Wisdom to the Wise

He gives wisdom to the wise (Dan 2:21)

“A noble lady asked Rabbi Yosef ben Chalafta what is meant by that which is written, ‘He gives wisdom to the wise’. It should have said, ‘to the stupid’. He said to her, ‘My daughter, if two people, one poor and one rich, should come to you to borrow money, to whom would you lend?’

She answered him, ‘To the rich man’. He said to her, ‘Why?’ She said, ‘So that if he has a loss he should have money to pay. But if a poor man has a loss, from where would he take money to pay?’

He said to her, ‘Let your ears hear what your mouth is saying. If the Holy One, Blessed be He, would have given wisdom to the stupid, they would sit in unclean places and in theaters and use it. So he gave wisdom to the wise, so that they would sit in the synagogues and the Batei Midrashos (houses for Torah study) and use it.’”

In the story of the talents (Matthew 25), the man with five talents “gained five more” and the man with two talents “gained two more”. The story reveals a truth for the present, not just the future. Both had the wisdom to use their talents and God was faithful to provide them with more talents. In the context of rabbinic story, the talents of Matthew 25 seem to represent the wisdom and a measure of the Spirit God has given each of us.

If believers are faithful to apply what the LORD has given, He is faithful to increase the measure each believer already has because, “He gives wisdom to the wise”.