Jesus, The Friend Broken Who Makes Us Brothers

"A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother." (Proverbs 18: 24, KJV)

This verse has diverse translations, all of which attempt to reflect the rich fullness of the original Hebrews.

"One who has unreliable friends soon comes to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (NIV)

There is only one Friend on whom we can rely for everything at all times, and the Friend is Jesus:

"Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends." (John 15: 13)

Jesus demonstrated God's love for us by giving Himself, and everything with Himself, for us:

"But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us." (Romans 5: 8)

and

"Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins." (1 John 4: 10)

Jesus as our propitiation, or mercy seat, is a never-ending fountain of grace which we receive from Him at all times, forever (John 7: 38; Romans 5: 17)

"A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." (ESV)

We are called to focus on Jesus as the source of all things, rather than attempting to find fulfillment in diverse interests, none of which can bring to us all that we find in Jesus:

"31What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us? 32He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?" (Romans 8: 31-32)

A closer look at Proverbs 18: 24 will explain why there are diverse interpretations of this verse:


The verb "show self friendly" comes from the Hebrew verb "raa", which actually means "to be evil, or bad" and can also mean "ruin" or "break in pieces"

Jesus became sin that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him (2 Corinthians 5: 21)

He was broken that we might be made whole:

"3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

 

5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed." (Isaiah 53: 3-5)

 

He was also abandoned by His Father, that His Father could adopt us and make us sons of God, and brothers with Jesus:

 

"And he said, Abba, Father, all things are possible unto thee; take away this cup from me: nevertheless not what I will, but what thou wilt." (Mark 14: 36)

 

On the Cross, Jesus did not adress His Father as "Abba":

 

"And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" (Mark 15: 34)

 

Paul then writes to us what we receive:

 

"For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father." (Romans 8: 15)

 

Jesus, the Friend who was ruined, harmed, pierced for us, that He could be closer than a brother to all of us!