Ken Jr

For part 1 of my thoughts on Wisdom of Solomon, click here.

Well, reading Wisdom of Solomon has definitely been a pleasure. I can’t say that I ended up agreeing with all of the author’s thematic points (he seems to be indicting the Egyptians contemporary with him by recalling the history of the Exodus) or all of his theological inquiry (where his interest in greek philosophy may have led him astray, see especially 8:19-20 on pre-existence). I can say that the book as a whole was a very good look into inter-testamental Jewish attitudes and beliefs.

I really enjoyed reading chapter 12 of Wisdom of Solomon. The author makes a very bold defense of Israel’s conquering of the Promised Land and then (verses 12-18) launches into an amazing poetic argument for God’s complete sovereignty. I really like how here and throughout the book the author is comfortable with proclaiming God’s immense hatred of sin and his sovereignty over human affairs (often expressed as wrath) while also proclaiming God’s continuing, steadfast and totally undeserved mercy. God’s perfect justice and ability to rightly punish are held up as definite truths and at the same time God has the freedom to be merciful and compassionate towards those who have scorned him.

Idolatry and Ideas Post-Exile

A large part of Wisdom of Solomon is a polemic against idolatry. I thought that the denunciation of it given in Isaiah (44:6-21) was harsh, but this treatment is definitely harsher in almost every way (longer, more comparisons, more irony). Eventually this discussion of idolatry loops back around to the Egyptians. The author retells the story of the Exodus with many creative flourishes (poetic license, not all bad). For someone living within the midst of a conquered and displaced people group it is interesting how ready he is to use the themes of Exodus. There is definitely a sense that even though the Jews have been able to return to the Promised Land there are still promises to be completed. While I wouldn’t rule out a very political message of triumph over foreigners, Wisdom of Solomon still seems to be more aimed at convincing Jews and Gentiles of the superiority of the Jewish religion and of the inevitable justice that God will provide for those who choose to follow him. Whether such vindication occurs in the present moment or in eternity does not seem to be a concern: simply knowing that it will occur is enough.

Blogging the Deuterocanon: Wisdom of Solomon, Part 1 

I’m either going to have to read and type much faster, or I’m going to have to put this series on pause for awhile. Next week I will be involved in the Romans Retreat at Hope Community Church. The “retreat” is a 5-day intensive study of Romans 1-8 (don’t worry, I get to go home and sleep in my own bed at night). It is going to be an awesome kickoff to my Spring semester of LDI Trek 1. But, for now, please read and enjoy my thoughts on the first half of the Wisdom of Solomon.

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Wisdom of Solomon is a book that doesn’t shy away from weighty topics and impassioned language. The author writes as though he were King Solomon addressing his pagan peers. The lofty manner in which the argument is delivered makes it feel very much like a noble speech given in a Greek forum or the Roman Senate. In that regard it definitely makes its own mark in the arena of wisdom literature. The book of Proverbs is very personal (tutor to pupil). Job is dark and contentious. Some Psalms are liturgical exhortations to wisdom. Ecclesiastes is cynical. What I have read so far of Wisdom of Solomon (thru chapter 11) shows it to be a very optimistic book, yet also very strongly condemning. Optimism is reserved for those who are humble enough to seek after wisdom. Conversely, the judgment of those who disdain wisdom is a key theme. In contrast to Biblical wisdom literature the author spends a lot of time explicitly dealing with the concept of judgment after death.

Reversing Wisdom Themes

One way that the author demonstrates the value of following wisdom is by taking common cultural conceptions of blessing and reversing them. In a lot of wisdom literature (Bible included) producing many offspring is seen as a sign of blessing. The author puts on ironic spin on this concept by proclaiming “blessed is the barren woman who is undefiled…she will have fruit when God examines souls” (Wisdom of Solomon 3:13 NRSV).He continues in a long description along these lines and then proceeds to overturn the idea that old age can also be taken as a sure sign of godliness. Like the book of Proverbs, riches are seen as evil when they are relied upon (“boasted wealth” in 5:8 NRSV).

Another interesting feature of this book is the author’s creative reinterpretation of Biblical history. In chapters 10 and 11 the history of the Israelites is retold but without referring to any proper names. Instead the moral events of the story and the involvement of Wisdom as a divine agent are given prominence.

This way of looking at Wisdom is very interesting because rather than simply being an accessory to God, the person of Wisdom is pictured as the “holy spirit” of God (9:17)…the very means by which he provides guidance and works miracles. Wisdom is painted in a very positive light in the book of Proverbs, where she appears as an allegorical counter to Folly and adulterous women. Here, Wisdom stands on her own as a woman that the author really wants to have “companionship” (8:16) with. He also paints a picture of pursuing Wisdom as a bridegroom would seek out a bride (8:2). Zooming out even further leaves me somewhat confused because in chapter 9 the author clearly prays for God to send Wisdom to him (which would imply that they are separate). Such a creative way of thinking about the divine (as being both sender and the one who is sent) make it seem more possible that at least some of those who encountered Christ (possibly just decades after this book was written) were able to comprehend his nature as man and God without being completely dumbfounded. Of course the ways in which Christ carefully revealed his divinity isn’t the point of this blog post (maybe something to talk about in the future).

Last thoughts for now…

Scholars have strong reasons for believing that the author of this work lived in Egypt. In any case, he was a Jew, one of God’s chosen people, living in a world dominated politically and intellectually by pagans. In the midst of such an environment it is inspiring to see that he was still willing to cling to what for him was crucial to his religion: despite the temporary success of the wicked, God would vindicate the righteous. Unlike Judith, this author doesn’t see that vindication as necessarily occurring in the present. For him thoughts about judgment after death are far more important. In his mind the unrighteous are nihilists who embrace death because they believe that “hereafter we shall be as though we had never been” (Wisdom of Solomon 2:2 NRSV). The righteous, by contrast, are those who will “live forever, and their reward is with the Lord” (Wisdom of Solomon 5:15 NRSV).

(my notes below are based on reading the Harper Collins Study Bible which prints Esther in the OT and separately has Esther with Additions in the Deuterocanonical Apocrypha section. Some Bibles have the Additions printed at the end of the canonical Esther, while this arrangement of the NRSV has them integrated with the Septuagint [Greek language] version of Esther).

I’ve been familiar with the book of Esther for a long time, but I’ve never read the deuterocanonical version of Esther before. This version features all the same characters with the same basic plot. The addition of extra material and several changes from the Hebrew to the Greek version give the story a different tone and provide the reader with more familiar examples of Biblical literature: prayers, letters, and a symbolic dream.

As a reader I would say that this version of Esther was a lot more satisfying. I feel more connected to the characters who are purposefully cast in a pious light. Also, the story has a more definite framing with a prophetic dream beginning and its interpretation appearing at the end.

As a student of the Bible I would have to say that I can see why this book is not accepted as canonical by Protestants or Jews. The additions fill in a lot of gaps in the original story, but by their very nature it is clear that they weren’t part of the first author’s story. The fact that the original story is more concerned about action and irony and less concerned about the morals of the characters presented should not lead orthodox readers to make up excuses for it. If you want scandalous narrative read Judges or Ruth, books that are far from questioned in their status! In other words, I think it is a common mark of Biblical literature that characters are presented in all of their color; God doesn’t just work through the perfectly pious but he chooses to use even the simpleminded and the questionable to rescue his people when necessary. The characters in the Additions of Esther are good examples to follow, but I think that “softening up” the original courtly tale is ultimately unnecessary.

Feel free to disagree with my assessment and leave your own comments on Esther (either edition) below.