The Pursuit of Wisdom

I remember the experiments in the lab with the oscilloscope, schematics, and the circuits on the bench.  Unlike my liberal arts education from college, this was technical training at a technical school.  I never thought of it as the pursuit of wisdom.  In my mind, learning and growing in wisdom was something that came at the feet of a sage or guru.

Eventually, I discovered the biblical view of wisdom was much more expansive than this.  People who were called “wise” or “wise men” included those skilled at making clothes (Ex 28:2), builders and craftsmen (Ex 31:3), and those who were educated to serve in the court of the king (Ex 7:11; Dan 2:12). “Wise men” was a technical term to refer to those who had been educated with knowledge and skill, whether it be technical or philosophical.

This came to mind as I was reading in Genesis 3:6 for my daily Bible reading.  Part of the motivation for eating the fruit of the tree that God had prohibited was that it was “desirable to make one wise.”  Is there some inherent problem with the pursuit of wisdom?  What does the Bible say?  According to Proverbs 4:7, “The beginning of wisdom is this: get wisdom.”  This tells us a very important fact about wisdom.  Wisdom does not fall into one’s lap.  Wisdom does not come automatically with age.  Many people know an aged fool and a wise youth.  This demonstrates that in order to find wisdom, one must “cry out” for it, and search for it diligently as one searches for hidden treasure   Proverbs 2 says that to gain wisdom, one must cry out for insight (Prov 2:3), seek it like silver, and search for it like hidden treasure (Prov 2:4).

Eve wanted to be wise, smart, insightful, and knowledgeable, which is something the Bible encourages.  However, the Bible also teaches in Proverbs 1:7 that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge.  True wisdom cannot be found without God.  Passages such as Proverbs 1:3, 2:9, and 9:9 makes clear that wisdom and righteousness go hand in hand. Eve engaged in unrighteousness by trying to gain wisdom apart from God. In Genesis 4:17-24, mankind began to gain wisdom in various branches of wisdom such as city building, farming, music, and metal work.  However, along with an increase in skill, knowledge, and learning came an increase in wickedness, violence, and runaway vengeance.  In Genesis 6:5 it says that their thoughts and inclinations were on evil continually.  The world became filled with wickedness and violence. 

This reminds me of a quotation from C.S. Lewis: “Education without values, as useful as it is, seems rather to make man a more clever devil.”  Genesis 3:1-6:5 demonstrated this clearly and it is still happening today.  Nuclear power is useful, but humans have also used it to build bombs that can wipe out humanity.  Medical research is useful, but it can also be used to create killer viruses and wage germ warfare.  Things such as these demonstrate the “secular” pursuit of wisdom that makes man hideously crafty and smart.  Instead of leading to a utopia, it leads to social chaos, violence, and ultimately death and both the physical and spiritual level.  We see this demonstrated in Adam and Eve and in the generations that came after them all the way up to the flood.

This should be a sobering reminder that for Christians there should be no such thing as a “secular” pursuit of knowledge, skill, or wisdom.  All of it must be in honor, service, and faithfulness to God the creator, sustainer and redeemer.