Proverbs 1:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The statements made by the wicked in Proverbs, "Let us put away the innocent without blame... We shall gather up every precious possession," are not so obscure that they cannot be related to Christ and His Church, referred to as His beloved. In fact, the Lord Jesus mirrors a similar sentiment spoken by the evildoers in the Gospel parable: "This is the heir; let us go and kill him and take possession of his inheritance" (Matt. 21:38).

God speaks through Solomon, saying: My son, if wrongdoers entice you, do not yield to them. If they invite you, saying, ‘Join us; we will set a trap for bloodshed, we will slay the innocent without cause, we will consume them whole like those in the grave.’ This passage foreshadows the Lord's suffering.

The wicked seek to entice the young man into their company not only through the allure of abundant riches but also by assuring him that the wealth will be fairly distributed among all by lot, granting equal access to the spoils. This prospect can be quite alluring for a newcomer. He may worry that he will not receive an equitable share compared to the seasoned wrongdoers. However, the temptors reassure him that he will not be slighted—the lot will determine the allocation of the spoils, and the purse will be treated as a shared resource, with everyone having equal claim to it, regardless of whether they are newcomers or long-standing members of their ranks.