THIRTY SAYINGS OF THE WISE
SAYING NUMBER EIGHT
A number of sayings in
Proverbs caution against speaking wisdom to fools, who will reject it. For example:
“Whoever corrects a mocker invites
insults; whoever rebukes the wicked incurs abuse. Do not rebuke mockers or they
will hate you; rebuke the wise and they will love you.” (Proverbs 9:7–8, NIV)
“Do not answer a fool according to
his folly, or you yourself will be just like him. Answer a fool according to
his folly, or he will be wise in his own eyes.” (Proverbs 26:4–5, NIV)
In this collection of Sayings of
the Wise, the Wiseman records in Proverbs 23:9 (NIV), these words: "Do not speak to fools, for they will scorn your
prudent words." Who are the "fools"? "The fool is the person steadily opposed to God’s covenant (cf.
1:7b)."[1] The
base definition of a fool is someone who disregards God's Word. The ultimate description of a fool is one
who “says in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ That person is not an atheist, he or
she is a person who acts like an atheist – a practical atheist.
The wise counsel of this proverbial statement is don't speak to a fool. The person that disregards God and His Word
will simply "scorn" the wise things you say. "The problem is not the fool’s lack of intelligence but his obstinacy."[2]
To try to advise someone who rejects the basic authority of your words
is a waste of time. Perhaps this is what
Christ had in mind when He said,
““Do not give dogs
what is sacred; do not throw your pearls to pigs. If you do, they may trample
them under their feet, and turn and tear you to pieces.” (Matthew 7:6, NIV)
Matthew Henry correctly observes: "There are some that will make a jest of everything,
though it be ever so prudently and pertinently spoken, that will not only
despise a wise man’s words, but despise even the wisdom of them, that in them
which is most improvable for their own edification."[3]
The implication of this proverb is that there is required a change of
heart before one can receive wise counsel.
That heart-change results in a person fearing God and embracing His
Word. This is the pre-requisite of all
evangelism and all wise counsel.
[1] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1132). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[2] Crossway Bibles. (2008). The ESV Study Bible (p. 1174). Wheaton, IL: Crossway Bibles.
[3] Henry, M. (1994). Matthew
Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume
(p. 1007). Peabody: Hendrickson.
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