Chapter VIII.
Second, against the discovered concupiscence, the remedy of wisdom is given from a fourfold consideration.
Who is such as the wise man? Above he described the vanity of concupiscence. Here against that vanity he intends to give the remedy of wisdom: for no one is rescued from concupiscence unless he walks with wisdom. He exhorts therefore in this part to adhere to wisdom from a fourfold consideration: first, from the consideration of its nobility; second, of its power; third, of its utility; fourth, of the opportuneness of time. He exhorts therefore to adhere to wisdom from the consideration of its nobility, which is weighed in this, that it renders a man noble and glorious both with respect to appearance and with respect to speech. And this he first proposes by questioning, then confirms by responding.
(Chapter 7, verse 30). Who is such as the wise man? That is, who is so distinguished? Wisdom 8: "On account of her I shall have glory among the multitudes and honor among the elders and the young," he speaks of wisdom. Who is so distinguished in speech? Whence he says: And who knows the explanation of a word? Supply: except the wise man. Wisdom 8: "He knows the subtleties of speeches," etc. And therefore in doubtful matters the wise man is to be heard with reverence; thus Wisdom 8: "The faces of princes shall wonder at me; when I am silent they will wait for me, and when I speak they will look upon me, and when I discourse at greater length, they will lay their hand upon their mouth."
(Verse 1). He proposed by questioning, now he confirms by responding; therefore he says: The wisdom of a man shines in his countenance. Proverbs 17: "Wisdom shines in the face of the prudent man," that is, it appears in his works. Sirach 19: "By his appearance a man is known, and by the meeting of his face a sensible person is recognized." For just as a good man is known by his countenance, so a wise man by his works. Nor is it a wonder if he is distinguished in appearance, because God does this; whence he says: And the Most Powerful shall change his face. This Most Powerful One is God; Job 36: "God does not cast away the mighty, since He Himself is mighty"; and afterwards: "Behold, God is exalted in His strength, and no one is like Him among lawgivers." He changes the face — the exterior — by first changing the interior, that is, by converting it to Himself. For the face of the soul is the higher portion of reason, by which it is naturally disposed to see God. This face God alone changes; Proverbs 21: "As the divisions of waters, so is the heart of the king in the hand of the Lord; whithersoever He wills, He shall incline it."
(Vers. 2.). The wise person is admirable not only with respect to appearance, but also with respect to speech through wisdom: in whose person he says: I observe the mouth of the king, says wisdom. This King is God, of whom 1 Timothy at the end says: " The blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords ". The mouth of this King is the Son of God, through whom He speaks to us: Hebrews 1: " In these last days He has spoken to us in His Son ". To observe therefore the mouth of the king is to attend diligently to the word of the Son of God: Luke 11: " Blessed are those who hear the word of God and keep it ". Wisdom therefore says: I observe, and I cause others to observe, according to that text of Deuteronomy 6: " Observe, that you may do what the Lord has commanded you, and it may be well with you ". And he explains in what things he observes, namely in the commandments, therefore he says: And the precepts of the oath of God, which, namely, proceed from His mouth. And I observe, namely the precepts of the oath of God: precepts of the oath are so called because they are firm and inviolable; Matthew 24: " Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away ". Or: they are called precepts of the oath, because they were given with a covenant and an oath: Exodus 24: " Moses took the blood and sprinkled it upon the people, saying: This is the blood of the covenant of the Lord concerning all these words ".
(Vers. 3. 4.). Do not hasten etc. Here secondly he exhorts one to adhere to wisdom by consideration of His power, when he says: Do not hasten to depart from His face, that is, do not turn aside from His will: and this on account of the sin of the heart, as though you would hide yourself from Him. Concerning this departure, Deuteronomy 32:
" He forsook God his maker, and departed from God his savior ". Therefore do not depart from His face, wishing to hide in evil: Sirach 16: " Do not say: I shall be hidden from God, and from on high who will remember me "? As Cain, who said to the Lord: " Behold, you cast me out today from your face, and from your face I shall be hidden ". And if it should happen that you depart, do not remain in evil: therefore he adds: Nor remain in an evil work: Sirach 5: " Do not delay to turn to the Lord, and do not defer from day to day ". And the reason for this is the consideration of divine power, because He acts omnipotently: For whatever He wills, He shall do: the Psalm: " Whatever He willed, He did "; and Isaiah 46: " My counsel shall stand, and all my will shall be done ". — He also acts easily; therefore he says: And His word is full of power, the Psalm: " The voice of the Lord in power, the voice of the Lord breaking the cedars ": and Jeremiah 32: " No word shall be difficult for You, who show mercy unto thousands ". He also acts irreproachably: Nor can anyone say to Him: Why do You act thus? Romans 9: " Who are you to answer back to God "?
