Tag Archives: Wisdom

Compare and Contrast: Job 11 & Romans 11 (The Wisdom of God)

12 Friday Feb 2016

Posted by in Job, Mercy, Romans, Uncategorized

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Romans 11:33-26:

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! 34 “For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?” 35 “Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?” 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

And Job 11:6-9:

For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. 7 Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? 8 It is higher than heaven-what can you do? Deeper than Sheol-what can you know? 9 Its measure is longer than the earth and broader than the sea.

They both see the God’s wisdom as unsearchable, but they go in different directions. Zophar tells Job that if Job makes himself good enough, God will reward him:

Job 11:10–20 (ESV)

10  If he passes through and imprisons

and summons the court, who can turn him back?

11  For he knows worthless men;

when he sees iniquity, will he not consider it?

12  But a stupid man will get understanding

when a wild donkey’s colt is born a man!

13  “If you prepare your heart,

you will stretch out your hands toward him.

14  If iniquity is in your hand, put it far away,

and let not injustice dwell in your tents.

15  Surely then you will lift up your face without blemish;

you will be secure and will not fear.

16  You will forget your misery;

you will remember it as waters that have passed away.

17  And your life will be brighter than the noonday;

its darkness will be like the morning.

18  And you will feel secure, because there is hope;

you will look around and take your rest in security.

19  You will lie down, and none will make you afraid;

many will court your favor.

20  But the eyes of the wicked will fail;

all way of escape will be lost to them,

and their hope is to breathe their last.”

Paul sees precisely the opposite in the wisdom of God. It the mercy of God toward the disobedient  which causes Paul to praise the wisdom of God:

Romans 11:25–36 (ESV)

25 Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. 26 And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written,

“The Deliverer will come from Zion,

he will banish ungodliness from Jacob”;

27  “and this will be my covenant with them

when I take away their sins.”

28 As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers. 29 For the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. 30 For just as you were at one time disobedient to God but now have received mercy because of their disobedience, 31 so they too have now been disobedient in order that by the mercy shown to you they also may now receive mercy. 32 For God has consigned all to disobedience, that he may have mercy on all.

33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!

34  “For who has known the mind of the Lord,

or who has been his counselor?”

35  “Or who has given a gift to him

that he might be repaid?”

36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.

 

 

Thales’ Song: Don’t Suppose that Many Word

16 Wednesday Dec 2015

Posted by in Diogenes Laetrius, Greek Translation, Hebrew, Philosophy, Thesis, Uncategorized

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More concerning Thales (circa 585 B.C.), from Diogenes Laertius, The Lives of Eminent Philosophers. Today, a song:

Of the songs about him is this:

Don’t suppose that many words
Will prove the thoughtful heart
Search for that wisdom
Seek for that good
For that will tie the endless, prating tongues of men

Greek Text and Notes:

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John Newton’s Advice to Young Man

30 Thursday Jul 2015

Posted by in Biblical Counseling, John Newton, Prayer

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On August 24, 1774, John Newton sent a letter to a young who left out in life. First, as a wise counselor, Newton begins by seeking engagement with the young man. He does not merely throw advice at him from a distance, but Newton draws up close and shows a personal concern for this man at this time.

Newton begins with the circumstances of their parting. Newton is careful enough to note even the manner of speech and his own conduct at the meeting:

THE lowness of your voice, and a blameable absence of mind on my part, prevented me from understanding what you said when you took your leave of me; nor did I just at that instant recollect that you were so soon going away.

Such careful involvement with the life of the person addressed is a necessary aspect of love in counseling. One must not merely offer information. Rather an honest concern with the life of the other is necessary, or the knowledge has been given without love.

Next, Newton notes the natural advantages of the young man, both a fortune and a good upbringing by his part. Newton notes a thing which is invisible to young men — the necessity of a wise restraint to obtain that which is good:

How many at your years, who have been brought up in affluence, are unprincipled, uninstructed, and have already entered upon a course of dissipation and folly, in which it is impossible they themselves can find satisfaction, and which (unless they are reclaimed from it by an Almighty arm) will infallibly preclude them from usefulness or esteem!

He then commends to the young the gift of God in the manner of the young man’s life:

What may I not then further hope from these beginnings, especially as it is easy to observe that He has given you an amiable and promising disposition of spirit,

It is easy to forget that our very lives, including our intelligence and disposition, are gifts from God. Moreover, Newton points to God as the source of the restraint from foolishness as a gift of God.

