The Wisdom of Solomon

 

1.   Background

·       Possibly written in Alexandria, late 1st BC or early 1st AD.

·       Winston suggests soon after the crisis in AD 38 in Alexandria

 

2.   Perspective of God

·       Ultimately vindicates the righteous (e.g., 3:3ff).

 

3.   Perspective on Israel/Law

·       More generic understanding of wisdom and law (cf. 6:18)

·       Righteous person is a son of God (2:16-18; 5:5) and the righteous are “saints” (5:5).

 

4.   Perspective on Sin/Salvation

·       The righteous sometimes suffer visibly (3:2), but God ultimately vindicates them (3:3-4).

·       Sometimes children experience punishment of parents (3:16); God does judge in this world too (3:19).

 

5.   Cosmology/Eschatology

·       Creation of world by God’s word/wisdom (9:1-2, 9).

·       Created out of formless matter (11:17)

·       Platonic understanding of earthly temple? (9:8)

·       Dualistic view of the world/person (9:15)

·       Spirit is in all things (12:1)

·       Some debate on nature of afterlife: is it a Platonic immorality (cf. 1:15; 3:3; 15:8) or resurrection (cf. 3:7-8; 16:13).  I go with resurrection, although eternal resurrection (5:15).

·       Death entered the world through the Devil’s envy (2:24).  God did not make death (1:13).

 

6.   Ethics

·       Concern for the poor, the widow, and the aged (2:10)

·       Following the decrees of wisdom

 

7.   Special Features

·       Wisdom personified throughout, especially in 6:12ff.

·       Is the temple of the Lord heavenly in 3:14? Cf. depiction of universe on high priest’s robe (18:24)

·       Compare 5:16 with 2 Timothy 4

·       Compare 5:17-21 with Isaiah and Ephesians 6:11-17.

·       Compare 7:26 with Heb. 1:3.

·       Strong anti-idolatry in 13

·       God’s word in 18:15-16; cp. Heb. 4:12-13