Wisdom of Solomon 17

Second, on the punishment of loss.

For great are etc. After he treated the punishment of sense, here he treats the punishment of loss, that is, the withdrawal of light: and first is touched upon the equity of the punishment of the Egyptians, namely because they were punished according to their merits: second, the irremediability, namely because without interruption: For neither that which contained: third, the universality, because all, there: But those who the powerless: fourth, the singularity, because they alone, namely the Egyptians: For every.

The equity, moreover, is shown from the meritorious cause of their sins, first of sin against God: second, against neighbor: For while persuaded: third, against themselves: And while they think.

For great are etc. Well have I said that the Egyptians were punished, but the Israelites consoled: for great are your judgments, O Lord: Gloss: "By which you govern all creation"; in the Psalm: "Your judgments are a great deep." And your words are unspeakable, namely by which you instruct the rational creature; unspeakable, I say, in full: Romans 11: "O the depth of the riches of the wisdom of God" etc. On account of this: Gloss: "Because they refused to believe and understand their Creator," undisciplined souls, that is, incorrigible regarding their sins: Sirach 20: "And a procession into evil for an undisciplined man"; likewise Jeremiah 5: "You have struck them, and they have not grieved; you have crushed them, and they have refused to receive discipline"; in the Psalm: "But you have hated discipline"; they went astray, from the way of truth: above in chapter five: "Therefore we have strayed from the way of truth," concerning which John 14: "I am the way and the truth and the life": the way in example, the truth in promise, the life in reward.

In the book of the psalms we read, "Your judgments, like the great abyss." The apostle Paul says, "The judgments of God are inscrutable," and the prophet, "Your judgments are great and beyond number." In what sense, then, does the prophet dare to say, "With my lips I recited all the judgments of your mouth"? And yet he is not saying here anything that contradicts himself or anyone else who is similarly inspired. In fact, he does not say, "With my lips I have recited all your judgments," but, "All the judgments of your mouth," knowing that there is a difference between the judgments of God and the judgments of the mouth of God. When he said, "Your judgments like the great abyss," did he in fact use the expression, "The judgments of your mouth like the great abyss"? Here, rather, he says, "I have announced the judgments of your mouth." The prophet, therefore, did not remain silent about those judgments that he knew from the prophets or from the word of God, and if he proclaimed them it is precisely so that they would be taught.

In the Apocalypse we see "a Lamb, as though sacrificed." This is the Lamb that, for certain ineffable reasons, became the sacrifice of expiation for the entire world, having accepted even to be sacrificed, according to the measure of the Father's love for humanity. By his blood he bought us back from him who had bought us, in that we were corrupted by sins. Leading this lamb to the sacrifice was the God who was in the man, the great high priest, as he himself attests, saying, "No one takes my life from me, but I myself give it. I have the power to give it and the power to take it up again." All of the other sacrifices are related to this sacrifice by affinity, the sacrifices prescribed by the Law being a symbol of it. And in my opinion, the shedding of blood on the part of the noble martyrs are sacrifices similar to this one; not without reason does John the disciple contemplate them as surrounding the heavenly altar. "Who is wise enough to understand these things, intelligent enough to know them?" To grasp somewhat more contemplatively the reason for these sacrifices, which purify those for whom they are offered, we must understand the significance of the sacrifice of the daughter of Jephthah. Jephthah had defeated the Ammonites because of a vow, to which she who was to be sacrificed adhered, responding to her father's words, "I have given my word to the Lord against you," by saying, "Even if it is against me that you have given your word to the Lord, fulfill your vow." In considering such events one could be led to attribute an element of great cruelty to God, to whom such sacrifices are offered for the salvation of human beings. One needs a more open and farsighted mind to reconcile this in light of the designs of providence, so as to be able to justify these things as both ineffable and beyond human nature, saying, "The judgments of God are great and difficult to tell. For this reason, ignorant souls fell into error." Moreover, it is also attested among the pagans that in times of pestilence, many were given over to sacrifice for the common salvation. The faithful Roman Clement also admits that this occurred, basing himself on history; Paul testifies of him saying, "Together with Clement and my other coworkers, whose names are in the book of life." Someone wanting to insult mysteries that escape the comprehension of the many finds the precepts regarding martyrs similarly absurd. God, however, considers that it would be better for us to confess his divinity at the price of the most atrocious sufferings than to free ourselves for a brief time from apparent evils, declaring our acquiescence to the will of the enemies of truth.

