As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool Proverbs 26:1-8 Honour paid to the wicked unseemly and pernicious D. Thomas, D. D. The respect which man pays his fellow is often grounded on reasons immoral and absurd. Sometimes man is respected on the ground of his personal appearance, sometimes on the ground of his mental abilities, sometimes on the ground of his worldly possessions, sometimes on the ground of his lineage and social position; but respect for men on any of these grounds alone is very questionable in morality. The true and Divinely authorised ground of respect for man is moral goodness. The man who is morally good, however deficient in other things, has a Divine claim to our honour. I. HONOUR PAID TO THE WICKED IS UNSEEMLY. It is like "snow in summer and rain in harvest." It is unseasonable and incongruous. How unseemly nature would appear in August with snow mantling our cornfields! Souls are morally constituted to reverence the good; to abhor the morally bad, wherever it is seen, whether in connection with lordly possessions, kingly power, or, what is higher still, mental genius. II. HONOUR PAID TO THE WICKED IS PERNICIOUS. "Snow in summer and rain in harvest" are in nature mischievous elements. Their tendency is to rob the agriculturist of the rewards of his labour, and to bring on a famine in the land. Far more mischievous is it when the people of a country sink so morally low as to render honour to men who are destitute of moral goodness. The perniciousness is also expressed by another figure in the text, "As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool." The word translated "sling" means a heap of stones, and the word "stone" a precious stone. Hence the margin reads, "As he that putteth a precious stone in an heap of stones, so is he that giveth honour to a fool." The idea evidently is, as a precious stone amongst rubbish, so is honour given to a fool. ( D. Thomas, D. D. ) As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. Proverbs 26:2 Human anathemas Homilist. Another, and perhaps a better, translation is this, "Unsteady as the sparrow, as the flight of the swallow, is a causeless curse; it cometh not to pass." "There is a difficulty here," says Wardlaw, "in settling the precise point in the comparison. The ordinary interpretation explains it with reference to curses pronounced by men without cause — imprecations, anathemas, that are unmerited — and the meaning is understood to be — as the bird or sparrow, by wandering, and as the swallow, or wood-pigeon, by flying, shall not come — that is, shall not reach us or come upon us in the way of injury — so is it with the causeless curse. It will "do no more harm than the bird that flies overhead, than Goliath's curses on David." And it might be added that, as these birds return to their own place, to the nests whence they came, so will such gratuitous maledictions come back upon the persons by whom they are uttered. I. MEN ARE FREQUENTLY THE VICTIMS OF HUMAN IMPRECATIONS. Few men pass through the world without creating enemies, either intentionally or otherwise. Men vent their hatred in various ways. II. THAT HUMAN IMPRECATIONS ARE SOMETIMES UNDESERVED. The curse is "causeless." Sometimes the curses of men are deserved. There are two classes of causeless curses — 1. Those that are hurled at us because we have done the right thing. When you are cursed for reproving evil, for proclaiming an unpopular truth, or pursuing a righteous course which clashes with men's prejudices or interests, the curse is causeless. 2. Those that are uttered without reason or feeling. There are men who are so in the habit of using profane language that it almost flows from their lips without malice or meaning. The greatest men in history have been cursed, and some of them have died under a copious shower of human imprecations. III. UNDESERVED IMPRECATIONS ARE ALWAYS HARMLESS. "The greatest curse causeless shall not come." Was David the worse for Shimei's curse? or Jeremiah for the curse of his persecutors? "He that is cursed without a cause," says Matthew Henry , "whether by furious imprecations or solemn anathemas, the curse will do him no more harm than the sparrow that flies over his head. It will fly away like the sparrow or the wild swallow, which go nobody knows where, until they return to their proper place, as the curse will at length return to him that uttered it." "Cursing," says Shakespeare, "ne'er hurts him, nor profits you a jot. Forbear it, therefore, — give your cause to heaven." But if the curse be not causeless, it will come. Jotham's righteous curse came upon Abimelech and the men of Shechem ( Judges 9:56, 57 ). Elisha's curse fearfully came to the young mockers of Bethel ( 2 Kings 2:24 ). "The curse abides on Jericho from generation to generation." ( Homilist. ) A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. Proverbs 26:3-11 Aspects of a fool D. Thomas, D. D. Sin is folly. It sacrifices the spiritual for the material, the temporal for the eternal, the pure joys of immortality for the gratification of an hour. I. HE APPEARS HERE AS A SERVANT. "A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back." This proverb inverts our ideas. We should have said, "A bridle for the horse," and "a whip for the ass." But the Eastern asses have much of the fire of our blood horses, while the horses are often heavy and dull. Therefore the ass there requires the bridle, and the horse the whip — the one to accelerate, the other to restrain and guide activity. As the horse and the ass, in order to be used as the servants of man, require the application of force, so does the fool. "A rod for the fool's back." If a stubborn sinner is to be made the servant of society, coercion must be employed. Argument, persuasion, example; these moral appliances will affect him but little. II. HE APPEARS HERE AS A DEBATER. "Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit." There is an apparent contradiction here, but it is only apparent. The negative means, we are not to debate with him in his style and spirit, and thus become like him. We are not to descend to his level of speech and temper. The positive means, that we are to answer him as his folly deserves. It may be by silence as well as speech. The fool talks; he is often a great debater. III. HE APPEARS HERE AS A MESSENGER. The meaning of this is, "He who would trust a fool with a message might as well cut off his feet, for he will have vexation and maybe damage." How careful should we be to entrust important business to trustworthy persons! Solomon himself drank damage, by employing an "industrious" servant, but a fool in wickedness, who "lifted up his hand against the king," and spoiled his son of ten parts of his kingdom ( 1 Kings 11:26-40 ). Benhadad drank damage by sending a message by the hands of Hazael, who murdered his master when the way was opened for his own selfish purposes ( 2 Kings 8:8-15 ). Much of the business of life is carried on by messengers or agents. How much a mercantile firm suffers by improper representatives! IV. HE APPEARS HERE AS A TEACHER. "The legs of the lame are not equal, so is a parable in the mouth of fools." It is not very uncommon to find fools sustaining the office and performing the functions of teachers. "They have a parable in their mouth." The verses suggest two things concerning them as teachers — 1. That they appear very ridiculous. "The legs of the lame are not equal, so is a parable in the hands of fools." The idea seems to be, as the cripple who desires to appear nimble and agile appears ridiculous in his lame efforts to walk, so the fool appears ridiculous in his efforts to teach. 