Solomon shows that wisdom also brings people much sorrow. You discover much of the bad things in the world through wisdom and research. You realize that there are many difficult and bad things that you simply cannot change. The more you discover as a human being the more you realize how little we actually know. You discover that unhealthy relationships between people are often extremely difficult or altogether impossible to fix. You also discover things in your research that lead to a dead end.
This verse shows that more than human wisdom is required. It cries out for Christ who is wisdom – for Christ who is greater than Solomon: “The queen of the South will rise up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and behold, something greater than Solomon is here!” (Matthew 12:42).
The wisdom that is greater than mere human wisdom comes to us through the Word of God and the proclamation thereof. It is the Spirit who wants to teach us this wisdom. See for example 1 Corinthians 1:18 – 2:16
Christ gives the wisdom in which people find the true, perfect wisdom that never disappoints. Christ himself is wisdom. A number of verses in the Bible point to this, including:
1 Corinthians 1:22–25: For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
Colossians 2:2–3: “…that their hearts may be encouraged, being knit together in love, to reach all the riches of full assurance of understanding and the knowledge of God’s mystery, which is Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.”
The wisdom of God is required to move beyond sorrow and despair. It restores us to the right perspective so as to once again be encouraged to continue our life journey with hope.
18 For in much wisdom is much vexation, and he who increases knowledge increases sorrow.