T he only good news that we ought to know and remember is that Jesus Christ had already won the war against sin and death. He has made it possible for us to join Him in the afterlife. All we need now to do is accept Him as He is. God is alive today and it may be sometimes be difficult to see this. The world and its demonic nature has still made it look like that only worldly things matter and that the ultimate goal of each one is to achieve their own personal happiness. This is the biggest lie of all, that we should do all to make us happy. Individual happiness at the expense of someone else is the biggest deception of all. The truth is, our lives are never really about us. It is ultimately about God and about others. It is about how you can provide and give joy even at our own expense. This is the model of ultimate and genuine love that Jesus shown us at the cross. "Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one’s life for one’s frie...
Summary of the Book
Sirach is a lengthy work, comprising 51 chapters, and covers a vast array of topics, offering wisdom for almost every aspect of life. It is structured somewhat like a traditional wisdom text, beginning with an introduction to the nature of wisdom and then moving through various themes, often without a strict linear progression.
Key Themes and Sections:
The Nature and Source of Wisdom (Chapters 1-23):
Fear of the Lord: The central tenet of Sirach, like Proverbs, is that "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom." (Sirach 1:14). True wisdom originates from God and is given to those who revere Him.
Wisdom's Origin: Wisdom is personified as a divine entity, created before all things, residing with God and later settling in Israel, becoming identified with the Law (Torah).
Guidance for Life: Sirach provides counsel on a wide range of topics: humility, truthfulness, managing anger, controlling the tongue, dealing with friends and enemies, raising children, honoring parents, giving to the poor, trusting in God during trials, and the importance of prayer.
Practical Ethics and Social Conduct (Chapters 24-42):
Social Relations: Advice on friendship (how to choose and maintain true friends, avoid false ones), dealing with foolish people, lending and borrowing, and proper table etiquette.
Family Life: Extensive teachings on marriage, the upbringing of children, the role of parents, and the responsibilities within the household. He has a nuanced (and sometimes controversial by modern standards) view on women, praising good wives but also warning against bad ones.
Health and Wealth: Counsel on health, medicine, and respect for doctors. Warnings against excessive wealth or poverty, and advice on managing finances.
Speech and Silence: A strong emphasis on controlling the tongue, avoiding gossip, slander, and boastful speech, and knowing when to be silent.
"Do not let your mouth lead you into sin, and do not say before the messenger of God that it was a mistake; why should God be angry at your words and destroy the work of your hands?" (Sirach 5:6)
Praise of God in Creation and History (Chapters 42-50):
Praise for Creation: A magnificent section praising God's wisdom as evident in the natural world – the sun, moon, stars, rain, wind, and all living creatures.
"The sun looks down on everything with its light, and the work of the Lord is full of his glory." (Sirach 42:16)
Praise of the Ancestors (The "Hall of Fame of Israel"): This is one of the most famous sections, a detailed retrospective of Israel's heroes from Enoch to Nehemiah, highlighting their faith, deeds, and God's faithfulness to them. It celebrates figures like Abraham, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Elijah, Elisha, and the prophets. This section culminates in a praise of Simon the High Priest, who lived around the author's time.
Author's Epilogue and Prayer (Chapter 51):
Ben Sira concludes with a personal prayer of thanksgiving for deliverance and reiterates his invitation to all to seek wisdom.
Notable Quotes and Verses
On Humility:
"My child, perform your tasks with humility; then you will be loved by those whom God accepts." (Sirach 3:17)
On Seeking Wisdom:
"Draw near to me, you who are untaught, and lodge in my school." (Sirach 51:23)
On True Friendship:
"A faithful friend is a strong defense, and whoever finds one has found a treasure. A faithful friend is beyond price; there is no measuring his worth." (Sirach 6:14-15)
On Generosity:
"Do not hold back a gift from the Lord, or stint the first fruits of your toil." (Sirach 35:9)
On the Tongue:
"Do not call anyone happy before his death; for a person will be known by his children." (Sirach 11:28) (This quote is often mistakenly attributed to Greek philosophers, but it is in Sirach!)
On Respect for Parents:
"Honor your father with your whole heart, and do not forget the birth pangs of your mother." (Sirach 7:27)
Historical Facts: How the Book Came to Be
Author and Original Language:
The author explicitly identifies himself as Jesus ben Sira of Jerusalem (Sirach 50:27).
The book was originally written in Hebrew, making it one of the few Deuterocanonical books for which a substantial portion of the original Hebrew text has been recovered (discovered in the Cairo Genizah and at Masada).
Date of Composition: Ben Sira wrote his work around 180 BCE. This places it in the crucial period just before the Maccabean Revolt, when Hellenistic (Greek) culture was exerting strong influence over Jewish life.
The Grandson's Greek Translation:
Ben Sira's grandson translated the Hebrew text into Greek around 132 BCE in Egypt. He added a significant preface, explaining his motivation for translating it: to allow those in the Diaspora (Jews living outside Israel) to benefit from the wisdom and to uphold Jewish tradition in the face of Hellenistic influences. This Greek translation is the one preserved in the Septuagint and most ancient Christian Bibles.
Purpose and Context:
Ben Sira's main purpose was to defend and promote Jewish wisdom and the Mosaic Law in a period when Greek philosophy and culture were very appealing. He argued that true wisdom is found not in foreign philosophies, but in the Torah (God's Law) and the traditions of Israel.
He also aimed to instruct young Jewish men in moral living, piety, and proper social conduct, preparing them for leadership within the community.
Canonical Status:
Jewish Canon: Sirach was highly regarded and widely quoted in ancient Jewish literature (e.g., the Talmud) but was ultimately not included in the final Hebrew biblical canon (Tanakh) by the rabbis, likely because it was composed after the generally accepted "close" of prophecy and scriptural writing, and perhaps because its teachings were not considered as universally authoritative as other books.
Christian Canon: It was accepted into the Septuagint (the Greek Old Testament) and therefore became part of the early Christian Bible. It is considered canonical by the Catholic and Orthodox Churches (as part of the Deuterocanon/Apocrypha) but is considered a non-canonical "apocryphal" book by Protestants.