Divine Judgement and Divine Benevolence in the Book of Wisdom

Scholarly interest in the apocryphal Book of Wisdom has grown over the last fifty years. In addition to the main commentaries, several literary studies have been produced on sections of the text, giving new and richer insights. Moyna McGlynn examines the interwoven themes of divine judgement and divine benevolence as they are presented in the text of Wisdom. The full extent and interplay between these themes is only revealed by a literary reading of the whole text. This reading examines the poetic techniques, structures, vocabulary, verbal repetitions, and the questions the author has employed to provide a framework for a theology of justice and mercy. Further study of these themes leads to reflections upon God as creator and humans as creatures, the kindness of God in the gift of divine wisdom, and the formation and protection of Israel as the paradigm community with responsibility for teaching and demonstrating the knowledge of God to the world. These twin themes, then, provide us with an integrated and coherent reading of the text of Wisdom, and offer a new insight into the role of Israel and Jewish self-awareness just prior to the formation of rabbinic Judaism and Christianity. The Book of Wisdom falls naturally into four, major sub-divisions, with a fifth central section providing the theodicy which underpins the action and reflection of the other four. Moyna McGlynn has retained this five-fold division for her analysis. A brief Appendix, at the close of the book, outlines Wisdom’s history and reception in the Jewish and Christian communities.