Глава 14

1–7. It is unreasonable to turn to idols in prayer when the world is controlled by Divine providence. 8–11. God's judgment on idolatry. 12–20. The origin of idolatry. 21–31. Its corrupting influence on moral life. Prem.14:1. Again: another, preparing to sail and cross the fierce waves, calls for help a tree that is weaker than the ship carrying him; Prem.14:2. for the desire for acquisitions invented it, and the artist skillfully arranged it, 1–2. At the end of the previous chapter, the writer spoke about the futility of prayer addressed to idols. In the first verses of Chapter XIV. he gives another example of this. When preparing to sail into the sea, “another... calls for help from a tree,” i.e. turns with prayer to a wooden idol, which is no more than a piece of wood, and can provide less help to the sailor than the ship on which he boards: “the weakest of the ship that carries it.” The strength of the ship is evidenced at least by the fact that it, conceived for the purpose of profit, was built by a skilled technician (2 tbsp.). The expression “the artist skillfully arranged” is from Greek - “the artist arranged with wisdom, through wisdom” (τεχνίτης σοφία κατεσκ). The idea is that Divine Wisdom helps a person in building a ship, which does not happen when making idols. Prem.14:3. but Thy providence, Father, steers the ship, for Thou hast given both a way into the sea and a safe path in the waves, Prem.14:4. showing that You can save from everything, even if someone went to sea without art. 3–4. In the most important circumstances of life, in which people turned in vain to idols (Wisdom 13:17–19, 14:1–2 vv.), only Divine Providence can help and save. “But Thy providence, Father, steers the ship.” On calling God Father, see Wisdom 11:10–11; about fishery, see Wisdom 6:7 v. The conjunction “but” indicates such a connection between the thought of God’s providence and the previous one: although the ship is well conceived and skillfully constructed (Article 2), the final success of navigation depends on Providence (Article 3). Second half of 3rd Art. gives a basis for this thought: “for You have given both a way into the sea and a safe path through the waves.” Often this expression is understood in a general sense, but the past tense of the verb and the subsequent speech are better consistent with the interpretation that sees here an indication of the miracle of the Israelites crossing the Red Sea. God, the complete ruler of the sea, He opens a free path along it even to those who “went to sea without art.” “Without art” (άνευ τέχνης) in accordance with “artfully arranged” of verse 2 means here not the art of sailing a ship, but the art of building ships. The expression represents metonymy: without the art of shipbuilding, i.e. without ships. God saved the Jews, although they went to sea as if on a dry route, without ships. Prem.14:5. You want the works of Your wisdom not to be in vain; Therefore, people entrust their lives to the smallest tree and are saved by sailing through the waves in a boat. 5. The salvation of the Jews when crossing the sea, which showed the unlimited power of God over this element, was an exceptional event, but usually God saves people when they “entrust their lives to the smallest tree,” i.e. ship, “so that the works of His Wisdom would not be in vain.” By the works of God's wisdom here, in the context of the speech, only one thing can be understood: ships built with the help of Divine Wisdom by the human mind. Above, in verse 2, the writer said that “the artist built” the ship with wisdom. Developing this idea, the writer in this verse says that God, not wanting the works done by the human mind with the help of His wisdom to be in vain, saves people when they entrust their lives to a ship, one of such works. Pres.14:6. For even in the beginning, when the proud giants were destroyed, the hope of the world, guided by Your hand, resorted to the ship, and left the seed of the race to the world. 6. The sixth verse provides a particular example for the thought expressed in v. 5, in the salvation of Noah. Noah's ark, more than any other ship, was a work of God's wisdom, since it was built according to the direct instructions of God. And so, guided by the hand of God’s providence, the hope of the world (metonymy: those on whom the world’s hope for the salvation of mankind rested, Noah and his family) runs to the ship and is saved. “...left the seed of the family to the world,” i.e. offspring to continue the human race. That in this place the writer undoubtedly speaks of the flood, this is indicated by the expression “in the beginning, when the proud giants were destroyed” (cf. Gen. 6:4). Pres.14:7. Blessed is the tree through which truth comes! 