The 'Mortality' and Wisdom of 'Solomon'

Beneath is the Wisdom of Solomon, chapter 7:1-6 from the Apocrypha. I find it to be a powerful explanation of the image of pure mortalism. That is, a man who recognizes that he is without immortality, without eternal life.

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.

Its a helpful reminder of my own mortality.

--Nick

Deborah outside Scripture

There are a few references to Deborah outside the Hebrew Bible.

Josephus has her in Jewish Antiquities book 5 chapter 5. He begins with explaining the background to Sisera, the general of the Canaanite army. Josephus alludes to this being so because of the Israelites' "taking not warning by their former misfortunes" (1). He then goes onto explain the Israelites begging of Deborah to pray to God for them, and God grants them Barak. Deborah then sends for Barak (2) and then leads them to a great victory. Interestingly, Barak wouldn't go unless Deborah was a general with him (3).

The book of Tobit is named after a generous and God-fearing Jew whose blindness and poverty in Nineveh are the direct result of his performing one of his most characteristic good deeds, namely, burying an executed fellow-Jew (4).

What follows is a series of pious affirmations from the first person perspective of Tobit as he walks us through his own piety and relationship to the surrounding culture. His desire is to keep the "everlasting decree" in v6. He then goes on to Jerusalem to offer the first fruits of his crops and herds.

He further goes on to explain the continual rituals, and this deserves to be quoted in full. I give the verse before to offer context.

V7. I [Tobit] would give these to the priests, the sons of Aaron, at the altar; likewise the tenth of the grain, wine, olive oil, pomegranates, figs, and the rest of the fruits to the sons of Levi who ministered at Jerusalem. Also for six years I would save up a second tenth in money and go and distribute it in Jerusalem.
V8. A third tenth[A third tenth added from other ancient authorities] I would give to the orphans and widows and to the converts who had attached themselves to Israel. I would bring it and give it to them in the third year, and we would eat it according to the ordinance decreed concerning it in the law of Moses and according to the instructions of Deborah, the mother of my father Tobiel,[Lat: Gk Hananiel] for my father had died and left me an orphan.

I checked the LXX and it is the same exact spelling in the Greek, though the English is a tad obscure, often using two 'b's instead of one.

The same spelling and the position Deborah played in post-Mosaic law doesn't strike me as impossible that this is the same Deborah spoken of in Judges 4-5. In fact, I think this is very likely the same leader.

If this is the same Deborah, then she is held in high reverence as being influential on Tobit via the law of Moses and her instructions to Tobit's father. Some have suggested that she was as influential as Moses, given that she delivered Israel from bondage.

Just thought it was interesting.

--Nick

Footnotes.

1. Antiq. 5.5.1.198.

2. Antiq 5.5.3.202.

3. Antiq. 5.5.3.203.

4. New Oxford Annotated Bible, NRSV commentary, AP1.

A Theology of Wisdom

Book of Wisdom, 14:19-27. 

19 Every work decays and ceases to exist, and the one who made it will pass away with it.
20 Happy is the person who meditates on wisdom and reasons intelligently,
21 who reflects in his heart on her ways and ponders her secrets,
22 pursuing her like a hunter, and lying in wait on her paths;
23 who peers through her windows and listens at her doors;
24 who camps near her house and fastens his tent peg to her walls;
25 who pitches his tent near her, and so occupies an excellent lodging place;
26 who places his children under her shelter, and lodges under her boughs;
27 who is sheltered by her from the heat, and dwells in the midst of her glory.

For me, thinking about the concept of wisdom as woman is a bit of a change. Reflecting upon such a unique take on ideas is a bit of a stretch. We do such things to be close to wisdom and it is often a mirror of what we truly desire.

Book of Wisdom, 15:1-6.

1 Whoever fears the Lord will do this, and whoever holds to the law will obtain wisdom.
2 She will come to meet him like a mother, and like a young bride she will welcome him.
3 She will feed him with the bread of learning, and give him the water of wisdom to drink.
4 He will lean on her and not fall, and he will rely on her and not be put to shame.
5 She will exalt him above his neighbors, and will open his mouth in the midst of the assembly.
6 He will find gladness and a crown of rejoicing, and will inherit an everlasting name.

Wisdom as mother, wisdom as a young bride. The language cascades over the OT allusions, filled with themes from Proverbs and Psalms, and the "inheritance" is echoed in Paul's Epistle to the Galatians. Particularly chapter three.

The inheritance of land and national pride has been replaced with an everlasting name.

A name that echoes across the former lands.

A name that replaces the shame of contempt and failure and sin. This name is above all names.

--Nick

Silver and Gold

1 Maccabees 1:24-28, NRSV.

23. He took the silver and the gold, and the costly vessels; he took also the hidden treasures that he found.

24. Taking them all, he went into his own land. He shed much blood, and spoke with great arrogance. 

25. Israel mourned deeply in every community,

26. Rulers and elders groaned, young women and young men became faint, the beauty of the woman faded.

27. Every bridegroom took up the lament; she who sat in the bridal chamber was mourning.

28. Even the land trembled for its inhabitants, and all the house of Jacob was clothed in shame.

What I found interesting about this was a footnote in the NRSV (edited by Bruce Metzger). This footnote was on pg188, regarding this entire quoted section. It reads, "fragment of a contemporary poem." In this we find multiple key words that are found throughout the OT.

'Shame' fits in with Daniel 12:2 and is seen as a national tragedy, not an eschatological one. Thus, in this one instance, it would strike me as odd to argue that 'shame' is synonymous with final punishment (and many traditionalists are apt to do) when a nationalistic shame is far more tangible within context. The Jews didn't seem obsessed with the afterlife for a few reasons. One, this life was seen as intrinsically valuable. Note how many years one is said to have, and how this is considered a "full life." Two, generations are used to symbolize lineage and honor, and one who brings shame is considered obviously shameful not to themselves but to the community. This ties into the corporate whole that Israel viewed itself.

Even in this tragedy, we see the longing of Israel and the pain brought upon her head.

--Nick