5. The image of a virtuous man inscribed in Book II. Sirach, bears the stamp of the Old Testament narrow-mindedness. This is a diligent head of the family, a loving husband, a strict father, a person who is not quick to speak, always thinking over his decisions. He does not chase wealth, but he is no stranger to the joys of life. He is fair, kind, polite and circumspect, never betrays his word and is ready to help those in need at any time.

Sirach considers friendship to be one of the greatest blessings of life. Whoever has found a good friend has found a treasure. With the wicked, on the contrary, one should not enter into communion (12:13).

In some places, the ethics of the book are almost close to those of the Gospel. Rising above the legal "an eye for an eye," he says:

Forgive your neighbor's offense, and then by thy prayer thy sins shall be forgiven. (28,2)

A righteous person strengthens his moral spirit and the joy of being by faith in God. But outward piety without goodness and truth is blasphemy. In this, Sirah is a worthy successor of the prophets, whose books he revered and studied:

Do not say, "He will look upon the multitude of my gifts; and when I offer them to the Most High God, He will receive them"... Whoever offers a sacrifice from unrighteous acquisition, his mocking offering, and the gifts of the wicked are not pleasing. (7,9; 34,18)

A mortal, Sirach teaches, cannot be equal to the Eternal, he must thank Him for the life that has been given to him; And if it is short, then such is the heavenly will. The more a person comes to know the greatness of the Creator, the less he feels entitled to make demands of Him. Going through life, enjoying its gifts, working for himself and others, fulfilling the Law of God, a person finds a source of consolation in the contemplation of the Glory of the Eternal.

6. Jesus, son of Sirach, and holy history. Unlike other hakamas, Seerah does not limit himself to thinking about God and life. He also speaks of the appearance of the Lord in history. However, this is primarily the story of the biblical people who received the light of Wisdom from God. Sirach severely condemns the inhabitants of Palestine who have fallen into the power of paganism: the Edomites, the Philistines, and the Samaritans, who, according to him, are not a people at all. Thus, the writer asserts himself as a confessor of strict Judaism.

In his doxology to the "fathers" (chapters 44-50), Jesus, the son of Sirach, speaks of the great men of old, who lived according to reason and the law, and to whom God revealed his will. They are buried in the world, but their names live on from generation to generation. They are the forefathers of mankind, the patriarchs and pious kings, the prophets and teachers of Israel. Sirach gives each of them a brief description and concludes the procession of the saints of the Old Testament with Simon the Righteous, the high priest of Jerusalem. But the book says nothing about the future, about the Messiah. The sage only believes that the time will come when the pagans will also know the true God. He prays:

Speed up time and remember the oath, and let them proclaim Thy great works... Hear, O Lord, the prayer of Thy servants, by the blessing of Aaron, for Thy people; And all who dwell on the earth shall know; that Thou art the Lord, the God of the ages. (36,9,18-19)

In an era when the Church of the Old Testament was facing severe trials, it needed teachers like Jesus, the son of Sirach. Bypassing eschatology and messianism, Sirach teaches people to live in everyday life, guided by common sense and the Law of God. His instructions embodied that side of religious ethics that fostered the integrity of the soul, steadfastness of will and moral purity.

Review Questions

1. Who was the author of the book?

2. In what language is it written, and who translated it into Greek?