Wisdom — Chapter 7

I MYSELF ALSO AM A MORTAL MAN, LIKE ALL OTHERS, AND OF THE RACE OF HIM THAT WAS FIRST MADE OF THE EARTH, AND IN THE WOMB OF MY MOTHER I WAS FASHIONED TO BE FLESH. Solomon confesses his mortal, earthy origin: he is like all men, descended from Adam (formed from earth, adama). Lapide develops the theology of human origins: God fashioned man from the earth, breathed life into him, and created him in His image. The condescension of Solomon (the wisest king) acknowledging his common humanity with all is a lesson in humility for all rulers. Applied to Christ's incarnation: the divine Word assumed our earthy nature, condescending to our mortality.

IN THE TIME OF TEN MONTHS I WAS COMPACTED IN BLOOD, OF THE SEED OF MAN, AND THE PLEASURE OF SLEEP CONCURRING. Lapide offers a detailed theological-biological account of human generation: the mother's blood provides material for the body (as Galen teaches); the father's seed provides the formative power; the act of generation involves \"the pleasure of sleep\" (delectamentum somni), a phrase interpreted variously. Lapide notes that Christ, too, was formed in the womb (though without a father's seed) over the course of nine completed months. Extended discussion of fetal development and ensoulment, citing Galen, Aristotle, and patristic sources.

AND WHEN I WAS BORN, I DREW IN THE COMMON AIR, AND FELL UPON THE EARTH THAT IS MADE ALIKE FOR ALL, AND THE FIRST VOICE WHICH I UTTERED WAS CRYING, AS ALL OTHERS DO. The king was born as every man is born — weeping, helpless, breathing common air, lying on common earth. This radical equality in birth is Solomon's argument for humility: the most powerful king enters the world no differently than the poorest slave. Applied by Lapide to the meditation on death: as we are born equal, so we die equal.

I WAS NURSED IN SWADDLING CLOTHES, AND WITH GREAT CARES. Swaddling clothes — the universal infant experience. Even kings begin life in the same helpless condition. Lapide uses this to develop a meditation on the stages of human life: infancy, childhood, youth, maturity, old age, death — all humbling reminders of our creaturely condition.

FOR NONE OF THE KINGS HAD ANY OTHER BEGINNING OF BIRTH. No king has a different birth: this is Solomon's point. The democratic equality of nature before birth and after death frames the brief period of worldly inequality in between. Lapide applies this to the folly of pride in noble birth, royal blood, or aristocratic rank.

FOR ALL MEN HAVE ONE ENTRANCE INTO LIFE, AND THE LIKE GOING OUT. One entrance into life (birth) and one exit (death) for all — king and slave alike. Applied to memento mori: the great equalizers are birth, death, and judgment. Lapide cites classical and patristic sources on the equality of all before death.

WHEREFORE I WISHED, AND UNDERSTANDING WAS GIVEN ME: AND I CALLED UPON GOD, AND THE SPIRIT OF WISDOM CAME UPON ME. Having established his equality with all men, Solomon now explains how he obtained wisdom: through prayer. He \"wished\" — desired wisdom; he \"called upon God\" — prayed for it; and \"the Spirit of wisdom came upon him.\" Three stages: desire, prayer, reception. This is the theological foundation for the prayer for wisdom in ch. 9. Lapide: wisdom is a gift of the Holy Spirit (1 Cor 12:8) given to those who ask with faith and humility (Jas 1:5).

AND I PREFERRED HER BEFORE KINGDOMS AND THRONES, AND ESTEEMED RICHES NOTHING IN COMPARISON OF HER. Solomon's choice: wisdom over kingdoms, thrones, and riches. Applied to the hierarchy of goods: wisdom (and by extension the love of God) surpasses all temporal goods. Lapide: this verse justifies the vocation of contemplatives who leave earthly goods for the love of divine wisdom.

