Глава 7

1–6. Every man by nature and origin is weak, 7. therefore he needs the help of Wisdom. 8–10. It is more valuable to a person than all earthly blessings, 11–12. for she is their culprit. 13–21. In Wisdom there is an inexhaustible treasure of all kinds of knowledge for people. 22–30. In its essence and origin, Wisdom is divine. The revelation of the doctrine of Wisdom is preceded by the speech of Solomon, through whose lips the writer speaks, that he had a common bodily origin with all people, felt the same helplessness at birth as all people and will have the same end with everyone - death. With this beginning, the writer had a twofold goal in mind: 1) to contrast the humility of an outstanding and glorious king with the arrogance of those rulers of the nations to whom he addressed in the previous chapters; 2) show that it is not a noble origin or a high social position that gives the right to possess wisdom; it is a gift of God and every person can receive it if he asks God for it. Prem.7:1. And I am a mortal man, like everyone else, a descendant of the primordial earthly beings. Prem.7:2. And I was formed into flesh in my mother’s womb at the time of ten months, thickened in blood from the seed of my husband and pleasure combined with sleep, 1–2. Solomon, together with all people, has a common physical origin: “a descendant of the primeval earthly being,” i.e. Adam (Gen. 2:7; Sir. 18:1; 1 Cor. 15:47). Even the method and image of the passage is the same (2 v. cf. Job 10:10; Ps. 139:13–15). Prem.7:3. and I, having been born, began to breathe the common air and fell to the same earth, the first voice was found crying equally with everyone, Prem.7:4. nursed in swaddling clothes and cares; 3–4. At birth, he discovered the same helplessness, the same needs as everyone else. The expression “Fell to the same land” is compared with Prem. 8:19–20 v. and see in it a hint of the pre-existence of souls. However, although the idea of ​​the pre-existence of souls to the writer of the book. The wisdom of Solomon is not alien, it cannot be found in this place: the context of the speech suggests that the expression “fell” indicates only the image of the emergence of a person from the womb of his mother. Prem.7:5. for no king had any other beginning of birth: Prem.7:6. there is one entrance into life and the same outcome for everyone. 5–6. The reason (“for”) for the preceding is indicated. Solomon, although a king, could not have any advantages regarding his physical origin, because “There is one entrance into life and the same outcome for everyone” (death). Prem.7:7. Therefore I prayed, and reason was given to me; I cried, and the spirit of wisdom came upon me. Prem.7:8. I preferred her to scepters and thrones and considered wealth as nothing in comparison with her; Prem.7:9. I did not compare the precious stone with her, because in front of her all gold is insignificant sand, and silver is dirt in comparison with her. Prem.7:10. I fell in love with her more than health and beauty and chose her preferably over the light, for her light is unquenchable. 7–10. Since human life is very pitiful and helpless, Solomon asked himself from God for wisdom and, when he received it, valued it above all earthly blessings (cf. Wisdom 9:5–6, 8:21). “The spirit of wisdom came upon me.” These words can be understood in two ways: either in the sense that God enlightened the natural mind of Solomon, in which case they will mean the same as the higher words: “mind has been given to me”; or by the spirit of wisdom we must understand a special divine force influencing the human spirit, and then the descent of the spirit of wisdom must be understood as a supernatural influence of grace. The last explanation deserves preference, for in many places in his book the writer presents Wisdom as Divine power, as something objective (Wis. 1:5, 7:22). In listing earthly goods, in comparison with which wisdom is preferred, the writer notices some consistency: first, he indicates external goods that a person himself can create - wealth, power (Art. 8 and 9); and then names such benefits that are a gift from the Creator: health, beauty, sunlight (Art. 10). Prem.7:11. And with her all the blessings and untold wealth came to me through her hands; 11–12. Along with wisdom, those earthly blessings that he neglected for her sake also came to him. This pleased him, for wisdom taught him the correct use of them, although he did not know that she was the culprit. 11. Obviously reproduces the story of Solomon (see 1 Kings 3:13). Prem.7:12. I rejoiced in everything, because wisdom guided them, but I did not know that she was the culprit. 