The Biblical Word FOOL and the Power of Wisdom

Read Time:8 Minute, 5 Second

CHARTING THE COURSE AVOIDING FOOLISH BEHAVIOR

THE 5 TYPES OF FOOLS IDENTIFIED IN PROVERBS:

THE SIMPLE FOOL PETI
THE STUPID/INSOLENT FOOL KECIYL
THE STUBBORN FOOL EVIVYL
THE SCORNING/SCOFFING FOOL LUWTS
THE COMMITTED FOOL NABAL

3 But I tell you that anyone who is angry with a brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘Raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matthew 5:22

IMPORTANT DEFINITIONS

Raca – Empty-headed, brainless idiot, worthless fellow, stupid blockhead or good- for-nothing.
Fool (moros) – one who is morally worthless, a scoundrel, an apostate, or one who plays the fool; a moral low-life

BE VERY CAREFUL…

We should never say “Fool” to our brother or sister in Christ because:

That judgment is reserved for God
It shows disrespect for the person you are using it on and to God
It is accusatory and we know that Satan is the accuser
You will be in danger of the fire of hell

THE GOAL WITH THIS TEACHING…

Examine the 5 fools identified in the Book of Proverbs
Examine yourself to see if you have any of the traits of the 5 fools
Examine how you are training your children to ensure they will not become one or more of the 5 fools

THE SIMPLE FOOL (PETI)

פֶּתִי adj. simple, poss. as open-minded — simple, as subst. concr.: open to the instruction of wisdom or folly; believing every word; lacking עָרְמָה; needing בין; in good sense, שׁמר ˊפתאים י ˊי preserveth the simple-minded; but usu. tendency to bad sense; פתאים love פתי; inherit אִוֶּלֶת, are easily enticed, misled and go back; causing temple to need atonement.^[1]

First of all, there is the simple fool described for us by the Hebrew word peti, meaning a stupid mule or a fool who is easily persuaded by flattery, delusion, deception, and enticement. He is ready to believe almost anything and he exhibits great gullibility. He believes gossip, slander, and false teaching, and he hates academic discipline.

Believes anything
Examines nothing
Gullible
Easily mislead
Uncommitted to anything meaningful in life
Ignores God’s moral law and fails to see his warnings
Will be destroyed

Proverbs 1:22. “How long, O naive [pethiy] ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?”

Proverbs 14:15. “The naive [pethiy] believes everything, But the sensible man considers his steps.”

Proverbs 22:3. “The prudent sees the evil and hides himself, But the naive [pethiy] go on, and are punished for it.”

THE STUPID/INSOLENT FOOL (KECIYL)

כְּסִיל n.m. stupid fellow, dullard, fool; he hates knowledge; delights not in understanding; it is his sport to do mischief; his heart proclaimeth אִוֶּלֶת; his mouth poureth it forth, and feedeth on it.^[2]

There is the keciyl fool; this is the stubborn fool. This Hebrew word literally means that the loins and flanks of a person are so crowded by fat that they are dull, inactive, and passive. The stubborn fool cannot cope effectively with authority in business or in a local church for any great length of time. In fact, he thinks he should be in authority himself, even though he has absolutely no capacity for it. His stupidity leads him to take on more than he can handle. The keciyl type fool hides their hatred with hypocritical lies, and then utter slander in the next breath. They are two-faced. If you keep company with them, you will suffer harm.

Proverbs 1:22. “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers delight themselves in scoffing And fools [keciyl] hate knowledge?”

Proverbs 10:18. “He who conceals hatred has lying lips, And he who spreads slander is a fool [keciyl].”

Proverbs 13:20. “He who walks with wise men will be wise, But the companion of fools [keciyl] will suffer harm.”

Proverbs 14:7. “Leave the presence of a fool [keciyl], Or you will not discern words of knowledge.”

Proverbs 14:16. “A wise man is cautious and turns away from evil, But a fool [keciyl] is arrogant and careless.”

Proverbs 15:14. “The mind of the intelligent seeks knowledge, But the mouth of fools [keciyl] feeds on folly.”

Proverbs 17:10. “A rebuke goes deeper into one who has understanding Than a hundred blows into a fool [keciyl].”

