The Beauty of Holiness

Question: Is “elegance the only beauty that never fades?” My question comes from a quote once given by Audrey Hepburn.

In Psalms 29:2, the Bible says otherwise, but before we explore this question I wanted to preface this post with how the use of commentaries can help us understand the Scriptures more thoroughly.

I have found commentaries from several learned scholars helpful when sharing and further explaining portions of Scripture in my posts.

This blog has utilized commentaries from various Bible scholars, but one of the most detailed writers that I enjoy reading and sharing is Matthew Henry (1662-1714).

Today, I decided to find out more information about Henry. To my surprise and delight, I discovered that he had great influence over other great men like George Whitefield (1714-1770) and Charles Wesley (1707-1788).

In response to Psalm 49:6-14 Henry wrote:

‘The beauty of holiness is that which the grave, that consumes all other beauty, cannot touch, or do any damage to’ (on Psalm 49:6-14).

 

Recently, I read a quote from Audrey Hepburn:

Elegance is the only beauty that never fades. – Audrey Hepburn

 

That’s a nice thought.  Elegance is nice to have and display to the world.   But is such a statement entirely true?

Matthew Henry stated above, “the beauty of holiness consumes all other beauty…”

Psalms says:

Psa 49:15

But God will redeem my soul from the power of the grave,
For He shall receive me. Selah

There are more examples of Henry’s poignant writings HERE.  Two more great examples:

‘The pleasures of sense are puddle-water; spiritual delights are rock water, so pure, so clear, so refreshing — rivers of pleasure’ (on Exodus 17:1-7).

‘God’s grace can save souls without preaching, but our preaching cannot save them without God’s grace, and that grace must be sought by prayer’ (on Ezekiel 37:1-14).

Beautiful!

My next post will share what Henry wrote about Matthew 7:16.

Mat 7:16

“You will know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles?

Here is just a brief taste of Henry’s detailed commentary:

(1.) If you know what the tree is, you may know what fruit to expect. Never look to gather grapes from thorns, nor figs from thistles; it is not in their nature to produce such fruits. An apple may be stuck, or a bunch of grapes may hang, upon a thorn; so may a good truth, a good word or action, be found in a bad man, but you may be sure it never grew there. Note,

• [1.] Corrupt, vicious, unsanctified hearts are like thorns and thistles, which came in with sin, are worthless, vexing, and for the fire at last.

• [2.] Good works are good fruit, like grapes and figs, pleasing to God and profitable to men.

Hat tips to all links.