σοφία

σοφία, ας, ἡ (s. σοφίζω, σοφός; Hom., Pre–Socr. et al.; LXX, TestSol; TestJob 37:6; Test12patr, JosAs; AscIs 3:23; AssMos Fgm. e; EpArist, Philo, Joseph., Just.,Tat., Ath.)

① the capacity to understand and function accordingly, wisdom.

ⓐ natural wisdom that belongs to this world σοφία Αἰγυπτίων (Synes., Provid. 1, 1 p. 89a; Jos., Ant. 2, 286; cp. Tat. 31, 1 πάσης βαρβάρου σοφίας ἀρχηγόν [of Moses]) Ac 7:22 (on the subj. s. Philo, Vita Mos. 1, 20ff; Schürer II 350). In contrast to God’s wisdom and the wisdom that comes fr. God ἡ σοφία τῶν σοφῶν 1 Cor 1:19 (Is 29:14). ἡ σοφία τοῦ κόσμου (τούτου) vs. 20; 3:19. σοφία τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου 2:6b. ἀνθρωπίνη σοφία 2:13. ς. ἀνθρώπων vs. 5. Cp. 1:21b, 22; 2:1. σοφία λόγου cleverness in speaking 1:17. On ἐν πειθοῖς σοφίας λόγοις 2:4 see πειθός. σοφία σαρκική 2 Cor 1:12. ς. ἐπίγειος, ψυχική, δαιμονιώδης Js 3:15 (cp. ς. as ironical referent for dissident teaching: ἡ παμποίκιλος ς. [τῆς] Περατικῆς αἱρέσεως Hippol., Ref. 5, 17, 1).—An advantage that is given to certain persons (like strength and riches, Just., D. 102, 6) 1 Cl 13:1 (Jer 9:22); 32:4; 38:2. So perh. also 39:6 (Job 4:21); but s. bα.

ⓑ transcendent wisdom

α. wisdom that God imparts to those who are close to God. Solomon (3 Km 5:9; Pr 1:2; Jos., Ant. 8, 168 ς. τοῦ Σ; AssMos Fgm. e [Denis p. 65]; Orig., C. Cels. 3, 45, 9) Mt 12:42; Lk 11:31; Stephen Ac 6:10; Paul 2 Pt 3:15; Pol 3:2; to those believers who are called to account for their faith Lk 21:15. The gift of unveiling secrets (2 Km 14:20; Da 1:17; 2:30. Oenomaus in Eus., PE 5, 27, 1 ἡ σοφία is necessary for the proper use of the oracles) Ac 7:10; Rv 13:18; 17:9. τὸν δεσπότην τὸν δόντα μοι τὴν σοφίαν τοῦ γράψαι τὴν ἱστορίαν ταύτην the Lord, who gave me the wisdom to write this account GJs 25:1. Good judgment in the face of human and specif. Christian demands (practical) wisdom Ac 6:3; Col 4:5; Js 1:5; 3:13, 17 (for the view that ς. in Js 1:5; 3:17=πνεῦμα s. WBieder, TZ 5, ’49, 111). The apostle teaches people ἐν πάσῃ σοφίᾳ Col 1:28, and Christians are to do the same among themselves 3:16 (ἐν πάσῃ ς. also Eph 1:8; Col 1:9).—W. φρόνησις (q.v. 2) Eph 1:8. W. ἀποκάλυψις vs. 17. W. σύνεσις (Jos., Ant. 8, 49): σοφία καὶ σύνεσις πνευματική Col 1:9. σοφία, σύνεσις, ἐπιστήμη, γνῶσις (cp. Philo, Gig. 27) B 2:3; 21:5. σοφία καὶ νοῦς τῶν κρυφίων αὐτοῦ wisdom and understanding of his (i.e. the Lord’s) secrets 6:10.—As a spiritual gift the λόγος σοφίας (cp. Just., D. 121, 2) stands beside the λόγος γνώσεως 1 Cor 12:8 (s. γνῶσις 1 and cp. Aesopica 213, 1 P.: Τύχη ἐχαρίσατο αὐτῷ λόγον σοφίας). Paul differentiates betw. his preaching to unbelievers and immature Christians and σοφίαν λαλεῖν ἐν τοῖς τελείοις 2:6a; the latter he also calls λαλεῖν θεοῦ σοφίαν ἐν μυστηρίῳ set forth the wisdom that comes fr. God as a mystery vs. 7 (WBaird, Interpretation 13, ’59, 425–32).—The false teachers of Colossae consider that their convictions are σοφία Col 2:23.—JdeFinance, La σοφία chez St. Paul: RSR 25, ’35, 385–417.

