Topical Bible: Man: Wiser than Other Creatures

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The Bible presents humanity as possessing a unique wisdom and understanding that surpasses that of other creatures. This distinction is rooted in the creation narrative, where man is made in the image of God, setting him apart from the rest of creation.

Creation in God's Image

Genesis 1:26-27 states, "Then God said, 'Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness, to rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, and over all the earth itself and every creature that crawls upon it.' So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." This passage highlights the divine image as the foundation for human wisdom and authority over other creatures. Being made in God's image implies a reflection of His attributes, including wisdom, reason, and moral understanding.

Dominion and Stewardship

The mandate given to humanity to "rule over" the earth and its creatures (Genesis 1:26) further underscores the wisdom endowed to man. This dominion is not merely about power but involves stewardship and the responsible management of creation. The ability to govern and care for the earth requires discernment and understanding, qualities that are uniquely human.

The Wisdom of Solomon

The wisdom of Solomon is a prominent biblical example of human wisdom. In 1 Kings 4:29-34 , it is written, "And God gave Solomon wisdom, exceedingly deep insight, and understanding beyond measure, like the sand on the seashore. Solomon’s wisdom was greater than that of all the men of the East, greater than all the wisdom of Egypt." Solomon's wisdom, a gift from God, exemplifies the potential for human understanding and insight that surpasses that of other creatures.

Job and the Limits of Animal Wisdom

In the book of Job, the limitations of animal wisdom are contrasted with human understanding. Job 35:11 asks, "Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth and makes us wiser than the birds of the air?" This rhetorical question implies that God has endowed humans with a wisdom that exceeds that of animals, who act primarily on instinct.

The Role of the Holy Spirit

The New Testament further elaborates on the source of human wisdom through the role of the Holy Spirit. In 1 Corinthians 2:12-13 , Paul writes, "We have not received the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we may understand what God has freely given us. And this is what we speak, not in words taught us by human wisdom, but in words taught by the Spirit, expressing spiritual truths in spiritual words." The Holy Spirit imparts wisdom and understanding that transcends natural human capabilities, enabling believers to comprehend divine truths.

Moral and Ethical Understanding

Human wisdom is also evident in the moral and ethical understanding that guides behavior. Romans 2:14-15 notes, "Indeed, when Gentiles, who do not have the law, do by nature things required by the law, they are a law for themselves, even though they do not have the law. They show that the work of the law is written on their hearts, their consciences also bearing witness, and their thoughts sometimes accusing them and at other times even defending them." This internal moral compass is a testament to the unique wisdom granted to humanity.

Conclusion

The Bible consistently portrays man as possessing a wisdom that surpasses that of other creatures, rooted in the divine image, expressed through dominion and stewardship, exemplified by figures like Solomon, and enhanced by the Holy Spirit. This wisdom encompasses not only intellectual understanding but also moral and ethical discernment, reflecting the unique role of humanity in God's creation.

Torrey's Topical Textbook

Job 35:11
Who teaches us more than the beasts of the earth, and makes us wiser than the fowls of heaven?
Torrey's Topical Textbook

Library

The Benefit of Culture.
... Go to the ant, thou sluggard, and become wiser than it, which ... most part attain to
excellence; and, on the other hand, those ... But as we say that a man can be a ...
/.../clement/the stromata or miscellanies/chapter vi the benefit of culture.htm

"And These Things Write we unto You, that Your Joy May be Full. "
... wish for from them; but it is other things he ... Now, indeed, there hath been some wiser
than others, that have ... some rules and precepts to lead man into this true ...
/.../binning/the works of the rev hugh binning/sermon viii and these things.htm

Explanation of the Words of Christ, "No Man Knoweth the Father ...
... They, however, who would be wiser than the apostles, write [the ... when He came [into
the world] as man, and [if ... Himself, if He had announced any other than He who ...
/.../irenaeus/against heresies/chapter vi explanation of the words.htm

Of the Son of God as Neither Made by the Father nor Less than the ...
... sex by which He did assume this other, in that He ... an injunction in these terms:
"Call no man your father ... that "the foolishness of God is wiser than men," [1567 ...
/.../augustine/a treatise on faith and the creed /chapter 4 of the son of.htm

1 Cor. I. 26, 27
... by the hand; but now, unless a man become a ... forsooth, as if making out something
wiser than what had ... all other things, both men and all other creatures He hath ...
/.../homilies on the epistles of paul to the corinthians/homily v 1 cor i.htm

A Greater than Solomon
... Then, indeed, art thou wiser than Solomon. ... sin excepted; but still He is more, and
infinitely more, than man. ... in human breasts at this moment than any other ...
/.../spurgeon/spurgeons sermons volume 27 1881/a greater than solomon.htm

section ii.
... or that insolent Paradox, That a wise man is out of ... or Fortune; and it is an error
worse than heresie, to ... To wiser desires it is satisfaction enough to deserve ...
//christianbookshelf.org/browne/religio medici/section ii.htm

Excellency of the Christian Institution.
... When a man with a steady faith, looks back ... offended at the presumption of being wiser
than they: they ... the apostles themselves any other hopes than of worldly ...
/.../sect vi excellency of the.htm

Answer to the Objection of the Heathen, that it was not Right to ...
... maintains his incredulity in his soul, the wiser he appears ... so, placing our finger
on what is man's peculiar and ... found no other end of your vain hope than this ...
/.../clement/exhortation to the heathen/chapter x answer to the objection.htm

Upon Compassion. Preached the First Sunday in Lent.
... teach without undergoing them ourselves; and grow wiser and better at a more easy
rate than men commonly do. ... of human life itself; that every man at his ...
/.../butler/human nature/sermon vi upon compassion preached.htm