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From: Wisdom 12:13, 16-19
God, Just and Forbearing (Continuation)
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Commentary:
12:12-27. This passage is imbued with very solid faith in the goodness and po-
wer of God, who is the only God, almighty, and has to account to no one for
what he does (vv. 12-14). Here the book of Wisdom connects up with sapiential
tradition (cf. Job 9) and with prophecy (cf. e.g. Is 45:9-13; Jer 18: 5-11). His all-
embracing power does not make God an unjust tyrant; on the contrary, God is
always righteous (vv. 15-17). Nor is his justice in any sense at odds with his mer-
cy and kindness. He shows this in his dealings with Israel, especially, but also
in his dealings with mankind at large, whose evil actions he punishes gently, to
give people a chance to change (vv. 18-25). However, he will indeed punish those
who are obdurate in their unbelief and wickedness (vv. 26-27). We find the same
teaching in the New Testament (cf. e.g., Mt 16:15-16).
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Source: “The Navarre Bible: Text and Commentaries”. Biblical text from the
Revised Standard Version and New Vulgate. Commentaries by members of
the Faculty of Theology, University of Navarre, Spain.
Published by Four Courts Press, Kill Lane, Blackrock, Co. Dublin, Ireland, and
by Scepter Publishers in the United States.