Chapter 1
Wisdom, which is Christ, commands the inhabitants of the earth to love righteousness, indicating to them that perverse thoughts separate from God, and that wisdom will not enter into a wicked soul.
1:1 Love righteousness, you who judge the earth, think about the Lord with goodness, and seek him with simplicity of heart;
RABANUS. Love righteousness, you who judge the earth . Divine wisdom admonishes the rulers of God's people, to whom the power of judging has been given, that they should love righteousness and preserve equity in judgment. Otherwise, this statement may generally pertain to all who are endowed with reason and have an understanding mind, so that, judging the earth, that is, their own flesh, they may love righteousness; namely, that they do not make provision for the flesh in its lusts, but, subjecting it to the command of the spirit, devote themselves especially to the virtues by which the soul is nourished; then let them care for their body according to necessity, and not according to pleasure, always recalling that saying of the law: For man does not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God (Matt. 4:4). think about the Lord with goodness, and seek him with simplicity of heart . But he thinks about the Lord with goodness who reads and understands Sacred Scripture according to piety, and he seeks Him in simplicity of heart who humbly submits himself to His will, namely to keep His commandments. For he who devoutly seeks the Lord honors Sacred Scripture, and does not criticize what he does not yet understand, and therefore does not resist: this is to be meek, of whom in the Gospel Truth itself says: Blessed are the meek, for they shall possess the earth (Matt. 5:5). Therefore, philosophers of the world and their heretical followers are excluded, who think that by human reason they can grasp divine secrets, since it is written: Who shall investigate the wisdom of God that precedes all things? (Rom. 1:33) And the Apostle clearly says: The judgments of God are incomprehensible, and His ways unsearchable; He is to be worshipped in this present life with right faith, rather than with reckless conflict. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
1:2 for he is found by those who do not test him, and he appears to those who do not distrust him. 1:3 For crooked thoughts separate from God, and when power is tested it exposes the foolish.
RABANUS. Because He is found by those who do not test Him, but He appears to those who have faith in Him . For it is dangerous to tempt God by human assumption, since it is written: You shall not tempt the Lord your God. (Deut. 6:16) But it is beneficial to honor Him with true faith, because the righteous shall live by faith. For true wisdom by no means enters a wicked mind, nor can it dwell in a wicked man; therefore the philosophers of the Gentiles flatter themselves in vain, and all heretics, as well as false Christians, who think that with a defiled mind and criminal conduct they can receive the wisdom of God, which only those of a pure heart deserve to receive by the gift of the Holy Spirit. For perverse thoughts separate from God; but proven virtue corrects the foolish . It is clear that every wicked thought and depraved will can in no way be joined to the Lord, nor be in harmony with the highest good; for there is no fellowship between light and darkness, nor agreement between Christ and Belial. But where the intention and pursuit of sacred virtues are present in a devout heart, they always reject the vices of the foolish and refute their errors; therefore, those who truly love wisdom must cleanse their hearts and direct the whole intention of their mind to the love of their Creator. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
1:4 Because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul, nor dwell in a body enslaved to sin; 1:5 for the holy spirit of discipline will flee deceit and remove from thoughts without understanding and will be put to the test when unrighteousness comes in.
