Chapter Six

1–11. An invitation to kings and rulers of nations to learn wisdom if they wish to avoid God’s punishing judgment. 12–21. With sincere desire to learn wisdom, it is easy to acquire, and the result of this learning is very important: in addition to other blessings, wisdom leads to blessed immortality. 22–27. To those wishing to learn, the writer offers, from Solomon’s mouth, a complete teaching about wisdom.

The writer, in what he said above about the future fate of the righteous and wicked, finds reason to turn once again with exhortation to those same earthly rulers of whom he spoke in Wis 1:1, making clear to them how necessary for them is the acquisition of wisdom if they wish to avoid divine punishment (Wis 6:1-8); therefore he invites them to give careful attention to his teaching about wisdom (9–11).

Wisdom 6:1. Therefore, listen, O kings, and understand; learn, O judges of the ends of the earth! Wisdom 6:2. Give attention, you who possess multitudes and pride yourselves before the nations! 1–2. “Therefore, listen, O kings...” A similar address is found in Ps 2:10. The expression “ends of the earth” means, first of all, distant lands, and then is used to denote the whole extent of the earth. This broad address, of course, does not prevent the supposition that the writer had in mind especially those rulers and kings under whose authority the Hebrews then lived, and if he does not name them directly, it is only because he does not consider it helpful. “You who possess multitudes.” In accordance with the following “who pride yourselves before the nations” one should understand the multitude of peoples subject to the rulers of that time.

Wisdom 6:3. Authority has been given to you from the Lord, and power from the Most High, who will examine your deeds and test your intentions. Wisdom 6:4. For you, being servants of His kingdom, have not judged justly, have not kept the law, and have not acted according to God’s will. 3–4. The grounds are indicated why the rulers of the earth should pay attention to the teachings proposed to them: 1) because they have received their authority from God (v. 3); 2) they have hitherto abused this authority and violated the will of the Most High (v. 4). At the foundation of both verses lies the theocratic view that the dominion of foreign nations and kings over Israel in the plan of divine government is only a means to teach them not to be proud of their power as their own, and not to abuse it; otherwise God sets bounds to their authority (v. 3), cf. Rom 13:1; Eccl 5:7. — “Being servants of His kingdom...” The entire universe is viewed as God’s Kingdom, of course, not in the narrow theocratic sense in which only the Hebrew people constituted His Kingdom (Wis 3:8), but in the sense of His general dominion and authority over the world. In such a general and somewhat abstract meaning the word “kingdom” is used further in the verse. — “Have not kept the law.” Not Moses’ law, of course, but the general principles of right and justice.

Wisdom 6:5. Fearfully and soon He will appear to you, and strict judgment comes upon those who rule; Wisdom 6:6. for the lesser deserves mercy, but the mighty shall be mightily tormented. 5–6. A new motivation is indicated for the “judges of the earth” to follow the writer’s teachings in that their violations of right and justice will not go unpunished: “soon will come judgment upon those who rule.” At this judgment they will be judged with greater severity than those “lesser” in their public standing and authority.

Wisdom 6:7. The Lord of all does not fear the person nor will be terrified by power, for He created both small and great and cares equally for all; 7. “The Lord of all.” By this title God is probably contrasted with weak earthly rulers (Wis 8:3). In His power is further indicated the foundation for His justice and impartial judgment. “He created both small and great.” Small and great are people of different stations and conditions, as in Deut 1:17; Rev 13:16. “Cares equally for all.” The idea of divine providence in the world is disclosed by the writer of the Book of Wisdom broadly (Wis 12:3) and has purely religious character. God is presented as all-embracing, fatherly love caring for the world. Here, thus, the writer was bringing his readers to Christian worldview.

Wisdom 6:8. but a strict trial awaits those who rule. Wisdom 6:9. Therefore, to you, O kings, are my words, that you may learn wisdom and not fall. 9. A new address to kings to “learn wisdom” after demonstrations of its necessity. According to the context of chapter VI, the concept of “wisdom” (σοφία) is taken here by the writer in religious and practical sense (cf. vv. 17–20). This is the ability to accord one’s deeds with God’s will, piety, virtue. However, further on (Wis 7:17-20) the writer points out also the theoretical, intellectual moment in the concept of σοφία. “Not fall” means moral fall, sins, as in Rom 11:11.

Wisdom 6:10. For those who keep holy things sacred shall be sanctified, and those who have learned them will find justification. 10. Just as in the preceding verses the writer was inclining people toward following wisdom through negation, by fear of coming judgment, so now (from v. 10 onward) for the same purpose he points out its positive blessings. “Those who keep sacred things,” that is, the law and God’s will, of which there was mention in v. 4; “will find justification,” understood as at that divine judgment which the writer threatened above (vv. 5–6).