NEITHER DID I COMPARE UNTO HER ANY PRECIOUS STONE: FOR ALL GOLD IN COMPARISON OF HER, IS AS A LITTLE SAND, AND SILVER IN RESPECT TO HER SHALL BE COUNTED AS CLAY. Wisdom surpasses all precious metals and stones. The comparison: wisdom is to gold as gold is to sand; wisdom is to silver as silver is to clay — not merely superior but incomparably superior. Lapide applies this to the spiritual life: to acquire one degree of grace and wisdom is worth more than all earthly treasure.

I LOVED HER ABOVE HEALTH AND BEAUTY, AND CHOSE TO HAVE HER INSTEAD OF LIGHT: FOR HER LIGHT CANNOT BE PUT OUT. Wisdom surpasses health, beauty, and even light itself — because wisdom's light is inexhaustible (\"her light cannot be put out\"). Lapide: bodily health and beauty fade; wisdom's light is perpetual. Applied to the choice of eternal goods over temporal: faith and the love of God give an interior light that bodily blindness, illness, and death cannot extinguish.

NOW ALL GOOD THINGS CAME TO ME TOGETHER WITH HER, AND INNUMERABLE RICHES THROUGH HER HANDS. \"Omnia bona pariter\" — all goods came together with wisdom. This fulfills the promise of Matt 6:33: \"seek first the kingdom of God and His justice, and all these things will be added to you.\" Those who seek God first receive all necessary temporal goods besides. Historically, Solomon received wealth, honor, and political success as a consequence of his choice of wisdom over riches (3 Kgs 3:12-13).

AND I REJOICED IN ALL THESE, BECAUSE WISDOM WENT BEFORE THEM: AND I KNEW NOT THAT SHE WAS THE MOTHER OF THEM ALL. Wisdom is the \"mother of all goods\" — she brings forth all blessings from herself. Lapide: wisdom orders all goods to their proper ends and makes their enjoyment legitimate and holy. Without wisdom, goods become occasions of sin; with wisdom, they become instruments of virtue and praise.

WITHOUT DISSIMULATION HAVE I LEARNED, AND WITHOUT ENVY DO I COMMUNICATE, AND HER RICHES I HIDE NOT. Solomon communicates wisdom without envy — echoing the commitment of 6:23-24. He learned wisdom without deception (from God, not from sophists); he communicates it without envy (freely, to all). Lapide applies this to teachers, preachers, and spiritual directors: the duty to communicate divine wisdom generously.

FOR SHE IS AN INFINITE TREASURE TO MEN! WHICH THEY THAT USE, BECOME THE FRIENDS OF GOD, BEING COMMENDED FOR THE GIFTS OF DISCIPLINE. Wisdom is an \"infinite treasure\" — inexhaustible, never diminished by sharing. Those who possess wisdom become \"friends of God\" — not merely servants or subjects but intimates. Lapide on the theology of divine friendship (amicitia Dei): possible only through sanctifying grace, which makes man a sharer in divine life.

AND GOD HATH GIVEN TO ME TO SPEAK AS I WOULD, AND TO CONCEIVE THOUGHTS WORTHY OF THOSE THINGS THAT ARE GIVEN ME: BECAUSE HE IS THE GUIDE OF WISDOM, AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE WISE. God is the source of Solomon's wisdom and eloquence: \"given me to speak as I would.\" Lapide: the gift of wisdom includes both the interior understanding (cognitio) and the ability to express it fittingly (locutio). \"The guide of wisdom\" — God does not merely give wisdom but guides its exercise.

FOR IN HIS HAND ARE BOTH WE AND OUR WORDS, AND ALL WISDOM, AND THE KNOWLEDGE AND SKILL OF WORKS. All is in God's hand: persons, words, wisdom, knowledge, skill. Comprehensive sovereignty of God over all human intellectual and practical activity. Applied to the virtue of humility for teachers and scholars: all wisdom is received, not self-generated; therefore all glory must be referred to God.

