Why Is the Fear of the Lord the Beginning of Knowledge?

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.” -King Solomon (Proverbs 1:7, NKJV)

Photo by Samuel Martins on Unsplash

What is the most important component in our acquisition of knowledge? Many would say “desire” (as in the desire to learn) or “commitment” (as in commitment to education), but the biblical book of Proverbs says something quite remarkable.

According to the book of Proverbs (most of which is penned by King Solomon), the “fear of the Lord” is the starting point — the chief ingredient — in the acquiring of knowledge.

At first glance, this assertion comes off as sanctimonious posturing or cliche sermonizing.

Of course, people of faith will claim that faith in God is the beginning of knowledge. They’ll claim that faith in God is the beginning of all things good.

The real question that comes to mind is this:

Is there any logical rationale to the claim that faith in or reverence for God is essential to true knowledge?

What is the “fear of the Lord”?

According to Socrates, the “beginning of wisdom is the definition of terms.”