For when etc. I have rightly said that they erred; for when the wicked, namely the Egyptians, called wicked on account of the wicked oppression of the Israelites and the drowning of their infants, Exodus chapter one: were persuaded, that is, believed, that they could dominate the holy nation, that is, the children of Israel, who are called a holy nation, because they were children of the Saints, according to that saying in Tobit chapter two: "We are the children of the Saints"; likewise, because they were sanctified through circumcision, concerning which sanctification is found in Genesis chapter seventeen; thirdly, because they were to be sanctified through their manner of life, according to that saying in Leviticus chapter eleven: "Be holy, because I am holy." Bound in the chains of darkness, namely palpable darkness, which occurred in Egypt, Exodus chapter ten, and of a long night, that is, of a dark period, as if it were night: which time was long, because for three days no one saw his neighbor, as is evident in the same place: fettered, namely by a likeness of effect, because they could not move, as if they were fettered: whence in the same place: "For three days no one moved from the place where he was"; shut up under their roofs, namely of their houses, not daring to go out: fugitives from eternal providence, namely as far as it was in their power, because they thought to impede the liberation of the Israelites foreseen by God. Or: fugitives etc., that is, wishing to escape the providence of God: which could not be, since it is said above in chapter sixteen: "It is impossible to escape your hand." They lay hidden, that is, they thought themselves hidden, according to that saying in Proverbs chapter fourteen: "The wicked shall lie prostrate before the good"; or they were pleased, namely in punishment, who were displeasing in guilt, because through punishment the reordering is accomplished of those who had been disordered through guilt.

And while they thought themselves hidden, namely from God the punisher, although "all things are naked and open to his eyes," Hebrews chapter four. Hidden, I say, in obscure sins, that is, enormous sins, which are chiefly committed in darkness: Ephesians chapter five: "For it is shameful even to speak of what is done by them in secret," because "he who does evil hates the light," John chapter three: on account of this, sins are called "works of darkness," Romans chapter thirteen. By the dark veil of forgetfulness, that is, the gloom of darkness veiling them and casting forgetfulness upon others, while they could not help themselves: they were scattered, namely one from another, fearfully terrified, that is, with horrible fear, namely on account of the darkness. And disturbed with exceeding wonder, namely on account of the unaccustomed novelty of the thing: above, chapter five: "Seeing this, they shall be troubled with terrible fear, and shall be amazed" etc.; Job chapter eighteen: "On his day the last shall be astonished, and horror shall seize the first."

For neither did the cave that held them etc. Here is shown the irremediability of the punishment, first from the place; second from the contrary: And fire; third from artifice: And the magical arts etc.

For neither etc. I have rightly said: trembling horribly etc.: for neither did the cave, which contained them, those namely who had fled there on account of the hail and rain and fire. And note that he uses the singular for the plural, when he says cave, because they had not fled to one cave only, but to many, and they thought to hide in diverse places: was guarding them without fear: The Gloss: "Because horror always accompanies darkness, and the less one discerns what things are around him, the more he fears." Since a sound descending, namely into that pit, a sound, I say, either of heavenly thunders or of diabolical illusions, was disturbing, that is, was thoroughly disturbing, them; Job 15: "The sound of terror is always in his ears." And sorrowful figures appearing to them.

But how did they appear in such great darkness?

It can be said that they did not appear to the sense, but to the imagination.

Were furnishing them with dread, because, as the Gloss says, "it could be that demons thrust upon them certain terrible phantasms, which would terrify them unto an increase of their punishments," according to that passage in Job 7: "You will terrify me through dreams, and through visions You will shake me with horror."

And indeed fire etc. Here is shown the irremediability of the punishment, and this from the side of the contrary, namely fire: first, because it did not furnish aid: second, because it rather furnished harm: But it appeared to them.

