The People of Proverbs

Lesson 5 – The Scoffer

Who is the Scoffer?The scoffer is also called a scorner or

mocker.He is defined as a man or woman

characterized by contempt. He mocks at moral principles, willfully ignoring them in his own conduct but still seeking to correct them in others. This person is best known by what comes out of his mouth: he mocks, he scorns, he scoffs.

What does he scoff? A. GodB. God’s moral principlesC. God’s programD. God’s servantsE. God’s children

I. The character of the scoffer

A. He is a fool.1. He will not seek wise counsel for himself.

Proverbs 15:12 (NET) The scorner does not love one who corrects him; he will not go to the wise.

I. The character of the scoffer

A. He is a fool.1. He will not seek wise counsel for himself.2. He hates correction and rebuke.

Proverbs 9:7-8 7 Whoever corrects a mocker is asking for insult; whoever reproves a wicked person receives abuse. 8 Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.

Proverbs 13:1 A wise son accepts his father’s discipline, but a scoffer does not listen to rebuke.

They are quick to say, “Judge not lest ye be judged”. Yet they are quick to judge.

I. The character of the scoffer

A. He is a fool.B. He is arrogant and proud.

Proverbs 21:24 A proud and arrogant person, whose name is “Scoffer,” acts with overbearing pride.

I. The character of the scoffer

A. He is a fool.B. He is arrogant and proud.C. He delights in his scoffing.

Proverbs 1:22 “How long will you simpletons love naiveté? How long will mockers delight in mockery …?

Mocking is a pleasurble game to the scoffer.

I. The character of the scoffer

A. He is a fool.B. He is arrogant and proud.C. He delights in his scoffing.D. Wine is a mocker.

Proverbs 20:1 Wine is a mocker and strong drink is a brawler; whoever goes astray by them is not wise.

II. The words for Scoffer

A. xwl (lootz) Ridicule, criticism, sarcasm, insults.

II. The words for Scoffer

A. xwl (lootz) Ridicule, criticism, sarcasm, insults.

B. Gul (la-gag) Laugh at. Proverbs 30:17 The eye that mocks at a

father and despises obeying a mother – the ravens of the valley will peck it out and the young vultures will eat it.

Proverbs 17:5 The one who mocks the poor insults his Creator; whoever rejoices over disaster will not go unpunished.

II. The words for Scoffer

A. xwl (lootz) Ridicule, criticism, sarcasm, insults.

B. gul (la-gag) Laugh at. C. Qjc (sah-ghak) Laugh at or make sport

of.Proverbs 26:18-19 18 Like a madman who

shoots firebrands and deadly arrows, 19 so is a person who deceives his neighbor, and says, “Was I not only joking?”

III. The results of his actions

A. He is viewed as an abomination to society.Proverbs 24:9 A foolish scheme is sin, and

the scorner is an abomination to people.

III. The results of his actions

A. He is viewed as an abomination to society.B. He condemns himself.

Matthew 7:1-5 (NET) 1 “Do not judge so that you will not be judged. 2 For by the standard you judge you will be judged, and the measure you use will be the measure you receive. 3 Why do you see the speck in your brother’s eye, but fail to see the beam of wood in your own? 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye,’ while there is a beam in your own? 5 You hypocrite! First remove the beam from your own eye, and then you can see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.

III. The results of his actions

A. He is viewed as an abomination to society.

B. He condemns himself. Romans 2:1 Therefore you are without excuse, whoever you are, when you judge someone else. For on whatever grounds you judge another, you condemn yourself, because you who judge practice the same things.

III. The results of his actions

A. He is viewed as an abomination to society.

B. He condemns himself.C. God will do to him according to his

actions.Proverbs 3:34 Although he is scornful to arrogant scoffers, yet he shows favor to the humble.

III. The results of his actions

A. He is viewed as an abomination to society.B. He condemns himself.C. God will do to him according to his

actions.D. He will be punished.

Proverbs 19:29 Judgments are prepared for scorners, and floggings for the backs of fools.

Psalm 2:1-6 (NET)1 Why do the nations rebel? Why are the countries devising plots that will fail? 2

The kings of the earth form a united front; the rulers collaborate against the Lord and his anointed king. 3 They say, “Let’s tear off the shackles they’ve put on us! Let’s free ourselves from their

ropes!” 4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs in disgust; the Lord taunts them.

