“Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets
and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute.”
(Luke 11:49)
In this solemn word spoken by our Lord, He declares that the sending of prophets and apostles, and the violent rejection they would face, is an expression of His wisdom. That is to say, the wisdom of God sends truth into a hostile world, knowing full well the cost that truth will bear.
Scripture teaches that true knowledge of God has its source in God Himself. It is called the wisdom of God because it originates in Him, reflects His nature, and accomplishes His purposes. It is from the Father, revealed by the Son, and applied by the Holy Spirit.
And Christ is at the center of this wisdom. He is not only the messenger but the message as the words spoken by the prophets and apostles were ultimately the words of Christ, unfolding the redemptive counsel that had been hidden and is now made known.
So those who would truly know God must first be reconciled to Him, live in the fear of Him, and approach Him with humility because fleshly wisdom competes with divine wisdom, and curiosity that is not governed by reverence leads away from God rather than toward Him. God resists the proud, but He teaches the humble.[1]
The Lord also appointed means by which this wisdom is to be received. Creation speaks, conscience testifies, Scripture reveals, and the ministry of the church instructs. These are not competing sources but coordinated witnesses. The book of nature declares God’s power. The book of Scripture declares His saving wisdom. And the ministry of the Word applies that wisdom to the lives of His people over time.
Moreover, the wisdom that sends prophets is also the wisdom that ordains suffering. God is not surprised when His messengers are rejected; He declares it beforehand. The violence done to them exposes the condition of the human heart, not a flaw in divine counsel. Further, those persecuted prophets and apostles bear witness not only by their words but by their suffering. And in this the wisdom of God is displayed even more clearly.
This is wisdom that sends, wisdom that speaks, wisdom that suffers, and wisdom that saves. It is higher than human strategy and deeper than angelic understanding. To adore this wisdom is to bow before the God who reveals Himself, sustains His truth, and accomplishes His purposes even through rejection and loss.
Contemplations:
- Wisdom that is above me. I am reminded that the wisdom of God does not exist to satisfy my curiosity but to command my reverence. I often want clarity without humility and answers without submission. This passage confronts me with a wisdom that stands above my understanding and does not ask my permission. I need to learn again to adore what I cannot fully grasp.
- Truth that is sent. I see that God’s wisdom is active, not static. He sends truth into the world even when it will be rejected. I reflect on how lightly I treat the Word that came at such cost. Prophets and apostles gave their lives so that truth would reach me, so I must not receive it casually or handle it carelessly.
- Humility before knowledge. It’s possible to study theology and yet resist the God it reveals. I am tempted to trust my reason, my instincts, and my preferences. But this passage calls me to humble myself before God, to be taught rather than to judge, and to listen rather than to argue.
- Obedience as wisdom’s end. I recognize that wisdom is not complete until it shapes my life. Reading and hearing are not enough. If I choose not to practice what God has revealed, I do not truly honor His wisdom. I must remember that I am called not only to admire divine truth but to live under it.
Prayer (Adoration)
Most wise and holy God, I adore You as the source and fountain of all true wisdom. Your wisdom is not discovered by human effort but revealed by Your gracious will. You are wisdom in Yourself, perfect and complete, needing nothing outside of Yourself. You speak, and truth is known. You send, and Your purpose stands.
I praise You for the wisdom that sent prophets and apostles into a dark and resistant world. You were not deterred by rejection or violence. You declared beforehand what would happen, and still You sent them. This reveals a wisdom deeper than human calculation, a wisdom that values truth above comfort and faithfulness above safety.
I adore You for revealing Yourself through the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. You are not hidden in silence, but made known by Your Word. I praise You for Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I praise You for the Spirit of wisdom, who opens blind eyes and teaches stubborn hearts.
I glorify You for the order You have established for knowing You. You speak through creation, through Scripture, and through the ministry of Your church. None of these are accidents. You have not left Your people to wander without light or direction.
I adore You for a wisdom that is patient, enduring rejection and suffering without retreat. The blood of Your servants cries out not against Your wisdom, but in confirmation of it. And Your truth stands even when it is hated.
Receive my praise, O God of wisdom. You are worthy of glory for all that You have revealed and all that You have wisely withheld.
In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.
Further Scripture References for Luke 11:49:
Matt. 23:34; 1 Cor. 1:30; Col. 2:3; 1 Cor. 1:24
[1] Petrus van Mastricht, Prolegomena, ed. Joel R. Beeke, trans. Todd M. Rester, vol. 1, Theoretical-Practical Theology (Grand Rapids, MI: Reformation Heritage Books, 2018), 92–94.