He says therefore: And indeed no power of fire could furnish them light: whence illumination was failing them from the lower part: and he says: no power, because there are three species of fire, according to the Philosopher, namely light, flame, and ember. Nor of the heavenly bodies, that is, of the stars, the bright flames, that is, the emitted rays, could illuminate that horrendous night: whence it is evident that light was failing them from the upper part, although the stars are placed above to illuminate the night, Genesis 1. And deservedly was light lacking to them, because namely they were rebels against spiritual light: Job 24: "They themselves were rebels against the light," and therefore the sun of justice did not rise for them: whence above in chapter 5: "The sun of understanding did not rise for us, and the light of justice did not shine for us."

But there appeared to them, namely the Egyptians, a sudden fire, namely of heavenly flashes, full of fear, namely on account of the aspect of terrible visions, namely of lightnings: "for the graver the pains, the greater the terrors that are feared." And struck with fear, on account of the vision of imagined evils, of that face which was not seen, that is, of a phantasm not seen outwardly but imagined inwardly, which the devil sent in to terrify them further: they judged the things that were seen to be worse, supply: than they were according to the truth of the matter; Job 18: "Terrors shall frighten him on every side and shall entangle his feet."

And of the magical etc. Here is shown the irremediability from the craft, namely of the magical art; and first is shown the confusion of the magicians: second, the matter of the confusion, namely fear: For those; third, the cause outwardly producing fear: For even if nothing: fourth, the disposition inwardly increasing fear: Frequently etc. And there three things that increase fear are touched upon, of which the first is the remorse of conscience; the second is the disturbance following upon remorse: For always: the third is the distrust of help following upon both: For fear is nothing etc.

And of the magical art, that is, of the magicians themselves, were set forth, namely against the aforesaid evils, derisions, in this, namely, that they attempted to expel these evils and could not; whence they themselves also feared vehemently; Exodus 8: "This is the finger of God." And the glory of wisdom, that is, the glory of the magicians concerning their own wisdom, a rebuke with disgrace, supply: was, that is, the cause of disgraceful correction; Proverbs 11: "Where pride has been, there shall be disgrace"; Jeremiah 9: "Let not the wise man glory in his wisdom."

And rightly did I say that their rebuke was with disgrace to themselves; for those, namely the magicians, who promised, fears, namely interior ones, and disturbances, namely exterior ones, to expel, namely by their magical art, from the languishing soul, namely on account of fear and disturbance: these with derision, inflicted by others, full of fear, in themselves, were languishing. Whence to any one of them could be said that word of Luke 4: "Physician, heal thyself"; Proverbs 25: "Clouds and wind and rains that do not follow, a boastful man who does not fulfill his promises."

For even if nothing from the portents, that is, from appearing phantasms, or from the miracles of Moses, disturbed them, because, namely, they were accustomed to portents, just as Balaam did not fear the speech of the ass, as is clear from Numbers twenty-two. Yet by the passing of animals, namely sudden and violent, namely of bears and lions and the like, and by the hissing of serpents or of serpents, which, namely, they could not see, shaken, namely inwardly, trembling, namely outwardly, they were perishing, namely failing on account of the aforesaid things; Deuteronomy twenty-eight: "The Lord shall give you a trembling heart and failing eyes and a soul consumed with sorrow, and you shall fear night and day." And, that is, even, the air, which no one could by any means escape, namely on account of the necessity of breathing in and breathing out, denying that they could see, on account of the palpable darkness.

For frequently they anticipate, namely by thinking and expecting before the event, the worst things, namely punishments to be inflicted for sins: the worst he says, because there are evil things in life, worse things in death, and the worst things after death; or: evils that are inborn, worse evils inflicted by man, but the worst evils inflicted by God; on account of which, Hebrews ten: "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God." With conscience reproving them, according to that passage of Jeremiah two: "Your own wickedness shall reprove you." For since wickedness is timid, that is, having fear attached to it, because the evil of guilt is always followed by or accompanied by the evil of punishment; whence, just as "perfect love casts out fear," as is said in First John four, so iniquity causes or induces it; in the Psalm: "They trembled with fear where there was no fear"; likewise Leviticus twenty-six: "The sound of a flying leaf shall terrify them"; it gives testimony of condemnation, namely against its own agent; whence, Romans two: "Their conscience bearing witness"; testimony, I say, of condemnation, namely of its agent, that is, it testifies that he is worthy of condemnation; whence, above, chapter five: "We fools," etc.; likewise Genesis forty-two: "We deservedly suffer these things, because we sinned against our brother." Others have: it is given for the condemnation of all. For it always presumes, that is, before they come to pass, it suspects, cruel things, that is, harsh things to befall it, a troubled conscience, namely troubled by sin or by the remorse of sin; whence Cain says, Genesis four: "Everyone who finds me shall kill me."