FOR HE HATH GIVEN ME THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF THE THINGS THAT ARE: TO KNOW THE DISPOSITION OF THE WHOLE WORLD, AND THE VIRTUES OF THE ELEMENTS. God gave Solomon comprehensive natural knowledge — the encyclopedic knowledge of creation: disposition of the world (cosmology), virtues of the elements (physics), constitution of time (chronology). This is the medieval ideal of the encyclopedic sage who knows all science. Lapide reads this as pointing ultimately to Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge (Col 2:3).

THE BEGINNING, AND END, AND MIDST OF THE TIMES, THE ALTERATIONS OF THE TURNING OF THE SUN, AND THE CHANGE OF SEASONS. Knowledge of chronology and astronomy: the beginning, middle, and end of times; the movements of the sun; the changes of seasons. Lapide applies this scientifically (citing contemporary astronomers) and theologically (the beginning and end of times refer to creation and the Last Day, the \"midst\" to Christ's incarnation, which is the center of history).

THE CIRCUITS OF YEARS, AND THE POSITIONS OF THE STARS. Astronomical knowledge: the circuits of years and positions of the stars. Solomon knew all natural philosophy, including astronomy. Lapide: the study of the heavens is legitimate and glorifies the Creator; astrology (in the deterministic sense) is condemned.

THE NATURES OF LIVING CREATURES, AND THE RAGE OF WILD BEASTS: THE FORCE OF WINDS, AND THE REASONINGS OF MEN: THE DIVERSITIES OF PLANTS, AND THE VIRTUES OF ROOTS. A comprehensive catalog of natural knowledge: zoology, psychology, meteorology, botany, pharmacology. Solomon's natural wisdom was a gift of God for the good of his people. Lapide applies this to the lawfulness of natural science in service of human welfare and the glory of God.

AND ALL SUCH THINGS AS ARE HID AND NOT FORESEEN, I HAVE LEARNED: FOR WISDOM, WHICH IS THE WORKER OF ALL THINGS, TAUGHT ME. Wisdom is the artisan (opifex) of all things — a key Christological text for Lapide. Wisdom = the divine Word through whom all things were made (Jn 1:3; Col 1:16). The divine Wisdom is both the creator of the universe and the teacher of Solomon. Extended treatment of the Logos as cosmic craftsman.

FOR IN HER IS THE SPIRIT OF UNDERSTANDING: HOLY, ONE, MANIFOLD, SUBTILE, ELOQUENT, ACTIVE, UNDEFILED, SURE, SWEET, LOVING THAT WHICH IS GOOD, QUICK, WHICH NOTHING HINDERETH, BENEFICENT, GENTLE, KIND, STEADFAST, ASSURED, SECURE, HAVING ALL POWER, OVERSEEING ALL THINGS, AND CONTAINING ALL SPIRITS: INTELLIGIBLE, PURE, SUBTILE. Twenty-one attributes of divine Wisdom. Lapide treats each in detail: (1) holy (sanctus) — completely free from all defilement; (2) one (unicus) — simple, undivided; (3) manifold (multiplex) — infinite in its operations; (4) subtle (subtilis) — penetrating all things; (5) eloquent (agilis) — easily communicating itself; (6) active (mobilis) — always in act; (7) undefiled (incoinquinatus) — perfectly pure; (8) sure (certus) — infallible; (9) sweet (suavis) — delightful to those who receive her; (10) loving the good (amans bonum) — ordered entirely to the good; (11) quick (acutus) — sharp, penetrating; (12) nothing hindereth (irretardabilis) — nothing can impede her; (13) beneficent (benefaciens) — always doing good; (14) gentle (humanus) — friendly to man; (15) kind (benignus) — gracious; (16) steadfast (stabilis) — unchanging; (17) assured (certus in effect — consistent); (18) secure (securus) — without anxiety; (19) having all power (omnipotens) — properly speaking of God alone; (20) overseeing all (omnia prospiciens) — omniscient; (21) containing all spirits (capax omnium spirituum). Applied to the Holy Spirit and to divine Wisdom as the second Person of the Trinity.

