The concept of the underived wisdom of God is a profound theological tenet that underscores the self-sufficient and inherent nature of God's wisdom. Unlike human wisdom, which is acquired through experience, learning, and observation, God's wisdom is intrinsic and eternal, existing independently of any external source or influence.

Biblical Foundation

The Bible consistently affirms the underived nature of God's wisdom. In Romans 11:33, the Apostle Paul exclaims, "Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable His judgments, and untraceable His ways!" . This passage highlights the immeasurable and inscrutable nature of God's wisdom, suggesting that it is beyond human comprehension and not contingent upon any created order.

In the Old Testament, the book of Job presents a similar theme. Job 12:13 declares, "Wisdom and strength belong to God; counsel and understanding are His" . Here, wisdom is portrayed as an inherent attribute of God, emphasizing that it is not derived from any external source but is a fundamental aspect of His divine nature.

Theological Implications

The underived wisdom of God implies that His decisions and actions are always perfect and just, rooted in an understanding that transcends human reasoning. This is evident in Isaiah 55:8-9, where God declares, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways... As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways and My thoughts than your thoughts" . This passage reinforces the idea that God's wisdom is not only superior but also fundamentally different from human wisdom.

God's Wisdom in Creation and Providence

The underived wisdom of God is manifest in creation and providence. Proverbs 3:19 states, "The LORD founded the earth by wisdom and established the heavens by understanding" . This verse attributes the order and complexity of the universe to God's inherent wisdom, suggesting that creation itself is a testament to His perfect understanding and knowledge.

Furthermore, God's providential care for His creation is guided by His underived wisdom. In Ephesians 1:11, Paul writes, "In Him we were also chosen as God’s own, having been predestined according to the plan of Him who works out everything by the counsel of His will" . This indicates that God's governance of the world is executed with perfect wisdom, ensuring that His purposes are fulfilled in accordance with His divine plan.

Christ as the Embodiment of God's Wisdom

In the New Testament, Jesus Christ is presented as the embodiment of God's wisdom. Colossians 2:3 affirms, "In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge" , referring to Christ. This suggests that the wisdom of God is fully revealed in the person and work of Jesus, who is both the agent of creation and the means of redemption.

1 Corinthians 1:24 further identifies Christ as "the power of God and the wisdom of God" , indicating that through Him, the underived wisdom of God is made accessible to humanity. This connection between Christ and divine wisdom underscores the centrality of Jesus in God's redemptive plan and His role as the ultimate revelation of God's perfect wisdom.

Practical Application

For believers, the underived wisdom of God provides a foundation for trust and confidence in His guidance and decisions. James 1:5 encourages believers to seek wisdom from God, stating, "If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all generously and without reproach, and it will be given to him" . This invitation to seek divine wisdom reflects the belief that God, in His infinite wisdom, is willing to impart understanding to those who earnestly seek it.

In summary, the underived wisdom of God is a central attribute that affirms His self-sufficiency, sovereignty, and perfect understanding. It is a source of assurance for believers, who can rely on God's wisdom in all aspects of life, knowing that His ways are higher and His plans are perfect.Job 21:22
Shall any teach God knowledge? seeing he judges those that are high.
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Isaiah 40:14
With whom took he counsel, and who instructed him, and taught him in the path of judgment, and taught him knowledge, and showed to him the way of understanding?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

On Proverbs. From the Commentary of St. Hippolytus on Proverbs.
... And with His own underived life [1238] He has brought forth the ... meet an untimely
expulsion from the presence of God, by whom ... 1240] He asks of wisdom, who seeks ...
/.../on proverbs from the commentary.htm

Letter ix. Meditation.
... Creative power must be underived. (3.) How the omnipotence of God is displayed,
in his upholding and governing all things. ... 9. The Wisdom of God. ...
/.../a practical directory for young christian females/letter ix meditation.htm

God's Inheritance and Ours
... side is on one side spontaneous and underived, and on ... all the majesty and the purity
and the wisdom and the power that belong to us because they are God's. ...
/.../expositions of holy scripture ephesians peter/gods inheritance and ours.htm

Dogmatic.
... a thing made; and similarly when the Son was made wisdom and sanctification ... Ill.,
cxxxiii.) as arguing that He is God Almighty, and to be ... [391] Or underived life ...
//christianbookshelf.org/basil/basil letters and select works/i dogmatic.htm

Of the Synod which was Held at Nic??a in Bithynia, and the Creed ...
... some were eminent for the word of wisdom, others for ... the Father's substance and power,
since the underived nature of ... simply implies, that the Son of God has no ...
/.../the ecclesiastical history of scholasticus/chapter viii of the synod which.htm

Christianity Requires the Temper of Childhood.
... infinite and adorable God, and the absolute underived Holiness; in ... shall not receive
the kingdom of God as a ... own mind is the great fountain of wisdom, and seek ...
/.../shedd/sermons to the natural man/christianity requires the temper of.htm

Essay on Faith.
... of the flesh ([Greek text]), or the wisdom of this ... assumption of a circle, consequently
underived, unconditional, and ... of the moral nature to God, in opposition ...
/.../coleridge/confessions of an inquiring spirit etc/essay on faith.htm

Covenant Duties.
... learned from the source of all true wisdom, and having ... The truth of God's government
ought to be maintained ... The underived majesty of the Eternal; the power and ...
/.../cunningham/the ordinance of covenanting/chapter iv covenant duties.htm

Homilies on the Gospel of John.
... 49; His acts brought grace and truth, [227]50; alone of all, hath seen God in His ...
241]68; showed His authority in changing names, [242]ib.; His wisdom in the ...
/.../homilies on the gospel of st john and hebrews/homilies on the gospel of.htm

The Sixth Ennead Cfirst Tractate. On the Kinds of Being (1).
... it shares only its name with our wisdom, it is ... that Unity which is not accidental
but essential and underived. ... In this theory God is introduced merely for the ...
/.../plotinus/the six enneads/the sixth ennead cfirst tractate.htm

What is godly wisdom? | GotQuestions.org

What is wisdom? What is the difference between wisdom and knowledge? | GotQuestions.org

How can I tap into the wisdom of God? | GotQuestions.org

Wisdom: Dictionary and Thesaurus | Clyx.com

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