β. wisdom of Christ and of God

א. Christ: of Jesus as a boy (s. ἡλικία 1b) Lk 2:40, 52. Of him as an adult Mt 13:54; Mk 6:2. Of the exalted Christ ἐν ᾧ εἰσιν πάντες οἱ θησαυροὶ τῆς σοφίας καὶ γνώσεως Col 2:3.—Rv 5:12. By metonymy Χρ. Ἰ., ὸ̔ς ἐγενήθη σοφία ἡμῖν ἀπὸ θεοῦ Christ Jesus, who has become a source of wisdom from God for us 1 Cor 1:30. This last makes a transition to

ב. wisdom of God (Diog. L. 1, 28 σοφίᾳ πρῶτον εἶναι τὸν θεόν; Theoph. Ant. I, 6 [p. 70, 18] ς. τοῦ θεοῦ): revealed in his creation and rule of the world 1 Cor 1:21a, or in the measures intended to bring salvation to the believers Ro 11:33 (here w. γνῶσις; cp. TestJob 37:6 of God’s depth of wisdom); Eph 3:10; Hv 1, 3, 4 (w. πρόνοια).—Rv 7:12; 1 Cl 18:6 (Ps 50:8); B 16:9 (cp. δικαίωμα 1). Christ is called θεοῦ σοφία the embodiment of the wisdom of God 1 Cor 1:24 (cp. א above; Just., D. 61, 3 ὁ λόγος τῆς σοφίας; Diog. L. 9, 50 Protagoras is called Σοφία.—Lucian in Peregr. 11 speaks ironically of the θαυμαστὴ σοφία τῶν Χριστιανῶν. Orig., C. Cels. 6, 44, 27 τῷ υἱῷ τοῦ θεοῦ ὄντι δικαιοσύνῃ καὶ ἀληθείᾳ καὶ ς.)—UWilckens, Weisheit u. Torheit (1 Cor 1 and 2), ’59; FChrist, Jesus Sophia (synopt.) ’70.

② personified wisdom, Wisdom (Ael. Aristid. 45, 17 K. as a mediator betw. Sarapis and humans; perh.=Isis; AHöfler, D. Sarapishymnus des Ael. Aristid. ’35, 50 and 53f; the name of an aeon Iren. 1, 2, 3 [Harv. I 16, 5]; s. also Did., Gen, 213, 12). In connection w. Pr 1:23–33: 1 Cl 57:3 (λέγει ἡ πανάρετος σοφία), 5 (=Pr 1:29); 58:1. On ἐδικαιώθη ἡ σοφία κτλ. Mt 11:19; Lk 7:35 cp. δικαιόω 2bα and Ps.-Pla., Eryx. 6, 394d ἡ σοφία καὶ τὰ ἔργα τὸ ἀπὸ ταύτης=wisdom and her fruits. ἡ σοφία τοῦ θεοῦ εἶπεν Lk 11:49 introduces a statement made by ‘wisdom’ (‘wisdom’ is variously explained in this connection; on the one hand, it is said to refer to the OT, or to an apocryphal book by this title [s. 3 below]; on the other hand, Jesus is thought of as proclaiming a decree of divine wisdom, or Lk is thinking of wisdom that Jesus has communicated to them at an earlier time).

③ a book titled ‘The Wisdom of God’, s. 2.—EBréhier, Les idées philosophiques et religieuses de Philon d’Alexandrie 1907, 115ff; JMeinhold, Die Weisheit Israels 1908; GHoennicke, RE XXI 1908, 64ff; HWindisch, Die göttl. Weisheit der Juden u. die paulin. Christologie: Heinrici Festschr. 1914, 220 ff; PHeinisch, Die persönl. Weisheit des ATs in religionsgesch. Beleuchtung² 1923; Bousset, Rel.³ 343ff; FFerrari, Il Progresso religioso 8, 1928, 241–53; MTechert, La notion de la Sagesse dans les trois prem. siècles: Archiv. f. Gesch. d. Philos. n.s. 32, 1930, 1–27; WKnox, St. Paul and the Church of the Gentiles ’39, 55–89; BRigaux, NTS 4, ’57/58, esp. 252–57 (Qumran); HConzelmann, Pls. u. die Weisheit, NTS 12, ’66, 231–44; MSuggs, Wisdom, Christology, and Law in Mt, ’70. Other lit. in Schürer III/1, 198–212.—BGladigow, Sophia und Kosmos, Untersuchungen zur frühgeschichte von σοφό und σοφίη ’65.—DELG s.v. σοφό. M-M. EDNT. TW. Sv.