Wisdom of solomon 2:20 - Let us condemn him to a shameful death; For he will be visited according to his words.
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What does "Wisdom of solomon 2:20" mean?
This verse comes from the Book of Wisdom, chapter 2, verse 20. It's part of a longer passage where the wicked are plotting against a righteous man who rebukes them for their behavior. Understanding the full context is key to interpreting the meaning.
Here's a breakdown:
"Let us condemn him to a shameful death...": This shows the wicked are planning to execute the righteous man. The phrase "shameful death" suggests they intend to kill him in a humiliating and disgraceful way, likely a public execution with added cruelty.
"...For he will be visited according to his words.": This is the heart of the verse and needs careful consideration.
"For": This introduces the reason why they want to kill him in this way.
"He will be visited": "Visited" in this context has multiple possible interpretations:
Divine Intervention/Judgment: This is the most common interpretation. The wicked believe the righteous man claims to be favored by God and predicts divine intervention. They think that by putting him to death, they will test his claims. They want to see if God will actually intervene and save him. They are essentially challenging God to make good on the righteous man's "prophecies."
He will face the consequence of his actions: They see that he is constantly condemning them for their behavior, and that will make him face the consequences of doing so by making him die in a shameful way.
"According to his words": This refers to the righteous man's pronouncements, teachings, or prophecies. The wicked believe that his words imply some kind of divine protection or judgment. They are testing whether his words hold any power.
In essence, the verse reveals the wicked's motive: They are not just seeking to eliminate a moral irritant. They are actively trying to disprove the righteous man's claims of divine favor. They believe that by subjecting him to a humiliating death, they will expose him as a fraud and prove his "prophecies" false.
Key Themes:
Persecution of the Righteous: The passage highlights the historical and ongoing tension between the righteous and the wicked, and the frequent persecution of those who stand for truth and justice.
Testing Faith: The wicked are deliberately trying to provoke a divine response, to test the limits of faith and the power of God.
The Nature of Evil: The passage reveals the wicked's arrogance, their disbelief in divine justice, and their willingness to commit evil in order to assert their own power.
Suffering and Vindication: While not explicitly stated in this verse, the broader context of the Book of Wisdom suggests that the righteous, though they may suffer, will ultimately be vindicated by God.
Historical Context:
The Book of Wisdom was written in Greek, likely in Alexandria, Egypt, sometime in the first century BCE. It reflects the experiences of Jewish people living in a Hellenistic culture, and the challenges they faced in maintaining their faith in the face of pagan beliefs and practices. This verse, and the wider passage, is often seen as foreshadowing the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
In summary, this verse is a chilling example of how evil can be rationalized. The wicked use the righteous man's own words against him, twisting his message of faith and divine justice into a challenge to a deadly test.
Wisdom of solomon 2:20 - Let us condemn him to a shameful death; For he will be visited according to his words.
What does "Wisdom of solomon 2:20" mean?
This verse comes from the Book of Wisdom, chapter 2, verse 20. It's part of a longer passage where the wicked are plotting against a righteous man who rebukes them for their behavior. Understanding the full context is key to interpreting the meaning.
Here's a breakdown:
"Let us condemn him to a shameful death...": This shows the wicked are planning to execute the righteous man. The phrase "shameful death" suggests they intend to kill him in a humiliating and disgraceful way, likely a public execution with added cruelty.
"...For he will be visited according to his words.": This is the heart of the verse and needs careful consideration.
"For": This introduces the reason why they want to kill him in this way.
"He will be visited": "Visited" in this context has multiple possible interpretations:
Divine Intervention/Judgment: This is the most common interpretation. The wicked believe the righteous man claims to be favored by God and predicts divine intervention. They think that by putting him to death, they will test his claims. They want to see if God will actually intervene and save him. They are essentially challenging God to make good on the righteous man's "prophecies."
He will face the consequence of his actions: They see that he is constantly condemning them for their behavior, and that will make him face the consequences of doing so by making him die in a shameful way.
"According to his words": This refers to the righteous man's pronouncements, teachings, or prophecies. The wicked believe that his words imply some kind of divine protection or judgment. They are testing whether his words hold any power.
In essence, the verse reveals the wicked's motive: They are not just seeking to eliminate a moral irritant. They are actively trying to disprove the righteous man's claims of divine favor. They believe that by subjecting him to a humiliating death, they will expose him as a fraud and prove his "prophecies" false.
Key Themes:
Persecution of the Righteous: The passage highlights the historical and ongoing tension between the righteous and the wicked, and the frequent persecution of those who stand for truth and justice.
Testing Faith: The wicked are deliberately trying to provoke a divine response, to test the limits of faith and the power of God.
The Nature of Evil: The passage reveals the wicked's arrogance, their disbelief in divine justice, and their willingness to commit evil in order to assert their own power.
Suffering and Vindication: While not explicitly stated in this verse, the broader context of the Book of Wisdom suggests that the righteous, though they may suffer, will ultimately be vindicated by God.
Historical Context:
The Book of Wisdom was written in Greek, likely in Alexandria, Egypt, sometime in the first century BCE. It reflects the experiences of Jewish people living in a Hellenistic culture, and the challenges they faced in maintaining their faith in the face of pagan beliefs and practices. This verse, and the wider passage, is often seen as foreshadowing the suffering and death of Jesus Christ.
In summary, this verse is a chilling example of how evil can be rationalized. The wicked use the righteous man's own words against him, twisting his message of faith and divine justice into a challenge to a deadly test.