Wis 14

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God's providence, not idols, rules the sea

1 Again, another designing to sail, and beginning to make his voyage through the raging waves, calls upon a piece of wood more frail than the wood that carries him. 2 For this the desire of gain devised, and the workman built it by his skill. 3 But your providence, O Father, governs it: for you have made a way even in the sea, and a most sure path among the waves, 4 Showing that you are able to save out of all things, yea though a man went to sea without art. 5 But that the works of your wisdom might not be idle: therefore men also trust their lives even to a little wood, and passing over the sea by ship are saved. 6 And from the beginning also when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world fleeing to a vessel, which was governed by thy hand, left to the world seed of generation.

Idols and their artisans are cursed

7 For blessed is the wood, by which justice comes. 8 But the idol that is made by hands, is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he because he made it; and it because being frail it is called a god. 9 But to God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike. 10 For that which is made, together with him that made it, shall suffer torments. 11 Therefore there shall be no respect had even to the idols of the Gentiles: because the creatures of God are turned to an abomination, and a temptation to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.

Idols are man's invention and will perish

12 For the beginning of fornication is the devising of idols: and the invention of them is the corruption of life. 13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be for ever. 14 For by the vanity of men they came into the world: and therefore they shall be found to come shortly to an end.

The origin of idols and idolatry

15 For a father being afflicted with bitter grief, made to himself the image of his son who was quickly taken away: and him who then had died as a man, he began now to worship as a god, and appointed him rites and sacrifices among his servants. 16 Then in process of time, wicked custom prevailing, this error was kept as a law, and statues were worshipped by the commandment of tyrants. 17 And those whom men could not honour in presence, because they dwelt far off, they brought their resemblance from afar, and made an express image of the king whom they had a mind to honour: that by this their diligence, they might honour as present, him that was absent. 18 And to worshipping of these, the singular diligence also of the artificer helped to set forward the ignorant. 19 For he being willing to please him that employed him, laboured with all his art to make the resemblance in the best manner. 20 And the multitude of men, carried away by the beauty of the work, took him now for a god that a little before was but honoured as a man. 21 And this was the occasion of deceiving human life: for men serving either their affection, or their kings, gave the incommunicable name to stones and wood.

Idolatry leads to moral disorders

22 And it was not enough for them to err about the knowledge of God, but whereas they lived in a great war of ignorance, they call so many and so great evils peace. 23 For either they sacrifice their own children, or use hidden sacrifices, or keep watches full of madness, 24 So that now they neither keep life, nor marriage undefiled, but one kills another through envy, or grieve him by adultery: 25 And all things are mingled together, blood, murder, theft and dissimulation, corruption and unfaithfulness, tumults and perjury, disquieting of the good, 26 Forgetfulness of God, defiling of souls, changing of nature, disorder in marriage, and the irregularity of adultery and uncleaness. 27 For the worship of abominable idols is the cause, and the beginning and end of all evil. 28 For either they are mad when they are merry: or they prophesy lies, or they live unjustly, or easily forswear themselves. 29 For while they trust in idols, which are without life, though they swear amiss, they look not to be hurt.

God's just vengence will punish idolators

30 But for two things they shall be justly punished, because they have thought not well of God, giving heed to idols, and have sworn unjustly, in guile despising justice. 31 For it is not the power of them, by whom they swear, but the just vengeance of sinners always punishes the transgression of the unjust.

Commentary on Wisdom 14

14:2 When one who makes something is greater than what is made, it is folly to adore what was made. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:3 It is clear from what has been said that in the world nothing happens by chance or luck. (St. Bonaventure) sure path among the waves: Divine power led the Israelites through the Red Sea on a dry path and divided the waters of the Jordan. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:6 Here, the value of the ark of Noah is shown. (St. Bonaventure)

14:7 Blessed is the wood: that is, of the cross, by which the whole earth is restored. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:8 For the devil has to be punished because it usurped for itself divine honour; and also the man who gives honour to a creature rather than to the Creator. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:11 creatures of God turned into an abomination: For God did not make the creatures that they might be an evil to man; this was the result of man's folly, wherefore the text goes on to say, "and a snare to the feet of the unwise," who, to wit, in their folly, use creatures for a purpose other than that for which they were made. (St. Thomas Aquinas Sum Theo 2.79.1)

14:12 The worst kind of fornication is that by which a soul draws away from God and fornicates with idols. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:15 People have made for themselves images of dead friends and have had some comfort from reflecting on them. he began now, that is a little later, to worship as a god, something even less excusable; And moving further away, they began out of love to worship the memory of the dead. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:17 Because of the foolishness and perversity of people who live a rustic life without a guide, they have honoured this king

and all people with the highest praises, so that they even called them gods either for their outstanding virtue, or for benefits or for adulation. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:21 In this way various sacred objects are taken by people and regions: namely, for the sake of honouring or from fear, when people want to show gratitude to their rulers. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:22 And it was not enough for them to err: With a false religion they submitted themselves to every vice. they called peace: Subject to various vices under the reign of the devil they were not able to have true peace. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:23 For either they sacrifice their own children: In the sacred rites of Saturn, out of hatred for Jupiter, they sacrificed their children without attention to duty. Or use hidden sacrifices: As they used do in the rites of the Egyptian Isis and of the Eleusinian Ceres. For as in that place, Egypt, Osiris is sought with the Mother's lamentation, in the same manner here in Eleusis Persephone is sought, she who had been snatched away into incentuous union with her uncle Pluto, since Persephone for whom Ceres is said to have searched with burning torches lit from Etna in Sicily, so would her rites be celebrated by the casting of flaming pine-torches. Likewise do they rave during the rites of the Father Liber and of the Great Mother in which they sport after the example of the gods, who, sated with feasting, spent the whole night in excesses, because they thought to please their gods by debauchery and impurity. (Rabanus Maurus)

14:31 The transgression always progresses: Indeed, every sin that cannot be cleansed quickly by penitence is either sin and a cause of sin, or it is sin and the punishment of sin. For sin that penitence does not wash away by its own weight. (St. Gregory the Great Mor Job 25.9)

CCC 14:12 2534

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