Wisdom is Not Respected

Sermon Text

Ecclesiastes 9:13-18

Wisdom Superior to Folly

13 This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: 14 There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great [a]snares around it. 15 Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.

16 Then I said:

“Wisdom is better than strength.
Nevertheless the poor man’s wisdom is despised,
And his words are not heard.
17 Words of the wise, spoken quietly, should be heard
Rather than the shout of a ruler of fools.
18 Wisdom is better than weapons of war;
But one sinner destroys much good.”

New King James Version (NKJV) Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. All rights reserved.

• Ecclesiastes 9:13–18 pictures a small city rescued by a poor wise man whose service is soon forgotten. His lack of wealth or status does not make his wisdom less valuable.
• Wisdom is better than strength or weapons, yet life under the sun often rewards loud, powerful, and impressive people while overlooking quiet godliness.
• We should test the voices shaping us by God’s Word instead of confusing money, charisma, influence, or volume with truth.
• The sermon presents the poor wise man as a picture of Christ: Jesus came in humility, was despised, and saved his people through a cross the world regarded as weakness and folly.
• One sinner can destroy much good, so foolish, reckless speech can damage families, workplaces, churches, and communities.
• Christians are called to pursue faithfulness even when it brings no applause, to listen carefully to quiet godly counsel, and to live peaceful lives shaped by Scripture.

• Which voices most shape what you love, fear, and pursue: Scripture and godly counsel, or online personalities, political commentators, and other loud influences?
• Where are you tempted to mistake wealth, credentials, confidence, popularity, or volume for wisdom?
• Who in your church, family, or community may offer quiet, faithful counsel that you have overlooked?
• Would you still choose the wise and obedient path if it cost you recognition, influence, or advancement?
• What guardrails could help you spend less attention on sensational voices and more time hearing and meditating on God’s Word?
• How can your speech combine truth, gravity, love, patience, and self-control rather than adding destructive noise?
• When evaluating elders and deacons, do you give biblical godliness more weight than worldly prestige?
• How does Christ’s humble victory at the cross reshape your idea of strength and success?

Biblical wisdom

Skill in believing and living according to God’s revealed truth, whether or not it brings success, prestige, or approval.

Life under the sun

Ecclesiastes’ way of describing ordinary life in this fallen world, where people do not always honor what is truly good.

Siege

A military strategy that surrounds a city and cuts off people, food, water, and supplies until the city can no longer resist.

Parallelism

A feature of Hebrew poetry that places related lines beside each other so they reinforce or contrast their ideas.

Antithetical parallelism

Parallel lines that teach by contrast, as Ecclesiastes sets quiet wisdom against foolish shouting and strength against wisdom.

Humiliation of Christ

The Son of God’s willing lowliness in becoming man, suffering rejection, and dying on the cross for his people.

Whole counsel of God

The full range of biblical teaching God gives his church, rather than a steady diet of whatever is fashionable or controversial.