Wisdom

 ATHAN. considers that the Eternal Wisdom, one of the proper appellatives of the Son, is that Wisdom which in Prov. ix. 1, viii. 22, etc., is said to be created, and that this creation is to be understood of His taking on Him a created nature. He says, " Wisdom has made herself a house ; it is plain that our body, which it took upon itself to become man, is Wisdom's House." Orat. ii. § 44. And he is followed by St. Leo, "ut intra intemerata viscera ædificante sibi sapentiâ domum, Verbum caro fieret." Leon. Epist. 31, 2. Also Didymus de Trin. iii. 3, p. 337 (ed. 1769). August. Civ. D. xvii. 20. Cyril. in Joann. iv. 4, p. 384, 5. Max. Dial. iii. p. 1029 (ap. Theod. ed. Schulz). Hence Clem. Alex. [ ho logos heauton gennai ]. Strom. v. 3. vid. art. Holy Spirit .

 But without denying that our Lord is signified in the above passage, as the Prototype, Author, and Pattern of all wisdom, it is more natural to apply it, as Athan. also does, to the attribute or grace called wisdom as displayed in the creation, whether in the original creation or in the new. Hence he says, "The Only-begotten and very Wisdom of God is Creator and Framer of all things; for in Wisdom hast Thou made them all, he says, and the earth is full of Thy creation . But that what came into being might not only be, but be good, it pleased God that His own Wisdom should condescend to the creatures, so as to introduce an impress and semblance of Its Image on all in common and on each, that what was made might be manifestly wise works and worthy of God. For, as of the Son of God, considered as the Word, our word is an image, so of the same Son, considered as Wisdom, is the wisdom which is implanted in us an image; in which wisdom we, having the power of knowledge and thought, become recipients of the All-framing Wisdom, and through It we are able to know Its Father." Orat. ii. § 78.

 As Athan. in the above passage considers wisdom as the image of the Creator in the Universe, so elsewhere he explains it of the Church, de Incarn. contr. Ar. 6, if it be his (and so Didym. Trin. iii. 3 fin.), where his teaching about the Word is very much the same as in Orat. ii. § 56. S. Jerome understands by it the creation of the new man in holiness, "'Put ye on Christ Jesus;' for He is the new man, in whom all we believers ought to be clad and attired. For what was not new in the man which was taken on Him by our Saviour? ... He therefore who can imitate His conversation and bring out in himself all virtues, he has put on the new man, and can say with the Apostle, 'Not I, but Christ liveth in me.' ... Only in great deeds and works the word 'creation' is used ... The new man is the great work of God, and excels all other creatures, since he is said to be framed, as the world is said to be, and is created the beginning of God's ways, and in the commencement of all the elements." in Eph. iv. 23, 24. Naz. alludes to the interpretation by which Wisdom is the plan, system, or the laws of the Universe, Orat. 30. 2, though he does not so explain it himself. Epiphanius says, "Scripture has nowhere confirmed this application of Prov. viii. 22, nor has any Apostle referred it to Christ." (vid. also Basil. contr. Eunom. ii. 20.) He adds, "How many wisdoms of God are there, improperly so called! but One Wisdom is the Only-begotten, not improperly so called, but in truth ... The very word 'wisdom' does not oblige me to speak of the Son of God." Hær. 69, pp. 743-745. He proceeds to show how it may apply to Him.

 Didymus argues at length in favour of interpreting the passage of created wisdom, Trin. iii. l. c. He says that the context makes this interpretation necessary, as speaking of "the fear of God" being the "beginning" of it, of "doing it," and of "kings and rulers" reigning by means of it. Again it is said that wisdom was with the Creator, who was Himself the Son and Word. "The Son and Word, the Framer of all, seeing and being able from the first, long suffering and waiting for repentance in the unrighteous and wrong-thinking multitude, when He had finished all, delighted in wisdom which was in His creatures, and was glad in it, rejoicing in His own work." p. 336. He contrasts with this the more solemn style used by the sacred writer when he speaks of the Uncreated Wisdom: [ hyperphuos kai hosper hyp' ekplexeos thaumazon anaphthengetai ], e.g. Prov. xxx. 3, p. 338.