 |  |
There is an interesting reference in Prov. 4: Solomon is exhorting his children, as a
good father, to study wisdom. The whole chapter is profitable reading, but we must
content ourselves by quoting only extracts from verses 1-7:
"Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding" (1).
"For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law" (2).
"He taught me also, and said unto me, Let thine heart retain my words: keep my
commandments and live" (4).
"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom" (7).
Solomon says his doctrine is good and he followed his father's example. A father
passed advice to his children, and in this way the doctrine was handed down from one
generation to another. But then he (Solomon) says that wisdom is the principal thing, and
the children should make every effort to get wisdom. We may have thought that doctrine
is the vital thing, so why does Solomon say that wisdom is the first in importance? As
doctrine was handed down by word of mouth (note the many references to `words') there
was the danger that in repeating what a father said, some inaccurate statement might be
made. A wise man would spot any mistake of this kind by comparing statements made
by various people, and so wisdom is important in the safeguarding of the truth. In our
day we have the Scriptures, and so can compare Scripture with Scripture in our search for
the truth. So wisdom is, and was, necessary to make sure that it was indeed "good
doctrine".
In the N.T. we find a word didaskalia, which occurs 21 times and is translated:
doctrine
19 times
learning
1
teaching
1
-------------
21 times
========
"Learning" appears in Rom. 15: 4, and "teaching" in Rom. 12: 7. Rom. 15: 4 says
the Scriptures were written for our learning (doctrine). According to Young's
concordance, this word means `teaching', but it does not follow that the teaching is sound
or good. We have to distinguish between the good and the bad: (Hence the need for
wisdom). This is emphasized by the following references:
". . . . . teaching for doctrine the commandments of men" (Matt 15: 9 and Mark 7: 7).
"That we be no longer children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind
of doctrine" (Eph. 4: 14).
". . . . . after the commandments and doctrines of men" (Col. 2: 22).
There are eight occurrences of this Greek word in I Timothy, all translated in the
A.V. by the English "doctrine". They seem to form a pattern, so we will endeavour to
display it: