By Ken Yates

INTRODUCTION

Almost all of us have heard a story or two about “Johnny in Sunday school.” Such stories usually involve the teacher’s asking little Johnny a Bible question, which he answers innocently and incorrectly. His answer is the punchline of a joke.

One such story relates the teacher’s asking Johnny, “What is a small gray animal that lives in a tree, has a bushy tail, and hides nuts for the winter?” Johnny answers, “I know the answer is Jesus, but it sounds like a squirrel to me.”

This anecdote is funny because Jesus is often the answer to questions we hear in church. When my kids were younger, I would even joke with them sometimes. I told them that if they were asked a question in Sunday school and didn’t know the answer, they should say “Jesus.”

But as the story of Johnny demonstrates, sometimes Christ is not the answer to a question. The answer is something or someone else.

A BIBLICAL EXAMPLE

The belief that Jesus is the answer to every question will cause us to see Him in places where He is not found. I recently found an example of that in Prov 18:24. The verse reads:

A man who has friends must himself be friendly, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.

The first part of that verse means that if we are friendly towards others, we will have a lot of friends. But, as anybody who has lived long enough knows, there are fair-weather friends. In Prov 18:24, Solomon tells us that some “friends” will abandon us when times get tough.

Some people who know Hebrew better than I do say that the first part of the verse should be translated differently. The NASB does. It says, “A person of too many friends comes to ruin…”

Perhaps Solomon means that you will count on them when you go through difficult times, but they will let you down when you expect them to come through. The support you hope to obtain will not be there. You would be better off if you had not counted on that support. You could have spent that time looking elsewhere.

Or perhaps they are your friends because they hope to use the relationship to their advantage. Whatever Solomon has in mind, such friends can lead to your ruin. At best, we can call such people acquaintances. They aren’t your friends.

However we translate the first part of the verse; the second part is clear. We might have many casual “friends,” but another kind of friend exists. He is one that “sticks closer than a brother.” We would call such a person a true friend.

Such a companion does not abandon you in difficult times. He sticks with you. We are fortunate if we find a friend like that. He or she may be more faithful than a literal brother. In the previous chapter, Solomon spoke of a friend who “loves at all times.”

But who is the person that Solomon has in mind in Prov 18:24?

IS JESUS THE ANSWER?

Imagine being in a Sunday school class when the teacher asks: “Who is the friend that sticks closer than a brother in Prov 18:24?” At least some (many?) in the class would say, “Jesus.” Jesus is indeed the greatest Friend we have. He will never abandon us, even if our flesh and blood do. A person answering that way would have the attitude of little Johnny in the joke.

Such a person could even point to some verses in the NT. In John 15:15, the Lord tells His disciples that they are His friends. In Heb 2:11, the author says that Jesus is not ashamed to call believers His brothers. The author adds that Jesus is there to help His brethren and to be faithful and merciful to them. He will help them in whatever trial they go through (Heb 2:16-18). Here is a Friend and Brother who is closer than an earthly brother.

Some commentators answer the question that way. One writer comments on Prov 18:24:

It is impossible for Christians not to recognize the application of the picture to Jesus Christ. His friendship is in all senses truly brotherly. He became a brother Man in order that he might enter into closest relations of love and sympathy with us, and he proves his friendship by doing more than any man ever did for his brother (Spence-Jones, Proverbs, 357).

Another maintains:

Christ is a friend to all believers that sticks closer than a brother; to Him therefore let them show themselves friendly (Henry, Commentary on the Whole Bible, 996).

Thomas Constable also says that many Christians have applied Prov 18:24 to Jesus Christ (Constable Bible Notes, Sonic Light, Prov 18:24).

Jesus Christ is undoubtedly the greatest Friend we could have. But while this may sound almost sacrilegious to some, I am positive that He is not the person Solomon had in mind in Prov 18:24. Christ is not the answer to the question asked in our imaginary Sunday school class.

WE ARE THE ANSWER

It may not sound spiritual, but Solomon is not talking about Christ in Prov 18:24. He is speaking to his son and telling him that he should be a friend who sticks closer than a brother. Solomon tells everyone who will listen that they should beware of fair-weather friends. At the same time, they should themselves be true friends. They should not be the kind of acquaintance who looks only for what he or she can get from a relationship.

Other Christian writers have said the same thing. Constable says that while there is a temptation to read Christ into Prov 18:24, that was not Solomon’s point. His point was much more mundane and straightforward. In contrast to false friends, some friends are true treasures. They are more faithful than our closest relatives (Constable, Sonic Light).

Goldingay says that Solomon is clear. One close friend is better than many mere acquaintances. He can be better than a brother, especially if that brother is far away (Goldingay, Proverbs, 600). Ross agrees. Solomon tells his son that he should look for and value friends like that. They are rare and hard to find (Ross, “Proverbs,” Expositor’s Bible Commentary, 166).

While we should look for such friends, it is clear that we should also be such a friend. To call somebody a friend and then abandon them when they are in need makes one a hypocrite. Solomon is telling his son and us: Don’t be like that. You are to be the friend who sticks closer than a brother.

Country music star Tracy Lawrence wrote a song, Find Out Who Your Friends Are, that describes the true friend in Prov 18:24. The song speaks of a man who goes through hard times. The chorus goes like this:

You’ll find out who your friends are.

Somebody’s gonna drop everything,

Run out and crank up their car,

Hit the gas, get there fast,

Never stop to think, “What’s in it for me?”

Or “It’s way too far.”

They just show on up

With their big old heart.

You’ll find out who your friends are.

Solomon is not telling us that Jesus is that kind of friend, even though He is. He is telling us to be that kind of friend. We might have many casual “friends,” but another kind of friend exists. He is one that “sticks closer than a brother.” We would call such a person a true friend.

CONCLUSION

The story about Johnny and the squirrel is funny. But if we give Johnny’s answer to the teacher’s question about Prov 18:24, it’s not funny at all. If we say Jesus is a Friend who sticks closer than a brother, we can use it as a cop-out. We might say that He will take care of a brother or sister in need, so I don’t need to. I can use Him as an excuse to shirk my responsibilities.

There are not enough adjectives to describe how great our Savior is. But He is not the answer to every question. Sometimes, we are. We are to be true friends to others, especially our brothers and sisters in Christ.

It is hard to find a true friend. He is a rare treasure. When my friends are asked if they have a friend who sticks closer than a brother, I hope they can answer that I am that kind of friend.

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Ken Yates is a retired Army chaplain (Lt. Col). He has many theological degrees, including a Ph.D. from D.T.S. in New Testament. He leads the GES international ministry, cohosts the daily podcast, and assists Bob in all aspects of the GES ministry. His new book, Mark: Lessons in Discipleship, is a wonderful explanation of Christ’s call to discipleship. He and his wife, Pam, live in Columbia, SC.