The Book of Wisdom: Composition and Key Theological Themes

The Wisdom of Solomon or Book of Wisdom or simply Wisdom is one of

the deuterocanonical books of the Bible, and is counted among the seven
sapiential or wisdom books of the Old Testament. In the Septuagint (3rd
century B.C) and Vulgate (4th century B.C), the book of Wisdom is included
in the Old Testament. But it does not appear in the Hebrew Bible, and is
placed with the Apocrypha in the Protestant versions of the Scripture.
Therefore, our work will be focused on this Book. It will be question of
examining the composition and the keys theological themes of the aforesaid
book.
Indeed, traditionally, the author was believed to be King Solomon. This
belief is based on the title of the book, and confirmed by some passages
where the one speaking is clearly Solomon (Wis.7:1-14; 8: 13-14; 9:7-8, 12;
see also 1kgs.3:6-9). Today, it is widely admitted that Solomon is not the
author of the book. The Solomonic authorship was simply a literary device
intended to give the book authority1. The author of the book remains
anonymous. And the most we can say is that he was a learned Hellenized Jew
of Alexandria.
There is no consensus regarding the date of composition. Nevertheless,
Scholars consider the reign of the Roman emperor Gaius Caligula (37 - 41
A.D) as the political setting of the book. Today, the tendency, among
scholars, is to place the date of the composition between 220 B.C. and 50
A.D2.
Several factors point to Alexandria, in Egypt, as the place of composition
of the book of Wisdom of Solomon3.
The author’s purpose was to strengthen the faith of his fellow Jews in
Alexandria4. In fact, the Jews people were in frequent contact with the pagan,
the Hellenistic world (Wis.7:17-20) and with all its intellectual culture,
philosophical thoughts, religious diversity, etc. It was a time of crisis for faith
(Wis.2:1-20). Therefore, the book was written to encourage them to remain
firm in their traditions in spite of these challenges (crisis) from their non-
Jewish neighbors.
The Author was writing to the Jews of the diaspora who were influenced
by Hellenistic thoughts and culture, at times, to oppression, persecution (Wis.
2:10-3:19) by those Jews who had converted to the Hellenistic world view.
1
R.T. SIEBENECK, “Wisdom, Book of”, in New Catholic Encyclopaedia, Vol. 14, B. L.
Marthaler (ed.), 2nd ed., Washington: Gale, 2003, 792.
2
D. WINSTON, The Wisdom of Solomon. An New Translation with Introduction and
Commentary, New York: Doubleday, 1979, 20.
3
D. BERGANT, Israel’s Wisdom Literature: A Liberation-Critical Reading, 148.
4
R. KUGLER - P. HARTIN, An Introduction to the Bible, Cambridge: William B.
Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 2009, 320.
1
Thus, the book is linked with a specific crisis in the history of the Jewish
people at Alexandria5.
The central idea of the book is wisdom. Wisdom is personified as a lady,
and her nature, attributes, and operation are no less than divine 6. She is a
hypostasis who lives with God from eternity, the partner of His throne, and
the sharer of His thoughts (Wis.8:3-4; 9:4, 9). She is the breath of the power
of God and an emanation from His glory (Wis.7:25), the reflection of eternal
light and mirror of His power and an image of His goodness (7:26). Wisdom
is one, immutable, and makes all things new (7:27). When God formed the
world, wisdom was present (9:9), and she gives to men all the virtues (7:17-
22; 10:21). Wisdom is also credited with performing miracles, like the parting
of the Red Sea (10:18-19). Wisdom is identified with the Word of God (9:1-
2,17). Wisdom is also represented as the Holy Spirit (1:5-7; 7:22-23; 9:17).
Through its power, man triumphs over evil (7:30; 8:16-17). Many symbols
are used to describe wisdom: it is light contrasted to darkness (7:29-30); it is
the door and the good shepherd (7:25-27; 8:2-16); it brings life (8:13); it is the
bread or substance of life (11:4), etc. The personification of wisdom is carried
much farther in Wisdom of Solomon than in any parallel Judaic literature.
In the Book of Wisdom, the life after death is described in terms of the
Hellenistic dualism of body and soul, and speaks of the immortality of the
soul rather than the Judaic concept of the resurrection of the body 7. The book
affirms the pre-existence of the soul (8:19-20). This pre-existence is not
understood in Greek philosophical sense but as the creation of the soul
immediately before its coming into a determinate body. The book upholds
retribution (God rewards the good and punishes the wicked) after death (3:1-
3; 4:6, 19-20). But in the Book of Wisdom, there is no mention of the
resurrection of the body. In this sense, it presents a new anthropology and a
new eschatology.
The praises of wisdom, especially the crucial passage in 7:22-8:21, reflect
the increasing emphasis on the transcendence of God, and wisdom is seen as
the intermediary between God and man8. Wisdom initiates believers into the
genuine sacred mysteries (8:4) and teaches them the four main virtues (8:7).
The Book of Wisdom deals also with other important doctrines:
monotheism as it knows of only one God (Wis.13:1), the mystery of innocent
suffering and question of justice, providence, conscience, cardinal virtues,
childless, early death of the just is not an evil, exodus as a new creation9, etc.

