Bible Study 20241230 Wisdom of Solomon 11:1-26, Wis 12:1
Bible Study 20241230 Wisdom of Solomon 11:1-26, Wis 12:1
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New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Wis 1:1.
CHAPTER 11
1 She prospered their affairs through the holy prophet.a
III. SPECIAL PROVIDENCE OF GOD DURING THE EXODUS*
Introduction
2 They journeyed through the uninhabited desert,
and in lonely places they pitched their tents;b
3 they withstood enemies and warded off their foes.c
4 When they thirsted, they called upon you,
and water was given them from the sheer rock,
a quenching of their thirst from the hard stone.
5 For by the things through which their foes were punished
they in their need were benefited.d
First Example: Water Punishes the Egyptians and Benefits the Israelites
6 Instead of a river’s* perennial source,
troubled with impure bloode
7 as a rebuke to the decree for the slaying of infants,
You gave them abundant water beyond their hope,
8 after you had shown by the thirst they experienced
how you punished their adversaries.
9 For when they had been tried, though only mildly chastised,f
they recognized how the wicked, condemned in anger, were being tormented.
10 You tested your own people, admonishing them as a father;
but as a stern king you probed and condemned the wicked.
11 Those near and far were equally afflicted:g
12 for a twofold grief* took hold of themh
and a groaning at the remembrance of the ones who had departed.
13 For when they heard that the cause of their own torments
was a benefit to these others, they recognized the Lord.
14 For though they had mocked and rejected him who had been cast out and abandoned long ago,
in the final outcome, they marveled at him,
since their thirst proved unlike that of the righteous.i
Second Example: Animals Punish the Egyptians and Benefit the Israelites
15 In return for their senseless, wicked thoughts,
which misled them into worshiping dumb* serpents and worthless insects,
You sent upon them swarms of dumb creatures for vengeance;j
16 that they might recognize that one is punished by the very things through which one sins.k
Digression on God’s Mercy
17 For not without means was your almighty hand,l
that had fashioned the universe from formless matter,*
to send upon them many bears or fierce lions,
18 Or newly created, wrathful, unknown beasts
breathing forth fiery breath,
Or pouring out roaring smoke,
or flashing terrible sparks from their eyes.
19 Not only could these attack and completely destroy them;
even their frightful appearance itself could slay.
20 Even without these, they could have been killed at a single blast,
pursued by justice
and winnowed by your mighty spirit.
But you have disposed all things by measure and number and weight.m
21 For great strength is always present with you;
who can resist the might of your arm?n
22 Indeed, before you the whole universe is like a grain from a balance,*
or a drop of morning dew come down upon the earth.o
23 * But you have mercy on all, because you can do all things;
and you overlook sins for the sake of repentance.p
24 For you love all things that are
and loathe nothing that you have made;
for you would not fashion what you hate.q
25 How could a thing remain, unless you willed it;
or be preserved, had it not been called forth by you?r
26 But you spare all things, because they are yours,
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O Ruler and Lover of souls,s
12:1 for your imperishable spirit is in all things!a 1
Few verses in chaps. 11–19 can be fully understood without consulting the passages in the Pentateuch which are indicated in the cross-references. The theme of this part of the book is expressed in v. 5 and is illustrated in the following chapters by five examples drawn from Exodus events.
b b Ex 17:2–6; Nm 20:1–13; Ps 63:2; 107:4–7; Jer 2:6.
c c Ex 17:8–16; Nm 21:1–3, 21–35; 31:1–12; Ps 118:10–12.
d d Wis 16:1–2.
River: the Nile; the contrast is between the first plague of Egypt (Ex 7:17–24) and the water drawn from the rock in Horeb (Ex 17:5–7; Nm 20:8–11).
g g Ps 6:2.
Twofold grief: the double distress described in vv. 13–14.
i i Ex 2:3.
