Continuing today with a look at the meaning of the LORD saying in Matthew 25:26, “His LORD answered and said unto him, You wicked and slothful servant, you knew that I reap where I sowed not, and gather where I have not strawed…”
The meaning is very clear, the LORD is saying, I reap where others have sown. This is why it is necessary for us to work. It is from our work on his behalf that the LORD reaps.
Picking up in the Book of Wisdom with the last verses from the previous post [bracketed areas are my additions for clarification]:
Wisdom 9
13 For what man is he that can know the counsel of God? or who can think what the will of the LORD is? 14 For the thoughts of mortal men are miserable, and our devices are but uncertain. 15 For the corruptible body presseth down the soul, and the earthy tabernacle weigheth down the mind that museth upon many things. 16 And hardly do we guess aright at things that are upon earth, and with labor do we find the things that are before us: but the things that are in heaven who hath searched out? 17 And your [the LORD’s] counsel who hath known, except You give wisdom, and send your Holy Spirit from above? 18 For so the ways of them which lived on the earth were reformed, and men were taught the things that are pleasing unto you, and were saved through [your] wisdom.
Wisdom 10
1 She [your wisdom] preserved the first formed father of the world, that was created alone, and brought him out of his fall, 2 And gave him power to rule all things.
3 But when the unrighteous [man] went away from her [wisdom] in his anger, he perished also in the fury wherewith he murdered his brother. 4 For whose cause the earth being drowned with the flood, [the LORD’s] wisdom again preserved it, and directed the course of the righteous in a piece of wood of small value [Ark, as well as later a cross]. 5 Moreover, the nations in their wicked conspiracy being confounded, she found out the righteous, and preserved him blameless unto God, and kept him strong against his tender compassion toward his son.
6 When the ungodly perished, she [wisdom] delivered the righteous man, who fled from the fire which fell down upon the five cities [Sodom, Gomorrah and other cities around them]. 7 Of whose wickedness even to this day the waste land that smoketh is a testimony, and plants bearing fruit that never come to ripeness: and a standing pillar of salt is a monument of an unbelieving soul. 8 For regarding not wisdom, they gat not only this hurt, that they knew not the things which were good; but also left behind them to the world a memorial of their foolishness: so that in the things wherein they offended they could not so much as be hid. 9 But wisdom delivered from pain those that attended upon her.
10 When the righteous [Jacob – Israel] fled from his brother’s wrath she guided him in right paths, shewed him the kingdom of God, and gave him knowledge of holy things, made him rich in his travels, and multiplied the fruit of his labors. 11 In the covetousness of such as oppressed him she [the LORD’s wisdom] stood by him, and made him rich. 12 She defended him from his enemies, and kept him safe from those that lay in wait, and in a sore conflict she gave him the victory; that he might know that goodness is stronger than all.
13 When the righteous [Joseph] was sold, she forsook him not, but delivered him from sin: she went down with him into the pit, 14 And left him not in bonds [imprisoned by false accusation], till she [the LORD’s wisdom] brought him the scepter of the kingdom, and power against those that oppressed him: as for them that had accused him, she showed them to be liars, and gave him perpetual glory.
15 She delivered the righteous people and blameless seed from the nation that oppressed them.
16 She entered into the soul of the servant of the LORD, and withstood dreadful kings in wonders and signs; 17 Rendered to the righteous a reward of their labors, guided them in a marvelous way, and was unto them for a cover by day, and a light of stars in the night season; 18 Brought them through the Red Sea, and led them through much water: 19 But she drowned their enemies, and cast them up out of the bottom of the deep. 20 Therefore the righteous spoiled the ungodly, and praised you holy name, O LORD, and magnified with one accord thine hand, that fought for them. 21 For wisdom opened the mouth of the dumb, and made the tongues of them that cannot speak eloquent.
Chapter 11
1 She prospered their works in the hand of the holy prophet. 2 They went through the wilderness that was not inhabited, and pitched tents in places where there lay no way. 3 They stood against their enemies, and were avenged of their adversaries. 4 When they were thirsty, they called upon you, and water was given them out of the flinty rock, and their thirst was quenched out of the hard stone. 5 For by what things their enemies were punished, by the same they in their need were benefited. 6 For instead of a fountain of a perpetual running river troubled with foul blood, 7 For a manifest reproof of that commandment, whereby the infants were slain, you gavest unto them abundance of water by a means which they hoped not for: 8 Declaring by that thirst then how you hadst punished their adversaries.
9 For when they were tried albeit but in mercy chastised, they knew how the ungodly were judged in wrath and tormented, thirsting in another manner than the just. 10 For these you didst admonish and try, as a father: but the other, as a severe king, you didst condemn and punish. 11 Whether they were absent or present, they were vexed alike. 12 For a double grief came upon them, and a groaning for the remembrance of things past. 13 For when they heard by their own punishments the other to be benefited, they had some feeling of the LORD. 14 For whom they respected with scorn, when he was long before thrown out at the casting forth of the infants, him in the end, when they saw what came to pass, they admired.
