In our 6th class on Wisdom Literature, we look to the book of Wisdom which is also called the Wisdom of Solomon. This book is part of the Deuterocanonical books of the Old Testament, contained in the Catholic Bible but removed from the modern Protestant Bible.
Handout is below.
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Wisdom Literature
Session 6, The Book of Wisdom and facing persecution
The Fear of the Lord is the Beginning of Wisdom (Proverbs 9:10)
I. Course Outline
August 11th - Introduction, and the Life of King Solomon
August 18th - Books of Wisdom Literature, and Job
August 25th - Proverbs
September 1st - Ecclesiastes and Solomon’s final conversion
September 8th - Song of Songs, and prophetic foreshadowing
September 15th - NO CLASS
September 22nd - Book of Wisdom, and facing persecution
September 29th - The Deuterocanon, and Sirach, part 1
October 6th - Sirach, part 2
October 13th - Sirach, part 3 and Conclusions
I. Name of this book and its author, and when it was written
Haydock: “This book is so called, because it treats of the excellence of Wisdom, the means to obtain it, and the happy fruits it produces. It is written in the person of Solomon, and contains his sentiments. But is is uncertain who was the writer.”
Haydock, “The nine first chapters seem, however, to be the production of Solomon, though the latter may have been added by the Greek translator, who must, therefore, have been divinely inspired.”
Here, Haydock seems to indicate that Solomon may be the author of the first nine chapters (in Hebrew), and that these were translated into Greek at a later time; and then another person wrote chapters 10 through 19 in Greek at a later date. However, most modern scholars (and even many ancient writers) believe that Solomon wrote none of the book and that the whole was originally written in Greek by a Jew in Alexandria, Egypt around 100 BC.
Catholic Encyclopedia: “In view of the ancient heading: "the Wisdom of Solomon";, some scholars have surmised that the Book of Wisdom was composed in Hebrew … Ingenious as these arguments may appear, they prove no more than that the author of the Book of Wisdom was a Hebrew, writing Greek with a distinctly Jewish cast of mind. As far back as St. Jerome (Praef. in libros Salomonis), it has been felt that not Hebrew but Greek was the original language of the Book of Wisdom, and this verdict is so powerfully confirmed by the literary features of the entire Greek text, that one may well wonder that the theory of an ancient Hebrew original, or of any original other than Greek, should have ever been seriously maintained.”
Catholic Encyclopedia: “Whoever examines attentively the Book of Wisdom can readily see that its unknown author was not a Palestinian Jew, but an Alexandrian Jew. Monotheistic as the writer is throughout his work, …
The Book of Wisdom itself seems to indicate that Solomon is the author, in Wisdom 9:7-8, “Thou hast chosen me to be king of thy people … and hast commanded me to build a temple…”
II. Whether Wisdom should be part of the Bible?
There was significant debate among the Jews and even among many of the early Christians (some extending all the way into the 1200s) about whether Wisdom should be considered a book of the Bible. This was settled at the Ecumenical Council of Florence and by the Council of Trent.
Cornelius a Lapide points out that this book is quoted in the New Testament as being an authentic biblical book:
Christ and the Apostles borrowed testimonies from the book of Wisdom, just as from other canonical books: for from Wisdom chapter III, verse 7: "The just shall shine," Christ cites that passage in Matthew chapter XIII, verse 43: "Then the just shall shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father." Again Matthew, chapter XXVII, verse 43, reports what is found in Wisdom II, 13: "He called Himself the Son of God;" and verse 18: "For if He is the true Son of God, He will receive Him, and will deliver Him from the hands of His adversaries." Paul also in Romans, chapter XI, verse 34, brings forth that passage from Wisdom IX, 13: "For who among men can know the counsel of God? or who can think what God wills?" And in Ephesians, chapter VI, verses 13 and 17, he draws from what is found in Wisdom
chapter V, verses 18 and 19: "His zeal shall take up armor, and He shall put on justice as a breastplate, and He shall take certain judgment for a helmet, and shall take equity as an impregnable shield." The same Apostle, in Hebrews I, 7 and 11 and elsewhere, alludes to the words of Wisdom, chapters IV, VI, VII, and IX.
The Greek and Latin Fathers do the same, who cite Wisdom as divine Scripture, indeed as a book of Solomon.
III. The purpose of this book
Haydock: “It abounds with instructions and exhortations to kings and magistrates to administer justice in the commonwealth, teaching all kinds of virtues under the general names of justice and wisdom. It contains also many prophecies of Christ’s coming, passion, resurrection, and other Christian mysteries.”
Catholic Encyclopedia: “The whole work is pervaded by one and the same general purpose, viz., that of giving a solemn warning against the folly of ungodliness.”
