In class you mentioned that King Solomon was "the epitome of foolishness," but the Bible says that he was wise.  Can you explain?

Response:

It’s true that God grants King Solomon wisdom, but Satan does too.  So, let’s look at Solomon’s request and God’s response:

1 Kings 3:9 (My Translation):  Give your servant therefore an understanding heart to govern your people, that I may discern between good and evil, for who is able to govern this your great people?”

 

1 Kings 3:12 (My Translation) Behold, I now do according to your word. Behold, I give you heart of wisdom, so that none like you has been before you and none like you shall arise after you.

 A lot of English translations translate the text as an “understanding mind,”  “wisdom” or “discerning mind” which is simply wrong. In fact, it’s important to see that Solomon’s request and God’s response don’t fit the conventional view of wisdom, which is some sort of an intellectual capability.  Although intellectual capability is good and a gift from God, if such capability is perverted to pursue fallen  and selfish desires then it becomes Worldly Wisdom. “This is not the wisdom that comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, demonic.  For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice” [James 3:15-17].  Worldly Wisdom is antithetical to Godly Wisdom and an abomination to God.  It is a function of a depraved mind [Rom 1:28] pursuing the fallen desires of the heart [Rom 1:24]. 

“But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, impartial and sincere. And a harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace” [James 3:18].  According to true Hebrew text, Solomon’s request is for a heart that can discern good from evil.  This is the essence of Godly Wisdom.  Therefore, we see that true Godly Wisdom isn’t a function of the mind, but rather a function of the heart to discern between right and wrong, enabled through the power of the Holy Spirit.  So, Solomon is essentially asking for Godly Wisdom and God does indeed grant it to him.  See James 1:5 - “If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask God, who gives generously to all without reproach, and it will be given him.”  However, as the narrative progresses, we don’t really see Solomon using Godly Wisdom, but rather Worldly Wisdom. 

Like most scholars, I think that the first indication that Solomon is being led astray is when he builds his palace.  Solomon spends 7 years building the Temple [2 Kings 7:37], but 13 years building his own house [2 Kings 7:1].  His own house is far more expensive and elaborate than the Temple, suggesting a distorted sense of priorities, especially since his palace was built with “taxpayer” money (so to speak).  After he has completed building his own house, God appears a second time and delivers Solomon a stern warning in 1 Kings 9:4-9.  God warns Solomon to keep his commandments and statutes.  If he does not, God will bring disaster upon Solomon and his house, as well as the house of Israel.

Solomon does not heed God’s warning, but turns to foolishness.  Beginning in Chapter 11 (1 Kings), Solomon begins loving godless women, rather than the Lord.  The significance of that is that he is now listening to Worldly Wisdom and is fully neglecting Godly Wisdom.

 1 Kings 11:1-8 (ESV): Now King Solomon loved many foreign women, along with the daughter of Pharaoh: Moabite, Ammonite, Edomite, Sidonian, and Hittite women, from the nations concerning which the Lord had said to the people of Israel, “You shall not enter into marriage with them, neither shall they with you, for surely they will turn away your heart after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. He had 700 wives, princesses, and 300 concubines. And his wives turned away his heart. For when Solomon was old his wives turned away his heart after other gods, and his heart was not wholly true to the Lord his God, as was the heart of David his father. For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. So Solomon did what was evil in the sight of the Lord and did not wholly follow the Lord, as David his father had done. Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, and for Molech the abomination of the Ammonites, on the mountain east of Jerusalem. And so he did for all his foreign wives, who made offerings and sacrificed to their gods.

Most interpreters point the simple fact that Solomon had strayed into idolatry, which in itself is foolishness.  However, I would like to point out a few other things.  Solomon blasphemed the marriage covenant by marrying 700 women and keeping another 300 concubines.  For doing this, most men would tell you that Solomon was very wise (in the world’s standards), but this is simply not God’s view.  In the best case, Solomon is guilty of forced sexual slavery, but I would tell you he is guilty of much worse.  Let me explain using Solomon’s own song.