5
L. G. PERDUE, Wisdom Literature, A Theological, History, London: Westminster
John Knox Press, 2007,286.
6
D. BERGANT, Israel’s Wisdom Literature: A Liberation-Critical Reading, 159.
7
L. G. PERDUE, Wisdom Literature, A Theological, History, 296.
8
R. KUGLER - P. HARTIN, An Introduction to the Bible, 355.
9
D. WINSTON, The Wisdom of Solomon, 43-45
2
 In conclusion, the Wisdom of Solomon occupies a significant place in
Christian theology. It paves way for some of the important elements of the
theology of the New Testament, especially Johannine and Pauline. Wisdom is
envisaged as a person with qualities and characteristics. Therefore, Wisdom is
a typology that prefigures Christ.

Structure of the Book of Wisdom

The book itself is nineteen chapters long. Concerning the Structure of the
book in question, there is no agreement among scholars. Some are for a two-
part division; and others are supporting the three-part divisions. For our part,
we have, theologically, found well explained the division of the book in three-
part10. Here is the structure:
The first six chapters (1:1-6:21) form an address directed to the rulers of
the earth. They highlight the necessity of wisdom as indispensable virtue for
the rulers, although they are chiefly directed against the Epicureans, the
ungodly who deny immortality, indulge in lust and incest, and mock the
righteous. In contrast with them, the “saints” (hasidim) whom they torture and
put to death are called sons of God, who are promised an inheritance in
eternal life and a crown of glory in the world to come. In this section wisdom
is introduced as the speaker, and the one who confers immortality.
The second part of the book (6:22-11:1) contains an address of King
Solomon, showing how his life was guided solely by wisdom, and closes with
a prayer to God that he might obtain her. Here, wisdom is personified as a
lady possessing divine attributes, and as the one who teaches the four cardinal
virtues of temperance, prudence, justice, and fortitude. Wisdom is also
described as a cosmic principle dwelling on the throne of glory next to God,
and as knowing and designing all things, being identical with the creative
Word and the Holy Spirit.
The third part of the book (11:2-19:22) chiefly describes the way in which
the Jews and their ancestors were saved through wisdom. It has basically two
excurses, one on divine mercy and other on idolatry. In this part, Israel and
Egyptians are placed in contraposition, and the former is asked to take pride
in being the chosen people of God and whom He favors.

10
D. WINSTON, The Wisdom of Solomon, 9 –12
3
 Bibliography

BERGANT D., Israel’s Wisdom Literature: A Liberation-Critical Reading,

Minneapolis: Augsburg Fortress, 1997.
CRENSHAW J. L., Old Testament Wisdom: An Introduction, 3nd ed., Louisville:
Westminster John Press, 2010.
KUGLER R. - HARTIN P., An Introduction to the Bible, Cambridge: William B.
Eerdman’s Publishing Company, 2009.
PERDUE L.G., Wisdom Literature, A Theological, History, London:
Westminster John Knox Press, 2007.
SIEBENECK R. T., “Wisdom, Book of”, in New Catholic Encyclopaedia, Vol.
14, Berard L. Marthaler (ed.), 2nd edition, Washington: Gale, 2003.
WRIGHT A. G., “Wisdom”, in The Jerome Biblical Commentary, R. E. Brown,
J. A. Fitzmyer, and R. E. Murphy (eds.), New Jersey: Prentice-Hall, 1971.
WINSTON D., The Wisdom of Solomon. An New Translation with Introduction
and Commentary, New York: Doubleday, 1979.