Part five in a six part series of The People of Proverbs. The Scoffer is the most deplorable person in Proverbs. He is a fool, but more so, in that he/she causes division wherever he is found. There are strict warnings about accompanying oneself with the scoffer.

1. The People of Proverbs
Lesson 5 – The Scoffer

2. 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.

3. What does he scoff?
A. God
B. God’s moral principles
C. God’s program
D. God’s servants
E. God’s children

4. 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.

5. 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.

6. 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.

7. 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.

8. 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.

9. II. The words for Scoffer
A. xwl (lootz) Ridicule, criticism, sarcasm,
insults.

10. 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.

11. 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?”

12. 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.

13. 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.

14. 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.

15. 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.

16. 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.”

17. 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.

18. 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.

19. 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.

20. 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.

21. 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.

22. 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.

23. 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.

24. 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.

25. From personal experience
A. Scoffing, like gossip is communicable. It is
a disease that spreads.

26. 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.

27. 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.

28. 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.

29. 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.

30. 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

31. Don’t be a Scoffer