The second verse of O come O come Emmanuel, at least in a relatively long version I found online is this:
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.
This struck me because I’m not used to associating Advent with the Jesus coming as wisdom, or even thinking much of Jesus as Wisdom. This highlights a value of hymns from ancient times. They may well cause us to think of things we have neglected.
It made me think of the biblical wisdom literature, and the place given to wisdom in the bible. Wisdom makes its first appearance in the story of Joseph, where we see the contrast between the ‘wise men’ of Pharaoh’s court who cannot interpret his dreams, and Joseph who is shown to a wise and discerning man by his God-given ability to interpret the dreams, and give Pharaoh appropriate advice in how to act on them.
This story is vital to the biblical understanding of wisdom. The themes contained in it are seen frequently in the biblical story.
We see the folly of pagan wisdom in the wise men of Pharaoh’s court who cannot interpret his dreams. They are like the wise men of a later Pharaoh who cannot replicate Moses and Aaron’s signs. They are like the wise men of Babylon who cannot interpret Nebuchadnezzar’s dreams.
The God given nature of wisdom is seen here in that Joseph’s ability, like Daniel’s later, to interpret dreams comes from God. We also see that the God given interpretation of the dream is applied wisely by Joseph. Wisdom is not passive. Wisdom uses God given insight to think through situations and reach conclusions.
In the OT we have a collection of books called ‘wisdom’ literature. It includes proverbs to guide thinking and behaviour (Proverbs), it includes poetry to challenge superficial views of how to react to suffering (Job), proverbs that challenge superficial views of order and meaning in the world (Ecclesiastes), and songs that celebrate physical love between a man and a woman (Song of Songs).
Wisdom also appears in the worship of God. Moses chooses ‘skillful’ (‘wise’) designers and craftsmen & women to make clothes for the priests and to build the tabernacle. Wise people are appointed as judges and officials over the people (Deut. 1) to help in the ruling of the people. Solomon famously prays for wisdom to rule over God’s people.
When we come to the NT Jesus is described as becoming for us wisdom from God (1 Corinthians 1). He is the truly wise Son of David, who shows the way to real life, and who brings wisdom for life. He is the one who was the word of God at creation, perhaps wisdom incarnate, ordering all things in their proper place.
Jesus does not abolish this strand of wisdom teaching from the OT, rather he fills it out with his example and teaching. He is the supremely wise teacher, who shows his disciples how to live a truly wise life – think of the Sermon on the Mount with its climax showing wisdom vs folly.
Following Jesus is not about a life that loses touch with earthly realities. God’s wisdom is for all of life. It is God given, and yet requires our effort and thought to live it and understand it.
This verse of O come O come Emmanuel challenged me this year because more than ever we have been shown vividly our lack of wisdom.
The Covid pandemic has shattered our illusions of control. We can see that we need wisdom.
In our churches we need wisdom. Wisdom at the practical level of how to live within the guidelines. Wisdom on what to restart and how when the guidelines allow. Wisdom on how to help those who are shielding. Wisdom in how to hear well the voices urging speed, and those begging for caution. Wisdom in how to give practical help to those most in need.
Those Covid realities also jostle with other factors in our churches and in our society. We need wisdom as leaders in how to come alongside people and help them see God’s particular path of wisdom in their lives.
We need wisdom and, the hymn continues, we need knowledge – we need the “way of knowledge” shown to us. Not simply a book of facts, but the way of life characterised by knowledge. Yet even simply knowing that way is not enough – we also need Christ to come as wisdom to teach us how to walk in that way.
So often we know what we should be doing. We know we need to give time to God and his word. To listen to what he has to say to us. To pray for the Spirit to empower us. Yet it is all too easy not to do that, and instead rely on our own strength and understanding.
This verse of O come O come Emmanuel needs to remind us that we are weak and foolish left to our own devices, and that it is in those very times when we think we are strong that we need to remember our own need of wisdom from on high.
The good news, as James reminds us, is that God is good, and gives generously to all who ask him:
If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
James 1:5
It is this wisdom that we need to ask for from God. We need to remember that he gives generously to all without finding fault. These are astonishing words to allow to penetrate deep into our souls. Whatever the situation we find ourselves in, however complex, however much we are to blame for the mess in which we find ourselves, God is the God who is willing to give wisdom without saying “I told you so, if only you had listened in the first place this would never have happened.
The situation will still be messy. Our decisions and choices will not be erased, but God is ready and willing, even eager, to give his wisdom if we will only ask.
So let us make this verse our prayer for this time of Advent in this most complex of years. As we do let us remember that Advent starts a new year. The coming of Christ brings a new start and a new season.
O come, O Wisdom from on high,
who ordered all things mightily;
to us the path of knowledge show
and teach us in its ways to go.
Joshua's Tree Rooted 