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Introduction
Yeshua (Jesus) Ben Sira was a scribe living in Jerusalem
during the High Priesthood of Simon II (219-196 B.C.). His work, the
longest of the Apocrypha (51 chapters) was written in Hebrew and
later translated into Greek by his grandson around 132 B.C.
Interestingly enough the grandson reveals what every translator has
since learned, no translation is perfect.
“You are invited therefore to read it with goodwill
and attention, and to be indulgent in cases where, despite our
diligent labor in translating, we may seem to have rendered some
phrases imperfectly. For what was originally expressed in Hebrew
does not have exactly the same sense when translated into another
language. Not only this book, but even in the Law itself, the
prophecies and the rest of the books differ not a little when read
in the original.” (The Prologue).
Though
Sirach wrote in Hebrew his work was not known in Hebrew until recent
times. Since 1896 there has been a steady stream of discoveries of
manuscripts of Sirach in Hebrew. Sirach has been discovered in both
Cave 2 and Cave 11 of Qumran and was also discovered at Masada (for
more on the text of Sirach see Patrick Skehan and Alexander Di Lella,
The Anchor Bible: The Wisdom of Ben Sira, pp. 51-62). Like
many of the other Apocryphal writings (Wisdom, Tobit, Judith, etc) Ben
Sira was a popular work. The work exists in Latin, Armenian (two
versions), Georgian, Old Slavonic, Arabic, Ethiopic and Coptic
translations of the ancient world. Another indication of the
popularity of the book is its Latin name: Ecclesiasticus.
Ecclesiasticus means “The Church Book.”
Most scholars believe on the basis of 51.23, “Draw near
to me, you who are untaught, and lodge in the house of instruction”
that Ben Sira conducted an “academy” of sorts in his house in
Jerusalem.
Martin
Luther on The Wisdom of Ben Sira
We have heard the voice of Martin Luther several times as
we have studied the Apocrypha. This is appropriate because he, as
much as anyone else, has shaped the Canon of the Hebrew Bible as
Protestants recognize it. Why he included or excluded certain books
sheds considerable light on the Bible as we understand it. And those
books called Apocrypha we will see that though excluded were by no
means to be ignored by God’s People. Listen to the Reformer,
“This
book has heretofore carried the Latin title, Ecclesiasticus, which
has been understood in German to mean “spiritual discipline.”
Through reading, singing, and preaching it has been extensively used
and inculcated in the churches, yet with little understanding. . .
This
is a useful book for the ordinary man. The author concentrates all
his effort on helping citizen or housefather to be Godfearing,
devout, and wise; and on showing what the relationship of such a man
should be to God, the Word of God, . . . One might call this a book
on home discipline or on the virtues of a pious householder. This
indeed is the proper “spiritual discipline,” and should be
recognized as such.” (Luther’s Works, vol. 35, pp. 347-348).
Theology in Ben Sira
The Wisdom of Ben Sira is most like the book of Proverbs
in the Hebrew Bible in form. He is concerned not with secular wisdom
but divine wisdom that promotes a distinctive lifestyle for God’s
People. A large amount of material is devoted to promoting piety (37.
7-15; 39. 5-8). He calls attention, along with Tobit, to almsgiving,
acts of mercy and social justice (3.30; 4.1-10, 31; 7.10, 32-36;
12.1-7; 29.8-13; 34.21-27; 35.15b-26; 40.16-17).
Jesus the Son of Sirach addressed not only issues of piety
he also meditated on the nature of sin and its source.
“Do not say, ‘It was the Lord’s doing that I fell
away’:
for he does not do what he hates.
Do not say, ‘It was he who led me astray’;
for he has no need of the sinful” (15.11-12; cf.
James 1.13))
“Have you sinned, my child? Do so no more,
but ask forgiveness for your past sins.
Flee from sin as from a snake; for if you approach sin,
it will bite you. . .
All lawlessness is like a two-edged sword;
There is no healing for the wound it inflicts.”
(21.1-3)
For Ben
Sira true wisdom recognizes God’s handiwork in the world around us:
“By his command he sends the driving snow
and speeds the lightening of his judgments.
Therefore the storehouses are opened,
and the clouds fly forth like birds . . .
He scatters the snow like birds flying down . . .
He pours hoarfrost upon the earth like salt,
and when it freezes, it becomes pointed thorns.”
(43. 13-14, 17)
One of
the most interesting sections of the Wisdom of Ben Sira is his
Catalogue of Famous Men of old (chapters 44 to 50). The discerning
readers mind will immediately think of the Hebrew Writer’s “Hall of
Fame of Faith” (Hebrews 11).
Let us now praise famous men, and our fathers in their
generations.
The Lord appointed to them great glory, his majesty from
the beginning.
There were those who ruled in their kingdoms, and were men
renowned for
their power, giving counsel by their
understanding,
and proclaiming prophecies;
leaders of the people in their deliberations . . .
Peoples will declare their wisdom, and the congregation
proclaims their praise.
(Wisdom of Ben Sira 44. 1-4, 7, 15)
Those
mentioned in this section include such worthies as Enoch, Noah,
Abraham, Isaac,
Jacob,
Moses, Aaron, Phinehas, Joshua, Samuel, David, Isaiah, etc.
Interestingly one that is not mentioned is Daniel.
The
Wisdom of Ben Sira in Jesus and the Early Church
Ben Sira had a thorough impact on the world and thought
leaders of the early church. Jesus himself it seems studied the
writings of Ben Sira. Looking at the Lord’s teaching in the Sermon on
the Mount and Luke for example can hardly be explained any other
way. Jesus’ Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12.13-21) has roots in
Jesus’ Son of Sirach’s description the self-absorbed secular man.
