Proverbs 9:8 (Mini Sermon)

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1.      Pro 9:8 – “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.”

1. Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee:
   7. Wisdom continues her warning to the simple concerning reproving scorners which she began in Pro 9:7.
   8. If you reprove a scorner, there is a high probability he will hate
      1. Scorner n. – 1. One who scorns, derides, mocks or contemns; esp. one who scoffs at religion.
      2. Hate – 1. trans. To hold in very strong dislike; to detest; to bear malice to. The opposite of to love.
      3. Scorners despise instruction and reproof (Pro 1:7; Pro 15:5), and they hate those who reprove them (Pro 15:12; Amo 5:10).
      4. To prevent being hated, don’t reprove them (Pro 23:9), but rather forsake them (Pro 9:6; Pro 14:7).
      5. Lest conj. – 1. Used as a negative particle of intention or purpose, introducing a clause expressive of something to be prevented or guarded against.

• Scorners need to be smitten (Pro 19:25), punished (Pro 21:11), and cast out (Pro 22:10), not reproved.

1. rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee.
   1. Even wise men need rebuked sometimes.
      1. Wise adj. – 1. a. Having or exercising sound judgement or discernment; capable of judging truly concerning what is right or fitting, and disposed to act accordingly; having the ability to perceive and adopt the best means for accomplishing an end; characterized by good sense and prudence. Opp. to foolish.
      2. Rebuke v. – 1. trans. To beat down or force back; to repress or check (a person); to repulse. Obs. To reprove, reprimand, chide severely.
      3. Even the apostle Peter needed rebuked by Paul for his foolish action (Gal 2:11-14).
      4. The great patriarch Abraham needed rebuked for his foolish decision he made based on a lack of faith (Gen 20:9).
      5. Abraham did not hate the man who reproved him (Joh 8:40).
   2. One easy way to identify a wise man is by his love for those who rebuke him and his response to the reproof.
      1. A wise man wants to be corrected so that he can be right and be wiser.
      2. A wise man welcomes the painful reproofs of righteous men (Psa 141:5).
      3. It’s better to hear the rebuke of the wise than to hear the song of fools which validates and approves of your foolish ideas (Ecc 7:5).
   3. I thank God for my wife and others who love me enough to rebuke me when I’m wrong.