Is the Bible for Scholars?
The unfolding of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple. Psalm 119:130 NASB
Simple – How often have I thought to myself, “If only I could have just a simple faith again.” Religion would be so much easier if I didn’t have all these questions. How nice it would be to say, “I’m comfortable with what I believe,” and not go looking for more. Far too many times the complications of text, grammar, history, doctrines, and paradigms make it harder for me to find that spiritual connection I so desperately desire.
And then I come across a verse like this. “Understanding for the simple”? That just seems impossible. How can these words, written in a language that was dead for a thousand years, in a time virtually alien to us, under circumstances we barely understand, give insight to the petāyîm’? Who are these “lucky” people?
The basic verb idea is “be open, spacious, wide,” and might relate to the immature or simple one who is open to all kinds of enticement, not having developed a discriminating judgment as to what is right or wrong.[1]
פֶּתִי (petî). Simple, foolish. petî generally describes the naive (not deranged) in Prov who must be well taught, since an immature person believes anything (Prov 14:15).[2]
Maybe they’re not so lucky. If they are prone to believe anything, they’re the victims of whatever persuasive chatter comes along. Actually, we have millions of these “lucky” ones around today. They get their news from TikTok. They believe whatever the “influencers” tell them. They follow the crowd. Douglas Murray wrote a great book about this situation.[3] Perhaps we need to revise this verse: “ . . . it gives understanding to the simple-minded.”
But Scripture doesn’t treat these people with the same animosity that it displays for other kinds of fools. The reason is that these people are open to enlightenment. Their problem is not resistance. It’s ignorance. They just don’t know the majesty of God’s instruction. It’s always possible that they will wake up and learn. So the psalmist is encouraging. “Unfolding” (pētaḥ) gives light to the petāyîm. A nice alliteration to remember. If you expose such a person to the truth, there’s nothing standing in the way of receiving it.
The Bible has three words for “fool”: kĕsîl, the person who has a propensity to make wrong choice; ʾewîl, a person who is morally insolent; and nābāl, a person is of a mean disposition. The kĕsîl is someone who chooses an enticing but immature way of life. He’s in the dark because he doesn’t understand the danger of the path he’s on. He doesn’t concentrate on seeking the truth, and as a result, he’s easily led astray. It’s possible to get him back on the path because he hasn’t openly resisted instruction. The ʾewîl, on the other hand, knows what is right but chooses the opposite. For him it is not a matter of ignorance. It’s a matter of self-will. He comes first regardless of the circumstances. And finally, nābāl, “emphasizes being ignoble and disgraceful, a downright boor. Insensibility to God, as well as a moral insensibility, close the mind to reason.”[4] This is a person who not only resists God’s ways but encourages others to do the same. He is, according to Proverbs, irredeemable.
The psalmist believes in the power of God’s word—a power that attracts those who are open. That power is constrained by resistance, and eradicated by immoral propagation. But the petāyîm have a chance and the power of the words of God can open them to a change in direction. In the end, that is what scholars also want—and need. Perhaps it’s possible to be a scholar and a petî at the same time. After all, the Bible is not about information. It’s about transformation, and collecting lexicons and commentaries means nothing if the behavior isn’t altered.
Topical Index: petāyîm, simple, fool, kĕsîl, ʾewîl, nābāl, enlightenment, Psalm 119:130
[1] Harris, R. L., Archer, G. L., Jr., & Waltke, B. K., eds. (1999). In Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 742). Moody Press.
[2] Ibid., (electronic ed., p. 743).
[3] Douglas Murray, The Madness of Crowds: Gender, Race and Identity (Bloomsbury, 2019)
[4] Goldberg, L. (1999). 1285 נָבַל. In R. L. Harris, G. L. Archer Jr., & B. K. Waltke (Eds.), Theological Wordbook of the Old Testament (electronic ed., p. 547). Moody Press.
