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Some One Chapter Blessings – Jude

Focus Text: Jude 1.25, James 3.13-18, & Ephesians 3.8-12)

The wisdom of the Father is no more or less than the wisdom of the Son; they are one in essence and hence, one in wisdom. Jude refers to God as the only wise God, that is to say, the one who is unique in wisdom when compared to every other living being. James refers to Him as the source of all true wisdom and hence the cause of all that is good and honorable in the works of man. Paul addresses the wisdom of God in a completely different light and we now turn our attention to one such passage as contained in the book of Ephesians.

“To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him.” (Ephesians 3.8-12).

Notice that the Father’s wisdom which planned and predicted the Christ was displayed so that “…the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3.10). In this text, notice that Paul used a unique expression, i.e., “the manifold wisdom of God.” Literally, this might be translated as the “multicolored or variegated wisdom of God.” From every angle and perspective, God displayed wisdom. From the initial prophecy of the coming Messiah in Genesis 3.15, to the first promises made to Abraham in Genesis 12.1-3, to the birth of the nation of Israel recorded in the book of Exodus, to the predictive work of the prophets relating to the coming Messiah (Samuel through Malachi), this wisdom was demonstrated. The promise of Messiah and the mighty works which God preformed to bring that event to pass was not a single note but it was a careful orchestration of hundreds and thousands of notes which declared the coming of the Beloved Son. This was the manifold wisdom of God!

Having predicted and arranged the coming of the Christ under the former covenants, the Father brought it all to fruition in the Christ and through the church. The reader is directed to the fact that God’s wisdom was not made known merely by the Christ but also by and through the church. Some have missed this great point and relegated the church to a place of mere happenstance, an afterthought if you will; what a tragedy! The church was as much in the eternal purpose of God as was the Christ; they were inextricably linked together and the beauty of the Christ is at least partially seen in the Church!

God’s wisdom is indeed unique and as such should force us to our knees in submission and awe! There was and is nothing like it in the human experience – past, present, or future. Awesome Father! Awesome Son! Awesome wisdom! “Who alone is wise!”

Questions:

1. What is meant when we declare that the Father and the Son are “one in essence”?
2. What does the “manifold wisdom of God” literally mean?
3. How was that manifold wisdom of God manifested in the former covenants? How about in the immediate preparation for the Christian dispensation?
4. Who was supposed to catch a glimpse of God’s wisdom by and through the Church (see Ephesians 3.10)? That being the case, who planned the Church, its worship, and its work?

"Point of Reference" from Fred Price

A Broken Spirit And Contrite Heart