In Ecclesiasticus, it is evident that the man with the most wisdom is the man who ultimately fears God. Abraham Lincoln’s Second Inaugural Address is rooted in the ideal that all men are equal and it is shameful to ask God to help keep another human in bondage. Lincoln is able to embody the idea of true wisdom because of his adamant stance against slavery and his complete trust in God’s will.
In his second address, Lincoln states, “It may seem strange that any men should dare to ask a just God’s assistance in wringing their bread from the sweat of other men’s faces; but let us judge not that we be not judged.” Lincoln shows great wisdom by phrasing his opinions in this form because he does not use any harsh or cruel language. He is able to accept the truth that God knows best, so he does not need to aggressively assert his opinion, only the fact that God is in control and does not submit to the will of man. By fighting for the rights of the slaves, his is exemplifying his submission to God because he was still willing to fight for their emancipation even though at the time this was not the most popular and agreeable solution. This act shows true “fear” of God because he is showing himself as submissive to Gods will.
Abraham Lincoln’s act of submission can also be seen as contemporary to Ben Sira, the author of Ecclesiasticus. Sira proved his ultimate wisdom throughout the text he transcribed, describing in detail proper moral instruction and common sense gained from experience. Sira also goes through the history of the ancestors and Patriarchs. By providing instruction on friendship, discipline, how to treat wives/women and children, and giving detail on how the new generation can be saved, Sira did God’s will and showed his ultimate wisdom, by defining it: “the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord.” This emphasizes the importance of obedience to God and we can see a lot of this obedience in Lincoln’s Second Inaugural. Lincoln states, “Yet, if God wills that [the war] continue, until all the wealth piled by the bond-man’s two hundred and fifty years of unrequited toil shall be sunk, and until every drop of blood drawn with the lash, shall be paid by another drawn with the sword, as was said three thousand years ago, so still it must be said “the judgments of the Lord, are true and righteous altogether”” Although a very lengthy description, Lincoln purposefully asserts that he will not stop fighting for God’s will ever, which we see in Sira’s writing as well.
Taylor's Blog 