The Fool (Part 2)

The Fool

There are 36 references to the word fool in Proverbs alone and over 80 references when you consider its derivatives.  Most of Proverbs deals with comparisons between two people, the wise and the foolish.  

The first mention of the word fool in the book of Proverbs is:

Proverbs 1:7  ⁷ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction.

As we mentioned in the last lesson, there are three Hebrew words for the word fool in Proverbs.  Here the Hebrew word ʾĕwl is used. The word ʾĕwl  means one who is arrogant and flippant as well as mentally dull. He is coarse and hardened in his ways. This word is used 19 times in Proverbs.

The word despise is the Hebrew word bûz, “to hold in contempt, to belittle, to ridicule”
The word wisdom is the Hebrew word  ḥokmâ and has two primary meanings.  The first refers to the mental and physical skills of craftsmen, sailors, singers, mourners, administrators, counselors, and others.  The second focuses on the application of moral and ethical principles that result in skillful, godly living. 

The word instruction is the Hebrew word mûsār and denotes correction which results in education.

If we put all the words we defined together we can come up with the meaning of this verse.  This verse is teaching that a fool is an arrogant hardened person who belittles and ridicules the necessity of learning how to live life according to Biblical principle and to learn from the correction given by others.

Simply worded, a fool is a person who sees no need of learning or living life according to the Bible and its principles. 

                1.            A Fool is a person who sees no need of learning or living life according to the Bible and its principles.

Are we fools in any areas of our lives?  Are there areas of life where we do not strife to live according to God’s Word?  Are we willing to receive instruction?  Are we growing, learning, and skillfully applying God’s Word to our lives?