Foolishness and Pride

Foolishness & Pride

Jesus said, “…whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca (empty head)!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire.” (Matthew 5:22bNKJV).

Why does Jesus say that the term fool is so critical that calling a person fool could lead to eternal judgment of hellfire? Because the term fool is a judgment that only GOD can make.

We think of the term fool as meaning a person who is silly (foolish) and makes simple mistakes that the average person would not make. Sometimes we think of a person who repeatedly makes serious mistakes that ruin theirs and others life. Webster’s defines fool as, “a person who lacks judgment; a simpleton; a professional buffoon or jester.”

In the scriptures GOD reveals what His view of a fool is, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no GOD.’ they are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who do good. To do evil is like sport to a fool, but a man of understanding has wisdom. The devising of foolishness is sin, and the scoffer is an abomination to men. The great GOD who formed everything gives the fool his hire and the transgressor his wages.” (Psalm 14:1; Proverbs 10:23, 24:9, 26:10 NKJV).

Jesus reinforces His statement about judging someone as a fool with His parable of the rich man in Luke 12:13-21, “…But GOD said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’” (12:20 NKJV) and “Do you see a man hasty in his words? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (Proverbs 29:20).

In Young’s Analytical Concordance there are several Hebrew words that are interpreted as fool and foolish, their other definitions are evil, boaster, self confident, empty person, thickheaded, brutish, to boast, self confidence, empty, and simple. In the Greek there are also several words that are interpreted fool or foolish in English, their other definitions are thoughtless, unwise, heedless, witless, unintelligent, senseless, foolish, dull, and slow. There is one Greek word moros the definition is, or as in Hebrew, a rebel.

So while we give mostly casual definitions to the word fool; even calling family and friends fool; GOD considers it a much more serious judgment on a person; even an eternal judgment. So take the time to study what GOD’s Word says about fools.

Now for those of you who are a fool there is good news in Proverbs 26:3-12, “Do you see a man wise in his own eyes? There is more hope for a fool than for him.” (26:12 NKJV). GOD seems to be saying that a fool is more likely to repent then a proud person, as the scriptures say, “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall (stumbling).” (Proverbs 16:18 NKJV).

Yet if you are a proud fool there seems to be little chance you will repent, “Do not answer a fool according to his folly, lest you also be like him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes.” (Proverbs 26:4-5). The trouble is that the proud and the fool do not understand that they are so we must pray for our family and friends who are!