My Notes on Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 39:6-14

Background: Sirach 38:24-39:11 (38:25-39:11 in RSV) deals with the subject of the scribal profession in contrast to that of the craftsman. The latter are not denigrated, for without them there would be no cities to live in; and they can feed themselves by the work of their own hands (my paraphrase of Sir 38:32). Their work is a reflection of the Creator God’s activity and honors Him:  They keep stable the fabric of the world, and their prayer is in the practice of their trade (Sir 38:34, RSV). Still, the work of the man who studies, teaches and applies the Law of God is superior. While the craftsman deals in temporal things in service to others, the scribe deals first with eternal things in order to serve others, even in temporal matters like governing the state: He shall serve among great men, and appear before the governor (Sir 39:4, DRV). Towards this service he is sent to other lands to learn what is good and evil concerning foreigners (39:5).

Note: I’m using the Douay Rheims translation in the notes which follow. The verse numbering employed by the NAB and the RSV differs from it.

Sir 39:6   He will give his heart to resort early to the Lord that made him, and he will pray in the sight of the most High.

In spite of his service to the state (see previous verses) the office of the scribe is still essentially religious.  Early every morning he will turn his heart to the God who made him. Placing himself in the presence God he will direct his prayers to Him.

Sir 39:7  He will open his mouth in prayer, and will make supplication for his sins.

He who searches out evil among others must always remember that he himself is a sinner (see verse 5). Matthew 7:1-5 is applicable here.

Sir 39:8  For if it shall please the great Lord, he will fill him with the spirit of understanding:

God is the source of wisdom, and if one wants to be filled with it, one must first empty oneself of all that is inimical to it. the context here is sin (previous verse).

Sir 39:9  And he will pour forth the words of his wisdom as showers, and in his prayer he will confess to the Lord.

Once filled with the wisdom of God the scribe will pour it out abundantly, like rain upon others (Deut 32:2), and give God the glory, rather than pretend the wisdom is his own.

Sir 39:10  And he shall direct his counsel, and his knowledge, and in his secrets shall he meditate.

Having emptied himself of sin so as to be filled with wisdom, the scribe can only now direct his counsel and knowledge in a right fashion. He will also be able to ponder (meditate) upon greater and deeper mysteries (secrets).

Sir 39:11  He shall shew forth the discipline he hath learned, and shall glory in the law of the covenant of the Lord.

He will become a model for others, an example to be imitated as his ways glorify the covenant.

Sir 39:12  Many shall praise his wisdom, and it shall never be forgotten.
Sir 39:13  The memory of him shall not depart away, and his name shall be in request from generation to generation.
Sir 39:14  Nations shall declare his wisdom, and the church shall shew forth his praise.

His wisdom is from and eternal source (God) and, consequently, his manifestation of it in his life and instruction will live on after him, spreading far and wide. These verses recall earlier ones: A wise man instructeth his own people, and the fruits of his understanding are faithful. A wise man shall be filled with blessings, and they that see shall praise him. The life of a man is in the number of his days: but the days of Israel are innumerable. A wise man shall inherit honour among his people, and his name shall live for ever (Sir 37:25-29).

 

My Notes on Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 31:8-11

This passage (but not the only one) was traditionally read as the first reading for the Memorial of a Confessor who was not a Bishop. It is still used for confessors today. Concerning confessors the Catholic Encyclopedia says: “The word confessor is derived from the Latin confiteri, to confess, to profess, but it is not found in writers of the classical period, having been first used by the Christians. With them it was a title of honour to designate those brave champions of the Faith who had confessed Christ publicly in time of persecution and had been punished with imprisonment, torture, exile, or labour in the mines, remaining faithful in their confession until the end of their lives. The title thus distinguished them from the martyrs, who were so called because they underwent death for the Faith“.

Sir 31:8  Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish: and that hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money nor in treasures.

Blessed is the rich man that is found without blemish. The beatitude contrasts nicely with verse 5 (note the color coding)~”He that loveth gold, shall not be justified: and he that followeth after corruption, shall be filled with it. According to Sirach 13:30~”Riches are good to him that hath no sin in his conscience.”

Proverbs 22:9~He that is inclined to mercy, shall be blessed: for of his bread he hath given to the poor. He that maketh presents, shall purchase victory and honour: but he carrieth away the souls of the receivers.

I’m posting this for the memorial of Saint Joannis de Matha (St John of Matha), who worked for the release of Christian captives and hostages from muslims seeking lucre. Needless to say, in such a position, a temptation to pocket the lucre (money) would have been a possibility. Saint Joannis (John) however fulfilled his mission admirably.

Sir 31:9  Who is he, and we will praise him? for he hath done wonderful things in his life.

Who is he, and we will praise him? The first part (who is he) may suggests that such a man is a rarity. The charitable rich man will be praised, not so the miser: “Turn not away thy eyes from the poor for fear of anger: and leave not to them that ask of thee to curse thee behind thy back. For the prayer of him that curseth thee in the bitterness of his soul, shall be heard, for he that made him will hear him” (Sirach 4:5-6).

He hath done wonderful things in his life. Acts of charity.

Sir 31:10  Who hath been tried thereby, and made perfect, he shall have glory everlasting. He that could have transgressed, and hath not transgressed: and could do evil things, and hath not done them:

Riches can be a trail, and lead to transgression and evil. A man with money at his disposal who doesn’t succumb to this shows great spiritual character. It is this that is praiseworthy.