5 Then he angrily speaks to them and terrifies them in his rage, saying, 6 “I

myself have installed my king on Zion, my holy hill.”

IV. How should he be dealt with?

A. Follow the Lord’s instruction in Matthew.Matthew 18:15-17 15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.

IV. How should he be dealt with?

A. Follow the Lord’s instruction in Matthew.B. Understand that your reproof and

correction will be met with insults.Proverbs 9:7-8 (NET) 7 Whoever corrects a mocker is asking for insult; whoever reproves a wicked person receives abuse. 8 Do not reprove a mocker or he will hate you; reprove a wise person and he will love you.

IV. How should he be dealt with?

A. Follow the Lord’s instruction in Matthew.

B. Understand that your reproof and correction will be met with insults.Matthew 7:6 Do not give what is holy to dogs or throw your pearls before pigs; otherwise they will trample them under their feet and turn around and tear you to pieces.

IV. How should he be dealt with?

A. Follow the Lord’s instruction in Matthew.B. Understand that your reproof and correction will be

met with insults.C. Don’t retaliate.

Matthew 5:38-44 38 “You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ 39 But I say to you, do not resist the evildoer. But whoever strikes you on the right cheek, turn the other to him as well. 40 And if someone wants to sue you and to take your tunic, give him your coat also. 41 And if anyone forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42

Give to the one who asks you, and do not reject the one who wants to borrow from you. 43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘Love your neighbor’ and ‘hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, love your enemy and pray for those who persecute you,

Romans 12:17-19 (NET)17 Do not repay anyone evil

for evil; consider what is good before all people. 18 If

possible, so far as it depends on you, live

peaceably with all people. 19 Do not avenge

yourselves, dear friends, but give place to God’s wrath, for it is written,

“Vengeance is mine, I will repay,” says the Lord.

IV. How should he be dealt with?

A. Follow the Lord’s instruction in Matthew.

B. Understand that your reproof and correction will be met with insults.

C. Don’t retaliate.D. If he does not repent his presence will

cause further contention.Proverbs 29:8 Scornful people inflame a city, but those who are wise turn away wrath.

IV. How should he be dealt with?

C. Don’t retaliate.D. If he does not repent his presence will cause

further contention.E. He may need to be punished for the sake of

the simple.Proverbs 19:25 Flog a scorner, and as a result the simpleton will learn prudence; correct a discerning person, and as a result he will understand knowledge.Proverbs 21:11 When a scorner is punished, the naive becomes wise; when a wise person is instructed, he gains knowledge.

IV. How should he be dealt with?

F. If he will not respond to reproof and correction, drive him out and avoid him.Proverbs 22:10 Drive out the scorner and contention will leave; strife and insults will cease.Titus 3:10 Reject a divisive person after one or two warnings.

IV. How should he be dealt with?

F. If he will not respond to reproof and correction, drive him out and avoid him.Romans 16:17-18 17 Now I urge you, brothers and sisters, to watch out for those who create dissensions and obstacles contrary to the teaching that you learned. Avoid them! 18 For these are the kind who do not serve our Lord Christ, but their own appetites. By their smooth talk and flattery they deceive the minds of the naive.

From personal experience

A. Scoffing, like gossip is communicable. It is a disease that spreads.

From personal experience

A. Scoffing, like gossip is communicable. It is a disease that that spreads.

B. Mocking, like gossip is addictive. Just like drugs and alcohol, once your hooked it’s hard to quit.

From personal experience

A. Scoffing, like gossip is communicable. It is a disease that that spreads.

B. Mocking, like gossip is addictive.C. The scoffer’s comments damage the

credibility of the one scoffed even when the statements are suspected to be lies.

From personal experience

D. If you allow yourself to be the scoffer’s sounding board, he will bring you down. Don’t think you are exempt.

From personal experience

D. If you allow yourself to be the scoffer’s sounding board, he will bring you down. Don’t think you are exempt.

E. Never supply him with information about yourself or others.

F. He comes in the name of constructive criticism.

G. It doesn’t require insight to recognize problems and weaknesses or point fingers.

Conclusion“It’s not the critic who counts, not the one who

points out how the strong man stumbles or how the doer of deeds might have done better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena; whose face is marred with sweat and dust and blood; who strives valiantly, who knows the great enthusiasms, the great devotions, and spends himself in a worthy cause; who, if he fails, at least he fails while daring greatly, tat his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who know neither victory nor defeat.” Theodore Roosevelt

Don’t be a Scoffer