Think on These
Things
by Tom McLemore
Question: “Mr. McLemore, How come Jesus
condemns calling someone ‘fool,’ when both he and Paul do so?”
Answer:
Jesus does condemn the practice in
Matthew 5:22. In Jesus’ story of the
rich farmer (Luke 12:16-21), God calls the farmer a fool. In 1 Corinthians 15:36, Paul calls one who
raises certain questions about the resurrection a fool. The thing that makes the difference is the
objective in using the term. Often someone will call another a fool to demean,
usually just because one disagrees with, or is in opposition to, the
other. This is what Jesus condemns. We
should discuss and deal with our differences without belittling others. In the
Old Testament, “fool” is used in the sense of one who has failed to take God
into account (e.g., Psalm 14:1; 53:1; 92:6).
Obviously, the persons Jesus and Paul call fools think and behave as
though God neither exists, nor has almighty power. Such thinking and behavior is nothing less
that ludicrous, and it is due no respect.
The objective is not to demean the person but to bring one to one’s
senses and help one to be saved from disaster!
Address questions to tommclemore@juno.com
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