Is Jesus God’s CREATED Wisdom? -Proverbs 8
A Jehovah’s Witness argument is that Jesus was the wisdom of God and that this would infer that Jesus is created by God.
Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom
1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV
Christ Crucified Is God’s Power and Wisdom
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c]
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]
In 1 Corinthians 1:24 it says that Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.
1 Corinthians 1 NIV
18 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. 19 For it is written:
“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise;
the intelligence of the intelligent I will frustrate.”[c]
20 Where is the wise person? Where is the teacher of the law? Where is the philosopher of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? 21 For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not know him, God was pleased through the foolishness of what was preached to save those who believe. 22 Jews demand signs and Greeks look for wisdom, 23 but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, 24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. 25 For the foolishness of God is wiser than human wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than human strength.
26 Brothers and sisters, think of what you were when you were called. Not many of you were wise by human standards; not many were influential; not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. 28 God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, 29 so that no one may boast before him. 30 It is because of him that you are in Christ Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God—that is, our righteousness, holiness and redemption. 31 Therefore, as it is written: “Let the one who boasts boast in the Lord.”[d]
In the book of Sirach we’re told that the wisdom of God is created. (The Book of Sirach, also known as The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach (The wisdom of Ben Sirach), The Wisdom of Jesus son of Eleazar, or Ecclesiasticus, is a Jewish literary work originally written in Biblical Hebrew).
Sirach 1:1 (following on from the prologue)
In Praise of Wisdom
1 All wisdom is from the Lord,
and with him it remains forever.
2 The sand of the sea, the drops of rain,
and the days of eternity—who can count them?
3 The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth,
the abyss, and wisdom[e]—who can search them out?
4 Wisdom was created before all things
and prudent understanding from eternity.[f]
6 The root of wisdom—to whom has it been revealed?
Her subtleties—who knows them?[g]
8 There is but one who is wise, greatly to be feared,
seated upon his throne: the Lord.
9 It is he who created her;
he saw her and took her measure;
he poured her out upon all his works,
10 upon all the living according to his gift;
he lavished her upon those who love him.[h]
Fear of the Lord Is True Wisdom
11 The fear of the Lord is glory and exultation
and gladness and a crown of rejoicing.
12 The fear of the Lord delights the heart
and gives gladness and joy and long life.[i]
13 Those who fear the Lord will have a happy end;
on the day of their death they will be blessed.
14 To fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom;
she is created with the faithful in the womb.
15 She made[j] among humans an eternal foundation,
and among their descendants she will abide faithfully.
16 To fear the Lord is fullness of wisdom;
she inebriates mortals with her fruits;
17 she fills their[k] whole house with desirable goods
and their[l] storehouses with her produce.
18 The fear of the Lord is the crown of wisdom,
making peace and perfect health to flourish.[m]
19 She rained down knowledge and discerning comprehension,
and she heightened the glory of those who held her fast.
20 To fear the Lord is the root of wisdom,
and her branches are long life.[n]
22 Unjust anger cannot be justified,
for anger tips the scale to one’s ruin.
23 Those who are patient stay calm until the right moment,
and then cheerfulness comes back to them.
24 They hold back their words until the right moment,
and then the lips of many tell of their good sense.
25 In the treasuries of wisdom is insightful analogy,
but godliness is an abomination to a sinner.
26 If you desire wisdom, keep the commandments,
and the Lord will lavish her upon you.
27 For the fear of the Lord is wisdom and discipline;
fidelity and humility are his delight.
28 Do not disobey the fear of the Lord;
do not approach him with a divided mind.
29 Do not be a hypocrite before others,
and keep watch over your lips.
30 Do not exalt yourself, or you may fall
and bring dishonor upon yourself.
The Lord will reveal your secrets
and overthrow you before the whole congregation,
because you did not come in the fear of the Lord,
and your heart was full of deceit.
Sirach 24 NASB
The Praise of Wisdom
24 Wisdom will praise herself,
and will glory in the midst of her people.[a]
2 In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth,
and in the presence of his host she will glory:
3 “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist.
