Wisdom Literature
The Revelation of God’s Love
Part 3: Wisdom and
Ecclesiasticus
Document#: TX004689
The Book of Wisdom
• Wisdom, Book OF, one of the deutero-
canonial writings of the Old Testament..
© bobbieo / iStockphoto.com
The Book of Wisdom
Back ground: • The Book of Wisdom was written about fifty years
before the coming of Christ. Its author, whose name is not known to us, was probably a member of the Jewish community at Alexandria, in Egypt.
• He wrote in Greek, in a style patterned on that of Hebrew verse. At times he speaks in the person of Solomon, placing his teachings on the lips of the wise king of Hebrew tradition in order to emphasize their value.
© bobbieo / iStockphoto.com
The Book of Wisdom
Back ground contnues
• His profound knowledge of the earlier Old
Testament writings is reflected in almost every
line of the book, and marks him, like Ben Sira,
as an outstanding representative of religious
devotion and learning among the sages of
postexilic Judaism.
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The Book of Wisdom
Purpose:
• The primary purpose of the author was the
edification of his co-religionists in a time
when they had experienced suffering and
oppression, in part at least at the hands of
apostate fellow Jews. © bobbieo / iStockphoto.com
The Book of Wisdom
Emphases: To convey his message he made use
of the most popular religious themes of his time,
namely the splendor and worth of divine wisdom
(6:22–11:1), the glorious events of the exodus
(11:2–16; 12:23–27; 15:18–19:22), God’s mercy
(11:17–12:22), the folly of idolatry (13:1–15:17),
and the manner in which God’s justice operates
in rewarding or punishing the individual (1:1–
6:21). © bobbieo / iStockphoto.com
The Book of Wisdom - Content
• The book contains two general parts:
• The first nine chapters treating of Wisdom
under its more speculative aspect.
• The last ten chapters dealing with Wisdom
from an historical stand-point.
© bobbieo / iStockphoto.com
The Book of Wisdom – Principal Divisions
• The principal divisions of the Book of Wisdom
are:
• The Reward of Righteousness (1:1–6:21).
• Praise of Wisdom by Solomon (6:22–11:1).
• Special Providence of God During the Exodus
(11:2–16; 12:23–27; 15:18–19:22) with
digressions on God’s mercy (11:17–12:22) and
on the folly and shame of idolatry (13:1–15:17). © bobbieo / iStockphoto.com
Wisdom Personified
• Personification uses human characteristics to
describe something that is abstract.
• In the Book of Wisdom, wisdom is personified
as a female.
• The ultimate embodiment
of God’s wisdom is Jesus
Christ.
© michaeljung / Shutterstock.com
Teacher, Counselor, and Preserver
• In the Book of Wisdom, we learn
that wisdom instructs us in the
ways of God.
• Wisdom reminds the people that
God is both Creator and
rescuer.
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Wisdom Personified
• Personification uses human characteristics
to describe something that is abstract.
• In the Book of Wisdom, wisdom is
personified as a female.
• The ultimate
embodiment of
God’s wisdom is
Jesus Christ.
© michaeljung / Shutterstock.com
The Book of Wisdom and the New
Testament
• The first ten chapters in particular provide
background for the teaching of Jesus and
for some New Testament theology about
Jesus. Many passages from this section of
the book, notably 3:1–8, are used by the
church in the liturgy. © bobbieo / iStockphoto.com
THE BOOK OF
SIRACH (ECCLESIASTICUS)
THE BOOK OF SIRACH
The Book of Sirach derives its name from the author, Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sirach (50, 27). Its earliest title seems to have been “Wisdom of the Son of Sirach.”
The designation “Liber Ecclesiasticus,” meaning “Church Book,” appended to some Greek and Latin manuscripts was due to the extensive use which the church made of this book in presenting moral teaching to catechumens and to the faithful.
THE BOOK OF SIRACH - Background
• Written in Hebrew between 200 and 175 B.C., the text was translated into Greek sometime after 132 B.C. by the author's grandson, who also wrote a Foreword which contains information about the book, the author, and the translator himself.
• Until the close of the nineteenth century Sirach was known only in translations, of which this Greek rendering was the most important.
THE BOOK OF SIRACH – Background
Continues
• From it the Latin version was made. Between
1896 and 1900, again in 1931, and several times
since 1956, manuscripts were discovered
containing in all about two thirds of the Hebrew
text, which agrees substantially with the Greek.
• One such text, from Masada (a southeastern
ancient place and fortification of Israel overlooking
the Dead Sea), is pre-Christian in date.
THE BOOK OF SIRACH
Though not included in the Hebrew Bible
after the first century A.D., nor accepted
by Protestants, the Book of Sirach has
always been recognized by the Orthodox
and Catholic Churches as divinely
inspired and canonical..
THE BOOK OF SIRACH
• The author, a sage who lived in Jerusalem,
was thoroughly imbued with love for the law,
the priesthood, the temple, and divine
worship.
• As a wise and experienced observer of life he
addressed himself to his contemporaries with
the motive of helping them to maintain
religious faith and integrity through study of
the holy books, and through tradition.
THE BOOK OF SIRACH
• The book contains numerous maxims
formulated with care, grouped by affinity,
and dealing with a variety of subjects such
as the individual, the family, and the
community in their relations with one
another and with God.
• It treats of friendship, education, poverty and
wealth, the law, religious worship, and many
other matters which reflect the religious and
social customs of the time.
THE BOOK OF SIRACH
• The contents of Sirach are of a discursive nature, not easily divided into separate parts.
• Chapters 1-43 deal largely with moral instruction; chapters 44, 1-50, 24 contain a eulogy of the heroes of Israel and some of the patriarchs.
• There are two appendices in which the author expresses his gratitude to God, and appeals to the unlearned to acquire true wisdom.
Quotations in the New Testament • Sir.11,19 ”When he says: ”I have found
rest, now I will feast on my possessions,” He does not know how long it will be till he dies and leave them to others.”
• Luke 12,19-20 “And I will say to my soul, “Soul you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry”. But God said to him,” fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?”
Sirach and the New Testament
Quotations in the New Testament:
• Sir. 28,2 “Forgive your neighbor’s injustice;
then when you pray, your own sins will be
forgiven”.
• Mark 11,25 “and whenever you stand praying,
if you have anything against anyone, forgive
him, that your Father in heaven may also
forgive you your trespasses”.
Quotations in the New Testament
• Sir. 5,13 “Be swift to hear, but slow to
answer”.
• James 1,19 “So then, my beloved
brethren, let every man be swift to hear,
slow to speak, slow to wrath”.
Quotations in the new testament
• Sir. 7,34 “Avoid not those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn”.
• Romans 12,15 “Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep”.
• Sir. 10,17 “The traces of the proud God sweeps away and effaces the memory of them from the earth”.
• Luke 1,52 “He has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted the lowly”.
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