Ephesians 3:10
“so that the manifold wisdom of God might now be made known through the church to the rulers and the authorities in the heavenly places.”
If I were to think of wisdom, many things come to mind: Solomon, the greeks and their famous philosophers, judges and that ilk. Cultural wisdom is transmitted through reporters, hollywood producers and ap teachers and college professors. The question gets even more refined: the wisdom of God. I don’t think of the First Baptist Church on the corner. But that’s what the verse says. The wisdom of God is delivered through the church. Hollywood loves to portray the church/pastor as some fool or worse. In a country as vast as ours there have been some to match that label. News groups seek those out and attempt to brain wash our culture with that image.
God has chosen the church to deliver His wisdom. Just so Christians don’t get too proud, Paul says this in I Corinthians 1:27 says, “but God has chosen the foolish things of the world to shame the wise, and God has chosen the weak things of the world to shame the things which are strong”. The cultural wise ones really think that those in the church are fools. They mock them at several occasions. I can remember telling a college professor friend that I was in ministry (long ago), she said, “how cute”. God isn’t calling us fools, but foolish by the world’s standards.
God has a history of doing what the cultural wise ones don’t expect. Jesus had working class parents. Jesus didn’t come to do social justice and overthrow Rome. They ended up killing Him for not comforming.
God has chosen the church to speak His wisdom to the world. The first message of wisdom is reconciliation through the cross. Many call themselves spiritual and more. The cross doesn’t appeal to them. In 2 Kings 5:1-16 God heals Naaman through a means he thinks insulting. It takes him a while to come around to accept it. That’s how the message of the cross is. Many think it foolish. Yet, that is God’s first piece of wisdom.
God’s wisdom goes to you, the Christian, as you spend time in His word and go to church. David says in Psalm 119:98-100 “Your commandments make me wiser than my enemies, For they are ever mine. I have more insight than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. I understand more than the aged, Because I have observed Your precepts” The Christian with her Bible is wiser than her teachers.
God thank You that You give us your wisdom. Help us to stay in Your word and seek You for it. Bless our pastors with wisdom.