IV. Outline of the Book
Haydock: “The whole may be divided into three parts: In the six first chapters, the author admonishes all superiors to love and exercise justice and wisdom. In the next three, he teacheth that wisdom proceedeth only from God, and is procured by prayer, and a good life. In the other ten chapters, he sheweth the excellent effects, and utility of wisdom and justice.”
Catholic Encyclopedia: “The book contains two general parts, the first nine chapters treating of Wisdom under its more speculative aspect, and the last ten chapters dealing with Wisdom from an historical standpoint.”
V. Indications that at least the first portion of this book was written during a time of persecution
Wisdom 2:10–12 — oppression of the poor and righteous
“Let us oppress the poor righteous man, let us not spare the widow, nor reverence the ancient gray hairs of the aged.
Let our strength be the law of justice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.
Therefore let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings: he upbraideth us with our offending the law, and objecteth to our infamy the transgressings of our education.”
This is perhaps the most explicit indication of persecution. The wicked deliberately propose to “lie in wait for the righteous” because his fidelity to God's law conflicts with their behavior.
Wisdom 2:13–16 — the righteous man is persecuted because of his faith
“He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and he calleth himself the child of the Lord.
He was made to reprove our thoughts.
He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion.
We are esteemed of him as counterfeits, and he abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounceth the end of the just to be blessed, and maketh his boast that God is his father.”
The persecution here is specifically religious. The righteous person professes knowledge of God and calls himself God's child. His very manner of life becomes an accusation against those who reject God's law.
Wisdom 2:17–20 — the righteous are tested and condemned to death
“Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him.
For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his enemies.
Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience.
Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected.”
This is probably the single strongest passage for a persecution setting. The wicked propose torture and execution as a test of the righteous man's faith. It is also strikingly close to the Passion of Christ, which is why Christians from the earliest centuries saw Wisdom 2 as having a prophetic fulfillment in Christ.
Wisdom 3:1–4 — the response of the persecuted righteous
“But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.
In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die: and their departure is taken for misery,
And their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.
For though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.”
Wisdom 3:5–8 — suffering as purification
“And having been a little chastised, they shall be greatly rewarded: for God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.
As gold in the furnace hath he tried them, and received them as a burnt offering.
And in the time of their visitation they shall shine, and run to and fro like sparks among the stubble.
They shall judge the nations, and have dominion over the people, and their Lord shall reign for ever.”
Wisdom 5:1–5 — the final vindication of the persecuted
“Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him, and made no account of his labours.
When they see it, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed at the strangeness of his salvation, so far beyond all that they looked for.
And they repenting and groaning for anguish of spirit shall say within themselves, This was he, whom we had sometimes in derision, and a proverb of reproach:
We fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honour.
How is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints!”
This is the climax of the persecution theme. The wicked have mocked the righteous, regarded his life as madness, and apparently defeated him. But at the final judgment the persecuted man is vindicated.
Wisdom 6:1–5 — warning to rulers
There is another interesting indication that the author may be addressing a community living under hostile political authority:
“Hear therefore, O ye kings, and understand; learn, ye that be judges of the ends of the earth.
Give ear, ye that rule the people, and glory in the multitude of nations.
For power is given you of the Lord, and sovereignty from the highest…”
The author reminds rulers that their authority ultimately comes from God and that they will be judged for how they exercise it. In a persecuted Jewish community living under a pagan government, this would have had considerable force.
VI. Prophecy of Christ’s Suffering, and the Sufferings of the Saints
Many of these verses referring to the sufferings of God’s faithful and the persecution of the saints are explicitly interpreted as referring to Chirst’s passion.
The most obvious connection/reference is Matthew 27 and Wisdom 2.
Wisdom 2:17–20
“Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him.
For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his enemies.
Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience.
Let us condemn him with a shameful death…”
Matthew 27:40–43
“If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.
…He saved others; himself he cannot save.
…He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.”
