doing this, God is glorified in our bodies.<>