2. As teachers, they are generally very mischievous. "As a thorn goeth up into the hand of the drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools." The idea is, that a fool handling the doctrines of wisdom is like a drunken man handling thorns. The besotted inebriate, not knowing what he is about, lays hold of the thorn and perforates his own nerves. The wise sayings in the mouth of a stupid man are self-condemnatory. V. HE APPEARS HERE AS A COMMISSIONER. "The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool and rewardeth transgressors." The word "God" is not in the original. The margin is the more faithful translation — "A great man giveth all, and he hireth the fool; he hireth also transgressors." The idea seems to be, that when worldly princes employ fools for the public service it is a source of anxiety and trouble to all good citizens. "The lesson has application from the throne downwards, through all the descriptions of subsidiary trusts. Extensive proprietors, who employ overseers of their tenants, or of those engaged in their manufactories, or mines, or whatever else be the description of their property, should see to the character of these overseers. Their power may be abused, and multitudes of workmen suffer, when the owner — the master — knows nothing of what is going on. But he ought to know. Many complainings and strikes, well or ill-founded, have their origin here." VI. HE APPEARS HERE AS A REPROBATE. The emblem here is disgusting, but the thing signified is infinitely more so. Peter quotes this proverb ( 2 Peter 2:20-22 ). The wicked man often sickens at his wickedness, and then returns to it again. Thus Pharaoh returned from his momentary conviction ( Exodus 8:8-15 ); Ahab from his pretended repentance ( 1 Kings 21 .); Herod from his partial amendment ( Mark 6:20-27 ). ( D. Thomas, D. D. ) Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him Proverbs 26:4, 5 Answering a fool according to his folly E. Pond, D. D. The ambiguity in these verses lies in the connecting words "according to," which are here used in two different senses. "Answer not a fool according to," i.e. ,, not in a manner agreeing with his folly, lest thou become as foolish and perverse as he. "Answer him according to," i.e. ,, according to the nature and desert of his folly; so as best to meet and refute it. ( E. Pond, D. D. ) The treatment of a fool George Lawson, D. D. There are many cases in which a fool is to be heard, and not answered at all. When a scorner reviles us, it is needless to reprove him for it. Our Lord often kept silence when impertinent questions were asked Him. But silence cannot be the rule in every case. In many cases it is proper that a fool's words should be answered, only you must take care in answering not to imitate him. If he speaks unreasonable, profane, peevish, or passionate words, you must not answer him in his own style. You are angry at him for his folly, and reprove him for the extravagance of his behaviour, and therefore you cannot but confess that yourselves are worthy of a very sharp reproof, if you behave like him at the very time that you are testifying your displeasure at his conduct. It becomes not the followers of Jesus to return railing for railing, or one angry reflection for another, but in whatever manner others talk, our tongues ought still to be governed by the law of meekness and charity. ( George Lawson, D. D. ) The scorner answered A certain preacher had wrought his best to benefit his audience; but one of them came to him, and somewhat rudely remarked, "Your preaching is of no use to me. I do not believe that I have a soul; I don't want to be talked to about an imaginary hereafter. I shall die like a dog." The minister calmly replied, "Sir, I have evidently failed through misapprehension. I did my best for the good of all my hearers; but I prepared the entertainment under the notion that I was catering for men with souls. Had I known there were creatures present who had no souls, and would die like dogs, I would have provided a good supply of bones for them." ( C. H. Spurgeon . ) Reply to scoffers It is stated by one of the biographers of John Wesley that while he was staying at an hotel at Oxford for a few hours, some wild young men, who were aware of the fact, took occasion to play a joke upon him. Coming suddenly into the room where he was sitting, they exclaimed, "Oh, Mr. Wesley, the devil's dead!" The aged saint arose, and placing his hands upon the heads of two of the young men, he said, with a voice full of pity, "My poor fatherless children, what will you do?" As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. Proverbs 26:8 Throwing a stone at an idol H. Macmillan, D. D. The words should be translated, as Colonel Condor was the first to point out: "As he that throweth a stone at an idol, so is he that giveth honour to a fool." The comparison refers to the universal custom, in ancient times, among Pagan nations of throwing a stone at an idolatrous shrine, not in execration of it, like the stones thrown to this day by the Jews at Absalom's pillar at Jerusalem, but in honour of it. At the foot of some sacred tree, or some pillar consecrated to idolatrous worship, a cairn or heap of stones is generally found; each stone testifying of a visit paid to the spot by some votary; and the larger the heap the greater the veneration shown. In Greece, the worship of Hermes or Mercury consisted in throwing a stone at his image, set up as a mark by the wayside to protect travellers on a journey. In Palestine, amongst the primitive Canaanite inhabitants that still survived, idolatry was widely practised; and in early times it was a common sight, on rising spots among the hills of Judea and Galilee, to come upon a menhir, or dolmen, in which the object of worship was a rude stone image, forming the nucleus of a cairn or heap of stones which had gradually grown around it, in remembrance of the visits paid by worshippers. In Scotland many cairns are made of the stones thrown at a rude stone monument, or cromlech, as an act of worship; and, perhaps, many of the cairns of remembrance raised to the dead may have originated from this act of worship. The old saying, "I will add a stone to your cairn," was the highest expression of reverence and regard that could be offered to a friend. With this explanation the comparison used in the Scripture proverb becomes plain and forcible. The proverb could only have been used by an iconoclast; and very probably came into existence in the days of Hezekiah, after the wholesale destruction, by this pious and zealous monareh, of the altars and stone monuments of the Canaanite idolaters which had corrupted Israel. Hezekiah was bent on the work of national reformation, and the purification and consecration of the temple by a perfect ceremonial was accompanied by the overthrow of all the "high places" and the idolatrous images and rites connected with them, as antagonistic to the holiness of the land as God's heritage. And, therefore, the proverb of the text would have a deep force and meaning in his day. Like one who continued the old practice of throwing a stone at an idolatrous monument, in token of worship, a practice now forbidden and proved to be vain and useless, so was he who gave honour to a fool. A fool was as unworthy of honour as an idol is of worship. In the one case there is no reason for the honour; and in the other case the worship is a mere empty foolish superstition. An idol is nothing, and a fool is a negation. ( H. Macmillan, D. D. ) As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Proverbs 26:11 The accustomed course resumed H. G. Salter. Dost thou ever raise thy little dam across the streamlet, and think to dry the bed below? Hast thou accomplished thy work, and stood watching awhile thy success? Hast thou seen the water above deepen and widen, and gather strength, and at length, impatient of restraint, push through thy yielding barrier, and resume its accustomed course? But couldst thou have turned the stream into another channel thou hadst triumphed, and the former bed had been left dry. So thou hast attempted, perhaps, to confine thy sinful will by the barrier of good resolutions. Thou hast seemed for awhile to gain thy point, and sin was at a stand. Alas! thou hast found that it but gained force by restraint; ere awhile the inclination has burst through all thy well-formed resolves, and hath rushed more impetuously than ever to the forbidden object. No; the will and affections must be turned into another course — towards God and heaven, and things spiritual; and then shall they cease to flow through the tempting vanities of this evil world. "This I say, then, Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh" ( Galatians 5:16 .) ( H. G. Salter. ) Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him Proverbs 26:12 The folly of self-conceit C. W. Le Bas, M. A. The Scriptures are full of denunciations against