Chokmah — Unveiling the Biblical Essence of Wisdom
An ancient perception of Wisdom that can revolutionize your view of the world
Amidst the timeless debates surrounding biblical narratives lies a word of profound significance: Chokmah. While some may dismiss the Bible as archaic, its enduring influence underscores the relevance of its contents across millennia. Within its pages, Chokmah emerges as a beacon of wisdom, offering insights that resonate with contemporary seekers of truth and understanding.
Besides substantial dispute, I think some words it contains are of huge value for all of us. Let’s deal with this exceptional one:
Chokmah (חכמה, ḥoḵmah)
Chokmah stands for wisdom — wisdom that works. It’s the ability to judge correctly and to follow the best course of action, based on knowledge and understanding. Wisdom is the ability to see something from God’s viewpoint. Wisdom is “God’s character in the many practical affairs of life.”
The idea is primarily found in the biblical wisdom literature: the books of Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes.
“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom.” — Spurgeon
According to the bible, the prerequisite for this “wisdom” is the fear of the Lord.
“The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” — Proverbs 1:7
“Wisdom” is personified as a woman crying out for disciples who will pursue her. The person who seeks chokmah diligently will receive understanding (Proverbs 2:6) and will benefit in life by walking with God (Proverbs 2:20).
“So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.
The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.
But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other.” — Galatians 5:16-26
