Wisdom

Wisdom of Solomon, Hear then, you Kings, take this to heart; learn your lesson, lords of the wide world; lend your ears, you rulers of the multitude, whose pride is in the myriads of your people. It is the Lord who gave you your authority; your powers come from the Most High. He will put your actions to the test and scrutinize your intentions.Though you are viceroys of his Kingly power, you have not been upright judges; you do not stand up for the law or guide your steps by the will of God. Swiftly and terribly will he descend upon you, for judgement falls relentlessly upon those in high place. The small man may find pity and forgiveness, but the powerful will be called powerfully into account; for he who is all mans' master is obsequious to none, and is not overawed by greatness. Small and great alike are of his making, and all are under his providence equally, but it is the powerful for whom he reserves the sternest inquisition.To you then who have absolute power I speak, in hope that you may learn wisdom and not go astray; and those who have learnt that lesson will be able to make their defense. Be eager then to hear me, and long for my teaching; so you will learn. Wisdom shines bright and never fades; she is easily discerned by those who love her, and by those who seek her she is found. She is quick to make herself known to those who desire knowledge of her; the man who rises early in search of her will not grow weary in the quest, for he will find her seated at his door. To sell all one's thoughts on her is prudence in its perfect shape, and to lie wakeful in her cause is the short way to peace of mind. For she herself ranges in search of those who are worthy of her; on their daily path she appears to them with kindly intent, and in all their purposes meets them half-way. The true beginning of wisdom is the desire to learn, and a concern for learning means love towards her; the love of her means the keeping of her laws;to keep her laws is a warrant of immortality; and immortality brings a man near to God. Thus the desire of wisdom leads to kingly stature. If, therefore, you value your thrones and your scepters, you rulers of the nations, you must honor wisdom, so that you may reign forever. What wisdom is, and how she came into being, I will tell you; I will hide no secret from you. From her first beginning I will trace out her course, and bring the knowledge of her into the light of day; I will not leave the truth untold. Pale envy shall not travel in my company, for the spiteful man will have no share in wisdom. Wise men in plenty are the world's salvation, and a prudent king, is the sheet-anchor of his people. Learn what I have to teach you, therefore, and it will be for your good.