Having noted the grace of his prior restrain from foolishness, Newton briefly addresses the vanity of the creature — but not as an end in itself, but rather as a stepping stone to the satisfaction of the Creator:

[perhaps] you feel a vanity in science, an emptiness in creatures, and find that you have desires which only He who gave them can satisfy

Restraint is not a negative move; rather it is a necessary step to obtain that which is greater. By getting on an airplane, we restrain our options for the moment so as to obtain the greater good of the destination. Newton quickly moves through possible infidelities and distractions which may meet the young man on the way.

Newton notes that the life of Christian is the only possible way to fit one for a fruitful life in this world — but he does not stop there. All the things of this life are not worth comparison to the goodness of Christ:

But then, the religion, which only deserves the name, must come from above; it must be suited to the state and wants of a sinner; it must be capable of comforting the heart; it must take away the sting and dread of death; and fix our confidence upon One who is always able to help us. Such is the religion of Jesus, such are its effects, and such are the criteria whereby we are to judge of the various forms and schemes under which it is proposed to us. But I forbear; I am only reminding you of what you know, and what you have known to be verified by living and dying examples.

This happiness, my dear sir, is open to you, to all who seek. He is enthroned in heaven, but prayer will bring him down to the heart. Indeed, he is always before-hand with us; and if we feel one desire towards him, we may accept it as a token that he gave it us to encourage us to ask for more.

Newton keeps his own on the end: there will be death, there will be judgment. No degree of distraction of foolishness in this world can avoid that end. Only Christ is a sufficient ground for our life and happiness.

I wish to underscore especially two elements of Newton’s commending Christ. First, Christ is brought near by prayer:

He is enthroned in heaven, but prayer will bring him down to the heart.

Our need commends us to Christ and draws Christ to our heart.

Second, the fact that we desire Christ is evidence that Christ desires our company — and thus should encourage us to come to Him:

if we feel one desire towards him, we may accept it as a token that he gave it us to encourage us to ask for more.

In the end, this letter brings comfort to all by reminding us that Christ will come to our heart — and that our desire for Christ is a proof that Christ will come to us.

John Newton, Richard Cecil, The Works of the John Newton, vol. 1 (London: Hamilton, Adams & Co., 1824), 633.

Lecture on Ecclesiastes 2:12-17

15 Monday Jun 2015

Posted by in Ecclesiastes, Lectures

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Ecclesiastes 2:12–17 (ESV)

12 So I turned to consider wisdom and madness and folly. For what can the man do who comes after the king? Only what has already been done. 13 Then I saw that there is more gain in wisdom than in folly, as there is more gain in light than in darkness. 14 The wise person has his eyes in his head, but the fool walks in darkness. And yet I perceived that the same event happens to all of them. 15 Then I said in my heart, “What happens to the fool will happen to me also. Why then have I been so very wise?” And I said in my heart that this also is vanity. 16 For of the wise as of the fool there is no enduring remembrance, seeing that in the days to come all will have been long forgotten. How the wise dies just like the fool! 17 So I hated life, because what is done under the sun was grievous to me, for all is vanity and a striving after wind.

The notes for this lecture will be found here.

 

Oppression and Wisdom

06 Wednesday Aug 2014

Posted by in Ecclesiastes, Literature

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The con trick has a still more abiding pull on Mamet’s imagination: it reverses the parental situation. In the con, the public is put in the role of the helpless child, while the con artist is the parent who knows the game and controls all the rules and the information. The whole enterprise is an assertion of omnipotence and a refusal to admit helplessness, which speaks to something deep in Mamet’s nature. At the finale of “House of Games,” Mike is held at gunpoint by Ford, who has shot him twice. Ford says, “Beg me for your life.” But Mike, a con man to the last, won’t. He’d rather die than be infantilized and surrender his sense of autonomy. Ford shoots him again. “Thank you, sir, may I have another?” Mike says as Ford fires three more shots into him. ….. [and] “The Spanish Prisoner,” in which a con trick played on a credulous company man becomes a moral lesson about how the getting of wisdom equals the getting of skepticism.

