Wisdom — Chapter 5

THEN SHALL THE JUST STAND WITH GREAT CONSTANCY AGAINST THOSE THAT HAVE AFFLICTED THEM, AND TAKEN AWAY THEIR LABOURS. The just will stand at the Last Judgment with great constancy against their former oppressors. \"Magna constantia\" — the Greek has \"great freedom of speech\" (parresia): they will speak boldly in the presence of their tormentors. They stand — as conquerors and judges — while the wicked lie prostrate (Ps 1). Lapide notes that the greatest martyrs (Peter, Paul, Stephen, Lawrence, Cecilia) will stand as accusers against those who martyred them (Nero, Diocletian, Decius). The glorified body, standing with confidence, contrasts with the crouching shame of the damned.

SEEING THIS THE WICKED SHALL BE TROUBLED WITH TERRIBLE FEAR, AND SHALL BE AMAZED AT THE SUDDENNESS OF THEIR UNEXPECTED SALVATION. The wicked are struck with \"terrible fear\" (timor horribilis) at the sight of the glorified just. They are amazed at the \"unexpected salvation\" of those they thought destroyed. Three causes of their terror: (1) the majesty of the divine Judge; (2) the deformity of their own sin-stained bodies and souls; (3) the sight of the glorified saints whom they persecuted now serving as judges over them.

SAYING WITHIN THEMSELVES, REPENTING, AND GROANING FOR ANGUISH OF SPIRIT: THESE ARE THEY WHOM WE HAD SOMETIMES IN DERISION, AND FOR A PARABLE OF REPROACH. The damned confess their error — but too late for repentance. Their recognition that the just whom they mocked are now glorified is itself a torment: envy in hell is one of the greatest pains. \"Groaning for anguish of spirit\" (angustia spiritus) — the spiritual agony of those who recognize that their eternal loss was self-inflicted.

WE FOOLS ESTEEMED THEIR LIFE MADNESS, AND THEIR END WITHOUT HONOUR. The impious confessed that they called the just \"mad\" — as the world always regards the truly virtuous as fools (1 Cor 1:18-25). Lapide on the folly of the world: what the world calls wisdom (pleasure, wealth, power) is madness before God; what the world calls madness (self-denial, martyrdom, poverty) is true wisdom.

BEHOLD HOW THEY ARE NUMBERED AMONG THE CHILDREN OF GOD, AND THEIR LOT IS AMONG THE SAINTS. The great reversal: those who were despised are now numbered among the children of God. \"Filiis Dei\" — adopted sons of God by grace, glorified in body and soul. \"Sors illorum inter sanctos\" — their lot is among the saints. The doctrine of the Communion of Saints: the glorified just are with God and with one another in the heavenly Jerusalem.

THEREFORE WE HAVE ERRED FROM THE WAY OF TRUTH, AND THE LIGHT OF JUSTICE HATH NOT SHINED UNTO US, AND THE SUN OF UNDERSTANDING HATH NOT RISEN UPON US. The impious in hell confess their threefold error: (1) They strayed from the way of truth (via veritatis); (2) the light of justice (lumen iustitiae) did not shine for them — they refused it; (3) the sun of understanding (sol intelligentiae) did not rise for them — they preferred the darkness of sin. Lapide: the sun of justice is Christ (Mal 4:2, \"the Sun of justice shall rise for those who fear His name\"). By rejecting Christ they rejected the sun of understanding.

WE WEARIED OURSELVES IN THE WAY OF INIQUITY AND DESTRUCTION, AND HAVE WALKED THROUGH HARD WAYS, BUT THE WAY OF THE LORD WE HAVE NOT KNOWN. Three descriptions of the sinner's path: (1) the way of iniquity — morally evil; (2) the way of destruction (perditionis) — leading to ruin; (3) hard ways (vias difficiles) — paradoxically, sin is harder than virtue (Prov 13:15, \"the way of the transgressor is hard\"). \"The way of the Lord we have not known\" — they refused to know it, choosing the wide road (Matt 7:13).

WHAT HATH PRIDE PROFITED US? OR WHAT ADVANTAGE HATH THE BOASTING OF RICHES BROUGHT US? Vanity of vanities: pride and riches, which seemed so valuable, profit nothing in eternity. This verse is a meditation on the transience of earthly goods — the classic memento mori theme. Lapide enumerates the things the impious boasted of: power, riches, beauty, nobility, fame — all vanished.

ALL THOSE THINGS ARE PASSED AWAY LIKE A SHADOW, AND LIKE A POST THAT RUNNETH ON. Three images of the transience of earthly goods: (1) like a shadow passing; (2) like a runner passing by; (3) like a ship passing through the waves (v.10). Lapide develops each image with classical and scriptural references.

OR AS A SHIP THAT PASSETH THROUGH THE WAVES: WHEREOF WHEN IT IS GONE BY, THE TRACE CANNOT BE FOUND, NOR THE PATH OF ITS KEEL IN THE WATERS. The ship leaves no permanent trace in the water. So earthly greatness leaves no lasting mark: the powerful, the beautiful, the wealthy — where are they? The water closes over them and they are forgotten.

OR AS A BIRD THAT FLIETH THROUGH THE AIR, OF THE PASSAGE OF WHICH NO MARK CAN BE FOUND, BUT ONLY THE SOUND OF THE WINGS BEATING THE LIGHT AIR, AND PARTING IT BY THE FORCE OF HER FLIGHT; BUT AFTERWARDS NO SIGN OF HER WAY IS FOUND THEREIN. The bird's flight through air leaves no path. The impious life, for all its noise and apparent force, leaves no mark of real worth. Applied by Lapide to the vanity of empty eloquence and worldly fame: the words of the wicked are like a bird's path in the air.

