Texts in Conversation

Sirach describes divine Wisdom looking for a place to live until she is commanded to make her home in Israel, connecting Wisdom traditions with the Jerusalem temple. The Gospel of John uses similar language in discussing Wisdom’s home, using it to describe Jesus as the divine word that comes to live with people.
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Sirach 24:8

Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
4 I dwelt in the highest heavens, and my throne was in a pillar of cloud. 5 Alone I compassed the vault of heaven and traversed the depths of the abyss. 6 Over waves of the sea, over all the earth, and over every people and nation I have held sway. 7 Among all these I sought a resting place; in whose territory should I abide? 8 "Then the Creator of all things gave me a command, and my Creator chose the place for my tent. He said, "Make your dwelling in Jacob, and in Israel receive your inheritance.' 9 Before the ages, in the beginning, he created me, and for all the ages I shall not cease to be. 10 In the holy tent I ministered before him, and so I was established in Zion. 11 Thus in the beloved city he gave me a resting place, and in Jerusalem was my domain. 12 I took root in an honored people, in the portion of the Lord, his heritage.
Date: 195-175 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates) Source

John 1:14

New Testament
12 But to all who have received him—those who believe in his name—he has given the right to become God’s children— 13 children not born by human parents or by human desire or a husband’s decision, but by God. 14 Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. 15 John testified about him and shouted out, “This one was the one about whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is greater than I am, because he existed before me.’” 16 For we have all received from his fullness one gracious gift after another.
Date: 90-110 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates) Source
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Notes and References

#351
"... "Jewish authors could picture Wisdom, the personified word of YHWH, looking to dwell among the people but struggling to find a place, until she took up residence in Israel (see Proverbs 8.22-31, Wisdom of Solomon 8.4; 9.9). According to Sirach, the figure of Wisdom comes to dwell permanently among humans, specifically in the Temple at Jerusalem, depositing the divine word and divine glory in Israel's midst. However, in 1 Enoch, the picture is darker: Wisdom had been trying to find somewhere to live, but finding none, she went back home. In her absence Iniquity went out and found somewhere to dwell and turn what should have been Wisdom's home into a den of iniquity. Consequently, there is now no hope for the world, or Israel, or individual humans. John's development of this same theme is of a different order altogether. He agrees with Sirach that the divine Wisdom does indeed find a home. He recognizes, and takes on board, the tragedy that lies behind 1 Enoch 42: the world did not know the logos, its creator, and even 'his own people did not receive him'. But this did not make him return home, having abandoned the world to iniquity. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. The logos has come, as mainstream Judaism fully expected, but not to judge the world but to redeem it ..."

* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.

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