Proverbs 26:4-5
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly,
or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.
or you yourself will be just like him.
5 Answer a fool according to his folly,
or he will be wise in his own eyes.
Reflection
Our scripture today is from what we will call wisdom literature.
Most wisdom literature comes in the form of proverbs or short statements of wisdom. These statements rather than telling a story reveal general truths about living a in a way that honors God. The large danger in interpreting wisdom literature is taking it out of context. For instance our scripture today seems to be confusing as the two statements seem not to agree. But they are two different statements addressing two different issues. What do you think it creates a problem to take scripture out of context?
