Walking the Way of the Wise: A Biblical Theology of Wisdom

by Mitchell L. Chase

Wisdom Is Not Simply Knowledge or Cleverness

Walking the Way of the Wise is a profound exploration into the depths of biblical wisdom, seamlessly blending scholarly insight with practical guidance. In this latest addition to IVP Academic's Essential Studies in Biblical Theology (ESBT) series, Mitchell Chase invites readers to rediscover wisdom as an essential thread woven throughout the tapestry of Scripture. Chase unveils wisdom not merely as knowledge or cleverness but as a life-giving path of joyful obedience to God's Word. By tracing the themes of wisdom and folly from Genesis to Revelation, Walking the Way of the Wise illuminates the role of wisdom in the covenant life of God's people.

Readers will gain a deeper understanding of how wisdom plays a vital role in the lives of believers. By following the wise path set out by God, we can experience joy, peace, and fulfillment in our lives. Perfect for pastors, scholars, and everyday believers, Walking the Way of the Wise provides thoughtful discussion questions designed to encourage deeper reflection. Discover that biblical wisdom is central to understanding God's grand narrative and our place within it as you read Walking the Way of the Wise.

Genres: Theology

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2025

Reviews

[Jeremy Fritz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid addition to the ESBT lineup. Great starting point for someone to explore the category of wisdom in the Scriptures.

[Rainer Erani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love me some Biblical Theology. Chase embodies an artist and an academic as he pulls the string of wisdom throughout the entire Biblical narrative. I kept thinking, “woah, I never noticed that before” as he continued to reveal how all Scripture is Wisdom Literature, not just what fits nicely into the genre.

Leaves me wanting to read more in the ESBT series, and read more of Mitchell Chase’s works.

Grateful for this contribution to theology.

[Aaron · Rating 5 out of 5]

In Walking the Way of the Wise, Mitchell L. Chase presents a biblical theology of wisdom. From the garden in Genesis to the restoration in Revelation, this book shows that wisdom is woven throughout Scripture.



Wisdom Literature
Of course, Chase dedicates chapters to the books typically associated with wisdom literature—Job, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes. But I was most surprised to see how the Psalms also speak to wisdom, as well as how the lack of wise judges and kings shaped Israel’s history.


The book also talks about foolishness. Wisdom means not entangling our lives with fools. Folly corrupts lovely things and leads to death.



Wisdom Incarnate
What moved me most was reading about the wisdom of Jesus, even as a young boy. People called Him "Rabbi" though He had no formal training. Jesus is not only a teacher of wisdom—He is the incarnation of wisdom itself.


After reading this book, I find myself more aware of how wisdom appears in our day-to-day lives, especially in our relationship with God. Wisdom is walking in His ways, trusting in His word and revelation.


Listen to Wisdom
My hope is to read and interpret Scripture more and more through the lens of wisdom. And when I preach, teach, and apply it, I want to point others to the way of wisdom—and to listen to Wisdom Himself: Jesus.


I received a media copy of Walking the Way of the Wise and this is my honest review.

[John · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book, not perfect, but a very good one. As of academic theology, it is a bit too heavily into being inspirational, but it does feel like both academic and a book that can teach us a lot about wisdom. I like how Mitchell L. Chase manages to find wisdom in books of the Bible that are often neglected, and keeps the thread throughout the whole. I do think the apocryphal books could have been included, as it is a short book, and it seems that he misses out a bit, as well as being very short of extra-biblical material and very few outside sources that are cited. Out of it, though, Chase gets a lot. I would of course have loved to see a bit more discussion around stuff like sophiology, as it is a missed opportunity to look into that and other later works on wisdom. Equating Jesus with Wisdom is also a bit of a stretch, and sometimes it feels like he stretches the definition to mold the idea of wisdom into the whole, both creation and salvation, without really giving us the clarity in the distinctions.

[Brett McDonald · Rating 5 out of 5]

Mitch has done it again. A biblical theological walk through the canon, tracing the thread of wisdom. Every chapter adds to the biblical perspective on wisdom. Th last chapter sends your heart soaring.

[Derek · Rating 4 out of 5]

The focus on “Wisdom” in the Pentateuch was excellent, as well as the discussion of how Jesus himself is the embodiment of wisdom.

[Daniel Scheiderer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good book. I would consider it to be a good recommendation as a devotional. The style (very readable) and material (wisdom literature) lend themselves to being helpful in that particular way.