The book of Proverbs puts the highest value on wisdom.

2:6 For the Lord gives wisdom
2:7 He stores up sound wisdom for the upright
3:13 Happy is the man who finds wisdom
4:5 Get wisdom
4:7 Wisdom is the principal thing
16:16 How much better to get wisdom than gold

etc., etc.

Yet the book of First Corinthians speaks of a different kind of wisdom.

1:18-24 For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God. For it is written: I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent. Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the disputer of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For since, in the wisdom of God, the world through wisdom did not know God, it pleased God through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. For Jews request a sign, and Greeks seek after wisdom; but we preach Christ crucified, to the Jews a stumbling block and to the Greeks foolishness, but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.

There are two kinds of wisdom:

1. The wisdom of God, which He gives through the Scriptures; and

2. The wisdom of the world, which is described in the above verses in First Corinthians, which at that time referred largely to the Greek philosophers. There are plenty more of these wise philosophers who would also fall into this second category, stretching from the time of Rome through modern day.

Paul continues on in First Corinthians (verse 30),

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God.

Christ Jesus became wisdom for us.

So, going back to Proverbs, we are told to focus on the wisdom of God and not on the foolishness of the world’s wisdom.

Over the years we have written of our concern about children studying the Greek and Roman philosophers (especially in the grammar and logic stages). We would even suggest that rhetoric stage students do not need to focus on these studies. These studies should be left for mature Christians who are especially called for this.

And, yes, you can still call yourself classical.