the self-sufficiency of man. The writings of Solomon are conspicuous for expressions which stigmatise the absurdity and the guilt of a self-willed, self-sufficient spirit. Here he says that when a man is wise in his own conceit, there is so little hope of his reformation that even a fool would be a more promising subject for moral and intellectual discipline. Teachable and honest mediocrity is always attended with a fair hope of improvement. But that very quality which may preserve, even to dulness itself, the chance of amelioration, is necessarily wanting to him who is wise in his own conceit, namely, a tractable and docile temper. Whenever a feeling of self-sufficiency takes possession of a mind, even of more than ordinary strength, there is danger of its shutting out all prospect of effectual improvement. What exertions will be made by one who is content with his acquisitions? To him who knows better than the rest of mankind, instruction or advice must needs appear impertinent. This guilty and miserable habit locks up from the use of all who are under its dominion those riches without which the fairest intellect must ever remain poor indeed — the wisdom of other ages, and the resources and experiences of other minds. It is dismal to reflect on the number of characters which have been ruined by this unhappy delusion. When once this fatal sorcery has suspended in the mind all aspirations after higher attainments, from that moment the movement of the character becomes infallibly retrograde. By the known constitution of things it is impossible that the intellectual or moral powers can be for a moment stationary. There is, in man's faculties, a constant tendency towards relapse and decay, which must be encountered by perpetual exertion. It is a sadder condition when the two characters in the text happen to coincide; when imbecility and arrogance go together; when the fool is wise in his own conceit. The language of the text applies to cases of great excess. But all cases have a tendency towards excess, and caution is useful in the earliest stages. The predominance of self-conceit is in most instances the result of negligent or injudicious culture. Self-will enters largely into the composition of every human character. It shows itself with the earliest dawn of the faculties. There is no instinctive impulse which prompts a child to the salutary but painful exercise of exploring his own insufficiency. The feeling of self-sufficiency is strengthened by the habit of comparing ourselves with low and imperfect characters, and by fixing ourselves in the centre of a very contracted circle. The mind should be elevated by the contemplation of the noblest forms of excellence, both intellectual and moral. Christianity is irreconcilably at war with every vice or infirmity which belongs to the family of pride. ( C. W. Le Bas, M. A. ) Description and danger of religious self-conceit E. Cooper. Nothing renders a man so unmanageable, in the common concerns of life as self-conceit. But show the application of this passage in a spiritual sense. I. EXPLAIN THE STATEMENT OF THE TEXT. Wisdom in this book is another name for religion. Foolishness is irreligion. Then the man who is "wise in his own conceit" is religious in his own conceits. All men are naturally subject to pride and vanity. A supposed superiority in religion will furnish ground for the exercise of this disposition as readily as any other fancied distinction. A man may be vain of his religion. Such persons very possibly have knowledge, and feeling, and what they call religious attainments. But they are destitute of self-knowledge: they have no real humiliation of heart, and they are greatly wanting in charity as to their judgment of the religious state and character of others. They have no notion of rendering to God a spiritual service. There is more hope of a fool, an irreligious person, than of such an one. II. SHOW THE GROUNDS AND REASONS OF THE TEXT. Such persons as described totally mistake the nature of true religion. To be religious is to be spiritually-minded. To advance in religion is to grow in grace. They pervert the very design and end of religion. It is designed to make men humble; it makes these persons proud. They have closed up the door to their own improvement. Use this subject for self-examination. By it try our own religion, and see what is our own spiritual state. ( E. Cooper. ) The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. Proverbs 26:13 A lion in the way Dean Farrar. The reprehensible sloth of the coward does not appear in what he says, but in what he leaves unsaid. He means, but is ashamed to say, "Because there is a lion in the way, I will shirk my duty." The brave man says, Though a lion is in the way, I will slay it; anyway I will fight with it and wound it." I. "There is a lion in the way." In what way? In the way of life — of every life. Life, if it is to be a true life, is not an easy thing. There is, indeed, such a thing as a life which is no true life, only a living death. Sloth, self-indulgence, self-abandonment to a besetting sin, caring for nothing but self, and the keeping one's self miserably alive, to live at ease, to live selfishly, to live for pleasure, all this is to be dead while we live. If you live thus you may for a time live at home quite secure, fearless of the only lions you dread. If, on the other hand, you mean to live for nobler objects than those of shameless selfishness, you too, like Saul, will have to fight with wild beasts at Ephesus or elsewhere. There will be needed the girded loin and the burning lamp, the swift foot, and the sharp sword, and the stout heart, and the strong arm; faith and prayer, and the battle, and the Cross. 2. There are many lions, and not one only. True courage does not consist in the absence of any sense of fear — that may only be due to brute apathy — but it is to feel fear and to overcome it. I. FOR THE BRAVE, TRUE MAN THERE IS THE LION OF THE WORLD. We live in days of wonderful, and for some men, pleasant compromises. Religion walks in silver slippers. Good and evil lie flat together, side by side, in amiable neutrality. You may take your choice. If what you are content with is compromise and conventionality, and the broad beaten road, and success and popularity, you may have it for the asking: it is quite easy to offend nobody. But if you would have any of the nobleness, any of the usefulness, of the prophet or the reformer, boldly rebuke vice, denounce a fashionable iniquity, fling away from you a theological falsehood, run counter to a general delusion, deal vigorously with the "lion in the way." The lion of the world's hatred and opposition may be avoided. It is avoided by thousands of sleek and prosperous men. II. But there is another lion which each man must meet, THE LION OF HIS OWN FLESHLY NATURE, OF HIS OWN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL PASSIONS. describes each man as consisting, so to speak, of three beings in one: a lion, a many-headed monster, and a man. Of these the man represents the controlling reason; the lion the fierce and irascible temper; the many-headed monster the low and animal passions. The man, the reason, must absolutely rule; the irascible impulses must not be crushed, indeed, but controlled; the monster of fleshly lusts must be utterly subdued. By every one of us that lion, that multitudinous and many-headed monster, must be fought. III. ANOTHER LION IS HE WHO "GOETH ABOUT, SEEKING WHOM HE MAY DEVOUR." Each of us knows by experience that there are some tendencies and temptations — to pride, to falsity, to blaspheming thoughts, to causeless hatred — which often come upon a man with fierce and unlooked-for suddenness, and we know not whence or where the tempting opportunity suddenly meets the susceptible disposition. "Resist the devil, and he will flee from you." Remember that he can be fought face to face, but the Christian has no armour for the back. IV. CONSIDER THE DUTY OF FACING THESE LIONS IN OUR OUTWARD LIFE. Everywhere individual license invades public rights. The slothful man (and the slothful man is the epitome of the slothful nation) is ingenious in excuses. Happily every now and then God-strengthened, God-inspired, good, brave, unsophisticated men, have torn their way through these thorny