Sophistication is “the art of using wisdom.” Philosophy is “affection for wisdom.” The Greek word sophia can mean wisdom, insight, skill, or intelligence. (Definitions from Helps Word-studies at biblehub.com.) This sophia wisdom can be the wisdom of man, as in the ‘wisdom of Solomon’, or it can be the wisdom of God or Jesus.
Wisdom is pretty important in the Bible. Five of the books in the Old Testament are grouped as the wisdom and poetry books: Job, Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Song of Solomon. Proverbs has many verses on wisdom, comparing the wise and foolish. Proverbs 9:10: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom, and knowledge of the Holy One is understanding. Proverbs 4:7: The beginning of wisdom is this: Get wisdom. Though it cost all you have, get understanding.
Jesus is the personification of God’s wisdom, just as he is the personification of God’s love, grace, salvation, hope, etc. All these wonderful attributes of God are shown to us through the person of Jesus Christ, the one and only one that God sent to save us from our sins. John 10:30: I and the Father are one.
There is a difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of man. Sometimes they may contradict each other. When we become Christians, our eyes are opened to the wisdom of God, a wisdom that non-Christians just can’t understand. Hence the ridicule that Christians face frequently from the secular world. We just have to remember that God is bigger than any problems we may face in this world.
Sophia is found in the New Testament 51 times. More than a third of these occurrences are in 1 Corinthians.
Mark 6:2 NASB When the Sabbath came, He began to teach in the synagogue; and the many listeners were astonished, saying, “Where did this man get these things and what is this wisdom given to Him, and such miracles as these performed by His hands?”
Luke 21:15 ESV For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which none of your adversaries will be able to withstand or contradict.
Acts 6:3 NASB Therefore, brethren, select from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may put in charge of this task.
Romans 11:33 NIV Oh, the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable his judgments, and his paths beyond tracing out!
1 Corinthians 1:19-25 ESV For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.” Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
1 Corinthians 1:30 KJV But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption.
1 Corinthians 2:4-8 NIV My message and my preaching were not with wise and persuasive words, but with a demonstration of the Spirit’s power, so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power. We do, however, speak a message of wisdom among the mature, but not the wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are coming to nothing. No we declare God’s wisdom, a mystery that has been hidden and that God destined for our glory before time began. None of the rulers of this age understood it, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory.
1 Corinthians 12:7-9 NASB But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. For to one is given the word of wisdom through the Spirit, and to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, and to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit.
Colossians 1:28 KJV Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus.
Colossians 3:16 ESV Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
James 1:5 NIV 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 3:13 NASB Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth. This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy.
Revelation 5:12 NIV In a loud voice they were saying: “Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!”
Revelation 7:12 ESV Saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”
The G/K number for sophia is 5053.
The Strong’s number for sophia is 4678.