Sir 31:11  Therefore are his goods established in the Lord, and all the church of the saints shall declare his alms.

Therefore are his goods established in the Lord. Such a man “shall not be moved forever (Ps 112:6). In contrast to the wealthy man who used his goods ill~”Therefore will God destroy thee for ever: he will pluck thee out, and remove thee from thy dwelling place: and thy root out of the land of the living. The just shall see and fear, and shall laugh at him, and say: Behold the man that made not God his helper: But trusted in the abundance of his riches: and prevailed in his vanity” (ps 52:7-9).

And all the church of the saints shall declare his alms. What Pope Alexander VII said of St Thomas of Villanova in the Bull of Canonization we can justly apply to St John de Matha and all those who remained unstained by money: Thy name, as well as thy justtice shall remain forever, O St John of De Matha, because thou hast distributed and given to the poor (Ps 112:9); all of the church of the saints shall declare thy alms (Sirach 31:11). Teach us to show mercy to our brethren, so that, by thy prayers, we may obtain for ourselves the mercy of God.”

My Notes on Sirach (Ecclesiasticus) 45:1-6

The passage concerns Moses and has been traditionally used for the Feast of St Joseph and the Common of Abbots. The author of the Epistle to the Hebrews, after extolling the faith of the ancients such as Moses, tells us that “all these, being approved by the testimony of faith, received not the promise: God providing some better thing for us, that they should not be perfected without us” (Heb 11:39-40). Later, concerning his readers more immediate (i.e., Christian) ancestors in the faith writes: “Remember your leaders who have spoken the word of God to you: whose faith follow, considering the end of their lives” (Heb 13:7). All believers, but especially those who have been graced to lead others, should end their lives with the epithet: “The world was not worthy of then” (Heb 11:38). By remembering the lives, virtues, and deeds of the Saints of the Church with scripture texts celebrating the Saints of the OT, we show forth the continuity of faith and worship: “I give thanks to God, whom I serve from my forefathers” (2 Tim 1:3).

Sir 45:1b Beloved of God, and men: whose memory is in benediction.

Beloved of God and men. The first part (Beloved of God) recalls Numbers 12:6-8, wherein Moses is identified as greater than any prophet among the people~”Hear my words: if there be among you a prophet of the Lord, I will appear to him in a vision, or I will speak to him in a dream. But it is not so with my servant Moses who is most faithful in all my house: For I speak to him mouth to mouth: and plainly, and not by riddles and figures doth he see the Lord.  The second part (beloved of men), recalls Exodus 11:3~”And Moses was a very great man in the land of Egypt, in the sight of Pharao’s servants, and of all the people.”

Whose memory is in benediction. “Of blessed memory”, or, as in the RSV, “Whose memory is blessed.”

Sir 45:2  He made him like the saints in glory, and magnified him in the fear of his enemies, and with his words he made prodigies to cease.

He made him like the saints in glory. Better, “He made him like the holy ones in glory.” The reference is to the angels. The author probably has in mind the fact that both angels and Moses worked wonders, and acted as messengers from God.

Magnified him in the fear of his enemies. I’m not aware of any passage of Scripture which speaks of Moses enemies fearing him. The author is probably referring to the fear that came upon the enemies of Israel, of whom Moses was the leader (see for example Num 22:3; Joshua 2:9-11).

And with his words he made prodigies to cease. A reference to Exodus 8:4-8; Exodus 8:21-27; Exodus 9:27-33; Exodus 10:16-20.

Sir 45:3  He glorified him in the sight of kings, and gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory.

Glorified him in the sight of kings. Most obviously Pharaoh (Exodus 7:1).

Gave him commandments in the sight of his people, and shewed him his glory. The people witnessed the theophany on Sinai, during which event Moses ascended the mountain and received the commandments (see Exodus chapters 19-31). Later, after Moses had broken the tablets of the Law because of the golden calf (Exodus 32), he had interceded for the people and asked to see God’s glory (Exodus 33:18-34:35).

Sir 45:4  He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness, and chose him out of all flesh.

He sanctified him in his faith, and meekness. The basic meaning of sanctification or holiness is “to be set apart.” That which is sanctified (i.e., people or things) is removed from the realm of the profane and placed in relation to God. The concept came to be applied to Israel (Ex 19:6; Deut 7:1-6), and later to the Church (1 Cor 1:2), in association to the idea of election (called, chosen, etc).

Concerning the faith of Moses see Hebrews 11:24-29. Concerning his meekness see Numbers 12:1-15, especially verse 3. It is probably this event from numbers that the author has primarily in mind when he speaks of God choosing Moses out of all flesh.

And chose him out of all flesh. As already indicated, God’s choice involves a consecration, a sanctifying, a setting apart. Moses is here held up as unique among all other who might have been so chosen. He thus foreshadowed Christ who “was counted worthy of greater glory than Moses” (Heb 3:1-6).  However, as noted in the previous paragraph, the author probably has in mind-at least primarily-the events of Numbers 12. This is strengthened by what follows.

Sir 45:5  For he heard him, and his voice, and brought him into a cloud.

Emphasizes the unique intimacy Moses had with God, something others, including prophets like Miriam and Aaron did not enjoy. See Exodus 33:9-11;

Sir 45:6  And he gave him commandments before his face, and a law of life and instruction, that he might teach Jacob his covenant, and Israel his judgments. Note: in some translations (e.g., NAB) this verse is included with verse 5.

And he gave him commandments before his face. See Deut 34:10.