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Let Us Be “Fools For Christ's Sake”

Before Paul was to speak before the Athenians, certain philosophers asked, ‘What does this babbler want to say?” (Acts 17:18). W.E. Vine defines the literal meaning of the word “babbler” as “seed collector,” used in Greek slang for a half-witted sort of person who picks up bits of information he does not understand. In other words, the philosophers called Paul a “fool” or “seed picker.”

On another occasion when Paul was before Festus, the king said, “Paul, you are out of your mind; your great learning is driving you out of your mind.” Paul replied, “I am not out of my mind, most excellent Festus; but I am speaking true and rational words” (Acts 26:24-25 ESV).

Evidently there were others who accused Paul of being crazy or out of his mind, for in his letters to the Corinthian brethren, Paul wrote:

“For if we are beside ourselves, it is for God; or if we are of sound mind, it is for you” (2 Corinthians 5:1).

“I say again, let no one think me a fool. If otherwise, at least receive me as a fool, that I also may boast a little” (2 Corinthians 11:16).

Then in irony, Paul wrote:

“For you put up with fools gladly, since you yourselves are wise!” (2 Corinthians 11:19).

If name-calling could have stopped Paul, we would probably never have heard of him again, but Paul kept on “keeping the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). While in Athens, he ignored their taunts and used their idle curiosity as an open gate for his message (Acts 17:22-31). His reply to Festus was calm and straightforward — a self-contained refutation of the king’s charge (Acts 26:24-25 ESV).

Paul also turned the tables on his Corinthian attackers. If they gloried so in the flesh, he would show them (he said, “I speak as a fool”) that he had the more reason to so glory (2 Corinthians 11:23). But whatever the content of his response, Paul’s outstanding characteristic was his determination that it should be to the glory of God (cf. 2 Corinthians 12:9-10; 1 Peter 4:14).

Brethren, like Paul, whether we be beside ourselves or whether we be of sound mind, let us be “fools for Christ’s sake” (1 Corinthians 4:10).