'gift'iV).
(c) Characteristics. — There is an intellectual element in wisdom, which is the highest exercise of the mind. The opposite of wisdom is folly, a stupid and brutish thing. The Divine side of wis- dom most clearly exhibits this character. Wisdom created by God is with God, and therefore is seen in His presence and works. Nevertheless, Sirach makes very little reference to the manifestation of wisdom in Nature or Providence. The whole stress is on this Divine gift as an object of aspiration for mankind. Wisdom is seen as the best of all human possessions. The sublimity of wisdom is set forth in order to fire the enthusiasm of men to have their lives enriched with the Divine grace. This is just the same as in Pro- verbs. So also are two further characteristics of Hebrew wisdom. First, it is moral. It is con- cerned with the practical reason, not the specula- tive. Its realm is ethics, not metaphysics. It is not a philosophy for solving the riddle of the universe ; it is a guide to conduct. The ethics is not discussed theoretically ; there is no theory of ethics. The aim of the book is practical, and the treatment of wisdom is didactic and hortatory. Siracli even discourages speculation, in directing the attention solely to conduct —
' Seek not things that are too hard for thee. And search not out things that are above thy strength. The things that have been, commanded thee, think there- upon; For thou hast no need of the things that are secret ' (321- K).
1, it is religious. Wisdom here, as in Pro- verbs, is identified with the fear of the Lord. The way to attain wisdom is to keep the Law —
' If thou desire wisdom, keep the commandments.
And the Lord shall i
; freely ' (!«).
* The Hebrew of Proverbs (njij) is rendered in R V as well as AV "possessed.' Still RVm has ' formed,' in agreement with Bertheau, Zockler, Hitzig;, and Ewald, and Delitzsch has the similar word ' produced ' ;, moreover, Syr. and Targ. agree with the LXX. In Pr ^^ m^ is) rendered ' get,' and certainly there it can only have that meani,ng. VOL. I. — 7
Like Proverbs, Sirach contains a quantity of shrewd worldly wisdom, and it is eminently prudential in aim ; but it is the better self that is considered, and the higher interests, ratlier than wealth and pleasure, that are studied. In this way the whole book is concerned with the exposition of the nature and merits of wisdom.
2. Baruch. — The eloquent celebration of the praises of wisdom in this book, which probably dates from the 1st cent. A.D. (see DB, art. ' Baruch '), is on similar lines to Sirach. Wisdom is like choice treasure, to be sought out from far. But since she is above the clouds or beyond the sea, no man can be expected to reach so far. There is only One who can do this. ' He that knoweth all things knoweth her' (S^''). Here the idea is dift'erent from that of Sirach. Wisdom is not created by God, but is found by Him, as though an independent pre-existence — ' He found her out with His understanding' (ib.). But the personification is thinner and more pallid than in Sirach. There is no real dualism. The language is little more than a metaphorical expression of the idea that God has the wisdom which is above human reach. Still it goes on into a sort of myth, for Wisdom thus discovered by God hidden in some remote region afterwards appears on earth and becomes conversant with men (3^'). Here we have a curious parallel to the Johannine conception of the Word originally with God and then becoming incarnate and dwelling with men. But Baruch has no conception of incarnation, and the idea has no place in the Hebrew personification of wisdom.
3. Wisdom.— («) The nature of Wisdom. — Al- thoush, as an Alexandrian work in touch with Greek pliilos.i]iliy, the Bk. of Wisdom carries the doctrine nf IJnlJniiitli a stage forward in the direc- tion ot I'hild, It is es.sentially Jewish, and its idea of wisdom is fundamentally the same as that of Proverbs and Sirach, but with additions, some of which majr be attributed to Hellenic influences. The essential Hebrew elements, however, remain. While a movement of intellect, wisdom is practical, moral, and religious. We are no more in the regions of metaphysics or e\en abstract ethical speculation than in the Palestinian literature. Thus we read —
' For her true beginning is desire of discipline ; And the care for discipline is love of her ' (C^^).
(b) Personification.— "Vhe personification of Wis- dom, though still very shadowy, is a little more accentuated than in Sirach. Wisdom is described as 'a spirit' (l"), and as such seems to be identi- fied with 'the spirit of God' (v.'). In answer to Solomon's prayer Goii gave him 'a spirit of wis- dom ' (7'). ' She is a breath of the power of God ' (7-=). She sits as God's 'assessor' (Drummond) by His side on His throne (9^). When, however, various functions, such as Creation and Providence, seem to be ascribed to her, this cannot be as to a personal agent, because they are al.so ascribed to God (e.g. 9'-^). It must be, therefore, that God is thought of as doing these things by means of His wisdom.