“There
is a man who is rich through his diligence and self-denial, And
this is the reward allotted to him: When he says, ‘I have found
rest, And now I shall enjoy my goods!’ He does not know when his
time will come; He will leave them to others and die” (Sirach
11.18-19).
Ben
Sira’s invitation to the unlearned to come and learn has as striking
echo with Jesus’ own moving invitation. Hear the Sage,
“Draw
near to me, you who are untaught, and lodge in the house of
instruction . . Put your neck und the yoke, and let your
souls receive instruction . . . See with eyes that I have labored
little and found for myself much rest” (Sirach 51.23,
26-27).
“Come
to me, all you that are weary and are carrying heavy burdens, and I
will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn
from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest
for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”
(Matthew 11.28-30)
Just as
Jesus of Nazareth taught us, not only not to commit murder but not to
be angry; so Jesus the Son of Sirach connects getting angry with our
neighbor with obeying
God’s
command,
“Remember
the commandments, and do not get angry with your neighbor; remember
the covenant of the Most High, and overlook faults.” (Sirach
28.7; cf. Matthew 5.21-22).
Ben Sira
and Jesus urge giving to the one who asks:
“Give
to anyone who begs from you, and do not refuse anyone who wants to
borrow from you.” (Matthew 5.42)
“Don’t
refuse to help a beggar who is in distress. Don’t turn your back on
a poor person . . .” (Sirach 4.4, Today’s English Version)
Both
Jesus and Ben Sira claim that mirroring God’s generous love makes one
like a child of God:
“Be a
father to orphans, and be like a husband to their mother; you will
then be like a son of the Most High . . .” (Sirach, 4.10, cf. Matt.
5.45)
The sage
of Jerusalem and Jesus warn against vain repetition in prayer,
“Do
not babble in the assembly of the elders, and do not repeat yourself
when you pray” (Sirach 7.14, cf. Matt. 6.7)
Both
teach we are to call upon God as our “Father” in prayer:
“O
Lord, Father and Master of my life . . .
O
Lord, Father and God of my life . . . (Sirach 23. 1, 4; cf. Matt
6.9; James 3.9)
One
arresting echo of Ben Sira appears in Jesus. The Son of Sirach taught
that those who hope for forgiveness from God must not harbor
unforgiveness against other humans.
“The
vengeful will face the Lord’s vengeance, for he keeps a strict
account of their sins. Forgive your neighbor the wrong he has done,
and then your sins will be pardoned when you pray.
Does
anyone harbor anger against another, and expect healing from the
Lord?
If
one has no mercy toward another like himself, can he seek pardon for
his own sins?”
If a
mere mortal harbors wrath, who will make an atoning sacrifice for
his sins? (Sirach 28. 1-5)
This
passage rings many “bells” from the Lord’s Prayer in Matthew 6.
“And
forgive us our debts, as we have forgiven our debtors. . .
For
if you forgive others their trespasses, your heavenly Father
Will
also forgive you; but if you do not forgive others, neither will
Your
Father forgive your trespasses.” (Matthew 6. 12, 14-15)
Just as
Jesus taught us to give away our possessions to those in need which
results in the “laying up a treasure” (Luke 12.33; 18.22; Matt. 19.21)
so Sirach did as well.
“Help
the poor for the commandment’s sake, and in their need do not send
them away empty-handed. Lose your silver for the sake of a brother
or a friend, and do not let it rust under a stone and be lost. Lay
up your treasure according to the commandments of the Most High, and
it will profit you more than gold. Store up almsgiving in your
treasury, and it will rescue you from every disaster.” (Sirach
29.9-12).
It is becoming very clear that Jesus was familiar with the teaching of
another Jesus and found that teaching to be helpful in many ways.
There are numerous other points of contact between Ben Sira and other
NT writers, especially James, Paul and John. Only one example will be
given from John. John knows the value of a clear conscience from Ben
Sira:
“Happy/Favored
are those whose hearts do not condemn them, and who have not given
up their hope” (Sirach 14.2)
“Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us, we have boldness before
God; and we receive from him whatever we ask” (1 John 3.21-22).
Ben Sira sheds some light on Messianic speculation during the years
prior to Jesus. One day some teachers came to Jesus and asked why
“Elijah” must come first? Jesus agreed with this understanding and
said that he had already come (Mark 9.11-13). Sirach tells us this
about “Elijah,”
“You
were taken up by a whirlwind of fire, in a chariot with horses of
fire. At the appointed time, it is written, you are destined to calm
the wrath of God Before it breaks out in fury, to turn the hearts of
parents to their children, and To restore the tribes of Jacob.”
(Ben Sira 48.11-12)
Indeed
Ben Sira’s entire “praise” of Elijah sheds light on why it might be
important to Jewish people that Elijah witness to Jesus as he did on
the Mount of Transfiguration (cf. Ben Sira 48.1-11).
The Wisdom of Jesus the Son of Sirach casts a long shadow in the
history of Christianity. It is well to know this book, first of all,
just to know more about the shape of Christianity in its historical
form. It is worth reading because it had a profound impact on the
Lord himself. There are things in the book that reflect the cultural
values of the time (like Sirach’s views on women) that we will not
agree with. However those views help us understand the radical
difference of Jesus and the early church in its views towards women.
Questions to Reflect On
1) What
surprised you about this book?
2) Did
you hear any “echoes” from the New Testament?
3) Did
you find anything in the book “edifying?” Did anything encourage you
in
your walk with God?
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