Interpreting Jesus' Teaching on Wisdom and Harmlessness
Jesus' teaching on wisdom and harmlessness, particularly in Matthew 10:16 ("Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves"), presents a call for believers to combine shrewdness with purity of intent. This wisdom is not merely an intellectual quality but a moral one, often contrasted with foolishness, which is equated with godlessness in scripture [2].
Biblical wisdom is frequently described as a gift from God, available to those who ask for it [2, 9]. James 1:5 states, "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him" [9]. This divine wisdom is characterized by purity, peacefulness, gentleness, reasonableness, mercy, good fruits, impartiality, and sincerity [1]. It stands in contrast to "fleshly wisdom" or the "wisdom of this world," which is seen as foolishness in God's eyes [3, 5, 10]. The Apostle Paul emphasizes that God's wisdom is revealed through the "foolishness of the preaching" to save those who believe, as the world, through its own wisdom, did not know God [5].
The concept of harmlessness, or simplicity, is presented as being opposed to this worldly wisdom [3]. It implies a lack of malice and a straightforwardness in conduct [3]. Believers are exhorted to be simple concerning evil and malice [3]. This simplicity is not a lack of intelligence but a moral purity that God uses to make individuals wise [3].
The "wisdom of God" is also identified with Christ himself [2]. Origen, a patristic writer, describes Christ as the "wisdom of God" who embodies a bodiless existence of manifold speculations extending to the rationale of existing things [8]. Similarly, Augustine connects the "virtue of God and the wisdom of God" with the Son of God, who gives efficiency in action and sobriety in contemplation to those who love Him [11]. Thomas Aquinas further elaborates that Christ possessed the fullness of all knowledge, excluding ignorance, just as He was without the "fomes of sin" [7].
Prudence, closely connected with wisdom, is exemplified by Christ and is a characteristic of the wise [4]. It involves foresight, understanding one's own ways and God's ways, and avoiding evil [4]. Meekness, another quality associated with harmlessness, is also exemplified by Christ and is a fruit of the Spirit that saints should seek and exhibit [6]. This combination of wisdom and harmlessness, therefore, calls for a discerning and morally upright approach to life, guided by divine principles rather than worldly cunning.
Sources
- James “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceful, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. -- James 3:17”
- Easton's Bible Dictionary “Easton's Bible Dictionary: Wise, wisdom — A moral rather than an intellectual quality. To be "foolish" is to be godless (Ps. 14:1; comp. Judg. 19:23; 2 Sam. 13:13). True wisdom is a gift from God to those who ask it (Job 28:12-28; Prov. 3:13-18; Rom. 1:22; 16:27; 1 Cor. 1:17-21; 2:6-8; James 1:5). "Wisdom" in Prov. 1:20; 8:1; 9:1-5 may be regarded not as a mere personification of the attribute of wisdom, but as a divine person, "Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God" (1 Cor. 1:24). In Matt. 11:19 it is the personified principle of wisdom that is meant.”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Simplicity — Is opposed to fleshly wisdom -- 2Co 1:12. Necessity for -- Mt 18:2,3. Should be exhibited In preaching the gospel. -- 1Th 2:3-7. In acts of benevolence. -- Ro 12:8. In all our conduct. -- 2Co 1:12. Concerning our own wisdom. -- 1Co 3:18. Concerning evil. -- Ro 16:19. Concerning malice. -- 1Co 14:20. Exhortation to -- Ro 16:19; 1Pe 2:2. They who have the grace of Are made wise by God. -- Mt 11:25. Are made wise by the word of God. -- Ps 19:7; 119:130. Are preserved by God. -- Ps 116:6. Made circumspect by instruction. -- Pr 1:4. Profit by the correction o”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Prudence — Exhibited in the manifestation of God's grace -- Eph 1:8. Exemplified by Christ -- Isa 52:13; Mt 21:24-27; 22:15-21. Intimately connected with wisdom -- Pr 8:12. The wise celebrated for -- Pr 16:21. They who have Get knowledge. -- Pr 18:15. Deal with knowledge. -- Pr 13:16. Look well to their goings. -- Pr 14:15. Understand the ways of God. -- Ho 14:9. Understand their own ways. -- Pr 14:8. Crowned with knowledge. -- Pr 14:18. Not ostentatious of knowledge. -- Pr 12:23. Foresee and avoid evil. -- Pr 22:3. Are preserved by it. -- Pr 2:11. Suppress angry fee”
