Wisdom of solomon 14:17 - And when men could not honor them in presence because they lived far off, Imagining the likeness from afar, They made a visible image of the king whom they honored, That by their zeal they might flatter the absent as if present.
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What does "Wisdom of solomon 14:17" mean?
This verse from the Wisdom of Solomon 14:17 describes one of the ways idolatry began, according to the author. Let's break it down:
"And when men could not honor them in presence because they lived far off..." This introduces the context: people wanted to honor rulers or important figures, but they were geographically distant and therefore unreachable.
"Imagining the likeness from afar..." The people tried to picture what the honored figure looked like, even though they couldn't see them directly. This speaks to a desire for connection and a way to feel closer to the person they admired.
"They made a visible image of the king whom they honored..." This is the key action. Based on their imagined likeness, they created a physical representation – an idol or statue – of the distant king.
"That by their zeal they might flatter the absent as if present." This reveals the motive behind creating the image. The people believed that by showing devotion to the statue, they were in effect flattering or pleasing the king, even though he was not physically present. They hoped their zeal and respect would somehow be communicated to him through their actions towards the image.
In essence, the verse suggests that idolatry arose from:
1. A desire to honor powerful or influential figures.
2. Frustration at the physical distance separating them.
3. The human tendency to create tangible symbols of abstract concepts (like honor and loyalty).
4. The mistaken belief that these images could somehow connect them to the absent figure and convey their admiration.
The author of Wisdom of Solomon views this as a misguided and ultimately dangerous practice. He argues that it's foolish to worship something that is created by human hands and that it leads people away from true worship of God.
Wisdom of solomon 14:17 - And when men could not honor them in presence because they lived far off, Imagining the likeness from afar, They made a visible image of the king whom they honored, That by their zeal they might flatter the absent as if present.
What does "Wisdom of solomon 14:17" mean?
This verse from the Wisdom of Solomon 14:17 describes one of the ways idolatry began, according to the author. Let's break it down:
"And when men could not honor them in presence because they lived far off..." This introduces the context: people wanted to honor rulers or important figures, but they were geographically distant and therefore unreachable.
"Imagining the likeness from afar..." The people tried to picture what the honored figure looked like, even though they couldn't see them directly. This speaks to a desire for connection and a way to feel closer to the person they admired.
"They made a visible image of the king whom they honored..." This is the key action. Based on their imagined likeness, they created a physical representation – an idol or statue – of the distant king.
"That by their zeal they might flatter the absent as if present." This reveals the motive behind creating the image. The people believed that by showing devotion to the statue, they were in effect flattering or pleasing the king, even though he was not physically present. They hoped their zeal and respect would somehow be communicated to him through their actions towards the image.
In essence, the verse suggests that idolatry arose from:
1. A desire to honor powerful or influential figures.
2. Frustration at the physical distance separating them.
3. The human tendency to create tangible symbols of abstract concepts (like honor and loyalty).
4. The mistaken belief that these images could somehow connect them to the absent figure and convey their admiration.
The author of Wisdom of Solomon views this as a misguided and ultimately dangerous practice. He argues that it's foolish to worship something that is created by human hands and that it leads people away from true worship of God.