Dumb: that is, irrational.
j j Wis 12:23–24; 15:18–16:1; Ex 7:26–8:11.
k k Wis 12:23, 27; Ex 10:16; Prv 1:31–32; 26:27.
l l Wis 12:8–9; 16:1, 5; Gn 1:1–2; Dt 32:24; 2 Kgs 17:25–26; Hos 13:4–8.
Formless matter: a Greek philosophical concept is used to interpret the chaos of Gn 1:2.
m m Jb 4:9.
n n Wis 12:12; 2 Chr 20:6.
Grain from a balance: a tiny particle used for weighing on sensitive scales.
o o Hos 13:3.
The combination of divine mercy and power is an unusual paradox, but cf. 12:15–18; Ps 62:12–13; Sir 2:18. The main emphasis is on a creating that is motivated by love; the divine “imperishable spirit” (either Wisdom as in 1:4, 7, or perhaps the breath of life as in Gn 2:7) is in everything (12:1).
q q Ps 145:9.
r r Is 41:4.
a a Wis 1:7.
1 New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Wis 11–12:1.
Revelation From God
Author
The earliest mention of the book is perhaps found in p. 11 a, line 8 of the Muratorian Canon (a.d. 200). There the title is ‘Sapientia’, with the added words ‘ab amicis Salomonis in honorem ipsius scripts’. Clement of Alexandria, head of the Catechetical School a.d. 190–203, speaks of it under the title Wisdom of Solomon. Tertullian (circa 200) quotes it as the Wisdom of Solomon. Origen (d. 250) speaks of it in the same way as Clement. Cyprian (d. 258) quotes it as Solomon or the Wisdom of Solomon. The Latin version has ‘Liber Sapientiae’; the Peshitta, ‘The great Wisdom of Solomon.’11 Robert Henry Charles, ed., Apocrypha of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), Wis.
No one knows the true author of the Wisdom of Solomon as the first 5 chapter do not appear to be written by Solomon, however chapter 6 through chapter 19 do appear to have been written by Solomon. Most believe that either Philo of Alexandra or Paul of Tarsus (The Apostle) wrote it. As the structure suggest that we are to love justice, that would appear to be more of a Philo writing then Paul, whom promotes Love of God, period, not just justice, one element of God.
Date
The difficulty of arriving at a satisfactory date for the book is seen from the differences which exist between scholars as to the period of its composition. Grimm dates it 145–50 b.c., Thackeray 130–100 b.c., Gregg 125–100 b.c., Gfrörer 100 b.c., Bousset under the Empire, Farrar 40 a.d.11 Robert Henry Charles, ed., Apocrypha of the Old Testament (Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1913), Wis.
We can only assume that Wisdom of Solomon was written in the 1st Century by Philo or Paul, which of course is the subject of much debate!!! Or that Solomon did indeed write the entire Wisdom of Solomon, in which case, it was written during reign of Solomon, 971-931 BCE., but after his prayer for wisdom, 1 Kings 3:1-28.
Structure
Wisdom of Solomon was written in a Hellenistic Greek Style and stresses that Justice is contextual, and we must honor our calling to do what is right, since those, "who do right are in God's Hands, and no torment will ever touch them." Wis3:1!
Wis 11 which stand for (11) Whose sum is (2), (1) YHWH the Father, YHWH Ab, Gen 1:1, Rev 22:13, plus (1) YHWH the Father, YHWH Ab, Ex 3:14-17, Ex 20:1-11, which equals (2) YHWH the Son, Christ Jesus, Yeshua, Gen 1:3, Rev 22:1-5!!!! There is (1) pericope, (Theological Idea), YHWH the Father, YHWH Ab, Zec 14:9, John 17:20-26, Eph 3:14-21, 1 John 1:5, Rev 1:8, Rev 22:13 !!!! There are (27) verses whose sum is (9) {(3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach Gen1:2. Rev 22:17, times (3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach, Joh 14:15-31, Joh 16:4-15}. (27) is the product of (3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach, Joh 14:15-31, Joh 16:4-15 times (9) {(3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach Gen1:2. Rev 22:17, times (3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach, Joh 14:15-31, Joh 16:4-15}.
