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Knowledge and wisdom in an age of deception and unreality.

The Roman Governor of Jerusalem’s iconic question, “What is truth?” has probably never been more apt than it is today in the 21^st Century AD. Whether Pilate was being sarcastic or he was genuinely seeking for truth has been debated by scholars for 2,000 years. In light of the spat between the leaders of Britain and the USA over the tweeting of video clips, it would be good if all those involved paused to ponder his question.

We live in an age when technology has delivered the tools to create deception, whether by airbrushing photos or by deliberately producing deceptive videos, distorting the truth and creating fake news.

It is certainly unfortunate that the President of the United States should have retweeted video clips that had come from a doubtful source. It shows a lack of wisdom and a willingness to use material from a campaigning group to vilify millions of people who belong to a particular religion.

But it is equally foolish for the British Prime Minister to use the same medium of communication to point out the unreliability of the clips. Surely the more sensible approach would have been to make a quiet phone call. At least that way would have maintained personal relationships and not caused a rift between two friendly nations.

Knowledge AND Wisdom

The trouble with our generation is that we have enormous knowledge but we lack the wisdom in how to use it. There is good reason why Paul, writing to the church in Corinth where there was a lot of squabbling and disunity, referred to the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The first two of these he linked together as ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’ (1 Cor 12:8).

Celestial truth cannot be understood by the normal processes of human reason – it requires divine revelation.

There is surely a very good reason for linking these two. We can acquire an enormous fund of knowledge in our media-saturated world, where we have the whole internet at our disposal. But without the wisdom of how to use this knowledge, we can create chaos and confusion rather than promote enlightenment.

Jesus is the Light of Truth

As we enter the season of Advent it would be good to ponder on the prologue of John’s Gospel where he focuses upon the theme of light and darkness - also the theme of Hanukkah and Diwali at this time of the year. The unique feature of Advent, according to John’s teaching, is that although the light of truth came into the world at the birth of Jesus, the world did not recognise him.

John says that through the coming of Jesus, God actually came and “made his dwelling among us” – literally – “he pitched his tent among us”, as foretold by the Prophet Zechariah (2:10). But our human reason cannot cope with this. Despite all the accumulated knowledge of centuries of human development, this celestial truth cannot be understood by the normal processes of the human brain. This kind of knowledge requires wisdom that is actually a spiritual gift which can only be received through divine revelation.

God actually has to do something to our human nature to enable us to receive this wisdom, which enables us to perceive truth that goes way beyond the realm of human reason. This is what Jesus had to explain to Rabbi Nicodemus who was a devout scholar, a highly educated man and a senior academic. But his whole mindset was limited to learning on the level of human reason. Only a spiritual revelation would enable him to perceive ‘Kingdom truth’.

It was like opening the curtains in a darkened room, bringing a flood of light that shows all the things that were in the room but previously hidden by the darkness – things that you could stumble over in the dark.

The trouble with our generation is that we have enormous knowledge but we lack the wisdom in how to use it.

Deceit is Easy

In our world today, millions of people are going about stumbling over fake news, half-truths and blatant lies. They are easily deceived because they don’t know the truth that sets them free from all the duplicity, deviousness and unscrupulous machinations of the crooked generation in which we live. They are trying to see in the dark; trying to discern falsehood without having ever known truth.

It should be a salutary wake-up call to us when the leaders of the nations are found peddling fake news. How can we expect our children to discern right from wrong and to be protected from the multiple dangers of the internet and social media, if our leaders shows so little discernment?

It is small wonder that our children peddle nonsense and vilify one another over their mobile phones, sometimes with devastating effects upon their mental health.

Season of Opportunity

During this season of Advent, we have the opportunity in very practical ways to spread the true message of Christmas – the true light that has come into our dark world.

But so much depends upon our relationships with others, and how we use the tools of communication society has given us. If Donald Trump and Theresa May had only spoken to each other instead of tweeting, an embarrassing international incident could have been avoided. Surely this is a lesson to us all.

Postscript

Last week there were comments left on the editorial, speaking of the need for greater interaction between authors and readers. I warmly respond to this - we want to make this site much more open to constructive and thoughtful correspondence. Our Editorial Board are grappling with this subject and we are open to suggestions from any of our readers as to how we can improve such interaction so that we can all learn from one another in our search for the truth.

