READING ECCLESIASTICUS/SIRACH

PART XII

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Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 14:20-16:23

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Ben Sira encouraged his pupils–young men, sons of the elites of Jerusalem, circa 175 B.C.E.–to pursue wisdom.  Some of the teacher’s metaphorical language may seem creepy.  He urged his students to pursue Lady Wisdom like a hunter (14:22), peer through her windows (14:23), listen at her doors (14:23), and camp immediately outside her house (14:24).  One, taking figurative language literally, could easily find oneself in legal difficulty.  Yet:

The man who fears the Lord will do this,

and he who holds to the law will obtain wisdom.

–15:1, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)

Then Lady Wisdom, in mixed metaphors, will simultaneously be like the man’s mother and young wife (15:2).  (Did I mention creepy metaphors?)  Yet liars never think of Lady Wisdom, far from “men of pride” (15:8).

The Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002) is a useful translation to consult when seeking to determine literal Biblical pronouns.  The translation retains all the masculine pronouns.  I, as a student of the past, find such a translation essential, for I seek to know what a text says–down to the pronouns.  I can interpret a text in context.  In this case, the context is patriarchy, of which I am not fond.  Yet the text says what it says.  Neutering gendered pronouns in ancient texts distorts the meaning of those texts.

As we continue to read, we find a repetition of the Biblical principle that God never commands anyone to sin (15:11-20).  The language evokes words placed inside the mouth of Moses.  We have the power to obey divine commandments.  (Original Sin is Western Christian, not Jewish, theology.)  And disobeying the divine commandments leads to negative consequences (Deuteronomy 11:26-28).  This is standard Deuteronomistic theology.  Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 15:11-20 also echoes Habakkuk 2:4; human faithfulness justifies people before God.  (Ben Sira was a pre-Christian Jew, not a Protestant.  Neither were Moses, Habakkuk, and the Deuteronomists Protestants.)

Given that Ben Sira rejected any belief in the afterlife, he affirmed that immortality (as it was) came via reproduction.  So, his advice in 16:1-5 is especially striking.  One faithful child is better than a thousand faithless offspring, and dying childless is better than having ungodly children (16:3).  Such unrighteous progeny damage societies and bring down the wrath of God upon populations, we read.  Yet God balances judgment and mercy:

As great as his mercy, so great is also his reproof;

he judges a man according to his deeds.

The sinner will not escape with his plunder;

and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated.

He will make room for every act of mercy;

every one will receive in accordance with his deeds.

–16:12-14, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)

Ben Sira channeled Jeremiah and Ezekiel, who spoke for God in the context of the Babylonian Exile and the build-up to it.  Jeremiah and Ezekiel contradicted intergenerational punishment (Exodus 20:5) and offered hope to an audience which sorely needed it.  God judges you based on you, not on your ancestors, they proclaimed.  You can have a fresh start, even in these troubled times, the two prophets proclaimed.  Ezekiel 18 and 34:10-20, as well as Jeremiah 31:27-30, are representative texts.

…but all shall die because of their own iniquity….

–Jeremiah 31:30a, The New American Bible–Revised Edition (2011)

One may legitimately critique the theology of divine retribution, reduced to a simplistic, transactional principle.  The Book of Job questions it until the tacked-on ending of that text.

The range of verses for this post concludes with a reminder that God sees all that we do.

Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid:  Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy Name; through Jesus Christ our Lord.  Amen.

—The Book of Common Prayer (1979), 355

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

AUGUST 21, 2023 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST  OF SAINT BRUNO ZEMBOL, POLISH ROMAN CATHOLIC FRIAR AND MARTYR, 1942

THE FEAST OF SAINTS CAMERIUS, CISELLUS, AND LUXORIUS OF SARDINIA, MARTYRS, 303

THE FEAST OF THE MARTYRS OF EDESSA, CIRCA 304

THE FEAST OF SAINT MAXIMILIAN OF ANTIOCH, MARTYR, CIRCA 353; AND SAINTS BONOSUS AND MAXIMIANUS THE SOLDIER, MARTYRS, 362

THE FEAST OF SAINT VICTOIRE RASOAMANARIVO, MALAGASY ROMAN CATHOLIC LAYWOMAN

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READING ECCLESIASTICUS/SIRACH

PART XI

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Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 11:29-14:19

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Some scoundrels seem like friends; they depend upon the naivëté and good nature of pious people.  The imagery in 11:29-12:9, with its seemingly harsh language, recalls a hunter’s technique of placing a bird into a cage to lure other birds.  The text cautions the audience–originally, sons of the elites of Jerusalem, circa 175 B.C.E.–not to fall into such traps and to aid and abet predators.

