As we continue our investigation into the biblical concept of wisdom, it behooves us to scrutinize briefly a few passages associated intimately with the notion of an understanding heart. For as we will soon see, the Bible teaches that true wisdom flourishes only in the person of one whose heart displays a tendency to look for the good in others. First, I wish to note 1 Kings 3:5-15:
In Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night: and God said, Ask what I shall give thee. And Solomon said . . . thy servant is in the midst of thy people which thou hast chosen, a great people, that cannot be numbered nor counted for multitude. Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people?
And the speech pleased the LORD . . . and God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee. And I have also given thee that which thou hast not asked, both riches, and honour: so that there shall not be any among the kings like unto thee all thy days. And if thou wilt walk in my ways, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as thy father David did walk, then I will lengthen thy days. And Solomon awoke; and, behold, it was a dream . . .
Here, we note that Solomon's request variously receives the names: 1. an understanding heart to judge thy people 2. understanding to discern judgment 3. [which means] walk in God's ways, to keep [his] statutes and commandments 4. Verse 28 calls Solomon's gift: "the wisdom of God, to do judgment."
In other words, Solomon had asked for the ability to judge correctly in difficult cases, to discern between good and evil in life's many and often complicated situations, so as to be able to impose the correct rewards and punishments as judge over all Israel. Solomon saw wisdom as a means for achieving justice in society -- or national righteousness. And this saying pleased the Lord.
Even the young lord Solomon understood that God gives wisdom in order to 1. Glorify God 2. benefit other people. Wisdom is not "knowing for the sake of knowing," but for carrying out the law of the Lord to the benefit of those who love and do what is right.
1 Kings 4:29-34
And God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of heart, even as the sand that is on the sea shore. And Solomon's wisdom excelled the wisdom of all the children of the east country, and all the wisdom of Egypt. For he was wiser than all men; than Ethan the Ezrahite, and Heman, and Chalcol, and Darda, the sons of Mahol: and his fame was in all nations round about. ... And there came of all people to hear the wisdom of Solomon, from all kings of the earth, which had heard of his wisdom.
Remember, Solomon had asked God for a wise and understanding heart; and now we have learned that as part of God's answer to that prayer (a request made to God in a dream is still a prayer), God gave to Solomon extraordinary "largeness of HEART." Note the common denominator here. We can deduce from this conceptual overlap that to possess a wise and understanding heart, a man must also possess "largeness of heart." But what is this? This idiom refers to a heart full of charity, or what some call "largesse." The Bible refers to it often (metaphorically) as a "good eye," or "open hand."
Here, we have learned and extraordinarily important point from the narrative about Solomon -- Charity is the better part of wisdom. The rest of the Scriptures also bear out this point, though not usually in such bold relief. Moreover, depending on how it is applied, charity bears various labels -- that is, depending on which aspect of charity one wishes to highlight. Mercy, the most important of all facets of biblical charity, also knows of several peers: patience, kindness, gentleness, and meekness. Each portrays a different facet of charity.
Next, we will learn that the biblical complement to charity bears the label "justice" -- variously called "righteousness," "judgment," or in the plural, "statutes" or "judgments," "laws," or precepts of the Lord. The proper application of the Law of God -- the source of God's wisdom to men from the Holy Spirit, is called "justice." Justice is truth in action properly applied. Here, "Properly applied" means applied with biblical charity, or mercy. Thus, in the Bible, we learn that mercy (charity) and justice (truth) form the two basic keys of wisdom.
Deuteronomy 4:5-8 says of the Law of God that it is the basis of all wisdom for national righteousness:
Behold, I [Moses] have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the LORD my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the LORD our God is in all things that we call upon him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?
Now kings, more than any other class of persons (because theirs is the task of administering justice), the Bible calls upon to exercise charity, or mercy in judgment, as well as in their personal affairs. This customary largesse of kings finds expression in the biblical idiom, "according tot he generosity of a king." King Xerxes provides an example of such a charitable man from the book of Esther:
Esther 1:4-5
For a full 180 days he displayed the vast wealth of his kingdom and the splendor and glory of his majesty. When these days were over, the king gave a banquet, lasting seven days, in the enclosed garden of the king's palace, for all the people from the least to the greatest, who were in the citadel of Susa. ... Wine was served in goblets of gold, each one different from the other, and the royal wine was abundant, in keeping with the king's liberality. By the king's command each guest was allowed to drink in his own way, for the king instructed all the wine stewards to serve each man what he wished.
And again, Esther 2:17-18 reads:
And the king loved Esther above all the women, and she obtained grace and favour in his sight more than all the virgins; so that he set the royal crown upon her head, and made her queen instead of Vashti. Then the king made a great feast unto all his princes and his servants, even Esther's feast; and he made a release to the provinces, and gave gifts, according to the state of the king.
