(remember, these are unedited/draft show notes, not a transcript — listening is always better…and if you listen AND follow along below, you’ll see how)
Focus Question:
What is Biblical wisdom?
Intro:
What is Biblical wisdom?
Hey, welcome to ForTheHope bible reading #1161. Hope you’re safe and well.
We often think of wisdom in kinda abstract terms, but it’s ultimately practical…wisdom is skill for living. Now lest you think — and rightfully so — that that could be how you might think about it in a secular sense, that’s exactly why we have focus questions here. So today as we knock down a short 1 Co 2, keep an ear out — and we’ll wrap up the day by highlighting a key distinction that’s worth remembering.
New Testament segment:
Passage: 1 Corinthians 2
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 16
Words: ~339
At this point in our journey through Isaiah you’ll hear a significant shift in tone. You’re going to hear a familiar story…today and tomorrow will be recounting stories that will sound familiar from what read about in Kings. Interestingly, Isaiah, doesn’t have these stories in chronological order…a detail we’ll knock down tomorrow. How’s that for a cliffhanger?
Old Testament segment:
Passage: Isaiah 36-37
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 51
Words: ~1337
Finally, we close out with another Psalm that includes something Jesus quoted.
Wisdom segment:
Passage: Psalm 118
Translation: CSB (Christian Standard Bible)
Verses: 29
Words: ~476
The bottom line:
You probably recognize the line…”The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.” Interestingly, it’s a great line to look up to see how different Gospel writers catered to different audiences — Matthew to a Jewish audience and Luke to a Greek or Gentile audience. So there’s your homework assignment…go look that up in Mt 21 and Lk 20. And if you’re listening while driving or something like that, today’s episode is #1161 at forthehope.org.
But our focus question today is “What is biblical wisdom?” I’m not going to do a complete biblical analysis, but let’s go back to Paul writing to the Corinthians, talking about the difference between earthly and spiritual wisdom and a “message of wisdom” if you will. But he doesn’t exactly define it. So…
…what is the content of this “message of wisdom” that Paul and others speak, and who are the mature? Is “wisdom” in this context the gospel or something more? Are the “mature” all believers, or does Paul have in mind more discerning, spiritually advanced Christians? Here Paul does not unfold the content of wisdom, as he does God’s “mystery” in Ephesians and Colossians; he only specifies that the rulers of this age would not have crucified Jesus had they known it (2:7–8). Rather, Paul focuses on the nature of wisdom as “hidden in mystery” and its source; it is God’s wisdom (2:7) disclosed by the Spirit (2:10–16).
The only wisdom Paul preaches is the wisdom of the cross, not more sophisticated instruction for a select group. It is the same wisdom for beginners and more advanced Christians, but the measure of this wisdom is one’s grasp of the deep things of God embodied in the cross that manifests itself in behavior.(1)
What is biblical wisdom? It’s skill for living. And my final question is this…does “mystery” mean something unknowable or revealed through some special spiritual discipline? No…not unless that’s the spiritual discipline of getting to know Jesus in His Word and prayerfully asking the Holy Spirit for help in understanding and applying it. As this same Paul writes in Ro 15:4,
For whatever was written in the past was written for our instruction, so that we may have hope through endurance and through the encouragement from the Scriptures. Ro 15:4, CSB
God’s Word will be perfectly consistent with the guidance and understanding you receive from the Holy Spirit, and that will be consistent with His will for your life. Wisdom, your skill for living, is your maturity in relationship with Him and the people in His world.
Love you!
Roger
ForTheHope is a daily audio Bible + apologetics podcast and blog. We’ve got a passion for just keepin’ it real, having conversations like normal people, and living out the love of Jesus better every single day.
Roger Courville, CSP is a globally-recognized expert in digitally-extended communication and connection, an award-winning speaker, award-winning author, and a passionately bad guitarist. Follow him on Twitter -- @RogerCourville and @JoinForTheHope – or his blog: www.forthehope.org.
Sources and resources:
(1) Mark Taylor, 1 Corinthians, ed. E. Ray Clendenen, vol. 28, The New American Commentary (Nashville, TN: B&H Publishing Group, 2014), 86-87