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1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... that Christ “has been crucified.” This use of a perfect passive is deliberate. In Greek, the perfect tense expresses a completed action with lingering effects. Christ’s cross may be an event in the past, but it continues to reveal God’s power and wisdom in the present (1:24). 1:25 the foolishness of God . . . the weakness of God. Paul’s argument has come full circle. Obviously, he is not suggesting that anything God does is foolish or weak; he is giving a climactic comparative statement on God ...

2. Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... the gospel. Eloquence in the NIV intends to name the first form of excellence that Paul rejected, but he may have meant to imply the content as well as the form of the word he refused to preach. This point is certainly clear from the second excellence he names: wisdom. Paul’s testimony to God’s work in the cross of Christ was not put in a slick package or toned down to a humanly reasonable level. 2:2 Paul continues to explain why (for) he ministered as he did. Paul’s resolve to know nothing other than ...

3. Wisdom's Call

Proverbs 8:1-36

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... but also delighting in human beings. The final words in verses 32–36 are spoken by her, and not by the sage, as might be expected (cf. 7:24–27). 8:1–3 Presumably it is the sage who utters the rhetorical question calling attention to Woman Wisdom (in the grammatically singular Hebrew form, ḥokmâ, instead of ḥokmôt as in 1:20 and 9; see Additional Notes). She is described as stationing herself beside the gates of the city where she can reach a crowd of people. This open approach contrasts with the ...

4. Wisdom’s Final Appeals

Proverbs 8:1-36

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... ” in 8:14b is literally “I am insight”; that is, insight is “part of her very essence” (Waltke 2004, 402) but is also available to all who welcome her. In verse 17, “I” introduces a subunit bracketed by “those who love me” (8:17–21). Wisdom’s “love” here involves bestowing her rich gifts on all who desire her, not just on rulers. Those “who seek me find me” (8:17b) evokes passages such as Deuteronomy 4:29; Jeremiah 29:13; and Matthew 7:7 (also Matt. 6:33, which describes how ...

5. Applying God’s Wisdom to Life’s Issues

1 Corinthians 2:6-16, 1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

Teach the Text

Preben Vang

... in meaning between these readings seems minor. Paul’s point is clearly that the content of his proclamation came as revelation from God and did not originate in human thinking. God’s testimony to the world, his salvation through Christ, remains a mystery to human wisdom (2:7) that the unspiritual do not understand (2:8, 13). 2:2 nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified. As the rest of the letter amply shows, this statement is neither absolute nor doctrinal—as if the only ...

6. Wisdom

Ecclesiastes 7:1--8:1

Understanding Series

Elizabeth Huwiler

... he speaks of adding one thing to another to discover the scheme (or sum). Finally, Qohelet concludes that while God made people straightforward, they have gone in search of many schemes (or calculations; 7:29). Perhaps this is an admission that the reason Qohelet did not find wisdom (the woman among them all?) is that the search itself was wrongheaded and could lead only to folly (the woman who is a snare?). The search for a scheme in 7:25, 27–28 is acknowledged in 7:29 to be out of harmony with the work ...

7. Two Kinds of Wisdom

James 3:13-18, James 3:1-12

Understanding Series

Peter H. Davids

... to the gift or presence of God’s Spirit (e.g., Gen. 41:38–39; Exod. 31:3–4; Prov. 2:6; 8:22–31). Thus one could paraphrase James as “this behavior is not inspired by God’s Spirit.” What, then, is the source and character of this “wisdom” that inspires them? First, it is earthly. On the surface, to say that something belongs to the earth is not bad, but it is bad if the something is claimed to come from God (1 Cor. 15:40). Thus James already argues that their inspiration is at best their ...

8. Invitation of Wisdom and of Folly

Proverbs 9:1-18

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... seem to eliminate the personification and opposition to 9:1. Plöger (Sprüche) regards Folly as a “typifying” of the strange woman of chapter 7; as it were, she is a type of a temptress. It is better to see her as a personified rival to Woman Wisdom incorporating all the ugly features of the strange woman who appeared earlier. She is loud and stormy (cf. 7:11); she is reckless and ignorant. 9:14–15 The writer deliberately describes her house in such a way that she must be close to the house of Woman ...

9. Wisdom from the Spirit

1 Corinthians 2:6-16

Understanding Series

Marion L. Soards

... to receive the things of the Spirit of God because these things are discernible only by the Spirit. Yet by contrast Paul boldly declares that Christians have the Spirit who is from God and the mind of Christ, so that they experienced the gift of God’s wisdom as the Spirit imparted it to them. 2:6 Paul’s language both ties the verses of this section to what had preceded and signals a turn in his direction. This development is indicated by the word however (this word de is often translated as “but ...

