Wisdom Wednesday: Paul’s Teaching on Wisdom
Part 2- Wisdom for the Early Church
Submitted by Debbie’s Dad
“Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom …”
(1 Co 2:6–7a) NASB 95
The Apostle Paul taught about the wisdom of God in his first epistles, writing to the church in Thessalonica first, and then to church at Corinth in his second and third missionary journeys. In these four epistles, we can see the development of the wisdom themes of walking daily with the Lord, gaining knowledge of the Lord, and the wisdom of the Gospel.
Second Missionary Journey (Acts 15-18 in the period Apr 50 − Sept 52)
On this missionary journey, Paul wrote two letters to the believers at Thessalonica (in Greece) while he was at Corinth. In the first letter, he explained to them why he had not yet returned to visit them (2:17-18) and expressed his affection for them (3:10). He emphasized the wisdom theme of walking (living daily) with God:
- …we were exhorting and encouraging and imploring each one of you as a father would his own children, so that you would walk in a manner worthy of the God who calls you into His own kingdom and glory. 1 Th 2:11–12
- Finally then, brethren, we request and exhort you in the Lord Jesus, that as you received from us instruction as to how you ought to walk and please God (just as you actually do walk), that you excel still more. 1 Th 4:1
After receiving more information about the believers at Thessalonica he wrote a second letter to explain the return of Jesus Christ and the Day of the Lord, as well as reinforcing the importance of a daily walk that is worthy, and reveals (glorifies) Christ’s character:
- …that our God will count you worthy of your calling, and fulfill every desire for goodness and the work of faith with power, so that the name of our Lord Jesus will be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ 2 Th 1:11–1
Third Missionary Journey (Acts 19-21 Spring 53 − May 57)
In the third long journey, Paul wrote two letters to the church at Corinth. The first responded to disheartening news about what was happening at Corinth, to address the spiritual problems there and to answer questions. Here, he first contrasted the wisdom of the world, and the wisdom of God, expressed in the Gospel message:
- For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. (1 Cor 1:21)
- “Yet we do speak wisdom among those who are mature; a wisdom, however, not of this age nor of the rulers of this age, who are passing away; but we speak God’s wisdom …” (1 Cor 2:6–7a)
This is the beginning of a wisdom teaching where he more fully develops in latter epistles (See Ephesians 1:8, 3:10; Colossians 1:9, 4:5). Paul wrote a second letter from Macedonia to Corinth further encouraging the believers while reminding them that he walked daily in integrity by the grace of God, not in worldly wisdom, and extended passages emphasizing how believers are to walk daily:
- For our proud confidence is this: the testimony of our conscience, that in holiness and godly sincerity, not in fleshly wisdom but in the grace of God, we have conducted ourselves in the world, and especially toward you. (2 Cor 1:12)
- “.. we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Cor 5:7); Paul did not walk according to the flesh though some regard him that way (2 Cor 10:2)
In these passages in his early letters, Paul began explaining the majesty of God’s wisdom and importance of daily walking in His way.