WISDOM'S HOUSE
WISDOM’S HOUSE
JT I think it will be seen that the assembly is in mind in this chapter. The assembly is an establishment of wisdom, and in its principles and furnishings it is complete, needing no fresh legislation. This book properly fits in with Colossians. There we are brought into the kingdom of the Son of the Father’s love, and we see the part wisdom has in it — a hidden wisdom.
Rem That is the point in Colossians 2 where the apostle speaks of the mystery of God “in which are hid all the treasures of wisdom and of knowledge”.
JT I thought so. This book runs alongside of Colossians, and goes into Ephesians. The kingdom in Colossians speaks of His authority, but that of the Son of the Father’s love. There is great prominence given to wisdom in these early chapters of Proverbs. It is a question of God’s best in regard to His operations. There are other features, but wisdom is His best in regard to His works. Of course love underlies all.
Rem No difficulty can arise, but you can count on wisdom to meet it.
JT Quite so. No more furnishing is needed. The public history of the assembly is marked by an increase of legislation. This chapter would show there is nothing needed, it is a question of applying what is there. What wisdom does is the last word so to speak. Chapter 8 gives us wisdom’s history from eternity. “I was set up from eternity, from the beginning, before the earth was”. Chapter 8: 22 - 31 does not refer to its operations, but wisdom’s presence as the operations of Jehovah proceeded. The One who operates is Jehovah. “When he appointed the foundations [p. 343] of the earth: then I was by him”. Chapter 8 gives the details of its relations in a past eternity to enhance its place here in its service as amongst men. Giving an account of itself it does not refer to its part in the operations, but to its presence while the operations proceeded. Chapter 9 speaks of what wisdom does amongst men here on earth. That is the great point in the chapter. But when it gives an account of itself in relation to God’s operations in the past, in the formation of the universe, it was present. It was there, nothing transpired without its presence, but Jehovah was the Operator. It is to impress upon us the importance of wisdom now; it has to be attended to, it is God’s best; what it does cannot be improved upon. Wisdom is seen particularly in what it builds.
Ques Is there enough in the seven pillars to support the testimony?
JT Yes, seven is the perfection of anything, the perfection of support here. The testimony has no need of human support. In the Reformation they missed those seven pillars. They turned to the secular powers.
Ques In chapter 8 is wisdom not a Person?
JT It shows itself in a Person, or Persons, it was present in the divine operations. It was in divine Persons, but it is regarded by itself. It was present in God. Other qualities are personified in this book too. The Lord in Luke 7 personifies wisdom. “Wisdom is justified of all her children”, but it was in Himself the thing was fully expressed.
Ques How is wisdom seen in Chapter 9?
JT It answers to the way we see it in the Acts and in the epistles in the construction of the house of God. It came out in persons, but it involves the Spirit. So Paul says he was a wise master builder. That was wisdom in the apostle. Paul was the architect, but wisdom operated in Paul. You could not [p. 344] call Paul wisdom. The word here is in the plural, just as in Genesis 1 the word for God is in the plural. This shows the matter in hand is of supreme importance. “In the beginning God created”. It was no ordinary matter. So in the building of the assembly there is the same thought. It is a great matter; there is nothing greater as a creation than the assembly.
Ques Is it not the gospel in chapter 9?
JT Yes, but notice, you get the idea of an establishment. You get that in the words “turn in hither”. There is a house, a place providing all that men need, I mean spiritually. That is quite rightly used in the gospel, but what we get in this chapter goes further.
Ques. 1 Corinthians 1?
JT Yes, that helps us on that point, to see that wisdom is brought in as correction. There was departure from what wisdom had done at Corinth, and wisdom is brought in by way of correction.
Ques Is the building limited to the apostles?
JT No, every one may build according to 1 Corinthians 3: 10. “Let each see how he builds upon it”. Wisdom is viewed as in persons. Christ is “God’s power and God’s wisdom”.
Ques Is it indicated that there was a work in the past eternity?
JT I do not know of anything having gone before chapter 8: 27. In verse 22 wisdom came into evidence, not into existence, because it is inherent in God. It came into evidence as He operated. It was there. “Jehovah possessed me in the beginning of His way, before his works of old”. It evidently came into view as operations became necessary. It was inherent in God; the wisdom spoken of was the wisdom of God.
Rem In His operations God intended to display [p. 345] wisdom. Other things were displayed such as power, but pre-eminently wisdom was to shine.
JT Yes; nothing can be added to what it does, what is done here is perfect, which is an important matter, because it would dispose of any attempt to introduce innovations into the assembly. Can you conceive of Gabriel suggesting any improvement in the creation? It is just as logical as to suggest any change being necessary in the ordering of the assembly. The work is perfect, there is nothing to be added to it. Wisdom is the last word, so to speak. Of course love is behind it, but it is as if He said, I will make the provisions of my love as perfect as they can be made.
Ques What does the apostle mean when he says, “Who has been made to us wisdom ...”