Cultural references abound in the Bible.  12:10-12, for example, refers to a tarnished pot or a “magic mirror.”  The pot or mirror , when polished, revealed the identity of a friend, according to folk belief.  Recall, O reader, that the mirror in these verses was metal and that it revealed a less detailed reflection than our glass mirrors do.  Furthermore, Ben Sira refers to the right hand–the hand of honor in that culture.  Ben Sira urges protecting the right hand from imposters.  He also urges being careful–metaphorically, keeping the mirror polished constantly.

By the way, the right hand was the hand of honor because, in that cultural milieu, one used the left hand for hygienic purposes.

Chapter 13 changes the topic to the exploitation of the poor by the wealthy.  This is a timeless pattern, sadly.  The historical setting resembles much of the world today–a small upper class, a vast lower class, and a tiny middle class.  The wealthy increase their wealth via exploitation.  Their greed and lack of human concern violates the Biblical principle of mutuality, which allows no moral license for exploitation.

Riches are good if they are free from sin,

and poverty is evil in the opinion of the ungodly.

–Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 13:24, Revised Standard Version–Second Catholic Edition (2002)

Some wealthy people are amoral or immoral predators.  Others, however, accept that riches and privilege impose upon them greater responsibility than they would have otherwise.  They understand that they must do more to help because they can do more to help.  Money and other forms of wealth are morally neutral, but uses of attitudes toward wealth are not morally neutral.  And greed is the root of all evil.

Recall, also, O reader, that Ben Sira rejected any belief in the afterlife.  So, he taught that wealth was transitory and that how one behaved toward God and other people mattered much more than riches.  He reminded his pupils that others would inherit their wealth.  Koheleth had made the same point in Ecclesiastes.

As I ponder Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 14:11-19, I detect the vibe of Ecclesiastes–enjoy life while you can–that is, before you die.  But enjoy life properly, in the awe of God.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

AUGUST 17, 2023 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF SAMUEL JOHNSON, CONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER, ANGLICAN PRIEST, PRESIDENT OF KING’S COLLEGE, “FATHER OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH IN CONNECTICUT,” AND “FATHER OF AMERICAN LIBRARY CLASSIFICATION;” TIMOTHY CUTLER, CONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER, ANGLICAN PRIEST, AND RECTOR OF YALE COLLEGE; DANIEL BROWNE, EDUCATOR, CONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER, AND ANGLICAN PRIEST; AND JAMES WETMORE, CONGREGATIONALIST MINISTER AND ANGLICAN PRIEST

THE FEAST OF THE BAPTISMS OF MANTEO AND VIRGINIA DARE, 1587

THE FEAST OF SAINT EUSEBIUS OF ROME, BISHOP OF ROME, AND MARTYR, 310

THE FEAST OF GEORGE CROLY, ANGLICAN PRIEST, POET, HISTORIAN, NOVELIST, DRAMATIST, THEOLOGIAN, AND HYMN WRITER

THE FEAST OF WILLIAM JAMES EARLY BENNETT, ANGLICAN PRIEST

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READING ECCLESIASTICUS/SIRACH

PART I

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What to call this book seems like an ideal point to address first.  Traditional names of the book are  the Book of Sirach, the Book of Ecclesiasticus, and the Wisdom of Ben Sira.  “Ecclesiasticus,” or “Church Book,” derives from Liber Ecclesiasticus, a name due to the frequency with which Holy Mother Church has quoted Sirach.  The name of the book depends upon the translation one reads.  The New American Bible–Revised Edition (2011) calls the book “The Wisdom of Ben Sira.”  The Revised English Bible (1989) calls this book “Ecclesiasticus or the Wisdom of Jesus Son of Sirach.”  The Saint Athanasius Academy Septuagint, in The Orthodox Study Bible (2008), names this book “The Wisdom of Sirach.”  For the sake of clarity, I prefer “Ecclesiasticus/Sirach.”

The author’s name is Yeshua Ben Eleazar Ben Sira (50:27).  That Hebrew name, translated into Greek, is Jesus son of Eleazar son of Sira.  “Sirach,” as a title for this book, derives from the Greek form of “Sira.”

We read an English translation of a Greek translation (after 117 B.C.E.) of a Hebrew text dated circa 175 B.C.E.  The translator, in his prologue, identifies himself as the grandson of the author.  That prologue describes the author–Yeshua Ben Eleazar Ben Sira–as a devout Jewish sage and a resident of Jerusalem.  We read that the grandfather followed the Law of Moses and the teachings of the prophets.  We also read that the grandson translated the book into Greek in Egypt after the reign of King Ptolemy VIII Euergetes II Physcon (r. 170-163; 145-117 B.C.E.).

