Proverbs 14:6

6 1A scoffer seeks wisdom 2in vain, but 3knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.

Proverbs 14:6 Meaning and Commentary

Proverbs 14:6

A scorner seeketh wisdom, and [findeth it] not
So the scornful Greeks, that scoffed at the plainness and simplicity of the Gospel, sought natural wisdom, and thought they found it, and professed they had; but professing themselves to be wise they became fools, and with all their wisdom knew not God; and false teachers, that boasted of their evangelical wisdom, and of their great attainments in Gospel light, and derided others, were ever learning, and never came to the knowledge of the truth; and the scornful Jews, that mocked at the true Messiah, would seek him, the Wisdom of God, as they have done, and find him not; see ( John 7:34 ) ; Men often seek for wisdom in a wrong way and manner, in the use of wrong means; and seek it of wrong persons, and to wrong ends and purposes, and so seek amiss and find not; and some seek for wisdom, even evangelical wisdom, in a scornful manner, in a jeering sarcastic way, as the scoffing Athenians did, ( Acts 17:18 Acts 17:19 ) ; and find it not, nor Christ the substance of it, and so perish for lack of knowledge of him; but knowledge [is] easy unto him that understandeth;
the knowledge of Wisdom, or of Christ, is easy to him that has a spiritual understanding given him; the knowledge of the Gospel, and the doctrines of it, is easy to him to whom it is given to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven; there is nothing perverse or froward in the words and doctrines of Christ; they are all plain to man whose understanding is opened by the Spirit of God; especially such as relate to the glory of Christ's person, and to the way of life and salvation by him; see ( Proverbs 8:8 Proverbs 8:9 ) .

Proverbs 14:6 In-Context

4 Where there are no oxen, the manger is clean, but abundant crops come by the strength of the ox.
5 A faithful witness does not lie, but a false witness breathes out lies.
6 A scoffer seeks wisdom in vain, but knowledge is easy for a man of understanding.
7 Leave the presence of a fool, for there you do not meet words of knowledge.
8 The wisdom of the prudent is to discern his way, but the folly of fools is deceiving.

Cross References 3

  • 1. [Proverbs 24:7]
  • 2. [Psalms 25:9; 1 Peter 5:5]
  • 3. [Proverbs 8:9; Proverbs 15:14; Proverbs 17:24]
The English Standard Version is published with the permission of Good News Publishers.