Some people think of a fool as someone who is mentally slow or handicapped, but that way of thinking is erroneous. A fool is defined as: “A person lacking in judgment or prudence.”
The Bible has many references to ‘fools’ with the term most frequently directed to those who were leaders and teachers who had supported erroneous beliefs and practices. In reality, we all do foolish things or have behaved foolishly at times. Our foolish moments are usually manifest when we open our mouths. King Solomon, who was granted great wisdom and who himself committed some foolish acts, stated that “Even a fool, when he holdeth his peace, is counted wise: and he that shutteth his lips is esteemed a man of understanding.” (Proverbs 17:28) The real fool is one who persists in believing in foolish concepts even after they have seen the evidence showing that what they believe in is erroneous and untrue.
Christ frequently used the term in reference to the scribes and the Pharisees of his day: “And as he spake, a certain Pharisee besought him to dine with him: and he went in, and sat down to meat. And when the Pharisee saw it, he marveled that he had not first washed before dinner. And the Lord said unto him, Now do ye Pharisees make clean the outside of the cup and the platter; but your inward part is full of ravening and wickedness. Ye fools, did not he that made that which is without make that which is within also?…But woe unto you, Pharisees! for ye tithe mint and rue and all manner of herbs, and pass over judgment and the love of God: these ought ye to have done, and not to leave the other undone.” (Luke 11:37–43) Christ, as charitable as He was, had very little patience, nor kind words, for Jewish leaders and scribes:
“Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Romans 1:22) The Jewish people, during that time, were taught to live by the many ill-conceived add-ons to the ‘Law of Moses.’ These were laws and traditions designed by men (not by revelation), that were added on to the Law of Moses. The Law of Moses was given by God, over 12 centuries prior to Christ birth. These add-ons were supplemental to the law, as desired by earlier scribes and pharisees, leaders who were referred to as fools by Christ. They were so steeped in their self-designed traditions, that it was very difficult for most of them to accept Christ and the ‘Gospel of love.’ The Gospel was given to replace the Law of Moses. The Law, as described by Paul, was a schoolmaster to prepare the children of Israel for the greater law: the Gospel of love. “He that walketh with wise men shall be wise: but a companion of fools shall be destroyed.” (Proverbs 13:20) The traditional Jewish people were companions of fools, as Christ described the Jewish leaders of his day. He also described how they would be destroyed: “And Jesus went out from the temple, and was going on his way; and his dis- ciples came to him to show him the buildings of the temple. But he answered and said unto them, ‘You see all of these things, do you not? Truly I say unto you, there shall not be left here one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down.’” (Matthew 24:1–2) The Romans did, in fact, invade Jerusalem in August of A.D. 70, (27 years after Christ was crucified) after a five-month siege. A full account of the bloody conflict is found in Josephus. The temple was destroyed on the 10th day of the 5th month, according to Jewish tradition.” (Wars V, VI) The Roman conquerors, as Christ had predicted, did not leave one stone atop another.
We will all ‘play’ the fool in our life, but may we not have fools for companions and for those who may lead and teach us. We have to take note that the fool is not the feeble minded, but rather those around us who sometimes lack good judgement and prudence. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is plain and simple. It is simply the Gospel of love.
Hopefully, the Scribes and Pharisees of our day, like those who were in times past, frequently referred to as ‘fools’ by the Lord, will be humble enough to believe and accept the true Gospel’s simplicity. Those trappings, such as the ceremonial bright and costly robes, candles, and incense burnings were not found in Christ’s Church. Those are the add-ons during the first few cen- turies following the death of the Apostles. Add-ons to the New Law by those leaders of the early Christian Church.
Instead of pomp and ceremony, Christ espoused simply to visit the widow in her time of need, give comfort to the afflicted, provide bread for the hungry, and bind the wounds of the injured. In other words, “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” He said that, ‘He who exalteth himself shall be abased.’