THE TEACHING OF THE WISDOM OF GOD IN HOLY SCRIPTURE

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God, and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST1 HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE TEACHING OF WISDOM OF GOD IN HOLY SCRIPTURE
ACCORDING TO THE HOLY ORTHODOX CHURCH.

The word SOPHIA (Gk. ΣΟΦΙΑ) " WISDOM," is encountered in the Sacred Books of both the Old Testament (in the Greek translation) and the New Testament.

In the New Testament Sacred Scripture it is used in three meanings:
1. In the usual broad meaning of wisdom, understanding: "Jesus
increased in wisdom and stature" (Luke 2:52); "But wisdom is justified
of all her children" (Luke 7:35).

2. In the meaning of the wise economy of God expressed in the creation of the world, in His Providence over the world, and in the salvation of the world from sin: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!… For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been His counselor?" (Romans 11:33-34). "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory" (1 Corinthians 2:7).

3. In relation to the Son of God as the Hypostatical Wisdom of God: "But we preach Christ crucified… Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God" (1 Corinthians 1:23-24); "Who of God is made unto us wisdom" (1 Corinthians 1:3)).

In the Old Testament Sacred Scripture we find in many places statements concerning wisdom. Here also there are the same three meanings for this term. In particular, wisdom is spoken of in the Book of Proverbs and in two of the Apocryphal Books: the Wisdom of Solomon and the Wisdom of Joshua, Son of Sirach.
a) In the majority of cases, human wisdom is presented here as a gift of God which one must hold exceptionally dear. The very titles of the Books, the "Wisdom" of Solomon and the "Wisdom" of Joshua, Son of Sirach, indicate in what sense–namely, in the sense of human wisdom–one must understand this word here. In other Old Testament Books separate episodes are cited which specially depict human wisdom–for example, the famous judgement of Solomon.

The above-named Books introduce us to the direction of thought of the Go-inspired teachers of the Jewish people. These teachers inspire the people to be guided by reason, not to give way to blind inclinations and passions, and to hold firmly in their actions to the commands of prudence, correct judgment, the moral law, and the firm foundations of duty in personal, family, and public life…

"… Wisdom in no way can be understood as a teaching of personal Wisdom, the soul of the world, in the sophiological sense. A man possess it, obtains it, loses it; it serves him; its beginning is called "the fear of the Lord"; and side by side with wisdom there are also named "understanding" and "instruction" and "knowledge."

Where does wisdom come from? Like everything else in the world, it has a Single Source: God. "For the Lord gives wisdom, and from His presence come knowledge and understanding" (Proverbs 2:6). God is the Guide even of wisdom and hte Corrector of the wise" (Wisdom of Solomon 7:15).

A Second Group of utterances in Holy Scripture refer to this wisdom of God, which is "the wisdom in God Himself." Ideas of the wisdom in God are interspersed with ideas of the widom in man.
If the dignity of understanding and wisdom in man are so exalted, then how majestic they are in God Himself! The writer uses the most majestic expressions possible in order to present the power and grandeur of the Divine Wisdom. Here also he makes broad use of personification. He speaks of the grandeur of the Divine plans which, according to our human conceptions, seem to have preceded the creation; because the Wisdom of God lies AT THE FOUNDATION OF ALL THAT EXISTS, THEREFORE IT IS BEFORE EVERYTHING, EARLIER THAN EVERYTHING THAT EXISTS. "The Lord made me the beginning of His ways for His works. He established me before He made the earth, even before He made the depths… Before all hills, He begets me… When He prepared the heaven, I was present with Him" (Proverbs 8:22-25, 27, Septuagint). The author speaks of the beauty of the world, expressing in images what was said of the creation in the Book of Genesis ("it was very good"). He says on behalf of wisdom: "I was by Him… I was that wherein He took delight; and daily I rejoiced in His presence continually" (Proverbs 8:30). [Resources: Orthodox Dogmatic Theology]

(To be continued)

____________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"\
– Saint John Chrysostomos
+ + +

With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George