Wisdom 6:11. Therefore, desire my words, love them, and learn them. Wisdom 6:12. Wisdom is bright and imperishable, and she is easily perceived by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her; 12. From vv. 12–16 the writer develops the thought that with sincere striving for wisdom it is not difficult to attain it; it comes to meet the one seeking it. “Wisdom is bright and imperishable...” The first epithet may mean either that wisdom is easily grasped, her light comes to meet and illuminates the path to her; or, by comparison with the brightness of a precious stone and metal, may indicate the inner worth of wisdom (cf. Rev 18:14). The second predicate speaks to the fact that possession of wisdom has lasting value, in contrast to the quickly fading crown with which victors in war were adorned (1 Pet 1:4). “Is easily perceived by those who love her, and is found by those who seek her” (cf. Wis 1:1-2). The foundation of this thought is that the inner spiritual nature of human nature is not alien to wisdom.

Wisdom 6:13. She even anticipates those wishing to know her. 13. “She even anticipates those wishing to know her.” This verse strengthens the thought of the preceding one: mere desire for wisdom, even if it proceeds from unclear yearning for her, is already a significant step toward its actual possession.

Wisdom 6:14. Seeking her from early morning, one will not grow weary, for she will be found sitting at one’s door. 14. The 14th verse expresses the same thought about the ease of gaining wisdom as the 13th verse, only in figurative form. Wisdom is personified as a bride or beloved (see Wis 8:2) who “sits at the door” (Gen 4:7; Jas 5:9) and need not be sought for long.

Wisdom 6:15. Meditating upon her is already the perfection of understanding, and one who watches for her will quickly be freed from cares, 15. Earlier the writer spoke of how sincere feeling leads to wisdom; now he speaks of what significance it has for human reason. “Meditating upon her is already the perfection of understanding...” Understanding (φρόνησις) is taken by the writer as the capacity for thinking, reasoning. The relation of wisdom to understanding is defined in the book as the relation of higher to lower (Wis 8:6). “Prudence” is the fruit of wisdom, one of its four cardinal virtues (see Wis 8:7). Therefore the aspiration of understanding toward wisdom is striving for its ideal, its perfection. Then all seeming earthly goods will be nothing for the person and he “will quickly be freed from cares” about them.

Wisdom 6:16. for she herself goes about and seeks those worthy of her, and shows herself kindly to them on the paths, and meets them in every thought. 16. The writer returns to the thought of vv. 13 and 14; “goes about and seeks” is the personification of wisdom as in the book Prov 8:2-3. “Shows herself kindly to them on the paths, and meets them in every thought.” Here we have a profound contrast in the writer: the word “paths” means deeds, actions of the person; “thought” means the general inner disposition, mood.

Wisdom 6:17. The beginning of her is the most sincere desire for instruction, Wisdom 6:18. and concern for instruction is love, and love is the keeping of her laws, and observing the laws is the guarantee of immortality, Wisdom 6:19. and immortality brings one near to God; Wisdom 6:20. therefore the desire for wisdom leads to a kingdom. Wisdom 6:21. Therefore, rulers of the nations, if you delight in thrones and scepters, honor wisdom, that you may reign forever. 17–21. In this section the writer first repeats the previously expressed thought that in striving for wisdom lies the beginning and condition of its acquisition, and then by a whole series of intervening premises comes to the conclusion that wisdom leads to dominion (“kingdom”) in the true and proper sense, that is, to the highest dignity and blessedness in future life. This conclusion he proposes to the attention of the rulers of nations, hoping that if they delight in temporary dominion, then all the more they should prefer wisdom, which gives eternal kingdom. “Observing the laws is the guarantee of immortality...” not bodily, but spiritual, in blessed communion with God (see note to 1:12).

Wisdom 6:22. What wisdom is, then, and how she came to be, I will declare, Wisdom 6:23. and I will not hide her secrets from you, but will investigate from the beginning of her birth, Wisdom 6:24. and will reveal her knowledge, and will not pass by the truth; Wisdom 6:25. and will not go with the one wasting away from envy, for such a one will not be a partaker of wisdom. 22–25. From this point the writer begins to speak from Solomon’s mouth and expresses the intention to speak about the origin and essence of wisdom. He expresses this intention solemnly, with a whole series of strong expressions and with a certain polemical tone, as if arguing against that direction in religious life both in Judaism and especially in Egypt, which made a mystery of religious truth (“I will not hide from you its secrets”).

Wisdom 6:26. A multitude of the wise is the salvation of the world, and a wise king is the well-being of his people. Wisdom 6:27. Therefore learn from my words, and you will gain profit. 26–27. The great importance of wisdom for public well-being is indicated (cf. Prov 11:14) and from this the speaker makes another appeal to follow his teachings.