7. The blessing of the seventh verse refers to the ark of Noah, that little tree (Wis. 10:4), through which the righteousness of the godly family triumphed. Another tree, an idol, deserves the opposite treatment, as discussed in the following verses. Pres.14:8. And this thing made with hands is cursed, both itself and the one who made it - for what he did; and this perishable thing is called God. Pres.14:9. For the wicked and his wickedness are equally hated by God; Prem.14:10 . and what is done together with the one who did it will be punished. 8–10. Not only the idol is cursed: (“this man-made thing is cursed”), but also the one who made it, precisely for what he did, for the very intention of making an object of worship out of wood. Prem.14:11. Therefore, there will be judgment on the pagan idols, since among God’s creation they have become an abomination, a temptation to the souls of men and a snare to the feet of the foolish. 11. “Therefore there will be judgment on the idols of the pagans...” These words gave some reason to assume that the writer considered the pagan gods to be demons, to be rational beings, which is why he announces to them punishment according to the judgment of God. But in other places in his book, the writer repeatedly calls idols soulless, dead (Wis. 13:10, 14:29, 15:5). Therefore, it is more correct in this place to see only a poetic expression for the idea that idolatry will be condemned and destroyed (cf. v. 14). The idols here are only symbols and representatives of paganism. The reason for the destruction of paganism is further indicated by the writer in its disastrous influence on the moral life of people. Prem.14:12. For the invention of idols is the beginning of fornication, and the invention of them is the corruption of life. 12. In three verses, from 12–14, the writer makes the transition from the previous section to the next and speaks generally about the origin of idolatry and its insignificant basis. In v. 12, in particular, he points out the negative significance of idolatry for moral life. “...the invention of idols is the beginning of fornication...” Fornication, πορνεία, is understood by some interpreters here in the sense of violation of fidelity to God, betrayal of Him, apostasy, in which sense this word is often used in Holy Scripture when it speaks of the violation by Jews of the union with Jehovah, represented in the image of a marriage union. But in this case we are talking about pagans who were not in such a close union with God; secondly, in the preceding verse 11 and in the 2nd half of the 12th, the evil moral influence of idolatry (“temptation of the soul”, “corruption of life”) is clearly spoken of; therefore, this expression is more correctly understood in the sense of indicating the voluptuousness and debauchery of some pagan cults. Prem.14:13 . They were not in the beginning, and they will not be forever. 13. “They were not there in the beginning...” The writer clearly expresses the idea that polytheism is not an initial, but a later phenomenon in the religious life of mankind. The writer came to the idea that the initial religion was monotheistic not through abstract reflection on the essence of the religious need in man, as modern theologians are convinced of this, but through the narration of Holy Scripture about the first people who knew and revered the one true God. “...and they will not be forever.” On what the writer bases this hope, he reveals in the next verse. Prem.14:14. They entered the world out of human vanity, and therefore their end is imminent. 14. Idolatry cannot therefore be an eternal phenomenon in religious life, because it appeared out of an empty and insignificant motive. Idols “entered the world through human vanity...” Κενοδοξία hardly means vanity, ambition here in the proper sense, for, revealing his thought further, the writer speaks of another, more noble motive for the emergence of idolatry, of mourning for a beloved deceased. Therefore, it is better to translate this word as “empty dream”, “chimera”. Prem.14:15 . The father, tormented by bitter grief over his early deceased son, made an image of him as an already dead man, then began to honor him as a god, and passed on the secrets and sacrifices to those in power. 15–20. In these verses, the writer indicates the dual origin of the deification of images of people. Firstly, grief for the beloved deceased prompted him to make his image in order to preserve his memory; subsequently it was forgotten that the revered image represented a person; he was given divine honors (15–16 centuries). Secondly, subjects made images of their princes, wanting to honor them even in their absence; continuing even after the death of the princes, this veneration turned into deification (17–20). Thus, according to the writer of the Book of Wisdom, idolatry appeared primarily in the form of deification of people, and the pagan gods were dead people. This view of the origin of idolatry is not found anywhere in other books of the Holy Scriptures of the Old Testament. But the ancient Greek writers expressed this view more than once, and it was especially developed by Euhemerus and, after