4 I dwelt in high places,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
5 Alone I have made the circuit of the vault of heaven
and have walked in the depths of the abyss.
6 In the waves of the sea, in the whole earth,
and in every people and nation I have gotten a possession.
7 Among all these I sought a resting place;
I sought in whose territory I might lodge.
8 “Then the Creator of all things gave me a commandment,
and the one who created me assigned a place for my tent.
And he said, ‘Make your dwelling in Jacob,
and in Israel receive your inheritance.’
9 From eternity, in the beginning, he created me,
and for eternity I shall not cease to exist.
10 In the holy tabernacle I ministered before him,
and so I was established in Zion.
11 In the beloved city likewise he gave me a resting place,
and in Jerusalem was my dominion.
12 So I took root in an honored people,
in the portion of the Lord, who is their inheritance.
13 “I grew tall like a cedar in Leb′anon,
and like a cypress on the heights of Hermon.
14 I grew tall like a palm tree in En-ged′i,[b]
and like rose plants in Jericho;
like a beautiful olive tree in the field,
and like a plane tree I grew tall.
15 Like cassia and camel’s thorn I gave forth the aroma of spices,
and like choice myrrh I spread a pleasant odor,
like galbanum, onycha, and stacte,
and like the fragrance of frankincense in the tabernacle.
16 Like a terebinth I spread out my branches,
and my branches are glorious and graceful.
17 Like a vine I caused loveliness to bud,
and my blossoms became glorious and abundant fruit.[c]
19 “Come to me, you who desire me,
and eat your fill of my produce.
20 For the remembrance of me is sweeter than honey,
and my inheritance sweeter than the honeycomb.
21 Those who eat me will hunger for more,
and those who drink me will thirst for more.
22 Whoever obeys me will not be put to shame,
and those who work with my help will not sin.”
Wisdom and the Law
23 All this is the book of the covenant of the Most High God,
the law which Moses commanded us
as an inheritance for the congregations of Jacob.[d]
25 It fills men with wisdom, like the Pishon,
and like the Tigris at the time of the first fruits.
26 It makes them full of understanding, like the Euphrates,
and like the Jordan at harvest time.
27 It makes instruction shine forth like light,
like the Gihon at the time of vintage.
28 Just as the first man did not know her perfectly,
the last one has not fathomed her;
29 for her thought is more abundant than the sea,
and her counsel deeper than the great abyss.
30 I went forth like a canal from a river
and like a water channel into a garden.
31 I said, “I will water my orchard
and drench my garden plot”;
and lo, my canal became a river,
and my river became a sea.
32 I will again make instruction shine forth like the dawn,
and I will make it shine afar;
33 I will again pour out teaching like prophecy,
and leave it to all future generations.
34 Observe that I have not labored for myself alone,
but for all who seek instruction.[e]
So non trinitarians tell us that the wisdom of God is created. And this is where they try to deceive you:-
If wisdom was created before all things and prudent understanding from eternity, and Jesus is that wisdom, that would mean he’s not God. He’s created. He’s a Creation. Proverbs 8 is also used.
Proverbs 8 NASB
Wisdom’s Call
8 Does not wisdom call out?
Does not understanding raise her voice?
2 At the highest point along the way,
where the paths meet, she takes her stand;
3 beside the gate leading into the city,
at the entrance, she cries aloud:
4 “To you, O people, I call out;
I raise my voice to all mankind.
5 You who are simple, gain prudence;
you who are foolish, set your hearts on it.[a]
6 Listen, for I have trustworthy things to say;
I open my lips to speak what is right.
7 My mouth speaks what is true,
for my lips detest wickedness.
8 All the words of my mouth are just;
none of them is crooked or perverse.
9 To the discerning all of them are right;
they are upright to those who have found knowledge.
10 Choose my instruction instead of silver,
knowledge rather than choice gold,
11 for wisdom is more precious than rubies,
and nothing you desire can compare with her.
