Proverbs 9:8 (Mini Sermon)

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8. Pro 9:8 - "Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee." A. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: i. Wisdom continues her warning to the simple concerning reproving scorners which she began in Pro 9:7. ii. If you reprove a scorner, there is a high probability he will hate you. a. Scorner n. - 1. One who scorns, derides, mocks or contemns; esp. one who scoffs at religion. b. Hate v. - 1. trans. To hold in very strong dislike; to detest; to bear malice to. The opposite of to love. c. Scorners despise instruction and reproof (Pro 1:7; Pro 15:5), and they hate those who reprove them (Pro 15:12; Amo 5:10). d. To prevent being hated, don't reprove them (Pro 23:9), but rather forsake them (Pro 9:6; Pro 14:7). e. Lest conj. - 1. Used as a negative particle of intention or purpose, introducing a clause expressive of something to be prevented or guarded against. iii. Scorners need to be smitten (Pro 19:25), punished (Pro 21:11), and cast out (Pro 22:10), not reproved. B. rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. i. Even wise men need rebuked sometimes. a. Wise adj. - 1. a. Having or exercising sound judgement or discernment; capable of judging truly concerning what is right or fitting, and disposed to act accordingly; having the ability to perceive and adopt the best means for accomplishing an end; characterized by good sense and prudence. Opp. to foolish. b. 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. c. Even the apostle Peter needed rebuked by Paul for his foolish action (Gal 2:11-14). d. The great patriarch Abraham needed rebuked for his foolish decision he made based on a lack of faith (Gen 20:9). e. Abraham did not hate the man who reproved him (Joh 8:40). ii. One easy way to identify a wise man is by his love for those who rebuke him and his response to the reproof. a. A wise man wants to be corrected so that he can be right and be wiser. b. A wise man welcomes the painful reproofs of righteous men (Psa 141:5). c. It's better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools which validates and approves of your foolish ideas (Ecc 7:5). iii. I thank God for my wife and others who love me enough to rebuke me when I'm wrong.