Some history for you, sr.
Sirach, chapter 3
« previous chapter | next chapter »
Responsibilities to Parents*
1
Children, listen to me, your father;
act accordingly, that you may be safe.
2
For the Lord sets a father in honor over his children
and confirms a mother’s authority over her sons.
3
Those who honor their father atone for sins;
4
they store up riches who respect their mother.
5
Those who honor their father will have joy in their own children,
and when they pray they are heard.
6
Those who respect their father will live a long life;
those who obey the Lord honor their mother.
7
Those who fear the Lord honor their father,
and serve their parents as masters.
8
In word and deed honor your father,
that all blessings may come to you.a
9
A father’s blessing gives a person firm roots,
but a mother’s curse uproots the growing plant.b
10
Do not glory in your father’s disgrace,
for that is no glory to you!
11
A father’s glory is glory also for oneself;
they multiply sin who demean their mother.c
12
My son, be steadfast in honoring your father;
do not grieve him as long as he lives.d
13
Even if his mind fails, be considerate of him;
do not revile him because you are in your prime.
14
Kindness to a father will not be forgotten;
it will serve as a sin offering—it will take lasting root.
15
In time of trouble it will be recalled to your advantage,
like warmth upon frost it will melt away your sins.
16
Those who neglect their father are like blasphemers;
those who provoke their mother are accursed by their Creator.e
Humility*
17
My son, conduct your affairs with humility,
and you will be loved more than a giver of gifts.
18
Humble yourself the more, the greater you are,
and you will find mercy in the sight of God.† f
20
For great is the power of the Lord;
by the humble he is glorified.
21
What is too sublime for you, do not seek;
do not reach into things that are hidden from you.g
22
What is committed to you, pay heed to;
what is hidden is not your concern.
23
In matters that are beyond you do not meddle,
when you have been shown more than you can understand.
24
Indeed, many are the conceits of human beings;
evil imaginations lead them astray.
Docility*
25
Without the pupil of the eye, light is missing;
without knowledge, wisdom is missing.
26
A stubborn heart will fare badly in the end;
those who love danger will perish in it.
27
A stubborn heart will have many a hurt;
adding sin to sin is madness.
28
When the proud are afflicted, there is no cure;
for they are offshoots of an evil plant.h
29
The mind of the wise appreciates proverbs,
and the ear that listens to wisdom rejoices.
Alms for the Poor
30
As water quenches a flaming fire,
so almsgiving atones for sins.i
31
The kindness people have done crosses their paths later on;
should they stumble, they will find support.
* [3:1–16] Besides the virtues that must characterize our conduct toward God, special duties are enjoined, such as honor and respect toward parents, with corresponding blessings (vv. 1–9). By showing such respect especially to old and infirm parents (vv. 10–13), the sins of children are pardoned (vv. 14–15). Failure to honor father and mother is blasphemy and merits a curse from God (v. 16). Cf. Ex 20:12; Eph 6:2–3.
* [3:17–24] Humility gives you a true estimate of yourself (vv. 17–20; cf. 10:28), so that you will do what should be done, and avoid what is beyond your understanding and strength (vv. 21–23). Intellectual pride, however, leads you astray (v. 24). Ben Sira is perhaps warning his students against the perils of Greek philosophy.
† [3:18] Other ancient texts read as v. 19:
Many are lofty and famous,
but to the humble he reveals his plan.
* [3:25–29] The antidote for stubbornness is to be found in the search for knowledge and wisdom.
a. [3:8] Ex 20:12; Dt 5:16; Mt 15:4; 19:19; Mk 7:10; 10:19; Lk 18:20; Eph 6:2–3.
b. [3:9] Gn 27:27–29; 49:2–27.
c. [3:11] Prv 17:6.
d. [3:12] Prv 23:22.
e. [3:16] Prv 19:26; 30:11, 14, 17.
f. [3:18] Mt 23:12; Lk 1:52; 14:11; 18:14.
g. [3:21] Ps 131:1.
h. [3:28] Dt 32:32; Wis 12:10.
i. [3:30] Sir 7:32–36; 29:8–13; Dt 15:7–11; Tb 12:9; Dn 4:24.
Oops, I posted three instead of the Introduction.
SIRACH — INTRODUCTION
THE WISDOM OF BEN SIRA
(ECCLESIASTICUS)
The Wisdom of Ben Sira derives its title from the author, “Yeshua [Jesus], son of Eleazar, son of Sira” (50:27). This seems to be the earliest title of the book. The designation “Liber Ecclesiasticus,” meaning “Church Book,” appended to some Greek and Latin manuscripts, is perhaps due to the extensive use the church made of this book in presenting moral teaching to catechumens and to the faithful. The title “Sirach” comes from the Greek form of the author’s name.
The author, a sage who lived in Jerusalem, was thoroughly imbued with love for the wisdom tradition, and also for the law, priesthood, 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 books sacred to the Jewish tradition.
The book contains numerous well-crafted maxims, 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, laws, religious worship, and many other matters that reflect the religious and social customs of the time.
Written in Hebrew in the early years of the second century B.C., the book was finished by ca. 175. The text was translated into Greek by the author’s grandson after 117 B.C. He also wrote a foreword which contains valuable information about the book, its author, and himself as translator. Until the close of the nineteenth century the Wisdom of Ben Sira was known to Christians in translations, of which the Greek rendering was the most important. From it the Latin version was made. Between 1896 and 1900, again in 1931, and several times since 1956, incomplete manuscripts were discovered, so that more than two thirds of the book in Hebrew is available; these Hebrew texts agree substantially with the Greek. One such text, from Masada, is pre-Christian in date. The New American Bible provides a critical translation based on the evidence of all the ancient texts.
Though not included in the Jewish Bible after the first century A.D., nor, therefore, accepted by Protestants, the Wisdom of Ben Sira has been recognized by the Catholic Church as inspired and canonical. The Foreword, though not properly part of the book, is always included with it because of its antiquity and importance.
The contents of the Wisdom of Ben Sira are of a discursive nature, not easily divided into separate parts. Chapters 1–43 deal largely with moral instruction; 44:1–50:24 contain a eulogy of the heroes of Israel. There are two appendixes in which the author expresses his gratitude to God (51:1–12), and invites the unschooled to acquire true wisdom (51:13–30).
This is as the heresy of Pelagius. It is the idea that one does not need Christ's atonement to deal with ones sins, that a good dead cancels out sin before God, and that one can deal with ones sin on ones own. It is a rank heresy that also spread all over the known world from Rome before 321 AD and had to be dealt with, in the Church Council of Ephesus.
It violates the psalm "Thy Word is Pure" in the worst way.
It is like that in "The Acts of Paul and Thecla" when she says she Baptised herself even though Paul was around. It promotes the idea that one can do things like communion and baptism on ones own, without a priest or minister.
Why a Catholic would promote such ideas is completely beyond me since it would seem to violate everything the church stands for.