There are many others as well:
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Book of Wisdom |
New Testament |
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Wisdom 2:12 — “Let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings.” |
John 11:53 — “Then from that day forth they took counsel together for to put him to death.” |
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Wisdom 2:13 — “He professeth to have the knowledge of God, and he calleth himself the child of the Lord.” |
Matthew 27:43 — “He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” |
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Wisdom 2:14 — “He was made to reprove our thoughts.” |
John 7:7 — “The world… me it hateth, because I testify of it, that the works thereof are evil.” |
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Wisdom 2:15 — “He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men's.” |
John 15:18–19 — “If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you… because ye are not of the world.” |
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Wisdom 2:16 — “He abstaineth from our ways as from filthiness.” |
Hebrews 7:26 — Christ is “holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners.” |
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Wisdom 2:17 — “Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him.” |
Matthew 27:40 — “If thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross.” |
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Wisdom 2:18 — “For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and will deliver him from the hand of his enemies.” |
Matthew 27:42–43 — “He saved others; himself he cannot save… He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him.” |
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Wisdom 2:19 — “Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience.” |
Matthew 27:26, 30–31 — Pilate scourges Jesus; the soldiers “spit upon him,” “smote him,” and lead him away to crucify him. |
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Wisdom 2:20 — “Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected.” |
Philippians 2:8 — Christ “humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” |
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Wisdom 3:1 — “But the souls of the righteous are in the hand of God, and there shall no torment touch them.” |
Luke 23:46 — “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit.” |
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Wisdom 3:2 — “In the sight of the unwise they seemed to die.” |
1 Corinthians 1:18 — “The preaching of the cross is to them that perish foolishness; but unto us which are saved it is the power of God.” |
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Wisdom 3:3 — “Their going from us to be utter destruction: but they are in peace.” |
Luke 23:43 — “To day shalt thou be with me in paradise.” |
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Wisdom 3:4 — “Though they be punished in the sight of men, yet is their hope full of immortality.” |
1 Peter 1:3 — God “hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” |
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Wisdom 3:5 — “God proved them, and found them worthy for himself.” |
Hebrews 5:8 — Christ “learned he obedience by the things which he suffered.” |
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Wisdom 3:6 — “As gold in the furnace hath he tried them.” |
1 Peter 1:6–7 — Faith is “tried with fire,” and the trial is “much more precious than of gold.” |
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Wisdom 5:1 — “Then shall the righteous man stand in great boldness before the face of such as have afflicted him.” |
Acts 2:24 — “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death.” |
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Wisdom 5:4 — “We fools accounted his life madness, and his end to be without honour.” |
1 Corinthians 1:23 — “We preach Christ crucified, unto the Jews a stumblingblock, and unto the Greeks foolishness.” |
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Wisdom 5:5 — “How is he numbered among the children of God, and his lot is among the saints!” |
Romans 8:17 — Believers are “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.” |
VII. The Book of Wisdom and Lady Wisdom from Proverbs
There are many parallels between these two books, which also prepare for the revelation of the Trinity in the New Testament
1. Wisdom is with God at creation
This is perhaps the most important theological continuity.
Proverbs 8:27–30:
“When he prepared the heavens, I was there…
Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight.”
Wisdom 9:9:
“And wisdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was present also when thou madest the world.”
The author of Wisdom is clearly developing the idea found in Proverbs 8: Wisdom was present with God when He created the universe.
And this becomes extraordinarily important when the New Testament describes Christ:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God… All things were made by him.”
— John 1:1–3
Thus the progression is:
Proverbs 8, Wisdom is with God at creation
Wisdom 9, Wisdom is present with God at creation
John 1, the Word is with God and creates all things
This is one of the major biblical foundations for the Christian identification of Christ with Divine Wisdom.
2. Wisdom is something to be loved and sought
Proverbs repeatedly depicts Wisdom as a woman calling out to humanity:
“I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me.”
— Proverbs 8:17
Compare, Wisdom:
“Wisdom is glorious, and never fadeth away: yea, she is easily seen of them that love her, and found of such as seek her.”
— Wisdom 6:12
The parallel is almost verbal:
Proverbs: “them that seek me… shall find me.”
Wisdom: “found of such as seek her.”
The idea is that Wisdom is not hiding from humanity. She calls to mankind and can be found by those who genuinely seek her.
3. Wisdom gives life
Proverbs says:
“For whoso findeth me findeth life.”
— Proverbs 8:35
And famously:
“She is a tree of life to them that lay hold upon her.”
— Proverbs 3:18
Wisdom develops this theme into something much more explicitly theological:
“The giving heed unto her laws is the assurance of immortality.”
— Wisdom 6:18
And:
“In the company of wisdom” there is immortality.
— Wisdom 8:17
So there is a development from Wisdom gives life in Proverbs to Wisdom gives immortality in Wisdom.
That development is particularly appropriate in a book written to encourage people facing persecution and death.
There is also an important development in the portrayal of Wisdom
The Lady Wisdom of Proverbs is primarily the personification of God's wisdom calling mankind to righteousness.
The Wisdom of Solomon takes that personification considerably further. Wisdom is described as:
- existing with God;
- present at creation;
- proceeding from God;
- an emanation or “breath” of God's power;
- the “brightness of the everlasting light”;
- the “unspotted mirror” of God's power;
- the “image of his goodness”;
- possessing universal knowledge;
- ordering all things;
- leading souls toward immortality.
