Proverbs – I think the NASB is a brilliant translation. Do you own a copy? You should. Here’s what it says for Proverbs 26:4-5:
4 Do not answer a fool according to his folly, or you will also be like him. 5 Answer a fool as his folly deserves, that he not be wise in his own eyes.
Notice how the emphasis falls away from the idea that you don’t answer/ do answer and lands squarely on how you answer? In other words it’s all about how you answer. Don’t answer him on his terms or you’ll end up like him. No, answer him as he deserves or else he’ll think he is as smart as you.
An illustration – Remembering that the Fool is someone who says there is no God (Psalm 14:1; 53:1) I recall being in a debate with a humanist who claimed to be an atheist. I tried to engage using his philosophical framework without quoting from the Scriptures and without assuming any knowledge of God. A foolishly post-modern attempt at evangelism. I ended up having to debate entirely on his terms – even to the point of using his terms! And he left thinking he had beaten me and exposed my ignorance and the ignorance of the faith.
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