hedges of indolence, greed, and opposition; have faced the wild beast of demoralised public opinion, in spite of its erect mane and flaming eye. V. THE SLOTHFUL MAN PLEADS THAT MANY HAVE BEEN SLAIN BY THIS "LION IN THE WAY." Yes, it is quite true. But to them, as to their Lord, through death, and after death, if not in life, hath come the glory and the victory. Slain: yet no harm has come to them. Better a thousand times their death than the life of the selfish and the base. There is one way in which a man can die even better than this. It is when, homeless, landless, wifeless, childless, without even a hope of earthly things, he faces those fearful odds, not for his own wealth or his own comfort, but for his brother man; faces them for the sake of simple duty, faces them for the common love of humanity, faces them because, if God wills it, he, too, is ready to die for those for whom Christ died. Take courage, then, all ye who are fearless enough and noble enough to care for any righteous cause. ( Dean Farrar. ) The slothful man James Flint, D. D. Man is made up of contradictions. A strong propensity to indolence, and a principle which prompts to action. There is a charm in the exercise of those physical and intellectual powers with which man is endowed. With many indolence diffuses its benumbing influence through all their faculties and powers. It becomes a disease, which strengthens itself by continuance. Habit is equally efficient in generating and confirming evil and good qualities. Extraordinary changes of moral character from bad to good have occurred in every age; but we have no right to calculate on them, so as to become indifferent to the ordinary growth of good or evil disposition. Indolence of character proceeds from a torpid state of the affections, or coldness of heart, in some partly natural, in most persons however, acquired by habit. In the state of indolence, the spellbound slumberer avails himself of every pretext for continuing to doze. The text gives one of his frivolous and groundless excuses. Consider some of the sluggard's formidable discouragements and obstacles in the way of exertion — such as that labour is painful; that self-denial is against nature; and that there is no certain prospect of success, and that God, being all mercy, is ready to forgive at any time. You cannot question or dispute the evils, the misery and ruin to which indolence leads in this world; or the moral ruin to which the sin of lukewarmness, or indifference to your religious obligations, will lead you in the world to come. ( James Flint, D. D. ) Seeing with our prejudices J. Halsey. We see not so much with our eyes as with our prejudices. "The wish is father to the thought." Some men look at the religious life, and see in it nothing but what is narrow and bigoted, gloomy and morose. They do not want to see anything else. Some professing Christians look on the world's amusements and discern no evil in them. It is to be feared they have no special desire to be convinced of any. There are members of Churches who look at Christian work in its varied departments and with its paramount claims, yet cannot be brought to discover their own qualifications to engage in it. The reason is, they have no wish to. "The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the streets." And when anything in the shape of self-denying service is proposed to certain persons, this lion assumes most portentous dimensions, and rivals the thunder with his roar. ( J. Halsey. ) He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife. Proverbs 26:17-22 Mischievous citizens D. Thomas, D. D. I. THE MEDDLER (ver. 17). 1. His conduct defined. 2. His mischief indicated. Renders himself liable to the anger of one, if not both, of the contending parties. II. THE LIAR (vers. 18, 19). 1. By his false representations he involves his neighbour in some embarrassment, contention, or pain, and then excuses himself by saying, "It is in sport." A lie is no less a lie because spoken in the spirit of frolic and jest. 2. Many a practical jester does the maniac's mischief without the maniac's excuse. III. THE QUERULOUS (ver. 21). He is a social incendiary. IV. THE TALEBEARER (ver. 22). 1. He maintains strife. As the microscopic sting of a little insect sometimes poisons the blood and influences the body of a strong man, the mere whisper of a talebearer will kindle the fire of discord in a whole community. 2. He infects with poison; his words destroy the mental peace of him to whom they are uttered, the reputation of him of whom they are uttered, and the social happiness of both. ( D. Thomas, D. D. ) Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. Proverbs 26:23 Putrefaction phosphorescent Scientific Illustrations. The illuminating power of phosphorus appears due to an extremely slow chemical reaction, and it is affirmed that vegetable and animal substances may grow phosphorescent at a certain stage of decomposition, or even without any appearance of putrefaction. Accredited authorities cite a host of examples of fresh or stale meats which have been seen to shine during the night with a more or less vivid clearness. Fish, and especially salt-water fish, when no longer fresh, acquire a phosphorescence which brightens during the first period, of putrefaction. Leave for two or three days dead saltwater fish in non-luminous sea-water; at the end of that time the water will be covered with a thin pellicle of fatty matter, and will soon become phosphorescent. But it is not only in material nature that we thus find brightness in combination with impurity. Genius itself has been found shining amidst moral putrefaction. ( Scientific Illustrations. ) A wicked heart disguising itself This may be meant either — 1. Of a wicked heart showing itself in burning lips, furious, passionate, outrageous words, burning in malice, and presenting those to whom, or of whom, they are spoken. Ill-words and ill-will agree together as well as a potsherd and the dross of silver, which, now that the pot is broken, and the dross separated from the silver, are fit to be thrown together to the dunghill 2. Or of a wicked heart disguising itself, with burning lips, burning with the professions of love and friendship, and even persecuting a man with flatteries; this is like a potsherd covered with the scum or dross of silver, with which one that is weak may be imposed upon, as if it were of some value, but a wise man is soon aware of the cheat. This sense agrees with the following verses. ( Matthew Henry . ) He that hateth dissembleth with his lips. Proverbs 26:24-27 Clandestine hatred D. Thomas, D. D. I. It is often greatly DISGUISED. "Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. II. It is EXCESSIVELY CORRUPT. "When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart." The word number "seven," in Scripture, denotes "fulness" or "completeness." The idea here is, that such a man's heart is full of abominations. III. It is LIABLE TO EXPOSURE. "Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation." Dissembling never answers in the end. The Providence of God brings dark deeds to light. All sin will one day be stripped of its mask, and laid bare in all its putrescent hideousness to the open eye of the universe. IV. It is SELF-RUINOUS. "Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein." Evil is a hard worker. It digs pits a

