Comments on: Solomon, Socrates and Aristotle

By: Phillip Wochner

Phillip Wochner — Sun, 09 Jul 2023 08:07:28 +0000

The painter and/or the commissioner could have been a Jew, a Christian, a “God-fearer,” a full-fledged Gentile convert to Judaism, or simply an “ordinary” Gentile who knew a good story when he or she read and/or heard it. Whoever each of them was undoubtedly wanted to show how God is smarter than any human (in line with the numerous Biblical verses that “God confounds the wisdom of the wise” and “God’s ‘foolishness’ is wiser than the wisdom of men,” etc.); or simply to show that this Jewish king was smarter than any Greek. You all surely noticed how disturbed and perplexed “Socrates” and “Aristotle” are. The artist clearly wanted to show the superiority of the religion of Israel (as fulfilled in Christ?) to Greek and Roman philosophy, not simply to link them.
As a side note: “The juxtaposition of wise men from the two civilizations” has not so “rarely been done[in visual art] since.” I forget who most of the initials in “Shazam!” stand for; the “S” stands for “Solomon,” the “H” stands for “Hercules/Heracles” (_no_ wise man he), one of the “A’s” stands for “Achilles” (fairly “noble” for a bloodthirsty warrior and rapist, but not very wise); I forget who the other “A” stands for. It may have been Aristotle or Asclepius, I don’t know. But I am sure that Greco-Roman philosophers and lawgivers were shown with Solomon and Hebrew prophets during the Middle Ages and the Renaissance. I believe that the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol Building has both Solon, the Athenian lawgiver, and Moses; and I believe that various state, local, and foreign capitals have and/or have had similar juxtapositions. It was not uncommon, if not the usual practice, during the 18th, 19th, and 20th centuries to put together Hebrew, Greek, and Roman philosophers, prophets, lawgivers, artists, and other inspirations in various combinations; if not in “great” visual art, then in pretentious, trivial, and other lesser depictions. The medieval “Nine Worthies” don’t count, they were military heroes. This was when it was widely assumed that the Greeks, Romans, and Hebrews were the three main or sole roots of our Western Civilization. Of course, over the past three centuries we have learned about many more of our roots, and about the great Middle/Near Eastern civilizations into which the Israelites inserted themselves. Yes, the Big 3 have been reaffirmed and reiterated many times over, but also put into context. Thank you, Biblical Archeological Society, for bringing both phenomena, with regard to the Israelites, to the general public!

By: Kurt

Kurt — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 09:37:21 +0000

Is Unfailing Love Possible?
‘How warmly they exchange glances and tenderly hold each other! Who can deny that they are deeply in love!’ These thoughts go through the mind of an elder who has just officiated at the couple’s wedding. As the newlyweds gracefully move across the dance floor at the reception, he cannot help but wonder: ‘Will their marriage stand the test of time? As the years go by, will their love deepen or will it take wings and fly away?’ When it proves to be unswerving and enduring, the love between a man and a woman can truly be beautiful. In view of so many marriage breakups, however, it is not unreasonable to ask if lasting love is really possible.
True love was rare even in the days of King Solomon of ancient Israel. Commenting on the moral climate of his day, Solomon wrote: “One upright man out of a thousand I found, but a woman among them I have not found. This alone I have found: The true God made mankind upright, but they have sought out many schemes.” (Eccl. 7:26-29, ftn.) Largely as a result of the influence of foreign women who practiced Baal worship, moral standards had dropped so low in his day that Solomon found it difficult to find a man or a woman with good morals. Still, the poem he wrote some 20 years earlier, the Song of Solomon, shows that enduring love can exist between a man and a woman. It also vividly portrays what that love is like and how it is displayed. Both married and single worshippers of Jehovah can learn much about such love by carefully considering this Bible book.
http://wol.jw.org/en/wol/d/r1/lp-e/2015046

By: art history teacher

art history teacher — Fri, 20 Jun 2014 16:19:58 +0000

I have long supposed after studying world art (course I am working on now too) that the Greek thinkers HAD to have been influenced by Solomon. The timing makes sense in what happened to change the quality of thinking and life in ancient Greece and we know from the Bible (1Kings 4:29-31) that many gentiles came to learn from Solomon. I have said this out loud in some lectures, but knew there was little proof, few others ever surmise this -I’ve thot: if I had more time/opportunity I could get a doctorate exploring this. What you’ve found is amazing to me!

By: I'm who I'm

I'm who I'm — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 18:15:02 +0000

Hm-hm…End times wishful thinking is
rampant!

By: I'm who I'm

I'm who I'm — Sat, 06 Oct 2012 18:14:00 +0000

Hm-hm… End times wishful thinking is rampant!

By: Ric Lotfinia

Ric Lotfinia — Fri, 05 Oct 2012 03:40:57 +0000

To cool Mr. Feder! To me your reasoning is sound; I greatly enjoyed the originality of it as well, so refreshing! Often in looking at this work I have been caught by the two strange characters, and felt I knew who they were, now I believe I do. Great eye there!