As part of this, don’t forget that we have established a secure site for such discussion, in partnership with the team at Issachar Ministries. If you would like to use this (there is a fee for joining) please contact Jacqueline at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

The first two manifestations of 1 Corinthians 12.

This article is part of a series. Click here for the archive.

“To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit” (1 Corinthians 12:7-10)

“In Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3)

The introduction to this part of the series established a few background details about the manifestations and put them in the context of their surrounding chapters and verses. Bearing this in mind we will now look at the first two of the ‘gifts' listed in 1 Corinthians 12: ‘wisdom’ and ‘knowledge’.

It is important that we look at the two together as they invariably need each other and can be ineffective if they operate on their own. Although knowledge can appear to be good, it is of little use unless you also have wisdom to apply it in the right way – and vice versa. The one relies on the other to be truly effective.

As manifestations of the Spirit, they are given to whom - and when - and wherever the Spirit wills. They are not given to any one person permanently. Neither do they operate in the ways of the world; the world has its wise men as well as those who have amassed knowledge and they do have their place – but in affairs of the Spirit the Lord sees things differently. We are commissioned and sent, as Paul was, “to preach the gospel – not with wisdom and eloquence, lest the cross of Christ be emptied of its power” (1 Cor 1:17).

The Spiritual Nature of Knowledge and Wisdom

So what is this knowledge and wisdom that is mentioned here in 1 Corinthians 12? Proverbs 2 (the whole chapter) is an excellent help in understanding the true meaning of this. The writer starts by saying to his children that “if you accept my words and store up my commands within you, turning your ear to wisdom and applying your heart to understanding – indeed, if you call out for insight and cry aloud for understanding…then you will understand the fear of the Lord and find the knowledge of God” (vv1-5).

He continues, “For the Lord gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding” (v6); “for he guards the course of the just and protects the way of his faithful ones” (v7). “Then you will understand what is right and just and fair – every good path. For wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will be pleasant to your soul” (vv9-10).

Knowledge is to know the facts; wisdom is to know what to do with them.

These insights continue throughout the rest of the chapter, describing how discretion and understanding will guard you and wisdom will save you from evil distractions so that you will keep to the paths of the righteous. True knowledge and wisdom come from knowing God, understanding his will by studying his word and seeking to stay close to him at all times.

Bestowed on Jesus

The prophetic words in the Old Testament speak of wisdom, understanding, counsel, might, knowledge and fear having been bestowed on Jesus Christ by the Holy Spirit:

A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him – the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding, the Spirit of counsel and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord – and he will delight in the fear of the Lord. He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes, or decide by what he hears with his ears; but with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. (Isaiah 11:1-5)

Knowledge, wisdom and understanding in the ways of God were the essence of Jesus’s ministry and the Holy Spirit ensures that these are available to his followers, albeit as manifestations rather than as actual gifts. “We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives” (Col 1:9, emphasis added).

The Tribe of Issachar

In the time before the advent of Christ, an understanding of the ways of God usually came to individuals such as priests and prophets and this information was then passed on to the people – but there are also records of a whole tribe being gifted in this way.

We know that when the Lord turned Saul’s kingdom over to David at Hebron he received support in the form of fighting men from all the different tribes, except the Tribe of Issachar who sent men of wisdom and knowledge: “from Issachar, men who understood the times and knew what Israel should do – 200 chiefs, with all their relatives under their command” (1 Chron 12:32).

Today, followers of Christ all have the opportunity to have that close relationship with the Father and receive knowledge in order to bless others, and to help their communities and even their nations understand what is happening around them and to know the right steps to take.

To know God’s will is to have wisdom.

Back to Origins (or Translations!)

1 Corinthians 12:8 speaks of the gifts of wisdom and knowledge being given as ‘messages’ - the “message of wisdom” and the “message of knowledge”. The word being translated here as ‘message’ is the Greek word logos, which in the King James version is translated as 'word' and in the RSV as 'utterance'. Each translation gives the impression of something quite concise, often no more than a sentence or two. 'Utterance' can imply speaking forth generally, rather than to just one person.

Both gifts as described in this passage have a strong speaking element rather than a doing element, which the New Life version translates as just “the gift of teaching words of wisdom or what he has learned and knows”; The Living Bible as “the ability to give wise advice; someone else may be especially good at studying and teaching”; JB Phillips version as “One man’s gift by the Spirit is to speak with wisdom, another’s to speak with knowledge”. And The Message just has “wise counsel and clear understanding”.