Benson Commentary Proverbs 26:1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. Proverbs 26:1 . As snow in summer, &c. — Unseasonable and unbecoming; so honour is not seemly for a fool — Because he neither deserves it, nor knows how to use it, and his folly is both increased and manifested by it. Bishop Patrick considers this as a tacit admonition to kings (for whose use principally, he thinks, this last part of the book of Proverbs was collected) to be very careful in disposing of preferments only to worthy persons; bad men being made worse by them, and usually doing as much hurt to others, by the abuse of their power, as snow or hail does to the fruits of the earth, when they are ripe and ready to be gathered. “So that,” says he, “we may make this aphorism out of Solomon’s words, that ‘the blending of summer and winter would not cause a greater disorder in the natural world, than the disposal of honour to bad men (and consequently throwing contempt upon the good) doth in the moral world.’” Proverbs 26:2 As the bird by wandering, as the swallow by flying, so the curse causeless shall not come. Proverbs 26:2 . As the bird by wandering — Namely, from place to place: that is, as by its restlessness it secures itself from the fowler, that he cannot shoot at it, or spread his net over it; so the curse causeless shall not come — Namely, upon the innocent person, but he shall escape from it as the bird escapes the fowler. Or, as some interpret it, “Curses which fly out of men’s mouths causelessly, shall no more alight where they would have them, than a sparrow that wanders uncertainly, or a dove that flies away swiftly, will settle according to their direction.” Proverbs 26:3 A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the fool's back. Proverbs 26:4 Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Proverbs 26:4-5 . Answer not a fool, &c. — Answer a fool, &c. — These contrary directions are easily reconciled, by considering the difference of persons, times, places, and other circumstances, and of the manner of answering. And such seemingly contradictory precepts are not only used by, but are esteemed elegant in other authors. Answer him not, when he is incorrigible, or when he is inflamed with wine, or with passion, &c., or when it is not necessary nor likely to do him good. Answer him, when he is capable of receiving good by it, or when it is necessary for the glory of God, for the discharge of a man’s duty, or for the good of others. Answer not, &c., according to his folly — So as to imitate his folly, in such passionate, or reproachful, or foolish speeches as he uses to thee; lest thou be like unto him — Show thyself to be as great a fool as he is. Answer a fool according to his folly — So as his folly needs and requires, convincing him strongly, reproving him sharply, and exposing him to just shame; lest he be wise in his own conceit — Lest thy silence make him arrogant and presumptuous, as if his words were unanswerable. Proverbs 26:5 Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. Proverbs 26:6 He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off the feet, and drinketh damage. Proverbs 26:6 . He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool — He that employs a fool upon any important business, which is too hard for him; cutteth off the feet — Namely, of his messenger: he bids one go that wants legs; he sends one that wants discretion, which is as necessary for that employment as legs are for running or walking; and drinketh damage — Brings upon himself abundance of loss and mischief, not only spoiling the business about which he sends him, but making himself contemptible to the person to whom he sends him, and to others with him, as if he had not common prudence to choose a fit messenger, and giving occasion, by the folly of his messenger, to further misunderstandings, jealousies, and inconveniences. Drinking, it must be observed, in the Scriptures, frequently signifies the doing or receiving of any thing plentifully, as they who multiply sins are said to drink iniquity like water, and they who are greatly afflicted are commonly said to drink the cup of sorrow. Proverbs 26:7 The legs of the lame are not equal: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. Proverbs 26:7 . The legs of the lame are not equal — Hebrew, ???? , are lifted up, namely, in going, which is done with great inequality and uncomeliness; so is a parable in the mouth of fools — No less absurd and indecent are wise and pious speeches from a foolish and ungodly man, whose actions grossly contradict them, whereby he makes them contemptible, and himself ridiculous. Proverbs 26:8 As he that bindeth a stone in a sling, so is he that giveth honour to a fool. Proverbs 26:8 . As he that bindeth a stone in a sling — Whereby he hinders his own design of throwing the stone out of it; so is he, &c. — No less absurd is he that giveth to a fool that honour which he is not capable of using aright. Bishop Patrick and Houbigant give a different interpretation of the verse, thus: “As a stone put into a sling stays not long there, so is that honour thrown away which is bestowed upon a fool.” Parkhurst, however, according to the translation in the margin, supposes the meaning to be, “As a spark, or small piece of precious stone, in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honour to a fool.” Proverbs 26:9 As a thorn goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. Proverbs 26:9 . As a thorn, &c. — “It is as dangerous for a fool to meddle with a proverb as for a drunkard to handle a thorn, wherewith he hurts himself: but the sharpest saying no more touches a fool with any compunction, though spoken by his own mouth, than the drunkard feels the thorn when it runs into his hand and gives him a grievous wound.” — Bishop Patrick. Proverbs 26:10 The great God that formed all things both rewardeth the fool, and rewardeth transgressors. Proverbs 26:10 . The great God formed all things, &c. — The Hebrew text of this verse will admit of different translations, as the reader may see by the margin, and commentators are much divided in their opinions of its meaning. The Hebrew word ?? , rab, here rendered great, may be applied either to God or to a prince, and the proverb may be considered as declaring either how God the Creator and Governor of the universe will deal with sinners, or how kings and princes ought to act toward their subjects. Bishop Patrick’s paraphrase, which includes both, seems to give the most probable sense of the verse, thus: “The great God, who made all things, governs them also most wisely and equally; dispensing, for instance, his punishments suitable to men’s sins, whether out of ignorance, or of wilful wickedness; whom a good prince imitates; but a bad one proves a universal grievance, by employing either fools or profane persons in his service, who vex the rest of his subjects.” Proverbs 26:11 As a dog returneth to his vomit, so a fool returneth to his folly. Proverbs 26:12 Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him. Proverbs 26:13 The slothful man saith, There is a lion in the way; a lion is in the streets. Proverbs 26:13-16 . The slothful man saith, &c. — “In this and the following verses, three degrees of sloth are represented; the first, when a man is loath to stir out of doors about his business in the field, Proverbs 26:13 ; the second, when he is loath so much as to leave his bed, Proverbs 26:14 ; and the third and highest, when he will scarcely put his hand to his mouth, Proverbs 26:15 . By which hyperbolical expression the wise man admirably sets forth the incredible laziness of some, which increases upon them continually, if they will not shake it off; and yet, so presumptuous are they withal, that they laugh at those who take a great deal of pains to be wise, and fancy themselves much wiser; because, without any pains, they can find fault sometimes with other men’s works.” — Dodd. Thus, Proverbs 26:16 , the sluggard is wiser in his own eyes — Because, by his idleness, he avoids those troubles and dangers to which other men, by their activity, expose themselves, forgetting, in the mean time, what reproach and loss are brought upon him by his slothfulness; than seven men that can render a reason — Namely, a satisfactory reason of all their actions, that is, who are truly wise men. Proverbs 26:14 As the door turneth upon his hinges, so doth the slothful upon his bed. Proverbs 26:15 The slothful hideth his hand in his bosom; it grieveth him to bring it again to his mouth. Proverbs 26:16 The sluggard is wiser in his own conceit than seven men that can render a reason. Proverbs 26:17 He that passeth by, and meddleth with strife belonging not to him, is like one that taketh a dog by the ears. Proverbs 26:17 . He that passeth by — Who is going on the way about his business; and meddleth with strife, &c. — In which he is not concerned, nor any way obliged to meddle; is like one that taketh a dog by the ears — Exposes himself to great and needless hazard, as a man that unnecessarily provoketh a mastiff dog against himself. Proverbs 26:18 As a mad man who casteth firebrands, arrows, and death, Proverbs 26:18-19 . As a madman — Hebrew, ??????? , as one that makes, or