Text written by Prfof. Maria J. de L. Stevão and translated into English by ELLS.
When I was still very young, one night, being asleep, I heard a very clear voice, saying, over and over again: Matthew 11:25. The voice did not mention the text, but its address in the Bible.
I didn't know what was written there, but when I got up in the morning, still with that voice ringing in my ears, I picked up the Bible, and read the message.
At that time, answering Jesus, he said: "Thanks I
give you, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, who hid these things from the
wise and wise, and revealed them to the little ones".
I did not give so much importance to what happened,
which, in fact, was of great significance, but over time I began to meditate on
this text, trying to understand what things were hidden from the experts and
revealed to the little ones.
The evangelist Luke also writes about this Jesus
prayer, thanking the Father for the things He hid from the wise and revealed to
little children. Luke 10:10
When Jesus manifested a firm intention to go to
Jerusalem (Luke 9:51), he sent messengers before him (v.52) after giving the
apostles the great commission, sending them to preach the kingdom of God and to
heal the sick (9:1-2), and have predicted their death (v.22). But despite the
efforts of the apostles to prepare an inn for him, the Samaritans did not
receive him. (v. 53)
Then Jesus appointed another 70 to go ahead of him,
two by two, to all the cities and places where he was to go. Luke 10:1
And it was around those 70, full of joy and joy,
telling Jesus that even demons were subject to them, that the Master said to
them: “Behold, I give you power to trample on serpents and scorpions, and all
the strength of the enemy, and nothing will harm you. But do not rejoice because
the spirits are subject to you; rather rejoice that your names are written in
heaven.” Luke 10:19-20
The apostles had lived with Jesus day after day. In
the gospel of Matthew, chapter 11 verse 5, it is written: “The blind see, and
the lame walk; lepers are clean, and deaf people listen; the dead are raised,
and the gospel is announced to the poor.” They had seen it all, but this, hearing
from Jesus' own lips that their names were written in the heavens, must have
surpassed everything they had ever seen and heard!
But it was Jesus who truly rejoiced: And at that same
time Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit, and said: “I give you thanks, Father,
Lord of heaven and earth, who hid these things from the wise and intelligent,
and revealed them to little ones."
Isaiah, in chapter 29 verse 14, in a prophecy about
Judah's unfaithfulness, said, "For the wisdom of your wise men will
perish."
The apostle
Paul wrote of the wisdom of the world and the wisdom of God: "For I will
destroy the wisdom of the wise, and annihilate the intelligence of the
intelligent." I Corinthians 1:19
There is knowledge outside the Bible, and knowledge
already established by God, revealed in the Bible.
Solomon says in Proverbs chapter 2, from verse 3 to 7:
"indeed, if you call out
for insight and cry aloud for understanding, and
if you look for it as for silver and search for it as for hidden
treasure, then you will understand the fear of
the Lord and find the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from his
mouth come knowledge and understanding. He holds success in store for
the upright, he is a shield to those whose walk is blameless".
Knowledge outside the Bible has brought to light all
that humanity has learned to date, and it has enjoyed many good and useful
things, but it has also used that knowledge to develop much wickedness. Many
people who say they are wise and understood do not seek the knowledge revealed
by God, and therefore there are things that are hidden from them, because they
do not seek to know the one from "whose mouth comes knowledge and
understanding." Proverbs 2:6
The revealed knowledge is that which is in the Bible,
but the fact that they are revealed does not mean that they are known either.
They are known only to those who seek them. The Bible says that the fear of the
Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And people who fear Him seek and find
knowledge. It is necessary to seek the knowledge revealed in the Bible. They
are available, and only the man who owns them is truly wise, because he found
them in the supreme source of wisdom, the Word of God, after making himself
humble as a little child.
"Truly I tell you, anyone who
will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” Luke 18:17
I conclude this writing with the presentation once
done by Pastor Gilberto Stevão, at the First Christian Education Symposium held
in Curitiba: “Wisdom has two principles, without which knowledge is not
complete: 1) The fear of the Lord, which does not mean to be afraid of God, but
to recognize him. "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom";
(Proverbs 1:7) Fearing the Lord knowledge is acquired. 2) Acquiring knowledge
is one of the principles of wisdom.”(Proverbs 4:7) Competence speaks of skill,
attitude, knowledge, and the ability to mobilize the application of knowledge;
and Humility recognizes that little is known, there is still much to learn, and
that we will never come to know everything about all things. Solomon,
considered the greatest wise man of antiquity, humbly recognized that knowledge
is unlimited.” (Christian School - Fundamentals, Principles and Basic
Objectives - Gilberto Stevão)
