Fool
“Foolish, senseless, implying moral failure”
Summary
One who lacks moral wisdom or spiritual understanding, not merely intellectually deficient but morally perverse, rejecting God's instruction and living contrary to wisdom.
☩Nature of Biblical Folly
The 'fool' of Scripture is not an idiot, but an absurd person; not one who does not reason at all, but one who reasons wrongly. Foolishness is not a negative condition, but a condition of wrong action in the intellectual or sentient being. In Proverbs, 'foolishness' sometimes indicates lack of understanding but more generally signifies perverseness of will. Various Hebrew words describe different aspects: nabal denotes a wicked, shamelessly immoral person; ewil describes one hasty, self-sufficient, despising advice; kesil suggests thickness, sluggishness, and self-confidence.
☩Characteristics of the Fool
The fool hates instruction and is quick to speak without thinking. He is ready to get angry, quarrel, and cause strife. He is associated with transgression and sin, with the scoffer. In the New Testament, 'fool' translates aphron ('mindless') and moros ('dull,' 'stupid'). The foolish Galatians were rebuked for bad judgment rather than moral perverseness—they must be 'bewitched' to have so readily accepted false teaching.
☩Jesus' Teaching on 'Fool'
Our Lord said, 'Whosoever shall say to his brother, Thou fool, shall be in danger of the hell of fire.' This refers not merely to the word but to angry feelings formulated in a word of contemptuous depreciation. Every use of the word 'fool' is not condemned—Jesus Himself used it in needful rebuke of the Pharisees—but that use which springs from angry, scornful feelings is condemned. The rich man who stored up goods for himself was called 'Thou fool' by God Himself.
Related Verses131 mentions
See Also
References
- 1.John McClintock and James Strong, "Fool," in Cyclopedia of Biblical, Theological and Ecclesiastical Literature, vol. III (Harper & Brothers, 1867–1887).
- 2.James Orr (ed.), "Fool; Folly," in International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, vol. II (Howard-Severance Company, 1915).
- 3.James Hastings (ed.), "Fool," in Dictionary of the Apostolic Church, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1915–1918).
- 4.James Hastings (ed.), "Fool," in Dictionary of Christ and the Gospels, vol. I (T. & T. Clark, 1906–1908).