feigns himself mad, in order that, under that pretence, he may do mischief with impunity; casteth firebrands, arrows, and death — Any instruments of death and destruction against his neighbour’s person, house, or goods; so is the man that deceiveth his neighbour — That wrongs him under a false pretence of kindness and familiarity; and saith, Am I not in sport? — And then asks his neighbour why he resents it so heinously, saying he was only in jest: and intended merely to try how he would take it. Proverbs 26:19 So is the man that deceiveth his neighbour, and saith, Am not I in sport? Proverbs 26:20 Where no wood is, there the fire goeth out: so where there is no talebearer, the strife ceaseth. Proverbs 26:20-22 . Where no wood is, the fire goeth out: &c. — As the fire will soon be extinguished if you take away the fuel that feeds it; so, where there is no tale-bearer — To carry such reports from one to another as may provoke them to mutual anger, enmity, and contention; the strife ceaseth — Animosity, hatred, and quarrels will die away. As coals to burning coals, &c. — As dead coals laid on burning coals, and wood on fire, increase the heat and flame; so is a contentious man — Hebrew, ???? ?????? , a man of contentions, that is, who loveth and giveth himself up to contentions; or, who is hard to please, and apt to find fault with every person and thing; to kindle strife — For unkind tempers and provoking words quickly produce quarrels and enmities, which destroy all peace, unanimity, and concord, and embroil people in endless hostilities against one another. The words of a tale-bearer are as wounds — This was observed before, Proverbs 18:8 , (on which see the note,) and is here repeated, as being a point of great importance to the peace and welfare of all societies, and proper to be often and earnestly pressed upon the consciences of men, because of their great and general proneness to this sin. Proverbs 26:21 As coals are to burning coals, and wood to fire; so is a contentious man to kindle strife. Proverbs 26:22 The words of a talebearer are as wounds, and they go down into the innermost parts of the belly. Proverbs 26:23 Burning lips and a wicked heart are like a potsherd covered with silver dross. Proverbs 26:23 . Burning lips — Either, 1st, Lips pretending much love, that is, words delivered with a show of truth and fervent affection; or, rather, 2d, Burning with malice or hatred; that is, a slanderous or evil tongue; and a wicked heart — From whence evil thoughts and malicious words proceed; are like a potsherd covered with silver dross — Such a tongue and heart are of no real worth, although sometimes they make a show of it, as dross does of silver. Proverbs 26:24 He that hateth dissembleth with his lips, and layeth up deceit within him; Proverbs 26:24-26 . He that hateth dissembleth with his lips — Hebrew, ???? , carries himself like another man, that is, pretends love and kindness; and layeth up deceit within him — Means, by counterfeiting kindness, only the more easily and securely to deceive thee. When he speaketh fair — Hebrew, ???? ???? , uses gracious or supplicating language, gives thee the kindest words, and assures thee he is sincere; believe him not — Give no credit to his flatteries and professions of esteem and regard; for there are seven abominations in his heart — That is, a great variety of base and wicked designs. Whose hatred is covered by deceit — With false professions of love; his wickedness shall be showed before the whole congregation — Instead of that secrecy and impunity which, by this art, he designs and promises to himself, he shall be brought to public shame and punishment. Proverbs 26:25 When he speaketh fair, believe him not: for there are seven abominations in his heart. Proverbs 26:26 Whose hatred is covered by deceit, his wickedness shall be shewed before the whole congregation. Proverbs 26:27 Whoso diggeth a pit shall fall therein: and he that rolleth a stone, it will return upon him. Proverbs 26:27 . Whoso diggeth a pit — That another may fall into it; shall fall therein — Himself. For, by the righteous judgment of God, the wicked are not only generally disappointed in their designs, but involve themselves in that mischief which they intended to do to others: see on Psalm 7:15 ; Psalm 9:15 . And he that rolleth a stone — Namely, up a hill, with a design to do mischief to some person or thing with it; it will return upon him — And greatly injure if not crush him to pieces. Proverbs 26:28 A lying tongue hateth those that are afflicted by it; and a flattering mouth worketh ruin. Proverbs 26:28 . A lying tongue hateth, &c. — That is, he who slanders others hates those whom he slanders, because, by his calumnies, he hath made them his enemies. For “it is common for men to hate those to whom they have done evil: thus Tacitus, Proprium humani ingenii est, odisse quem læseris, ‘It is natural to man to hate one whom he hath injured;’ and this aversion is always strong in proportion to the greatness and injustice of the wrong which has been done.” See Calmet. And a flattering mouth worketh ruin — Though it be more smooth and plausible than a slandering mouth, yet it is, in truth, no less pernicious, betraying others either to sin, or to danger and calamity. Benson Commentary on the Old and New Testaments Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com . Used by Permission.

Expositor's Bible Commentary Proverbs 26:1 As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honour is not seemly for a fool. CHAPTER 27 THE FOOL "As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool…A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, and a rod for the back of fools. Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest thou also be like unto him. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own conceit. He that sendeth a message by the hand of a fool cutteth off his own feet, and drinketh in damage. The legs of the lame hang loose: so is a parable in the mouth of fools. As a bag of gems in a heap of stones, so is he that giveth honor to a fool. As a thorn that goeth up into the hand of a drunkard, so is a parable in the mouth of fools. As an archer that woundeth all, so is he that hireth the fool and he that hireth them that pass by. As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so is a fool that repeateth his folly. Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? There is more hope of a fool than of him."- Proverbs 26:1 ; Proverbs 26:3-12 THIS passage points out certain characteristics of the fool, a term which occurs so frequently in the book of Proverbs that we must try to conceive clearly what is to be understood by it. The difficulty of forming a distinct conception arises from the fact that there are three different words, with different shades of meaning, all rendered by the one English expression, fool or folly. For want of carefully distinguishing these delicate varieties of the original, some of the proverbs appear in English tautological and almost meaningless. We must try then to separate and to understand these several terms. The Hebrew word which most frequently occurs in the book to designate fool together with its derivative, which is the usual word for folly signifies weakness. We are to think of that ignorant, inconsiderate, sanguine, and self-confident temper which eschews counsel, which will have its own way, which declines to be governed by reason, which forms fond expectations and baseless hopes, and which is always sure that everything will turn out according to its wish, though it takes no means to secure the desired result. Perhaps the simplest way of describing the habit of mind and the type of character intended by the Hebrew is to use the word infatuation. This would not do as a translation in all the passages where it occurs, but it will serve to point out the underlying idea. The word which comes next in frequency-the word used uniformly throughout the particular passage before us, -has at its root the notion of grossness, the dull and heavy habit of one whose heart has waxed fat, whose ears are slow to hear, and whose higher perceptions and nobler aspirations have succumbed to the sensual and earthly nature. We have to think of moral, as well as mental stupidity, of insensibility to all that