:
1 Surely vain are all men by nature, who are ignorant of God, and could not out of the good things that are seen know him that is: neither by considering the works did they acknowledge the workmaster; 2 But deemed either fire, or wind, or the swift air, or the circle of the stars, or the violent water, or the lights of heaven, to be the gods which govern the world. 3 With whose beauty if they being delighted took them to be gods; let them know how much better the Lord of them is: for the first author of beauty hath created them. 4 But if they were astonished at their power and virtue, let them understand by them, how much mightier he is that made them. 5 For by the greatness and beauty of the creatures proportionably the maker of them is seen. 6 But yet for this they are the less to be blamed: for they peradventure err, seeking God, and desirous to find him. 7 For being conversant in his works they search him diligently, and believe their sight: because the things are beautiful that are seen. 8 Howbeit neither are they to be pardoned. 9 For if they were able to know so much, that they could aim at the world; how did they not sooner find out the Lord thereof? 10 But miserable are they, and in dead things is their hope, who call them gods, which are the works of men's hands, gold and silver, to shew art in, and resemblances of beasts, or a stone good for nothing, the work of an ancient hand. 11 Now a carpenter that felleth timber, after he hath sawn down a tree meet for the purpose, and taken off all the bark skilfully round about, and hath wrought it handsomely, and made a vessel thereof fit for the service of man's life; 12 And after spending the refuse of his work to dress his meat, hath filled himself; 13 And taking the very refuse among those which served to no use, being a crooked piece of wood, and full of knots, hath carved it diligently, when he had nothing else to do, and formed it by the skill of his understanding, and fashioned it to the image of a man; 14 Or made it like some vile beast, laying it over with vermilion, and with paint colouring it red, and covering every spot therein; 15 And when he had made a convenient room for it, set it in a wall, and made it fast with iron: 16 For he provided for it that it might not fall, knowing that it was unable to help itself; for it is an image, and hath need of help: 17 Then maketh he prayer for his goods, for his wife and children, and is not ashamed to speak to that which hath no life. 18 For health he calleth upon that which is weak: for life prayeth to that which is dead; for aid humbly beseecheth that which hath least means to help: and for a good journey he asketh of that which cannot set a foot forward: 19 And for gaining and getting, and for good success of his hands, asketh ability to do of him, that is most unable to do any thing.
Previous
Next
[AD 450] Hesychius of Jerusalem on Wisdom 13:3
"He could not answer God one time in a thousand," because in fact he is incapable of it. Not only does God speak innumerable words for the good of every person, but, indeed, with his powerful wisdom and his immeasurable greatness, he is above all creatures. "He is wise of heart, powerful and great." Beyond any doubt, the splendor of his creatures, their harmony and order, manifest his wisdom. But God did not acquire this by learning, because he is wisdom in his essence. Job called him "wise in heart," however, to make us understand the true wisdom and intelligence of God. He mentioned his "greatness," thinking of the elements of visible creatures (and above all of invisible) that, though so great and numerous, hang "like a drop of water in a bucket" from the power of his right hand. And his "power" is manifest by the fact that they remain within the limits that he set out for them. - "Homilies on Job 12"
[AD 450] Hesychius of Jerusalem on Wisdom 13:3
“He could not answer God one time in a thousand,” because in fact he is incapable of it. Not only does God speak innumerable words for the good of every person, but, indeed, with his powerful wisdom and his immeasurable greatness, he is above all creatures. “He is wise of heart, powerful and great.” Beyond any doubt, the splendor of his creatures, their harmony and order, manifest his wisdom. But God did not acquire this by learning, because he is wisdom in his essence. Job called him “wise in heart,” however, to make us understand the true wisdom and intelligence of God. He mentioned his “greatness,” thinking of the elements of visible creatures (and above all of invisible) that, though so great and numerous, hang “like a drop of water in a bucket” from the power of his right hand. And his “power” is manifest by the fact that they remain within the limits that he set out for them.

