And so I made up in my mind to look into the Holy Scriptures and to see what they might be like. And what I see there is something not disclosed to the proud or laid bare to children; one must stoop to enter, but it is lofty within, and veiled in mysteries.

Augustine. (2019). Confessions (T. Williams, Trans.). Hackett Publishing. 33.

Augustine was one of the great thinkers of the Christian faith, and his work continues to influence Christians and their theology today. On one hand, his deep philosophical ponderings keep us talking and debating for hours, while on the other, the deep scriptural truths he played with resonate with Christians of all times since. But this man was not always the wise theologian-philosopher he always was, and he would tell you that. In Book 3 of Confessions, the monk from Hippo says that once he decided to look into the Scriptures, he found something he did not expect.

Augustine’s words reflect the principle in Paul’s words to the Corinthians around 300 years prior:

Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world?… But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.

1 Corinthians 1:20, 27-31

The wisdom of God, true wisdom, is only found in the Gospel, and this is so that no one can boast in himself, but only boast in the Lord. This is why Augustine says, “one must stoop to enter.” Humility is a prerequisite for true and Godly wisdom. Without it, one can become very wise by men’s standards, but this wisdom pales in comparison to what the wisdom of God has to offer.

Paul continues writing about wisdom to the Corinthians, saying:

Yet among the mature we do impart wisdom, although it is not a wisdom of this age or of the rulers of this age, who are doomed to pass away. But we impart a secret and hidden wisdom of God, which God decreed before the ages for our glory. None of the rulers of this age understood this, for if they had, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory… The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

1 Corinthians 2:6-8, 14

Augustine affirms these words as well when he said, “…but it is lofty within, and veiled in mysteries.” The wisdom of God will look foolish to those who have not tasted of the gospel, but those who humble themselves and make themselves low will enter into the wisdom of God and see that his mysteries are high, lofty, and unfathomable. This is a philosopher’s dream! Endless mysteries to ponder, lofty thoughts, and the humility to enjoy them for what they are rather than be puffed up in selfishness.

          The beginning excerpt from Confessions goes on saying:

Such was my character at the time that I could not enter; I could not bend my neck to follow its path. For what I say now is not what I thought then when I gave my attention to Scripture. Quite the contrary, I found it unworthy of comparison with the great dignity of Cicero. My swollen pride disdained its restraint, and my gaze did not penetrate its innermost mysteries. It was the very Scripture that would grow with little children as they grew, but I refused to be a little child; in my arrogance and self-importance I was, in my own eyes, a grown-up.

Augustine. (2019). Confessions (T. Williams, Trans.). Hackett Publishing. 33-34.

Augustine agrees with Paul here. Before he was converted, he saw the Scriptures as foolish. He thought the works of Cicero were better suited for a refined mind such as his. But how wrong he was. He thought the Holy Scriptures did not even compare to Cicero; in reality, Cicero does not stack up to the lofty mysteries found in the Scriptures. First and foremost, the Mystery of the gospel of Christ. That God would become man and sacrifice Himself in a painful death to redeem sinful humanity, who hated Him. This is the loftiest of mysteries among many found in the Scriptures.

I encourage everyone to read Confessions. It is thoughtful, introspective, spiritual, steeped in Scripture, and wrapped in truth. But even the musings of Augustine pale in comparison to what is contained in the Bible. Do you want to be wise? Don’t just read philosophers. Don’t just read theologians. Read and consult the Scriptures. Let the Spirit of God guide you through them and make you wise. If Augustine could stoop low to enter, let’s follow him as he followed the lowly Christ and enter into the mysteries of the gospel.