Proverbs 27:22
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Though thou shouldest bray a fool in a mortar among wheat with a pestle, yet will not his foolishness depart from him.
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Is there hope for a fool? No! There is hope for the foolishness of childhood or the temporary foolishness of adults, but there is no hope for a fool. He is what he is, and you cannot make him wise, no matter what you do (17:10,12; 29:9). You should avoid him, make sure you are not like him, and understand why some people never change.
What is a fool? A fool is a person who has rejected God by either words or deeds (Ps 14:1; 53:1; Titus 1:16). He is too proud and stubborn to be instructed, so he must be treated like a brute beast (10:8; 12:1; 14:16; 26:3). He is confident of himself, so he continues in his madness without caution or examination (10:23; 12:15; 15:5; 17:16; 26:11; 28:26). He is self-centered and profane (14:9; 17:24; 18:2; 20:3; Eccl 10:2-3).
Child foolishness can be corrected and eliminated by corporal punishment and reproof (19:18; 22:15; 29:15). Adult foolishness can be corrected by instruction, rebukes, and warnings (1:5; 9:8-9; 19:20; 25:12). There is hope in both these cases, but not with fools.
A mortar was a cup-shaped stone vessel that held grain, so it could be pulverized with a pestle, a club-like instrument used to pound the grain. Braying the grain meant to beat, bruise, and crush it to powder. The metaphor is powerful! If you were to smash a fool in a mortar with a pestle, you could not drive away his foolishness and make him wise.
How can you keep from being an incorrigible fool? The fear of the Lord is your first step, for it is the beginning of wisdom and understanding (1:7; 9:10). You must reject your own thoughts (16:25; 26:12). Then you must love instruction and reproof to be wiser (9:8-9; 12:1). And you must avoid fools, so you do not become like them (9:6; 13:20).
A wise man will identify fools, remember that they are beyond help and hope, and not waste his time or breath on them (17:10,12; 29:9). They are not worthy of honor, so it is wrong to give them any (26:1,8). They should only be answered to shut their mouths (26:4-5; Matt 7:6). If you must direct one, brute force will be necessary (26:3; Ps 32:9).
Some people never change ... never grow up as they should ... never increase in wisdom and understanding ... they are fools! Do not be discouraged or waste your time. Avoid and rebuke them instead. It is your duty and privilege to fear the Lord, humble yourself before teachers and counselors, and avoid the proud rebellion that enslaves their hearts and minds. It is much easier to learn this way than to be brayed with a pestle in a mortar, which the Lord Jesus Christ has done and will do to His foolish enemies (Matt 21:42-44)!
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