What is the Price of Wisdom?

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posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#44
The fool has said in his heart no God.
if this the "seeing there is no heart" part of Proverbs 17:6 then what is the "in his hand, the price of wisdom" part?

if wisdom is fear of the LORD what does the price of fearing Him?

if the value is something man does not know, and wisdom is something that hidden, possessed, prepared and declared by God alone, how can it be obtained, and what does a fool hold in his or her hand, that can purchase it?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
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#45
Seek and I will find...blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they will be filled 😁
God is the one who sought us out, when we did not look for Him. Christ is the one who bought us with His blood.

you are the field, and in you He perceives the pearl. you can't buy salvation. we are not the ones in the parable who give everything for the pearl and who pay for the whole field.

i believe @UnoiAmarah has that upside-down at the moment -- which, not surprising, because an awful lot of people have been taught it and continue to be taught it and to teach it backwards. that Christ is the pearl and we purchase Him is probably the majority view and it's absolutely wrong.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
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#46
whoops! typo. verse 16 not 6. let me just quote it again so it's on every page, for easy reference to the reader :)


Why is this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
and a heart there is none?
(Proverbs 17:16 YLT)

can we receive the wisdom necessary to answer this question?
 

Grandpa

Senior Member
Jun 24, 2011
11,551
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#47
if this the "seeing there is no heart" part of Proverbs 17:6 then what is the "in his hand, the price of wisdom" part?

if wisdom is fear of the LORD what does the price of fearing Him?
if the value is something man does not know, and wisdom is something that hidden, possessed, prepared and declared by God alone, how can it be obtained, and what does a fool hold in his or her hand, that can purchase it?
The fool thinks he knows the answers. He thinks he is already wise (wise in his own eyes).

The price of fearing the Lord is to give up the things a person thinks they know, that they think are valuable, and trust and receive the gifts that are offered by God instead.

Then the fool finds wisdom. The fool receives what he cannot manufacture himself. And becomes wise.

1 Corinthians 1:18-29
18 For the preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.
19 For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent.
20 Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world?
21 For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.
22 For the Jews require a sign, and the Greeks seek after wisdom:
23 But we preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness;
24 But unto them which are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.
25 Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men; and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
26 For ye see your calling, brethren, how that not many wise men after the flesh, not many mighty, not many noble, are called:
27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty;
28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,248
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#48
The fool thinks he knows the answers. He thinks he is already wise (wise in his own eyes).

The price of fearing the Lord is to give up the things a person thinks they know, that they think are valuable, and trust and receive the gifts that are offered by God instead.

Then the fool finds wisdom. The fool receives what he cannot manufacture himself. And becomes wise.
This is so true for me, being what I experienced in my own life :) Not so much that I though I was wise, but I did somewhat despise the religious, and thought they had it all wrong about God... until He repeatedly revealed Himself to me, and brought me to a place of greater understanding, acceptance, and surrender :love:
 

Magenta

Senior Member
Jul 3, 2015
55,248
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#49
For me it was a prolonged process due to the extent of my stubbornness and rebellion.

I remember the point at which I thought, with some dismay, "Oh no, I am becoming one of them." :oops:

(A Christian ;):giggle:) My whole world was shook to the core and turned upside down.

Now I praise God for not giving up on me, and for graciously allowing me to survive the stupidity of my youth :D
 

UnoiAmarah

Junior Member
Jul 28, 2017
740
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#50
can you tell me what the relevance of your question is to mine?
Yes I can, when you say there is a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom and then say "maybe now having the key to what this is, which is in the hand of a fool, we can search out why?" then is there a price in the hand of the fool to get understanding, or instruction?
Maybe that is why the fool can't perceive the value of the doctrine of Christ seeing that where a man's treasure is, there is his heart also.
 
S

Scribe

Guest
#52
Wherefore is there a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom,
seeing he hath no heart to it?
(Proverbs 17:16 KJV)
italicized words are not part of the Hebrew; they are added by the translators in attempt to clarify awkward literal translation.
so let's remove them:


Wherefore a price in the hand of a fool to get wisdom,
seeing no heart?
(Proverbs 17:16 KJV)
now we're closer to being literal:

Why is this -- a price in the hand of a fool to buy wisdom,
and a heart there is none?
(Proverbs 17:16 YLT)
this is posing a question: why does a fool have what is necessary to get wisdom, yet have no heart?
this begs a question, that i'd like to get your insight on -- what is the cost of wisdom?