1 Corinthians 8:1 explains that the fundamental trait associated with charity stems from its impetus to build up the kingdom of Christ in the persons of the saints, other Christians, saying: "knowledge puffeth up, but charity edifieth."
1 Corinthians 13:12-14 adds to this aspect of charity several others in these words:
Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Charity never faileth ... And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.
The Solomonic wisdom of the proverbs, and that of the Lord Jesus, concurs with Paul's assessment of charity (or mercy):
Proverbs 19:11 -- The discretion of a man deferreth his anger; and it is his glory to pass over a transgression.
Proverbs 19:17 -- He that hath pity upon the poor lendeth unto the LORD; and that which he hath given will he pay him again.
Proverbs 20:28 -- Mercy and truth preserve the king: and his throne is upholden by mercy.
Proverbs 21:21 -- He that followeth after justice and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour.
Proverbs 22:9 -- He that hath a bountiful eye shall be blessed; for he giveth of his bread to the poor.
Matthew 6: 22-23 -- The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single [pure], thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness!
Matthew 7: 1-5
Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye.
Here, the Lord reminds us that we ought to judge others the way we wish to be judged, charitably -- with both justice AND charity -- not by raw justice alone, or worse, by an unjust standard. And again, what kind of "eye" one has toward his brother or neighbor determines whether he has "light" -- a metaphor for wisdom. A good eye, or charitable frame toward others implies wisdom inside the man; whereas a bad eye -- contempt for one's neighbor, implies darkness of the soul, folly of heart.
The Question and Answer #144 of the Westminster Larger Catechism correctly and properly links charity to what is required by the ninth commandment, "You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor"?
Q144. What are the duties required in the ninth commandment?
A. The duties required in the ninth commandment are, the preserving and promoting of truth between man and man, and the good name of our neighbour, as well as our own; appearing and standing for the truth; and from the heart, sincerely, freely, clearly, and fully, speaking the truth, and only the truth, in matters of judgment and justice, and in all other things whatsoever; a charitable esteem of our neighbors; loving, desiring, and rejoicing in their good name; sorrowing for, and covering of their infirmities; freely acknowledging of their gifts and graces, defending their innocency; a ready receiving of a good report, and unwillingness to admit of an evil report, concerning them; discouraging tale-bearers, flatterers, and slanderers; love and care of our own good name, and defending it when need requireth; keeping of lawful promises; studying and practicing of whatsoever things are true, honest, lovely, and of good report.
The Westminster divines have here given a most excellent answer to the question, in terms of the entire Bible's view of truth-telling, which necessarily includes the charitable telling of the truth. More than mere accuracy is required.
Proverbs 10: 12 -- Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth [over] all sins.
Proverbs 11:17 -- The merciful man doeth good to his own soul: but he that is cruel troubleth his own flesh.
Now the mercy of the proverbs begins with empathy. It seeks the good of others, desiring them to succeed and prosper in everything that is good for them and others. It seeks out the needs of others, overlooking their faults, and aims to meet their needs -- to see others prosper. Mercy is the essence of a "good eye." Synonyms in the Bible are compassion, lovingkindness, kindness, tenderness, gentleness, pity, charity, and love -- or possession of a large heart.
Let us then conclude this segment of our study of wisdom with an example of Solomon's charity in the wise administration of justice, from 2 Samuel 16:5-11:
"And when king David came to Bahurim, behold, thence came out a man of the family of the house of Saul, whose name was Shimei, the son of Gera: he came forth, and cursed still as he came. And he cast stones at David, and at all the servants of king David: and all the people and all the mighty men were on his right hand and on his left. And thus said Shimei when he cursed, Come out, come out, thou bloody man, and thou man of Belial: The LORD hath returned upon thee all the blood of the house of Saul, in whose stead thou hast reigned; and the LORD hath delivered the kingdom into the hand of Absalom thy son: and, behold, thou art taken in thy mischief, because thou art a bloody man. Then said Abishai the son of Zeruiah unto the king, Why should this dead dog curse my lord the king? let me go over, I pray thee, and take off his head. And the king said, What have I to do with you, ye sons of Zeruiah? so let him curse, because the LORD hath said unto him, Curse David. Who shall then say, Wherefore hast thou done so? And David said to Abishai, and to all his servants, Behold, my son, which came forth of my bowels, seeketh my life: how much more now may this Benjamite do it? let him alone, and let him curse; for the LORD hath bidden him."
Here, we see an example of King David's charity in judgment. While Abishai son of Zeruiah calls for the death penalty for cursing the king -- in agreement with the law of the Lord -- David wisely defers his anger, recognizing in the immediate situation the hand of the Lord, as the wise woman Abigail had taught him to do long ago in the case of Nabal.
