"There was a little city, and few men within it; and there came a great king against it, and besieged it, and built great bulwarks against it: Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city; yet no man remembered that same poor man. Then said I, Wisdom is better than strength: nevertheless the poor man's wisdom is despised, and his words are not heard. The words of wise men are heard in quiet more than the cry of him that ruleth among fools." ( Eccl. 9: 14-17)
There are elites who believe it is an oxymoron to speak of a person as being a "poor wise" character. By their standards, if a person were wise, he would then most assuredly be rich, since "cream rises to the top," and since no sane person would want to be poor and needy. But, there are such characters and it is of this class that the elect are nearly always taken.
Further, what few rich elite have been converted have given their wealth away to the poor, especially among believers, and learned how to be content with food and raiment (I Tim. 6: 8), retaining only what is needed for personal and family survival. We see this in the early church. Wrote Luke:
"And the multitude of them that believed were of one heart and of one soul: neither said any of them that ought of the things which he possessed was his own; but they had all things common. And with great power gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all. Neither was there any among them that lacked: for as many as were possessors of lands or houses sold them, and brought the prices of the things that were sold, And laid them down at the apostles' feet: and distribution was made unto every man according as he had need." (Acts 4: 32-35)
The label "poor wise" may be said to be an oxymoron in another sense. If wisdom be an asset, something of value, then the poor wise man was really a rich man.
Notice also that the "poor wise man" is largely ignored and discounted, his wisdom, and the good coming from it (deliverance), are even "despised," resented because it came from one not of the elite class of the wealthy establishment. It exemplifies the unwise stereotypes they have of people.
But, "the poor wise man" perhaps wisely knew of the divine will that admonishes all to "labor not to be rich" (Prov. 23: 4), and of the dangers of greed and covetousness, of materialism.
"Those who want to be rich," said the apostle, "fall into temptation and a snare, and into many foolish and hurtful lusts, which drown men in destruction and perdition. For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows." (I Tim. 6: 9-10)
With all the adverse consequences of coveting wealth, enumerated by the apostle, why would any wise man choose to "make all he can and can all he makes"? When one's goal in life is to become rich in material goods, in gold and silver, lands and houses, fine clothes and food, etc, it shows that he has unwisely and tragically "missed the mark." The tragic flaw, or supreme mistake, of making wealth the chief aim in life, brings about eternal tragic down fall of the world's heroes of commerce and money making.
Solomon connected the ideas of wealth and wisdom by his mention of "the poor wise man." It is therefore difficult to discuss the one without the other, as we have already seen. One reason, as we have seen, is due to the fact that most wise people, though they may not become "filthy rich," nevertheless show wisdom in their work ethic, and good stewardship, and thus become relatively rich, escaping the label of "poor." In following bible principles and proverbs concerning thrift, and its prescription for freedom from want, and on how to prosper, one can become relatively rich without being greedy or covetous.
The riches of this world, or "worldly wealth," said the Lord Jesus, are not "true riches" (Luke 16: 11), but they are rather like "fools gold." The riches and treasures of earth are not to be compared with real and lasting riches. So Jesus taught, saying:
"Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." (Matt. 6: 19-21)
People who are rich in earthly or material treasures, and who reject Christ, the Wisdom of God, are poverty stricken as regards the treasures of heaven. On the other hand, people who are poor on earth, or at least who are not of the wealthy elite, and yet who become believers in Jesus, have enduring riches with the bank of heaven.
Recall these words from the most wise Solomon:
"Labour not to be rich: cease from thine own wisdom. Wilt thou set thine eyes upon that which is not? for riches certainly make themselves wings; they fly away as an eagle toward heaven." (Prov. 23: 4-5)
The riches of the believer in Jesus are safe and secure. They do not "fly away" as do the "treasures of earth." The riches of this world are "nothing," a "thing which is not." Ponder that! People put a lot of stock in material wealth and possessions, but all those things are "nothing" in the end, of no account after death.
Solomon speaks of lowly and humble wise persons and observes that their words of sage advice and godly counsel are most often "heard in quiet," in mostly private conversation, among small groups of the common people, rather than heard in well staged public orations (when the rhetoric of skilled Sophists, trained in speech communication, are put on display).
The "poor wise" are most often "heard in quiet" because they get little attention from the masses, not being among the "popular" speakers or teachers. Think of all the great wisdom that wise Christian parents have given in quiet home settings with their children. Think about all the "fireside chats" that the "poor wise" man or woman gives to friends and neighbors about some of the most important things in human life. These words of wisdom and knowledge do not come with a lot of "fanfare," hype, and promotion, as do the lectures of the elite Sophists, but are nevertheless far more profitable and blessed by God.
Notice also how "the words of the poor wise" are what may be applicable to Christians and teachers of the word of God, and of the gospel.
