Folly, in the most advanced sense of a systema- tically conceived and applied theory of life opposed to thatof wisdom, isequivalentto practical atheism. The fool {i^i) is he who has said in his heart, ' There is no God ' ; by which, not a theoretical denial of the divine existence, but a practical negation of God's moral government is meant (Ps 14' 53' 39«, Is 9"). Synonymous with S?} in this meaning is yh ' mocker.'
B. In NT. Analogies for most of the above meanings may be found in NT, usually wdth a some- what larger admixture of the intellectual element.
(a) Foolishness appears as the lack of common- sense perception of the reality of things natural and spiritual, or as the imprudent ordering of one's life in regard to salvation ; i.<(>pwv, fioipo^, otoVos (Mt 7^ 23" 25'-"f-, Lk 11« 12» 9A^, Gal 3'- »).
(b) The OT ^ai as a moral reprobate reappears in the ixupi of Mt 5—, a term of opprobrium dis- tinguished by its ethical import from the Aramaic 'Pa/cd, occurring in the same verse and expressing merely intellectual imbecility.
(c) Of the natural foolishness belonging to the heathen mind, the only remedy for which lies in the wisdom supplied by revelation, we read in Ro 2™, Tit 3». The counterpart of the OT idea of the law as an institution for the wise guidance of Israel is furnished by St. Paul, who represents the gospel as a teleological arrangement in which the highest wisdom is manifested and recognized by the believer (Ro 11^). Inasmuch, however, as the Gentile mind sustains a radically wrong re- lation to the moral world, it fails to see this marvellous adaptation and decries the gospel as foolishness. Even the converted Greek is under temptation to justify its reasonableness from the worldly point of view by such a presentation as will materially alter its character. Hence the sharp antithesis, I Co l''-^ 2'* 3'8-=3 4'«, the wisdom of the world is foolishness to God, the foolishness of Christ crucified is the wisdom of God.
(d) In Ro 16", Epli 5">- " we are reminded ol the 5okhma usage. Tlie fool under whose mask St. Paul speaks 2 Co U'"*- corresponds in a formal sense to the boasting fool of Proverbs.
LiTBKATTOE.— Bruch, WeUheitdchre der llehriier ; Oheyne, Job and Solomon ; Oremer, Wurterb. der NT Or., l.vv. r^a, ro?/'« ; Delitzsch, Proverbi (Introduction) ; Kuvper, Encyd. ii. 66-71; Oehler, Thiol, of OT part iii. ; Uichm, Altttit. TheologU, 860-369 ; Sie^ried, Philo von Altxandrien ; Smend, Lehrb. der alttest. Religwnsgeechichte, 608-626.
Geerhardus Vos. FOOLERY.— Sir 22" 'Talk not much with a fool ... and thou shalt never be defiled ^vith his fooleries ' (ou ^7) fioXwO^t {v n^ lvTi.va.yfuf auroD BS, ■flxaTi A ; RV ' thou shalt not be defiled in liis onslaught '). The form in A, ivrlvayiia., is found in Aq. at Is 28' 322, ^nd in Symm. Tbeod. at Is 28- ; neither form elsewhere in Greek. The verb from which the subst. is derived, ivriviaau, is used in LXX, 1 Mac 2^ and 2 Mac 4'" of casting stones, and in 2 Mac 1 1" of charging an enemy. It is probably with the last passage in mind that RV renders 'onslaught.' Edersheira (Speaker's Com.) prefers the more etymological tr" ' that which he throws out,' but understands that either saliva is meant literally, or that it is used figuratively for foolish words ; Bissell follows Fritzsche and Bunsen, and renders slaver, 'which, of course, is used for low and foolish words.' For the Eng. word, cf. Shaks. Winter's Tale, III. ii. 185 —
' Thy tyranny Together working with tby jealousies, — Fancies too wealt for boys, too green and idle For girls of nine, — O, thiiilt, what they have done, And then run mad, indeed ; stark mad ! for all Thy bygone fooleries were but spices of it.'
J. Hastings. FOOT (Sj-1, iroi''s). — There are various ideas con- nected with the foot due to its position as the lowest part of the human body.
1. Subjection, Jos 10=*, 2 S 22^9, Is 49^, 1 Co l.l^ ". The foot on the neck is seen on the Egyptian monuments. The promise made to Joshua of possessing every place that the sole of hio foot should tread upon, is literally claimed 6ci acttJ upon by Islam. The Sultan is the Shadow of God, the token of the Almighty's presence and power ; military concjuest is tlierefore a triumph of the faith and an malienable possession. After the war >vith Greece in 1897, this article of belief created a religious dilemma mth regard to withdrawing from conquered Thessaly.
2. Humilitr/, as in the relationship of disciple sitting at the feet of master (Dt33», Lk KP, Ac 22«), and generally of inferior to .superior in the act of obeisance and worship (Nu 16*, Ru 2'°, Ezk 11'", Mt 18^, Rv 5''' etc. ). Such prostration forms part of the ordinary Moslem devotions.
3. Defilement, Ex 3'. Contact with the common earth was considered defiling, and gave rise to the Oriental rule about removing the shoe, and on certain occasions washing the feet before entering sacred places, such as buildings devoted to worship, shrines, and in houses the carpeted rooms where prayer is oft'ered. Shaking the dust from the feet IS an easy and often -repeated act on the dusty roads of the East. The shoe or slipper is not usually removed, but the foot is held out and shaken with the shoe hanging down from the toes, until the dust falls out. It was a symbol of scorn- ful and complete rejection (Mt 10'*, Ac 13"). The same thought is now more commonly expressed by shaking the collar of the coat (cf. Ac 18').