Now, Solomon, as we will see, received instruction from King David, when the latter was upon his death bed, to make sure Solomon carried out the law of the Lord against Shimei (1 Kings 2:8-9) -- not to let him die a peaceful death of natural causes -- which Solomon does "according to his wisdom." So just what did Solomon do to Shimei? Here is the biblical account (1 Kings 2:36-46):
Then the king sent for Shimei and said to him, "Build yourself a house in Jerusalem and live there, but do not go anywhere else. The day you leave and cross the Kidron Valley, you can be sure you will die; your blood will be on your own head." Shimei answered the king, "What you say is good. Your servant will do as my lord the king has said." And Shimei stayed in Jerusalem for a long time.
But three years later, two of Shimei's slaves ran off to Achish son of Maacah, king of Gath, and Shimei was told, "Your slaves are in Gath." At this, he saddled his donkey and went to Achish at Gath in search of his slaves. So Shimei went away and brought the slaves back from Gath. When Solomon was told that Shimei had gone from Jerusalem to Gath and had returned, the king summoned Shimei and said to him, "Did I not make you swear by the LORD and warn you, 'On the day you leave to go anywhere else, you can be sure you will die'? At that time you said to me, 'What you say is good. I will obey.' Why then did you not keep your oath to the LORD and obey the command I gave you?"
The king also said to Shimei, "You know in your heart all the wrong you did to my father David. Now the LORD will repay you for your wrongdoing. But King Solomon will be blessed, and David's throne will remain secure before the LORD forever." Then the king gave the order to Benaiah son of Jehoiada, and he went out and struck Shimei down and killed him.
Now from the above account, we can learn some important points about Solomon's wisdom. First, Solomon extended great charity toward Shimei by permitting him to continue living (possibly indefinitely), but in the confines of Jerusalem only. Shimei had to incur at least SOME punishment.
Second, by placing Shimei under oath, for the breaking of which Shimei would perish, Solomon arranged for situation that would entail precisely a reciprocal judgment (Lex Talionis, the basis for biblical justice) upon Shimei. Shimei had cursed King David; now, if he violated his oath, Shimei would die by a self-imposed curse consequent to his oath-breaking -- a curse for a curse.
Third, Solomon left the timing of the execution up to God, trusting -- just as David had done -- that God would handle the issue in His own timing. Solomon, like David, deferred his wrath, just as the proverbs recommend. This is the patience of charity.
Fourth, Shimei's slaves ran away. Why? Most likely because Shimei was a tyrant. We see this tendency already in the very crime that had got him in trouble with the king in the first place -- he took advantage of David's hard times. When David was at a low point -- brought on by God -- Shimei most irreverently hurled stones at King David and his men to add to their trouble and great heartache. That was brutal. Shimei was a brutal person who would crush the spirit of downtrodden David by reveling in David's hardship and (as it were) rubbing his face in it.
Fifth, note that Shimei's slaves ran to Gath, one of five capitals of the Philistine Empire, and the home of the giant, Goliath -- who just like Shimei HAD CURSED KING DAVID. Shimei traded (or rather betrayed) his oath -- something holy to the Lord -- for the retaining of his slaves, which in the ancient world represented quite a bit of money. Shimei traded what was holy for what was common -- the essence of the biblical concept of profanity. The Lord Jesus said, "For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also." The punchline here is this: Shimei lived in Jerusalem -- the capital of Israel (the holy nation) -- but his heart was in Gath, the capital of the nation best exemplifying the enemies of Israel and of God. The Holy Spirit thus signified that Shimei was a Philistine at heart -- a tyrant like Goliath who despised and cursed King David, who was a type or picture of Jesus Christ the Lord. And Shimei paid for this blasphemy with his life, just as Goliath had.
Now Shimei's severe lack of charity (contempt) toward King David would return to haunt him. Here, God Himself imposes the principle of Lex Talionis against Shimei. Shimei's tyranny toward his slaves would bring upon him the curse of the King -- King David as represented by his son Solomon. Thus, Solomon had managed the perfect balance of mercy and justice, of patience and the wisdom of Lex Talionis. To behave so is to act like the Lord, who always remembers mercy in judgment. For God is a God of indescribable wisdom: of solemn justice, and of extravagant largeness of heart.
Praise the Lord, for He is good; His mercy endures forever.
Carson Day has written some 1.3 gazillion articles and essays, with insightful, if alternative, viewpoints. He studied the history of ideas in college, and loves to plunder the internet for cool stuff to write about, and loves to read and reflect upon the Bible. He remains at large, despite the best efforts of the civil authorities.
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