Humans, unlike other living creatures, possess wisdom to varying degrees. In fact the scientific, Latin name for a human being is Homo sapiens (man of wisdom). In the previous article at this blogspot I briefly discussed some research being done by neuroscientists who are utilizing imaging studies of the brain attempting to find the location of wisdom.
Humans are believed to be made up of a physical, material body and an immaterial soul. Thus the soul has no dimensions or weight. It is invisible and therefore unsearchable through, biochemical, histological or technological means. When one begins with a fallacious axiom one always arrives at an equally fallacious conclusion. It is axiomatic that wisdom is located in the soul of mankind, the portion of our humanity that also possesses intelligence, emotion, personality and will. As such wisdom will never be found through scientific investigation. Until the 19th century, a majority of true scientists believed in the existence of a soul.
We can only learn about wisdom in the Bible from the Author of Wisdom Himself. King Solomon was reportedly the wisest human who ever lived. He attained that wisdom from God. We read of that historical fact in 1 Kings 4:29-34: “God gave Solomon wisdom and very great insight, and a breadth of understanding as measureless as the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than the wisdom of all the people of the East and greater than all the wisdom of Egypt…and his fame spread to all the surrounding nations. He spoke three thousand proverbs and his songs numbered a thousand and five. He spoke about plant life, from the cedar of Lebanon to the hyssop that grows out of walls. He also spoke about animals and birds, reptiles and fish. From all nations people came to listen to Solomon’s wisdom, sent by all the kings of the world, who had heard of his wisdom.”
A few of those 3000 proverbs the Solomon read as follows: “For the LORD gives wisdom; from his mouth come knowledge and understanding.” (Proverbs 2:6) “Blessed are those who find wisdom, those who gain understanding.” (Proverbs 3:13) “Wisdom is found in those who take advice.” (Proverbs 13:10) Those are the direct result of his personal experience. We won’t find wisdom in a high tech brain scan, chemical analysis of brain matter or histological study of brain cells using an electron microscope, but only through the scanning, dissection and in depth studying God’s Word. We will progressively gain wisdom if we take the advice we learn there from and put it into practice. Finally we learn from James, the brother of Christ, who wrote two millennia ago, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (James 1:5)