Wisdom 2

1

For they said within themselves, with unsound reasoning, “Our life is short and sorrowful. There is no healing when a man comes to his end, and no one was ever known who was released from Hades.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 1. Right. He shews how the wicked brought death into the world, and expresses the sentiments of the epicureans, as in Ecclesiastes. The six first chapters are a sort of paraphrase of the nine first of Proverbs, in which the attractions of virtue and of pleasure are contrasted, and so forth Calmet.—Remedy. Lit. “refreshment.” Septuagint “healing.”—Hell, or the grave. Bible.—They reject as fabulous, the accounts of people being raised to life by miracle. Calmet.—They suppose that the soul is mortal, and that there is neither reward nor punishment after death. Worthington.

EXPLANATION

Or, among

EXPLANATION

Or, returned out of Hades

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2

Because we were born by mere chance, and hereafter we will be as though we had never been, because the breath in our nostrils is smoke, and reason is a spark kindled by the beating of our heart,

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 2. Nothing. Septuagint “by chance.” The epicureans imagined that the first man was produced by the conflux of atoms. Lucret. i. 5. Calmet.—Smoke, or vanishes like it.—And speech. Budæus would substitute “a little spark.”—Speech may be used for “thing.” Our life is something like a spark. Menochius.—Speech is an effect of the rational soul, as a spark comes from fire. Calmet.

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3

which being extinguished, the body will be turned into ashes, and the spirit will be dispersed as thin air.

4

Our name will be forgotten in time. No one will remember our works. Our life will pass away as the traces of a cloud, and will be scattered as is a mist, when it is chased by the rays of the sun, and overcome by its heat.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Greek weighed down.

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5

For our allotted time is the passing of a shadow, and our end doesn’t retreat, because it is securely sealed, and no one turns it back.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 5. Sealed, like one in the tomb. Matthew 27:66. The epicureans were well convinced of the fragility of our nature: but they drew false inferences from it, pretending that we should enjoy ourselves now, as there will be no future life. This they ought to have proved. Calmet.

EXPLANATION

Or, comes again

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6

“Come therefore and let’s enjoy the good things that exist. Let’s use the creation earnestly as in our youth.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 6. Come. From the disbelief of future rewards and punishments proceeds the epicure’s life. Worthington.

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7

Let’s fill ourselves with costly wine and perfumes, and let no spring flower pass us by.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 7. Time. Septuagint Alex. “of spring.” Bible.—Youth is the spring of life. The voluptuous conclude, from the transitory nature of things, that we should make use of them. Would it not be more rational to despise them? Calmet.

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8

Let’s crown ourselves with rosebuds before they wither.

9

Let none of us go without his share in our proud revelry. Let’s leave tokens of mirth everywhere, because this is our portion, and this is our lot.

10

Let’s oppress the righteous poor. Let’s not spare the widow, nor regard the gray hair of the old man.

11

But let our strength be a law of righteousness; for that which is weak is proven useless.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 11. Worth. Strange maxims! which few will dare to proclaim, though they act according to them. Calmet.

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12

But let’s lie in wait for the righteous man, because he annoys us, is contrary to our works, reproaches us with sins against the law, and charges us with sins against our training.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 12. Just. Infidels are not content to live in riot: they also persecute the just. Worthington.—This passage points out the conduct of the Jews towards our Saviour, in so striking a manner, that Grotius would assert it has been altered by some Christian. But the Fathers adduce it as a clear prediction ( Calmet.) of the Jewish malice. Matthew 27:41. Mar. 14:53. Worthington.

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13

He professes to have knowledge of God, and calls himself a child of the Lord.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 13. Knowledge. The prophets spoke to sinners in the name of God, and many of them lost their lives in the cause. Christ appeared as a new star, to promote their welfare; yet this only serves to irritate them. Calmet. John 8:16.

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14

He became to us a reproof of our thoughts.

15

He is grievous to us even to look at, because his life is unlike other men’s, and his paths are strange.

16

We were regarded by him as something worthless, and he abstains from our ways as from uncleanness. He calls the latter end of the righteous happy. He boasts that God is his father.

17

Let’s see if his words are true. Let’s test what will happen at the end of his life.

18

For if the righteous man is God’s son, he will uphold him, and he will deliver him out of the hand of his adversaries.

19

Let’s test him with insult and torture, that we may find out how gentle he is, and test his patience.

20

Let’s condemn him to a shameful death, for he will be protected, according to his words.”

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 20. Words. Or he shall be punished for what he has said. Syr. Vat. and so forth Matthew 26:61. Calmet.—We shall hence form a judgment of his real merits, ( Menochius.) unless this be spoken ironically; as if the just had foolishly flattered himself with the divine protection. Matthew 27:43. Bible.

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21

Thus they reasoned, and they were led astray; for their wickedness blinded them,

22

and they didn’t know the mysteries of God, neither did they hope for wages of holiness, nor did they discern that there is a prize for blameless souls.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 22. Secrets. The disbelief of mysteries leads to a dissolute life, and to the persecution of the just. Worthington.—The pagans knew not the advantages of suffering, and even the apostles were ignorant of the mystery of the cross, till after the resurrection. Calmet.

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23

Because God created man for incorruption, and made him an image of his own everlastingness;

24

but death entered into the world by the envy of the devil, and those who belong to him experience it.

ExplanationCommentary

EXPLANATION

Verse 24. Envy. Lucifer thought that the honour of the hypostatic union ( Calmet.) belonged to the angelic, rather than to the human nature; and this he was guilty of envy, ( Bible.) and strove to become like the most High. Isaiah 14:14. Saint Bernard ser. xvii. in Cant. Corn. A. Lap. and so forth

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