From the scoffer
In the context of what we are talking about, a scoffer is a person who is so sure that he knows the truth that if you tell him the opposite of what he believes he will mock you derisively. Even if you give him a detailed explanation for why you believe what you believe he will simply not consider what you say. He has made up his mind about the topic and he considers it beneath himself to change his mind just because you think differently.
The Pharisees were like that. Jesus told them that He was the Son of God and they just couldn’t believe it. They had made up their mind that a man could not be the Son of God, and that was it.
Here is what God has to say about scoffers.
Ac 13:41 ‘BEHOLD, YOU SCOFFERS, AND MARVEL, AND PERISH; FOR I AM ACCOMPLISHING A WORK IN YOUR DAYS, A WORK WHICH YOU WILL NEVER BELIEVE, THOUGH SOMEONE SHOULD DESCRIBE IT TO YOU.’
The Jews scoffed at Paul when he told them that the Law of Moses and the Old Covenant was replaced by the New Covenant. Paul was quoting Hab 1:5 and was pointing out that scoffers will never believe what God is doing. They have already figured God out and the works of God are a closed box to them.
Job’s friends could not understand the root cause of Job’s plight because it never occurred to them that God would send trials to an innocent man.
Job 17:2-4 "Surely mockers are with me, and my eye gazes on their provocation. Lay down, now, a pledge for me with Yourself; who is there that will be my guarantor? For You have kept their heart from understanding, therefore You will not exalt them."
Pr 14:6 A scoffer seeks wisdom and finds none, but knowledge is easy to one who has understanding.
If you want to get sound doctrine you must have an open mind. If you don’t understand something new and different, don’t scoff at the person presenting it. Listen carefully, for it could be truth.
To find out if you are a scoffer, consider this question carefully: if you lived in Jesus’ time, would you have recognized Him as the Son of God?
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