Current book lists are full of ‘how to’ books on almost any imaginable subject, but I see nothing that is like the ‘Wisdom’ books popular in the world of the Bible. In fact, in an era concerned with data, the latest fads and style, and ‘influencers’, I am not sure wisdom is much valued or sought.
The readings are available online here.
Wisdom 7:7-11
The style of ‘wisdom’ writing was popular in Egypt as well as Israel, and often is just general maxims about human relationships. But for the Bible, there was also an emphasis on what God desires people to do, and also speculation on what God is, as far as we can know.
The book called ‘Wisdom’ (sometimes ‘Wisdom of Solomon’) is probably the last book written in the Older Testament. Because it is late and comes from the Greek-speaking Jewish community dispersed around the empire, it is not recognized as part of the Jewish or Protestant scriptures. King Solomon was remembered for asking God for wisdom, and is therefore the ‘ideal’ whose name is adopted by later writers as the symbolic author of their own works.
Because the word we translate as ‘wisdom’ is in the feminine gender in both Hebrew and Greek, it is sometimes personified as a woman and that is why our reading uses the pronoun ‘her’. ‘Wisdom’ is seen as a special gift of God, even as an emanation of God’s glory and so the action of Wisdom became compared to Christian ideas of the Holy Spirit. Other descriptions of Wisdom in this book, which explain the high regard Solomon has for her, are worth reflection: 6:12-22, 7:22-8:1.
Psalm 89/90:12-17
The psalm is also in the Wisdom tradition. By thinking of the shortness of human life, the psalmist tells us we will gain the wisdom to see what is truly most valuable. But it is also a plea to God to give us the gift of joy. As with many psalms we have an expression of human sorrow or trouble in which the Psalmists turn to God for comfort.
Hebrews 4:12-13
We continuing with a short selection from this Letter which powerfully conveys the way God knows us beyond all human knowledge, better than we can know ourselves. The image is an odd one as we think of human anatomy now, as joints and marrow are not joined, but the basic idea is that God makes very fine (and even intimate) distinctions and nothing is hidden from his judgement. ‘The Word of God is all that God has revealed through the prophets or through his Son.’ (Notes in The Jerusalem Bible.) These are not just statements written in the past, but are ‘alive’ in that they express how God is right now ‘concerned’, as it were, at all times with what we do and how we respond to him and others around us. Thus the Word brings ‘judgment’ on our actions but in the following section we will hear next week, the Letter reminds us how Christ is always there to help us.
I like this as a good verse to say before private reading of the Bible, reminding me that the words of scripture carry a message for today.
Mark 10:17-30
Our translation says Jesus was ‘setting out on a journey’ and from now on, Mark’s gospel places him on his way to Jerusalem for the final stages of his life. The man ‘running up’ to Jesus suggests eagerness; he kneels to do him honour and calls him ‘Good Teacher’. In the gospels, people never impress Jesus by flattering words, and his reaction now is to turn the words back, asking him to consider what he has said. It was rare for Jews to use their word ‘good’ for people, mostly it was reserved for God. Some have interpreted this as Jesus refusing the idea he is either ‘good’ or ‘God’. But in the gospels Jesus asks questions to get others to think more deeply and that is likely to be the point here. Perhaps one thing the young man needs to learn is that, if he recognises Jesus’ as an authority, he should be ready to do what he asks.
In the list of the commandments, Jesus has chosen the ones that are about the relationship between humans, and omits the first commandments which relate to God. The man’s response about his own life touches Jesus, who looks at him with love. His response is to challenge him to go further than rule-keeping. The focus may shift from others to calling him to make God the centre of his life. Jesus is offering him the place of a disciple. C E B Cranfield writes: ‘Jesus offers himself to him, he is himself the answer to the way to eternal life.’ How saddened, Mark lets us know, Jesus feels when the man leaves him in sorrow, and chooses to keep his wealth rather than share with the poor and be with Jesus.
Jesus exclamation on how hard for the rich find the Kingdom ‘astounds’ his disciples. They are accustomed to the older interpretation that abundance of earthly goods is a sign of God’s favour. (This is an attitude still heard today with the idea that wealth indicates personal worth and the poor are blamed and made even more poorer.) Jesus sees how selfish the rich easily can become, ever wanting more riches and ignoring the needy around them. He makes strong comparison using the camel, the largest animal around and one of the tiniest of openings. His words are ‘hyperbole’ and even humorous, but what they stress is a complete impossibility. When questioned further, Jesus does not do anything to soften his statements, unlike those who argue that not all disciples are called to give up their excesses, that riches can be used productively and charitably, and so on. Instead, he leaves the matter as ‘impossible’ but with the assurance that God can manage what is impossible humanly speaking.
Peter, who early in Mark left his fishing boat and his home, now points out that he and his fellow group of disciples have taken the challenge the rich man refused. Jesus responds to him with warm assurances that their generosity will be met with greater generosity from God, including not only in the future life, but ‘in this time’. The family fellowship promised is the Christian community, and it is notable that he does not mention ‘fathers’ in the listing, suggesting that this new family has God for its Father, even a hint perhaps of Jesus as brother.
Then comes the sudden surprise of ‘with persecutions’, seeming so out of place in a list of rewards! The suffering which not only Jesus but his followers can expect is never far out of Mark’s consciousness in this gospel, nor from the mind of Jesus as Mark presents him to us. Persecution may not seem any consolation for making sacrifices, but it is through them that they will reach future abundance. Suffering is the road that Jesus himself is headed toward, a suffering however that will lead to a complete victory. Perhaps it is a warning or reminder to these disciples, that having left much, they may still have more sacrifices to face in this life before the ‘coming age’ when they find a different kind of wealth, a happiness beyond our imagination where all good gifts are possible with God.
Joan Griffith
Suggestions for prayer or reflection:
What do you need in your life right now that is ‘impossible for you’ that might not be impossible for God? Do you believe that it is truly possible for God? Is it right for you to receive, or do, or be it?
Gwen Griffith-Dickson