CAF Bible Study - The Book of Wisdom

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Just off the top, this verse sounds like something that we could all share with our leaders as well as take to hear ourselves.
1 Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the LORD in goodness, and seek him in integrity of heart;
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RSV reads.
1] Love righteousness, you rulers of the earth,
think of the Lord with uprightness,
and seek him with sincerity of heart;
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1 Love justice, you that are the judges of the earth. Think of the Lord in goodness, and seek him in simplicity of heart.

From Haydock’s Catholic Bible Commentary, 1859 edition.:
Ver. 1. Goodness. Entertain just sentiments of the Deity, and avoid all duplicity. This truth is placed in the strongest light in the five first chapters, or preface.
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5 For the holy spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when injustice occurs it is rebuked.

the “Holy Spirit of Discipline” helps keep me focused on God. I try and start my day with a rosary and prayers and then spend 30 minutes reading and studying the bible. I noticed that when these disciplines get sloppy, other things come into my life to replace them… things I am not proud of.

I really like that term - “the Holy Spirit of Discipline”.
 
Douay Rheims verse 3 “For perverse thoughts separate from God…”
The Geo Haydock notes that this shows we can sin mortally in our thoughts.

I thought the verses following verse 3 were a good explanation what constitutes this separation from God caused by mortal sin – what takes place on the spiritual plane between our soul and God.
Douay translation of Wisdom 1:4-5
For
**wisdom will not enter **into a malicious soul,
**nor dwell ****in a body **subject to sins. For the
**Holy Spirit ****of discipline ****will flee **from the deceitful, and
**will withdraw ****himself from thoughts **that are without understanding, and
**he shall not abide **when iniquity cometh in.
 
Just a postscript; too much time passed to edit.

After reading the verses about God/Holy Spirit separating, not dwelling in, fleeing and withdrawing from the wicked - along comes verse 7 that says the Spirit of God fills the whole earth! Separated/not dwelling - yet present.
 
Nita said:
After reading the verses about God/Holy Spirit separating, not dwelling in, fleeing and withdrawing from the wicked - along comes verse 7 that says the Spirit of God fills the whole earth! Separated/not dwelling - yet present.
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Sort of like knocking on the door and waiting for you to answer and invite Him in?
 
NotWorthy said:
Sort of like knocking on the door and waiting for you to answer and invite Him in?
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Yes.
But even if one refuses and remains hardened, God is still present – loving and upholding everything, even the sinner, into “being” (that is, to continue existing) by His power.
God still present, but because of the sinner’s rejection, not being able to form a union with him wherein His supernatural life flows in him. God present, yet separated; not united.
 
Here is a resource that could be helpful litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Wisdom+Patristic+Citations

It has tons of Church Fathers Scripture citations bookmarked as well as some of the Doctors of the Church. Just click on the chapter and verse and it will take you right to the spot the Church Fathers quoted it, which means you can often find their interpretation of it.

I am working on every book of the Bible, I should be done in a couple of days. They are found here along with the Bible commentaries litteralchristianlibrary.wetpaint.com/page/Bible+Commentaries-Fathers+and+Doctors
 
NotWorthy said:
5 For the holy spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when injustice occurs it is rebuked.

the “Holy Spirit of Discipline” helps keep me focused on God. I try and start my day with a rosary and prayers and then spend 30 minutes reading and studying the bible. I noticed that when these disciplines get sloppy, other things come into my life to replace them… things I am not proud of.

I really like that term - “the Holy Spirit of Discipline”.
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That is a very good point…the Holy Spirit of Discipline…

We were talking in our RENEW group last Wednesday how amazing (not in a good way) that our lives are so fast-paced and cluttered with things that are unimportant that as a whole, we do not have time for God anymore. Not even on Sundays! We squeeze in 1-11/2 hours for mass and continue on with our busy lives. What happened to allowing the Holy Spirit of Discipline into our lives? 😊
 
This chapter seems to focus on the wicked. It is as if God is saying I will not dwell with you if you do this. And if you do this then that will be your just reward.

