Basic HTML Version
(
'
, 2451), “wisdom; experience; shrewdness.” This word appears 141
times in the Old Testament. Like
, most occurrences of this word are in Job,
Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.
The
seeks after
“wisdom.” Like
, the word
can
refer to technical skills or special abilities in fashioning something. The first occurrence
of
is in Exod. 28:3: “And thou shalt speak unto all that are wisehearted, whom I
have filled with the spirit of wisdom, that they may make Aaron’s garments to consecrate
him, that he may minister unto me in the priest’s office.” This first occurrence of the
word in the Hebrew Bible bears this out as well as the description of the workers on the
tabernacle. The artisan was considered to be endowed with special abilities given to him
by God: “And he hath filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and
in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship” (Exod. 35:31).
)
is the knowledge and the ability to make the right choices at the opportune
time. The consistency of making the right choice is an indication of maturity and
development. The prerequisite for “wisdom” is the fear of the Lord: “The fear of the Lord
is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7).
“Wisdom” is viewed as crying out for disciples who will do everything to pursue her
(Prov. 1:20). The person who seeks
diligently will receive understanding: “For
the Lord giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding” (Prov.
2:6); he will benefit in his life by walking with God: “That thou mayest walk in the way
of good men, and keep the paths of the righteous” (Prov. 2:20). The advantages of
“wisdom” are many: “For length of days, and long life, and peace, shall they add to thee.
Let not mercy and truth forsake thee: bind them about thy neck; write them upon the table
of thine heart: so shalt thou find favor and good understanding in the sight of God and
man” (Prov. 3:2-4). The prerequisite is a desire to follow and imitate God as He has
revealed Himself in Jesus Christ, without self-reliance and especially
in a spirit of
pride: “A wise man will hear, and will increase learning; and a man of understanding
shall attain unto wise counsels: to understand a proverb, and the interpretation; the words
of the wise, and their dark sayings. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge:
but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:5-7). The fruits of
are many,
and the Book of Proverbs describes the characters of the
and
!
In New
Testament terms the fruits of “wisdom” are the same as the fruits of the Holy Spirit; cf.
“But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith,
meekness, temperance: against such there is no law” (Gal. 5:22-23); “But the wisdom
that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of
righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace” (James 3:17-18).
The importance of “wisdom” explains why books were written about it. Songs were
composed in celebration of“wisdom” (Job 28). Even “wisdom” is personified in
Proverbs.
)
as a person stands for that divine perfection of “wisdom” which is
manifest in God’s creative acts. As a divine perfection it is visible in God’s creative acts:
“Doth not wisdom cry: and understanding put forth her voice? … I wisdom dwell with