σοφός

σοφός — sophós

σοφός, σοφή, σοφόν (akin to σαφής and to the Latinsapio, sapiens, sapor, 'to have a taste', etc.; Curtius, § 628; (Vanicek, p. 991)), the Sept. for חָכָם; (from Theognis, Pindar, Aeschylus down); wise, i. e.

a. skilled, expert: εἰς τί, Rom 16:19; of artificers (cf. Grimm, Exeg. Hdbch. on Sap., p. 151): ἀρχιτέκτων, 1Co 3:10; Isa 3:3 (δημιουργός, of God, Xenophon, mem. 1, 4, 7).

b. wise, i. e. skilled in letters, cultivated, learned: Rom 1:14; Rom 1:22; of the Greek philosophers (and orators, see σοφία, a.), 1 Corinthians 1:19f, 26; 1Co 3:18 f,(20); of the Jewish theologians, Mat 11:25; Luk 10:21; of Christian teachers, Mat 23:34.

c. wise in a practical sense, i. e. one who in action is governed by piety and integrity: Eph 5:15; Jas 3:13; and accordingly is a suitable person to settle private quarrels, 1Co 6:5.

d. wise in a philosophic sense, forming the best plans and using the best means for their execution: so of God, Rom 16:27, and Rec. in 1Ti 1:17; Jud 1:25; σοφώτερον, contains more wisdom, is more sagaciously thought out, 1Co 1:25. [SYNONYMS: σοφός, συνετός, φρόνιμος: σοφός wise, see above; συνετός intelligent, denotes one who can 'put things together' (συνιέναι), who has insight and comprehension; φρόνιμος prudent (A. V. uniformly, wise), denotes primarily one who has quick and correct perceptions, hence, 'discreet,' 'circumspect,' etc.; cf. Schmidt, chapter 147. See σοφία, at the end]