RABANUS. For wisdom will not enter into a malicious soul, nor dwell in a body subject to sins . In agreement with this testimony, the apostle James wrote similarly in his Epistle, saying: Can a fig tree, my brethren, bear olives, or a vine figs? So neither can salt water make sweet. Who is wise and learned among you? Let him show by good conduct his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and strife in your hearts, do not glory and be liars against the truth. For this wisdom does not descend from above, from the Father of lights; but is earthly, sensual, devilish. For where there is jealousy and dispute, there is instability and every evil work. But the wisdom that is from above is first indeed pure, then peaceable, gentle, compliant, full of mercy and good fruits, judging without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace (James 3:12-18). For true wisdom does not enter into a hateful mind, nor can it dwell in a wicked man; therefore, in vain do the philosophers of the Gentiles flatter themselves, and all heretics, as well as false Christians, who think that with a base mind and wicked conduct they can receive the wisdom of God, which only those with a pure heart are worthy to receive as a gift of the Holy Spirit. Because wisdom will not enter a deceitful soul . Therefore, it is most certain that Mani, Arius, and Eunomius, and the other heretics, composed their doctrines, most full of errors, without the grace of the Holy Spirit, because the good Spirit of the Lord always leads into the right way; but the evil spirit deceives, and drags his followers with him into the snare of eternal perdition, concerning whom it is also added: and will be put to the test when unrighteousness comes in . For when the time of retribution comes, all the wicked and sinners will receive perpetual punishment for their iniquities. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
VIGILIUS. Where the entire Trinity is called holy. Holy Father, holy Son, holy Holy Spirit. Of the Father in Ezra: For holy is God; truth. And in Leviticus: Be holy, for I also am the holy Lord your God (Lev. 11:44). Of the Son in the Gospel: I know you who you are, the holy one of God (Mark 1:24). Likewise there: That which shall be born of you shall be called holy, the Son of God (Luke 1:35). Of the Holy Spirit in Solomon: For the Holy Spirit of discipline will flee from deceit, and remove himself from thoughts that are without understanding (Wis. 1:5). [Vigilius of Thapsus, Against Marivadus the Arian, PL 62] 5 th century
VIGILIUS. On common discipline . The discipline of the Father, the discipline of the Son, the discipline of the Holy Spirit. Of the Father in Solomon: My son, do not neglect the discipline of God, nor grow weary when you are rebuked by Him (Prov. 3:11). Of the Son in Psalm seventeen (Vers. 36): Your right hand has received me, and Your discipline itself will teach me, and Your doctrine will guide me to the end. Of the Holy Spirit in Solomon: For the Spirit of discipline will flee deceit, and will remove itself from thoughts that are without understanding (Wis. 1:5). [Vigilius of Thapsus, Against Marivadus the Arian, PL 62] 5 th century
1:6 For wisdom is a kindly spirit, and will not acquit a blasphemer from what his lips have spoken; because God is witness of his inmost being, and a true observer of his heart, and a hearer of his tongue.
RABANUS. This statement refutes the error of those who, just as good thoughts are known to be inspired in us by God, also believe that evil thoughts are generated in our minds by His instigation. In no way does God, who is supremely good and wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth, impose the necessity of an evil word or wicked deed on anyone, through which he might perish, as the apostle James shows when he says: "Let no one, when he is tempted, say: I am tempted by God; for God is not the tempter of evils, and He Himself tempts no one" (James 1:13); as if he were saying: Let no one, when he has committed robbery, theft, false testimony, murder, adultery, or other such things, say that he was compelled by God to do these things, and therefore could in no way have avoided their outcome. “For God is not a tempter of evils,” it is understood, of temptations; for He Himself tempts no one, namely with that kind of temptation which deceives the wretched so that they sin. For there are two kinds of temptation: one which deceives, the other which tests; according to that which deceives, God tempts no one; according to that which tests, God tempted Abraham. Concerning this, the Prophet also asks: Prove me, O Lord, and try me (Ps. 26:2). But each one is tempted by his own desire, drawn away and enticed, namely, drawn away from the right path and enticed into evil, into which, however, he is permitted to fall by the just judgment of God, who did not wish to obey the Spirit of truth. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
1:7 For the spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things together has knowledge of what is spoken.
RABANUS. For the spirit of the Lord has filled the world . Therefore, the Holy Spirit, who in the beginning of creation was moving over the waters with invisible power, fills and contains every creature with His majesty, or by the gift of His power fills the whole world of the Church, in which He daily shows the abundance of His gift. Therefore it is added: and that which holds all things together has knowledge of what is spoken , because, as Paul says: To one is given through the Spirit the word of wisdom, to another the word of knowledge according to the same Spirit; to another faith in the same Spirit, to another the grace of healing in one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the discernment of spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues: for all these are worked by one and the same Spirit, distributing to each one individually as He wills (1 Cor. 12:8-11). [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
VIGILIUS. But in order to teach that the Holy Spirit is spread everywhere, we shall examine the testimony of David, from whose prophecy the Holy Spirit is taught to be diffused not by places, as you, held fast by a heavy sleep, suppose, but by His power, like the Father and the Son, everywhere. For he himself sings and says in Psalm (138:7): Where shall I go from your spirit? and where shall I flee from your face? If I ascend into heaven, you are there; and if I descend into hell, you are present. If I take my wings in the morning, and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me. And in Solomon: The Spirit of the Lord has filled the whole world (Wis. 1:7). [Vigilius of Thapsus, Against Marivadus the Arian, PL 62] 395-469AD
1:8 Therefore no one who speaks unjust things will go unnoticed, nor will convicting justice pass him by.