Special Revelation

So we turn now to the expression of wisdom and the (closely associated) expression of knowledge. We are told “in Christ are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:3), but the believer does not have a reservoir of wisdom and knowledge, from which he can draw at will. In these two gifts wisdom and knowledge are made available by special revelation in the needed moment through the believer, as the Spirit gives expression in his time and way.

The word 'revelation', which is used three times by Paul (1 Cor 14:6, 26 and 30), is probably used as a synonym for these two gifts of wisdom and knowledge: it is the Greek word apokalupsis, which literally means 'to take the covers off’ and this is the special function performed by these gifts. Paul says that he went up to Jerusalem “in response to a revelation” (Gal 2:2).

What About Manifestations Today?

We can understand the invaluable nature of spiritual knowledge and wisdom to ALL Christians as they grow to maturity and this comes with constant reading, study and understanding the word, alongside prayer. But is there something special about a message or word received as a spiritual manifestation by a selected few, as Paul intimates in his list here?

The desire to know all things, and especially to know the future, has always been with mankind, from the times of the oracles. Notoriously, gypsies have been reading crystals and palms for centuries, and the reading of horoscopes in newspapers is still sought after in a ‘secular’ world. Christians have often viewed these either as a bit of fun or as evil and coming from the wrong spirit.

If knowledge is to know the word of God, spiritual wisdom is to understand God’s will for service.

The idea of manifestations of the Holy Spirit became more generally accepted again among Christians following the birth of the Pentecostal movement last century, but words of knowledge have gained more prominence in the Charismatic movement.

John Wimber’s definition of knowledge was, reportedly: "This is the supernatural revelation of fact about a person or situation, which is not learned through the efforts of the natural mind, but is a fragment of knowledge freely given by God, disclosing the truth which the Spirit wishes to be made known concerning a particular person or situation".¹ One lesson we must learn from the Charismatic movement is that we need to lay a greater emphasis upon ‘distinguishing between the spirits’ that bring these words (we feel that this is doubly necessary with words of prophecy and we will look at this next time).

Another lesson we must learn from the Charismatic movement is who words of wisdom and knowledge are intended for. Whereas some Christians think that words of knowledge and wisdom are mainly for individuals (or for specific occasions) and are synonymous with personal prophecies or prophetic words, others feel they give an individual the power to proclaim the message or, as the Amplified Version says: “To one is given through the [Holy] Spirit [the power to speak] the message of wisdom, and to another [the power to express] the word of knowledge and understanding according to the same Spirit” (1 Cor 12:7-8).

It is important to remember that each of the gifts are intended for the good (or the ‘profit’, YLT) of the whole community.² So the question we need to ask is: are personal words of wisdom and knowledge truly biblical? If so, how do they benefit the whole community? Whatever decision you reach, all of them when exercised should manifest the Spirit’s power and presence.

Final Words…

God keeps before him in the storehouse of his mind all the facts of heaven and earth. He knows everything about every person. He knows every event, every reaction, every intention and every consequence – past, present and future. Therefore he can uncover any information we may need and he can reveal what should be done in any situation. It would be utter foolishness to ignore the potentiality of these gifts.

The manifestations of wisdom and knowledge reveal the love of the Lord for his people: they are audible and have visible consequences - unlike the fruits of the Spirit which are invisible graces. When Jesus turned water into wine John records, “He thus revealed his glory and his disciples put their faith in him” (John 2:11). These manifestations of the Spirit result in God's people seeing his glory and believing more confidently than ever. They also demonstrate to unbelievers that the God we worship is alive, interested and powerful.

References

1 Derived from this site.

2 The gift of the message of wisdom is that 'speaking by the Spirit of God' which manifests some part of God's total wisdom for the direction of the body of Christ; and the gift of the message of knowledge is that 'speaking by the Spirit of God' which manifests some part of God's total knowledge for the information of the body of Christ.

Clifford Denton unpacks God's vision for knowledge, understanding and wisdom.

"Education, education, education", said Tony Blair as he entered 10 Downing Street for the first time. It sounded good at first. Now, our new Prime Minister Theresa May has raised education to a high priority once more, with a fresh focus on grammar schools. With standards under scrutiny as each year passes, whether it be through Ofsted reports, or exam results, our attention is never far from how our children are being taught in school.

