Proverbs 27:22—Is foolishness correctable?

Problem: Proverbs 22:15 teaches that “Foolishness is bound up in the heart of a child, But the rod of correction will drive it far from him.” But, according to this verse, foolishness is irremediable, because, “Though you grind a fool in a mortar with a pestle along with crushed grain, yet his foolishness will not depart from him.”

Solution: There are two significant differences in these passages. First, one is speaking of a child, who is still teachable. The other is referring to an adult who is beyond hope. Second, the correctable foolishness is only waywardness, whereas the incorrigible foolishness is beyond hope.

This excerpt is from When Critics Ask: A Popular Handbook on Bible Difficulties (Wheaton, Ill.: Victor Books, 1992). © 2014 Norman Geisler and Thomas Howe. All rights reserved. Used by permission. Click here to purchase this book.