RABANUS. For just as the elect receive the gift of knowledge and virtue through the grace of the Holy Spirit, so heretics and all the depraved, puffed up by their own pride and incited by the evil spirit, cannot hide before the Spirit of God the wickedness of their error, which they shamelessly proclaim, and therefore they cannot escape the just punishment of vengeance; for just as the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, and His ears are open to their prayers, so the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
1:9 For a searching inquiry will be made into the plans of the ungodly, and the report of his words will come before the Lord to expose his lawless deeds. 1:10 For the ear of jealousy hears all things, and the sound of murmuring does not escape notice.
RABANUS. The outcry of Sodom and Gomorrah has multiplied and come to the Lord, and He descended to see whether they had completed by deed the outcry that had come to Him. Therefore, the Lord rained upon the sinners sulfur and fire from the Lord, and overthrew these cities and the entire surrounding region. Therefore, also the murmuring of the children of Israel went up to the Lord, and behold, the wrath of the Lord was stirred up against the people, and He struck them with a very great plague. For the Lord God is a consuming fire, a jealous God, and He will render to each according to his works. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
Wisdom commands its listeners to guard themselves against murmuring, detraction, and lying, for justice is immortal, nor will the wicked grasp it.
1:11 Therefore guard yourselves against useless grumbling, and refrain your tongue from slander; for no secret utterance will go unheard, and a lying mouth destroys the soul.
RABANUS. How wicked grumbling and detraction are can be proven by many statements of the Holy Scriptures and by examples of the judgments of the Lord; especially since the Lord Himself is often found to have sent vengeance upon those who grumble and complain. And Scripture says that every scoffer is an abomination to the Lord (Prov. 24:9). The Apostle also says: Whisperers and detractors are hateful to God (Rom. 1:30). Therefore, the psalmist also says: Whoever slanders his neighbor in secret, him I will destroy. And elsewhere it is read: Whoever slanders anything binds himself for the future, and just as a serpent bites in silence, so does he who secretly slanders his brother. (Ps. 101:5) Death and life are in the power of the tongue. He who is of a perverse heart finds no good, and he who twists his tongue falls into evil. And it is well said that an obscure answer will not go in vain, because it will be reserved for the judgment of the Lord. Therefore, that saying of the Lord: Every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment. (Matt. 12:36) For by your words you shall be justified, and by your words you shall be condemned. and a lying mouth destroys the soul . Therefore, a lying mouth kills the soul of the liar himself, because it pierces it with the sword of sin; therefore, every lie must be most carefully avoided, although sometimes there is a kind of lie that is a lesser fault, if someone lies in order to do a good deed. This is clearly expressed by Father Augustine in his book On Lying, where he mentions that there are eight kinds of lies; anyone who wishes can find out how he discusses this there. But whoever thinks that any kind of lie is not a sin deceives himself disgracefully, while he considers himself to be an honest deceiver of others. Therefore, when examples of lying are presented to us from the Holy Scriptures, either they are not lies, but are thought to be so because they are not understood; or if they are lies, they are not to be imitated, because they cannot be just, but as it is written: God did well to the Hebrew midwives and to Rahab the prostitute of Jericho, not because they lied, but because they were merciful to the people of God. Therefore, it was not their deceit that was rewarded, but their goodwill; the kindness of their mind, not the wickedness of their lying. For just as it would not be strange or absurd if God wished to forgive evil deeds previously committed by them because of their later good deeds, so it is not surprising that, at one time and in one case, God, seeing both aspects of the same act, mercifully rewarded the act as good and, because of this good, forgave the evil in it. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
1:12 Do not seek death in the error of your life, nor draw destruction upon yourselves by the works of your hands; 1:13 for God did not make death, nor does he take pleasure in the destruction of the living.