- 1 Corinthians “For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe. -- 1 Corinthians 1:21”
- Torrey's Topical Textbook “Torrey's Topical Textbook: Meekness — Christ set an example of -- Ps 45:4; Isa 53:7; Mt 11:29; 21:5; 2Co 10:1; 1Pe 2:21-23. His teaching -- Mt 5:38-45. A fruit of the Spirit -- Ga 5:22,23. Saints should Seek. -- Zep 2:3. Put on. -- Col 3:12-13. Receive the word of God with. -- Jas 1:21. Exhibit, in conduct, &c. -- Jas 3:13. Answer for their hope with. -- 1Pe 3:15. Show to all men. -- Tit 3:2. Restore the erring with. -- Ga 6:1. Precious in the sight of God -- 1Pe 3:4. Ministers should Follow after. -- 1Ti 6:11. Instruct opposers with. -- 2Ti 2:24,25. Urge, on their people. -- Tit 3:1,2. A char”
- theology (Catholic (Scholastic)) “Aquinas, Summa Theologica, Third Part (Tertia Pars), Of the Defects of Soul Assumed by Christ, Art. 3: Article: Whether in Christ there was ignorance? I answer that, As there was the fulness of grace and virtue in Christ, so too there was the fulness of all knowledge, as is plain from what has been said above (Question [7], Article [9]; Question [9]). Now as the fulness of grace and virtue in Christ excluded the "fomes" of sin, so the fulness of knowledge excluded ignorance, which is opposed to knowledge. Hence, even as the "fomes" of sin was not in Christ, neither was there ignorance in Him. ”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 9: Gospel of Peter, Diatessaron, Origen's Commentaries — 39. CHRIST AS WISDOM AND SANCTIFICATION AND REDEMPTION. (part 1): We must not, however, pass over in silence that He is of right the wisdom of God, and hence is called by that name. For the wisdom of the God and Father of all things does not apprehend His substance in mere visions, like the phantasms of human thoughts. Whoever is able to conceive a bodiless existence of manifold speculations which extend to the rationale of existing things, living and, as it were, ensouled, he will see how well the Wisdom of God which is above ev”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 5: Augustine — Anti-Pelagian — CHAP. 46 [XXIV.] --UNDERSTANDING AND WISDOM: MUST BE SOUGHT FROM GOD. Peruse attentively this treatise, and if you understand it, give God the praise; but where you fail to understand it, pray for understanding, for God will give you understanding. Remember what the Scriptures say: "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, who giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given to him."[1] Wisdom itself cometh down floral above, as the Apostle James himself tells us.[2] There is, however, another wisdom, which you must repel fro”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “ANF Vol 4: Tertullian IV, Minucius Felix, Commodian, Origen — CHAP. XIII. (part 1): But since Celsus has declared it to be a saying of many Christians, that "the wisdom of this life is a bad thing, but that foolishness is good," we have to answer that he slanders the Gospel, not giving the words as they actually occur in the writings of Paul, where they run as follow: "If any one among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may become wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God."[2] The apostle, therefore, does not say simply that "wisdom is fool- 4”
- Schaff ANF/NPNF (Patristic) “NPNF1 Vol 4: Augustine — Anti-Manichaean, Anti-Donatist — CHAP. 16.--HARMONY OF THE OLD AND NEW (part 2): think, to the knowledge of, the truth, or to teaching; justice and virtue to work and action. And I know nothing comparable to these two things, that is, to efficiency in action and sobriety in contemplation, which the virtue of God and the wisdom of God, that is, the Son of God, gives to them that love Him, when the same prophet goes on to show their value; for it is thus stated: "Wisdom teaches sobriety, and justice, and virtue, than which nothing is more useful in life to man.'' (5) 28.”