Wisdom of Solomon 3:8

Deuterocanon

4 For though in the sight of others they were punished, their hope is full of immortality. 5 Having been disciplined a little, they will receive great good, because God tested them and found them worthy of himself; 6 like gold in the furnace he tried them, and like a sacrificial burnt offering he accepted them. 7 In the time of their visitation they will shine forth, and will run like sparks through the stubble. 8 They will govern nations and rule over peoples, and the Lord will reign over them forever. 9 Those who trust in him will understand truth, and the faithful will abide with him in love, because grace and mercy are upon his holy ones, and he watches over his elect.

1 Corinthians 6:2

New Testament

1 When any of you has a legal dispute with another, does he dare go to court before the unrighteous rather than before the saints? 2 Or do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world is to be judged by you, are you not competent to settle trivial suits? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? Why not ordinary matters! 4 So if you have ordinary lawsuits, do you appoint as judges those who have no standing in the church? 5 I say this to your shame! Is there no one among you wise enough to settle disputes between fellow Christians?

 Notes and References

"... When Paul said that the saints would judge the world (1 Corinthians 6:2), he may have thought of Wisdom of Solomon 3:8 ... However, Paul may have been thinking of Daniel 7:22 (LXX) where the Ancient of Days 'gave judgment to the saints of the most high'. Jesus said that the twelve disciples would judge the twelve tribes (Matthew 19:26; Luke 22:30) ... as in Wisdom, Paul's judgment of the heathen wavers between mild recognition of the heathen's lack of knowledge and crude and strong judgment of all their religion and ethics ..."

Berwick, Phillip W. The Way of Salvation in the Wisdom of Solomon (pp. 116-118) Boston University, 1958


"... Precisely what is behind Paul's affirmation that 'the saints will judge the world', and its parallel, 'we are to judge angels' is debatable. Fee notes that this is 'a common motif from Jewish apocalyptic eschatology'. What is clear is that Paul is again holding up the mirror of eternity. He did this already in his parable of the builder (3:10-17) ... see also Daniel 7:22; Wisdom of Solomon 3:8; Jubilees 24:29; 1 Enoch 38:5, 95:3 ..."

Bailey, Kenneth E. Paul through Mediterranean Eyes: Cultural Studies in 1 Corinthians (p. 173) IVP Academic, 2011


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