A new kind of wisdom
Coming to the end of our own wisdom also marks the beginning of a new wisdom – a wisdom which does not have its origin in this world. God takes no delight in simply showing us the foolishness of our own wisdom, but brings us to this recognition for the greater purpose of making us receptive to His wisdom. This wisdom does not co-exist with any other wisdom – all else is reduced to foolishness in its presence.
In Ephesians 3, Paul seems to be grappling for words to try and give a sense of the awesomeness of this love: “…exceedingly … abundantly … above all that we can ask … or imagine”. In verse 16 he starts by praying that we would be strengthened by His spirit in our inner man … that we might be able to comprehend … that which surpasses knowledge. This is a different kind of comprehension – an awareness that surpasses knowledge.
What makes Paul’s writings so influential, so fascinating is not because he gives the impression that he has a broad and firm hold on the truth, but rather, the obvious fact that someone much greater than Paul had got a hold of him. In fact, in his letter to the Philippians he writes that his life’s ambition is to try and get a hold of that which got a hold of him. “I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.” Phil 3:12