But how close are we to a biblical pattern for education? It is not so much the efficiency and funding of our national programmes that should be our priority, but the foundations on which we are raising the next generation.

The Jesuits have been credited with the maxim, "Give me a child for his first seven years and I'll give you the man", reflecting what everyone who wants to order society according to a certain world-view knows. If an education system is designed to conform to a certain philosophy or religion, then society can be changed in a generation – for good or bad.

If an education system can be conformed to a certain philosophy or religion, then society can be changed in a generation – for good or bad.

Back to our Roots

So what does the Bible say? That must be the prime focus for Christians.

First, the word education is not to be found. The biblical word is Torah. Yet even before the establishing of Torah through Moses, God's prime purpose for his people was shown – right back in the Garden of Eden. God created mankind to be in fellowship with him. Adam and Eve were given simple instructions to maintain that fellowship. The principles of Torah were given to them in basic form - they were told what not to do in order to maintain a close relationship with the Lord.

The Bible, in other places, describes this relationship as a walk with God. Through human weakness and a little input from the enemy, Adam and Eve could not maintain this walk and so the Fall occurred, followed by God's programme of recovery through covenant that is still going on today. Principles of biblical education, Torah, were made known through Moses so that the chosen people of God could live an ordered and blessed life in fellowship with him.

Torah: Principles and Purpose

The Hebrew word Torah refers to the teaching of God's people. Jethro, Moses' father-in-law, summarised the way God's people should be taught: "stand before God for the people...teach them the statutes and the laws and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do" (Ex 18:19-20).

The walk with God, highlighted here, was recalled time and again throughout Israel's history. It was a walk that could (and did) falter through disobedience, and so its principles were reiterated at key moments. For example, Ezra affirmed the principles after his return to Jerusalem from Babylon:

Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the Torah of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach the statutes and ordinances to Israel. (Ezra 7:10)

Micah also was inspired to champion the balance and purpose of Torah:

He has shown you, O man, what is good; and what does the Lord require of you, but to do justly, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God? (Mic 6:8)

In considering what Christian education might look like, in contrast to what the world around us is establishing, we are wise to first look back to the Old Testament and consider how God intended his covenant people to walk safely with him.

Beware of dry legalism, however, in which Torah is reduced to a set of dos and don'ts, as if God desires only ritual observance. What he desires above all is relationship with us, as a father with a child, or a husband with a wife. The principles of Torah are for securing this walk, not replacing it.

Principles of biblical education, Torah, were made known through Moses so that the people of God could live a blessed life in fellowship with him.

Keeping on Track with God

The struggles of the Children of Israel to maintain a close walk with God demonstrate our need of principles to protect us along our way in life. As much as Adam and Eve were subject to the temptations of the evil one, so there are always ways in which evil is at work in the nations of the world to seduce God's people off track.

This principle is reflected in the Council of Jerusalem (Acts 15) and so is as valid for Christians as it was for Adam and Eve and for the Nation of Israel. The four injunctions of the letter written from the Council to new believers (Acts 15:28-29) were essential things to abstain from so that "if you keep yourselves from these things, you will do well."

So even though we live in days of the New Covenant where, according to the fulfilment of Jeremiah 31:33, Torah (God's educational programme) is put into the minds and written on the hearts of God's people, still there are warnings about being seduced away from a close walk with God.

Jesus Messiah the Goal

The ultimate goal of Torah (God's educational package) was to bring us to Messiah (Rom 10:4), like an escort taking a person to the place of his education (Gal 3:24). Jesus made it clear that he did not come to abolish Torah but to fulfil it (Matt 5:17-20), meaning that the goal of teaching within the Christian community is the interpretation of Torah by the Spirit of God, in the light of Jesus the Messiah, fulfilling the New Covenant announced first by Jeremiah (Jer 31).

This goal remains the same as in the days of the Old Covenant, though now it is enabled by the Spirit of God in the heart of every believer. Our teaching should encourage and establish this walk for all of Jesus' disciples. Matthew 28:18-20, the Great Commission, is Jesus' command that we do this - making disciples.

This walk is enabled through the Spirit of God and it is as much a spiritual battle today to gain and maintain it as it was for Adam and Eve and for the Children of Israel through the days of the Old Covenant. Our education programmes must have the objective of discipleship and growth to maturity in the Holy Spirit as their prime focus, to help others mature in their personal walk with God.

