Commentary on Wisdom · Chapter 123

1(Vers. 26.). But those who by mockeries and rebukes, that is, rebukes full of mockery, were not corrected, namely from unbelief and perverse conduct, experienced a worthy judgment of God, namely of condemnation and death. From this he seems to imply that some were corrected amid the scourges; whence also some of the Egyptians went with the Israelites, as is clear from Exodus twelve, and the Gibeonites were confederated with them, as is clear from Joshua nine. For in these things etc., as if to say: and deservedly; for in these things which they suffered, namely in the divine scourges, they bore it grievously, by carrying them impatiently. For in those things suffering, that is, enduring, so that suffering is said from passion, not from patience: they were indignant, namely by murmuring against God; Sirach thirty-three: "The heart of a fool is like a cart wheel." Through those things which they thought were gods, namely brute animals, in them, that is, through them, when they were destroyed, that is, punished; Baruch three: "They were destroyed and descended to the underworld"; seeing him, that is, God, as if perceiving by sensible experience; for in himself he cannot be seen; First John four: "No one has ever seen God." Whom formerly, namely in prosperity, they denied that they knew, according to that text in Exodus five: "I do not know the Lord, and I will not let Israel go." The true God, to be, supply: they acknowledged, by belief not voluntary, but extorted through punishments; such is the faith of demons; James two: "The demons believe" etc.; Isaiah twenty-six: "Lord, in distress they sought you." "For the eyes which guilt closes, punishment opens," as Gregory says. The text is to be construed thus: Seeing, namely the Egyptians and Canaanites, him whom formerly they denied that they knew, they acknowledged the true God, to be, supply: they acknowledged, I say, through those things which they thought were gods, that is, through brute animals; and this happened when they were destroyed through them. On account of which, namely, because they acknowledged God, yet did not glorify him, according to that text in Romans one: "Who, although they had known God, did not glorify him as God" etc.; and the end of their condemnation, that is, their final condemnation, of which Matthew twenty-five says: "Depart from me, you cursed, into eternal fire." The beginning of condemnation is in the separation of the soul from the body; the middle, in the torment of the separated soul; but the end, in the resurrection, when one will be tormented in hell with the resumed body; the end, I say, of their condemnation, who in the present life refused to be corrected, shall come etc.; Gregory: "Those whom scourges do not correct in the present, they transmit to future ones"; upon them, because from heaven for their oppression, so that they cannot resist, as though overwhelmed or crushed; in the Psalm: "He shall rain upon sinners snares, fire and brimstone" etc.