Pro 14:6 | KingComments | STEP | The contrast in concerns “a scoffer” and “one who has understanding”. A “scoffer” is intellectually arrogant and therefore lacks any serious interest in wisdom. He does want to seek wisdom, but he does so in a superficial way. His concern is to impress others with his wisdom. A scoffer who seeks wisdom does not find it because he is looking in the wrong place. It is because he lacks the fear of God. He does not want, so to speak, to receive the kingdom of God as a child. He is hindering himself. He is one who is always learning to become wise, but never comes to the knowledge of the truth ( ). Therefore, the wisdom he seeks is nowhere to be found for him. “One who has understanding” on the other hand, has a relationship with God. As a result, he is in connection with the Source of all knowledge and can easily acquire it. He moderates nothing and takes the position of a child. With the ease or receptivity with which a child learns, he acquires knowledge. He sets no preconditions, but submits to God’s teaching program to become wise. The eunuch was one who had understanding. He read the Word of God and was taught by Philip, acquiring knowledge about Christ ( ). This was not a difficult work for him, but it went “easy” because he had understanding to see that he needed Christ. He who has no understanding believes he can go his way without Christ ( ). It is impossible to increase in knowledge when dealing with a fool ( ). The first line of verse commands one to leave the presence of a fool. The second line of verse gives the reason. The verse teaches people to leave fools because they do not receive knowledge from what the fools say. We should not associate with people who, although they talk a lot, have nothing to say. Such people will not make you any wiser. Nothing comes from nothing. Paul instructs Timothy to turn away from people who hold a form of godliness but have denied its power ( ). Likewise, he calls to come out from the midst of people who mix truth and falsehood ( ). Besides being a waste of time, it is also dangerous to keep oneself in a company of foolish men. We will save ourselves much disappointment if we heed this verse. “The wisdom of the sensible” gives him understanding of how to live ( ). By his wisdom he arranges life so that it is good, that it is in accordance with God’s thoughts. Therefore, he must know how God thinks about everything. God’s thoughts are in His Word. Therein is everything necessary for a life in a world that is full of pitfalls and resembles a labyrinth. The fool looks only at the here and now. That is his folly. Materialism determines his life. That is his lie god. He is not guided by the principles of God’s Word, but by deceit. The fool does not notice that his own folly brings him down because he thinks his own way is right, while he has no understanding of it. He lives in falsehood and deceit. Understanding our way only comes through fellowship with the Lord Jesus and listening to God’s Word. Christ understood His way perfectly through His fellowship with the Father, through listening to Him. If we follow Him in this, we will not be people who go back and forth and up and down with the changing circumstances of life. It will also keep us from disappointment. Fools do not take sin seriously ( ). They “scoff at sin”, literally “scoff at guilt offering”, meaning that they nip in the bud any guilt both in themselves and in anyone else. Any admonition is met with rejection: ‘I have done nothing wrong. In any case, it means nothing if you compare it to what others do. There are a lot of people far worse than me. Besides, who decides whether something is wrong or not?’ On the contrary, fools finds sinning an entertaining activity. They will never apologize, but will always justify or explain away sin as if it were not a sin. If we deny guilt, if we deny that we have sinned, we make God a liar ( ). It is in picture scoffing at Christ’s vicarious atoning work, of which the guilt offering speaks. We find this reflected in our time when many scoff at Christ’s atoning work. “Among the upright” is “good will” on the basis of the guilt offering which the fools mock. The upright are not innocents, but people who have confessed their guilt and whose guilt has been forgiven by God as a result. They know the value of Christ’s offering. In Him they have been accepted by God in good will. In that good will, the upright also accept and deal with one another. Each one is of good will to the other.

‏ Proverbs 14:6

Scoffers and Fools

The contrast in Pro 14:6 concerns “a scoffer” and “one who has understanding”. A “scoffer” is intellectually arrogant and therefore lacks any serious interest in wisdom. He does want to seek wisdom, but he does so in a superficial way. His concern is to impress others with his wisdom.

A scoffer who seeks wisdom does not find it because he is looking in the wrong place. It is because he lacks the fear of God. He does not want, so to speak, to receive the kingdom of God as a child. He is hindering himself. He is one who is always learning to become wise, but never comes to the knowledge of the truth (2Tim 3:7). Therefore, the wisdom he seeks is nowhere to be found for him.

“One who has understanding” on the other hand, has a relationship with God. As a result, he is in connection with the Source of all knowledge and can easily acquire it. He moderates nothing and takes the position of a child. With the ease or receptivity with which a child learns, he acquires knowledge. He sets no preconditions, but submits to God’s teaching program to become wise.

The eunuch was one who had understanding. He read the Word of God and was taught by Philip, acquiring knowledge about Christ (Acts 8:26-29). This was not a difficult work for him, but it went “easy” because he had understanding to see that he needed Christ. He who has no understanding believes he can go his way without Christ (Rom 3:11).

It is impossible to increase in knowledge when dealing with a fool (Pro 14:7). The first line of verse commands one to leave the presence of a fool. The second line of verse gives the reason. The verse teaches people to leave fools because they do not receive knowledge from what the fools say. We should not associate with people who, although they talk a lot, have nothing to say. Such people will not make you any wiser. Nothing comes from nothing.

Paul instructs Timothy to turn away from people who hold a form of godliness but have denied its power (2Tim 3:5). Likewise, he calls to come out from the midst of people who mix truth and falsehood (2Cor 6:17). Besides being a waste of time, it is also dangerous to keep oneself in a company of foolish men. We will save ourselves much disappointment if we heed this verse.

“The wisdom of the sensible” gives him understanding of how to live (Pro 14:8). By his wisdom he arranges life so that it is good, that it is in accordance with God’s thoughts. Therefore, he must know how God thinks about everything. God’s thoughts are in His Word. Therein is everything necessary for a life in a world that is full of pitfalls and resembles a labyrinth.

The fool looks only at the here and now. That is his folly. Materialism determines his life. That is his lie god. He is not guided by the principles of God’s Word, but by deceit. The fool does not notice that his own folly brings him down because he thinks his own way is right, while he has no understanding of it. He lives in falsehood and deceit.

Understanding our way only comes through fellowship with the Lord Jesus and listening to God’s Word. Christ understood His way perfectly through His fellowship with the Father, through listening to Him. If we follow Him in this, we will not be people who go back and forth and up and down with the changing circumstances of life. It will also keep us from disappointment.

Fools do not take sin seriously (Pro 14:9). They “scoff at sin”, literally “scoff at guilt offering”, meaning that they nip in the bud any guilt both in themselves and in anyone else. Any admonition is met with rejection: ‘I have done nothing wrong. In any case, it means nothing if you compare it to what others do. There are a lot of people far worse than me. Besides, who decides whether something is wrong or not?’ On the contrary, fools finds sinning an entertaining activity. They will never apologize, but will always justify or explain away sin as if it were not a sin.

If we deny guilt, if we deny that we have sinned, we make God a liar (1Jn 1:10). It is in picture scoffing at Christ’s vicarious atoning work, of which the guilt offering speaks. We find this reflected in our time when many scoff at Christ’s atoning work.

“Among the upright” is “good will” on the basis of the guilt offering which the fools mock. The upright are not innocents, but people who have confessed their guilt and whose guilt has been forgiven by God as a result. They know the value of Christ’s offering. In Him they have been accepted by God in good will. In that good will, the upright also accept and deal with one another. Each one is of good will to the other.