ABSTRACT
In The Wisdom of Solomon, readers can find Platonic and other Greek concepts and apparent Hellenistic influences. Evidence suggests that Paul, a Hellenistic Jew, applied descriptions of Wisdom from The Wisdom of Solomon to the supernatural, cosmic being whom he called Lord Jesus Christ. Paul’s older contemporary, Philo Judaeus of Alexandria, appropriated some of Plato’s cosmology and metaphysics. Paul appears to have systematically selected Wisdom passages from The Wisdom of Solomon and interpreted them as references to the Lord Messiah whom he called Jesus, the Greek translation of the name Joshua. The Apostle Paul, however, seems to have borrowed most from the pseudonymous Wisdom of Solomon. Paul preferred to designate his pre-existing Messiah as the Wisdom of God, the Second Adam, Son of God, Lord, and Savior. Later, Paul will argue that the death of the Second Adam who came from heaven will remove the sin of all who believe in his name or authority.