Proverbs 17:12. “Let a man meet a bear robbed of her cubs, Rather than a fool [keciyl] in his folly.”

Proverbs 18:2. “A fool [keciyl] does not delight in understanding, But only in revealing his own mind.”

THE STUBBORN FOOL (EVIYL)

Another type of fool is described by the Hebrew word eviyl, this is the unreasonable fool. The word means to be perverse, or to be one who is without aim or council. The eviyl fool despises wisdom and instruction. He is full of arrogance and self-justification when confronted with truth. He is easy to spot because his brain has stopped thinking but his tongue is in high gear. In fact, the only way he can appear wise is to keep his mouth shut. As soon as it is opened, his foolishness is revealed.

Hebrew word EVIYL

Despises wisdom and instruction
Obstinate/stiff-necked attitude
Does not think through his ideas but wants to be heard
Makes huge mistakes
Fall headlong into sin

Proverbs 1:7. “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools [eviyl ] despise wisdom and instruction.”

Proverbs 12:15. “The way of a fool [eviyl ] is right in his own eyes, But a wise man is he who listens to counsel.”

Proverbs 14:3. “In the mouth of the foolish [eviyl ] is a rod for his back, But the lips of the wise will protect them.”

Proverbs 17:28. “Even a fool [eviyl], when he keeps silent, is considered wise; When he closes his lips, he is considered prudent.”

Proverbs 20:3. “Keeping away from strife is an honor for a man, But any fool [eviyl ] will quarrel.”

THE SCORNING/SCOFFING FOOL (LUWTS)

The fourth type of fool is described by the Hebrew word luwts. This is the scorning or mocking fool. The scorning fool is flirting with a reprobate mind. This is the fool that uses his mouth to scoff, mock, or to ridicule. He will even scoff at God. The mocking fool seeks for wisdom in vain because his motivation is wrong and he is blind and deaf to spiritual matters. The mocking fool is obnoxious and is an abomination to others. He delights in mocking spiritual Christians and their standards. In any group of people, if you get rid of the scoffer or the mocking fool, you will solve most of your problems within that group.

Proverbs 1:22. “How long, O naive ones, will you love being simple-minded? And scoffers [luwts] delight themselves in scoffing And fools hate knowledge?”

Proverbs 9:7-8. “He who corrects a scoffer [luwts] gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer [luwts], or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you.”

Proverbs 13:1. “A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, But a scoffer [luwts] does not listen to rebuke.”

Proverbs 14:6. “A scoffer [luwts] seeks wisdom and finds none, But knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.”

Proverbs 22:10. “Drive out the scoffer, and contention will go out, Even strife and dishonor will cease.”

THE COMMITTED FOOL (NABAL)

The worst type of fool is the committed fool. The committed fools have regressed to the point where they have entered into apostasy. The Hebrew word is nabal, which means stupid, wicked, and vile. It also means to fall away, to fail, to faint, to despise, to dishonor, to lightly esteem, or to abandon. It is the nabal fool who says in his heart that there is no God. He can even teach about God, yet deny Him in his thinking. This fool gives deep sorrow to his father.

Psalm 14:1. “The fool [nabal] has said in his heart, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, they have committed abominable deeds; There is no one who does good.”

Job 2:10. “But he said to her, “You speak as one of the foolish [nabal] women speaks. Shall we indeed accept good from God and not accept adversity?” In all this Job did not sin with his lips.”

Ezekiel 13:3. “Thus says the Lord GOD, “Woe to the foolish [nabal] prophets who are following their own spirit and have seen nothing.”

Proverbs 17:21. “He who sires a fool does so to his sorrow, And the father of a fool has no joy.”

Take Heed to Your Ministry

¹²Let no one despise your youth, but be an example to the believers in word, in conduct, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. ¹³Till I come, give attention to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine. ¹⁴Do not neglect the gift that is in you, which was given to you by prophecy with the laying on of the hands of the eldership. ¹⁵Meditate on these things; give yourself entirely to them, that your progress may be evident to all. ¹⁶Take heed to yourself and to the doctrine. Continue in them, for in doing this you will save both yourself and those who hear you.

” (1 Timothy 4:12–16, NKJV)