Wisdom chapter 18

[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] The plague of darkness, continued. The plague of firstborn sons. Allusions to Jesus. The ministry of Aaron.

 


 

The Book of Wisdom is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches

 


 

THE PLAGUE OF DARKNESS, CONTINUED

 

VERSE 1. But for your holy ones there was great light; And the Egyptians, hearing their voice but seeing not their form, Counted it a happy thing that they too had suffered,

 

VERSE 2. Yet for that they do not hurt them now, though wronged by them before, they are thankful; And because they had been at variance with them, they made supplication to them.

 

VERSE 3. Whereas you did provide for your people a burning pillar of fire, To be a guide for their unknown journey, And withal a kindly sun for their proud exile.

a burning pillar of fire. That is, the pillar of fire and the pillar of cloud.

a kindly sun. That is, “the unharmful sun.”

 

VERSE 4. For well did the Egyptians deserve to be deprived of light and imprisoned by darkness, They who had kept in close ward your sons, Through whom the incorruptible light of the law was to be given to the race of men.

 

THE PLAGUE OF FIRSTBORN SONS

 

VERSE 5. After they had taken counsel to kill the babes of the holy ones, And when a single child had been cast forth and saved to convict them of their sin, You took away from them their multitude of children, And destroyed all their army together in a mighty flood.

a single child. That is, Moses.

 

VERSE 6. Of that night were our fathers made aware beforehand, That, having sure knowledge, they might be cheered by the oaths which they had trusted:

 

VERSE 7. So by your people was expected salvation of the righteous and destruction of the enemies;

 

VERSE 8. For as you did take vengeance on the adversaries, By the same means, calling us to yourself, you did glorify us.

 

VERSE 9. For holy children of good men offered sacrifice in secret, And with one consent they took upon themselves the covenant of the divine law, That they would partake alike in the same good things and the same perils; The fathers already leading the sacred songs of praise.

the sacred songs of praise. Do you sing songs of praise?

 

VERSE 10. But there sounded back in discord the cry of the enemies, And a piteous voice of lamentation for children was borne abroad.

 

VERSE 11. And servant along with master punished with a like just doom, And commoner suffering the same as king,

 

VERSE 12. Yes, all the people together, under one form of death, Had with them corpses without number; For the living were not sufficient even to bury them, Since at a single stroke their nobler offspring was consumed.

 

VERSE 13. For while they were disbelieving all things by reason of the enchantments, Upon the destruction of the firstborn they confessed the people to be God’s son.

the enchantments. That is, “the sorceries.”

 

ALLUSIONS TO JESUS CHRIST

 

VERSE 14. For while peaceful silence wrapped all things, And night in her own swiftness was in mid course,

peaceful silence. During contemplative prayer, some people are brought to a mystical state of peaceful stillness.

night … was in mid course. In 1578 or 1579, John of the Cross wrote “The Dark Night” as a guide for spiritual development and mystical prayer.

 

VERSE 15. Your all-powerful word leaped from heaven out of the royal throne, A stern warrior, into the midst of the doomed land,

Your all-powerful word. That is, the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible refers to Jesus Christ as Savior and GOD. Read more »

leaped from heaven. The Word of God leapt down from the realm of eternity. He became human and pitched his tent among us. He lived among us here on the earth. Read more »

 

VERSE 16. Bearing as a sharp sword your unfeigned commandment; And standing it filled all things with death; And while it touched the heaven it trode upon the earth.

a sharp sword. The Bible is living and active. Sharper than a sword, it discerns our thoughts and intentions. Read more »

 

THE MINISTRY OF AARON

 

VERSE 17. Then forthwith apparitions in dreams terribly troubled them, And fears came upon them unlooked for.

 

VERSE 18. And each, one thrown here half dead, another there, Made manifest wherefore he was dying:

 

VERSE 19. For the dreams, perturbing them, did foreshew this, That they might not perish without knowing why they were afflicted.

 

VERSE 20. But it befell the righteous also to make trial of death, And a multitude were stricken in the wilderness: However the wrath endured not for long.

 

VERSE 21. For a blameless man hurried to be their champion: Bringing the weapon of his own ministry, Even prayer and the propitiation of incense, He withstood the indignation, and set an end to the calamity, Showing that he was your servant.

a blameless man. That is, Aaron.

However, Aaron was hardly blameless. He made the Golden Calf, for example.

the weapon of his own ministry. Aaron is a “Prayer Warrior.” He ministers to other people by fasting and praying.

 

VERSE 22. And he overcame the anger, Not by strength of body, not by efficacy of weapons; But by word did he subdue the minister of punishment, By bringing to remembrance oaths and covenants made with the fathers.

the minister of punishment. That is, “the angel sent to carry out the plague.”

 

VERSE 23. For when the dead were already fallen in heaps one upon another, Standing between he stopped the advancing wrath, And cut off the way to the living.

 

VERSE 24. For upon his long high-priestly robe was the whole world, And the glories of the fathers were upon the engraving of the four rows of precious stones, And your majesty was upon the diadem of his head.

glories of the fathers. The names of the tribes were engraved on the precious stones worn by the priest.

majesty. The name of the LORD God was engraved on the diadem worn by the priest.

 

VERSE 25. To these the destroyer gave place, and these the people feared; For it was enough only to make trial of the wrath.

 


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WISDOM

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

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