For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes 1:18 NIV Sorrow – Yesterday we asked, “How can wisdom, a good thing, generate sorrow, a bad thing?” Maybe we should have questioned the translation before we questioned the ethics. In Hebrew, the word translated “sorrow” (NIV) is kaʿas. Other English…
For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes 1:18 NIV Wisdom – “The Sages promulgated the principle ‘Not the study of but the performance of mitzvot is the essence of virtue.’ ‘One whose wisdom is more abundant than his deeds—to what is he compared? To a tree whose branches…
“Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts. For he who finds me finds life and obtains favor from the Lord.” Proverbs 8:34-35 NASB Finds me– In the famous eighth chapter of Proverbs, Wisdom speaks. Actually, Woman Wisdom speaks. The gender is specific and important. According to Woman Wisdom, YHVH created all that…
The Lord by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge the deeps were broken up and the skies drip with dew. Proverbs 3:19-20 NASB Wisdom/understanding/knowledge – Turn to a dictionary. Oh, not a dictionary like the TDNT or the TDOT, but a dictionary of contemporary English usage. Look up “wisdom,” “understanding,” and “knowledge.” You…
The king reflected and said, “Is this not Babylon the great, which I myself have built as a royal residence by the might of my power and for the glory of my majesty?” Daniel 4:30 NASB The great – “Since the culture of ancient times tended to value a person in light of the role…
In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. John 1:1 NASB The Word – What a complicated text! The NASB’s heading for this part of John’s gospel is “The Deity of Jesus Christ,” but this is an editorial theological addition. The text itself does not make…
The Lord God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. Genesis 2:22 NASB Fashioned – The Bible is a giant connect-the-dots puzzle. Understanding a passage as a stand-alone text often does not capture the depth of the words or the context. We are…
These things indeed have an appearance of wisdom in self-imposed religion, false humility, and neglect of the body, but are of no value against the indulgence of the flesh. Colossians 2:23 NKJV Wisdom – “Knowledge is power.” That’s what they say. But the biblical view is different. The accumulation of knowledge is a dangerous thing. …
Know that wisdom is thus for your soul; if you find it, then there will be a future, and your hope will not be cut off. Proverbs 24:14 NASB Wisdom – Proverbs is the collection of wisdom sayings designed to awaken the reader and encourage contemplation that results in changes of behavior. Many proverbs are…
The LORD by wisdom founded the earth, by understanding He established the heavens. By His knowledge the deeps were broken up and the skies drip with dew. Proverbs 3:19-20 NASB Wisdom/ understanding/ knowledge – How do you know the truth? Not what do you know that is true, but rather how do you know it…
