Proverbs 26-27

Proverbs 26 deals primarily with three subjects: verses 1-12 - fools (and foolishness); verses 13-16 - sluggards (and laziness); and verses 17-28 - evil speakers (and gossips). In the New Testament we read that people who are these kinds of people cannot inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10); but we we also find that people who do these things, the works of the flesh, cannot inherit the kingdom of God (Galatians 5:19-21). The inference in Galatians is that if we do not have the Holy Spirit outworking His fruit in our lives (Galatians 5:22- 25), then even if we believe the fundamental doctrines of the faith, we are living in the flesh. 

Proverbs 26:1-12 mostly deals with fools, except for verse twelve which warns of something worse. These verses deal with the natural consequences of foolishness. The New Testament has a number of passages dealing with spiritual foolishness.

• Matthew 25:1-13 In this parable, the foolish virgins did not take oil with them, and missed the wedding banquet. In the context of Matthew 24, Jesus is talking about being ready for His return. Why did the groom say to the bride’s attendants who didn’t bring oil that He didn’t know them? Oil symbolizes the Holy Spirit; the foolish virgins wanted to be part of the ceremony and the celebration banquet, but not participate in bringing light. 
• Luke 11:37-41 Jesus called the Pharisees foolish because they adhered to external cleanliness practices but their interior lives were filthy. They didn’t connect that while people only see external actions, God sees the heart. Jesus was rather hard on the Pharisees on several occasions, and called them things worse than fools.
• Like 12:16-21 In the parable of the rich fool, God calls the man a fool who built bigger barns to store his surplus, to then retire to a life of ease. God asked the man a simple question - when you die tonight, who will get your stuff? He didn’t say the fool died intestate, only that during his life he stored up for himself but was not rich towards God. (See also Matthew 6:19-21) He was a fool because he didn’t realize that he couldn’t take it with him.
• Luke 20:1-8 When Jesus  responded to the Pharisees’ question with a question, He probably had in mind the advice of Proverbs 26:4-5. He had earlier identified them as fools because they thought that God didn’t see or care about their interior life. Now He stumps them with a question that goes straight to their heart. They refused to repent when John the Baptist preached, so He wasn’t going to give them an answer now. Their folly prevented them from recognizing Him, whom the prophets they studied fulfilled.
• Romans 1:21-22 Paul, speaking of ancient idolators, referred to as fools those who knew God through His creation, including both His power and His nature and character, and turned to worship the creation instead. They did not thank God nor glorify Him even though they knew better. Paul goes on to say (in chapter 2) that anyone who passes judgment on someone else for doing the same things that they do is just as foolish and will reap God’s judgment.
• 1 Corinthians 1:20-27 & 3:18-19 In these passages, Paul contrasts the wisdom of man with the foolishness of God. His point is that man does not see the spiritual dimension, unless God reveals it, which He has in Christ. The creator dying to redeem His creation seems like foolishness on the human level, but it is God’s wisdom. Anyone who is wise by the world’s standards but rejects this is the true fool at the deepest level.
• Galatians 3:1-3 Paul asks who misled them into thinking that the Christian walk, which they began through faith in Christ crucified for our sins, can be completed and perfected by following rules pertaining to the flesh. Legalism, the same disease that ruined the Pharisees, was threatening the Galatian Christians. They were being foolish and in danger of becoming fools who judged solely on the basis of externals.

Proverbs 26:11 is quoted  in 2 Peter 2:22, about a dog, after a bath, returning to its filth. Peter’s point, based on verses 20-21, is that someone who actually experiences salvation through faith in Christ and then returns to the world’s lifestyle is worse off.  See also Hebrews 6:4-6.

Proverbs 26:12 Someone who thinks he knows everything is worse than a fool. Know-it-alls aren’t very popular either.  Paul took the opposite approach. (1 Corinthians 2:2)

 

Proverbs 26:13-16 deals with laziness. Although acedia (spiritual sloth) is one of the seven deadly sins, there is not much mention of it in the New Testament. It is a subtle sin, that of not taking the initiative to develop one’s spiritual life, just letting things slide. An insidious way the devil has of seducing believers into ineffectiveness. 

Paul did say to the Thessalonians that anyone who would not work should not be allowed to eat. (2 Thessalonians 3:10-12). This laziness seems to have been in the context of a communal arrangement for living, working, and sharing. This is the challenge for all communities that have all things in common. Most communes, start with the best intentions and commitment, but usually last at most a generation or two. Both social welfare programs and communist governments have the same built-in weakness. This is human nature, apart from the higher challenge of spiritual sloth.

Proverbs 26:17-28 Evil speech and gossip are intermixed in this passage. Paul mentions gossip six times in his epistles, without explanation, and with the implicit understanding that everyone disapproves of it. The problem is that it is so easy to gossip without realizing it. So are many other sins.  Jesus spoke to the quarrelsome aspect of life in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5:9, 21-26), and dealing with enemies (Matthew 5:38-48). He also addressed speaking oaths (Matthew 5:33-37) although this was not in the context of evil speech, but of lying and making an oath to try to convince people of your sincerity. In all of these cases, His point was that life in God’s kingdom is a fundamentally different nature than natural human behavior; it is a Holy Spirit-empowered embodiment of God.

Proverbs 26:27 is a metaphor for gossip and evil speech. It returns with vengeance on the perpetrator.

Proverbs 27

Proverbs 27:1-2 Our plans for tomorrow will possibly collide with God’s plans, and or the devil’s opposition. But the central injunction is to not boast, but allow others to provide praise of our actions, rather than boasting ourselves. This underlies a spiritual concern, that of applying God’s standards to our lives, rather than our own ideas of good and bad. 

Proverbs 27:5-6 correction and affection are interwoven in our lives. A rebuke from a friend may wound our spirit, but beware of the person who is excessively flattering and always complimenting us. A true friend does not want to let you go in the wrong direction (metaphorically). Someone who always tells you how wonderful everything you do is, likely has ulterior motives, and may be a secret enemy.

Proverbs 27:8&10 Running away from home does not solve interior problems of the heart, nor does it enable us to escape from God. (Luke 15:11-32)

Proverbs 27:17 Encourage men’s friendships. (See 27:5-6)

Proverbs 27:18 The statement that whoever protects their master will be honored seems a bit inconsistent with John 18:10-11. Peter tried to defend Jesus and was rebuked. But of course, he later was honored. (Acts 2:16-41) Honor does not always come immediately.

Proverbs 27:19 The mouth speaks what the heart is full of. (Matthew 12:34) Beyond our words, everything we do flows from the heart. (Proverbs 4:23)

Proverbs 27:21 The test is to see if we understand God’s role in everything that happens, or take credit for it ourselves, instead of glorifying God.

Proverbs 27:22 A fool and folly are linked more closely than grain and chaff.

Proverbs 27:23-27 Both spiritually and physically, attention to details is important.