Song of Solomon 8:11-12 (ESV): Solomon had a vineyard at Baal-hamon; he let out the vineyard to keepers; each one was to bring for its fruit a thousand pieces of silver.  My vineyard, my very own, is before me; you, O Solomon, may have the thousand, and the keepers of the fruit two hundred.

 In the Song of Solomon, we see that Solomon actually pimped out his wives for "a thousand pieces of silver."  The righteous Shumanite (the young woman in the Song of Solomon) will have nothing to do with Solomon, but reserves herself for her beloved only.  Solomon tries to win her into his harem [Song of Solomon 3:7-11], but she will not succumb to the temptation that Solomon presents (Solomon in all his riches, military power, royal lineage, etc.).  As we discussed in class this is demonic Worldly Wisdom at work.  Solomon is essentially acting like a the archetype of foolishness, an “adulterous” person: 

1) tempting women (with his riches, power, and royalty); and,

 

2) laying a trap by satisfying their fallen desires (greed, lust, pride, etc.); and,

 

3) capturing them (through perverse marriage covenants of all things); and,

 

4) and then sending them down to hell (let me explain).

In reference to point #4, I would like to point out that sacrifices to Chemosh and Molek were child sacrifices.  So, Solomon wasn’t just permitting this but promoting it.  In other words, he was impregnating his wives/whores who were then bearing children and sacrificing them to their false gods.  Horrific!  But, if you examine this by the World's Standards, it makes sense.  After all, by the world’s standards, who would want to take care of all these children?  Getting rid of them is awfully convenient to those that want to promote their own selfishness.  But, from God's view,  those that kill these children are being dragged down into hell.  Before we dismiss Solomon’s actions as barbaric and outdated, isn’t this the same sort of pattern we see in New York City and the crux of the abortion issue today?

Anyway, although given the gift from God to discern right from wrong, Solomon chooses to do the wrong thing and follows Worldly Wisdom instead.  I could go on from here, but the point is made throughout Ecclesiastes, the Song of Solomon, and Proverbs.  Solomon simply gives himself over to all his desires and becomes enslaved to them to the point of reaching a sense of godless, existential nihilism.  

Ecclesiastes 2:1-11 (ESV): I said in my heart, “Come now, I will test you with pleasure; enjoy yourself.” …  I searched with my heart how to cheer my body with wine—my heart still guiding me with wisdom—and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the children of man to do under heaven during the few days of their life.  I made great works. I built houses and planted vineyards for myself.  I made myself gardens and parks, and planted in them all kinds of fruit trees.  I made myself pools from which to water the forest of growing trees.  I bought male and female slaves, and had slaves who were born in my house. I had also great possessions of herds and flocks, more than any who had been before me in Jerusalem.  I also gathered for myself silver and gold and the treasure of kings and provinces. I got singers, both men and women, and many concubines, the delight of the children of man.  So I became great and surpassed all who were before me in Jerusalem. Also my wisdom remained with me.  And whatever my eyes desired I did not keep from them. I kept my heart from no pleasure, for my heart found pleasure in all my toil, and this was my reward for all my toil.  Then I considered all that my hands had done and the toil I had expended in doing it, and behold, all was vanity and a striving after wind, and there was nothing to be gained under the sun.

I do believe that Solomon does eventually repent, but the consequences of his actions destroy Israel.  Most of his children, gained through idolatry are sacrificed to false gods.  As for the remaining children, they are at war with one another as they seek to satisfy their own fallen passions.  The Nation is ripped asunder by them and given over to the idolatrous environment which Solomon has created.  So, in effect Solomon did the Worldly thing: Screwed everyone else to satisfy his own selfish and wicked desires.  Consequently, Solomon should serve us an example of Worldly Wisdom and its Foolishness, not Godly Wisdom which he forsook.  Although he knew what was right, he did not do it.

 In Christ, Marty