Proverbs 26:4

[tangled]

i'm interested in hearing peoples opinions and examples...please

Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.

 

[St_Worm2]

i'm interested in hearing peoples opinions and examples...please

Proverbs 26:4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will be like him yourself.

I think John MacArthur's comments are excellent. Here they are:

26:4, 5 answer a fool. Taken together, these verses teach the appropriate way to answer a fool (e.g., an unbeliever who rejects truth). He should not be answered with agreement to his own ideas and presuppositions, or he will think he is right (v. 4), but rather he should be rebuked on the basis of his folly and shown the truth so he sees how foolish he is (v. 5).
​

You picked a good place to raise an eyebrow Tangled. Apparently early Jewish rabbi's began to reconsider the canonicity of the Book of Proverbs over these two verses.

Answer not a fool according to his folly,
lest you be like him yourself.
Answer a fool according to his folly,
lest he be wise in his own eyes. Proverbs 26:4-5​

​

--David

 

[tangled]

I'd love a real life example,
from experience.

I'm understanding it more clearly, though.

 

[Arc Angel]

OK, here's the best example I can think of: I remind myself of Proverbs 26:4 at the start of every internet session. Could there be a more perfect example of what you're looking for!

 

[quietpraiyze]

When I was in college I had an experience with an atheist. How he knew I was a Christian I don't know. What he did was walk up to me and say, "I'm an atheist". I looked at him and said, "so" and then I walked away. He was stunned. As I was walking away he was saying "wait a minute...wait a minute...aren't you suppose to try and win me over or something to that effect. I looked at him and said "no". The reason I did this is because I could tell that he thought he was smarter than me. Personally I feel like once you've heard the Gospel and you reject it, that's on you. A fool has said in his heart there is no God. When he said he was an atheist, I knew he was a fool.

I've also found that some atheist try and make Christians their entertainment. We are not obligated to participate.

 

[drjean]

IMO one of the reasons we are given those verses is so that we check our own reasons for responding to a "fool". It's a problem with ego that requires some Christians to always want the "last word" in a discussion/argument...or to give input into a thread which has no solution.

 

[tangled]

Good points.
Thank you.

 

[x141]

There are only two trees, two seeds, one is Life, one is death. The fool speaks according to knowlegde, when you answer him according to this folly you become captive, snared by the words of your mouth. You become unclean or naked. Knowledge drives you from One or this Self that Jesus said, Now glorify me with thine own Self. A fool is one who trys to save his own soul.

 

[Arc Angel]

This question has me re:analyzing my own behavior! Yes, answering a fool, 'in his own folly' is never a good idea. Sometimes, though, some sort of refutation is appropriate. When it comes to the internet (and its all too common outrageous egos and seemingly limitless supply of mental confusion) my habit has been to make one or two replies and then quietly withdraw.

A fool is a fool, is a fool. You are, indeed, only going to damage yourself if you allow one of these, 'internet wise guys' to suck you in. My own philosophy closely parallels Proverbs 26:4. If you think the occasion warrants it: Make your rebuke and, then, promptly withdraw. Truly, you are not going to bring any honor to yourself by continuing to argue with a fool.

 

[x141]

I find this scripture, in it's content is the same as the scripture this thread started on.

Pro 20:2 The fear of a king is as the roaring of a lion: whoso provoketh him to anger sinneth against his own soul.

 

[Nails74]

Here are the NET notes from 26:5, FWIW...

The apparent contradiction with the last verse has troubled commentators for some time. The Rabbis solved it by saying that v. 4 referred to secular things, but v. 5 referred to sacred or religious controversies. While this does not resolve the issue, it does give a sound application for the two verses together – in negligible issues one should just ignore the stupid person, but in issues that matter the fool must be dealt with, lest credence be given to what he says (W. G. Plaut, Proverbs, 266). The text presents two proverbs each of which presents an aspect of the whole truth. One should not lower himself to the level of the fool, but there are times when the lesser of two evils is to do so, other than let the fool gain confidence that he is a wise person or be considered wise by others. Paul, for example, talked like a “fool” to correct the foolish ideas of the Corinthians (2 Cor 11:16-17; 12:11).