Source: HOMILIES ON JOB 12
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Wisdom 13:4
The prophet says, “I will be filled with the revelation of his glory.” We can sing of the glory that awaits us, of the goods that will accompany it, of the splendor with which it will shine, but we are incapable of expressing all of this in words. Paul explains the reason for this when he writes, “Those things that eye has not seen, that ear has not heard and that have never entered the heart of human beings, God has prepared for those who love him.” These many eternal, heavenly gifts have been prepared by the almighty Lord for his faithful, holy people throughout the world. But who is God, who has arranged all these things for us? Of him we say only that we do not know how to measure or express or understand him, that he is beyond all, outside of all, above all. He surpasses all his creatures; he is beyond his works, above all of them. I could try to express his greatness, but he is greater, or his beauty, but he is more beautiful. He is sweeter than every sweetness, brighter than every splendor, more just than all justice, stronger than all strength, gentler than all gentleness. Reason does not admit of the creature claiming equality with its Creator, nor that something produced is put on the level of the one who produced it. Precisely thus we read in the prophet, “The one who made powerful things is more powerful than they are. And the one who made beautiful things is more beautiful than they.”

Source: SERMON 384:1.1
[AD 386] Cyril of Jerusalem on Wisdom 13:5
If it is not possible to see the divine nature with eyes of flesh, it is possible to gain an image of the divine power of the Creator from his works. Solomon says this: “In fact, one knows the author by analogy from the greatness and beauty of creatures.” He does not say simply that one knows the author from creatures but adds “by analogy.” The more we consider his creatures in a contemplative way, in fact, the more God will show himself to be great. And the more our heart is raised in contemplation, the higher will be the image that we have of God.

Source: Catechetical Lecture 9:2
[AD 398] Didymus the Blind on Wisdom 13:5
God has a face that shows itself through his creatures. It is said, in fact, “one knows the author by analogy from the greatness and beauty of creatures.” One knows him by the analogy of faith. Just as, looking at a boat, we imagine its maker even if he is not present, or spotting an approaching ship, we immediately think that there is someone who steers it, or seeing a coach driven well, even if we cannot make out the coachman, we imagine him—in the same way, faced with the fact that the world moves in an orderly way and with the beauty of nature, we derive an image of the beauty and greatness of God. If present things are great, how much greater will the one who made them be! Thus, if one gains an image of God from the world, from the order and arrangements of providence, then the hidden side of his face is no longer hidden. The Greek philosophers also reasoned in this way, deducing an image of God from creatures and their beauty.

Source: ON THE PSALM 30:21
[AD 749] John Damascene on Wisdom 13:5
No one has ever known God, except the one to whom God has revealed himself. This is true not only for human beings but also among the supracosmic powers and, I would say, even among the cherubim and seraphim. Nevertheless, God did not abandon us in total ignorance. In fact, knowledge of God exists and has been implanted naturally by him in everyone. The creation itself, its preservation and its regulation, proclaim the greatness of the divine nature. And he also revealed knowledge of himself, to the extent it can be attained, first through the Law and the prophets and then through his only-begotten Son, our Lord God and Savior Jesus Christ. For this reason we receive, acknowledge and reverence what has been passed down to us through the Law, the prophets, the apostles and the Evangelists, not seeking anything beyond these things. Indeed, God, being good, is the author of every good and is subject to neither envy or passion. “Envy is far from the divine nature, which is impassive and only good.” Therefore, knowing all things and concerned for what is useful for each, he revealed what is good for us to know, passing over in silence what we could not bear.

Source: ORTHODOX FAITH 1:1
[AD 430] Augustine of Hippo on Wisdom 13:9
“If they were capable of sufficient knowledge to account for the universe, how is it that they did not more easily find its Lord?” They are blamed for having spent their time, their activity and their discussions scrutinizing, and in a certain way measuring, what is created. They investigated the movement of the planets, the distance between the stars, the course of the heavenly bodies. Through these studies, they arrived at such a scientific knowledge as to be able to predict eclipses of the sun and the moon, which then occurred on the day and hour predicted, for the length of time and at the exact point in space they had said. What ability! What capacity! But when they were at the point of seeking to know the Creator—who was not far from them—they were unable to find him. If they had found him, they would have had him in themselves.

Source: SERMON 68:4