What is Wisdom?

[AphroditeGoneAwry]

The unconscious attainment of purity of thought.

 

[Spurgeon]

It seems Zang has stopped to defend his position - for the second time. Since you sided with him, would you care to take over?

No thanks.

I know that argumentation is not my greatest skill.

Furthermore, there is nothing to debate. I'm thoroughly convinced that the Bible is the Word of God.

The best argument I could make is to simply quote Scripture.

 

[Nicodemus]

Furthermore, there is nothing to debate. I'm thoroughly convinced that the Bible is the Word of God.

The best argument I could make is to simply quote Scripture.

Using that method, I could prove that 'The Lord of the Rings' is the word of a hobbit.

 

[Spurgeon]

Using that method, I could prove that 'The Lord of the Rings' is the word of a hobbit.

Well, thankfully, God does not require me to prove anything. He only requires me to proclaim his Word.

 

[Nicodemus]

Well, thankfully, God does not require me to prove anything. He only requires me to proclaim his Word.

But only to the Jews: "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: 'Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.'" (Matthew 10:5-6).

 

[Spurgeon]

But only to the Jews: "These twelve Jesus sent out with the following instructions: 'Do not go among the Gentiles or enter any town of the Samaritans. Go rather to the lost sheep of Israel.'" (Matthew 10:5-6).

Yes, at that particular time, those were his instructions.

What is your point?

 

[Nicodemus]

Yes, at that particular time, those were his instructions.

What is your point?

That you should not proclaim it here in the open.

 

[Spurgeon]

That you should not proclaim it here in the open.

Are you basing that statement on the Scripture you quoted?

I don't see the connection.

 

[Nicodemus]

Are you basing that statement on the Scripture you quoted?

I don't see the connection.

Jesus wants his followers to go only to other Jews. You are one of his followers, but not all of us reading your posts are Jews.

 

[Spurgeon]

Jesus wants his followers to go only to other Jews. You are one of his followers, but not all of us reading your posts are Jews.

That's simply not true.

Yes, in Matthew 10, Jesus instructs the disciples to preach only to the Jews.

But later, in Matthew 28, after Jesus has died and has been resurrected, he instructs the disciples to preach to all the world:

Matthew 28

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you." So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me."
The Report of the Guard
While they were going, behold, some of the guard went into the city and told the chief priests all that had taken place. And when they had assembled with the elders and taken counsel, they gave a sufficient sum of money to the soldiers and said, "Tell people, 'His disciples came by night and stole him away while we were asleep.' And if this comes to the governor's ears, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble." So they took the money and did as they were directed. And this story has been spread among the Jews to this day.
The Great Commission
Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age."

 

[Nicodemus]

But later, in Matthew 28, after Jesus has died and has been resurrected, he instructs the disciples to preach to all the world:

I would not rely on that as Matthew 28:19 was famously interpolated by the catholic church. For example, early quotations do not contain 'the father' and 'the holy spirit'.

It would also be very un-Jewish of Jesus to instruct his followers to proclaim his religious ideas to anyone but his fellow Jews.

 

[Spurgeon]

I would not rely on that as Matthew 28:19 was famously interpolated by the catholic church. For example, early quotations do not contain 'the father' and 'the holy spirit'.

It would also be very un-Jewish of Jesus to instruct his followers to proclaim his religious ideas to anyone but his fellow Jews.

This must be a poor attempt at trolling. Or else, you really just don't know what you're talking about.

In either case, I don't see addressing it any further as a productive use of my time.

 

[Nicodemus]

This must be a poor attempt at trolling. Or else, you really just don't know what you're talking about.

I think you do not know what you are dealing with: 'the bible' was not written in a day. Google it.

 

[Beorn]

I would not rely on that as Matthew 28:19 was famously interpolated by the catholic church. For example, early quotations do not contain 'the father' and 'the holy spirit'.

It would also be very un-Jewish of Jesus to instruct his followers to proclaim his religious ideas to anyone but his fellow Jews.

It would also be very unjewish of Jesus to begin his ministry by preaching to a samaritan woman or to tell a parable where the samaritan is the hero and the levite priest was the villain.

 

[Beorn]

This must be a poor attempt at trolling. Or else, you really just don't know what you're talking about.

In either case, I don't see addressing it any further as a productive use of my time.

I wouldn't call setting argumentative traps trolling. Although, I'm sure he was thrilled when you quoted matthew 28 just as he planned.

 

[freeeekyyy]

Yes, at that particular time, those were his instructions.

What is your point?

It's his fancy way of saying, "keep yer mouth shut, boy!"

 

[Spurgeon]

I think you do not know what you are dealing with: 'the bible' was not written in a day. Google it.

Even if that's true (which I don't see any reason to believe - just because some scholars say so is not sufficient for me) there is still the parallel passage in Mark 16:15:

And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation.

And there is Acts 1:6-8:

So when they had come together, they asked him, "Lord, will you at this time restore the kingdom to Israel?" He said to them, "It is not for you to know times or seasons that the Father has fixed by his own authority. But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth."

That's only the tip of the iceberg. But, clearly, the Gospel was intended to be preached to the entire world.

 

[Words of Ivory]

And all this religious bickering has... what to do with wisdom, exactly?

Many of choose not to believe in God in the Christian sense of the word. I guess that means none of us are wise then.

 

[Spurgeon]

And all this religious bickering has... what to do with wisdom, exactly?

I don't see any bickering. It looks like a very civil and respectful discussion to me.

Many of choose not to believe in God in the Christian sense of the word. I guess that means none of us are wise then.

You don't have to listen to me. Listen to the words of Christ Himself:

Matthew 7:24-29

“Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.”

When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority, and not as their teachers of the law.

 

[Nicodemus]

I don't see any reason to believe - just because some scholars say so [...]

I see, circular reasoning is not susceptible to things that happened in the real world.

But, clearly, the Gospel was intended to be preached to the entire world.

F. C. Burkitt thinks that "most English readers of the New Testament have been too long content with the rough and ready Harmony of the Four Gospels that they unconsciously construct. This kind of 'Harmony' is not a very convincing picture when looked into, if only because it almost always conflicts with inconvenient statements of the Gospels themselves, statements that have been omitted from the 'Harmony,' not on any reasoned theory, but simply from inadvertence or the difficulty of fitting them in."