15 But for the foolish devices of their wickedness, wherewith being deceived they worshipped serpents void of reason, and vile beasts, you didst send a multitude of unreasonable beasts upon them for vengeance; 16 That they might know, that wherewithal a man sinneth, by the same also shall he be punished. [Self-inflicted torment come from rejecting the LORD’s wisdom and counsel, digressing into self-destructive error of man’s ways.]
17 For your Almighty hand, that made the world of matter without form [the pre-creation state “without form, and void” under man’s rule of tyranny], wanted not means to send among them a multitude of [men as beasts in nature] bears or fierce lions, 18 Or unknown wild beasts, full of rage, newly created, breathing out either a fiery vapor, or filthy scents of scattered smoke, or shooting horrible sparkles out of their eyes: 19 Whereof not only the harm might dispatch them at once, but also the terrible sight utterly destroy them.
20 Yea, and without these might they have fallen down with one blast, being persecuted of vengeance, and scattered abroad through the breath of you power: but you have ordered all things in measure and number and weight. 21 For you can show your great strength at all times when you will; and who may withstand the power of thine arm?
22 For the whole world before you is as a little grain of the balance, yea, as a drop of the morning dew that falleth down upon the earth.
23 But you hast mercy upon all; for you canst do all things, and winkest at the sins of men, because they should amend. 24 For you lovest all the things that are, and abhorrest nothing which you hast made: for never would you have made anything, if you hadst hated it. 25 And how could anything have endured, if it had not been you will? or been preserved, if not called by you? 26 But you sparest all: for they are thine, O LORD, you lover of souls.
Chapter 12
1 For your incorruptible Spirit is in all things. 2 Therefore chastenest [correct] you them by little and little that offend, and warn them by putting them in remembrance wherein they have offended, that leaving their wickedness they may believe on you, O LORD. 3 For it was your will to destroy by the hands of our fathers both those old inhabitants of your holy land, 4 Whom you hated for doing most odious works of witchcrafts [by manipulating words of deception], and wicked sacrifices; 5 And also those merciless murderers of children, and devourers of man’s flesh, and the feasts of blood, 6 With their priests out of the midst of their idolatrous crew, and the parents, that killed with their own hands souls destitute of help: 7 That the land, which you esteemedst above all other, might receive a worthy colony of God’s children.
8 Nevertheless even those you spared as men, and didst send wasps, forerunners of your host [army], to destroy them by little and little. 9 Not that you were unable to bring the ungodly under the hand of the righteous in battle, or to destroy them at once with cruel beasts, or with one rough word: 10 But executing you judgments upon them by little and little, you gavest them place of repentance, not being ignorant that they were a naughty generation, and that their malice was bred in them, and that their cogitation [right perception of reality] would never be changed. 11 For it was a cursed seed from the beginning; neither didst you for fear of any man give them pardon for those things wherein they sinned. 12 For who shall say, What hast you done? or who shall withstand your judgment? or who shall accuse you for the nations that perish, whom you made? or who shall come to stand against you, to be revenged for the unrighteous men?
13 For neither is there any God but you that cares for all, to whom you mightest shew that you judgment is not un-right.
14 Neither shall king or tyrant be able to set his face against you for any whom you have punished. 15 Forsomuch then as you are righteous yourself, you order all things righteously: thinking it not agreeable with thy power to condemn him that hath not deserved to be punished. 16 For your power is the beginning of righteousness, and because you are the LORD of all, it maketh you to be gracious unto all. 17 For when men will not believe that you are of a full power, you shewest thy strength, and among them that know it you make their boldness manifest. 18 But you, mastering your power, judgest with equity, and orderest us with great favor: for you mayest use power [to perfect men’s perception of your will and plan] when you will.
19 But by such works hast you taught your people that the just man should be merciful, and have made your children to be of a Good Hope that you give repentance for sins. 20 For if you did punish the enemies of your children, and the condemned to death, with such deliberation, giving them time and place, whereby they might be delivered from their malice: 21 With how great circumspection did you judge thine own sons, unto whose fathers you hast sworn, and made covenants of good promises? 22 Therefore, whereas you dost chasten us, you scourgest our enemies a thousand times more, to the intent that, when we judge, we should carefully think of thy goodness, and when we ourselves are judged, we should look for mercy.
23 Wherefore, whereas men have lived dissolutely and unrighteously, you have tormented them with their own abominations. 24 For they went astray very far in the ways of error, and held them for gods, which even among the beasts of their enemies were despised, being deceived, as children of no understanding. 25 Therefore unto them, as to children without the use of reason, you didst send a judgment to mock them. 26 But they that would not be reformed by that correction, wherein he dallied with them, shall feel a judgment worthy of God. 27 For, look, for what things they grudged, when they were punished, that is, for them whom they thought to be gods; now being punished in them, when they saw it, they acknowledged him to be the true God, whom before they denied to know: and therefore came extreme damnation upon them.
Chapter 13
1 Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster; 2 But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world. 3 With whose beauty if they being delighted took them to be gods; let them know how much better the LORD of them is: for the first author of beauty hath created them. 4 But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them.
