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

[Basil the Great]

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

 

[Tree of Life]

The Bible describes fools and foolish behavior. I think Jesus' intent in condemning the language of "you fool!" Is connected to the fifth commandment. He is condemning the use of language to try to harm people. Perhaps the charge of "fool" can be leveled in a lawful way.

 

[Rion]

...context?

 

[Halbhh]

...context?

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

 

[Halbhh]

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

Yes, if they don't repent of it, Hell is their destination (unless He makes them repent in the last instants of life perhaps or some such; another possibility is that you might forgive them perfectly enough to aid them perhaps)

Matthew 5:22

 

[eleos1954]

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

The Bible talks about fools ... or being foolish but it is never a good idea to call people names - that would be foolish ;o). We are all foolish at times.

 

[Rion]

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

No, I meant context in why is it being asked in politics?

 

[Halbhh]

The Bible talks about fools ... or being foolish but it is never a good idea to call people names - that would be foolish ;o). We are all foolish at times.

And....Matthew 5:22. A very sharp warning about an ultimate danger.

 

[Halbhh]

No, I meant context in why is it being asked in politics?

ah. Hmmm....not that this is the reason, but it is very common in political battles it seems.

 

[Basil the Great]

No, I meant context in why is it being asked in politics?

Well, I did not wish to actually quote today's political headline dealing with calling someone a fool. If you have not heard the news yet, you probably will by tonight. CNN is discussing the matter right now.... "Ungrateful fool" was the term used.

 

[Hank77]

The Bible describes fools and foolish behavior. I think Jesus' intent in condemning the language of "you fool!" Is connected to the fifth commandment. He is condemning the use of language to try to harm people. Perhaps the charge of "fool" can be leveled in a lawful way.

I agree and when we translate some words into English they sometimes lose some of the meaning and can mean something quite different in a different culture.
Clarke's Commentary
"Thou fool - Moreh, probably from מרה marah, to rebel, a rebel against God, apostate from all good. This term implied, among the Jews, the highest enormity, and most aggravated guilt. ...."

 

[eleos1954]

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

anyone who is angry with a brother or sister,
will be in danger of the fire of hell

It's the anger issue, not a Fool issue.

Fool means stupid,
senseless, foolish, inconsiderate.

 

[Kenny'sID]

anyone who is angry with a brother or sister,
will be in danger of the fire of hell

It's the anger issue, not a Fool issue.

Fool means stupid,
senseless, foolish, inconsiderate.

Yet the scripture clearly states it's the "fool" part that can get us a ticket to hell.

Exactly, don't call people stupid. It's so common, people don't realize what exactly they're doing.

 

[Kenny'sID]

And poor Mr T, hope he's still not into that.

 

[GoldenBoy89]

Name calling is supposed to be beneath the Office of the President but it is to be expected when the President himself is beneath the office he holds.

 

[keith99]

I agree and when we translate some words into English they sometimes lose some of the meaning and can mean something quite different in a different culture.
Clarke's Commentary
"Thou fool - Moreh, probably from מרה marah, to rebel, a rebel against God, apostate from all good. This term implied, among the Jews, the highest enormity, and most aggravated guilt. ...."

Is this the word form Matthew? If so it almost seems that the charge and penalty is not just for calling someone a fool but more like for calling them a stupid heretic!

 

[mark kennedy]

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

Proverbs calls us all fools, Romans 1 and 2 calls us worse. Calling your brother a fool is what Jesus warned us about.

He who corrects a scoffer gets dishonor for himself, And he who reproves a wicked man gets insults for himself. Do not reprove a scoffer, or he will hate you, Reprove a wise man and he will love you. Give instruction to a wise man and he will be still wise. (Proverbs 9:7-9)
​

If you read Romans or hear the gospel and not realize your a sinner your not paying attention. If you don't see the fool in Proverbs as yourself you miss understood the whole point.

Do not answer a fool according to his folly, Or you will also be like him. Answer a fool as his folly deserves, That he not be wise in his own eyes (Prov. 26:4-5)
​

In other words rebuke a fool but don't do it foolishly. Rebuke him according to his folly but don't let him drag you down to his level. The key is, rebuke him for his folly, or according to what he is doing, just don't resort to name calling. There is a balance.

Grace and peace,
Mark

 

[Hank77]

The Bible describes fools and foolish behavior. I think Jesus' intent in condemning the language of "you fool!" Is connected to the fifth commandment. He is condemning the use of language to try to harm people. Perhaps the charge of "fool" can be leveled in a lawful way.

Here is what John Gill writes about this expression....

Gill's Commentary
but whosoever shall say thou fool, shall be danger of hell fire. The word "fool" does not signify a man of weak parts, one that is very ignorant in things natural; this the word Raca imports; but a wicked reprobate man; in which sense Solomon often uses the word. The Persic version renders it here "wicked". There is a manifest gradation in the text from causeless anger in the breast, or reproachful words; and from thence to a censorious judging of a man's spiritual and eternal estate, which is what is here condemned. "Thou fool", is, thou wicked man, thou ungodly wretch, thou graceless creature, whose portion will be eternal damnation. Calling a man by such names was not allowed of by the Jews themselves, whose rules are:

"he that calls his neighbour a servant, let him be excommunicated; a bastard, let him be beaten with forty stripes; רשע, "a wicked man", let him descend with him into his life or livelihood (z).''

"it is forbidden a man to call his neighbour by a name of reproach (a) everyone that calls his neighbour רשע, "a wicked man", shall be brought down to hell;''
(a) Zohar in Exod. fol. 50. 3.

 

[Hank77]

Is this the word form Matthew? If so it almost seems that the charge and penalty is not just for calling someone a fool but more like for calling them a stupid heretic!

A heretic, yes. See post #18, John Gill writes...
These guys read and studied Hebrew and Greek. They read the Talmud, etc. They had access to many of the oldest MSS.

EDIT: It is the same as a Christian accusing another Christian of not being a Christian.

 

[Halbhh]

Here is what John Gill writes about this expression....

Gill's Commentary
but whosoever shall say thou fool, shall be danger of hell fire. The word "fool" does not signify a man of weak parts, one that is very ignorant in things natural; this the word Raca imports; but a wicked reprobate man; in which sense Solomon often uses the word. The Persic version renders it here "wicked". There is a manifest gradation in the text from causeless anger in the breast, or reproachful words; and from thence to a censorious judging of a man's spiritual and eternal estate, which is what is here condemned. "Thou fool", is, thou wicked man, thou ungodly wretch, thou graceless creature, whose portion will be eternal damnation. Calling a man by such names was not allowed of by the Jews themselves, whose rules are:

"he that calls his neighbour a servant, let him be excommunicated; a bastard, let him be beaten with forty stripes; רשע, "a wicked man", let him descend with him into his life or livelihood (z).''

"it is forbidden a man to call his neighbour by a name of reproach (a) everyone that calls his neighbour רשע, "a wicked man", shall be brought down to hell;''
(a) Zohar in Exod. fol. 50. 3.

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.