CAN YOU EXPLAIN “REPROOF” AND “REPROVE?”
by Shawn Brasseaux
The King James Bible makes reference to “reproof,” “reproofs,” “reprove,” “reproved,” “reprover,” or “reproveth” almost 50 times. What do the base words—“reproof” and “reprove”—mean?
THE BIBLE’S BUILT-IN DICTIONARY
If we look at all references (52 to be exact—they will be presented in this study), we will notice three verses in particular stand out so as to provide us with the Bible’s definition:
- Psalm 50:21: “These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.”
- John 3:20: “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
- Ephesians 5:13: “But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.”
“Reprove” is connected to “set them in order before thine eyes” (Psalms), causing light to shine on and expose evil deeds (John), or things being made manifest by light (Ephesians). Close synonyms are “convict” (“accuse of wrongdoing”), “rebuke” (“criticize for misconduct”), and “reprimand” (“express disapproval of an action”).
One of the most well-known passages about “reproof” is 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:….” That is, the Scriptures (God’s inspired and preserved words) are advantageous because they impart to us “doctrine” (teaching worthy of our belief/trust), “reproof” (criticism to show us what we are doing wrong), “correction” (knowledge we should believe so we can think properly)—all of this being “instruction in righteousness” (how to walk according to our righteous/justified identity in Christ). For two examples of Bible reproof, read Paul’s two epistles to Corinth: these saints were guilty of a host of sins, much of which the Church the Body of Christ has yet to overcome even now (denominations/sects, abuse of spiritual gifts, infatuation with heathen philosophy/human wisdom, petty arguments, reducing the Lord’s Supper to devil worship or empty ceremonialism, fornication, doubting the doctrine of bodily resurrection, among other things)!
Saints, we are to take the Scriptures rightly divided (2 Timothy 2:15) and follow 2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.” To wit, with the indwelling Holy Spirit teaching us His words in the Holy Bible, causing us to see what is wrong, so we are to inform others and show them what is wrong (false doctrine, misbehavior, and so on). That is the work of the ministry, which we do, of course, according to the following counsel: “And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth; And that they may recover themselves out of the snare of the devil, who are taken captive by him at his will” (2 Timothy 2:24-26).
For the remainder of this study, bear in mind the words that have gone before, and read the following verses to become better acquainted with how reproof and reproving work in these respective contexts. Notice how there is much opposition, as sin works in the human heart to fight against the LORD God!
“REPROVER” – noun (the person who causes someone to see/know/judge/discern right from wrong)
- Ezekiel 3:26: “And I will make thy tongue cleave to the roof of thy mouth, that thou shalt be dumb, and shalt not be to them a reprover: for they are a rebellious house.”
“REPROOF” / “REPROOFS” – noun (the information that causes to sees, the body of truth that imparts the ability to know/judge/discern right from wrong)
- Job 26:11: “The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at his reproof.” (Here, in this unique case, the Creator God is commanding creation to conform to His will, submit to His authority.)
- Psalm 38:14: “Thus I was as a man that heareth not, and in whose mouth are no reproofs.”
- Proverbs 1:23,25,30: “[23] Turn you at my reproof: behold, I will pour out my spirit unto you, I will make known my words unto you…. [25] But ye have set at nought all my counsel, and would none of my reproof:… [30] They would none of my counsel: they despised all my reproof.”
- Proverbs 5:12: “And say, How have I hated instruction, and my heart despised reproof;….”
- Proverbs 6:23: “For the commandment is a lamp; and the law is light; and reproofs of instruction are the way of life:….”
- Proverbs 10:17: “He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth.”
- Proverbs 12:1: “Whoso loveth instruction loveth knowledge: but he that hateth reproof is brutish.”
- Proverbs 13:18: “Poverty and shame shall be to him that refuseth instruction: but he that regardeth reproof shall be honoured.”
- Proverbs 15:5,10,31-32: “[5] A fool despiseth his father’s instruction: but he that regardeth reproof is prudent…. [10] Correction is grievous unto him that forsaketh the way: and he that hateth reproof shall die….. [31] The ear that heareth the reproof of life abideth among the wise. [32] He that refuseth instruction despiseth his own soul: but he that heareth reproof getteth understanding.”
- Proverbs 17:10: “A reproof entereth more into a wise man than an hundred stripes into a fool.”
- Proverbs 29:15: “The rod and reproof give wisdom: but a child left to himself bringeth his mother to shame.”
- 2 Timothy 3:16: “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:….”