(Vers. 8.). He who keeps the commandment etc. Here he thirdly exhorts us to cling to wisdom by consideration of our benefit. For there is great benefit in clinging to it and keeping its commandments. On account of which he says: He who keeps the commandment shall experience nothing evil: indeed he shall have many good things: Matthew 19: "If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments"; and John 8: "If you abide in my word, you shall truly be my disciples, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set you free".
(Vers. 5. 6. 7. 8.). The time and the response etc. Here he fourthly exhorts us to keep the commandments of divine wisdom by consideration of the opportunity of time, which the wise man considers in his works. On account of which he says: The heart of the wise man understands the time and the response: he understands the time in which one ought to act: Ephesians 5: "See, brethren, how carefully you walk, not as unwise, but as wise, redeeming the time, because the days are evil". Not only the time, but also the response in its time: Colossians 4: "Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to respond to each one".
And the wise man does well who considers the opportune time; which he proves when he brings forth: To every matter, that is, in every matter, there is a time and an opportunity, and much affliction of man, supply: in diligently considering these things; above, chapter 3: "All things have their time, and all things pass away in their own intervals under the sun". For there is an opportunity of time for studying: Sirach 38: "Write wisdom in a time of leisure". There is also an opportunity for praying: Psalm: "At midnight I arose to give praise to you". There is also an opportunity of time for doing good: Galatians 6: "While we have time, let us do good to all".
And this opportunity is in the present time; and he shows this to be in the present time, showing the future time to be perilous, because it cannot be foreseen: whence he said: He who is ignorant of things past, and things to come he can know by no messenger, because the future can be known far less than the past: above, chapter 7: "Who can tell him what shall be after him?"
Neither can it be prevented, whence he says: Nor is it in man's dominion, that is, power, to prevent the spirit, namely from departing, because no one can prevent the time of death from coming. And he explains this by adding: Nor does he have power in the day of death; Job 14: "You have appointed his limits, which cannot be passed." It cannot be avoided: whence he says: Nor is one permitted to rest, when war presses in, namely on the day of judgment; Wisdom 5: "The whole world shall fight for him against the senseless." Which war the wicked shall not be able to avoid; whence in Apocalypse 6 they will say to the mountains: "Fall upon us," etc., because then "flight shall perish." Neither can it be dissembled, therefore he says: Wickedness shall not save the wicked, as though he could feign himself good: Job 36: "He does not save the wicked, and he grants judgment to the poor"; and Proverbs 11: "Treasures shall not profit in the day of vengeance: justice shall deliver from death": therefore Job 10: "If I be wicked, woe is me."
Questions.
1. A question is raised concerning what he says: I observe the precepts of the oath of God: therefore God swears.
On the contrary: 1. Matthew 5: Let your speech be: yes, yes; no, no: therefore what is more than this is from evil. Therefore if it does not befit the perfect to swear, and nothing befits God except what is of the highest perfection, then to swear does not befit God.
2. Furthermore, it is shown that it would be superfluous: because God cannot lie, therefore the simple word of God is equally true as an oath.
3. Likewise, it seems that He cannot swear: because to swear is to call upon someone as witness and support: but God has no other by whom He could confirm: therefore neither can He swear.
I respond: it must be said that an oath is the end of every controversy, and is a pure and firm assertion, than which none can be firmer, and this for the purpose of producing certain belief. Thus therefore, when we wish to produce certain belief in the hearer, we swear: so God, condescending to our weakness, swears indeed, in order to render our faith solid.
1. As to the objection, therefore, that it is from evil: it is explained that it is from the evil of punishment, not of the one swearing, but of the one to whom the oath is made, that is, on account of his doubt.
Nevertheless, it must be said otherwise that the Lord does not there prohibit the oath as something evil: but because men are prone to speaking falsehood, He prohibits the proneness to swearing indiscriminately, lest at some point they fall simultaneously into lying and swearing to the contempt of God: and because God cannot lie, this reasoning has no place with respect to God.
2. As to the objection that He cannot lie: I say that although an oath in God does not add anything beyond a simple assertion according to the reality of the matter, it does nevertheless add according to our estimation, because our faith is made firmer thereby: and a wondrous condescension toward us is shown.
3. As to the objection that he cannot bring forward another [witness]: I say that just as he is his own witness, because he is his own truth, so he swears by himself; and this is the best testimony, because light manifests both itself and other things.
II. There is also a doubt about this, because he says: He who keeps the commandment will not experience anything evil. Against this: below in the same chapter: There are just men to whom evils befall as though they had done the works of the wicked.
I respond: there is experiencing evil that endures and evil that passes away; and he speaks here of the experience of evil that always remains, not of that which passes away.