Section 2: Wisdom in Scripture and Tradition
If we are going to talk seriously about the role of wisdom and the figure of the “wizard” (the wise one), then the best place to begin is with the Bible itself. The Christian faith is not opposed to wisdom. On the contrary, wisdom lies at the very heart of Scripture, woven into its stories, its prayers, its songs, and its teachings. To understand why a wizard—rightly defined as one who seeks wisdom—is not a threat to Christianity, we must first understand the Biblical tradition of wisdom.
Wisdom as the Foundation of God’s Creation
The first chapter of Genesis sets the tone: “In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth” (Genesis 1:1). But this act of creation is not chaotic—it is ordered, purposeful, and structured. God speaks, and creation responds. Each day follows a pattern: “And God said… and it was so… and God saw that it was good.”
In Proverbs 8, wisdom is personified and described as being present at creation: “The LORD possessed me at the beginning of His way, Before His works of old. From everlasting I was established, From the beginning, from the earliest times of the earth” (Proverbs 8:22–23). Wisdom is pictured as God’s companion in creation, rejoicing in His work.
This is important because it shows that wisdom is not a human invention—it is a divine reality, woven into creation itself. When we seek wisdom, we are aligning ourselves with the order and truth that God has built into the world. A wizard, then, who seeks to understand creation, language, and truth, is participating in this divine reality.
The Wisdom Literature of the Bible
The Bible has entire books dedicated to wisdom: Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Job, often grouped as “wisdom literature.” These texts do not deal primarily with rituals or laws but with the practical, reflective question: How should we live?
- Proverbs is filled with short sayings that contrast wisdom and folly. For example: “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; Fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Proverbs 1:7).
- Ecclesiastes wrestles with the meaning of life, asking whether human efforts amount to anything apart from God. “Vanity of vanities,” says the Preacher (Qoheleth), “all is vanity” (Ecclesiastes 1:2). Yet even in its wrestling, the conclusion is to “fear God and keep His commandments” (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
- Job explores the problem of suffering, showing that wisdom requires humility before mysteries we cannot fully grasp.
These books were not considered dangerous or threatening—they were considered essential to the life of faith. They teach us how to reflect, how to ask questions, how to seek understanding. In short, they model the very role a wizard would take up: the pursuit of wisdom, not for domination, but for faithful living.
King Solomon: The Archetypal Wise One
King Solomon is perhaps the most famous Biblical example of wisdom. When God appeared to him in a dream and offered him anything he desired, Solomon did not ask for wealth or victory. Instead, he prayed: “So give Your servant an understanding heart to judge Your people, to discern between good and evil” (1 Kings 3:9). God was pleased with this request and granted him wisdom “so that there has been no one like you before you, nor shall one like you arise after you” (1 Kings 3:12).
Solomon’s wisdom became legendary. People came from distant lands to hear him speak, including the Queen of Sheba (1 Kings 10:1–10). His sayings were collected in Proverbs. His reflections were preserved in Ecclesiastes. His poetic love song became the Song of Songs.
What was Solomon, if not a Biblical picture of a wizard? Not in the sense of sorcery, but in the sense of wisdom, reflection, counsel, and teaching. He was a “wise one,” sought out by kings and commoners alike for guidance.
This example alone should reassure us that wisdom-seeking is not only acceptable but noble. If Solomon’s calling was honored by God, then a person who dedicates himself or herself to wisdom today is not a threat to Christianity but is walking in the footsteps of one of its greatest figures.
Wisdom as a Gift of the Spirit
The New Testament continues this theme. In 1 Corinthians 12, Paul describes the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Among them is the “word of wisdom” (1 Corinthians 12:8). Just as some are given the gift of teaching, prophecy, or healing, others are given wisdom.
Wisdom, then, is not merely human effort—it is a spiritual gift. It is evidence of the Spirit’s presence in the community of faith. When a believer seeks wisdom, studies diligently, and offers counsel to others, he or she is exercising a gift given by God for the building up of the church.
This is central to the apologetic defense of wizardry as wisdom. If the Spirit Himself grants the gift of wisdom, then a person who embodies this gift—who devotes their life to cultivating and sharing it—cannot be seen as a threat. Instead, they are serving the body of Christ.
Jesus as the Embodiment of Wisdom
The ultimate proof that wisdom is not a threat to Christianity is found in Jesus Christ Himself. In Luke 2:40 we read: “The Child continued to grow and become strong, increasing in wisdom; and the grace of God was upon Him.” Even Jesus, in His humanity, grew in wisdom.
Later, crowds marveled: “Where did this man get this wisdom and these miraculous powers?” (Matthew 13:54). His parables, His debates with Pharisees, His teaching on the mount—all were marked by extraordinary wisdom.
Paul goes further, calling Jesus “the wisdom of God” (1 Corinthians 1:24) and saying that in Him “are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3). To follow Christ, then, is to pursue wisdom. To live as a Christian is to live as one devoted to wisdom.
If Jesus is wisdom incarnate, then no pursuit of wisdom—rightly ordered—can be a threat to the faith. On the contrary, to be a wizard in the sense of “wise one” is simply to be a Christ-follower who values wisdom as Christ Himself embodies it.
The Magi: Wise Men at the Nativity
We cannot overlook the significance of the Magi in the Gospel story. These “wise men from the East” (Matthew 2:1) saw a star and followed it, believing it to signal the birth of a great king. Their wisdom—though outside the Jewish covenant—led them to the very house where Jesus was.
When they arrived, they bowed and worshiped Him, presenting gold, frankincense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). The story does not portray them as enemies of faith, but as seekers whose wisdom led them to the Messiah. They are honored with a place in the nativity story, remembered every year at Christmas.
This point cannot be stressed enough: Scripture itself celebrates wise ones from outside Israel who found Christ through their pursuit of wisdom. If wisdom traditions can serve as a bridge to Christ, then there is no need to fear them as rivals.
Early Christian Thinkers and Wisdom
The tradition of wisdom did not end with the Bible. The early church fathers—figures like Augustine, Origen, and Clement of Alexandria—were all deeply engaged in the pursuit of wisdom. They read not only Scripture but also Greek philosophy, testing what was true and discarding what was false.
Augustine, for instance, in his Confessions describes how reading Plato’s works helped him understand Christian truth more deeply. He was not afraid of wisdom outside the church; instead, he saw it as “plundering the Egyptians” (Exodus 12:36)—taking what was good and putting it to use for God’s purposes.
Clement of Alexandria went so far as to say that philosophy was given to the Greeks as a preparation for the Gospel, just as the Law was given to the Jews. In other words, wisdom traditions can serve as stepping-stones toward Christ.
Conclusion of Section 2
When we step back and look at Scripture and tradition, the case becomes clear:
- Wisdom is foundational to God’s creation.
- Wisdom is celebrated in entire books of the Bible.
- Solomon is honored as the archetype of a wise ruler.
- Wisdom is a gift of the Spirit in the New Testament.
- Jesus Himself is the embodiment of wisdom.
- The Magi demonstrate wisdom outside Israel leading to Christ.
- The early church embraced wisdom wherever it was found, testing it by Scripture.
In light of all this, the role of a wizard—if defined as a wise one—is not a rival to faith but an expression of it. Far from threatening Christianity, the wizard reminds us of its own deepest calling: to seek wisdom, to walk in truth, and to live in harmony with God’s order.