The key passage is Wisdom 7:22–26:
“For wisdom is a spirit…
She is…
…the brightness of the everlasting light,
the unspotted mirror of the power of God,
and the image of his goodness.”
This is considerably more developed than Proverbs' personification of Wisdom.
The New Testament speaks of Christ as God's Wisdom. St. Paul calls Christ:
“the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
— 1 Corinthians 1:24
And Hebrews describes the Son as:
“the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.”
— Hebrews 1:3
VIII. Wisdom as Prophecy of Word of God, Second Person of the Trinity
“Christ, the power of God and the wisdom of God.” 1 Cor 1:24
This book not only points to the mystery of the Incarnation and the suffering and death of Christ, but also to the mystery of the Trinity and the Word of God as Divine Wisdom.
1. Wisdom 7:22–26 — Wisdom as God's eternal image
This is probably the most important passage:
“For wisdom is more moving than any motion: she passeth and goeth through all things by reason of her pureness.
For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure influence flowing from the glory of the Almighty: therefore can no defiled thing fall into her.
For she is the brightness of the everlasting light, the unspotted mirror of the power of God, and the image of his goodness.”
— Wisdom 7:24–26
The language here is remarkably close to the New Testament's description of Christ:
Wisdom 7:25: “a breath of the power of God”
Hebrews 1:3: Christ is “the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person.”
Wisdom 7:26: “the brightness of the everlasting light”
Hebrews 1:3: “the brightness of his glory”
Wisdom 7:26: “the…image of his goodness”
Colossians 1:15: Christ is “the image of the invisible God.”
The USCCB's notes on Wisdom 7:25–26 explicitly point to Hebrews 1:3 and Colossians 1:15 as New Testament parallels.
That is a major reason Christian theology came to see this passage as describing something that finds its fullest realization in the eternal Son.
2. Wisdom 7:22 — “the spirit of wisdom”
Wisdom 7:22 begins a remarkable description:
“For wisdom is a spirit…”
The Greek text describes Wisdom with a long series of attributes, including “only-begotten” (monogenēs) and “manifold,” “pure,” “all-powerful,” and “overseeing all things.”
The word monogenēs is particularly interesting because it is the same Greek word repeatedly used in the New Testament for Christ as the “only begotten” Son (John 1:14, 18; 3:16, 18).
One should be careful here: monogenēs does not by itself prove that Wisdom 7 is speaking directly about the Second Person. But read retrospectively in light of the New Testament, the language becomes strikingly Christological.
3. Wisdom 9:1–2 — God creates through His Word and establishes through Wisdom
“God of my fathers, and Lord of mercy, who hast made all things with thy word,
And ordained man through thy wisdom…”
— Wisdom 9:1–2
A very interesting pairing:
God creates “with thy word”
God establishes mankind “through thy wisdom.”
Compare John 1:1–3:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
The same was in the beginning with God.
All things were made by him…”
And 1 Corinthians 1:24 calls Christ:
“Christ the power of God, and the wisdom of God.”
The Catholic biblical notes on Wisdom 9:1–2 explicitly say that the author identifies Wisdom with the Word of God, while also identifying Wisdom with God's Spirit in verse 17.
That is very significant for Trinitarian theology: Word, Wisdom, and Spirit are all associated with God's activity, although Wisdom itself is not yet presented with the precise personal distinctions of later Christian Trinitarian theology.
4. Wisdom 9:9 — Wisdom exists with God before creation
“And wisdom was with thee: which knoweth thy works, and was present also when thou madest the world…”
— Wisdom 9:9
Compare this with John's Prologue:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God…”
— John 1:1
And:
“All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”
— John 1:3
This is one of the clearest bridges between the Wisdom literature and the Christian doctrine of the pre-existent Word.
5. Wisdom 9:10 — Wisdom is sent from God's throne
“O send her out of thy holy heavens, and from the throne of thy glory, that being present she may labour with me…”
— Wisdom 9:10
The idea of Wisdom being sent from God also becomes important when read alongside Christ's own language in John's Gospel:
“For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.”
— John 6:38
Again, Wisdom isn't simply an abstract intellectual quality. She is portrayed as coming from God's presence, being with God, knowing God's works, and being sent to humanity.
6. Wisdom 8:1 — Wisdom reaches everywhere
“Wisdom reacheth from one end to another mightily: and sweetly doth she order all things.”
— Wisdom 8:1
This also has an interesting Christological resonance.
The New Testament says of Christ:
“And by him all things consist.”
— Colossians 1:17
And:
“Upholding all things by the word of his power.”
— Hebrews 1:3
So Wisdom's role in ordering and sustaining creation becomes another attribute that the New Testament applies to Christ.