Vs. 2 - He is found in those who test him not, and manifests to those who don’t disbelieve.
vs. 3 perverse councels separate you
vs. 4 plotting evil will separate you
vs. 5 explaining that the Holy Spirit can not be around when vs. 3 and vs. 4 are occurring.

Just some examples.
 
8 Therefore no one who utters wicked things can go unnoticed, nor will chastising condemnation pass him by. 9 For the devices of the wicked man shall be scrutinized, and the sound of his words shall reach the LORD, for the chastisement of his transgressions; 10 Because a jealous ear hearkens to everything, and discordant grumblings are no secret. 11 4 Therefore guard against profitless grumbling, and from calumny withhold your tongues; For a stealthy utterance does not go unpunished, and a lying mouth slays the soul.
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These verses brought to mind Our Lord’s words in Matthew 12:36:
**“I tell you, on the day of judgment men will render account for every careless word they utter;” **

I recall when I first really noticed the Matthew verse - and it made me nervous!
Resolved to try and think first before speaking; examine my words as to whether to say it, rephrase it, or keep my mouth shut.
I have a huge tendency to make resolutions and then forget them. 😊 This chapter in Wisdom has served to remind me again.
It is interesting to ponder why words are so important to God.

Nita
 
Nita said:
Douay Rheims verse 3 “For perverse thoughts separate from God…”
The Geo Haydock notes that this shows we can sin mortally in our thoughts.

I thought the verses following verse 3 were a good explanation what constitutes this separation from God caused by mortal sin – what takes place on the spiritual plane between our soul and God.
Douay translation of Wisdom 1:4-5
For
**wisdom will not enter **into a malicious soul,
**nor dwell ****in a body **subject to sins. For the
**Holy Spirit ****of discipline ****will flee **from the deceitful, and
**will withdraw ****himself from thoughts **that are without understanding, and
**he shall not abide **when iniquity cometh in.
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I think it also supports the immaculate conception for mary’s body is not slaved to sin but everyone else is sold to as a slave to sin…
 
adolfo123 said:
I think it also supports the immaculate conception for Mary’s body is not slaved to sin but everyone else is sold to as a slave to sin…
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Interesting! I had not noticed that connection before, but now that you point it out that makes sense. 👍**

(****Chapter 2 **now available.)
 
Church_Militant said:
CAF Bible Study - The Book of Wisdom

The Book of Wisdom
Chapter 1

1 1 Love justice, you who judge the earth; think of the LORD in goodness, and seek him in integrity of heart; 2 Because he is found by those who test him not, and he manifests himself to those who do not disbelieve him. 3 For perverse counsels separate a man from God, and his power, put to the proof, rebukes the foolhardy; 4 Because into a soul that plots evil wisdom enters not, nor dwells she in a body under debt of sin. 5 2 For the holy spirit of discipline flees deceit and withdraws from senseless counsels; and when injustice occurs it is rebuked. 6 For wisdom is a kindly spirit, yet she acquits not the blasphemer of his guilty lips; Because God is the witness of his inmost self and the sure observer of his heart and the listener to his tongue. 7 3 For the spirit of the LORD fills the world, is all-embracing, and knows what man says. 8 Therefore no one who utters wicked things can go unnoticed, nor will chastising condemnation pass him by. 9 For the devices of the wicked man shall be scrutinized, and the sound of his words shall reach the LORD, for the chastisement of his transgressions; 10 Because a jealous ear hearkens to everything, and discordant grumblings are no secret. 11 4 Therefore guard against profitless grumbling, and from calumny withhold your tongues; For a stealthy utterance does not go unpunished, and a lying mouth slays the soul. 12 Court not death by your erring way of life, nor draw to yourselves destruction by the works of your hands. 13 Because God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living. 14 For he fashioned all things that they might have being; and the creatures of the world are wholesome, And there is not a destructive drug among them nor any domain of the nether world on earth, 15 For justice is undying. 16 It was the wicked who with hands and words invited death, considered it a friend, and pined for it, and made a covenant with it, Because they deserve to be in its possession,
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In preparing for this study I first re-read these paragraphs of the Catechism.