seems to me, this is saying fools have it, but for lack of heart, it is not 'spent' i.e. wisdom isn't acquired even though they have ability.
so what is the price?
something even a fool has ((every fool?)) -- something that without heart, isn't profitable.
what is it?
A son has a father that makes $180 an hour designing technical computer security for large corporations.
The son says "Father.. Teach me to do what you do so that I may make $180 an hour also. I have a great desire to make $180 an hour and can think of many things to spend it on."
The Father says "OK son." He gives him about 8 4inch books and says "Read all of these twice and then I will also need you to practice the lessons in them 8 hours a day for the next two years. This will not get you the $180 per hour but if you do this first, then after the two years I can get you started at about $50 an hour and in another 4 years of experience you will be able to make the $180 an hour."
The son says "OK! Yay!"
But his heart is not in it, and he quits reading the first book after one week and seeks another job at a much lower wage and remains there working for a low wage for long after the 6 years he was asked to invest.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
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#53
A price is our pride, too - we must humble ourselves, and confess our foolishness, to become wise
I thought of the same at the initial reading of the question and so think humility provides the key to the answer. The fool has to price in his hand, but not the heart (to apply it toward getting) wisdom. Even if he has nothing in his hand, and takes advantage that wisdom is given freely (to those that ask), he still has to extend it toward (and correctly acknowledges as ) the source and ask (in humility) to obtain it... and seeing humility comes before honor, could the price be ego?
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
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#54
I thought of the same at the initial reading of the question and so think humility provides the key to the answer. The fool has to price in his hand, but not the heart (to apply it toward getting) wisdom. Even if he has nothing in his hand, and takes advantage that wisdom is given freely (to those that ask), he still has to extend it toward (and correctly acknowledges as ) the source and ask (in humility) to obtain it... and seeing humility comes before honor, could the price be ego?
maybe so -- what do we have to give up to fear God?

our vanity, for one thing, for sure. our independent decision-making. the idea that we know what is best.
fools have those things
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
5,685
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#55
Amen the word 'impressed' upon me today is 'impress'... am expecting, as much as hoping to be 'impressed,' by Him rather than trying to 'impress' anyone, let alone God, or to be impressed by any other than (recognizing from where their wisdom does originate).
 

Prycejosh1987

Active member
Jul 19, 2020
953
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#56
this is posing a question: why does a fool have what is necessary to get wisdom, yet have no heart?
this begs a question, that i'd like to get your insight on -- what is the cost of wisdom?
Interesting question, Fools have no heart because a heart is made alive by following the conscience. They have what is necessary to get wisdom because they have a conscience but do not follow it and the conscience and true heart are linked as one.
 

posthuman

Senior Member
Jul 31, 2013
36,530
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#57
Interesting question, Fools have no heart because a heart is made alive by following the conscience. They have what is necessary to get wisdom because they have a conscience but do not follow it and the conscience and true heart are linked as one.
if a conscience is the price of wisdom, is it something you give up in order to gain wisdom?
like, you have to be more willing to violate your conscience than you are to displease God. you have to lay it down before Him to be get wisdom. but the fool says in his heart, there is no God - and keeps only his own council.

interesting :)
 

AndyMaleh

Well-known member
Jun 26, 2020
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Montreal, Quebec, Canada
#58
King Solomon was the character I was most identified with and fascinated by in the Bible, probably because I am an intellectual too spending a lot of time in my head (I am a senior software engineering expert) and definitely because I appreciate and admire women just as much as he did if not more.

About your question, I have received much wisdom since I've become a born again Christian, which was previously inaccessible to me during my pagan/heathen years. That was yet another reason why I appreciated King Solomon since I could understand his wisdom in the Bible, albeit with a lot of pondering upon first readings.

Here is the formula I followed that made me stumble upon God's wisdom:
- Enter a difficult challenge or situation
- Pray to God about what to do next
- Receive God's inspiration on what the next best move is (often a very difficult or seemingly impossible one)
- Do what God commands you no matter how difficult or impossible it seems
- Receive wisdom and much new understanding of the world as a reward
- Rinse and repeat

Life has been so much fun since I've been born again. It makes me regret not having been a devoted Christian earlier in life.

To summarize the answer, "obedience" is the price of wisdom. That is "obedience to God no matter what".

Godspeed.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
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#59
Did you find out?
The cost of rubies...most expensive ever sold in US was $14.2 million. According to wiki.
 

Mem

Senior Member
Sep 23, 2014
5,685
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#60
Why is the 'evaluation' of wisdom is in the hand of a fool, seeing he has no heart (cost) to it.

The fool low balls an offer for wisdom but misses the bid by a heart.