his name, is usually called Euhemerian. From this source the writer of our book, presumably, drew his explanation of the origin of idolatry. Christian writers - Justin the Philosopher, Clement of Alexandria, Tertullian, Lactantius, Augustine - widely used this view as a strong argument against the pagan faith in their gods. 15. “The father... began to honor him (the deceased son) as a god, and passed on secrets and sacrifices to his subjects.” The veneration of dead ancestors is one of the most ancient forms of polytheism: it was part of the patriarchal era. The “father” the writer is talking about is really more of a patriarch; he leads the religious life of his family and its members are “subject to” him. The veneration of ancestors was preserved in later times: the Roman Lares were deceased ancestors. Prem.14:16. Then, established by time, this wicked custom was observed as a law, and according to the orders of the rulers, the statue was revered as a deity. Verse 16 indicates how the veneration of dead ancestors continued into later times. He was taken under the protection of the civil authorities: what had previously been done out of personal zeal was now observed “as a law according to the orders of the rulers.” Prem.14:17. Whomever people could not honor in person due to the remoteness of their residence, they depicted a distant face: they made a visible image of the revered king, in order to flatter the absent one with this zeal, as if he were present. Prem.14:18. The artist’s diligence encouraged increased veneration from those who didn’t know, Prem.14:19 . for he, perhaps wanting to please the ruler, tried to make the likeness more beautiful with art; Prem.14:20 . and the people, carried away by the beauty of the decoration, who had recently been revered as a person, now recognized him as a deity. 17–20. Indication of the second case, when the veneration of images of people led to their deification. – They made images of kings to honor them. The beauty of the decoration of the statues, giving them the appearance of some ideal reality, captivated the feelings and imagination of people. People who did not know ("from those who do not know" 18th century) whom the statue depicted easily moved from sensory-aesthetic admiration to religious adoration. Thus, “the people, captivated by the beauty of the decoration, who had recently been revered as a person, now recognized them as a deity” (20). The writer of the book of the Wisdom of Solomon has a remarkable idea that the artistic beauty of the statues of gods greatly contributed to the strengthening of idolatry. Probably, the writer who lived in Alexandria himself observed the enchanting impression on the receptive nature of the Greeks made by works of ancient art, beautiful in their form, belonging to the field of poetic mythology. Prem.14:21. And this was a temptation for people, because they, submitting either to misfortune or to tyranny, attached the incommunicable Name to stones and trees. 21–31. This section contains a description of the extremely harmful influence of idolatry on the moral life of people. (For a similar passage, see Rom. 1:24 et al.). The writer of the book of the Wisdom of Solomon generally recognized the close and inextricable connection between religious knowledge and morality. Just as, in his opinion, moral purity makes a person capable of knowledge of God, so, conversely, religious error leads to moral decline. The writer briefly formulates the religious delusion of the pagans as follows: “they... attached an incommunicable Name to stones and trees.” Wed. Is. 42:8 “…submitting either to misfortune (see v. 15) or to tyranny” (see v. 16). Prem.14:22. Then it was not enough for them to be mistaken in their knowledge of God, but they, living in the great struggle of ignorance, call such great evil the world. 22. Misleading in their knowledge of God, the pagans, “living in the great struggle of ignorance, such great evil is called the world.” By the “great struggle of ignorance,” many interpreters mean the fierce disputes that occurred among the pagans due to different and contradictory teachings about the gods, their origin, being, and power. But these disputes took place among educated pagans of that time, who had already renounced crude idolatry, while the writer is talking here about the common mass religion, namely about ignorant idolatry. The “great controversy” later in the same verse is contrasted with the world and called “the great evil,” which is described in detail in the following verses. From this it is clear that this struggle takes place in moral life itself and consists of the internal restlessness and confusion of spirit generated by the polytheistic view, which comes from the fact that a person does not find the inner unity of life anywhere. The pagans themselves do not notice this reason for their internal discord and therefore “the great evil is called the world.” Prem.14:23 . Performing either infanticidal sacrifices, or secret secrets, or frantic feasts borrowed from foreign customs, Prem.14:24 . They do not protect either life or pure marriages, but one either kills the other by deceit or offends the other by adultery. 