5 For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen. 6 But yet for this they are the less to be blamed: for they peradventure err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. 7 For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen. 8 Howbeit neither are they to be pardoned. 9 For if they were able to know so much, that they could aim at the world; how did they not sooner find out the LORD thereof?
10 But miserable are they, and in dead things is their hope, who call them gods, which are the works of men’s hands, gold and silver, to show art in, and resemblances of beasts, or a stone good for nothing, the work of an ancient hand. 11 Now a carpenter that felleth timber, after he hath sawn down a tree meet for the purpose, and taken off all the bark skilfully round about, and hath wrought it handsomely, and made a vessel thereof fit for the service of man’s life; 12 And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, hath filled himself; 13 And taking the very refuse among those which served to no use, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, hath carved it diligently, when he had nothing else to do, and formed it by the skill of his understanding, and fashioned it to the image of a man; 14 Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint coloring it red, and covering every spot therein; 15 And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron: 16 For he provided for it that it might not fall, knowing that it was unable to help itself; for it is an image, and hath need of help:
17 Then makes he prayer for his goods, for his wife and children, and is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life. 18 For health he calleth upon that which is weak: for life prayeth to that which is dead; for aid humbly beseecheth that which hath least means to help: and for a good journey he asketh of that which cannot set a foot forward: 19 And for gaining and getting, and for good success of his hands, asketh ability to do of him, that is most unable to do anything.
Wisdom 14
1 Again, one preparing himself to sail, and about to pass through the raging waves, calleth upon a piece of wood more rotten than the vessel that carried him. 2 For truly desire of gain devised that, and the workman built it by his skill. 3 But your providance, O Father, governeth it: for you have made a way in the sea, and a safe path in the waves; 4 Shewing that you can save from all danger: yea, though a man went to sea without art. 5 Nevertheless you would not that the works of your wisdom should be idle, and therefore do men commit their lives to a small piece of wood, and passing the rough sea in a weak vessel are saved.
6 For in the old time also, when the proud giants perished, the hope of the world governed by your hand escaped in a weak vessel, and left to all ages a seed of generation. 7 For blessed is the wood whereby righteousness cometh.
8 But that which is made with hands is cursed, as well it, as he that made it: he, because he made it; and it, because, being corruptible, it was called god. 9 For the ungodly and his ungodliness are both alike hateful unto God. 10 For that which is made shall be punished together with him that made it. 11 Therefore even upon the idols of the Gentiles shall there be a visitation: because in the creature of God they are become an abomination, and stumbling-blocks to the souls of men, and a snare to the feet of the unwise.
12 For the devising of idols was the beginning of spiritual fornication, and the invention of them the corruption of life. 13 For neither were they from the beginning, neither shall they be forever. 14 For by the vain glory of men they entered into the world, and therefore shall they come shortly to an end.
15 For a father afflicted with untimely mourning, when he hath made an image of his child soon taken away, now honored him as a god, which was then a dead man, and delivered to those that were under him ceremonies and sacrifices. 16 Thus in process of time an ungodly custom grown strong was kept as a law, and graven images were worshipped by the commandments of kings. 17 Whom men could not honor in presence, because they dwelt far off, they took the counterfeit of his visage [image and form] from far, and made an express image of a king whom they honored, to the end that by this their forwardness [perverse and twisted] they might flatter him that was absent, as if he were present. 18 Also the singular diligence of the artificer did help to set forward the ignorant to more superstition.
19 For he, peradventure willing to please one in authority, forced all his skill to make the resemblance of the best fashion. 20 And so the multitude, allured by the grace of the work, took him now for a god, which a little before was but honoured. 21 And this was an occasion to deceive the world: for men, serving either calamity or tyranny, did ascribe unto stones and stocks the incommunicable name.
22 Moreover this was not enough for them, that they erred in the knowledge of God; but whereas they lived in the great war of ignorance, those so great plagues called they peace. 23 For while they slew their children in sacrifices, or used secret ceremonies, or made revellings of strange rites; 24 They kept neither lives nor marriages any longer undefiled: but either one slew another traitorously, or grieved him by adultery. 25 So that there reigned in all men without exception blood [life draining from humanity toward death], manslaughter, theft, and dissimulation, corruption, unfaithfulness, tumults, perjury, 26 Disquieting of good men, forgetfulness of good turns, defiling of souls, changing of kind, disorder in marriages, adultery, and shameless uncleanness. 27 For the worshipping of idols not to be named is the beginning, the cause, and the end, of all evil. 28 For either they are mad when they be merry, or prophesy lies, or live unjustly, or else lightly forswear themselves. 29 For insomuch as their trust is in idols, which have no life; though they swear falsely, yet they look not to be hurt.
30 Howbeit for both causes shall they be justly punished: both because they thought not well of God, giving heed unto idols, and also unjustly swore in deceit, despising holiness. 31 For it is not the power of them by whom they swear: but it is the just vengeance of sinners, that punishes always the offence of the ungodly.