10. Christ the Wisdom and Power of God

1 Corinthians 1:18--2:5

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... more Paul draws a contrast, this time between the “demonstration of the Spirit’s power” (2:4) evident in Paul’s preaching despite his weakness, fear, and trembling (2:3), and eloquence, “persuasive words,” and wisdom (2:1, 4–5). The contrast implies that those searching for wisdom at Corinth have begun to view eloquence and persuasive words as authenticating signs of divine inspiration, perhaps even judging Paul’s teaching inferior on these criteria to that of others (see 1:12, 17). Paul ...

11. Jesus as God’s Wisdom Is a Hidden Reality

Matthew 11:20-24, Matthew 11:25-30

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... that no one sits outside the scope of God’s restoration activity. In fact, those whom we might be most likely to write off as unresponsive to and unable to understand Jesus and his kingdom message may be precisely those to whom God is revealing Jesus. 3. As Wisdom personified, Jesus offers rest for all those who will follow his ways. In contrast to those who teach the law in ways that are onerous and who fail to show people how to live faithfully by it, Jesus teaches and lives out the Torah in a way that ...

12. The Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 2:1-22

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... 2:22). These verses use language reminiscent of the covenantal promises and threats regarding the land. (For example, Deut. 28:63 uses the same rare verb translated “torn” in Prov. 2:22.) In effect, covenantal promises to the nation are being extended to the individual who embraces wisdom. Such an individual will remain in the land under God’s favor rather than be cut off (the same Hebrew verb is used in the Mosaic law to describe divine judgment; see Lev. 7:20, 21, 25, 27; 17:4, 9–10, 14; 18:29).

13. Wisdom from the Spirit

1 Corinthians 2:6-16

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... , to what God has prepared for those who love him. Over against the demonstrated ignorance of the rulers with respect to true wisdom stands Paul’s assertion that “God has revealed it to us by his Spirit” (2:10). The remainder of the section enlarges ... us,” namely, a knowledge of the divine intent, God’s “thoughts” and plan for salvation, past, present, and future (2:12). This wisdom, says Paul, is “what we speak,” and even the words in which it is conveyed are a product of the Spirit’s ...

14. Moral Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 2:1-22

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... and the wicked are described in terms of ways and land. See the introduction and chapters 5–7 for further discussion of the strange woman. Additional Notes For further details on the structure and pedagogy of ch. 2, see P. W. Skehan, Studies in Israelite Poetry and Wisdom (Washington, D.C.: Catholic Biblical Association, 1971), pp. 9–10,16; cf. also M. V. Fox, “The Pedagogy of Proverbs 2,” JBL 113 (1994), pp. 233–43. 2:7–8 The NIV rightly follows the Qere yiṣpōn and ḥ a sîdāw. 2:18 The ...

15. Jesus as Isaianic Messiah and Wisdom Embodied

Matthew 11:1-19

Teach the Text

Jeannine K. Brown

... do “the will of [Jesus’] Father” and so are considered Jesus’ family (12:46–50). The proper response to Jesus is outlined at the end of chapter 11, where Jesus calls his fellow Jews to come to him as they would to the Torah and to Wisdom itself (11:28–30). The motif of rejection by “this generation” (11:16) will recur in subsequent chapters (12:39–45; 16:4; 17:17; 23:36). Centrally, Matthew highlights Jesus as the Messiah, who comes to enact Isaiah’s restoration message (11:3–5; cf. 8 ...

16. Further Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 3:1-35

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... , pp. 184–217) as a parallel (“Whatever hardship comes, place yourself in the hand of God in it”), but this does not mention the fatherly love of God. See also Job 5:17; 33:15–30, and Hebrews 12:5–6. 3:13–18 This is a hymn to personified Wisdom, introduced with the “blessed” formula (and see the inclusio in v. 18b where blessed is repeated). Her value is beyond any of the most precious metals (a frequent comparison; compare 8:18–19 with vv. 14–15). The description of ...

17. Solomon Asks for Wisdom

1 Kings 3:1-15

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... read about in chapters 11–12. 3:4–15 We are now in a better position to approach the story of Solomon’s request for wisdom. For it is the Solomon we have met in 1:1–3:3—a divided, conflicted, sinful Solomon, with only a very partial grasp of ... 12 I will give you a wise and discerning heart: The emphasis of the line, and indeed of the whole section 3:4–15, is that this wisdom comes as a supernatural gift from God. It is not innate (as it is implicitly in 2:1–4); it is not acquired by patient hard ...

