In the first reading from Wisdom, the wicked are not thinking correctly. They are only thinking about themselves, not others, not God, not the right way. They are certainly not thinking about the right path. They want to attack the just one who recognizes their wickedness and calls them on it. They want to get rid of anyone who would expose their evil ways, and blame the good guys for their own bad deeds. They want to continue their evil ways without reproach or censure. They do not want to be inconvenienced by ethics or change from their selfish path. If they can get rid of the just, they can continue their denial.

The gospel continues this thread. Jesus is in danger. Others are trying to kill him. They want to get rid of him even though he is good. They want to get rid of him because he is good and that is a threat to their own evil ways. The wicked are threatened by the righteous and need to get rid of them in order to continue their own wicked ways unperturbed.

But the Lord hears the cries of the poor and confronts the evildoers. The wicked say if the righteous are right, then God will save them. And God does. The wicked may succeed here. And often do. There is evil and it always tries to do away with the good. Jesus says that he is from God and follows God, “the one who sent me, whom you do not know, is true. I know him, because I am from him, and he sent me." The bad guys are wrong, but they can be powerful and in charge. Their plans to do away with the good can be strong. But whatever success they have does not make them right. Getting rid of the good does not make the wrong right. The right path is still the path of the good, the path that leads to God.