J.Robert Wright - Proverbs, Ecclesiastes and Song of Solomon: 9 (Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture)

Ancient Christian

Commentary on Scripture

Old Testament

IX

Proverbs,

Ecclesiastes ,

Song of Solomon

Edited by

J. Robert Wright

General Editor

Thomas C. Oden

InterVarsity Press

Downers Grove, Illinois

InterVarsity Press

P.O. Box 1400, Downers Grove, IL 60515-1426

Internet: www.ivpress.com

E-mail:

2005 by the Institute of Classical Christian Studies (ICCS), Thomas C. Oden and J. Robert Wright .

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form without written permission from InterVarsity Press .

InterVarsity Press is the book-publishing division of InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, a student movement active on campus at hundreds of universities, colleges and schools of nursing in the United States of America, and a member movement of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students. For information about local and regional activities, write Public Relations Dept., InterVarsity Christian Fellowship/USA, 6400 Schroeder Rd., P.O. Box 7895, Madison, WI 53707-7895, or visit the IVCF website at <www.intervarsity.org> .

Scripture quotations, unless otherwise noted, are from the Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright 1946, 1952, 1971 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the U.S.A., and are used by permission .

Selected excerpts from Fathers of the Church: A New Translation, copyright 1947. Used by permission of The Catholic University of America Press. Full bibliographic information on individual volumes may be found in the Bibliography of Works in English Translation .

Selected excerpts from The Syriac Fathers on Prayer and the Spiritual Life, translated by Sebastian Brock, Cistercian Studies 101, 1987; Bede the Venerable , Commentary on the Acts of the Apostles, translated by Lawrence T. Martin, Cistercian Studies 117, 1989; Bede the Venerable , Commentary on the Seven Catholic Epistles, translated by David Hurst, Cistercian Studies 82, 1985; Bede the Venerable , Homilies on the Gospels, translated by Lawrence T. Martin and David Hurst, Cistercian Studies 110 and 111, 1991; Gregory the Great , Forty Gospel Homilies, translated by David Hurst, Cistercian Studies 123 , 1990; Pachomian Koinonia: The Lives, Rules, and Other Writings of Saint Pachomius, translated by Armand Veilleux, Cistercian Studies 45, 46 and 47, 1980-1982. Used by permission of Cistercian Publications, Kalamazoo, Michigan .

Selected excerpts from John Cassian , Conferences, translated by Colm Luibheid, The Classics of Western Spirituality, 1985; John Cassian , The Conferences, translated and annotated by Boniface Ramsey, Ancient Christian Writers 57, 1997; Cassiodorus , Explanation of the Psalms, translated by P. G. Walsh, Ancient Christian Writers 51, 52 and 53, 1990, 1991; Gregory the Great , Pastoral Care, translated by Henry Davis, Ancient Christian Writers 11, 1950; John Chrysostom , Baptismal Instructions, translated by Paul W. Harkins, Ancient Christian Writers 31, 1963; Origen , An Exhortation to Martyrdom, Prayer and Selected Works, translated by Rowan A. Greer, The Classics of Western Spirituality, 1979; Origen , Prayer; Exhoration to Martyrdom, translated by John J. OMeara, Ancient Christian Writers 19, 1954; Origen , The Song of Songs Commentary and Homilies, translated by R. P. Lawson, Ancient Christian Writers 26, 1957 ; Pseudo-Dionysius: The Complete Works, translated by Colm Luibheid, The Classics of Western Spirituality, 1980 ; The Sermons of St. Maximus of Turin, translated and annotated by Boniface Ramsey, Ancient Christian Writers 50, 1989; St. Gregory of Nyssa , The Lords Prayer and The Beatitudes, translated and annotated by Hilda C. Graef, Ancient Christian Writers 18, 1954; Symeon the New Theologian , The Discourses, The Classics of Western Spirituality, 1980; by Paulist Press, Inc., New York/Mahwah, N.J. Used with the permission of Paulist Press, www.paulistpress.com .

Selected excerpts from Early Christian Fathers, translated and edited by Cyril C. Richardson, The Library of Christian Classics 1, 1953 ; Christology of the Later Fathers, edited by Edward Rochie Hardy, The Library of Christian Classics 3, 1954 ; Cyril of Jerusalem and Nemesius of Emesa, edited by William Telfer, The Library of Christian Classics 4, 1955 ; Early Latin Theology, translated and edited by S. L. Greenslade, The Library of Christian Classics 5, 1956; Augustine , Earlier Writings, translated by John H. S. Burleigh, The Library of Christian Classics 6, 1953; Augustine , Confessions and Enchiridion, translated and edited by Albert C. Outler, The Library of Christian Classics 7, 1955; Augustine , Later Works, translated by John Burnaby, The Library of Christian Classics 8, 1955 ; Western Asceticism, translated by Owen Chadwick, The Library of Christian Classics 12, 1958. Used by permission of Westminster John Knox Press .

Selected excerpts from St. Gregory of Nyssa , Commentary on the Song of Songs, translated by Casimir McCambley, 1987. Used by permission of Helenic College Press .

Selected excerpts from Gregory of Nyssa , Homilies on Ecclesiastes: An English Version with Supporting Studies, translated by Stuart George Hall and Rachel Moriarty, 1993. Used by permission of Verlag Walter de Gruyter .

Selected excerpts from The Works of Saint Augustine: A Translation for the 21st Century. Copyright 1990. Used by permission of the Augustinian Heritage Institute .

Cover photograph: Scala/Art Resource, New York. View of the apse. S. Vitale, Ravenna, Italy .

Spine photograph: Byzantine Collection, Dumbarton Oaks, Washington D.C. Pendant cross (gold and enamel). Constantinople, late sixth century .

ISBN-10: 0-8308-1479-5

ISBN-13: 978-0-8308-1479-4

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Wright, J. Robert (John Robert) , 1936

Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Solomon/edited by J. Robert Wright; general editor, Thomas C. Oden .

p. cm.(Ancient Christian commentary on Scripture. Old Testament; 9)

Includes bibliographical references and index .

ISBN 0-8308-1479-5 (cloth: alk. paper)

1. Bible. O. T. ProverbsCommentaries. 2. Bible. O. T.

EcclesiastesCommentaries. 3. Bible. O. T. Song of

SolomonCommentaries. I. Oden, Thomas C. II. Title. III. Series .

BS1465.53.W75 2005

223.07709dc22

Ancient Christian Commentary

Project Research Team

General Editor

Thomas C. Oden

Associate Editor

Christopher A. Hall

Operations Manager and

Translations Project Coordinator

Joel Elowsky

Research and Acquisitions Director

Michael Glerup

Editorial Services Director

Warren Calhoun Robertson

Original Language Version Director

Konstantin Gavrilkin

Graduate Research Assistants

Administrative Assistant

Judy Cox

Tod Bryant

Several features have been incorporated into the design of this commentary. The following comments are intended to assist readers in making full use of this volume.