The Source of Wisdom

Wisdom's instruction is to fear the LORD,

and humility comes before honor.( Proverbs 15:33 NIV)

It is not clear if the first phrase in this verse should read...

”The fear of the Lord is instruction in wisdom”

or “Wisdom’s instruction is to fear the Lord” as the NIV says.

Prior verses in chapters of Proverbs state that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, but this English version states it differently.

At first glance it may seem like they say the same thing, but at further glance, there is a difference.

Who is the subject? The Lord or wisdom?‍ ‍

Who is the object? The Lord or wisdom.

Does reverence for God produce wisdom?

Or does wisdom produce reverence for God?

If wisdom instructs reverence for God, then it could be assumed that wisdom comes from human understanding

- human wisdom.

But if reverence for God instructs wisdom, then one can assume that the source of wisdom comes from God

- divine wisdom.

It seems like the NIV’s interpretation of this verse has wisdom as the subject which is not the order in the Tanakh (Jewish Scriptures). The Tanakh says,

“The fear of YHWH is the discipline of wisdom.”

Wisdom is only wisdom when the fear of the Lord is it’s foundation or underlying assumption. Anything called “wisdom” which does not have this underlying foundation leads to false conclusions. This can be seen in many of the classical philosophers during the Renaissance period.

And this continues to be seen today in philosophers and scientists who consider “objectivity” needs to disregard the reverence for God as foundational.

But the above conclusions are over simplified.

Humanity is created in God’s image so they possess a nidus of the divine within them. And it is from this nidus that true wisdom comes.

One can hear it if one is honest with themselves. And that nidus is God’s divine wisdom planted within us begging us to commune with Him.

And, once we say that the source of wisdom comes from God, then the wisdom we use produces more reverence and awe of the Lord from whom this wisdom comes. It looks cyclical but in reality, spirals upward with ever increasing wonder, awe, reverence, and grandeur…. and wisdom.

The question then is, “Where is your source of wisdom?”

God or humanity?

The Lord or the teaching of man?

Christ or self?

Scriptures interpreted by human understanding or Scriptures revealed through the guidance of the Spirit of God?

May we know true wisdom found in Him.... and be able to discern between human wisdom and divine wisdom that we, and those around us, may know life and sense the presence of the Living God.

Now the last phrase of this verse needs a different blog note.

It shows the direct opposite of what human wisdom can consider as “honorable”.