Bird's-eye view
This proverb lays out two distinct paths to wisdom, illustrating that God in His economy wastes nothing, not even the public disgrace of a fool. The verse operates on a contrast between two types of learners and two types of lessons. The first learner is the "simple" man, the naive, the uncommitted bystander. He is not yet a hardened fool, but he is on the trajectory to becoming one if his simplicity is not cured. His education comes secondhand, by observing the painful consequences that befall the scoffer. The second learner is the one who is already wise, or at least is inclined toward wisdom. He doesn't need to see a car wreck to learn to drive carefully; he learns by direct instruction, by considering and receiving knowledge. The proverb teaches us that wisdom is available to all, but the method of instruction is fitted to the student. Some learn by observation of judgment, others by attentive reception of truth. Both methods are ordained by God to display His justice and to build up His people.
At its heart, this is a deeply practical verse about education and the fear of the Lord. The punishment of the scoffer is a public spectacle of God's justice. It is a loud sermon preached to the simple, warning them that the way of the transgressor is hard. The wise, on the other hand, grow in knowledge not because they are smarter, but because their hearts are postured to receive it. They understand that wisdom is not generated from within but is a gift from God that must be sought and treasured. Ultimately, both paths point to the great divide between the fool and the wise, a chasm that can only be crossed by the grace of God in Jesus Christ, who is the wisdom of God incarnate.
Outline
- 1. Two Schools of Wisdom (Prov 21:11)
- a. The School of Hard Knocks: The Simple Man's Education (v. 11a)
- b. The School of Diligent Study: The Wise Man's Education (v. 11b)
Context In Proverbs
Proverbs 21 is a collection of individual aphorisms that touch on a wide range of topics, from the king's heart being in God's hand (v. 1) to the desirability of a peaceful home (v. 9, 19). A recurring theme throughout the book, and prominent in this chapter, is the stark contrast between the righteous and the wicked, the wise and the fool, and the ultimate consequences of each path. This particular proverb fits neatly into that overarching structure. It follows verses that discuss the Lord's evaluation of justice and righteousness over sacrifice (v. 3) and the futility of counsels against the Lord (v. 30). Proverbs 21:11 serves as a practical commentary on how the moral order established by God actually works itself out in human society. It explains one of the mechanisms by which God teaches humanity: through the public consequences of sin and the quiet reception of truth. It is a snapshot of God's pedagogical method, showing that both judgment and instruction are tools in His hands for the shaping of souls.
Key Issues
- The Distinction Between the Simple and the Scoffer
- The Pedagogical Purpose of Public Justice
- Two Methods of Gaining Wisdom: Observation and Instruction
- The Nature of a Teachable Heart
The Classroom of the World
The book of Proverbs distinguishes between three main characters: the wise, the fool, and the simple. The wise man fears God and receives instruction. The fool, a category which includes the scoffer, despises wisdom and is set in his ways. The simple man is in the middle; he is naive, untutored, and gullible. He is standing at the crossroads, and his future depends on which way he turns. This proverb is about his education.
God has established the world as a great classroom, and He uses two primary teaching methods. The first is what we might call education by demolition. When a scoffer, a hardened and arrogant fool, is finally brought to justice, it is not a quiet affair. His ruin is a public lesson. The simple man, who might have been tempted to follow the scoffer's swaggering path, sees the train wreck and learns a valuable lesson without having to experience it himself. The second method is education by instruction. The wise man doesn't need to see the public judgment; he actively seeks out knowledge and grows by considering it. He listens to the Word, he studies, he learns. This proverb tells us that God is always teaching. The only question is whether we are the kind of student who learns from the textbook or the kind who has to learn from the trip to the principal's office, or worse, by watching someone else get expelled.
Verse by Verse Commentary
11a When the scoffer is punished, the simple becomes wise;
Let's break this down. First, we have the subject: the scoffer. This is not just any fool. The scoffer is the arrogant, cynical, defiant fool. He mocks righteousness. He is the man who says in his heart there is no God, and says it out loud at a dinner party. His defining characteristic is that he is unteachable. He will not listen to rebuke. Therefore, the only thing that can get through to him is punishment. God's justice will eventually catch up to him.
And when it does, it is a public event. The punishment of a scoffer is a sermon in action. And who is the target audience? The simple. The simple man is not yet wise, but he is also not yet a hardened scoffer. He is impressionable. He sees the scoffer's bravado and might think it looks appealing. He sees the scoffer cutting corners and getting away with it and thinks, "Maybe that's the way to live." But then the hammer falls. The scoffer is fined, or imprisoned, or disgraced, or his wicked scheme blows up in his face. The simple man, standing on the sidewalk watching the whole mess, has a lightbulb go on. He becomes wise. He learns that sin has consequences. He learns that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom because he has just seen a demonstration of what happens to those who have no fear of the Lord.
11b And when one considers wisdom, he receives knowledge.
The second clause presents the alternative, and better, path to wisdom. This path is not for the simple, but for the one who is already wise, or at least has a heart inclined toward wisdom. The key verb here is considers. The NASB says "when the wise is instructed," but the idea is one of active engagement. The wise man doesn't just stumble upon wisdom by watching others fail. He pursues it. He gives his attention to it. He ponders it, meditates on it, and applies his mind to it.
And what is the result? He receives knowledge. This is a direct transaction. He doesn't need the negative example of the punished scoffer, because he is willing to learn from the positive instruction of God's Word. He reads the law, he listens to the preacher, he heeds the counsel of his elders. Because his heart is soft and his mind is engaged, he grows in knowledge and understanding. This is the easier, more pleasant way to learn. It is the difference between learning about electricity by reading a book and learning about it by sticking a fork in a socket. Both are educational experiences, but the former is highly preferred.
Application
This proverb forces us to ask a very practical question: how do I learn? What kind of student am I in God's world? Am I the simpleton who only learns his lesson when he sees God's judgment fall on someone else? Or am I the wise man who actively pursues knowledge and understanding?
There is a place for learning from the mistakes of others. A healthy fear of God's justice is a good thing. When we see a prominent leader fall into sin and disgrace, we should not gloat. We should take it as a warning for our own souls, and be made wise by it. That is the proper response of the "simple" in this text. It is a grace that God gives us such public warnings.
But we must not be content to stay in that class. We are called to be wise, to be those who actively consider wisdom. This means we must be people of the Book. We must be those who sit attentively under the preaching of the Word. We must be those who read and study and meditate on the Scriptures, not as a dry academic exercise, but in order to receive knowledge for life. The wise man doesn't wait for the scoffer to be punished; he already knows from Scripture that the way of the wicked will perish. He doesn't need a fresh demonstration.
Ultimately, all true wisdom is found in Christ. He is the one who took the ultimate punishment that all our scoffing and folly deserved. On the cross, the greatest scoffer of all, Satan, was punished and disarmed. The simple, looking on at the cross, can be made wise to salvation. And the wise, considering the wisdom of the cross, receive the deepest knowledge of all: the knowledge of the holy love and justice of God. Let us therefore be students of Christ, learning from His sacrifice and from His Word, so that we might grow in wisdom and knowledge day by day.