Blessed is the man that findeth wisdom, and the man that getteth understanding.
Proverbs 3 has just spoken of God correcting the son He loves. Now it names the happy man, and two questions follow: what is this wisdom, and how does anyone find it?
Commentators read the wisdom of Proverbs not as a skill but as a person. One writer links the promise here to what the New Testament says Christ became for those who believe.
We will gladly respond to verse 13 if we remember that wisdom is personified in Christ (1 Cor. 1:24), and also that "Christ Jesus … became for us wisdom from God" (1 Cor. 1:30). No wealth compares with "her" — not rubies, not anything of earthly value. The feminine word is used here for wisdom as it is known inside us, that is, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
Another writer puts the verse in one line, reading "blessed" as "happy".
The man who finds wisdom, that is, who knows the Lord, is happy.
The verse speaks of finding and getting, which sounds like effort. One writer answers that we get wisdom by asking, and points to Solomon, and then to Christ as man.
A later revelation tells us that God gives generously to all, and without reproach. Yet He will be asked for it. This is not because anyone adds to Him, or because He is in debt to man's hand. But He cannot deny Himself. That is what it would mean if someone found wisdom or got understanding somewhere else. The blessing comes through dependence on Him. Who among mankind knew this better than Solomon himself? Did not God say to him, "Because you have asked this — not long life, not riches, not the life of your enemies, but understanding to discern judgment — behold, I have done according to your word." There is no other way. And "blessed" indeed is the one who proves again that God is true and faithful, as He always is. Even the beloved Son, when in grace He became man, walked like this from His early years. Jesus increased in wisdom and stature, and in favour with God and man. He received all as man from His Father.
There is a rival kind of wisdom, and Scripture's first human story is the case study. One writer sets this passage directly against Eden.
The natural way is to follow our own will. It has been the natural way since Adam fell. To human eyes the bent of the will can look innocent or reasonable. Eve saw that "the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was to be desired to make one wise." Our first parents wanted to be wise, but it was wisdom by their own will. They turned away from the tree of life, and that was God's wisdom. (Prov. 3:13-17.) Their will went to the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, and that was Satan's suggestion.
The choice is simple: "Two paths are before man — to trust God, or himself and his own wisdom for his happiness."
The verse calls the finder blessed. One writer describes what that blessing is like day by day.
In verses 14, 15, He compares her to earthly treasures. Blessing even in this world goes with it, but the blessing is more than outward. It is a path of quietness and peace of spirit, and cheerfulness of heart. There is nothing on the conscience, and the heart is able to enjoy. There are no unsatisfied desires, but free affections; no restless will, but the sense of divine favour.
The same writer notes that a later verse goes further. In verse 13 wisdom is "a sought treasure." Later she is "held fast as what the soul kept, valued, and was kept in."
Solomon wrote before Christ came. Kelly argues the blessing of this verse has only grown since.
The Son of God has come, and has given us an understanding to know Him who is true. If it was so with the Jew before Jehovah, is the blessedness less now? Is He less accessible, or less gracious, now that He is revealed as Christ's Father and our Father, His God and our God? … And if for the greatest things, does this kind of blessing fail for the least things day by day?
- Find — this wisdom is not a technique but a Person; to find wisdom is to know the Lord.
- Ask — wisdom is God's gift, not our achievement. He gives it to those who ask, as He gave it to Solomon.
- Refuse — the other road is Eden's: wanting to be wise by our own will. It turns away from the tree of life.
- Enjoy — the blessing is real now: a quiet spirit, a clear conscience, free affections, no restless will.
- Multiply — the Son has come and given us understanding to know Him. So the blessing is greater now, and it reaches the smallest things of daily life.
For the gain thereof is better than the gain of silver, and her revenue than fine gold.
The verse prices wisdom the way a merchant prices cargo — against silver, against fine gold — and the trade is one-sided. Two questions follow: what is this wisdom, and how does a person come to hold it?
The verse uses the language of buying, selling and profit. One story acts it out: the queen of Sheba came to Solomon to trade for wisdom.
She trafficked for wisdom, and the Lord's anointed king in Jerusalem was her merchant. With him, and for it, she bartered gold, and spice, and precious stones. In the spirit of her mind she was a true disciple of that word: "the merchandise of wisdom is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain from it than fine gold." Yet she knew nothing of it in the book of God. And the Lord will not be her debtor. He gives her far more than she had bargained for.
Older English translations call the verse's "gain" its "merchandise."
The verse calls wisdom "her." One writer reads that pronoun in the light of what the New Testament says about Christ:
We respond gladly to verse 13 when we remember that wisdom is personified in Christ (1 Corinthians 1:24), and that "Christ Jesus … became for us wisdom from God" (1 Corinthians 1:30). Wealth, including rubies or anything of earthly value, has no comparison to "her." The feminine word points to wisdom as it is in the believer — that is, "Christ in you, the hope of glory."
So how does a person get this profit? Not by earning it, but by asking God — and Solomon had proved that himself:
A later revelation tells us that God gives generously to all, without reproach. Yet we must ask Him for it — not that anyone adds to Him, or that He owes anything to a man's hand. But He cannot deny Himself. That is what it would mean if someone found wisdom or got understanding anywhere else. The blessing comes through dependence on Him. Who of mankind knew this better than Solomon himself? Did not God say to him, "Because you have asked this, and have not asked for yourself long life, or riches, or the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding to discern what is right, behold, I now do according to your word."
The same writer asks whether God is any less generous now, and whether this blessing reaches small daily matters too:
Is He less accessible, or less gracious, now that He is revealed as Christ's Father and our Father, His God and our God? Has He not poured out on us all wisdom and prudence, of the highest character and the largest hope? And if He gives for the greatest things, does such blessing fail for the least things day by day? How true it is that "the gain from her is better than gain from silver and her profit better than gold."
What is this wisdom, and what does holding it feel like day by day?
This is the Lord's mind. Happy is the man who finds it, with his thoughts ordered by understanding — that is, by what God communicates of His mind, and not by man's will. In verses 14 and 15 He compares her to earthly treasures, yet blessing even in this world goes with it. But it is more than outward blessing. It is a path of quietness and peace of spirit, and of cheerfulness of heart. Nothing lies on the conscience, and the heart is free to enjoy. There are no unsatisfied desires, but free affections; no restless will, but the sense of divine favour.
One last gain. Time spent thinking about Christ pays now and for ever:
We waste no time when thinking of Jesus, for every thought of Him yields present delight and is of eternal value. All the wisdom that the minds of men can produce will pass like smoke. But every thought of Him given by the Holy Spirit will remain a priceless possession for ever. It is the understanding of Him which "is better than the merchandise of silver, and the gain from it than fine gold."
- The currency — The verse talks trade. Weigh wisdom against silver and fine gold, and wisdom wins.
- The merchant — Sheba brought her gold to Solomon and left with more than she bargained for. God will not stay in anyone's debt.
- The price — You ask for it; you cannot buy it. Solomon asked for understanding, not riches, and the blessing came through depending on God.
- The dividend — God pays the return now: quietness, peace of spirit, a clear conscience, no restless will.
- The maturity — Human wisdom passes like smoke. Every thought of Christ the Spirit gives stays a priceless possession for ever.