For it is nothing. Note that here a causal predication, not an essential one, is had: for fear is not presumption, but is caused by presumption, that is, by a presumed suspicion of future evil. Whence he describes fear here in two ways: first, by its cause, which is the presumption of future evil; second, by its effect, which is the betrayal or manifestation of the thought of failing help. For fear is nothing but a help of presumption, that is, a presumption or suspicion of future or coming evil aiding toward fearing, and a betrayal of the thought of helps, namely of failing ones, that is, a thought betraying the lack of help both to the one fearing himself and to others, namely those who perceive by his fear that help is failing him. Whence such fear makes one cry out seeking help, as is clear in Peter, who, when he had begun to sink, cried out and said: "Lord, save me," Matthew fourteen.

And while from within, namely in the mind, the expectation is less, that is, hope or confidence, because it lacks justice, which makes the just confident and secure, according to that passage of Proverbs twenty-eight: "The just man, confident as a lion, shall be without terror." He thinks the power greater, that is, they reckon the force for harming greater, of its cause, namely the terrible thing, from which the torment presses, that is, it threatens him, because the lack of greater hope and confidence increases the fear that makes one suspect the evil that threatens is greater than it actually is.

Otherwise it seems it can be expounded according to the Gloss from that passage: For it always presumes savage things etc.; as if to say: deservedly wickedness gives testimony of condemnation: for it always presumes savage things, that is, it presumptuously exalts itself to inflict savage things on others: a disturbed conscience, that is, an angered conscience, not a tranquil one; for, in place of "but." For fear is nothing but a help of presumption, that is, a remedy, namely by repressing the movement of this presumption, and a betrayal, that is, a manifestation, of the thought of helps, that is, of a weak thought, which previously exalted itself by presuming that it did not need help. And while from within the expectation is less, that is, less is expected the power of harming of the thing by which one is punished, namely from without: he thinks the power greater, that is, the force for harming him, than it is according to truth.

But those etc. Here is shown the generality of punishment, first on the part of time; second, on the part of afflicted persons: Then, if anyone; third, on the part of causes: Or a hissing spirit.

As if to say: thus the magicians were terrified; but those, namely the Egyptians, who the overpowering truly night, that is, a powerful one, because very dark and long and unable to be illuminated by any remedy; and from the lowest depths, namely by the rising of vapors and gross fumes darkening the air; and from the highest places, namely by the failure of the irradiation of the celestial bodies, coming upon them, that is, coming over them, the same sleep, that is, a common one, sleeping, because as one slept, so did another, no better.

Sometimes they were driven by fear of monsters, that is, of monstrous phantasms appearing to them in dreams; Job 7: "You will terrify me through dreams and shake me with horror through visions." Sometimes their souls failed from the passage, that is, as if the departure from the body were imminent, and this while waking, when they had already been roused: because, as the Gloss says, "neither waking nor sleeping could they rest, because they were surrounded by horrifying monsters and visions and excessive terror." For sudden, that is, unexpected, and unhoped for, that is, unforeseen, because quickly and without warning, fear had come upon them, that is, from above, from the divine judgment: Isaiah 47: "Misery shall come upon you suddenly, which you shall not know."

Then, namely besides the aforementioned evils, if anyone of them, namely of the Egyptians, had fallen, namely into a pit or something of this kind, he was kept in a prison, that is, in the place where he had fallen, unable to get out from there, shut in without iron, that is, without iron chains, because all were shackled by the bond of darkness, as is evident above in the same book.

For if anyone was a countryman, that is, a cultivator of the field, or a shepherd, of animals, or a laborer of the works of the field, such as a reaper or a vintager, were overtaken, namely by those darknesses outside his house: he endured an inescapable necessity, namely want and affliction, because no one moved himself for three days from the place where he was, as is evident from Exodus 10.

