The famous philosopher Socrates once made the statement that it was important for a person to “Know Thyself” – and that was a basis for being able to understand all the world’s wisdom – that is, that knowledge can be found within oneself. What exactly does the Bible think about the phrase “Know Thyself?”
Proverbs 19:21
There are many devices in a man’s heart; nevertheless the counsel of the LORD, that shall stand. [KJV]
According to the Scriptures, if you look into your own heart, you will find many things. So, if you try to know yourself, there will be lots to work with. However, despite all of that, it will be the counsel of God that will stand. In other words, all those things you find within yourself will never surpass the wisdom of God. So it sounds like Socrates didn’t exactly get this so-called wise statement from the Bible. I don’t expect that surprises you. Let’s go on with another couple of verse from Proverbs to see if we can understand more about this topic.
Proverbs 3:5, 6
Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths. [KJV]
God’s instructions here are to look to Him and not to our own understanding. We are to acknowledge Him and he will direct our steps. Doesn’t sound look God is in favor of us knowing ourself in order to walk wisely, does it? In fact, God knows us better than anyone else – after all, He is the one who formed, made and created man.
Jeremiah 17:9
The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked: who can know it? [KJV]
Well that doesn’t exactly sound like it would be very profitable to know thyself, does it? The Scriptures have much better advice than that and once again we go to Proverbs.
Proverbs 1:7
The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge: but fools despise wisdom and instruction. [KJV]
Instead of knowledge and wisdom being based on knowing yourself, the Bible tells us that the fear or reverence of God is where knowledge begins. In other words, if you do not have a reverence for God, then you have not even begun to learn yet. Sure, you may have processed lots of information and understand things in the world but none of it is worth anything until you have a reverence for God. Paul the Apostle said that he counted everything that he had learned in his upbringing as dung or refuse when compared to the excellency of of the knowledge of Christ Jesus – and Paul was an extremely learned man.
And here we are also told that those who are fools despise the knowledge that comes from having a reverence for God and the things of God.
The more you look at others or yourself, the more miserable you will become. The more you look at God and get to know all that He has done, the more you will grow in wisdom and understanding. “Know Thyself?” – no thank you, I would rather put my effort into knowing God and His Word.