1 Again I saw all the oppressions that are done under the sun. And behold, the tears of the oppressed, and they had no one to comfort them! On the side of their oppressors there was power, and there was no one to comfort them.
2 And I thought the dead who are already dead more fortunate than the living who are still alive.
3 But better than both is he who has not yet been and has not seen the evil deeds that are done under the sun.
4 Then I saw that all toil and all skill in work come from a man’s envy of his neighbor. This also is vanity and a striving after wind.

Ecclesiastes 4:1-4

Anne Bradstreet, A Ship That Bears Much Sail

27 Tuesday May 2014

Posted by in Anne Bradstreet, Humility

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The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2014/04/29/anne-bradstreet-meditations-3/

 

A ship that bears much sail,

and little or no ballast

             is easily overset;

and that man whose head hath great abilities,

and his heart little or no grace,

              is in danger of foundering.

 

Overset: turned over, hence, sinking.

Foundering: crashing against the rocks, sinking, disabled.

Of Communion With the Father, Son and Holy Spirit: Digression 2a

17 Monday Mar 2014

Posted by in 1 Corinthians, Biblical Counseling, Christology, God the Father, John Owen, Preaching, Study, Trinity, Wisdom

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The previous post in this series may be found here: https://memoirandremains.wordpress.com/2012/10/06/of-communion-with-the-father-son-and-holy-spirit-digression-1c-v-shame/

In 1 Corinthians 1:24, Paul writes that Christ is both the power and the wisdom of God. In the second digression, Owen unpacks the phrase “the wisdom of God”. First, he lays out the potential scope of meaning:

The sum of all true wisdom and knowledge may be reduced to these three heads: —
1. The knowledge of God, his nature and his properties.
2. The knowledge of ourselves in reference to the will of God concerning us.
3. Skill to walk in communion with God: —
I. What one may know of God

A. Knowledge of God in Creation: Creation itself, prior to Fall displayed attributes of God’s power and goodness; but without sin, there would have been no time for God to display longsuffering patience or endurance.

B. Knowledge of God in Christ: Yet, even if God had patience with humanity for aeons, there would still be aspects of God’s character which could not be known by in and through Christ. Of these Owen sets out two: (1) love & (2) pardoning mercy.

By “love” Owen intends a very specific application:

Love; I mean love unto sinners. Without this, man is of all creatures most miserable; and there is not the least glimpse of it that can possibly be discovered but in Christ. The Holy Ghost says, 1 John 4:8,16, “God is love;” that is, not only of a loving and tender nature, but one that will exercise himself in a dispensation of his love, eternal love, towards us, — one that has purposes of love for us from of old, and will fulfill them all towards us in due season. But how is this demonstrated? how may we attain an acquaintance with it? He tells us, verse 9, “In this was manifested the love of God, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.” This is the only discovery that God has made of any such property in his nature, or of any thought of exercising it towards sinners, — in that he has sent Jesus Christ into the world, that we might live by him.

In addition to love, Owen marks the pardoning mercy of God in Christ: “Pardoning mercy, or grace. Without this, even his love would be fruitless.”

Pardoning mercy is God’s free, gracious acceptance of a sinner upon satisfaction made to his justice in the blood of Jesus; nor is any discovery of it, but as relating to the satisfaction of justice, consistent with the glory of God. It is a mercy of inconceivable condescension in forgiveness, tempered with exact justice and severity. Romans 3:25, God is said “to set forth Christ to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness in the remission of sins;” f58his righteousness is also manifested in the business of forgiveness of sins: and therefore it is everywhere said to be wholly in Christ, Ephesians 1:7. So that this gospel grace and pardoning mercy is alone purchased by him, and revealed in him.

C. Those things which are seen most clearly in Christ.

Owen notes another category of God’s properties which are known most clearly in Christ:

There are other properties of God which, though also otherwise discovered, yet are so clearly, eminently, and savingly only in Jesus Christ; as, —
[1.] His vindictive justice in punishing sin;
[2.] His patience, forbearance, and long-suffering towards sinners;
[3.] His wisdom, in managing things for his own glory;
[4.] His all-sufficiency, in himself and unto others. All these, though they may receive some lower and inferior manifestations out of Christ, yet they clearly shine only in him; so as that it may be our wisdom to be acquainted with them.

1. Vindicative justice. While evidence of God’s judgment exists outside of Christ, in the life and death of Christ we can see most clearly that judgment of sin could not be avoided. One think that God could simply forgive becasue he is merciful. But such an act of God would subvert his justice. In the passion of Christ we see the unavoidable demand of God’s justice. Owen refers to this as the “naturalness” of punishment due sin, “In him God has manifested the naturalness of this righteousness unto him, in that it was impossible that it should be diverted from sinners without the interposing of a propitiation.”