Summary So Far

In summary, from the time of Adam and Eve, God's plan has been to live in relationship with his own people. Since the time of Jesus, the invitation has gone out to the entire world for people to walk in this relationship. God desires this but also requires our complete commitment.

Torah is not to be reduced to a set of ritual dos and don'ts. Above all God desires relationship with us – the principles of Torah are for securing this, not replacing it.

Education God's Way: The Method

Whilst each disciple of Jesus has a personal walk and a promise of the Holy Spirit as our personal teacher, God has also appointed some to be teachers (Eph 4:11). We learn from Deuteronomy 6 that responsibility for Bible teaching is first through the example of parents. Biblical education is primarily to take place in the home – more so than in church!

Other Bible teaching is ordered around this, with the aim of raising up disciples of Jesus to personal responsibility and independence in their walk with God. The exhortation of God to the families of Israel (Deut 6:4-9) is still foundational to the teaching of our children today:

Hear, O Israel: the Lord our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength. And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates.

The importance of diligence is emphasised here; the minute care that is to be taken to remember, and always be alert to opportunities to teach God's ways. This shows that it is easy to slip into the ways of the world around. We must always remember what God has done in the past, in order to have a straight path into the future.

The goal of Torah, God's educational package, was to bring us to Jesus Messiah.

Education God's Way: The Content

If discipleship is the goal, what then of the content of biblical education? The Book of Proverbs emphasises the three key elements of knowledge, understanding and wisdom. These are three distinct elements usually considered key in any education system.

However, James warned us about demonic counterfeits (James 3:15). There is a wisdom that does not come from God. This is the danger inherent in education systems that are not founded on the Bible and are motivated in other ways (which James would call earthly, sensual and demonic).

Knowledge: Only the Start

Much education in our schools today is knowledge-based and much of it ends there, leaving the application of this knowledge open and vulnerable to the spirit of the age. Our children can be trapped within a system perpetuated by unbiblical objectives that are self-serving and at times dangerous. Thus, knowledge of nuclear power can be put to good use providing heat and light to enhance or lives – or it can be used to make weapons to destroy the world. This is just one illustration.

Knowledge from a biblical perspective, however, is far deeper than factual knowledge. The Hebrew word for 'knowledge' is the same word that describes the relationship between a man and his wife. As we study this we discover that all three of the key elements of biblical education are spiritual in nature. A prayerful reading of the Book of Proverbs will confirm this. So, whether we are speaking of factual knowledge or relational knowledge of God, we are designed and intended to exercise our spiritual nature in its acquisition.

Understanding: Releasing the Potential of Knowledge

But what of understanding? I have been a teacher and educationalist for many years, but it has taken me until recently to get a better grasp of what this is. Many of us use the words knowledge and understanding interchangeably, thinking we have grasped their meaning, but I would suggest there are hidden depths here that we did not realise existed.

Hebrew, the foundational language of the Bible, is verb-orientated: application is always paramount. Knowledge leads to action. One becomes intimate with information and with facts and the natural tendency is to do something as a consequence, to apply knowledge into some form of action or end result.

This is understanding in action, putting together diverse pieces of information to bring about a creative consequence. There is potential in knowledge - understanding releases that potential. How important, therefore, that understanding be properly directed, since the potential of knowledge can be released in so many different ways!

All three key elements of biblical education – knowledge, understanding and wisdom - are spiritual in nature.

Wisdom

Biblical education must develop a Godly mindset, so that our understanding (and therefore our doing) has the right motives. This can only be accomplished through a prayerful walk with God, who alone can lead us to apply what we learn rightly. That is why James says that we should ask God for wisdom in faith, in confidence that God will give it liberally.

The wisdom of God is not only concerned with abstract and spiritual matters. It is also concerned with practical outworking for the ordering of our society. In all ways, practical and spiritual, the goal of education is to fulfil the two Great Commandments: to love God with all our being and our neighbour as ourselves. It is no small thing to teach one another to walk with God in this way and it is clear that education in our nation's schools is likely, in the world as it is, to fall far short of this.

In Conclusion

Returning to the introduction to this article: "Education, education, education" rightly directed is an excellent maxim, but wrongly directed is worldly, blind and potentially dangerous. Surely we are at a period in history when we should consider carefully what God's plan for the education of his people should be, especially our children.

"Of making many books there is no end, and much study wearies the body...here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man." (Ecc 12:12-13)