Character Traits of the Spiritual Life:

Wisdom

Richard Hollerman

With all of the sophisticated information in the world today, most people greatly admire and seek knowledge.  It has been called “the information age.”  Technology does require knowledge and this is esteemed highly by nearly everyone.  But the question is: Do we have wisdom?  Knowledge is important, especially a knowledge of spiritual things, but we also need wisdom.  William French Anderson was a world-famous geneticist with an incredible knowledge of science.  He “was convicted of child molestation in July 2006.  In a press conference, Anderson’s attorney said, ‘Nothing about having a 176 IQ means you have good judgment.’”[i][i] He had technical knowledge, but not godly wisdom.  He had scientific comprehension but not spiritual understanding.  What is this quality of wisdom about which the Bible speaks?

The Hebrew adjective hakam means “wise, skillful; practical.”  It appears 132 times in the Hebrew Scriptures, especially in the “wisom literature” of Job, Psalms, and Ecclesiastes.  The opposite of hakam is “fool” who is depicted as wicked (Proverbs 1:32; 3:35).  The noun hokmah, appearing 141 times, means “wisdom; experience; shrewdness.”  This term is “the knowledge and the ability to make the right choices at the opportune time.”  The verb hakam means “to be wise, act wisely, make wise, show oneself wise.”[ii][ii]

The Scriptures reveal the source of this wisdom.  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding” (Proverbs 9:10).  “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction” (1:7).  Solomon writes his proverbs that his son might “know wisdom and instruction, to discern the sayings of understanding” (1:2).  Much is said in this book about the meaning and effect of this Godly wisdom.

Scripture says that the wise man desires to be rebuked: “Reprove a wise man and he will love you” (9:8).  The wise man will study nature: “Go to the ant, O sluggard, observe her ways and be wise” (6:6).  The wise person will be open to counsel: “The wise of heart will receive commands” (10:8). “A wise man is he who listens to counsel” (12:15).  The wise person will be careful of his speech: “He who restrains his lips is wise” (10:19).  A wise person will associate with wise people: “He who walks with wise men will be wise, but the companion of fools will suffer harm” (13:20). The wise person will be careful how he speaks: “The tongue of the wise makes knowledge acceptable” (15:2).[iii][iii]  Wisdom is personified in Proverbs 1-9 and this should be read to widen our view of wisdom.  Much more may be found in the book of Proverbs itself, but this gives some idea of the breadth of instruction on how to receive wisdom and how to express it.

In the Greek New Testament, the word for wisdom is sophia.  The term refers to “the insight into the true nature of things.”[iv][iv] Sophia means “wisdom”—either “the natural wisdom that belongs to this world,” or “the wisdom which God imparts to those who are close to him.”[v][v]  Other Greek words would be phronesis, which means “understanding, prudence.”  And phronesis, a practical wisdom. Phronimos means “prudent, sensible, practically wise.”[vi][vi]

As in many other virtues, we must begin with God and His perfect character.  God is “the only wise God” (Romans 16:27; cf. 1 Timothy 1:17; Jude 25). Paul exclaims, “Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!  How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways!” (Romans 11:33; cf. Revelation 7:12).   The Bible speaks of “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:21, 24).  In fact, Paul says that “the manifold wisdom of God” is now made known through the body of Christ (Ephesians 3:10).

Christ also is characterized by spiritual wisdom.  Even when a child, Jesus “kept increasing in wisdom” (Luke 2:52). He astonished others by his wisdom (Matthew 13:54; Mark 6:2).  In 1 Corinthians, Christ is seen as “the wisdom of God” (1:24) and the “wisdom from God” (1:30).  “All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” are “hidden” in Christ (Colossians 2:3).  In the heavenly scene, the angels, living creatures, and elders ascribe wisdom to Christ the slain “Lamb” (Revelation 5:11-12).

We, as Christians, should want to be wise people.  We should want to have “insight into the true nature of things” and should want to have true “understanding.”  Paul wrote, “I want you to be wise in what is good and innocent in what is evil” (Romans 16:19).  He said that he was “wise master builder” (1 Corinthians 3:10) and told the Corinthians that they should have “one wise man who will be able to decide between his brethren” (6:5).  The apostle says that believers should be wise: “Be careful how you walk, not as unwise men but as wise, making the most of your time, because the days are evil” (Ephesians 5:15-16).

James also exults this virtue for his readers: “Who among you is wise and understanding?  Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom” (3:13).  This spiritual wisdom has certain moral characteristics: “The wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy” (v. 17).  This shows that it isn’t an intellectual attainment but a spiritual and moral quality.

While some may emphasize knowledge, as we have seen, we need to also emphasize how vital godly wisdom is in our life.  In Jerusalem, the requirements for the seven men chosen to serve the widows included wisdom: “Select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom” (Acts 6:3).  Stephen was one of the men chosen and he is described as reasoning with the Jews who were “unable to cope with the wisdom and the Spirit with which he was speaking” (v. 10).

Paul prayed that God would give the Ephesians “a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of [Christ]” (1:17). He also prayed that the Colossians would be “filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (1:9).  He maintained that he was teaching every man “with all wisdom” (v. 28). He wrote, “Let the word of Christ richly dwell within you, with all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with thankfulness in your hearts to God” (3:16).  We also are to have wisdom as we relate to unbelievers: “Conduct yourselves with wisdom toward outsiders, making the most of the opportunity” (4:5).  Do we earnestly strive for this spiritual insight, prudence, and understanding?

It is clear that we should have spiritual wisdom, guided by the Word of God, and that this should guide our decisions through life. What if we don’t have the wisdom that we would like?  James envisions this question and answers, “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him” (1:5).  God wants us to have wisdom.  If we have a relationship with God, if we order our lives according to the written revelation of Scripture, and we have a wholesome respect and fear of God, we will become people of wisdom.

 

[i][i]Larson and Elshof, 1001 Illustrations that Connect, p. 492.

[ii][ii] W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary.

[iii][iii] The Power for True Success, p. 188.

[iv][iv] W. E. Vine, Expository Dictionary.

[v][v] Arndt, et. al, A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament.

[vi][vi] Ibid.