Moreover, in the death of Christ we see more plainly than elsewhere the depth of God’s judgment upon sin:

In the penalty inflicted on Christ for sin, this justice is far more gloriously manifested than otherwise. To see, indeed, a world, made (Genesis 3:17-19, 8:21; Romans 8:21, 22; 2 Peter 2:4-6, 3:6; Jude 1:6, 7) good and beautiful, wrapped up in wrath and curses, clothed with thorns and briers; to see the whole beautiful creation made subject to vanity, given up to the bondage of corruption; to hear it groan in pain under that burden; to consider legions of angels, most glorious and immortal creatures, cast down into hell, bound with chains of darkness, and reserved for a more dreadful judgement for one sin; to view the ocean of the blood of souls spilt to eternity on this account, — will give some insight into this thing. But what is all this to that view of it which may be had by a spiritual eye in the Lord Christ? All these things are worms, and of no value in comparison of him. To see him who is the (1 Corinthians 1:30) wisdom of God, and the power of God, always (Matthew 3:17) beloved of the Father; to see him, I say, fear, (Matthew 26:37, 38; Mark 14:33; Luke 22:43, 44; Hebrews 5:7; Matthew 27:51; Mark 15:33, 34; Isaiah 53:6) and tremble, and bow, and sweat, and pray, and die; to see him lifted up upon the cross, the earth trembling under him, as if unable to bear his weight; and the heavens darkened over him, as if shut against his cry; and himself hanging between both, as if refused by both; and all this because our sins did meet upon him.

2. His patience toward sinners. Certainly experiences teach that God does not immediately punish every and all sin. Yet, without a sight of God in Christ, how could we be certain of God patience? Christ demonstrates to us the basis of God’s dealing with the world:

In him the very nature of God is discovered to be love and kindness; and that he will exercise the same to sinners, he has promised, sworn, and solemnly engaged himself by covenant. And that we may not hesitate about the aim which he has herein, there is a stable bottom and foundation of acting suitably to those gracious properties of his nature held forth, — namely, the reconciliation and atonement that is made in the blood of Christ.

In this we see God’s kindness with an aim to save us:

That which lies hid in Christ, and is revealed from him, is full of love, sweetness, tenderness, kindness, grace. It is the Lord’s waiting to be gracious to sinners; waiting for an advantage to show love and kindness, for the most eminent endearing of a soul unto himself, Isaiah 30:18, “Therefore will the LORD wait, that he may be gracious unto you; and therefore will he be exalted, that he may have mercy upon you.” Neither is there any revelation of God that the soul finds more sweetness in than this. When it [one’s soul] is experimentally convinced that God from time to time has passed by many, innumerable iniquities, he is astonished to think that God should do so; and admires that he did not take the advantage of his provocations to cast him out of his presence. He finds that, with infinite wisdom, in all long-suffering, he has managed all his dispensations towards him to recover him from the power of the devil, to rebuke and chasten his spirit for sin, to endear him unto himself; — there is, I say, nothing of greater sweetness to the soul than this: and therefore the apostle says, Romans 3:25, that all is “through the forbearance of God.” God makes way for complete forgiveness of sins through this his forbearance; which the other does not. </blockquote.

3. The wisdom of God in managing all for his glory.

So, then, this also is hid in Christ, — the great and unspeakable riches of the wisdom of God, in pardoning sin, saving sinners, satisfying justice, fulfilling the law, repairing his own honor, and providing for us a more exceeding weight of glory; and all this out of such a condition as wherein it was impossible that it should enter into the hearts of angels or men how ever the glory of God should be repaired, and one sinning creature delivered from everlasting ruin. Hence it is said, that at the last day God “shall be glorified in his saints, and admired in all them that believe,” 2 Thessalonians 1:10. It shall be an admirable thing, and God shall be for ever glorious in it, even in the bringing of believers to himself. To save sinners through believing, shall be found to be a far more admirable work than to create the world of nothing.

