CP 251 The getting of Wisdom...

CP 251 The getting of Wisdom

A couple of weeks ago, while getting ready for Sunday, I had one of those moments when a few unrelated thoughts go click, click, and click, and the next thing you know you’ve seen something in scripture you’d never seen before. You could say that it was a case of being wise after the event.

My message theme for week was going to be based around the business of choosing the Apostles’ helpers in Acts 6. There was ‘trouble in the camp’ and somebody had to be appointed to sort it out. The Apostles’ instructions were specific. ‘Choose 7 men… known to be full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.’ (Acts 6:3) That reference to wisdom got me thinking about Solomon and his ‘wisdom’, and the remark of Jesus that ‘…one greater than Solomon is here.’ (Matt 12:42) Next thing, my eyes see the reference to Solomon’s Colonnade. (Or Portico or Porch). So check out what the ‘Colonnade’ is. Turns out to be a huge undercover area on the built-up, east side of the Temple.

Do some more research…

• It’s the place where Peter’s second ‘address’ is given after he has healed the crippled man at the Temple gate. Acts 3:11
• It’s the place where the disciples used to meet in Jerusalem! Acts 5:12
• It’s the place where, with great power, the Apostles continued to teach and to testify to the resurrection of Jesus. Acts 4:33
• It’s the place where Stephen, Philip and the others were chosen as being ‘full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom.’

It also turns out to be the place Jesus could be found… John 10:23 records, ‘Jesus was in the Temple area, walking in Solomon’s Colonnade. It was here that he spoke some of his profoundest truths… (27-30)

• My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me…
• I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish…
• No one can snatch them out of my hand… no one can snatch them out of my Father’s hand…
• My Father and I are one…

One of the things that really struck me was that the Apostles are proclaiming the death and resurrection of Jesus, and that he is Messiah and Lord, in the very place where Jesus had declared that his sheep would hear his voice!

Do a little more research…

• It’s the place where the Scribes, the Teachers of the Law used to meet for discussion, debate and decision-making…
• Which means it is almost certainly the place where the 12 year old Jesus was in his Father’s house, ‘…sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions.’ All the while, everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers! Luke 2:41ff

Anyway… I thought that was pretty neat…