is true and good and pure. The fool in this sense is such a dullard that he commits wickedness without perceiving it, { Proverbs 10:23 } and utters slanders almost unconsciously, { Proverbs 10:18 } he does not know when to be silent; { Proverbs 12:23 } whatever is in him quickly appears; { Proverbs 14:33 } but when it is known it is very worthless, { Proverbs 14:7 } nor has he the sense to get wisdom, even when the opportunity is in his hand; { Proverbs 17:16 } his best advantages are quickly wasted and he is none the better. { Proverbs 21:20 } Perhaps the English word which best fits the several suggestions of the Hebrew one is senseless. The third term occurs only four times in the book. It is derived from a verb signifying to fade and wither. It describes the inward shrinking and shriveling of a depraved nature, the witlessness which results from wickedness. It contains in itself a severer censure than the other two. Thus "He that begetteth a senseless man doeth it to his sorrow, but the father of the bad fool hath no joy." { Proverbs 17:21 } In the one case there is trouble enough, in the other there is nothing but trouble. Thus it is one of the four things for which the earth trembles when a man of this kind is filled with meat. { Proverbs 30:22 } This third character is sketched for us in the person of Nabal, whose name, as Abigail says, is simply the Hebrew word for fool in its worst sense, which fits exactly to its bearer. But dismissing this type of folly which is almost synonymous with consummate wickedness, of which indeed it is the outcome, we may turn to the distinction we have drawn between infatuation and senselessness in order to explain and understand some of the Proverbs in which the words occur. First of all we may notice how difficult it is to get rid of the folly of infatuation: "Though thou shouldest bray a person possessed of it in a mortar with a pestle among bruised corn, yet will it not depart from him." { Proverbs 27:22 } "It is bound up in the heart of a child," { Proverbs 22:15 } and the whole object of education is to get it out; but if childhood passes into manhood, and the childish win fullness, self-confidence, and irrationality are not expelled, the case is well-nigh hopeless. Correction is practically useless: "He must be a thorough fool," it has been said, "who can learn nothing from his own folly"; but that is precisely the condition of the infatuated people we are considering; the only correction of their infatuation is a further increase of it. The reason is practically choked; the connection between cause and effect is lost: thus every ill consequence of the rash act or of the vicious habit is regarded as a misfortune instead of a fault. The wretched victim of his own folly reviles fortune, nature, men, and even God, and will not recognize that his worst enemy is himself. Thus, while the wise are always learning and growing rich from experience, "the infatuation of senseless men is infatuation still." It is this which makes them so hopeless to deal with; their vexation being quite irrational, and always refusing to recognize the obvious facts, is worse than a heavy stone or the piled-up overweight of sand for others to bear. { Proverbs 27:3 } If a wise man has a case with such a person, the ill-judged fury and the misplaced laughter alike made it impossible to arrive at any sound settlement. { Proverbs 29:9 } The untrained, undisciplined nature, which thus declines the guidance of reason and is unteachable because of its obstinate self-confidence, is constantly falling into sin. Indeed, strictly speaking, its whole attitude is sinful, its every thought, is sin. { Proverbs 24:9 } For reason is God’s gift, and to slight it is to slight Him. He requires of us a readiness to be taught, and an openness to the lessons which are forced upon us by Nature, by experience, by our own human hearts. This flighty, feather-brained, inconsequential mode of thinking and living, the willful neglect of all the means by which we might grow wiser, and the confident assurance that, whatever happens, we are not accountable for it, are all an offence against God, a failure to be what we ought to be, a missing of the mark, a neglect of the law, which is, in a word, sin. But now let us look at the fool in the second signification, which occurs in this twenty-sixth chapter so frequently, -the man who has become spiritually gross and insensible, unaware of Divine truths and consequently obtuse to human duties. We may take the proverbs in the order in which they occur. "As snow in summer, and as rain in harvest, so honor is not seemly for a fool." It is a melancholy fact that the kind of person here referred to is too often found in positions of honor among men. Men rise to distinction in an artificial order of society, not by wisdom, but by the accident of birth and opportunity; and not infrequently the ill-placed honor itself leads to that insensibility which is so severely censured. The crass dullness, the perversity of judgment, the unfeeling severity, often displayed by prominent and distinguished persons, are no matter of surprise, and will not be, until human society learns to bring its honors only to the wise and the good. "Delicate living is not seemly for such persons." { Proverbs 19:10 } It is precisely the comfort, the dignity, the exaltation, which prove their ruin. Now it is true that we cannot always trace the effects of this misplaced honor, but we are reminded that it is out of the course of Nature’s eternal laws, incongruous as snow in summer, hurtful as rain in harvest. Consequently the due penalty must inevitably come. According to one reading of Proverbs 26:2 , this penalty which overtakes the exalted fool is thus described: "As the sparrow in her wandering, and the swallow in her flying, so a gratuitous curse shall come upon him." In any case Proverbs 26:3 states clearly enough what will eventually happen: "A whip for the horse, a bridle for the ass, arid a rod for the back of fools." It is not, of course, that this penalty ‘can be remedial, but Nature herself prepares a "rod for the back of him that is void of understanding"; { Proverbs 10:13 } "As judgments are prepared for scorners, so are stripes for the back of fools." { Proverbs 19:29 } Nor must we only understand this of fools that attain to unnatural honor: there are many dullards and insensates who are not made such by the stupidity of misdirected admiration, but by their own moral delinquencies; and as surely as the sparrow after flitting about all day returns to her nest in the dusk, or as the swallow in the long summer flight arrives at her appointed place, the punishment of folly will find out the delinquent. It may be long delayed, but an awakening comes at last; the man who hardened his heart, who turned away from the pleadings of God and mocked at His judgments, who chose the vanishing things of time and scorned the large fruition of eternity, discovers his Incredible stupidity, and the lash of remorse falls all the more heavily because it is left in the hand of conscience alone. We must never lose sight of the fact that by the fool is not meant the simple or the short-witted; there is in this folly of the Proverbs a moral cause and a moral responsibility which involve a moral censure; the senseless of whom we are speaking are they whose "heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest haply they should perceive with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart." { Matthew 13:15 } We are in the main obliged to leave the insensate to God and their conscience, because it is well-nigh impossible for us to deal with them. They are intractable and even savage as wild animals. "Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his infatuation." { Proverbs 17:12 } They are irritated with any suggestion of spiritual things, indignant with any hint of their own case and its responsibilities. If, on the one hand, you try to approach them on their own ground, to realize their motives and work upon the base ideas which alone influence such minds, you seem to lose all power over them by coming down to their level. "Answer not a fool according to his infatuation, lest thou also be like him." { Proverbs 26:4 } If, on the other hand, you feel bound to convict him of his folly, and