The "big named preachers," like the Sophistic highly paid lecturers and speech givers of Paul's day, do not always offer the best wisdom or counsel, nor give superior expertise or insight in theology. Many times the lowly (yet well read) deacon or lay preacher knows more theology, and more philosophy or wisdom about the purpose and aim of life, and about true peace and happiness, than many popular ministers, evangelists, psychiatrists, counselors, seminary and university professors, philosophers, self help gurus, etc.
Such "poor wise" preachers and teachers do not make a lot of noise, as do the smooth talkers. The smooth talking rich elites,"those who rule," as Solomon said, make a lot of noise, or "cry" aloud, like the "town crier" in olden times. This they do to call attention to themselves. Pomp and circumstance are used by such Sophist marketers of ideas and popular schools of thought. They are skilled in propaganda and "spin," in how to twist the meaning of words and texts, how to play on the emotions of an audience. They are very good at creating and selling their public images.
The Sophist knew that to be heard, you must first learn how to get the attention of an audience. Some preachers and public speakers are good at this in regard to the titles of their sermons or lectures, and of their opening words of sermons and speeches. This is also the practice of good journalists and authors who want to grab the attention of possible readers with good headlines, book and chapter titles, etc. (Note: not all the persuasion tactics of Sophists were wrong)
The worldly wise, with high mindedness, laugh and mock at the wisdom of ordinary people, of the lowly, as Solomon said. It is true with most believers in Jesus too. The worldly wise, no matter how well educated in human learning, are deceived and deluded about the nature and consequences of their wisdom, especially seeing how it keeps them from believing the gospel and receiving Christ as Savior, and thus to die without an atonement for their sins, without having been reconciled to God and justified of their guilt and law breaking. The truly wise, as we have before observed, are they who believe and follow "the scriptures" which are able to "make one wise unto salvation." (II Peter 3: 15)
Paul had much to say about wisdom and knowledge in his letters to the Corinthian believers in particular. Much of it is in the opening chapters of his first epistle, as we are seeing. We cannot give all the instances of it in this series as it would make it even lengthier than it has already become. We have already spoken of the two kinds of wisdom that are compared and contrasted, and of the definitions of "wise person" held to by the Sophists and elites of this present evil world versus God's definition. Since we are looking at the several ways in which the believer in Jesus is enriched and gifted, and since wisdom and knowledge are the most emphasized, let us now look at them a little further, under separate sub titles.
Enriched In Wisdom
“The wise men are put to shame, They are dismayed and caught; Behold, they have rejected the word of the Lord, And what kind of wisdom do they have?" (Jeremiah 8: 9)
What Jeremiah here says is exactly what the apostle Paul is enlarging upon in his opening address to the believers in Corinth. Those who believe the word of God are they who are the truly wise. The words of Jeremiah and Paul are so rich in depth and meaning. Wrote Paul:
"For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom: But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness; But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God. Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men. For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: That no flesh should glory in his presence." (I Cor. 1: 22-29)
Notice the categories for properly judging and discerning status in both this age and for the next:
1) power, strength, and might versus its opposite, weakness and weak things
2) wisdom versus foolishness
3) knowledge versus ignorance
4) base things, "things which are not" (nobodies), things despised, versus "things that are" (somebodies)
5) noble and high born versus chosen and called by God
Paul declares the Christ is "the wisdom of God" and "the power of God." He then adds other like things to the category:
"But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification (or holiness), and redemption." (1: 30)
Thus Christ Jesus the Lord is also "the righteousness of God" in addition to being the wisdom and power of God. He is also "the holiness of God," and God's Redeemer or "the deliverer of God." Christ also is the very richness and treasure of God for in him are "hid all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge." (Col. 2: 3) As far as noble birth, Christ excels all for he is the Son of God, in both his divinity and humanity. There is not higher status than that. Christ is the elite of the elite. Truly Christ "in all things" has the "preeminence." (See Col. 1: 18) He is the believer's everything. For he is other things towards the believer which are not specifically listed by the apostle in this context, such as "the resurrection and the life" (John 11: 25), "the life" of believers (Col. 3: 4), "the way, the truth, and the life" (John 14: 6), etc.
To be united with Christ puts the believer into possession of riches, wisdom, knowledge, power, high birth status, etc.
The gospel of salvation through a crucified Savior, through a human sacrifice, especially of one who is the Son of God, yea, God himself, is styled "foolishness" by the world's educated elite, by its philosophers, wise men, men of science (often of that which is "science falsely so called" - I Tim. 6: 20), and by its wealthy ruling class. Nearly all of this class of people say, when hearing the news of Christ, "we will not have this man to rule over us." (Luke 19: 14)
Rather than seeing bible believers as "wise and knowledgeable," as those with "sound minds," they see them as ignorant, morons, idiots, non-intellectuals, simple minded, simpletons, superstitious, "suckers," people easily fooled and led astray, yea, as mentally sick and handicapped.
Rather than seeing bible believers of the gospel as "strong" and "powerful," they rather see them as being "weak" or "impotent," men of little influence or weight. But, upon that we will yet enlarge.
"The same Lord over all is rich unto all that call upon him."
(Rom. 10: 12)
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