Angel of Wisdom

And the connection between thought and wisdom? Currently I think of Wisdom as a mingling of intellect and something higher. Wisdom often comes through due to inspiration or intuition rather than just our mere mental logic -- a higher level of thought. It opens more possibilities and solutions than just making a choice between one thing and its opposite.

Consider, for instance, Jesus’s response to those who were about to stone a woman who had committed adultery: “Let he among you who is without sin cast the first stone.”  (John 8:7)  If we were to respond from a strictly mental place, the reply would be either to simply agree or disagree with stoning the woman – with the obvious risk being that either side has its supporters and its naysayers. No matter which decision you make, one side will feel wronged. Jesus’s response begs personal reflection by each person there: Have I ever done something wrong – and, in my case, would I think severe punishment is the appropriate solution for me to have to endure?

Another example from the Bible would be the story of the two women who approached Solomon claiming that a baby was their child. Rather than fall into taking a position of one woman over the other, Solomon realizes that bringing in a higher perspective would put the problem in a new light.   He calls for a sword to be brought to him, then orders, “Cut the baby in half. That way each of you can have part of him.” This causes the distraught baby’s mother to plead, “Please don’t kill my son! I love him very much, but just give him to her. Don’t kill him!” The other woman says, go ahead, split the baby. Solomon awards the baby to the first woman who begged for the child’s life, knowing that no true mother would desire the death of her child. The end of the passage notes, “Everyone in Israel was amazed when they heard how Solomon had made his decision. They realized that God had given him wisdom to judge fairly.” (1 Kings 3:16-28)

Here are excerpts from the Essene Gospels for the Angel of Wisdom –  who is greeted on the evening of the Third Day:

“The Angel of Wisdom
Who maketh man free from fear,
Wide of heart,
And easy of conscience.
Holy Wisdom,
The Understanding that unfolds
Continuously,
As a holy scroll,
Yet does not come through learning.
All wisdom cometh
From the Heavenly Father,
And is with him for ever….

… But the crown of wisdom
Makes peace and perfect health
To flourish,
Both of which are the gifts of God.
O Thou Heavenly Order!
And thou, Angel of Wisdom!
I will worship thee and
The Heavenly Father,
Because of whom
The river of thought within  us
Is flowing towards the
Holy Sea of Eternity.”

“…The understanding that unfolds…. Yet does not come through learning.” This would support Wisdom as coming from somewhere above simple deduction – like the concept of the whole being more than a sum of its parts. It is not simply a question of seeing each part, or side. It draws on something above all of them.

This quality, apparently, draws us closer to God, as noted in the last sentence here that directly connects wisdom and thought: "...The Heavenly Father and the Angel of Wisdom – because of whom the river of thought within us is flowing towards the Holy Sea." Using wisdom provides us with freedom from fear and being of clear mind (“easy of conscience.”) When we approach the duality of any problem from a higher perspective, knowing that neither side will feel wronged, we are free from internal debate and potential guilt about the solution we may present. This, to me, is the way of wisdom.