JT Just what we have been saying. It is what is in the Lord Jesus. He is the wisdom of God. You can see in Him the supreme expression of it. It had been in operation before, but He became Man and as such is the full expression of it. But it is in the saints too, and the Holy Spirit emphasizes that. Verses 27 - 32 are to show us that it was present in the operations of God, it was there. God used it in the creation, but the point is to exalt wisdom now, to make it great in our eyes.
Rem Wisdom suggests infinite resource.
JT That is right, resource in the way of meeting difficulties, in the way of operation.
Rem Divine skill has been used in the building of the assembly.
JT That is what comes out here, wisdom has done it. Ephesians says, “That now to the principalities ... might be made known through the assembly the all-various wisdom of God”. That is what we are speaking of, the assembly is the great thought of God. That is the force of the personal pronoun used in the first verses of chapter 9 — “[p. 346] She hath hewn out her seven pillars, she hath slaughtered her cattle ...”; all the things are her providing, and hence they cannot be improved upon.
Ques How do we learn wisdom?
JT It is in Christ, you learn everything in Christ. You may learn it through others now, but primarily it is a quality that is expressed in every way in Christ. Hence the children of wisdom are begotten of that quality as found in Him.
Rem Christ is the wisdom of God; if we follow Christ we learn wisdom.
JT You see it in the gospels, but the Holy Spirit having come down from Him. He takes up others, the children of wisdom, to carry on the great work of building. Christ is the Builder, but others are employed. Wisdom is doing it, and it cannot be added to or improved. That shuts out all church councils or legislation since apostolic times. Not that we do not need to come together and take counsel, but we take counsel as to how to apply what wisdom has introduced.
Rem “Ye are complete in him”.
JT Yes. In Him all the fulness was pleased to dwell. All that God is has passed within our range in Christ, and we are complete in Him, that shuts out all human wisdom. Of course the saints are children of wisdom, and hence ordinarily know what Israel ought to do.
Rem Verse 1 is the structure, verse 2 the furnishings.
JT Quite so, it gives the idea of a place, somewhere to turn into; the house should have a place in our preaching.
Rem There is something there answering to the heart of God.
JT Yes; it is God’s house, and also what He furnishes for men.
Rem “Turn in hither”, there is something to come into.
JT That is it.
Ques Would it suggest Luke 14 and 15? The invitation in chapter 14 is for man; in chapter 15 it is for the pleasure of the heart of God.
JT Exactly. Chapter 15 shows that the believer is made suitable for the house. The gospel includes the assembly. What God has established is perfect in itself, you can add nothing to it, and you are invited to come into it. Wisdom is calling attention to it.
But there is a counter religious system, there is another “woman”, and it captures many. Wisdom is calling attention to the quality of her building, her furnishings; she does not fail to let people know about it.
Rem The order would be significant. First the positive sphere of blessing, then as you are attracted into it, you become proof against the foolish woman.
JT Wisdom hath sent forth her maidens: “she crieth upon the summits of the high places of the city”. We see all this in the Acts.
Ques What do you refer to in Acts?
JT I was thinking of Paul. Before he got his commission he was preaching that Jesus was the Son of God. Then he went to Antioch, and there he taught in the assembly for a whole year. That was all in wisdom. Then he goes out with Barnabas, and sails for Cyprus, and goes the whole length of the island, and finds Bar-Jesus. It says they found him. He was a Jew. Grace would find the Jew however bad he was; he was a “child of the devil”. He was no subject for the gospel, but they found him, and if they did not get him for Christ they rendered him useless for the enemy. It was not final, it was only to be for a season; as if the grace of God would say of the Jew, I will save him some day. He was with [p. 348] the deputy of the island and he was hindering that man. And the deputy was amazed at the teaching of the Lord. Preaching ought to take the form of teaching when necessary, or you will not get intelligent men for the assembly. Where did he see the teaching of the Lord? In the apostle. Then Paul and Barnabas proceed, and go to Antioch of Pisidia, and enter into the synagogue and sit down. No pretension of being great persons, just men among men, and when they ask them to speak, Paul speaks. It is wisdom in preaching to wait for an opportunity. Some say we ought to come together and wait till the Spirit moves someone to preach. That is a very poor thing. They asked Paul to preach, and he preached. Then in chapter 14 they go on to Iconium, and they “entered together” into the synagogue. Why together? There must have been something beautiful about those two men, two men linked up together in the love of God; and they “so spake that a great multitude of both Jews and Greeks believed”. It was the manner of their speaking. Then in chapter 16 they come to Philippi, and he does not preach, but he finds out what there is of God in the place. There were some women there who prayed. He was greatly tested. There was no great movement of God outwardly, but there was a great movement of the devil. One with the spirit of Python followed him day by day. But he was grieved, and removed the cause of it. The Lord had already begun to work in a woman’s heart. He had opened Lydia’s heart to attend to the things spoken by Paul. Then he is cast into prison and the Lord works again — in the jailor. Wisdom was in all this building her house.