4. God’s self-sufficiency.

D. “There is no saving knowledge of any property of God, nor such as brings consolation, but what alone is to be had in Christ Jesus, being laid up in him, and manifested by him.” To know God outside of Christ is to know judgment. It is only in Christ that we can know the reconciliation of God’s justice and mercy:

This is to be received, that God has actually manifested the glory of all his attributes in a way of doing us good. What will it avail our souls, what comfort will it bring unto us, what endearment will it put upon our hearts unto God, to know that he is infinitely righteous, just, and holy, unchangeably true and faithful, if we know not how he may preserve the glory of his justice and faithfulness in his comminations and threatening, but only in one ruin and destruction? if we can from thence only say it is a righteous thing with him to recompense tribulation unto us for our iniquities? What fruit of this consideration had Adam in the garden? Genesis 3. What sweetness, what encouragement, is there in knowing that he is patient and full of forbearance, if the glory of these is to be exalted in enduring the vessels of wrath fitted for destruction? nay, what will it avail us to hear him proclaim himself “The LORD, The LORD God, (Exodus 34:6, 7) merciful and gracious, abundant in goodness and truth,” yet, withal, that he will “by no means clear the guilty,” so shutting up the exercise of all his other properties towards us, upon the account of our iniquity? Doubtless, not at all.

Moreover, it is only in Christ that we can know that God can but actually has reconciled justice and mercy.

It is then in covenant brought about by Christ that God does bring this reconciliation to bear in our relationship with Him:

There remaineth only, then, that these attributes of God, so manifested and exercised, are powerful and able to bring us to the everlasting fruition of him. To evince this, the Lord wraps up the whole covenant of grace in one promise, signifying no less: “I will be your God.” In the covenant, God becomes our God, and we are his people; and thereby all his attributes are ours also. And lest that we should doubt — when once our eyes are opened to see in any measure the inconceivable difficulty that is in this thing, what unimaginable obstacles on all hands there lie against us — that all is not enough to deliver and save us, God has, I say, wrapped it up in this expression, Genesis 17:1, “I am,” saith he, “God Almighty” (all- sufficient); — “I am wholly able to perform all my undertakings, and to be thy exceeding great reward. I can remove all difficulties, answer all objections, pardon all sins, conquer all opposition: I am God all-sufficient.” Now, you know in whom this covenant and all the promises thereof are ratified, and in whose blood it is confirmed, — to wit, in the Lord Christ alone; in him only is God an all-sufficient God to any, and an exceeding great reward. And hence Christ himself is said to “save to the uttermost them that come to God by him,” Hebrews 7. And these three things, I say, are required to be known, that we may have a saving acquaintance, and such as is attended with consolation, with any of the properties of God; and all these being hid only in Christ, from him alone it is to be obtained.

Winter Trees

02 Thursday Jan 2014

Posted by in Literature

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WINTER TREES

By William Carlos Williams

All the complicated details
of the attiring and
the disattiring are completed!
A liquid moon
moves gently among
the long branches.
Thus having prepared their buds
against a sure winter
the wise trees
stand sleeping in the cold.

Take the first line: “All the complicated details”. He has done something more than merely speak of a tree losing its leaves; dropping leaves entails nothing “complicated”. Yet by calling the process of loss “complicated details” one must stop and think: how does a tree know to prepare for winter? I say “know” because Williams calls such trees “wise”. Only intelligent agents have “wisdom”. Stop and think, what must a tree do to lose its leaves (but only for the winter).

Next he uses the verb “attriring” and the unusual “disattiring”: one knows what he means by “disattiring”, but the unusual verb puts the emphasis upon a deliberate act of costume. The tree does not lose its leaves, it takes them off for winter.

“A liquid moon/moves”: One would not normally call the moon “liquid”. Yet, in speaking of the moon moving between the branches, the word “liquid” has the light from the moon moving over and through the branches. The light now bathes the branches — not merely shining through the branches. The “gentlely” makes the interaction dear, sweet.

By speaking of the winter moon (as opposed to sun), the scene is cold. Williams stands at the base of the tree, looking up at the moon and thinks of spring “prepared their buds”. The tree wisely falls to hibernation (sleeping in the cold).

The poem does two things: First, he merely observes and describes the tree. Second, he think of the wisdom of the tree. In thinking of the wisdom, Williams points toward something beyond the tree (for trees do not have a self-conscious wisdom). Here the moon comes back again: there is a system, something bigger than either a tree or the moon. Then we return to the complicated details.

A great poem is shy. It does not disclose all its beauty on the first glance.