The apocryphal Jewish religious work, the Book of Wisdom, once considered Biblical canon by both Jews and Christians, written ~100-300 years before Messiah, contains the following:
Let us lie in wait for the righteous; because he is not for our turn, and he is clean contrary to our doings: he rebukes us with our breaking the Torah, and objects to our infamy the sins of our education. He professes to have the knowledge of God: and he calls himself the child of Adonai.
He was made to reprove our thoughts.
He is grievous unto us even to behold: for his life is not like other men's, his ways are of another fashion. We are esteemed of him as counterfeits: he abstains from our ways as from filthiness: he pronounces the end of the just to be blessed, and makes his boast that God is his father.
Let us see if his words be true: and let us prove what shall happen in the end of him. For if the just man be the son of God, he will help him, and deliver him from the hand of his enemies. Let us examine him with despitefulness and torture, that we may know his meekness, and prove his patience. Let us condemn him with a shameful death: for by his own saying he shall be respected.
Such things they did imagine, and were deceived: for their own wickedness has blinded them.
As for the mysteries of God, they knew them not: neither hoped they for the wages of righteousness, nor discerned a reward for blameless souls.
-Wisdom of Solomon 2:12-22
Interesting. Hat tip to Trimm.
Good shabbat!
Hi Judah -
ReplyDeletethe Book of Wisdom is still in Christian Bibles - if you are a Catholic or Eastern Orthodox!
Along with Sirach, both Maccabees and a little more.
Seems to me that even if they aren't viewed as inspired by the Protestant, Jewish, and Messianic world, there is alot that is useful in these books. Think of all the books by Christian or Jewish authors that many consider great reading...could think of these the same way.
ToddV
Yep, was just reading it a Catholic Bible this morning.
ReplyDeleteAgree there is value in them, regardless of their canon status.
Interesting that you posted this. I am revisiting the issue of these books and whether or not they should be canonical. I've found that some Jewish groups considered them canon, despite what Protestants usually say about them.
ReplyDelete