to humble him to a sense of his position, you are obliged to use the language which will be intelligible to him. "Answer a fool according to his infatuation, lest he be wise in his own eyes." { Proverbs 26:5 } I recollect one Sunday afternoon passing by a large village public-house, and it chanced that a little group of street preachers were doing their best to make known the Gospel to the idlers who were sitting on the benches outside. Going up to interest the men in what was being said, I was confronted by the landlord, who was in a state of almost frenzied indignation. He denounced the preachers as hypocrites and scoundrels, who lived on the honest earnings of those whom he saw around him. Every attempt to bring him to reason, to show that the men in question spent their money on drink and not on the preachers, to secure a patient hearing for the gracious message, was met only with violent abuse directed against myself. The man was precisely what is meant in these verses by a fool, one in whom all spiritual vision was blinded by greed and sensuality, in whom the plainest dictates of common sense and human courtesy were silenced: to answer him in his own vein was the only way of exposing his folly, and yet to answer him in such a way was to come down to his own level. What could be done except to leave him to the judgments which are prepared for scorners and to the stripes which await the back of fools? A fool uttereth all his anger, and facing the torrent of angry words it is impossible to effectually carry home to him any wholesome truth. { Proverbs 29:11 } We have seen how the kind of man that we are describing is in an utterly false position when any dignity or honor is attributed to him; indeed, to give such honor is much the same as binding a stone in a sling to be immediately slung out again, probably to some one’s injury; { Proverbs 26:8 } but he is almost equally useless in a subordinate position. If, for instance, he is employed as a messenger, he is too dull to rightly conceive or correctly report the message. He will almost certainly color it with his own fancies, if he does not pervert it to his own ends. To receive and to deliver any message accurately requires a certain truthfulness in perception and in speech of which this unfortunate creature is entirely devoid. Thus anyone who employs him in this capacity might as well cut off his own feet, as he drinks damage to himself. { Proverbs 26:6 } It is the awful punishment which comes to us all, when we allow our heart to wax gross, that wisdom itself becomes folly in our lips, and truth herself becomes error. Thus if we know a proverb, or a text, or a doctrine, we are sure to give it a lame application, so that, instead of supporting what we wish to enforce, it hangs down helpless like a cripple’s legs. { Proverbs 26:7 } In this way the insensate corruptness of the Mediaeval Church tried to justify the abuse of giving great ecclesiastical preferments to young children by quoting the text, "Out of the mouths of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise." Sometimes the result of this culpable stupidity is far more disastrous; it is like "a thorn which runs up into a drunkard’s hand," visiting with terrible condemnation those who have misused and perverted the truth, { Proverbs 26:9 } as when Torquemada and the administrators of the Inquisition based their diabolical conduct on the gracious words of the Lord, "Compel them to come in." No, the fool’s heart can give no wholesome message; it will turn the very message of the Gospel into a curse and a blight, and by its dull and revolting insensibility it will libel God to man, suggesting that the Infinite Father, the Eternal God, is altogether such a one as these who profess to speak in His name. The offence of the fool then cannot be condoned on the ground that he is only an enemy to himself. It is his master that he wrongs. As the proverb says, "A master produces all things, but a fool’s wages and hirer too pass away." The fool loses what he earns himself: that is true, but he undoes his employer also. One is our Master, even Christ; He hires us for service in His vineyard; when we suffer our heart to wax dull, when we grow unspiritual, unresponsive, and insensate, it is not only that we lose our reward, but we crucify the Son of God afresh and put Him to an open shame. And the worst, the most mournful, feature about this fool’s condition is that it tends to a perpetual self-repetition: "As a dog that returneth to his vomit, so a fool is always repeating his folly." { Proverbs 26:11 } Every hardening of the heart prepares for a fresh hardening, every refusal of truth will lead to another refusal. Last Sunday you managed to evade the message which God sent you: that makes it much easier to evade the message He sends you today. Next Sunday you will be almost totally indifferent. Soon you will get out of reach altogether of His word, saying it does you no good. Then you will deny that it is His word or His message. You pass from folly to folly, from infatuation to infatuation, until at last you can with a grave face accept the monstrous self-contradiction of materialism, or wallow unresisting in the slime of a tormenting sensuality. "As the dog returns to his vomit!" It must be owned that the condition of the fool seems sufficiently sad, and the gloom is deepened by the fact that our book knows nothing of a way by which the fool may become wise. The Proverbs uniformly regard the foolish and the wise as generically distinct; between the two classes there is a great gulf fixed. There is the fool, trusting in his own heart, incurring stripes: not profiting by them, always the same incorrigible and hopeless creature; and there is the wise man, always delivered, learning from experience, becoming better and better ( Proverbs 28:26 ; Proverbs 9:8 ; Proverbs 23:9 ). The only suggestion of hope is a comparative one: "Seest thou a man wise in his own conceit? there is more hope of a fool than of him." { Proverbs 26:12 } But there is no tone of confidence about this assurance, because, as we have repeatedly seen, the case of the proud or conceited man is regarded as practically desperate. No, for comfort and hope in this matter we have to turn away from the Ancient Wisdom to the revealed Wisdom, Christ Jesus. It is He and He alone who practically forbids us to be hopeless about any one. A noble Roman in the time of the Punic Wars received an honorable recognition from the Senate because he had not in the darkest times despaired of the Republic. That is the kind of debt that we owe to the Savior. He has not despaired of any human being; He will not let us despair. It is His peculiar power, tried and proved again and again, to turn the fool into the wise man. Observing the threefold distinction which is hidden under the word we have been examining, Christ is able to arouse the weak, fond, infatuated soul to a sense of its need. Could there be a better instance than that of the woman at the well, -a foolish creature living in conscious sin, yet full of specious religious talk? Did He not awake in her the thirst for the living water, and satisfy the craving which He had excited? Christ is able to transform the dull and heavy soul, that has suffered itself to be mastered by greed and petrified by selfishness. Was not this what He did to Zaccheus the publican? And even with that worst kind of fool, whose heart is withered up within him by reason of sin, and who has learnt to say in his heart that there is no God, { Psalm 14:1 } the Lord is not helpless. We do not see such a one in the pages of the New Testament, because the folly of Atheism was not among the follies of those times. But in our own day it is an experience by no means uncommon; when an avowed infidel comes under the power of the Gospel, Christ enters into him with the overwhelming conviction that there is a God; Christ shows him how it is sin which has thus obscured the elementary conviction of the human spirit; and, by the direct power of Christ, his heart comes to him again as that of a little child, while in the rapturous joy of believing he lays aside the folly which made him doubt along with the sin which made him unwilling to believe. The Expositor's Bible Text Courtesy of BibleSupport.com . Used by Permission.