Wisdom Wednesday: Paul’s Teaching on Wisdom
Part 7 – Wisdom for the church at Phillipi
Submitted by Debbie’s Dad
“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9–11) NASB 95
As we continue to study the development of the wisdom theme in Paul’s teaching from Rome, where he was under house arrest (Acts 28:16-30). He wrote a letter to the Philippian believers whembraced Jesus Christ when Paul first visited them on his second missionary journey (Acts 16:2 ff). After that, this church continued to support him as their missionary (Phil. 4:15-16). The epistle is an affectionate letter of encouragement and mild warning about disagreements and false teachings.
The word “wisdom” is not used in the entire letter, yet the themes of wisdom that we have learned explicitly in the prior epistles are nonetheless evident implicitly in this letter:
Gain an Abundance of Love based on God’s Wisdom
In verse 9, above, Paul prays that their love will be in abundance (abound, Greek perissos, above and beyond). This love must be in (based on) a personal knowledge (epignosis) of God and discernment (aisthēsis) into God’s ways. This kind of knowledge and discernment enables the believer to “approve the things that are excellent” (v.10) – the discernment to walk wisely in life. This echoes the similar wisdom statements in Paul’s other writings:
- “For this reason also, since the day we heard of it, we have not ceased to pray for you and to ask that you may be filled with the knowledge of His will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Col 1:9).
- [Praying] “that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and of revelation in the knowledge of Him.” (Eph 1:17)
Later in Philippians, Paul declares his highest value is to “know Christ Jesus my Lord” (3:8) and to “… know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead” (3:10-11)
Have a Mind of Wisdom in Humility
Paul also emphasizes having a mind (Greek phroneo – to think, have understanding) that is the same as his: “of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose.” (v. 2:2). This verse precedes Pauls’ extended exposition (verses 5-18) that describes how we must live humble lives, looking out for others more than ourselves, even as Christ emptied Himself for us. In Paul’s epistle to the Romans, he further emphasizes that the development of this selfless mind requires a daily renewal. (Romans 12: 2,10)
Pressing on in the Walk of Wisdom
Following Paul’s prior association of wisdom with the “walk” through life, he encourages the believers to walk following the behavior pattern of those who follow Christ. “Brethren, join in following my example, and observe those who walk according to the pattern you have in us. For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. (3:17–20).
This echoes Paul’s teaching to the Colossians:
- “… so that you will walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, to please Him in all respects, bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” Col 1:10
- “Therefore as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,” Col 2:6
This was Pauls’ message of wisdom to Phillipi: Grow an abundance of love, develop a mind of wisdom living humbly before the Lord, and press on in your walk with the Lord. He gave the believers the theme of His life like this: “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (3:14)