Wisdom chapter 13

[This chapter is in Orthodox and Catholic Bibles] Argument from Design. Ironies in worshipping idols.

 


 

The Book of Wisdom is recognized as Deuterocanonical Scripture by the Orthodox and Catholic Churches

 


 

ARGUMENT FROM DESIGN

SUMMARY: When we see a beautiful watch, we conclude that someone designed it. When we behold this beautiful world, many people conclude that there must be an all-powerful God who designed it. If there is a design, there is a designer. Philosophers call that the “Argument from Design.”

The most famous example of the “Argument from Design” is “The Watchmaker analogy.”

 

VERSE 1. For truly all men who had no perception of God were vain by nature, and didn’t gain power to know him who exists from the good things that are seen. They didn’t recognize the architect from his works.

When we see a beautiful watch, we know somebody designed it. If there is a world, there must be a God who designed it. Read more »

 

VERSE 2. But they thought that either fire, or wind, or swift air, or circling stars, or raging water, or luminaries of heaven were gods that rule the world.

they thought … luminaries of heaven were gods. That is, they worshipped with stars.

 

VERSE 3. If it was through delight in their beauty that they took them to be gods, let them know how much better their Sovereign Lord is than these, for the first author of beauty created them.

delight in their beauty. The physical realities of nature are indeed beautiful.

how much better their Sovereign Lord. The Lord is even more amazing than anything in nature.

 

VERSE 4. But if it was through astonishment at their power and influence, then let them understand from them how much more powerful he who formed them is.

he who formed them. The physical realities of nature are merely created things. Their Creator is far superior to them.

 

VERSE 5. For from the greatness of the beauty of created things, mankind forms the corresponding image of their Maker.

 

VERSE 6. But yet for these men there is but small blame, for they too perhaps go astray while they are seeking God and desiring to find him.

 

VERSE 7. For they diligently search while living among his works, and they trust their sight that the things that they look at are beautiful.

they trust their sight. Too many people are closed to anything except what they can rationalize within their own mind.

 

VERSE 8. But again even they are not to be excused.

 

VERSE 9. For if they had power to know so much, that they should be able to explore the world, how is it that they didn’t find the Sovereign Lord sooner?

 

IRONIES IN WORSHIPPING IDOLS

 

VERSE 10. But miserable were they, and in dead things were their hopes, Who called them gods which are works of men’s hands, gold and silver, skillfully made, and likenesses of animals, or a useless stone, the work of an ancient hand.

 

VERSE 11. Yes and if some woodcutter, having sawn down a tree that is easily moved, skillfully strips away all its bark, and fashioning it in attractive form, makes a useful vessel to serve his life’s needs.

 

VERSE 12. Burning the scraps from his handiwork to cook his food, he eats his fill.

 

VERSE 13. Taking a discarded scrap which served no purpose, a crooked piece of wood and full of knots, carves it with the diligence of his idleness, and shapes it by the skill of his idleness. He shapes it in the image of a man,

 

VERSE 14. or makes it like some paltry animal, smearing it with something red, painting it red, and smearing over every stain in it.

 

VERSE 15. Having made a worthy chamber for it, he sets it in a wall, securing it with iron.

 

VERSE 16. He plans for it that it may not fall down, knowing that it is unable to help itself (for truly it is an image, and needs help).

 

VERSE 17. When he makes his prayer concerning goods and his marriage and children, he is not ashamed to speak to that which has no life.

People want material goods, but they pray to a lifeless idol.

People want marriage, but they pray to a lifeless idol.

People want children, but they pray to a lifeless idol.

 

VERSE 18. Yes, for health, he calls upon that which is weak. For life, he implores that which is dead. For aid, he supplicates that which has no experience. For a good journey, he asks that which can’t so much as move a step.

People want health, but they pray to a weak idol.

People want life, but they pray to a dead idol.

People want aid (assistance), but they pray to an idol which has no experience.

People want a good journey, but they pray to an idol which can’t move.

 

VERSE 19. And for profit in business and good success of his hands, he asks ability from that which has hands with no ability.

People want profit, but they pray to an idol which has no ability.

People want success, but they pray to an idol which has no ability.

 


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WISDOM

CHAPTERS: 01, 02, 03, 04, 05, 06, 07, 08, 09, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19

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