12. “I didn’t know that she was the culprit.” Understanding these words is difficult because the writer, through the mouth of the same Solomon, teaches about wisdom as the Divine power that creates and governs the world (22 v.; Wis. 8:1), therefore neither one nor the other could not have known that this wisdom is the culprit of all earthly blessings that man enjoys. Here the word “culprit” (γενέτις) is used not in the sense of the first cause, but in the sense that following Divine Wisdom leads, as a natural consequence, to earthly blessings. Solomon, the writer says, did not know this when he decided to follow wisdom, therefore his decision is free from any suspicion of self-interest. Prem.7:13. I learned without cunning, and I teach without envy, I do not hide her wealth, Prem.7:14. for she is an inexhaustible treasure for people; using it, they enter into fellowship with God through the gifts of teaching. 13–14. The writer repeats the idea he expressed earlier (Wis. 6:23–25) that he teaches the doctrine of wisdom in all its fullness, without hiding anything, because its riches are inexhaustible (Wis. 8:18). The main treasure of wisdom is that it brings a person “into fellowship with God,” i.e. into close fellowship (cf. vv. 27–28). A person comes to this “through the gifts of teaching.” What these gifts are and how they lead to God, the writer said above (Wis. 6:17–19). Prem.7:15 . If only God would give me to speak according to understanding and think worthily about what has been given, for He is the guide to wisdom and the corrector of the wise. 15. In order to teach the perfect teaching of wisdom, you need to have a worthy understanding of it (“to think worthy of what is given”) and be able to convey your understanding of wisdom in precise words (“to speak according to understanding”). King Solomon, through whose mouth the writer of the book speaks, asks God about both, “for He is the guide to wisdom.” Prem.7:16. For in His hand are we and our words, and all understanding and art of doing. 16–21. A description of human wisdom in its entirety and its individual parts from a purely theoretical perspective. This description is reminiscent of the story in Book 3. Kings (1 Kings 4:29–34) about the wisdom of Solomon. From this place we learn about the cycle of sciences that educated Jews studied in the last two centuries BC. These sciences are as follows: chronology, astronomy, zoology, angelology (the study of spirits), psychology, botany, pharmacology and, according to Pres. 8:8 art. history and rhetoric. The writer made this detailed list of sciences in order to show what an enormous wealth of knowledge human wisdom draws from the inexhaustible source of Divine Wisdom. Prem.7:17. He Himself gave me true knowledge of existing things in order to know the structure of the world and the action of the elements, 17. “...Unfalse knowledge of existing things” (των όντών γνώσιν άψευδή). Some exegetes explain this expression from the principles of Platonic philosophy. Plato distinguished the knowledge of sensory being, the world of phenomena, from the knowledge of unconditional and absolute being, the world of ideas, τα οντά or το όν. They think that our writer, with the expression “των όντών γνώσιν άψευδή,” showed that, according to Plato, he distinguishes between knowledge of ideas and knowledge of phenomena. However, the writer’s further speech does not justify such an interpretation. From 18–20 Art. the writer says definitely what “knowledge of existing things” consists of. The sciences he indicated clearly show that he did not put Platonic meaning into the expression “των όντών γνώσιν.” - “Knowledge of what exists” is knowledge of all the phenomena that surround a person. The predicate “non-false” indicates only the thoroughness and perfection of this knowledge. Prem.7:18. the beginning, end and middle of times, changes of turns and changes of times, Prem.7:19. circles of years and positions of stars, 18–19. It talks about knowledge in chronology and astronomy. “The beginning, the end and the middle of times...”, i.e. knowledge of measure and duration of time in general. “Changes of turns and changes of times...” This refers to knowledge of the movement of planets and associated changes in air temperature, direction of winds and other atmospheric phenomena. “Circles of years...”, i.e. changes of day and night, months and seasons. Prem.7:20 . the nature of animals and the properties of animals, the aspirations of the winds and the thoughts of people, the differences in plants and the strength of roots. 