For by one, that is, a common, chain of darkness, namely of exterior darknesses, all were bound together, that is, bound at once. And not only by the chain of exterior darknesses, but of interior ones, namely of unbelief and sins: whence Proverbs 5: "Each one is bound by the cords of his own sins"; likewise in the Psalm: "The cords of sinners have encompassed me."

Whether indeed a spirit etc. I have rightly said that they endured necessity, for whether indeed a spirit to itself whistling, that is, "the whistling of a gentle breeze," 3 Kings 19: or among the thick branches of trees the sound of birds, that is, the song, sweet, insofar as it was of itself suited to delight rather than to terrify: or the force of water running down exceedingly, that is, rushing impetuously, as the waters of torrents run.

Or the mighty sound of stones rushing down, that is, falling impetuously from high places, or the unseen course of playing animals, namely, on account of the density of the darkness, animals, namely, gentle ones, such as beasts of burden; or the mighty voice of roaring beasts, that is, of wild animals, or bears, or lions, or the like; or the echo resounding from the highest mountains, that is, the reproduction of the voice of animals due to the reverberation from mountains or rocks; made them faint with fear, namely, all the things mentioned above; whence the Gloss: "On every side the wretches were tormented; for whatever they perceived with their ears, or eyes, or any sense whatsoever, they dreaded as dangerous."

Now it should be noted that the aforesaid chain, morally speaking, signifies the progression and connection of sins, concerning which Isaiah 58: "If you take away the chain from your midst." The hissing spirit signifies the hidden suggestion of the devil; Revelation 16: "I saw coming from the mouth of the dragon and from the mouth of the beast and from the mouth of the false prophet three unclean spirits in the form of frogs." The sweet sound of birds, the delight of thoughts; Zephaniah 2: "The voice of one singing in the window." Running water, consent to the perpetration of sin, against which Sirach 25: "Do not give your water any outlet, not even a small one." The sound of falling stones, the outward operation of sin; Job 14: "A mountain falling crumbles away, and a rock is removed from its place." The course of playing animals, depraved habit; Job 40: "All the beasts of the field play there." The mighty voice of roaring beasts, open boasting about sin committed; against which in the Psalm: "Why do you glory in malice?" The resounding echo, the delightful remembrance of sin; Numbers 11: "We remember the fish that we ate in Egypt."

For all etc. Here is touched upon the singularity of the punishment; and because "opposites placed next to each other shine forth more clearly," first is touched upon the illumination of others; second, the darkening of the Egyptians: But to them alone etc.; third, the merit of the darkening: They therefore.

I have rightly said: the Egyptians were fettered with the bonds of darkness and not others: for the whole world, namely, with the exception of the region of Egypt, with clear "that is, bright," was illuminated with light, namely, of the sun and the heavenly luminaries, although elsewhere there were many sinners in the world; Matthew 5: "He makes His sun to rise upon the good and the bad." And was maintained unhindered, that is, was preserved, with works unimpeded, of the luminaries by the density of darkness; or in another way: with works unimpeded, of other men apart from the Egyptians on account of the lack of light, since elsewhere there was the brightness of light which is required for working; whence John 9: "Work while it is day; for the night comes, when no one can work."

But upon them alone, namely the Egyptians, there was laid, namely by God, a heavy night, because darker than usual and longer: Job thirty-seven: "For we are wrapped in darkness." A night, I say, being an image, that is, an express representation, of the darkness, namely eternal; which namely image of darkness, that is, the prefigured darkness, was going to come upon them, namely in hell: whence Matthew twenty-five: "Cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness"; likewise Job ten: "A land of misery and darkness," etc. And because they were suffering such heavy darkness, and not undeservedly: they themselves therefore were to themselves heavier darkness, that is, the cause of heavier darkness, supply: than what they were suffering, that is, of that which was going to come upon them in hell: whence Job thirty-four: "He knows their works, and therefore He will bring night, and they shall be crushed." Or: they themselves were heavier darkness, that is, more dangerous through the blinding of the heart: "for their malice blinded them," above, chapter two; Ephesians five: "You were once darkness"; some books have: heavier than the darkness, namely the exterior darkness, on account of the remorse of conscience.