In the passage in James 3:13 – 18 James makes mention of two different types wisdom. The first type of wisdom is contained in the first section of the verses 13 to 16:
13 Who [is] a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom. 14 But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. 15 This wisdom descendeth not from above , but [is] earthly , sensual , devilish . 16 For where envying and strife [is], there [is] confusion and every evil work.
James 3:13-16
What mark the qualities of a wise man as revealed here in Scripture?
They are endued with knowledge . They may have obtained this from being taught by someone more knowledgeable than themselves. They would have taken the time to study, and mastered what they had been taught by committing it to memory. However, even though a man may be endued with more knowledge than others they are not to be puffed up by it. Hence why James commends them to speak wisdom with meekness .
It can be easy to get caught up trying to show yourself more knowledgeable than another by dismantling their arguments due to their flawed logic, or by compounding your claims by statements from an assortment of authorities.
But what is the point? If you’re trying to win a point, are you not seeking glory for yourself? Is this not pride? This type of wisdom is not from above . It’s earthly , sensual , devilish . Interesting how James uses devilish considering the devil sought his own glory, using his great wisdom for his own selfish purposes (take note the number of singular personal pronouns used – thy, thou, thine):
5 By thy great wisdom [and] by thy traffick hast thou increased thy riches , and thine heart is lifted up because of thy riches :
Ezekiel 28:5
What is the motive behind our own wisdom and knowledge?
Is it selfish? Or is there a greater motive?
What is the other type of wisdom James refers to?
17 But the wisdom that is from above is first pure , then peaceable , gentle , [and] easy to be intreated , full of mercy and good fruits , without partiality , and without hypocrisy . 18 And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.
James 3:17-18
Note the characteristics of this type of wisdom:
First, note there’s an order: first . There is a rank in the motive behind wisdom, and therefore the first thing must be the most important aspect about wisdom, and this is: it needs to be pure . It is without hypocrisy , you’re not deceiving yourself. You’re secretly not trying to pull one over another. It seeks peace and is therefore peaceable . It is gentle , it doesn’t seek to be mean towards others. It is easy to be intreated , and full of mercy . There’s no point in trying to win, trying to show one more authoritative than another.