In our previous post we took a look at the “Simple Ones”, simple ones were simply naive, unlearned those complacent with ignorance.
Now let us consider our next group, “scorners.”
Scorners (or mockers) are outwardly critical of others and they find fault when offered good advice. Scorners are bolder than the simple ones. Filled with self-esteem and self-confidence, they oppose the counsel and advice of true wisdom, and they refuse to listen to the Lord’s counsel. Thus they fail to make progress or grow in grace and knowledge. Scorners oppose not only wisdom as it comes directly from the word of God, but likewise whomever wisdom is moving (instructed) to pronounce her message.
Comment: Several verses in Jude bring this warning right down to our day in speaking about the bold, scorning element. “How that they (the Apostles) told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts” (Jude 18). “Likewise also these ... speak evil of dignities” (Jude 8). “These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear” (Jude 12).
Another form of scorning is being cynical, distrusting or disparaging the motives of others, even when their true motives are only to help someone to better understand.
Note: It should be rightly understood that these “mockers” or “scorners” if you will mentioned by Jude are not in reference to non-believers, but to professed followers of the Lord.
How do we know this?
Because of what is stated. First of all Jude states that they “crept in unnoticed”.
Crept in where?
Why the church of course, the only way they could have joined in among the brethren is if they had first made professions of faith, secondly “they speak evil of whatever they do not know”, that is to say “like brute beasts” (the ignorant beasts) being carnally minded they cannot accept the things of the spirit, and therefore they mock what they can’t understand.
Thirdly “they have gone in the way of Cain”. Not being able to properly refute spiritual truths through the scriptures, they are reduced to character assassination of the brethren; they attack the messenger rather than the message. And so following “in the error of Balaam” they are reduced to propagating the errors and false teachings of the past, the doctrines and teachings of men and of devils.
These are grumblers (against the Lord’s arrangements; against those specially set in the "body" - 1 Cor 12:18), and complainers ("Fault- finders" - Diaglott- finding fault with those faithfully endeavoring to serve the Lord and advance the interests of his Kingdom) as stated, “These are sensual (worldly, carnal minded) persons, who cause divisions (amongst the brethren), not having the Spirit.”
Thus it is evident that these (professed believers) are false brethren, “tares” sown in amongst the wheat.
The third category is “fools [those who] hate knowledge.”
The Scriptures tell us that only a fool says in his heart, “There is no God” (Psa. 14:1; 53:1). Some fools say this outwardly but not necessarily in their hearts. Rather because they like to be different and to be controversial, they will say,
“What is the Bible? It was written by man. Why should we pay special heed to it?”
Infidels say, “In this large universe how could the great God be interested in little earth and its tiny inhabitants?”
The three categories are in an ascending order of wrong: simple ones, scorners, and fools.
The simple one does not want knowledge, (but chooses to live in ignorance), the scorner mocks knowledge (because of his own lack of understanding), but the fool is the worst of the bunch, for fools hates knowledge. Each category gets bolder and more active. In fact, the fool actively opposes truth.” (Excerpts taken from, The Book of Proverbs, Page 90)