12 “I, wisdom, dwell together with prudence;
I possess knowledge and discretion.
13 To fear the Lord is to hate evil;
I hate pride and arrogance,
evil behavior and perverse speech.
14 Counsel and sound judgment are mine;
I have insight, I have power.
15 By me kings reign
and rulers issue decrees that are just;
16 by me princes govern,
and nobles—all who rule on earth.[b]
17 I love those who love me,
and those who seek me find me.
18 With me are riches and honor,
enduring wealth and prosperity.
19 My fruit is better than fine gold;
what I yield surpasses choice silver.
20 I walk in the way of righteousness,
along the paths of justice,
21 bestowing a rich inheritance on those who love me
and making their treasuries full.
22 “The Lord brought me forth as the first of his works,[c][d]
before his deeds of old;
23 I was formed long ages ago,
at the very beginning, when the world came to be.
24 When there were no watery depths, I was given birth,
when there were no springs overflowing with water;
25 before the mountains were settled in place,
before the hills, I was given birth,
26 before he made the world or its fields
or any of the dust of the earth.
27 I was there when he set the heavens in place,
when he marked out the horizon on the face of the deep,
28 when he established the clouds above
and fixed securely the fountains of the deep,
29 when he gave the sea its boundary
so the waters would not overstep his command,
and when he marked out the foundations of the earth.
30 Then I was constantly[e] at his side.
I was filled with delight day after day,
rejoicing always in his presence,
31 rejoicing in his whole world
and delighting in mankind.
32 “Now then, my children, listen to me;
blessed are those who keep my ways.
33 Listen to my instruction and be wise;
do not disregard it.
34 Blessed are those who listen to me,
watching daily at my doors,
waiting at my doorway.
35 For those who find me find life
and receive favor from the Lord.
36 But those who fail to find me harm themselves;
all who hate me love death.”
Now here’s where the deception comes. The Bible speaks of creation in one of two ways:-
The Bible uses the word create in two senses. Either to mean created out of nothing (ex nihilo), or being born out of something.
Analogy:- If someone says to you, ‘did you exist before you were born?’ You can answer, yes, you existed in your mother’s womb for nine months. The unborn child is a human life from conception, a living human being in his mother’s womb before he’s born. Being born doesn’t actually mean you didn’t exist before your birth.
You existed in your mother’s womb before you were born. Likewise, the Bible and poetic language describes the wisdom of God as residing within God, in the bosom of God, in the heart of God, in the mind of God, and then right when God wanted to create, He birthed.
He begat.
He brought forth wisdom out of himself, out of his holy mouth, because that wisdom is the word that he uses to create. So wisdom was there in eternity, uncreated, inseparable from God, springing forth from God without separating from Him.
That’s the language. Wisdom was already in God, within God, from before creation, within God, because here it says wisdom was created before all things, prudent from eternity. -Sirach 1:4 That means wisdom was there before creation, in eternity, in God, and was brought forth, born out of God.
Sirach 1:4
In Praise of Wisdom
1 All wisdom is from the Lord,
and with him it remains forever.
2 The sand of the sea, the drops of rain,
and the days of eternity—who can count them?
3 The height of heaven, the breadth of the earth,
the abyss, and wisdom[e]—who can search them out?
4 Wisdom was created before all things
and prudent understanding from eternity.[f]
Here is more proof. Sirach 24, verses 1 -4. ‘Wisdom will praise herself and will glory in the midst of her people. In the assembly of the Most High, she will open her mouth’.
Sirach 24:1-4
The Praise of Wisdom
24 Wisdom will praise herself,
and will glory in the midst of her people.[a]
2 In the assembly of the Most High she will open her mouth,
and in the presence of his host she will glory:
3 “I came forth from the mouth of the Most High,
and covered the earth like a mist.
4 I dwelt in high places,
and my throne was in a pillar of cloud.
Notice where wisdom is. She’s in heaven, with God, in the heavenly council, glorifying herself in front of the heavenly host, and in the presence of his host, she will glory.
