Pastor Rob's Notes on "Thunder, the Perfect Mind" Part 2

I am the one who is disgraced and the great one.
Give heed to my poverty and my wealth.
Do not be arrogant to me when I am cast out upon the earth,
and you will find me in those that are to come.
And do not look upon me on the dung-heap
nor go and leave me cast out,
and you will find me in the kingdoms.
And do not look upon me when I am cast out among those who
are disgraced and in the least places,
nor laugh at me.
And do not cast me out among those who are slain in violence.

Continuing on with our discussion on The Thunder, Perfect Mind, the next part of this piece should be familiar. This alludes to the Pearl of Great Price and the parable of the merchant. Wisdom is both poverty and great wealth. It is poverty from a worldly perspective because divine wisdom does not grant someone great wealth, super powers, or an edge against those we are cursed to compete against. It is at the same time great wealth from a spiritual perspective because it helps enrich one’s life and helps one find meaning and take part of the Fullness. It helps one become a friend of Christ. Divine wisdom is often discarded and over looked because it makes one less worldly. It does not encourage one to consume but to give. It leads us to being thankful for the fortunes we do have. It is the pearl that is thrown away because it teaches us to love our enemies.

But I, I am compassionate and I am cruel.
Be on your guard!

The next stanza is very short and profound. Fallen wisdom is cruel. For those that are familiar with the creation mythos, it is fallen wisdom that produces the Demiurge. This is the product of wisdom alone. It is a system of laws that is devoid of compassion and mercy. It demands obedience or death. Risen wisdom is wisdom that is perfected by love, by Christ. It is the wisdom that is willing to show compassion and mercy. The wisdom to admit that lawfulness is not the same as righteousness; that being lawful does not make one a good person. We need to be on guard when we are confronted with the two wisdoms; are we following fallen wisdom or risen wisdom? Which wisdom are we venerating?

Do not hate my obedience
and do not love my self-control.
In my weakness, do not forsake me,
and do not be afraid of my power.

This passage seems very confusing to me at first but I think the confusion is resolved when one understands that there is a difference between obedience and self-control. Obedience is following the orders of someone else where as self-control is personal restraint from some activity. Who else is wisdom obedient to but God, where wisdom emanates? Wisdom will restrain itself from love though. Again this is why there is no salvation in the law for the law is wisdom without love, but wisdom is perfected and unrestrained by love. We are called to neither give up and to not fear wisdom. Wisdom, divine wisdom, emanates from God. If God is truth and wisdom is an emanation of God then wisdom is part of the truth of God and to reject and fear wisdom is to reject and fear truth.

For why do you despise my fear
and curse my pride?
But I am she who exists in all fears
and strength in trembling.
I am she who is weak,
and I am well in a pleasant place.
I am senseless and I am wise.

Unredeemed wisdom, wisdom without love, produces fear and pride. One becomes afraid of what one thinks will go wrong and becomes arrogant in one’s own understanding. The next wisdom described is risen wisdom, wisdom with love. This is wisdom exists in all fears because it is this wisdom that not only brings new understanding but destroys what we think we know. This is the wisdom that gives us courage, faith to keep strong in the face of adversity. It is the wisdom of knowing yourself. Credit goes to my fiancée for helping me understand this next line. Wisdom is weak, it has to be perfected. It understands and accepts this reality that wisdom will be the consort of love. Fallen wisdom is senseless. It is the wisdom that tells you to stone someone to death for gathering food to survive on the Sabbath. Risen wisdom is wise and recognizes that what is lawful is not always right.

Why have you hated me in your counsels?
For I shall be silent among those who are silent,
and I shall appear and speak,

Wisdom asks the audience why she is hated when she tries to instruct. You have the risen wisdom which stays silent among those who are silent and the fallen wisdom that speaks. For when wisdom is hated, it is the fallen wisdom that will always take charge. It is the wisdom that is self-serving and lacking in compassion that comes forth when wisdom is hated. Risen wisdom will remain always remain silent among those who fail to speak up.