18. One Should Embrace Wisdom and Avoid Folly

Ecclesiastes 9:13-10:20

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... to military might, some wise people are despised and their words not heeded (9:16), even though their calm counsel is more worthy of attention than the shouts of a ruler of fools (9:17). Ecclesiastes 9:18–10:1 notes a third limitation, that despite wisdom’s superiority (9:18a parallels 9:16a), a single sinner can destroy much that is beneficial. The NIV’s “sinner” correctly renders the Hebrew participle hote (cf. 2:26; 7:26; 8:12; and 9:2) and is preferable to NRSV’s “bungler” and NJPS’s ...

19. David Listens to the Voice of Wisdom

1 Samuel 25:1-44

Teach the Text

Robert B. Chisholm Jr.

... obsessed with getting revenge on his enemies (14:24; 18:25), has been on a mission to take an innocent life (David’s; cf. 1 Sam. 19:5), and has already killed the innocent priests of Nob and their families (1 Sam. 22). The voice of wisdom, embodied in Abigail (25:3, 33), reiterates what Saul himself has confessed (24:16–21): David is destined to be king. Only a fool (like Nabal—and Saul?) would resist God’s purposes.1 Historical and Cultural Background See the comments above under “Historical and ...

20. Further Benefits of Wisdom

Proverbs 3:1-35

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... should hang on to your specialized skills in advising and decision making, for they literally can save lives (as detailed in 3:23–26; cf. 1:33) and enhance your reputation (3:22; cf. 1:9). Proverbs 3:27–35 describes the impact of acquired wisdom on interpersonal relationships, thus corresponding to 3:5–12. These verses suggest that one can avoid “the ruin that overtakes the wicked” (3:25; both 26 and 32–34 point to divine causality) by not treating others wickedly. Verses 27–30 are parallel in ...

21. Solomon's Wisdom

1 Kings 4:29-34

Understanding Series

Iain W. Provan

... world more generally. It is revealed that Israel’s peace and prosperity are related to Solomon’s dominion over the surrounding kingdoms (they contribute to the prosperity and represent no threat to the peace, vv. 21–28). It is further revealed just how great Solomon’s wisdom is: it is unsurpassed (vv. 29–34). 4:21–28 Solomon not only ruled over Israel (4:1)—he also ruled over all the kingdoms from the River (that is, the Euphrates) to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt ...

22. Warning Against Rejecting Wisdom

Proverbs 1:20-33

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... much discussed, this figure is best understood as both a poetic personification of a divine attribute and a foil, or conceptual antithesis, to the promiscuous or foolish woman. The designation for Lady Wisdom is literally “wisdoms,” possibly an intensive plural, implying that she embodies the fullness of wisdom qualities (similar to the plural form elohim for God and the plural behemot—literally “beasts”—for Behemoth [Job 40:15]). The presence of a female figure justifies the use of the language ...

23. Wisdom is Supreme

Proverbs 4:1-27

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... will guard (2:11) and grace you like a crown. A second instruction follows in 4:10–19, which, like 1:10–19, warns against following the “way” or “path” (i.e., mode of behavior; 4:11, 14, 19) of the wicked rather than wisdom’s way. The twofold path is a common motif within the wisdom tradition and is found throughout the Old Testament and New Testament (e.g., Prov. 12:26, 28; Ps. 1:6; 119:29–30; Jer. 6:16; 21:8; Matt. 7:13–14; 2 Pet. 2:15). In a culture in which this-worldly prosperity ...

24. Invitation of Wisdom and of Folly

Proverbs 9:1-18

One Volume

Gary M. Burge

... understandably love the messenger (9:8b–9). The pairing of the mocker, one of the worst types of fools, with the wicked in verse 7 and the wise with the righteous in verse 9, underlines the near interchangeability of these two categories in Old Testament wisdom teaching. The foundational place of reverence for Yahweh is affirmed once more (9:10; cf. 1:7), while personal knowledge of the utterly Holy One (an intensive plural; cf. Isa. 6:3) will not be mentioned again until Proverbs 30:3. The section begins ...

25. Wisdom is Supreme

Proverbs 4:1-27

Understanding Series

Roland E. Murphy

... getting, get understanding.” 4:10–19 After the customary invitation to my son, the sage picks up the recurring theme of the way and illustrates it both positively and negatively (see the comment on 2:12–15). He will guide him in the way of wisdom (paths, steps); there will be no stumbling. This is in lively contrast to the path of the wicked against which the youth is warned (vv. 14–15; note the intensity of the prohibitions and imperatives). The very life of such people (eat, drink, v. 17) depends ...

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