The way of life [is] above to the wise
Of "the way of life"; (See Gill on
Proverbs 10:17); this is said to be "above", or it tends
"to [what is] above"; it leads to heaven and happiness above; the
life itself it is the way of or to is above, it is hid with
Christ in God; eternal life, glory, and happiness, is above; it
is a house eternal in the heavens, an inheritance reserved there,
and will be there enjoyed by the saints: the way to it is above;
Christ is the way, and he is in heaven, at the Father's right
hand, through whom only men can come at this life; wherefore
those who are in the way of it have their thoughts, their hearts,
their affections and conversations, above, ( Matthew 6:21
) ( Colossians 3:1 Colossians
3:2 ) ( Philippians
3:20 ) . Faith, which deals with Christ the way, and by which
men walk in him, is signified by soaring aloft, mounting up with
wings as eagles, by entering within the vail, and dwelling on
high, and by looking upwards, and at things unseen, and being the
evidence of them. The Vulgate Latin version renders it, "the way
of life is above the learned man", or wise man; the man that has
no other than natural learning and wisdom, this way of life and
salvation by Christ lies out of his knowledge; it is what the
most sagacious and penetrating man could never discover; it is
hid from the wise and prudent, and revealed to babes; or this is
only known to such who are truly wise unto salvation; it is plain
to them, and they highly esteem it, and choose to walk in it; it
is an "ascent to him that understands", as the Syriac version
renders it; it is a going up hill, it is an ascending upwards and
heavenwards; such a man is continually looking upwards unto
Christ, the author and finisher of his faith; pressing towards
him, the mark for the prize; keeping his eye, not on things on
earth, things temporal, which are seen here below, but on things
above, things unseen, which are eternal in the heavens;
that he may depart from hell beneath;
not from the grave, as "sheol" sometimes signifies: for wise men
die as well as fools, and come to the grave, which is the house
appointed for all living; even those who are in the way of life
that is above do not escape death and the grave: but such are
secured from everlasting ruin and destruction, from being
destroyed soul and body in hell; they steer quite a different
course and road from that; every step they take upwards carries
them so far off from hell; which is the contrary way; the broad
road of sin is the lower way, or what leads to hell and
destruction beneath; the narrow way of faith in Christ is the
upper way, and that leads to eternal life above.
Proverbs 15:24