This scripture from the book named the Wisdom of Solomon comes from the Septuagint Bible or "Seventy" (translators). It is admitted as certain by all Christian scholars that the Hebrew Scriptures of the Old Testament were preserved with the most religious care down to the time of the destruction of the two Hebrew kingdoms of Israel and Juda; and that they were guarded with even a more loving and jealous zeal during the period of captivity. when the remnants of the latter kingdom were allowed to return by Cyrus, and the restoration of their nationality was effected by the successors of this prince, Esdras and Nehemias labored successfully to collect into one body all the inspired books than extant. This standard or authoritative collection is called the "Canon" of Esdras. To this canon or catalogue were added subsequently, by the Jewish church, the books bearing the names of Esdra and Nehemias themselves-these two books being written in the Chaldaic dialect. A constant tradition among the Jews ascribes the authorship of this first canon to Esdras and "the great synagogue" of seventy Jewish doctors. This tradition is attested, in several places, by the Talmud, and by such early Christian writers as St. Irenaeus, St Justin Martyr, Tertullian, and Clement of Alexandria. This canon comprises, therefore, the first and principal portion of the Old Testament books. But in the age of our Lord and before it, there existed a Greek version of the entire Old Testament, accepted as authorized by the Jewish church and people, not only in Palestine, but throughout the civilized world. This was know then- as, indeed, it has been know ever since-as the version of the Septuagint or "Seventy" (translators). Whatever obscurity has been gathered around the history of this version since the days of Luther, and through the theological passions of Protestants and Rationalists-it is undeniable, that, in the first century of Christianity, as well as during that which preceded it, the whole Jewish people considered the Septuagint version with great reverence, and the work of translation as one not only undertaken by the authority and with the co-operation of the priesthood and magistrates of the nation, but moreover as divinely blessed and aided in a special manner. As to the translators themselves, their story has been told by aristaeus, a Jewish proselyte, and captain of the royal guard to Ptolemy Philadelphus, king of Egypt, who reigned in the year 280, before Christ. They were a chosen body of seventy-two learned men, sent to Alexandria at earnest request of the Egyptian monarch, to labor together there in producing a Greek translation of all the Sacred Books of the Jews. The result of their joint labor was know thenceforward as the Greek Version of the Septuagint (or Seventy). Thus, at the very birth of Christianity, we find the civilized world in possession of an authorized and revered Greek version of the Scriptures, containing all the books received as canonical. There are fifteen (Apocalypse books )in the Septuagint that are not in the King James Bible. The Catholic Bible contains Seven of these books and I want to give a little outline of these books. THE BOOK OF TOBIAS.-We have, in the saintly man after whom this book is called, another illustrious instance of the living faith and heroic virtue displayed in exile by so many of God's people. No book in the Old Testament affords such touching examples of filial piety, domestic simplicity and purity, and that unflinching devotion to one's brethren in their darkest days of suffering and oppression. The virtues which shine forth in the life and home of Tobias are those which must be eternally the very soul of domestic happiness and public welfare. The morality of the whole book is a most beautiful commentary on law of life delivered through Moses; a splendid mirror in which even Christians may see what ought to be and are not, as compared with the saintly men and woman of thrity plus hundred years ago. THE BOOK OF WISDOM- The author of this book has for his chief object to teach rulers, statesmen, and judges. By many scholars the work is ascribed to Solomon. The authorship, however, remains uncertain. The first six chapters are a compendium of the first nine chapters of Proverbs. In chapters 7,8,& 9, the writer describes the road by which he attained the possession of Wisdom, as well as her innate excellences. From the tenth chapter to the end a series of examples are quoted from sacred history to demonstrate the manifold utily of Wisdom, to show the wickedness of sin, the blissful reward of faithful souls, the undying punishment of the wicked. THE BOOK OF ECCLECIASTICUS OR THE WISDON OF JESUS THE SON OF SIRACH. Like the book of Ecclesiastes, the present work contains a body of moral precepts and exhortations tending to enforce the practice of all virtue and to exalt the excellence of wisdom. The author would appear to have aimed at following the plan of the three preceding books in composing his own. Hence we have a series of reflexions somewhat in the style of Ecclesiastes, and finally a long poetical panegyric of great and holy men. It was written in the second century before Christ under the Asmonean or Machabean dynasty. It gives a very high idea of the culture of the Jewish schools of the period. Some passages recall the poetry and eloqunce of Isaias. THE PROPHECY OF BARUCH, All agree that the illustrious man, who has given his name to this book, was the diciple, secretary, and associate of Jeremias. His noble birth and powerful connections were so well know, as well as the esteem in which he was held by his master, that the court party under Joakim attributed to Baruch's persuasion the great prophet's constancy in proclaiming the certain destruction of Jerusalem by the Chaldeans. Both were imprisoned together, and both would have doubtless perished together had not the bad King's fears caused them to be reprieved; the taking of Jerusalem found them still in prison, The conquerors spared them. But their fate, according to the most ancient traditions, united them in life and death. They both died together in Egypt, witnessing to the end to the truth of Jehovah's porophecies. FIRST AND SECOND MACHABEES- The two books bearing this title contain the history of a heroic family of priest who conquered the national independence under the Greek kings of Syria, and were also the successful champions of religious liberty. The surname of "Machabee," first borne by Judas, son of the preist Mathathias, aross, according to some, from a Hebrew word signifying "hammer"- both the father and his sons having been in the hand of God a hammer for shattering the might of their oppressorsw. Others, on the contrary, derive the appellation from the initial letters of the Hebrew sentence in Exodus 15:2, " who is like to thee among the strong, O Lord?" These letters, it is said, were inscribed by Judas on his victorious banners: and hence the surname. The name is bestowed not only on Judas and his brethren, but on a generous widow and her seven sons most cruelly put to death in Antioch by the pitiless tyrant Antiochus Epiphanes.The first book of Machabees- a manuscript copy of which in Hebrew, or, rather, in the popular Syro-Chaldaic of the Machabean age, was seen by St. Jerome- is the history of forty years, from the beginning of the reign of Antiochus Epiphanes to the death of the High Prist Simon Machabee. The seond book is the abridged history of the persecutions under Antiochus Epiphanes and Ptolemy Eupator, his, son, being compiled from a full and complete history of the same five books, written by Jason, and now lost. This abridgment describes in detail many of the principal occurrences related in the first book. Both historians, however, seem to have written independently of each other, neither having seen each other's work. No history, ancient or modren, contains a more vivid and thrilling story of living faith and heroic valor. THE STORY OF SUSANNA AND ALSO BEL AND THE DRAGON, In the book of Daniel there are two more chapters containg these stories.The history of Susanna, in all the ancient Greek and Latin Bibles, was placed in the beginning of the book of Daniel, till S. Jerom, in his translation, detached it from thence, because he did not find it in the Hebrew; which is also the case of the history of Bel and the Dragon. But both the one and the other are received by the Catholic Church, and were from the very beginning a part of the Christian Bible. Daniel seems not to have written the history of Susanna, at lest in the volume which contains his prophecies, though it be unquestionably canonical.Susanna was a very beautiful woman, her husband Joakim was yery rich and they dwelt in Babyion. There were two of the ancients Judges appointed that year and they frequented the house of Joakim and dealt with matters of judgment. These old men would see Susanna going into the orchard near their house daily and they became inflamed with lust toward her. The story goes on to tell how they tried to trick her to get their way,and death if they didn't. Susanna puts her trust in God and in the end Daniel's wisdom saves her and the two judges lose their lives. The story of Bel and the Dragon is about Daniel and at this time is the King of Babylon guest, honoured above all his friends. The Babylonians had a idol called Bel who comsumed twelve measures of fine flour, and forty sheep, and sixty vessels of wine a day. Daniel shows the King how Bel's priests are tricking him, causing the preists and their kin to lose their lives and the Temple destroyed. There was also a great Dragon in that place and the Babylonians also worshipped him. Daniel kills him without sword or club. Then the Babylonians took great indignation against the King saying he has become a Jew.Daniel gets put in with a den of seven lions and how again God is with him to deliver him. IT SEEMS TO ME SINCE IN THE DAY OF OUR LORD JESUS, ALL THE BOOKS THEY WERE READING, AS SCRIPTURE, AND SINCE WE STILL HAVE THEM, WE SHOULD AT LEAST BE AQUAINTED WITH THEM.

Isaiah 40:28-31, Hast thou not known? hast thou not heard, that the everlasting God, the Lord, the creator of the ends of the earth, faintest not, neither is weary? There is no searching of his understanding. He giveth power to the faint; and to them that have no might he increaseth strength. Even the youths shall faint and be weary, and the young men shall utterly fall; But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no sea. And I John saw the Holy City, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. Revelation; 21:1-2

SO YOU WANT TO GO TO HEAVEN

WISDOM OF SOLOMON