📖 Biblical Definition
The opposite of biblical wisdom — not mere intellectual deficiency but moral and spiritual rebellion that disorders thought, speech, and life. Proverbs personifies folly as a brazen woman calling from her doorway opposite Lady Wisdom (Prov 9). The fool says in his heart there is no God (Ps 14:1); the apostles preach a gospel that is foolishness to the world but the wisdom of God to those being saved.
📜 Webster 1828 Definition
FOL'LY, n.
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1. Weakness of intellect; imbecility of mind. 2. A weak or absurd act not highly criminal; an act inconsistent with the dictates of reason. 3. Criminal weakness; depravity of mind.
📖 Key Scripture
Proverbs 9:13 — "A foolish woman is clamorous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing."
Proverbs 17:12 — "Let a bear robbed of her whelps meet a man, rather than a fool in his folly."
1 Corinthians 1:18 — "For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God."
1 Corinthians 1:25 — "The foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men."
⚠️ Modern Corruption
Modern intelligence is often Scripture-grade folly; the cross looks foolish to the cleverest credentials.
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1 Corinthians 1 contains one of the Bible's sharpest commentaries on intellectual culture. The preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who perish — the credentialed, the educated, the cosmopolitan, the philosophically refined — and the power of God to those who are being saved. The wisdom of the age and the wisdom of God do not align; one of them is folly.
Modern intelligence often resembles biblical folly closely. PhDs deny the resurrection on principle; columnists call sin sophistication; comedians treat marriage and the unborn as punchlines. The Bible calls this disordered thinking what it is. Proverbs 17:12 is striking: better to meet a wounded mother bear than a fool in his folly. Pray for wisdom; fear the Lord; recognize folly when it speaks; and remember the cross-foolishness is the power of God to those who believe.
🔗 Greek & Hebrew Roots
Hebrew iwwelet (H200); Greek moria (G3472).
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H200 — iwwelet — folly, foolishness
H5039 — nevalah — folly, disgraceful sin
G3472 — moria — foolishness
Usage
"Modern intelligence is often Scripture-grade folly; the cross looks foolish to the cleverest credentials."
"PhDs deny the resurrection on principle; the Bible calls this folly by name."
"Better to meet a wounded mother bear than a fool in his folly — Solomon was specific."