The Hidden Wisdom of Paul: A Deeper Look

Paul's epistles offer a rich tapestry of theological insights, with hidden wisdom at their core. This wisdom, according to Paul, is not for everyone but is reserved for the mature. It encapsulates a profound understanding of divine strength, human weakness, and the ultimate glorification through Christ. This blog post delves into the intricate layers of Paul’s hidden wisdom, its components, and its implications for believers.

The General Principle of Divine Strength in Weakness

One of the fundamental elements of Paul’s hidden wisdom is the paradoxical principle that God’s strength is perfected in weakness. Paul emphasizes that God uses what is low and despised in the world to nullify the things that are esteemed (1 Cor 1:25-29; 2 Cor 4:7; 12:9-10; 13:4). This principle is openly available to the entire community and serves as a counterpoint to the worldly wisdom of the ruling class.

This aspect of Paul’s wisdom challenges the conventional understanding of power and strength. By highlighting the divine preference for the weak and despised, Paul subverts the societal norms that equate power with privilege, intelligence, and strength.

The Supernal Truth of Glory Through Suffering and Death

Beyond this general principle lies a more profound truth: glory and immortality are achieved through suffering and death, in conformity with the crucifixion of the Messiah. This idea is explicitly detailed in 2 Corinthians 4:7-18, Romans 8:17-18, and Philippians 3:10-11, 21. Each passage adds a unique dimension to the concept of transformation into the image of the risen Christ.

• Romans 8:17 asserts that suffering with Christ is a prerequisite for being glorified with Him.
• 2 Corinthians 4:16-17 suggests that external suffering and devastation produce glory and renew the inner person.
• Philippians 3:10-11 refers to the power of Jesus' resurrection as something that can be experienced in the present.

Paul employs the terminology of perfection, typical of mystery religions (Phil 3:12), to describe the simultaneous process of experiencing Christ’s resurrection power while participating in His sufferings and becoming like Him in death. This process is essential for attaining the resurrection from the dead (Phil 3:11).

Transformation Through Noetic Vision

A uniquely esoteric element of Paul’s hidden wisdom is the notion of transformation through noetic vision, as expressed in 2 Corinthians 3:18 and 4:18. This involves the inner renewal and metamorphosis into the image and glory of God, seen in the risen Christ. Believers achieve this transformation by contemplating Christ through enigmatic “mirrors” such as the Scriptures and Paul's gospel ministry.

The Criteria of God’s Wisdom

The three elements of Paul’s hidden wisdom meet the criteria established in 1 Corinthians 2:6-9. Firstly, the religious truth that glory and immortality come through suffering and death is not wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age (2:6). Instead, the broader principle that God’s power is perfected in weakness undermines any wisdom that interprets power in terms of rationality, privilege, and strength (1:25-27).

This wisdom easily qualifies as something that none of the rulers of this age understood (2:8). If they had recognized that the brutal and humiliating act of crucifixion would strengthen Christ and ensure their defeat (1:27-28; 2:6; cf. 15:24-27), they would not have crucified the Lord of glory (2:8).

Finally, the idea that believers conform internally to the image of the Son of God in a way that manifests His glory qualifies as something God predestined before the ages for our glory (1 Cor 2:7; Rom 8:29-30) and prepared for those who love Him (1 Cor 2:9; Rom 8:28). As part of the salvation plan that God established before creation, the truth that glory comes through suffering, and immortality through death, was a reality to which the Messiah Himself had to conform. This is how He became wisdom from God for us (1 Cor 1:30).

Paul’s Esoteric Instruction

Paul’s wisdom, therefore, is implicit in the cross (1:23-24; 2:8), but it is far from being fully revealed and learned through the public preaching of “Jesus Christ and Him crucified” (2:2). Hence, Paul can apply the term "the wisdom of God" both to his public preaching of the cross (1:21-24) and to his private esoteric instruction (2:7).

Conclusion

Paul’s hidden wisdom comprises several interconnected elements. It begins with the general principle that God's strength is manifested in human weakness and that He uses the lowly to shame the powerful. This principle is publicly available and serves as a foundation for deeper, more esoteric truths. The core of Paul’s hidden wisdom lies in the transformative power of suffering and death in imitation of Christ, which leads to glory and immortality. This transformation is both an inward metamorphosis and a future hope, intricately tied to a noetic vision of the risen Christ.

Paul’s teachings challenge believers to look beyond conventional wisdom and embrace a deeper understanding of divine strength and glory. This hidden wisdom, predestined by God before the ages, reveals a path to transformation that is both present and future, individual and communal, grounded in the mystery of Christ crucified and risen.

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This blog post is based on content from Scott Brown's paper, L'esoterismo in Paolo: La sapienza nascosta di 1 Cor 2,6-3,4.