The “He Who” Verses

Being able to accept responsibility for one’s personal decisions and daily actions may seem like a rare character trait, especially in today’s ideologically and emotionally charged atmosphere. When circumstances do not support a desired outcome or a personal right for someone, many present themselves as victims. This is not a new phenomenon, since human nature promotes self-interest over concern for others.

Yet there exists an authoritative source with basic instructions on how to navigate troubled personal relationships. For all the educational resources on this subject, most people overlook the greatest one, the Holy Bible. King Solomon of Israel was inspired by God to write the books of Ecclesiastes, Proverbs, and the Song of Solomon, known as the Wisdom Books in the Old Testament. These books stress personal responsibility and give detailed instructions on a broad spectrum of human behavior in the form of pithy sayings, observations, and recommendations. While the verses apply to all people—men, women, and children—many of them begin with the words “He who,” followed by specific instructions. These verses cover marriage, childrearing, business relationships, financial principles, neighbor relationships, guidelines for dispute resolution, and many other topics.

Several verses in the book of Ecclesiastes use “He who” to admonish engaging in or refraining from various behaviors as one strives to live wisely. For example, Ecclesiastes 5:10 states, “He who loves silver will not be satisfied with silver; nor he who loves abundance, with increase. This is also vanity.” This makes the point that pursuing riches is not a wise course for a happy life. Another practical example is Ecclesiastes 11:4: “He who observes the wind will not sow, and he who regards the clouds will not reap.” This illustrates that one who is overly cautious will not accomplish much in life.

The book of Proverbs consists of 31 chapters of distilled wisdom and practical instruction for living, in which many verses begin with “He who” and contain nuggets of essential skills for getting along with others. Consider this gem: “A wrathful man stirs up strife, but he who is slow to anger allays contention” (Proverbs 15:18). In this “age of rage,” applying this principle will squelch many heated, confrontational situations. The benefit of honesty is expressed in Proverbs 10:9: “He who walks in integrity walks securely, but he who perverts his ways will become known.” Being a good listener is stressed in Proverbs 18:13: “He who answers a matter before he hears it, it is folly and shame to him.”

This “He who” expression is also found in the New Testament. The Gospel of Luke, for example, uses it frequently. After giving the Parable of the Sower, which illustrates the different reactions of people hearing God’s truth, Jesus Christ exclaimed, “He who has ears to hear, let him hear!” (Luke 8:8). He implored those who could understand His message to take it to heart. Throughout its pages, the Bible stresses the importance of having humility. Christ confirmed this in Luke 14:11, stating that “he who humbles himself will be exalted.”

The Apostle Peter urged Christians to diligently add to their faith virtue, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness, and love. He finished his admonition by stating that “he who lacks these things is shortsighted, even to blindness, and has forgotten that he was cleansed from his old sins” (2 Peter 1:5–9).

There are many more examples of this expression than we have touched on here. The “He who” verses form a thread throughout the Bible, placing personal responsibility on each of us for our thoughts and actions. James, the half-brother of Jesus, put it this way: “Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin” (James 4:17).

The Living Church of God offers study guides entitled The Bible: Fact or Fiction? and What is a True Christian? These and many others are available free of charge right here at TomorrowsWorld.org.