Thus it affirms a kind of “creational revelation,” the idea that one can find moral and theological truth through observing the world.Īt the same time, it distinguishes the biblical pursuit of knowledge and wisdom from those of the surrounding cultures, for it asserts that submission to the Lord is foundational to the attainment of real understanding (cf. The idea of a quest for knowledge sets biblical wisdom in the broad context of the ancient Near Eastern quest for truth, and this verse also validates such a quest as legitimate and good.
The reason that the fear of the Lord is the beginning of both knowledge and wisdom is that the moral life begins with reverence and humility before the Maker and Redeemer. On the fear of the Lord, see notes on Acts 5:5 9:31 Rom. “Knowledge” and “wisdom” are closely tied together in Proverbs: “knowledge” tends to focus on correct understanding of the world and oneself as creatures of the magnificent and loving God, while “wisdom” is the acquired skill of applying that knowledge rightly, or “skill in the art of godly living”. 111:10, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom”). This is the core maxim of the book: the quest for wisdom begins with the fear of the Lord (cf.
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge fools despise wisdom and instruction. All commentary sections adapted from the ESV Study Bible. This article is part of the Key Bible Verses series.
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