Proverbs (Part 105) - Pro 9:6-7

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6. Pro 9:6 - "Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding." A. Forsake the foolish, and live; i. Wisdom's message to the simple whom she calls to dine with her in her house (Pro 9:1-5) is to forsake the foolish, and live. ii. Simple people tend to gravitate towards fools (2Sa 15:11; Pro 7:7-8; Rom 16:17-18). iii. Evil communications corrupt good manners (1Co 15:33). a. A companion of fools shall be destroyed (Pro 13:20). b. Those who hang out with drunkards and gluttons will learn their ways and come to poverty (Pro 23:20-21). c. A companion of riotous men shames his father (Pro 28:7). d. We must not make friends with an angry man lest we learn his ways and get a snare to our souls (Pro 22:24-25). e. Being around wicked people will vex our souls (2Pe 2:7-8). iv. Thus the reason to forsake the foolish. a. Forsake v. - 1. trans. To deny (an accusation, an alleged fact, etc.). Obs. 2. To decline or refuse (something offered). b. To decline or refuse to bear, encounter, have to do with, undertake; to avoid, shun. 4. To abandon, leave entirely, withdraw from; esp. to withdraw one's presence and help or companionship from; to desert. b. Foolish n. - 1. Fool-like, wanting in sense or judgement. c. Fool n. - 1. a. One deficient in judgement or sense, one who acts or behaves stupidly, a silly person, a simpleton. (In Biblical use applied to vicious or impious persons.) d. People who are deficient in judgment and sense and behave stupidly must be abandoned, left entirely, and withdrawn from. e. We must cease to be companions of fools and instead be companions of those who fear God (Psa 119:63). v. He that forsakes wisdom's way and her correction shall die (Pro 15:10). a. He that turns away from wisdom's warning will die (Pro 1:32). b. Thus the reason to forsake the foolish, and live. B. and go in the way of understanding. i. We must always be moving forward. ii. To merely forsake the foolish is not sufficient. iii. After abandoning the company of fools we must then go in the way of understanding. a. Understanding n. - 1. a. (Without article.) Power or ability to understand; intellect, intelligence. b. of understanding, intelligent, capable of judging with knowledge. b. The way of understanding is a path of life which is guided by intelligence, judgment, and knowledge. c. The way of understanding is found by learning God's precepts in His word (Psa 119:104). d. Those who stay in the way of understanding find favor with God (Pro 13:15). e. Those who wander out of the way of understanding remain in the congregation of the dead (Pro 21:16). iv. Examples of forsaking the foolish and going in the way of understanding are: a. forsaking lying and instead speaking truth (Eph 4:25). b. forsaking thievery and instead laboring (Eph 4:28). c. forsaking the use of corrupt speech and instead using speech which edifies others (Eph 4:29). d. forsaking bitterness, wrath, anger, clamor, evil speaking, and malice, and instead practicing being kind, tenderhearted, and forgiving towards others (Eph 4:31-32). v. Those who are to be guests in wisdom's house (Jesus Christ's church) need to forsake the foolish and go in the way of understanding, which is demonstrated by bringing forth fruits meet for repentance (Luk 3:7-14). 7. Pro 9:7 - "He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot." A. He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: i. In the previous verse (Pro 9:6) wisdom exhorted the simple to forsake the foolish and go in the way of understanding. a. Forsake v. - 4. To abandon, leave entirely, withdraw from; esp. to withdraw one's presence and help or companionship from; to desert. b. In this verse (Pro 9:7), wisdom gives the reason for forsaking fools, rather than remaining with them and trying to change them. c. Those who reprove scorners get themselves shame, not change. ii. Fools are to be abandoned and deserted, not argued with (Pro 14:7). a. If you try to reason with a fool he will he will despise your wise words (Pro 23:9; Pro 1:7). b. If a wise man contends with a foolish man, there will be no rest, regardless of the tactics he uses (Pro 29:9). c. When someone shows himself to be righteous in his own eyes, cease from speaking to him (Job 32:1). d. Fools can be beaten to a pulp, and they will not change (Pro 27:22; Pro 17:10). iii. He that reproves a scorner gets shame. a. Reprove v. - 1. trans. To reject. Obs. 2. To express disapproval of (conduct, actions, beliefs, etc.); to censure, condemn. Now rare. 3. To reprehend, rebuke, blame, chide, or find fault with (a person). b. Scorner n. - 1. One who scorns, derides, mocks or contemns; esp. one who scoffs at religion. c. Scorn v. - 1. intr. To speak or behave contemptuously; to use derisive language, jeer. 2. trans. To treat with ridicule, to show extreme contempt for, to mock, deride. d. Shame n. - 1. a. The painful emotion arising from the consciousness of something dishonouring, ridiculous, or indecorous in one's own conduct or circumstances (or in those of others whose honour or disgrace one regards as one's own), or of being in a situation which offends one's sense of modesty or decency. e. Scorners will not hear rebuke (Pro 13:1). f. A scorner will not love you for reproving him (Pro 15:12). g. If you rebuke and censure a man who mocks, scoffs, contemns, ridicules, and derides the truth of God, he will turn his mockery toward you and make you ashamed. h. If you answer a fool according to his folly you will be like him and will be ashamed (Pro 26:4). i. "Never argue with a fool, onlookers may not be able to tell the difference." (Mark Twain) B. and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. i. Rebuke v. - 1. trans. To beat down or force back; to repress or check (a person); to repulse. Obs. 2. To reprove, reprimand, chide severely. ii. Blot n. - 1. a. A spot or stain of ink, mud, or other discolouring matter; a disfiguring spot or mark. 2. fig. a. A moral stain; a disgrace, fault, blemish. iii. Rebuke is a precious blessing which should be reserved for righteous and wise people who will receive it and love you for it (Pro 9:8-9). iv. Scorners are an abomination to men (Pro 24:9). v. Scorners are full of proud wrath when they are corrected (Pro 21:24). vi. If you give holy rebuke and reproof unto dogs and cast these precious pearls before swine, they will trample them under their feet, turn on you, and rend you (Mat 7:6). a. Rend v. - 1. trans. a. To tear, to pull violently or by main force, off, out of, or from a thing or place; to tear off or away. 3. To tear apart (asunder) or in pieces. b. Scorners will lay a snare for those who reprove them (Isa 29:21). c. If you don't want to abused, don't rebuke a scorner. d. This is especially true of strangers or those not close to you. e. But if people who need reproved are very close to you and their bad or foolish behavior is severely affecting your life, it may be worth it to reprove them and stand up boldly to the retaliation in order to stop their bad behavior. f. This is tough love (Lev 19:17). vii. If you are never reproved or corrected by those close to you, it could be that they know that you will reject it like a fool, get angry, and retaliate. a. Your loved ones and friends might just be sparing themselves abuse by withholding rebuke from you. b. Search your heart to know if this is true of you.