HAYDOCK CATHOLIC BIBLE COMMENTARY ON THE OLD TESTAMENT

ECCLESIASTICUS 15

CHAPTER XV.

Ver. 1. Good. Gr. "these things, and he who possess the knowledge of the law will find her," (C.) or, "he who keeps the law, will receive her." Grabe. 1 Cor. iv. 20. H. --- All who resolve to be virtuous, will have God's grace, which preventeth them, and continueth to afford them assistance. W.

Ver. 2. Married. Lit. "from virginity." H. --- Those who have been espoused in youth have the most durable love for one another. Prov. ii. 17. Mal. ii. 14. C.

Ver. 5. She. Or Gr. "he shall open his mouth, (6.) he shall find joy and a crown of exultation, and shall inherit," &c. H. --- Church, or assembly of the people. In both, the wise shall be heard with respect. C.

Ver. 9. Praise. Or Gr. "a proverb," Prov. xvii. 7. and xxvi. 7. C. --- David invites even dragons to praise God, but sinners never. S. Chrys. orat. prebyt. Ps. xlix. 16. --- The person who preaches will, and lives not accordingly, injures God. W.

Ver. 10. Wisdom. Gr. "it was not sent to him, (C.) or he was not commissioned by the Lord. For praise shall be spoken in wisdom, and the Lord will give him success."

Ver. 11. She. Ignorance and vice are defects, and consequently not the work of God, but of the perversion of free-will. See Jam. i. 13. Ezec. xxxiii. 11. S. Aug. Grat. &. lib. ii. C. --- Beza says, that God ordained Adam's fall, but for a good end; and decreed justly what men unjustly perform, (ref. Castel. ii.) which is refuted here, and Deut. vii. 11. &c. W.

Ver. 14. Counsel. Many explain this of Adam, before his fall, when he stood not in need of asking continually for God's assistance. S. Aug. correp. ii. n. 35. --- But if we examine the context, it shews that man, in his present state, is declared inexcusable if he yield to sin, as he has still free-will, which may avoid it, with the grace of God, (C.) which is always ready to support us. Gr. subjoins, (v. 16.) "if thou wilt, thou shall keep the commandments, even to execute faithfully the good pleasure. (17.) He." &c. H.

Ver. 15. Precepts. These would never be imposed, if man were not free. C.

Ver. 17. And fire. Or, good and evil, as the Vulg. explains it, (v. 18.) though the Gr. be silent. H. --- The law written on the heart, as well as on the tables of stone, shews man his duty; and he has free-will to comply with it. Deut. xxx. 15. Jer. xxi. 8. C. --- He may enjoy every advantage of life, denoted by these two elements. Lyr.

An quod in his vitÃ¦ causa est, hÃ¦c perdidit exul

His nova fit conjux; hÃ¦c duo magna putant. Ovid, Fast. 4.

Ver. 21. Commanded. He only permitted the wickedness of Semei, (2 K. xvi. 10.) and the persecutors of his people, whose hearts are already bent on evil. S. Aug. Grat. & lib. xx.