‘I came forth from the mouth of the Most High and covered the earth like a mist’.
So where did wisdom come out of? From the mouth of the Most High. That means, if the wisdom came out of the mouth of the Most High, that means wisdom existed within God, with God, inseparable from God, right? So, was wisdom created out of nothing, or did wisdom already exist in God and came forth, born out of God, because it came from his mouth? -Wisdom was in God forever.
Wisdom therefore has to be uncreated.
So, what does it mean that wisdom was created? Meaning, was it produced from nothing? It came into being from nothing? Or that wisdom that is within God, inseparable from God, there before creation, eternity, came forth out of God, being born out of God. There’s the difference.
That’s why it says, ‘I dwelt in high places, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud’. Who’s the only one who sits in throne in a pillar of cloud? -God. So that means, if she sits on the throne in the pillar of cloud, then she’s divine, not a creature, because the only one who was in the pillar of cloud at the time of Moses is Yahweh God, and He sits in throne, but wisdom says, ‘I was in the pillar of cloud on the throne’.
That means she’s not a creature. She’s fully divine, eternal, and came out of God’s mouth. That’s why, when it says, ‘from eternity, in the beginning He created’, meaning before creation, in eternity, I was created.
What does it mean, created? Meaning, I was there in God, and born out of God, not created from nothing. I came out of His mouth. And for eternity, I shall not cease to exist.
So this actually points to the eternal begetting, the eternal generation of the Son, that He’s not created, but He’s begotten, not created.
Jehovah’s Witnesses say that, Jesus is the wisdom of God, and God’s wisdom is created, therefore Jesus is a creature.
But that’s not what it says at all. Wisdom is not a creature created out of nothing. Wisdom is the uncreated, eternal, characteristic of God, that was within God, a part of God, from eternity, and then God birthed it out of Himself, brought it forth out of Himself through His mouth.
Well, if it came out of His mouth, that’s why wisdom is equated with His word, because what comes out of God’s mouth will be His word. So wisdom comes out of God’s mouth, and therefore wisdom is the word that comes out of God’s mouth, and it’s uncreated.
This actually proves the eternal begetting of the Son. The Son is uncreated, begotten, not created. Begotten before creation. Just like the early church fathers; Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Irenaeus said.
Now, let’s turn it against them, because here it says, Jesus is what? 1 Corinthians 1.24. He’s the power of God, right? All right. Now, look how this proves too much.
1 Corinthians 1:24 NASB
24 but to those whom God has called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.
Not only is the Jesus wisdom God, He’s also what? The power of God. Christ is the power of God. And this presents a problem for the non trinitarian view.
Romans 1.20. ‘Ever since the creation of the world, His invisible nature, namely His eternal power and deity has been clearly perceived in the things that have been made, so they are out without excuse’.
Romans 1:20 NASB
20 For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, that is, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, being understood by what has been made, so that they are without excuse.
Now, is God’s power created or eternal? It is of course eternal. So if Jesus is the power of God, then how can He be created? If God’s power is eternal, and Christ is God’s power, what does that make Him? Uncreated.
Not only that, but 2 Peter 1.3. ‘His divine power has granted us to all things’, because God’s power is divine. It’s unlimited.
2 Peter 1:3 NASB
3 for His divine power has granted to us everything pertaining to life and godliness, through the true knowledge of Him who called us [e]by His own glory and [f]excellence.
He is able to give us everything we need to live godly and holy. So now, if God’s power is divine and eternal, and Jesus’ power of God, doesn’t that mean that Jesus is divine and eternal?
Consistency in exegesis is key.
JW response:- Because the power of God is never personified in the way that wisdom is in the book of Proverbs. The book of Proverbs personifies wisdom in a number of ways that are attributable to Christ.
So an identification of Christ as the wisdom of God is simply one means by which one can connect the dots, so to speak. There’s no reason to go looking for someone who’s called the power of God, because no one else, no one ever is in a personified way. The power of God is never personified outside of that reference, I should say, whereas wisdom is.