RABANUS. Above, he has listed those things which are harmful to man, that is, grumbling, detraction, and lying, from which he has commanded us to guard ourselves. Now he repeats the same in other words, namely, that we should not do those things which are subject to death, because our destruction does not please God, who wills all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the Truth. He who speaks through the prophet: Why will you die, house of Israel? For I do not will the death of the one who dies, says the Lord God (Ezek. 18:31-32). Turn back and live. For God is the author of our salvation, not of our destruction, who saw all that He had made, and it was very good. But according to the Apostle, the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life (Rom. 6:23). [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
AMBROSIASTER. How then does the same Solomon say, “ God did not make death ,” when in another place he says, “Good and evil, life and death, poverty and honor are from God”? (Wis. 1:13; Eccles. 11:14) There is no doubt that all good things are from God, but the evils which He has said are only evils, since vengeance is taken upon us. For punishment, although justly inflicted, still seems evil to the one who suffers it. For God also speaks to sinners through the prophet, saying, “I will bring evils upon you,” (Jer. 11:11) that is, “I will subject you to punishments.” But life and death are therefore from God, because He gave the law, which promises life to those who keep it, but death to those who despise, though that which is called the second death. For in judging each one what he deserves, from Him is either absolution unto life or guilt unto death. Therefore, He is not the inventor of death, but the judge, because the author of death is sin. How then could God, who knows not how to sin, make death? But when He repays sins, death is said to be from Him, though it is not from Him, but from the one who sinned. By the same reasoning, poverty and riches are from God. For some, having the fear of God, despise luxury, flee wasteful living, and do not turn away their eyes from the needy and the poor: such persons increase good things. For it is written in Proverbs, “Discipline takes away poverty and dishonor” (Prov. 13:18). But those who do not have the fear of God, living more carelessly and despising the needy, as it is written, “in need He shall deliver”; (Ps. 72:12) are not only negligent and foolish toward themselves, but also despise of the law given them. In this way God made the poor and the rich: because while the violation of the law produces want, He is said to do it as the author of the law; and when some, through fear, keep the discipline of the law, they are made rich by God, the author of the law. [Ambrosiaster, Q&A on the Old and New Testaments, PL 35, 1 st cat. Q.34] around 370AD
ANASTASIUS. For our salvation and destruction are indeed in our own power and free will, as it is written: He made man from the beginning, and left him in the hand of his own counsel. (Eccles. 15:14) And: Before men are life and death, and whichever he chooses shall be given to him. (Eccles. 15:18) Therefore the Wise Man also warns: Do not be zealous for death in the error of your life, nor acquire destruction by the works of your hands. For God did not make death, nor does He rejoice in the destruction of the living. (Wis. 1:12-13) But showing that our downfall is chosen by us of our own accord, he says again: But the wicked have called it to themselves by their hands and words. (Wis. 1:16) A witness to this matter, to speak theologically, is he who was called Lucifer because of his brightness, and became darkness because of his pride. [Anastasius of Sanai, PL 89, Questions 27] 620-700AD
1:14 For he created all things that they might exist, and the generations of the world are wholesome, and there is no destructive poison in them, nor has Hades’ dominion on earth.
RABANUS. From this statement, as in the previous one, it is evident that the Lord is the author of good works, not of evil ones; therefore, He is a just judge, who punishes wicked deeds and sins. Nor do we sin out of necessity when we transgress, but by a stubborn will, which proceeds from the quality of free will. We therefore acknowledge God as just and good, the creator of human substance and of both inner and outer senses, so that absolutely everything pertaining to nature is from Him, and absolutely nothing that is against nature is from Him. But sin is against nature, from which death and all things that arise from death originate. Man then clothed himself with these evils when, deprived of faith and obedience, the Devil led him away from the law of God into trust in his own promises, and bound all the offspring of his successors to himself by the condition of the appointed lineage. [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD
1:15 For righteousness is immortal. 1:16 But the ungodly summoned him with hands and words, considering him a friend; they wasted away and made a covenant with him, because they are worthy to be of his portion.
RABANUS. Therefore, righteousness is rightly said to be perpetual and immortal, because it frees those who obey it from eternal death. Unrighteousness, on the other hand, is the purchase of death, because the torments of Hades are the certain reward of sinners. The immoral have summoned unrighteousness with their hands and words, because they follow it in their deeds and speech, and, deceived by error, confidently believe they can sin with liberty, in no way consenting to be separated from its company, since, already condemned by the just judgment of God, they do not strive to escape it. Therefore the saying from the Gospel: But he who does not believe is already judged, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God (Jn. 3:18). And again: He who believes in the Son of God has eternal life. But he who does not believe in the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God remains upon him (Jn. 3:36). [Rabanus Maurus, Commentary on Wisdom, PL 109] 780-856AD