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Augustine cites the Wisdom of Solomon as scripture to show that wisdom is God. Since the word philosopher means lover of wisdom, he concludes that a true philosopher is someone who loves God.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Wisdom of Solomon 7:25
Deuterocanon
22 for wisdom, the craftsman of all things, taught me. In her is a spirit that is quick to understand, holy, unique, manifold, subtle, freely moving, clear in speech, unpolluted, distinct, invulnerable, loving what is good, keen, unhindered, 23 kind, loving toward people, steadfast, sure, free from care, all-powerful, overseeing all, and penetrating all spirits that are quick to understand, pure, and most subtle. 24 For wisdom moves more easily than any motion; she pervades and penetrates all things because of her purity. 25 For she is a breath of the power of God, and a pure emanation of the glory of the Almighty. So nothing defiled can find its way into her. 26 For she is a reflection of everlasting light, a spotless mirror of the working of God, and an image of his goodness. 27 Though she is one, she can do all things. Remaining in herself, she renews all things. From generation to generation she enters holy souls and makes them friends of God and prophets.
Augustine, City of God 8.1
On the City of God Against the Pagans
Early Christian
Now, if wisdom is God, who made all things, as is attested by the divine authority and truth, Wisdom 7:24-27 then the philosopher is a lover of God. But since the thing itself, which is called by this name, exists not in all who glory in the name — for it does not follow, of course, that all who are called philosophers are lovers of true wisdom — we must needs select from the number of those with whose opinions we have been able to acquaint ourselves by reading, some with whom we may not unworthily engage in the treatment of this question. For I have not in this work undertaken to refute all the vain opinions of the philosophers, but only such as pertain to theology, which Greek word we understand to mean an account or explanation of the divine nature.
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Notes and References
“... Patristic writers cited the work frequently, especially in formulating Christological and trinitarian doctrine. Thus Ignatius applied to Christ language from 7:29–30 about Wisdom, and from 18:14–15 about the logos (Ephesians 18.2–3; Magnesians 8.2). Origen cited Wisdom’s attributes in 7:22–8:1 to support the eternal generation of the Son by the Father and the sharing of the Father and Son in the same essence (On First Principles 1.2.5, 9; Against Celsus 5.10; 8.14). Augustine used the same passage to argue for the full equality of the persons of the trinity (On the Gospel of John 21.2; 22.10; 111.2; On the Trinity 2.5, 8; 4.20). Augustine also drew often on 9:15–17, according to which the perishable body weighs down the soul and spiritual insight requires the gift of the spirit, to formulate his anthropology (e.g. Confessions 7.17; City of God 19.24; Enchiridion 64); and he saw in the portrayal of the persecuted righteous one in 2:12–20 a prediction of Christ’s passion (City of God 17.20). ...”
Chesnutt, Randall D.
"Wisdom of Solomon" in Adams, Samuel L., and Matthew J. Goff (eds.) Wiley Blackwell Companion to Wisdom Literature
(p. 118) Wiley-Blackwell, 2020
* 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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