Doesn't The Bible Warn Against Calling Someone a Fool?

[Hank77]

Interesting, and I'll be reading more on the translations. I noticed quickly that Young's renders the word as "rebel".

One thing about all of these -- fool, rebel, wicked -- is that they are are characterizing a person instead of an action.

Labeling the person isn't the same as judging the action. One could say "Not even trying to learn about math is foolish" for instance, and that is very different and feels very different from directly calling someone 'idiot' or any meant to be derogatory characterization.

It's like how Christ said "Do not judge, and you will not be judged." And helpful for many is the further crucial expansion in Luke 6--

"Do not judge, and you will not be judged. Do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven."

Here it gets crystal clear.

It's condemning a person to label them "wicked", and that condemning then will bring, by Christ's words, condemnation onto the one doing the condemning.

I agree.
Using 'fool/wicked' in that way is judging someone and therefore, their eternal state as being that of hell.
That authority only belongs to God.

 

[tulipbee]

Not a good thing to do anyway, or so it would seem.

don't we all have log in our eye? how do you know what a fool looks like?

 

[mark kennedy]

don't we all have log in our eye? how do you know what a fool looks like?

Look in the mirror James tells us.

 

[W2L]

1 Corinthians 13, 2 Timothy 2:24-26

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

it’s the thought behind the word I think..ther’s no magic curse entwined with tha word....using such logic would lead us to conclude that we could call somebody an “idiot” it it would be ok as long as we don’t use that “cursed word “. Somebody needs to tells Paul this if what you say is true....He called atheists fools and he called the Galation legalists fools

 

[tulipbee]

Look in the mirror James tells us.

can't see myself in the mirror. something is blocking my view but I heard Jesus saves

 

[Hank77]

it’s the thought behind the word I think..ther’s no magic curse entwined with tha word....using such logic would lead us to conclude that we could call somebody an “idiot” it it would be ok as long as we don’t use that “cursed word “. Somebody needs to tells Paul this if what you say is true....He called atheists fools and he called the Galation legalists fools

Words mean something. Where did Paul use this word towards anyone?

 

[mark kennedy]

can't see myself in the mirror. something is blocking my view but I heard Jesus saves

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-24)
​

If you can't see yourself in the Proverbs as a fool, or as a sinner in Romans, your not paying attention.

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

Words mean something. Where did Paul use this word towards anyone?

I don’ know.....somewhere in the back

 

[tulipbee]

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-24)
​

If you can't see yourself in the Proverbs as a fool, or as a sinner in Romans, your not paying attention.

the elects will always do. doing God's will. why? it's a command.

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

I don’ know.....somewhere in the back

Sorry Hank....I could not resist.....it’s an old Homer Simpson line ....he had said something definetly non Biblical and pressed on where it was in the Bible he said—“ I don’t know,somewhere in the back . Homer is definitely not alone in his Bible ignorance....anyway check out Rom1:22 “professing themselves wise,they became FOOLS. “O FOOLISH Galations who hath bewitched you?
Psalms 14:1 the fool has said there is no God.....I used to be one of these fools....thank God for his grace!

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

Be doers of the word, and not hearers only. Otherwise, you are deceiving yourselves. For anyone who hears the word but does not carry it out is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror, and after observing himself goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. (James 1:22-24)
​

If you can't see yourself in the Proverbs as a fool, or as a sinner in Romans, your not paying attention.

Or blind......

 

[Halbhh]

Sorry Hank....I could not resist.....it’s an old Homer Simpson line ....he had said something definetly non Biblical and pressed on where it was in the Bible he said—“ I don’t know,somewhere in the back . Homer is definitely not alone in his Bible ignorance....anyway check out Rom1:22 “professing themselves wise,they became FOOLS. “O FOOLISH Galations who hath bewitched you?
Psalms 14:1 the fool has said there is no God.....I used to be one of these fools....thank God for his grace!

These two familiar usages are both general to any thinking the foolish thoughts Paul's pointing to -- foolish ideas, foolish ways of thinking -- but neither are calling an individual a fool.

 

[Mountainmanbob]

Who is a fool?

A fool is one who fools themself.

We need look no further.

M-Bob

 

[Blood Bought 1953]

These two familiar usages are both general to any thinking the foolish thoughts Paul's pointing to, but neither are calling an individual a fool.

Technically you are correct.....if they were fools as a group what does that make them individually? Wise men? C’mon,Hal...let’s not argue over semantics.

 

[RDKirk]

Let's look it up. I will. Here --

"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

The key phrase here is "angry with a brother or sister." Rage against another person--regardless how that rage is manifest-- puts one into danger of judgment.

Put that phrase back into its scriptural context. Jesus next points out that the desire to commit adultery, even if manifest in a physically harmless way, is the same thing to God as having committed it. In the same way, the desire to harm another person, even if manifest in a physically harmless way, is the same as having harmed that person.

Scripture gives ample description of what a fool is, and clinical appraisal based on that description can be made without anger.

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

Clearly the implication is that a person should be able to make a clinical appraisal of whether one's companions are fools.

 

[mark kennedy]

Or blind......

indeed

 

[mark kennedy]

Technically you are correct.....if they were fools as a group what does that make them individually? Wise men? C’mon,Hal...let’s not argue over semantics.

“How long, you simple ones, will you love simplicity?
For scorners delight in their scorning,
And fools hate knowledge.
Turn at my rebuke;
Surely I will pour out my spirit on you;
I will make my words known to you.
Because I have called and you refused,
I have stretched out my hand and no one regarded,
Because you disdained all my counsel,
And would have none of my rebuke,
I also will laugh at your calamity;
I will mock when your terror comes,
When your terror comes like a storm,
And your destruction comes like a whirlwind,
When distress and anguish come upon you. (Proverbs 1:22-27)
​

Who is wisdom speaking to?

The key phrase here is "angry with a brother or sister." Rage against another person--regardless how that rage is manifest-- puts one into danger of judgment.

Put that phrase back into its scriptural context. Jesus next points out that the desire to commit adultery, even if manifest in a physically harmless way, is the same thing to God as having committed it. In the same way, the desire to harm another person, even if manifest in a physically harmless way, is the same as having harmed that person.

Scripture gives ample description of what a fool is, and clinical appraisal based on that description can be made without anger.

Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.

Clearly the implication is that a person should be able to make a clinical appraisal of whether one's companions are fools.

Same question.

 

[Neal of Zebulun]

Luke 24:

25 Then he said unto them, O fools, and slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken:​

He was speaking to his disciples. But if you check the Greek, it's a different word in Matthew 5:22, which can be transliterated as "moros."

I don't know much at all about greek, but that may be where we get "moron" from.

It seems that the one in Luke is more like, "you're slow thinking," but the one in Matthew is like, "you're too stupid to understand and you'll never get it."

Might want to check with someone who studies the Greek more.

Praise Yahweh!

 

[Hank77]

I don’ know.....somewhere in the back

nm