23–24. It talks about those immoral acts that were directly related to pagan idolatry and were sanctified by it. The writer could hardly blame the “infanticide victims” (about them, see the note to 5-6 art. XII chapter) on the contemporary pagans to whom he addressed. In cultural countries such as Egypt, human sacrifice no longer existed. Therefore, with these words the writer only wanted to indicate what paganism can lead to... “Hidden secrets...” As can be seen from v. 24. The writer meant here the debauchery associated with the mysteries and, in general, with pagan religious institutions. The basis of pagan religions was the deification of nature. A particular type of this deification - veneration of the productive power of nature, was expressed in seductive symbols and downright dissolute actions. The religious sanctification of debauchery led to the most tragic consequences, as evidenced by Art. 24. Prem.14:25 . All without distinction belong to blood and murder, theft and deceit, corruption, treachery, rebellion, perjury, theft of property, Prem.14:26. forgetfulness of gratitude, desecration of souls, transmutation of sexes, disorder of marriages, adultery and debauchery. 25–26. These verses contain a description of the immoral life of the pagans in general. The writer cites a long series of vices, without defining more precisely in what form these vices manifested themselves. There is no reason to suspect the author that he deliberately exaggerated the colors in this description, in view of his agreement with other historical evidence. It is difficult to indicate any order in this listing (as is Rom. 1:29 v. et al.). Prem.14:27 . Serving idols unworthy of the name is the beginning and the cause and the end of all evil, 27. “Serving idols unworthy of the name...” The name usually indicates the essential properties of the object, or its dignity. Idols are therefore unworthy of the name because they have no real signs of existence, they are nothing; or because they have no glory or significance, in contrast to the greatness and sovereignty of God. In serving such gods is the source of all evil: “the beginning and the cause and the end.” Prem.14:28 . for they either go on a merry rampage, or prophesy lies, or live lawlessly, or quickly break their oath. 28. Revealing the idea of ​​the previous verse, the writer says what, in particular, evil stems from idolatry. It makes the purest sources of human life muddy: joy leads to frenzy, prophetic inspiration darkens with lies, religious credulity with the violation of an oath. The words “predict lies” refer to pagan oracles, then various kinds of fortunetellers, and astrologers. Prem.14:29 . Relying on soulless idols, they do not think of being punished for swearing unjustly. 29. Verse twenty-nine explains why oath-breaking was common in paganism. The reason for this is stated to be unbelief. People did not believe in soulless idols, they were not afraid of being punished by them, so breaking an oath did not frighten them. Paganism knows quite a lot of such examples, when people only outwardly belonged to the official religion, mostly for material benefits (Wis. 15:12), while in their inner mood they were resolute atheists. Prem.14:30 . But for both of these, condemnation will come upon them, both for the fact that they thought wickedly about God, turning to idols, and for the fact that they swore falsely, insidiously despising the holy. 30. The mentioned perjurers will be condemned, firstly, for thinking wickedly about God, “turning to idols,” i.e. for perverting the concept of God. The concept of God was distorted not only by those pagans who sincerely considered idols to be gods and were afraid of oaths, but also by those who, not believing in these gods, outwardly turned to them and benefited from it (29 v. cf. Wisdom 15:12 v.). Secondly, they will be condemned “for swearing falsely, insidiously despising the sacred.” “Insidiously”, έν δόλφ, with obligatory intent, precisely against one’s neighbor. – “Despising the sacred”, i.e. what was considered so from the point of view of paganism itself. Prem.14:31 . For it is not the power of those by whom they swear, but the judgment of the sinners always follows the crime of the unjust. 31. The last verse answers a possible confusion. The unbelievers among the pagans did not expect any punishment for their perjury because they swore by dead gods (29), while the writer announced that they would be condemned for this (30); Doesn't this speak of the power of those by whom they swore? The writer denies this and says that they will be punished because “judgment... always follows the crime”: such is the nature of sin that it is inevitably followed by punishment.