God’s wisdom

December 31, 2020

God’s wisdom (1 Cor. 2:7)

“We speak about

God’s wisdom,

Secret

And hidden,

That God decreed

Before the ages

For our glorification.”

ἀλλὰ λαλοῦμεν Θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐν μυστηρίῳ, τὴν ἀποκεκρυμμένην, ἣν προώρισεν ὁ Θεὸς πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων εἰς δόξαν ἡμῶν·

Paul said we speak (ἀλλὰ λαλοῦμεν) about God’s (Θεοῦ) secret or mysterious (ἐν μυστηρίῳ) and hidden (ἀποκεκρυμμένην) wisdom (σοφίαν) that God (ὁ Θεὸς) preordained (προώρισεν) before the ages (πρὸ τῶν αἰώνων) for our glorification (εἰς δόξαν ἡμῶν).  Paul had spoken to them about the hidden mysterious wise plan of God to save the world.  This wisdom plan had only been vaguely laid out among the Israelites prophets and certainly not revealed to the gentiles.  God had laid out this plan to save humans and glorify them, but only revealed it to some Jewish people and not any gentiles.  Paul continued to reveal this higher mysterious wisdom of God to the Corinthians that came through Jesus Christ.  Do you want to know about God’s wisdom?

April 5, 2016

The chosen king (Wis 9:5-9:7)

“I am your servant.

I am the son of your serving girl.

I am a man who is weak.

I am short-lived.

I have little understanding of judgment.

I have little understanding of laws.

Even one who is perfect among human beings

Will be regarded as nothing

Without the wisdom that comes from you.

You have chosen me

To be king of your people.

You have chosen me,

To be judge over your sons.

You have chosen me

To be judge over your daughters.”

This author seems to assume the role of Solomon, claiming that he was chosen king by God, with the so-called divine right of kings. In fact, from 1 Kings, chapters1-2, there were some machinations by King David and Bathsheba, his wife and Solomon’s mother, to make this happen. However, this author pleads humility since he was merely the son of a servant girl. Thus he says that he was weak and short-lived, with littler understanding of judgment and laws. Probably he should not have been made king based on this. However, it was God’s wisdom (σοῦ σοφίας) that made him capable of being king (βασιλέα).

July 8, 2015

Where is wisdom? (Job 12:11-12:12)

“Does not the ear test words?

Does the palate taste food?

Is wisdom with the aged?

Is understanding in length of days?”

Where can we find wisdom? Our ears hear words. Our palate tastes food. Are the aged those who have gained real wisdom simply because they have lived so long and experienced so much? Is not God’s wisdom greater than this?

Where can we find wisdom? Our ears hear words. Our palate tastes food. Are the aged those who have gained real wisdom simply because they have lived so long and experienced so much? Is not God’s wisdom greater than this?