OR AS AN ARROW SHOT AT A MARK, THE DIVIDED AIR PRESENTLY COMETH TOGETHER AGAIN, SO THAT THE PASSAGE THEREOF IS NOT KNOWN. An arrow pierces the air but leaves no lasting track. Applied to the brevity and vanity of human life and of earthly achievement: all is swallowed up by time and eternity.

SO WE ALSO BEING BORN, FORTHWITH CEASED TO BE: AND HAVE BEEN ABLE TO SHOW NO MARK OF VIRTUE: BUT ARE CONSUMED IN OUR WICKEDNESS. The final conclusion of the impious: \"we too ceased to be.\" Having lived for nothing eternal, they leave no mark of virtue — only the mark of their wickedness, which is their condemnation. Lapide: this is the ultimate judgment on a life wasted in sin: no virtue, no merit, only the bitter fruits of iniquity.

FOR THE HOPE OF THE WICKED IS AS DUST WHICH IS BLOWN AWAY WITH THE WIND, AND AS A THIN FROTH WHICH IS SCATTERED ABROAD BY THE STORM: AND AS SMOKE WHICH IS DISPERSED HERE AND THERE BY THE WIND: AND AS THE REMEMBRANCE OF A GUEST OF ONE DAY THAT PASSETH BY. Four images of the vanity of the wicked's hope: (1) dust blown by wind; (2) thin froth scattered by storm; (3) smoke dispersed; (4) memory of a passing guest. All emphasize the same point: earthly hope without God is utterly insubstantial.

BUT THE JUST SHALL LIVE FOR EVERMORE: AND THEIR REWARD IS WITH THE LORD, AND THE CARE OF THEM WITH THE MOST HIGH. In contrast to the impious: the just live forever. Three elements of their eternal life: (1) immortal life — \"in aeternum vivent\"; (2) their reward is with the Lord — safe, secure, eternal; (3) God's care (cogitatio) is their constant companion. Applied to the theological virtue of hope: the hope of the just is not disappointed (Rom 5:5).

THEREFORE SHALL THEY RECEIVE A KINGDOM OF GLORY, AND A CROWN OF BEAUTY AT THE HAND OF THE LORD: FOR WITH HIS RIGHT HAND HE WILL COVER THEM, AND WITH HIS HOLY ARM HE WILL DEFEND THEM. The eternal kingdom and crown of beauty (diadema decoris) — the double reward of soul and body in the resurrection. God's right hand covers and defends them — the image recalls Psalm 90. The crown of beauty is the clarity of the glorified body reflecting the beauty of God.

HE SHALL TAKE TO HIM HIS JEALOUSY AS COMPLETE ARMOUR, AND SHALL ARM THE CREATURE FOR THE REVENGE OF HIS ENEMIES. God's divine zeal (zelus) is His armor. The whole creation becomes an instrument of divine vengeance against the wicked — a theme developed in vv.18-23. Lapide: at the Last Judgment, all the elements — air, fire, water, earth — will cooperate to punish the wicked, as they cooperated to punish the Egyptians.

HE SHALL TAKE JUSTICE FOR A BREASTPLATE, AND SHALL PUT TRUE JUDGMENT INSTEAD OF A HELMET. Divine justice as breastplate, true judgment as helmet: the metaphor of God armed for battle, with justice and truth as His weapons. Applied to the four cardinal virtues as spiritual armor for the Christian (cf. Eph 6:13-17).

HE SHALL TAKE EQUITY FOR AN INVINCIBLE SHIELD. Equity (aequitas) — God's fairness and righteousness — is His invincible shield. No power can overcome divine equity; all attempts by the wicked to avoid judgment are shielded off.

HE SHALL SHARPEN HIS SEVERE WRATH FOR A SPEAR, AND THE WHOLE WORLD SHALL FIGHT WITH HIM AGAINST THE UNWISE. God's severe wrath as a spear, and the whole world as His army against the unwise (impious). Lapide: all creation serves as God's weapon of justice — a theme echoed in the Psalms (Ps 17) and in the Apocalypse. The \"whole world\" includes fire, water, wind, lightning, angels, and demons — all conscripted to punish the wicked.

THEN SHAFTS OF LIGHTNING SHALL GO STRAIGHT TO THE MARK, AND SHALL LEAP TO THE MARK FROM THE CLOUDS, AS FROM A BOW WELL BENT, AND SHALL FLY TO THE MARK. Lightning as divine arrows, striking with precision at the wicked. Classical and scriptural descriptions of divine punishment by storm and lightning are cited. The precision of divine justice: unlike human punishment which can be mistaken, divine punishment strikes exactly where it should.

AND HAILSTONES FULL OF WRATH SHALL BE CAST AS OUT OF A STONE BOW, AND THE WATER OF THE SEA SHALL RAGE AGAINST THEM, AND THE RIVERS SHALL RUN TOGETHER IN A TERRIBLE MANNER. Hail, sea, and rivers — all elements of nature — will war against the wicked. Historical precedents: the plagues of Egypt (Exod 9), the flood (Gen 7), the destruction of Sodom (Gen 19). These foreshadow the final universal judgment.

A MIGHTY WIND SHALL STAND UP AGAINST THEM, AND AS A WHIRLWIND SHALL DIVIDE THEM: AND THEIR INIQUITY SHALL BRING ALL THE EARTH TO A DESERT, AND WICKEDNESS SHALL OVERTHROW THE THRONES OF THE MIGHTY. The mighty wind (spiritus virtutis — Spirit of power) as a final agent of divine punishment. The wicked's own iniquity brings destruction — sin carries within itself the seeds of its own punishment. The thrones of the mighty (the great of this world who used power for evil) will be overthrown.