FOR WISDOM IS MORE ACTIVE THAN ALL ACTIVE THINGS: AND REACHETH EVERYWHERE BY REASON OF HER PURITY. Wisdom surpasses all active powers by her supreme activity and her total purity, which allows her to penetrate all things without being contaminated. Lapide: the divine wisdom penetrates all things because she is pure spirit, unhindered by matter.

FOR SHE IS A VAPOUR OF THE POWER OF GOD, AND A CERTAIN PURE EMANATION OF THE GLORY OF THE ALMIGHTY GOD: AND THEREFORE NO DEFILED THING COMETH INTO HER. Four descriptions of divine Wisdom as she relates to God: (1) vapor of divine power — a breath or exhalation of God's strength; (2) pure emanation of glory — proceeding from God as the eternal Word; (3) splendour of eternal light — the brightness reflecting God's own light; (4) unspotted mirror of God's majesty. Lapide: these four descriptions collectively constitute a Trinitarian and Christological passage, read by the Fathers (Athanasius, Augustine, Ambrose) as describing the eternal generation of the Son from the Father. This verse is used in Catholic theology against Arian subordinationism.

FOR SHE IS THE BRIGHTNESS OF ETERNAL LIGHT, AND THE UNSPOTTED MIRROR OF GOD'S MAJESTY, AND THE IMAGE OF HIS GOODNESS. Wisdom = the brightness of eternal light, the spotless mirror of God's majesty, the image of His goodness. Lapide: the parallel with Heb 1:3 (\"the brightness of the Father's glory and the figure of His substance\") shows that this passage refers to the eternal Son. The \"image of His goodness\" points to the Son as the perfect Image of the Father (Col 1:15). This is a summit of the book's Christology, and Lapide develops it at length drawing on SS. Athanasius, Cyril, Augustine, Leo, and the Council of Nicaea.

AND BEING BUT ONE, SHE CAN DO ALL THINGS: AND REMAINING IN HERSELF THE SAME, SHE RENEWETH ALL THINGS, AND THROUGH NATIONS CONVEYETH HERSELF INTO HOLY SOULS, SHE MAKETH THE FRIENDS OF GOD AND PROPHETS. Three magnificent properties: (1) being one, can do all things — divine omnipotence; (2) remaining the same, renews all things — divine immutability combined with creative power; (3) conveying herself into holy souls, makes friends and prophets of God — the communication of divine wisdom through grace. Lapide on \"friends of God and prophets\": wisdom raises the soul beyond natural capacity to the dignity of divine friendship and the charism of prophecy.

FOR GOD LOVETH NONE BUT HIM THAT DWELLETH WITH WISDOM. God loves only those who dwell with wisdom — a strong statement that Lapide carefully qualifies: God loves all His creatures with the love of benevolence (creation), but He loves with the love of friendship (dilectio) only those who possess wisdom through grace and holiness. Applied to the theology of grace: only those who have sanctifying grace are in the state of divine friendship and therefore loved with God's supreme love.

FOR SHE IS MORE BEAUTIFUL THAN THE SUN, AND ABOVE ALL THE ORDER OF THE STARS: BEING COMPARED WITH THE LIGHT, SHE IS FOUND BEFORE IT. Wisdom surpasses the sun, the stars, and light itself in beauty. Lapide: the sun and stars are the most splendid visible things; wisdom surpasses them all because it is divine and spiritual, while they are merely material. Applied to the spiritual life: the beauty of the soul in grace surpasses the physical beauty of all creation.

FOR AFTER THIS COMETH NIGHT, BUT NO EVIL OVERCOMETH WISDOM. The sun is overtaken by night; but wisdom is never overcome by evil or darkness. The light of divine wisdom is unconquerable — no power of darkness (sin, error, heresy, or the devil) can extinguish it. Applied to the Church: though attacked throughout history, the Church as the repository of divine wisdom is never overcome (Matt 16:18).