Proverbs 26:9

Fools cannot be trusted for truth or wisdom. Drunkards hurt themselves with thorns; fools hurt themselves with parables. Drunkards are insensitive to the pain; fools are oblivious to their ignorance. Here is further ridicule of fools by King Solomon (Pr 26:1-11).

A parable is a dark and obscure saying, like Solomon’s proverbs, which requires careful interpretation and application to be profitable (Pr 1:6). Since a fool has no understanding, he ends up using a parable to his own hurt, much like a drunkard too intoxicated to handle thorns properly and ends up piercing his own hand. Wisdom is only for wise men.

The lesson is simple. Fools are unfit teachers of wisdom: they will shame themselves trying to interpret dark sayings of wise men. Peter also warned about these unlearned men wresting Scripture to their own destruction (II Pet 3:15-16). A fool lacks mental ability, humility of spirit, revelation of God, rules of interpretation, or all four essentials.

Truth and wisdom are precious – the chief things to seek in life (Pr 3:15-18; 4:5-9; 8:11; 16:16; 23:23). But a fool has no right to them: they are beyond his ability (Pr 17:16; 18:2; 26:5). Solomon ridiculed fools trying to teach truth or wisdom in order to exalt both to wise men. They are treasures to wise men, because they know fools will never find them.

The words of truth and wisdom are plain to those that understand and right to them that have knowledge (Pr 8:8-9). God has not hid them from those that fear Him. But fools have neither understanding nor knowledge, for they are too foolish to fear God. They take the words of the wise and pierce themselves by misinterpreting and misapplying them.

Fools are lazy, and their little study is only to confirm their own thoughts (Pr 18:2). They miss the proper divisions and distinctions in sense and application necessary to be approved workmen in God’s word (Neh 8:8; II Tim 2:15). They are shameful in doctrine and practice. When they open their mouths, everyone knows they are fools (Ec 10:3).

There are more fools today than ever, largely due to more education, for most educators are humanists, who are fools by creed and content (Ps 14:1; 94:11; I Cor 1:19-20; I Cor 3:18-20). Many of these fools flock to the field of religion, where they can make an easy living writing new Bible versions or telling stories from a pulpit to ignorant audiences.

Consider a few examples of parables in the mouth of a fool. Look for the thorn going into the drunkard’s hand, as these fools expose their ignorance. Building committees have often used, “Where there is no vision, the people perish” (Pr 29:18), to justify new building programs. But the full verse clearly means the people have lost the word of God!

Why did Jesus use parables (Matt 13:34-35)? Fools say His parables were earthly stories with heavenly meanings to make His doctrine easy to understand by common people. But He explained the very opposite – His parables were to hide truth and keep the people from understanding (Mat 13:10-17)! The thorn is deep in the hand of the drunkard!

Jesus said, “This is my body,” while holding a piece of bread. Rome’s popes and priests will tell you He had changed the bread into His own body, blood, soul, and divinity, inviting His apostles to be cannibals. All their seminaries missed the metaphor, as when He also said, “I am the door,” and, “I am the vine.” Do you see the thorn? Where is it?

Paul said, “Else what shall they do which are baptized for the dead” (I Cor 15:29), when proving the resurrection of the dead by the mode of baptism – immersion. But Mormon apostles say his words require their underground temple baptisteries, where you can be baptized for dead relatives that missed meeting Joe Smith. Do you see the thorn?

Was Solomon wiser than textual critics and novelists that write new Bible versions every year? Of course! His book of Proverbs is full of his parables, or dark sayings, which confound these fools (Pr 1:6). To see what religious arrogance and education gets you, here are examples of thorns in drunkards: https://letgodbetrue.com/sermons/index/year-2015/proverbs-babel/.

Want more spiritual entertainment? Can you find the thorn and identify the drunkard? God confounded mankind at the tower of Babel – giving them different languages to ruin their United Nations project (Gen 11:1-9). He did a similar thing with I Samuel 13:1 in Hebrew, which is documented here: https://letgodbetrue.com/bible-topics/index/scripture/the-bible-babel/.

If fools would stop talking, or writing, they could save themselves from such shame, just as Solomon advised (Pr 17:28; Eccl 5:3). But those who should talk the least usually talk the most. If fools must talk, they should avoid all important topics, like a cripple with the wisdom to avoid dancing! Or like a drunkard with the wisdom to avoid thorns!

If you wish to be wise and understand the dark sayings of God, you must humble yourself before Him, which is the beginning of wisdom and understanding (Pr 1:7; 9:10). You then must tremble before His word and believe every word is pure (Pr 30:5; Is 66:2). Then beg Him for the wisdom you do not have (Pr 2:1-9; Ps 119:18; Jas 1:5).

With total confidence in God’s revelation, you can see the great darkness that covers the minds of most men (Is 8:20; I Tim 6:3-5,20-21). Learn to despise the words of fools (Ps 119:113,128; II Cor 2:17). Look for men that fear God, have no fear or respect of the world, and preach His word insistently – they will teach you the truth (II Tim 4:1-4).