Persecution frames Ecclesiasticus/Sirach.  An eagle-eyed student of history may recall that, circa 175 B.C.E., the Seleucid Empire was persecuting devout Jews in the Jewish homeland.  One may also remember that Ptolemaic monarchs persecuted Jews, although not constantly.  And, if one puts the pieces together, one understands that militant devotees of Hellenism persecuted those who refused to conform, whether in Egypt or in Palestine.

The Wisdom of Solomon (perhaps from as late as 50 C.E.) combined Judaism and Greek philosophy in an attempt (a) to persuade errant Jews to return to the fold, and (b) reach out to Gentiles.  In contrast, Ecclesiasticus/Sirach (hostile to Greek philosophy) focused narrowly on Jews and did not syncretize.  Both books, despite their differences, belong to the genre of sacred literature which proclaims fidelity to God in the midst of oppression.  Two notable examples of this genre in the New Testament are Hebrews and Revelation.

Imagine, O reader, that you were a young man studying at the academy of Yeshua Ben Eleazar Ben Sira in Jerusalem.  The contents of this book would have been familiar to you.

We, in 2023, can, in a way, attend that academy.  Some of the attitudes will properly offend our egalitarian sensibilities.  The grandfather’s teachings reflect a fondness for patriarchy and misogyny (7:23-29; 22:3; 25:13-26; 26:12).   Yet this book, like the Song of Songs, delights in feminine beauty (26:17-18).  And not one woman features in 44:1-50:24, a hall of fame of faithful people.  One may identify faithful, named women in the Hebrew Bible, but Ecclesiasticus/Sirach does not.

I, standing within my Christian tradition, feel free to critique it.  Respect for one’s tradition need not devolve into blind traditionalism.  Traditions are living and flexible, not rigid and dead.

Another point of critique of Ecclesiasticus/Sirach is the book’s theology of the afterlife.  Ecclesiasticus/Sirach does not indicate a belief in the afterlife.  The book, therefore, is proto-Saddusaic.

The author of the Epistle of James (probably composed in the 80s or 90s C.E.) knew Ecclesiasticus/Sirach.  I encourage you, O reader, to compare Ecclesiasticus/Sirach 2:1-6; 5:9-14 to James 1:12-15; 3:1-12.

Jeremy Corley, writing in The New Collegeville Bible Commentary:  Old Testament (2015), outlines Ecclesiasticus/Sirach accordingly:

1. Understanding Wisdom (1:1-4:10),
2. Using Wisdom Personally (4:11-6:17),
3. Applying Wisdom Socially (6:18-14:19),
4. Wisdom in Speech and Thought (14:20-23:27),
5. Wisdom in Domestic Life (24:1-32:13),
6. Using Wisdom to Make Good Decisions (32:14-38:23),
7. Demonstrating the Results of Wisdom (38:24-42:14),
8. Wisdom in Creation and History (42:15-50:24), and
9. Postscripts and Appendices (50:25-51:30).

James L. Crenshaw, writing in The New Interpreter’s Bible, Volume 5 (1997), differs slightly.  Crenshaw divides Ecclesiasticus/Sirach into only eight sections.  His schema differs from that of Corley after the fourth section:

1. Part V (24:1-33:33:19),
2. Part VI (33:20-39:11),
3. Part VII (39:12-43:33), and
4. Part VIII (44:1-51:30).

As Dianne Bergant wrote in her introduction to Ecclesiasticus/Sirach in The New Interpreter’s Study Bible (2003), the structure of this book is difficult to determine.

Despite the different attitudes of Ecclesiasticus/Sirach and the Wisdom of Solomon regarding Greek philosophy in the context of Hellenism, both books address an overarching issue germane in 2023.  How can the people of God remain faithful to God and their tradition in a hostile society?  Particulars vary according to circumstances.  People live in circumstances, not abstractions.  Yet timeless principles persist.  The greatest challenge to believers may be to pursue a strategy by which our actions in the name of following God do not belie our intention.

KENNETH RANDOLPH TAYLOR

AUGUST 4, 2023 COMMON ERA

THE FEAST OF JOHN BROWNLIE, SCOTTISH PRESBYTERIAN MINISTER, HYMN WRITER, AND TRANSLATOR OF HYMNS

THE FEAST OF SAINT FRÉDÉRIC JANSSOONE, FRENCH ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND FRIAR

THE FEAST OF LAMBERT BEAUDUIN, BELGIAN ROMAN CATHOLIC PRIEST AND PIONEER OF LITURGICAL RENEWAL

THE FEAST OF SARAH PLATT DOREMUS, FOUNDER OF THE WOMEN’S UNION MISSIONARY SOCIETY

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