Tag Archive for: immortality

Today’s First Readings offer a choice between Wisdom and Jeremiah. The Second Reading is from James.

Wisdom 1:16-2.1, 12-22

The Book of Wisdom, also known as “The Wisdom of Solomon,” is not part of the “Canon” (accepted books) of the Hebrew Bible. It is, however, included as part of the Hebrew Scriptures in Roman Catholic and Orthodox Church Bibles as “deutero-canonical” – part of a “second” Canon. In Protestant Bibles, Wisdom is not included in the Hebrew Scriptures but is part of the Apocrypha (“hidden books”).

This difference in treatment arises because in the period from 300 to 200 BCE, the existing Hebrew Scriptures were translated into Greek (the common language of the time). Compilations of these translations were called the “Septuagint.” The Book of Wisdom was included in most versions of the Septuagint, but this book (among others) was not included in the Canon of the Hebrew Bible (the “TaNaK”) when it was codified around 90 CE by the Pharisees/Rabbis after the Destruction of the Temple in 70 CE.

Jerome included “Wisdom” and the other books that were part of the Septuagint in the Vulgate (the Latin translation of the Hebrew and the Christian Scriptures around 405 CE). Jerome wrote prefaces to some books that they were not in the Jewish Canon of the Hebrew Bible. Later compilers overlooked Jerome’s prefaces, and the Council of Trent in 1546 decreed that the Roman Catholic Canon of the Old Testament included the books that were in the Septuagint.

Luther and other Protestants followed the Jewish Canon of the Hebrew Bible and put books from the Septuagint (such as Wisdom) in a separate section called the Apocrypha.

The Wisdom of Solomon purports to be written by Solomon (who reigned in Israel from 965 to 930 BCE). It was actually written by an anonymous Hellenistic Jew in the late First Century BCE or the early First Century CE. The author’s intent was to show the superiority of Judaism in terms that were relevant to persons familiar with Greek philosophy. For this reason, there is an emphasis on Platonic ideas such as immortality and the guiding force of Sophia (Wisdom).

Today’s reading criticizes the “ungodly” (v.1:16) who have made a covenant with death (v. 16b) and who present themselves as opponents of the righteous (vv.12-20). The author criticizes their wickedness and their failure to know the “secret purposes of God.” (v.22)

Jeremiah 11:18-20

After the good King Josiah (who instituted many Deuteronomic reforms) was killed in battle in 609 BCE at Megiddo (the Greek name for which is Armageddon), the fortunes of Judea took a sharp downward turn. Babylon threatened Judea’s existence, and Judea had a series of hapless kings from 609 BCE until Jerusalem was conquered by the Babylonians in 597 BCE and destroyed by them in 586 BCE. The Babylonian Exile occurred in two phases, one in 597 and the second in 587 BCE.

Jeremiah’s prophesying (i.e. speaking for YHWH) began around 609 and continued until 586 BCE when he died in Egypt. Jeremiah is largely a prophet of doom and gloom – so much so that we have the English word “jeremiad” (a lamentation about the state of things).

In today’s reading, Jeremiah laments that he is opposed by the “court prophets” who tell the King what the King wants to hear. Anticipating the public humiliations that will be brought upon him, Jeremiah compares himself to an innocent lamb and asks YHWH (the “LORD” in all capital letters) to bring retribution upon his enemies.

James 3:13-4:3, 7-8a

The authorship of this Epistle is not known, but it has traditionally been attributed to James, the brother of Jesus and leader of the Jesus Follower community in Jerusalem.

This James (sometimes called “James the Just”) is to be distinguished from “James the Great” (the apostle, brother of John, and son of Zebedee) and “James the Less” (apostle and son of Alphaeus).

The letter is addressed to Jewish Jesus Followers and emphasizes the importance of good works.

Today’s reading continues these themes and observes that good works are done with gentleness born of wisdom. This passage speaks of “wisdom from above” as the source of mercy and good fruits (deeds). Today’s reading concludes by urging submission to God and resistance to the devil.