20. In this list, the expression “the aspiration of the winds” (βίαι πνευμάτων) attracts attention. It is difficult to admit that the discussion here is specifically about the winds, as the Russian text is translated and as many exegetes understood. Mention of the winds here would be inappropriate, since in this verse the writer does not talk about natural phenomena. When the writer actually talks about the winds, he uses another expression: “βιαι ανέμων.” Finally, and most importantly, the listing of items in Art. 20. is done in pairs and each pair of items listed is taken from the same area: 1) “the nature of animals and the properties of animals,” 2) “differences in plants and the strength of roots,” only the third pair represents a strange combination: “the aspirations of the winds and the thoughts of people.” Objects that have nothing in common with each other are combined, whereas one would expect a combination of similar things with previous ones. All these oddities will disappear if we translate the Greek word πνευμάτων as “spirits.” This means that the subject of knowledge in this pair indicates the world of spirits and the spiritual world of man. The doctrine of spirits, their nature, influence on the fate of man occupied a prominent place in the worldview of ancient man. Prem.7:21. I learned everything, both hidden and obvious, for Wisdom, the artist of everything, taught me. 21. The writer concludes his description of the scope of human wisdom. Man received all its rich content from the Wisdom of God, which acts throughout the world, forms and puts everything in order, therefore she is the “artist of everything.” Prem.7:22. She is a reasonable, holy, only-begotten, many-parted, subtle, easily mobile, bright, pure, clear, harmless, benevolent, quick, irresistible spirit, 22–30 . The doctrine of the essence of wisdom, its origin and activity in the universe is presented. 22 art. connected to the previous one by the particle γαρ. This connection indicates that the basis for the previous one is given here. Namely, the writer depicts to us the Divine spirit of wisdom in his world activity in order to show why wisdom is called above “the artist of everything” (v. 21) and why she is the source of diverse and comprehensive knowledge. The essence and activity of wisdom is more closely determined by the 21st predicate. "She is an intelligent spirit." Wisdom is called the Spirit as an active and revealing Divine power, existing in itself and being the concentration of various properties and actions that directly belong to it and are further assimilated by the writer. The predicate “reasonable”, νοερός, is often used by Plato to designate purely spiritual being. Taking it in this sense, we get the idea here that nothing material should be thought of in the being of Divine Wisdom, as a force operating in the universe. But this thought is already given in the concept of “spirit” and the adjective νοερός with such an understanding would be an identity, therefore it is better to understand πνεύμα νοερόν in the meaning νοούν. “Holy...” is used here in the same meaning as in Wisdom 1:5 v. “...one-begotten, many-parted...” (μονογενές, πολυμερές). The first predicate indicates the homogeneity of nature, means: “simple, indivisible.” “Multipartite” does not mean the concept opposite to the previous predicate, but means that the power and activity of Wisdom extends throughout the world, in all its parts, in all areas. This property of Wisdom is revealed in Wisdom 8:1 v. and at Ap. Paul 1 Cor. 12:11 . “...subtle...” (λεπτόν), for otherwise wisdom could not penetrate the whole world. This word should be understood as figuratively speaking about the spirituality of wisdom. “Mobile…” (εύκίνητον). This property can be considered as a consequence of the previous one. It is revealed in more detail by the writer in Art. 24. “...bright, pure, clear...” All these predicates indicate the luminous nature of Wisdom. What source of this light does Wisdom indicate in Art. 26? “Honorable...” (απήμαντον) – has an active and passive meaning. In the first case it will mean – not causing harm to anyone. This meaning is very scarce, so it is better to take this predicate in a passive meaning: intact, untouched by the changes of sensory earthly existence, unchangeable. “Swift, unstoppable...” Predicates mean the energy of Wisdom as a world-forming and world-penetrating force. “Beneficent, philanthropic...” Both predicates are understood in the sense of indicating Divine goodness, as the only motivation for the creation of the world. However, comparing this place with Wisdom 1:6 v., with greater justification one can see here an indication of the relationship of wisdom to the moral World. “Solid, unshakable...” The