Purpose
The over all purpose of The Wisdom of Solomon is to direct all to seek wisdom and to respond to it in righteous behavior, or Seek Mat7:7-8 and walk in their righteousness, Rom8:1-9!!! When we do we will receive God's Love, but we must be open to receiving God's Love, 1Jn4:8, 1Jn4:19, and then responding to God's love in obedience, Joh14:15 by repenting of our sins 1Jn1:9, and sharing God's love with all Mat22:39 and 1Jn4:20-21!!!
The purpose of Wisdom 11 is to teach all that YHWH provides all things, Prov 31:8-9, Prov 31:20, Wis 11:1-26, Wis 12:1, Jer 29:11, including the YHWH Ruach, Wis 12:1!!!!
Exegesis / Hermeneutical
Application
YHWH continue to fill with Your imperishable spirit, continue to fill us with the Light of Life, continue to fill us with Your Wisdom, Understanding and Knowledge in all manner of workmanship that we walk in Your will, Your Theophilus for all eternity, In YHWH Yeshua Holy and Precious name we pray and we claim this petition Amen Amen Amen Amen !!!!
Conclusion
Wisdom 11 is to teach all that YHWH provides all things, Prov 31:8-9, Prov 31:20, Wis 11:1-26, Wis 12:1, Jer 29:11, including the YHWH Ruach, Wis 12:1!!!!
Bible Study Question
Are You Filled With The Imperishable Spirit?
We must all understand that YHWH is the Provider of all things for He is Jehovah Jireh (YHWH-jireh) Deut 10:18, Deut 11:14-15, 2 Sa17:27-29, Tobit 4:21, Ecc 11:1-5, Ps 4:1-8, Ps 67:1, Ps 111:4, Ps 123:3-4, Ps 127:1-5, Ps 132:15, Psa 145:15-16, Ps 147:11-20, Prov 27:27, Prov 28:20, Prov 28:25, Prov 31:8-9, Prov 31:20, Wis 11:1-26, Wis 12:1, Jer 29:11, Mat 6:25-34, Mat 7:11, Luk 12:24, 2 Co 9:8, Php 4:19-20, including YHWH The Holy Spirit, YHWH Ruach Gen 1:2, Enoch 37:1–5, Enoch 50:1–5, Exo 31:3, Num 11:16-30, Job 36:3-6, Job 39:17, Ps 132:17, Prov 8:21-31, Prov 30:1-33, Wis 1:1-15, Wis 3:9, Wis 6:17-20, Wis 7:22-30, Isa 11:2, Isa 32:15-16, Isa 44:3, Eze 36:26-27, Eze 37:14, Wis 12:1, Ben Sira 24:32-33 , Joe 2:28-29, Joh 14:15-31, Joh 16:4-15, Act 1:1-16, Act 2:1-5, Act 2:17-18, Act 2:38, Act 5:32, Act 10:44-48, Rom 2:10, Rom 8:14-15, Rom 15:13, 2 Co 1:22, Rev 22:17, which is in us as the light of life, Enoch 92:1–5, Enoch 108:1–15, Job 12:1-25, Job 25:3, Job 29:3-4, Job 30:26, Job 33:26-30, Job 37:1-24, Job 38:1-41, Job 41:18, Ps 18:1-50, Ps 27:1, Ps 36:9, Ps37:6, Ps 56:13, Ps 80:1-19, Ps 84:9-12, Ps 90:8, Ps 112:4, Ps 119:105, Ps 132:17, Ps 139:11-13, Prov 13:9, Prov 20:27, Prov 29:13, Ecc 8:1, Ecc 11:7-8, Wis 12:1, Mat 5:14, John 8:12, 1Jn 1:5-10, Rev 22:5!!!!