The Wisdom of Solomon; Chapter 7

[Seeker]

Chapter Seven

Solomon Like Other Mortals
 1  I also am mortal, like everyone else,
     a descendant of the first-formed child of earth;
     and in the womb of a mother I was molded into flesh,

 2  within the period of ten months, compacted with blood,
     from the seed of a man and the pleasure of marriage.

 3  And when I was born, I began to breathe the common air,
     and fell upon the kindred earth;
     my first sound was a cry, as is true of all.

 4  I was nursed with care in swaddling cloths.

 5  For no king has had a different beginning of existence;

 6  there is for all one entrance into life, and one way out.

Solomon's Respect for Wisdom
 7  Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
     I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.

 8  I preferred her to scepters and thrones,
     and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.

 9  Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem,
     because all gold is but a little sand in her sight,
     and silver will be accounted as clay before her.

 10  I loved her more than health and beauty,
     and I chose to have her rather than light,
     because her radiance never ceases.

 11  All good things came to me along with her,
     and in her hands uncounted wealth.

 12  I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them;
     but I did not know that she was their mother.

 13  I learned without guile and I impart without grudging;
     I do not hide her wealth,

 14  for it is an unfailing treasure for mortals;
     those who get it obtain friendship with God,
     commended for the gifts that come from instruction.

Solomon Prays for Wisdom
 15  May God grant me to speak with judgment,
     and to have thoughts worthy of what I have received;
     for he is the guide even of wisdom
     and the corrector of the wise.

 16  For both we and our words are in his hand,
     as are all understanding and skill in crafts.

 17  For it is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists,
     to know the structure of the world and the activity of the elements;

 18  the beginning and end and middle of times,
     the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons,

 19  the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars,

 20  the natures of animals and the tempers of wild animals,
     the powers of spirits[a] and the thoughts of human beings,
     the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots;

 21  I learned both what is secret and what is manifest,

 22  for wisdom, the fashioner of all things, taught me.

The Nature of Wisdom
     There is in her a spirit that is intelligent, holy,
     unique, manifold, subtle,
     mobile, clear, unpolluted,
     distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,
     irresistible,

 23 beneficent, humane,
     steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,
     all-powerful, overseeing all,
     and penetrating through all spirits
     that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle.

 24  For wisdom is more mobile than any motion;
     because of her pureness she pervades and penetrates all things.

 25  For she is a breath of the power of God,
     and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
     therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into her.

 26  For she is a reflection of eternal light,
     a spotless mirror of the working of God,
     and an image of his goodness.

 27  Although she is but one, she can do all things,
     and while remaining in herself, she renews all things;
     in every generation she passes into holy souls
     and makes them friends of God, and prophets;

 28  for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives with wisdom.

 29  She is more beautiful than the sun,
     and excels every constellation of the stars.
     Compared with the light she is found to be superior,

 30  for it is succeeded by the night,
     but against wisdom evil does not prevail.

[a] Or winds  

(NSRV)

"The Catholic Edition of the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1965, 1966 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved."

[Seeker]

What strikes me about verses 7 and on is how much wisdom mirrors Christ.  When reading this, it seems like the way to come to know and love Christ all the more.  Consider the following...

7 Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I called on God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.

Replace "the spirit of wisdom" with "Jesus" and it reads...

Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me;
I called on God, and Jesus came to me.

Christ has been considered by some to be wisdom personified and I think the rest of the passage can shed some light on our relationship with Our Lord.

I preferred Him to scepters and thrones,
and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with Him.

Neither did I liken to Him any priceless gem,
because all gold is but a little sand in His sight,
and silver will be accounted as clay before Him.

I loved Him more than health and beauty,
and I chose to have Him rather than light,
because His radiance never ceases.

All good things came to me through Him,
and in His hands uncounted wealth.

I rejoiced in them all, because Christ leads them;
but I did not know that He was my Lord and brother.

I learned without guile and I impart without grudging;
I do not hide His wealth,
for He is an unfailing treasure for mortals;
those who abide in Him obtain friendship with God,
commended for the gifts that come from instruction.

May God grant me to speak with judgment,
and to have thoughts worthy of Him who I have received;
for he is the Father of Christ
and the corrector of all Christians.

For both we and our words are in his hand,
as are all understanding and skill in crafts.

For it is he who gave me unerring knowledge of what exists,
to know the structure of the world and the activity of the elements;

the beginning and end and middle of times,
the alternations of the solstices and the changes of the seasons,

the cycles of the year and the constellations of the stars,

the natures of animals and the tempers of wild animals,
the powers of spirits and the thoughts of human beings,
the varieties of plants and the virtues of roots;

I learned both what is secret and what is manifest,

for Jesus, the Word made flesh, the fashioner of all things, taught me.
For He is intelligent, holy,
unique, manifold, subtle,
mobile, clear, unpolluted,
distinct, invulnerable, loving the good, keen,
irresistible,

beneficent, humane,
steadfast, sure, free from anxiety,
all-powerful, overseeing all,
and penetrating through all spirits
that are intelligent, pure, and altogether subtle.

For Christ is more mobile than any motion;
because of His pureness He pervades and penetrates all things.

For He is the breath of the power of God,
and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty;
therefore nothing defiled gains entrance into Him.

For He is eternal light,
a spotless mirror of the working of God,
and begotten of his goodness.

Although He is but one, He can do all things,
and while remaining in Himself, He renews all things;
in every generation He passes into holy souls
and makes them friends of God, and prophets;

for God loves nothing so much as the person who lives in Christ.

He is more beautiful than the sun,
and excels every constellation of the stars.
Compared with the light He is found to be superior,

for it is succeeded by the night,
but against Jesus evil does not prevail.

Please forgive my poetic license.  Some of these passages seem to also apply to the Holy Spirit.  I thought it might be helpful to see how these passages apply to Christ by considering Jesus when the author speaks of wisdom.