John Piper "Seeing and Savoring Jesus Christ" Chapter Six

“Lord, you know everything.”

JOHN 2 1 : 1 7

“I am telling you this now,

before it takes place,

that when it does take place

you may believe that I am he.”

JOHN 1 3 : 1 9

SOMETHING GREATER THAN SOLOMON IS HERE

The Wisdom of Jesus Christ

Excerpts from the Chapter:

“The Queen of Sheba was so stunned at the wisdom and knowledge of Solomon that when she had seen all his house and heard his answers to her questions, “there was no more breath in her” (1 Kings 10:5). It took her breath away. What then does it mean when Jesus says, “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here” (Matthew 12:42)?”

“He knows all people thoroughly, our hearts and our thoughts. John paid tribute to this vast knowledge when he said that Jesus did not entrust himself to men because “He knew all people and needed no one to bear witness about man, for he himself knew what was in man” (John 2:24-25). He knows all our thoughts before we express them. He sees where no one else can see. Nothing is hidden from his eyes. “But Jesus, knowing their thoughts, said, ‘Why do you think evil in your hearts?’” (Matthew 9:4). Thus it was the confession of the early church: “You, Lord . . . know the hearts of all” (Acts 1:24).”

“There is no one who perplexes Jesus. No thought or action is unintelligible to him. He knows its origin and end. The most convoluted psychotic and the most abstruse genius are open and laid bare to his understanding. He understands every motion of every mind.”

“His foreknowledge is essential to his divinity. The extent of Jesus’ knowledge is a compelling warrant for faith in his divine origin. Thus his disciples said, “Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God” (John 16:30).”

“The greatest thing that can be said of Jesus’ knowledge is that he knows God perfectly. He knows God perfectly, because he is God. We know God partially and imperfectly. Jesus knows him like no other being knows him. He knows him the way an omniscient person knows himself. “All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him” (Matthew 11:27). No one but Jesus knows the Father immediately, completely, and perfectly. Our knowledge of the Father depends wholly on Jesus’ gracious revelation; our knowledge is derivative and partial and, because of our sin, imperfect.”

“Therefore, let us bow down and worship Jesus Christ. Even if we are impressed with the scholarship of man and the achievements of scientific knowledge, let us not play the fool by trumpeting the wonder of these tiny chirps while ignoring the thunderclap of Christ’s omniscience. Jesus alone is worthy of our highest admiration. Jesus alone is worthy of our trust. He can show us the Father (Matthew 11:27). He can give us irresistible wisdom (Luke 21:15). He can see how to make all things work together for our good (Romans 8:28). Not one of his judgments about anything is ever mistaken (John 8:16). He teaches the way of God with infallible truthfulness (Matthew 22:16). Trust him. Admire him. Follow him. For “in [him] are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Colossians 2:3).”

A P R A Y E R

Father, we say with the psalmist, such knowledge is too wonderful for us, it is too high, we cannot attain it.

We stand in awe of your infinite knowledge and wisdom.

We are filled with questions.

But you are filled with answers.

There are no mysteries for you.

There are no facts you do not know, no problems you cannot solve, no events you cannot explain, no hypocrisy through which you do not see.

Oh, grant us to see and feel that your all-knowing mind, together with your power and grace, makes you utterly trustworthy.

Your counsel takes everything into account, including the past and the future.

Your good plan will never be altered owing to unforeseen events.

We can count on you.

And as we do, Father, share with us, we pray, enough of your great wisdom and enough of your great knowledge that we may live and love and, finally, die in a way that brings life to others, satisfies our soul, and honors you.

The lips of the wise are a fountain of life, and oh, how we long to bring life to the perishing. Grant us your wisdom in the measure we can bear. In Jesus’ name,

amen.