Rem Wisdom was effective in all the different circumstances. Wisdom was there.
JT At every place there was a change of circumstances. The building and preaching were both [p. 349] marked by wisdom. If the preaching is not marked by wisdom, the material which accrues is very difficult to build with.
Rem In preaching the gospel there is the side of meeting man’s need, but there is also God’s side, and consideration for that would bring in material suitable for the house of God.
Rem Wisdom attracts, she cries out, “Turn in hither”.
JT What comes out in the next paragraph, verses 7 - 12, is instruction concerning reproving men. We have to discriminate so as to know how to deal with them. If one is a scorner, there is no use attempting to reprove him, if we do, it will only react on ourselves. “Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee; reprove a wise man, and he will love thee”. We have to discriminate in our service, there are those you cannot help at all.
Rem Wisdom in the assembly can adapt itself to every circumstance.
JT Wisdom enables you to discern between the wise man and the wicked man.
Rem Is it connected with what is inside?
JT Yes; generally, but also there are those who have committed themselves to opposition; they may not mean to oppose Christ, but it is evident they are doing so, and you have to leave them.
Ques We speak wisdom among the perfect, is that the thought?
JT Pretty much, but wisdom is to enter into all our service. He that winneth souls is wise.
Rem If some definitely make up their minds to resist what the Lord is giving, there is no use parleying with them.
JT No, but there are wise and righteous men. “Teach a righteous man, and he will increase in learning”.
Rem It says, “I speak as to intelligent persons: do ye judge what I say”, 1 Corinthians 10: 15. They were supposed to be intelligent.
JT That is right. This paragraph is specially helpful to the young for it tells how to begin to be wise. “The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of wisdom”. That is the way to start getting on your own feet.
Rem The fear of Jehovah lies at the beginning of all spiritual progress.
JT That is most important for young people to see. The fear of the Lord is the way to enter the divine school.
Rem The dying thief made a good start: he feared God. Joseph too could say to his brethren, “I fear God”.
JT How rapidly the thief learnt! how quickly he acquired knowledge as to the Lord! “Lord, remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom”. He saw that the One hanging at his side was a King, and had a kingdom. The deputy at Cyprus too learnt quickly. He was amazed at the teaching of the Lord.
Rem If we had a greater sense of the One who is Son over God’s house we would be more adaptable to the teaching.
JT There are 13 Maschil Psalms, psalms of instruction. The first is Psalm 32, and they run through the books up to Psalm 142. The first one speaks of the blessedness of sins forgiven; if young people began with the knowledge of this blessedness and how it is reached, we should have good material for the assembly.
Rem The two who went to Emmaus, as returned to Jerusalem, were great assets to the meeting.
JT Exactly, they had gone through a course of instruction. One who begins with the Psalms of instruction, becomes intelligent in all that is of God. In the mystery are hid all the treasures of wisdom [p. 351] and knowledge. We need to know the mystery, we cannot afford to be ignorant of it.
Ques What is the mystery?
JT What we have here, the assembly, is outside man’s range of vision. It is hidden. The principles of it are in the parabolical teaching of the Lord in the gospel. He deliberately hid things from some people. A parable is to hide from certain people, but to make things intelligible to others. Colossians is a hiding epistle. The great danger in entering into the land, passing from the realm of flesh and blood into the realm of the Spirit, is the desire to take certain things with us, such as human learning and culture, so the idea of hiding is introduced. Certain things are hidden from the wise and prudent but revealed to babes; that is Colossians. We want to be among the babes. All the treasures of wisdom and knowledge are hidden in the mystery. We must not cast our pearls before swine.
Rem Our life is hid.
JT Yes, with Christ in God. In Luke 21 we read of the Lord that “by day he was teaching in the temple, and by night, going out, he remained abroad on the mountain called the mount of Olives”. Where is He? What are His living associations? He is not found where men usually are. There is something mysterious about Him. And so with christians; they are not found in the haunts of men, you do not find them everywhere. How are they kept going? The point is our life is hid. In Matthew after having spoken certain parables, the Lord asks His disciples. Do ye understand?
Rem The secret of the Lord is with them that fear Him.
JT If the secret had been kept, we should have no Babylonish system such as we have around us now. That has come about by the secret being exposed, as we see in Isaiah 39.
[p. 352] Ques Why is it that so often when difficulties arise we do not get the full benefit of the operations of this wisdom?
JT That applies generally. The word is, Is there “not a wise man among you?” Like the wise woman in 2 Samuel — The city was about to be destroyed, and she cried out of the city. And then she went to all the people of the city in her wisdom. She took account of every one in it, and she delivered the city. If a difficulty arises in a meeting, it may be right to conceal knowledge, but that can only go to the point; then you can conceal it no longer. The time comes when you must declare it, but it must be to all the people. The wise woman went to all the people in her wisdom and the man’s head was thrown over the wall and that was an end of the trouble. That today would be to the assembly. Normally if you state the case rightly there you will get right judgment.