laws established by wisdom both in the physical world and in the moral world are unchangeable. The basis of this immutability is the immutability of wisdom itself. “Calm, carefree...” Indicates the moment of self-sufficiency of Wisdom. “All-seeing...” see Wisdom 1:6–10 v. “Penetrating all intelligent, pure, subtle souls.” This predicate shows that wisdom governs not only nature and people, but also the world of higher spirits. As for the number (21) of predicates, exegetes drew attention to the fact that it is the product of 3 and 7. Both of these numbers were revered by the Jews as sacred (Num. 19:12; Sir. 26:1; Zech. 3:9; 2 Kings 5:10, 4:35; Prov. 9:1). Therefore, it is very likely that the number of predicates up to 21 was intentionally increased by the writer; at least, many predicates are unambiguous and do not add anything to the essence of the matter. It is very difficult to indicate any order in the listing of predicates, and all attempts by exegetes have so far been unsuccessful. One can only say that some predicates determine the metaphysical nature of the spirit of wisdom, others the moral; the first explain the action of wisdom in the world in general, the second explain its action in the world of rational beings. Prem.7:23. beneficent, philanthropic, firm, unshakable, calm, carefree, all-seeing and penetrating all intelligent, pure, subtle spirits. Prem.7:24. For wisdom is more mobile than any movement, and in its purity it passes through and penetrates everything. 24–30 . In this section the writer defines and explains some of the properties of Wisdom, which he spoke about in the two previous verses. 24. It speaks of mobility in the omnipresence of Wisdom, in explanation of those indicated in Art. 22. its properties are “spirit... flexible, subtle, pure.” Prem.7:25 . She is the breath of the power of God and the pure outpouring of the glory of the Almighty: therefore nothing defiled will enter into her. 25. The basis of the above properties of Wisdom lies in its kinship and close connection with God. “She is the breath of the power of God...” The image of “breath” in the Bible often represents the creative activity of God (Ps. 32:6; Job 33:4; Sir. 25:3). Therefore, the name Wisdom “the breath of the power of God” means that she is a direct participant in creation. “...The pure outpouring of the glory of the Almighty...” Should “outpouring” (απόρροια) be understood as a poetic and figurative expression or in its own immanent sense for God? In the Bible, the image of outpouring is often used to denote the fullness and abundance of the gifts of the Holy Spirit (Joel 2:28; Isa. 32:15, 44:3; Zech. 12:10; Proverbs 1:23; Acts 10:45; Titus 3:5–6). Applying this image in this case, we get the idea that God pours out his wisdom on all his deeds, hence the Divine Wisdom visible throughout the universe is called something poured out or “outpourings” from God, without any relation of this expression to the immanent life of God. This explanation, correct in itself, is less suitable for the context of speech than the one that is based on the literal understanding of the word “outpouring.” The writer in this place (starting from v. 22) speaks of Wisdom as the Divine power spilling throughout the entire universe, emanating from the being of God, therefore it is more correct to assume that with the word “outpouring” he connected the concept of emanation “nothing defiled will enter into it” cf. Prem.1:5 art. Prem.7:26. She is a reflection of eternal light and a pure mirror of the action of God and the image of His goodness. 26. “She is a reflection of the eternal light...” The Supreme Being, God, is here called the eternal light. In the Old Testament He is often presented in this image (Ex. 14:13, 16:14; Job 41:12; Ps. 49:2, 79:8; Ezek. 1:28; Hab. 3:3–4). “Reflection” – reflection. Divine Wisdom is so named because it reflects Divine greatness and glory. “The image of His goodness,” for in works of wisdom Divine goodness is manifested. Prem.7:27. She is alone, but she can do everything, and, remaining in herself, she renews everything, and, passing from generation to generation into holy souls, she prepares the friends of God and the prophets; Prem.7:28. for God loves no one except the one who lives in wisdom. Prem.7:29. She is more beautiful than the sun and more excellent than the host of stars; in comparison with light it is higher; Prem.7:30 . for light gives way to night, but wisdom does not prevail over evil. 27–30. The action of Wisdom in the moral world is indicated: she prepares bearers of good (27–28) and successfully fights evil: “malice does not overcome her” (verse 30).