CCC 122
Indeed, “the economy of the Old Testament was deliberately so oriented that it should prepare for and declare in prophecy the coming of Christ, redeemer of all men.” “Even though they contain matters imperfect and provisional,” the books of the Old Testament bear witness to the whole divine pedagogy of God’s saving love: these writings “are a storehouse of sublime teaching on God and of sound wisdom on human life, as well as a wonderful treasury of prayers; in them, too, the mystery of our salvation is present in a hidden way.”

CCC 111
The Second Vatican Council indicates three criteria for interpreting Scripture in accordance with the Spirit who inspired it.

112 1. Be especially attentive “to the content and unity of the whole
Scripture.” Different as the books which comprise it may be, Scripture is a unity by reason of the unity of God’s plan, of which Christ Jesus is the center and heart, open since his Passover. The phrase “heart of Christ” can refer to Sacred Scripture, which makes known his heart, closed before the Passion, as the Scripture was obscure. But the Scripture has been opened since the Passion; since those who from then on have understood it, consider and discern in what way the prophecies must be interpreted.

113 2. Read the Scripture within “the living Tradition of the whole Church.” According to a saying of the Fathers, Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records, for the Church carries in her Tradition the living memorial of God’s Word, and it is the Holy Spirit who gives her
the spiritual interpretation of the Scripture (“according to the spiritual meaning which the Spirit grants to the Church”).

114 3. Be attentive to the analogy of faith. By “analogy of faith” we mean the coherence of the truths of faith among themselves and within the whole plan of Revelation.

This helps put me in a proper posture for this study. I also like to look at the back of the Catechism and see which paragraphs are cross referenced to particular passages. There are only two paragraphs referenced for Wisdom 1, both verse 13, CCC paragraphs 413 and 1008.
 
Wisdom 1:13 Because God did not make death, nor does he rejoice in the destruction of the living.

It gets stressed sometimes on how easy it is to live an erring way of life and other passages that suggest very few will achieve salvation that verse 13 is comforting to hear. God doesn’t want us to die. He loves us and wants us to have salvation. 🙂
 
The Book of Wisdom! At last! :extrahappy: I have goose bumps on my arms reading the exhortations and descriptions.

Years ago… The Book of Wisdom… grabbed me. I was a goner. I was hooked. I was a docile pet on a satin leash… you could always bring me back to Wisdom and make me sit and be still.

For a long while now I have been increasingly aware of … how can I put it? … an awareness of the nature of the other in my conversations… not just the words being said… but the cry of the soul saying them.

I am also aware that I am weak… weeeeeaaak. Cleverness often seems to me so preferable to Wisdom. But I’ll say about cleverness what Milton Acorn once said about Toronto: it promises much and delivers little.

When awareness comes to me in the middle of a conversation, I can hear my own soul crying out for a light to be before me, to guide me … gently … toward … how can I put it? … genuineness … and what is memorable food and what is timeless …

The silences in poetry, as in music, are eloquent. And we haven’t even got to my favourite parts of BoW yet. I can hardly wait. ani

:heaven::heaven::heaven:
 
God loves us and wants us to live - but look at verse 16

DR - It was the wicked who with hands and words invited death, considered it a friend and pined for it

wow… you wonder who in their right mind would pine for death - it doesn’t mention them suffering or being in terrible circumstances so why would you pine for death - perhaps because they are afraid to live - or of life? I remember reading somewhere and I sure wish I could remember the quote, but they were talking about how the saints could see more clearly their faults and sins because they were closer to God - being closer to the light you see better. Could it be those talked about here’s problem… that just having God always present…was too much to bear and they needed to flee from him? That in their wickedness - they couldn’t stand to be even that close to God?
 
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