Featured Education: Knowledge, Understanding, Wisdom

Often here on the BB, people suggest that an uneducated debater or theologian can be just as effective as an educated one. The idea is that we all have the same Holy Spirit, so education isn't that helpful for Bible interpretation. Well, yes and no.

The answer to the idea that theological education doesn't help much is the Biblical concept of what I call a trilogy of the mind: knowledge, understanding, wisdom. Now that term is not in Scripture, but the concept is there quite often, with those three terms being used together in numerous passages of Scripture. In my theology, knowledge consists of facts and their inter-relation, understanding is the ability to discern what those facts and their relationships mean, and wisdom is the ability to make the right choices in regards to those facts.

A good education may or may not give you wisdom. Wisdom is a gift from God, as witness the story of Solomon. It can be prayed for and received (James 1:5), or simply gained from diligent Bible study. Understanding can be gained to some degree in this way also, as can knowledge. But a good theological education allows one to sift through mistakes much faster. For example, in my son's new book on Rev. 1-3, he points out how Rev. 3:3 is referring to the fact that Sardis had twice been conquered by armies sneaking in.

Note the following passages which teach the trilogy of the mind. (There many others.)

Ex 31:3 And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowletdge, and in all manner of workmanship,

Pr 2:6 For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth [cometh] knowledge and understanding.

Pr 2:10-11 When wisdom entereth into thine heart, and knowledge is pleasant unto thy soul; Discretion shall preserve thee, understanding shall keep thee:

Isa 11:2 And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD;

Da 1:4 Children in whom [was] no blemish, but well favoured, and skilful in all wisdom, and cunning in knowledge, and understanding science, and such as [had] ability in them to stand in the king's palace, and whom they might teach the learning and the tongue of the Chaldeans.

Col 1:9 For this cause we also, since the day we heard [it], do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;

Eph 1:17-18 That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give unto you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of him: The eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that ye may know what is the hope of his calling, and what the riches of the glory of his inheritance in the saints.

 

No one in the fundamental circles I grew up in and live in ever taught that. John R. Rice respected conservative scholarship, and FBF stalwarts like Monroe Parker, PhD, and Ed Nelson also respected it. Our college was given Ed Nelson's massive library that year, and I helped with the sorting.

Maranatha is regionally accredited, and BJU has always been known for their high academic level. Tennessee Temple, where I went wasn't known for being scholarly, but did have a lot of people with doctorates on the faculty, including James Price in the seminary, the OT editor of the NKJV and HCSB.

 

As an educator for over 30 years, I have to disagree. I teach knowledge every day of my teaching ministry. You cannot acquire an education without acquiring knowledge. Please look back at my definition of knowledge if you are going to disagree with this. You have to define knowledge before talking about how it is obtained.

You are confusing skill and knowledge with this paragraph. Becoming cognizant of the mechanics of driving is knowledge. Actually learning to drive is to learn a skill.

I would not call anyone "worthless" for whom Christ died.

Now you've jumped from factual knowledge to relationships. When we say "I know him" we mean "I have a relationship with him." For example, if I say "I know Donald Trump" (which I don't), I may be saying I have met him. I am not saying that I have any grasp of the facts of his politics or opinions or personal history.

If they have an education, they have knowledge. What they need is people skills (a form of wisdom) and other areas of wisdom, which is what mentoring can give.A good college will give hands on training to impart skills as knowledge and understanding are being imparted.

I often have drills in my classes for that purpose. In Advanced Missions 2, which I will teach in a 2 week block in Jan., I have an exercise where the students divide into two groups, with each inventing a culture which will then be evangelized by the other group. This gives the students some hands on experience. Meanwhile, they are out soul winning every week. One of our future missionaries is working with Muslims in S. Milwaukee, and others are working with Hmong. (We recently had a Hmong couple saved.)

Again, in Greek 102 next semester, I will eventually divide the students into translation committees, where they will learn what a missionary Bible translation committee does as they translate 1 John.

As far as I know, all fundamental schools require "extension" ministries. Ours certainly does.

Our pres/pastor is currently teaching "Philosophy of Ministry."

I would agree with this.

I would never, ever submit the temple of the Holy Spirit to a doctor with no medical degree. Those degrees really do mean something, though it is true that after getting the degree the doctor must be mentored in a residency.

 

Excellent analysis.

I've never had the privilege. I know I would enjoy teaching it, but don't think I'd be the best prof for it.

 

And the school retains its high standards to this day. I'm glad I got my MA there, and have just been accepted into the DMin program.

 

Some have suggested it.

Think again. I am offering a completely Biblical trilogy, and you are adding to it. The Bible does not include logic and reasoning in this trilogy, which often appears in Scripture, though they have their separate place.

So do you deny the need of a theological education for a preacher?

 

Glad you see the point.

In order to witness for Christ, one must have (a) knowledge of what the Gospel is; (b) understanding of how it applies to the prospect; (c) wisdom to decide to actually witness. "He that winneth souls is wise" because he steps forward, takes a chance, and makes the decision to obey the Great Commission.

Other than that, specialized knowledge can certainly help in evangelism. I studied Japan and its religions, culture and society long and hard to help me win the Japanese. When I had the chance to win a yakuza gangster to the Lord, it helped me to know who the yakuza are and what their customs and mores are.

An area in which a theological education can help evangelism is in comparative religions. Soteriology can certainly help. If I run into someone interested in future things, eschatology can help. And so forth.

Since the passages are in the Bible, they are certainly addressed to all. Every man in the pew can gain a good education. Once in a long time someone comes along without a theological education who turns into a Bible scholar, but that is rare. (Pierpont who with Maurice Robinson edited the Byzantine Textform Greek NT is one example.) Therefore, those of us who get a good theological education can certainly help the churches.

1 Tim. 5:17--"Let the elders that rule well be counted worthy of double honour, especially they who labour in the word and doctrine."

 

I know several people who think all the churches are apostate, so they don't go. (One comes to church with her hubby, but criticizes severely.) As you say, they think that they can discover all truth by themselves. They also ignore the command not to forsake the assembling together.

As for me, I am so glad to have a godly, Scripturally deep pastor after 33 years on the mission field listening to my own sermons in another language!

 

I have my own story. When I went to Bible college, a young man named Billy Joe from the hills of Tennessee was put in our dorm. He was very eager to preach, but could barely read. He proudly read John 3:16 to me once, stumbling over the words. He only lasted in the Bible institute (a branch of the school) a couple of weeks, not even having enough basic education to get by.

There are other factors at play in such a man. First of all, a pastor is a gift from God to the church (Eph. 4:11). Some pastors are extraordinarily gifted naturally for the task, but they too are the gift of God to the church.

Again, in line with the OP, such a man may have wonderful wisdom and understanding to help him with the task. Where he will lack is in knowledge of the original languages and the societies and cultures underlying the Word of God. He may not be able to tell who Gamaliel was, or why the two words for "burden" in Gal. 6:1-5 have different meanings. So he will limit his ministry somewhat.

Your point is taken about Picasso's Blue Period--though I hate his work. I see no beauty in it, and beauty is from God. Art should be beautiful, coming as it ought from the image of God in us. (Cf Art and the Bible, by Francis Schaeffer.)

Very true.