Apologetics -- History -- Early church, ca. 30-600; Celsus (Platonic philosopher), active 180; Theology -- History -- Early Church, ca. 30-600
But that the object of Christianity[377] is that we should become wise,
can be proved not only from the ancient Jewish writings, which _we_ also
use, but especially from those which were composed after the time of
Jesus, and which are believed among the churches to be divine. Now, in
the fiftieth Psalm, David is described as saying in his prayer to God
these words: “The unseen and secret things of Thy wisdom Thou hast
manifested to me.”[378] Solomon, too, because he asked for wisdom,
received it; and if any one were to peruse the Psalms, he would find the
book filled with many maxims of wisdom; and the evidences of his wisdom
may be seen in his treatises, which contain a great amount of wisdom
expressed in few words, and in which you will find many laudations of
wisdom, and encouragements towards obtaining it. So wise, moreover, was
Solomon, that “the queen of Sheba, having heard his name, and the name
of the Lord, came to try him with difficult questions, and spake to him
all things, whatsoever were in her heart; and Solomon answered her all
her questions. There was no question omitted by the king which he did
not answer her. And the queen of Sheba saw all the wisdom of Solomon,
and the possessions which he had,[379] and there was no more spirit in
her.[380] And she said to the king, The report is true which I heard in
mine own land regarding thee and thy wisdom; and I believed not them who
told me, until I had come, and mine eyes have seen it. And, lo, they did
not tell me the half. Thou hast added wisdom and possessions above all
the report which I heard.”[381] It is recorded also of him, that “God
gave Solomon wisdom and understanding exceeding much, and largeness of
heart, even as the sand that is on the sea-shore. And the wisdom that
was in Solomon greatly excelled the wisdom of all the ancients, and of
all the wise men of Egypt; and he was wiser than all men, even than
Gethan the Ezrahite, and Emad, and Chalcadi, and Aradab, the sons of
Madi. And he was famous among all the nations round about. And Solomon
spake three thousand proverbs, and his songs were five thousand. And he
spake of trees, from the cedar that is in Lebanon even to the hyssop
which springeth out of the wall; and also of fishes and of beasts. And
all nations came to hear the wisdom of Solomon, and from all the kings
of the earth who had heard of the fame of his wisdom.”[382]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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