The Pulpit Commentary — 1 Kings — Section 206

HO:tiITLIES BY VARIOUS AUTHORS. Vers. 1-3.-The Queen of the South. This incident is remarkable as the only one in the reign of Solomon to which reference is made in the New Testament. Solomon is t"ice spoken of by our Lord in His recorded discourses. In one case his royal magnificence is declared inferior to the beauty with which God has clothed the '' lilies of the field." "Even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these" (Matt. n. 29). Art can never vie with nature. What loveliness of form or hue that human skill can produce is comparable with that of the petals of a flower ? What is all the glory with which man may robe himself to that which is the product of the creative finger of God 'l In the other case, it is the wisdom of Solomon that our Lord refers to, as having its wide-spread fame illustrated by the nsit of the Queen of Sheba, and as being surpassed by the higher revelation of truth in Himself. "The queen of the south shall rise up in the judgment,'' &c. (Matt. xii. 42). The interest and importance of this incident is greatly heightened by its thus finding a place in the discourses of Christ. In itself there is no very deep meaning in it. It supplies few materials for high morel or spiritual teaching. The interchange of civilities between two Oriental monarchs is related by the historian with innocent pride, as setting forth the surpassing grandeur of the king whose reign was to him the golden age of bis own nation's life. There is something of a romantic charm in it, too, that naturally gave rise to fanciful traditions being added to the biblical story. But beyond this it is an event of no great moment. This use of it, however, by our Lord lifts it out of the region of the commonplace, gives it other than a mere secular meaning, makes it an important channel of Divine instruction. Every name is honoured by association with His. Every incident becomes clothed with sacred in- terest when made to illustrate the relation of human souls to Him. Let us look at these two persons, then, in the light of the New Testament reference to their interview. I. SOLOMON, IN ms WISDOM, A TYPE OF THE " GREATER" CHRIST. The distinctive personal characteristic of Solomon was his " wisdom." The fame of it is regarded by some as marking the uprising of a new and hitherto unknown power in Israel. Whence came this new phenomenon? We trace it to a Divine source. "The Lord gave unto David this wise son" (eh. v. 7). "God gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much'' (eh. iv. 29). No doubt the extended intercourse with smTonnding nations that he established was the beginning of a new life to Israel, bringing in a flood of new ideas and interests. This supplied materials for his wisdom but did not create it. It was not learnt from Egypt, or the " children of the East." It was a Divine gift, that came in response to his own prayer (eh. iii. 9). 1. One broad feature that strikes us in Solomon's wisdom is its remarkable ,ersatility, the variety of its phases, the way in which its light played freely on all sorts of subjects. It dealt with the objects and processes of nature. It was a kind of natural science. He has been called "the founder of Hebrew science," the "first of the world's great naturalists." "He spake of trees, from the cedar tree," &c. (eh. iv. 33). One would like to know what the range and quality of his science really was ; but the Bible, existing as it does for far other than scientific purposes, does not satisfy our curiosity in this respect. It dealt with moral facts and problems -a true practical philosophy of life ; its proper ends and aims, its governing principles, the meaning of its experiences, its besetting dangers and possible rewards. It dealt with the administration of national affairs. This is seen in his assertion of the principle of eternal righteousness as the law by which the ruler of men must himself be ruled. His wisdom lay in the gift of " an understanding heart to judge the people and discern between good and evil," and the people "feared the king, for they saw that the wisdom of God was in him to <.lo judgment" (eh. iv. 29). We are thus reminded ofthe unity of nature and of human life. Truth is one, whether in thought, feeling, or conduct, in things private oi: public, secular or spiritual. Wisdom is the power that discerns and utilizes the innermost truth of all things, finds out and practically applies whatever is essentially ~ivine. 2. Solomon's wisdom assumed various forms of expression : the Pr0Terb1al form. as OH, X. 1-18.) THE FIRST BOOK OF KINGS. 209