Due to the recent television mini-series the story of Major Charles Ingram has been much to the fore over the last few weeks. He is the man who allegedly cheated on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? and won the ultimate prize. Though found guilty in an ensuing court case he continues to maintain his innocence. We won’t get into that but his story came to me this morning as I lingered over Psalm 90: 12. People can become national celebrities and very well off because they know a lot of stuff. But is this where true wisdom lies?
Psalm 90 is a meditation on the judgement of God and the fleeting nature of human existence. Thus the plea:
‘Teach us to number our days aright, that we may gain a heart of wisdom.‘ (Psalm 90: 2)
This has been paraphrased in various ways but at its heart is a desire to make the most of our limited lives in gathering ‘wisdom’. Now what is this ‘wisdom’? Is it the accumulation of facts that can be displayed on a quiz show? Is it even the fruit of academic study? There is of course a difference between the two. The former is often classified as ‘trivia’ while the latter embraces the work of scientists and experts in other fields whose work brings enormous benefits to humankind. But even this has to be put into perspective. The writer of Ecclesiastes shares his experience:
‘I said to myself, “Look, I have increased in wisdom more than anyone who has ruled over Jerusalem before me; I have experienced much of wisdom and knowledge.” Then I applied myself to the understanding of wisdom, and also of madness and folly, but I learned that this, too, is a chasing after the wind. For with much wisdom comes much sorrow; the more knowledge, the more grief.’ (Ecclesiastes 1: 16-18)
There is a ‘wisdom’ and a ‘knowledge’ that does not satisfy the deepest longings of the heart.
Paul was aware of this. He was quite possibly one of the foremost intellectuals of his day, not only in his knowledge of the Hebrew scriptures and traditions but of pagan philosophy and literature. He was convinced, however, that there was a wisdom that came from no human source but from the very being of God. It was experienced not ultimately in study or debate but in an encounter with Jesus Christ. Here we see what God is like. Here we understand that sin is our fundamental problem. Here we grasp the solution to our problem and the destiny God cherishes for us. Paul wrote:
‘Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.’ (1 Corinthians 1: 22-25)
So Paul’s priority in Corinth was not to impress the sophisticates with his learning but to preach the Christ who embodies the wisdom of God, the truths God desires to impress on human hearts:
‘When I came to you, I did not come with eloquence or human wisdom as I proclaimed to you the testimony about God. For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.’ (I Corinthians 2: 1-2)
This is not to devalue study and research. At this moment we are praying for the great minds seeking an antidote to Covid-19 that they will make the breakthrough. We have never been more dependent on scientific expertise. But Paul, like the Psalmist, is calling for perspective. With all that we know, what do we know of God? What do we really know about ourselves? Paul points to ‘Jesus Christ and him crucified’, a wisdom that is experienced in forgiveness, renewal and hope for eternity.