“REPROVE” / “REPROVETH” / “REPROVED” – verb (the action of causing someone to see/know/judge/discern right from wrong, or the action of seeing/knowing/judging/discerning right from wrong)
- Genesis 20:16: “And unto Sarah he said, Behold, I have given thy brother a thousand pieces of silver: behold, he is to thee a covering of the eyes, unto all that are with thee, and with all other: thus she was reproved.”
- Genesis 21:25: “And Abraham reproved Abimelech because of a well of water, which Abimelech’s servants had violently taken away.”
- 2 Kings 19:4: “It may be the LORD thy God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God; and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that are left.”
- 1 Chronicles 16:21: “He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes,….”
- Job 6:25-26: “[25] How forcible are right words! but what doth your arguing reprove? [26] Do ye imagine to reprove words, and the speeches of one that is desperate, which are as wind?”
- Job 13:10: “He will surely reprove you, if ye do secretly accept persons.”
- Job 22:4: “Will he reprove thee for fear of thee? will he enter with thee into judgment?”
- Job 40:2: “Shall he that contendeth with the Almighty instruct him? he that reproveth God, let him answer it.”
- Psalm 50:8,21: “[8] I will not reprove thee for thy sacrifices or thy burnt offerings, to have been continually before me…. [21] These things hast thou done, and I kept silence; thou thoughtest that I was altogether such an one as thyself: but I will reprove thee, and set them in order before thine eyes.”
- Psalm 105:14: “He suffered no man to do them wrong: yea, he reproved kings for their sakes;….”
- Psalm 141:5: “Let the righteous smite me; it shall be a kindness: and let him reprove me; it shall be an excellent oil, which shall not break my head: for yet my prayer also shall be in their calamities.”
- Proverbs 9:7-8: “[7] He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. [8] Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”
- Proverbs 15:12: “A scorner loveth not one that reproveth him: neither will he go unto the wise.”
- Proverbs 19:25: “Smite a scorner, and the simple will beware: and reprove one that hath understanding, and he will understand knowledge.”
- Proverbs 25:12: “As an earring of gold, and an ornament of fine gold, so is a wise reprover upon an obedient ear.”
- Proverbs 29:1: “He, that being often reproved hardeneth his neck, shall suddenly be destroyed, and that without remedy.”
- Proverbs 30:6: “Add thou not unto his [God’s] words, lest he reprove thee, and thou be found a liar.”
- Isaiah 11:3-4: “[3] And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: [4] But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth: with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked.”
- Isaiah 29:21: “That make a man an offender for a word, and lay a snare for him that reproveth in the gate, and turn aside the just for a thing of nought.”
- Isaiah 37:4: “It may be the LORD thy God will hear the words of Rabshakeh, whom the king of Assyria his master hath sent to reproach the living God, and will reprove the words which the LORD thy God hath heard: wherefore lift up thy prayer for the remnant that is left.”
- Jeremiah 2:19: “Thine own wickedness shall correct thee, and thy backslidings shall reprove thee: know therefore and see that it is an evil thing and bitter, that thou hast forsaken the LORD thy God, and that my fear is not in thee, saith the Lord GOD of hosts.”
- Jeremiah 29:27: “Now therefore why hast thou not reproved Jeremiah of Anathoth, which maketh himself a prophet to you?”
- Hosea 4:4: “Yet let no man strive, nor reprove another: for thy people are as they that strive with the priest.”
- Habakkuk 2:1: “I will stand upon my watch, and set me upon the tower, and will watch to see what he will say unto me, and what I shall answer when I am reproved.”
- Luke 3:19: “But Herod the tetrarch, being reproved by him [John the Baptist] for Herodias his brother Philip’s wife, and for all the evils which Herod had done,….”
- John 3:20: “For every one that doeth evil hateth the light, neither cometh to the light, lest his deeds should be reproved.”
- John 16:8: “And when he is come, he [the Holy Spirit] will reprove the world of sin, and of righteousness, and of judgment:….”
- Ephesians 5:11,13: “[11] And have no fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, but rather reprove them…. [13] But all things that are reproved are made manifest by the light: for whatsoever doth make manifest is light.”
- 2 Timothy 4:2: “Preach the word; be instant in season, out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all longsuffering and doctrine.”
Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://forwhatsaiththescriptures.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂
Also see:
» Does doctrine really matter?
» What does “circumspect” mean?
» Does “touch not mine anointed” forbid us from correcting erring church leaders?
» I have trusted Christ, so why do I see things in Scripture I have never noticed before?
» How do we identify false teachers?
» Should we hate the denominational people who misled us?
» What is “secondary separation?” Should we Bible believers practice it?
