February 2021

On the Wisdom of Solomon, Part 23: Arrogance and Humility

Discussing The Idolatry of Kings in our last presentation of this commentary on the Wisdom of Solomon, it is evident that two such types of idolatry were described: the decrees of kings which forced men to worship certain idols, and the depravity of men who would worship and even encourage others to worship the kings themselves. Encouraging others to worship a king, they seek in turn to flatter the king while making a profit for themselves. So while at first, as we read in verse 16 of Wisdom chapter 14, “graven images were worshipped by the commandments of kings”, later on men “made an express image of a king whom they honoured, to the end that by this their forwardness they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present”, and through this process “the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.”

The former mode of idolatry was described as being compulsory, and the later as being voluntary. But if we consider this further, even the compulsory form of such idolatry, whereby a king issues religious decrees, is only possible through the voluntary actions of men. A king cannot rule over any city or any nation unless a certain number of the population have willingly accepted that rule, and then assist in compelling others to accept it even when those others would otherwise refuse, using force on behalf of the man who would be king. Even kings are installed by dominant political parties, the word party actually being a euphemism for gang. So in rather simple language, Solomon is actually describing one aspect of how it is that the wicked come to rule over the righteous, and how they fulfill their endeavor where they had stated, as it was described in Wisdom chapter 2, “11 Let our strength be the law of justice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.”

On the Wisdom of Solomon, Part 22: The Idolatry of Kings

As the ancient children of Israel had conquered the land of Canaan, as it is described throughout Scripture they themselves had eventually strayed and had begun to adopt the ways of those whom they had conquered. So Solomon, explaining this phenomenon which we considered one of the important Lessons from History when we discussed Wisdom chapter 12, had begun to describe for his readers the Patterns of Idolatry, which in turn have led to the Adulation of Men. But in ancient times the adulation of men then led to the worship of kings, and men would ultimately be compelled to accept the idolatry of kings.

Earlier in Wisdom, in chapter 2, Solomon had illustrated for us a Portrait of the Wicked whereby he described the desires of wicked men who would oppress the righteous and make themselves the law, as they are portrayed as have exclaimed “Let our strength be the law of justice: for that which is feeble is found to be nothing worth.” In making themselves the law and oppressing the righteous, it seems that the next natural step in the development of tyranny is to acquire control of the minds of the people so that the tyrants can continue to rule over their lives.