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Proverbs 16:32
He that is slow to angeris better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.

Proverbs 22:24
Make no friendship with an angry man; and with a furious man thou shalt not go:

1 Samuel 20:30
Then Saul's anger was kindled against Jonathan, and he said unto him, Thou son of the perverse rebelliouswoman, do not I know that thou hast chosen the son of Jesse to thine own confusion, and unto the confusion of thy mother's nakedness?

is a man who does not control his temper
Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23) and is essential for living a life that honors God. The lack of temperance can lead to destructive behavior, as seen in the lives of biblical figures like Saul, whose unchecked anger led to his downfall (1 Samuel 18-19). The New Testament frequently warns against anger, urging believers to be slow to anger and quick to listen (James 1:19-20). Jesus exemplified perfect self-control, even when provoked, demonstrating how believers should respond to anger-inducing situations (1 Peter 2:23). This proverb underscores the importance of self-discipline in maintaining spiritual integrity and relational harmony.

- Solomon opens with a vivid picture of a bustling, purposeful place. A city is meant to be orderly, protected, and productive (Psalm 48:12-14;Proverbs 18:10).

- God often likens His people to a city set on a hill, designed to shine and draw others to Him (Matthew 5:14-16).

- The comparison calls us to think of our lives as visible, influential communities where Christ’s rule should be evident.

- Walls were a city’s primary defense; when they crumble, enemies enter at will (Nehemiah 1:3;Isaiah 62:6-7).

- Without solid boundaries, even the finest treasures are exposed (2 Chronicles 32:5).

- Spiritually, the protective “walls” are God’s commands and the Spirit’s fruit that guard heart and mind (Philippians 4:7).

- The metaphor shifts from city to individual, stressing personal responsibility (Ezekiel 33:2-6).

- Each believer is accountable for building and maintaining godly defenses—no one else can do it for us (Galatians 6:4-5).

- In Christ, we are “God’s fellow workers…God’s building” (1 Corinthians 3:9), underscoring how our character affects the larger community.

- “Better a patient man than a warrior, a man who controls his temper than one who takes a city” (Proverbs 16:32).

- Unchecked anger opens breaches where bitterness, strife, and regret march in (Ephesians 4:26-27;James 1:19-20).

- Self-control is a fruit of the Spirit (Galatians 5:22-23). Cultivating it repairs walls and restores safety to the soul and to relationships.

Proverbs 25:28 warns that losing temper is not a harmless outburst but a demolition of spiritual defenses. Just as a city without walls lies open to plunder, a believer without self-control invites destructive influences. By relying on the Spirit, obeying God’s Word, and practicing patience, we rebuild strong walls that protect our testimony and bless all who dwell within our “city.”

Θυμοῦ κρατῆσαι κἀπιθυμίας καλόν.
Desire and passion it is good to rule."

Ταμιεῖον ἀρετῆς ἐστι σωφροσύνη μόνη
"Virtue's true storehouse is wise self-control." A Chinese maxim says. "Who can govern himself is fit to govern the world." Septuagint, "As a city whose wails are broken down and which is unwalled, so is a man who does aught without counsel." St. Jerome, by the addition of the words,in loquendo, applies the proverb to intemperance in language, "So is he who is not able to restrain his spirit in speaking." Commenting on this, St. Gregory ('Moral,' 7:59) says, "Because it is without the wall of silence, the city of the mind lies open to the darts of the enemy, and when it casts itself forth in words, it exhibits itself exposed to the adversary, and he gets the mastery of it without trouble, in proportion as the soul that he has to overcome combats against its own self by much talking" (Oxford transl.).

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