ECCLESIASTICnS
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ECCLESIASTICUS
smaller collections containing each the same saj'ing, or
differing considerably in their general tenor, or sup-
plied with their respective titles. Finally, there seems
to be an historical trace of the compilatory character
of Ecclesiasticiis in a second, but unauthentic, pro-
logue to the book, which is found in the "Synopsis
Sacra- Scripturae". In this document, which is
printed in the works of St. Athanasius and also at the
beginning of Ecclesiasticus in the C'omplutensian Poly-
glot, the actual redaction of the book is ascribed to the
Greek translator as a regular process of compilation of
detached hj-mns, sayings, prayers, etc., which had
been left him by his grandfather, Jesus, the son of
Sirach.
VII. DocTRiNAi, AND Ethical TEACinNG. — Before setting forth in a simimary way the principal teach- ings, doctrinal and ethical, contained in the Book of Ecclesiasticus, it will not be amiss to premise two re- marks which, however elementary, should be dis- tinctly borne in mind by anyone who wishes to view the doctrines of the son of Sirach in their proper light. First, it would be obviously unfair to require that the contents of this Sapiential book should come fully up to the high moral standard of Christian ethics, or should equal in clearness and precision the dogmatic teachings embodied in the sacred -m-itings of the New Testament or in the living tradition of the Church; all that can be reasonably expected of a book composed some time before the Christian Dispensation, is that it shall set forth substantially good, not perfect, doc- trinal and ethical teaching. In the second place, both good logic and sound common sense demand that the silence of Ecclesiasticus concerning certain points of doctrine be not regarded as a positive denial of them, unless it can be clearly and conclusively shown that such a silence must be so construed. The work is mostly made up of unconnected saj-ings which bear on all kinds of topics, and on that account, hardly ever, if ever at all, will a sober critic be able to pronounce on the actual motive which prompted the author of the book either to mention or to omit a particular point of doctrine. Xay more, in presence of a writer mani- festly wedded to the national and religious traditions of the Jewish race, as the general tone of his book proves the author of Ecclesiasticus to have been, every scholar worthy of the name will readily see that silence on Jesus' part regarding some important doctrine, such for instance as that of the Messias, is no proof whatever that the son of Sirach did not abide by the belief of the Jews concerning that doctrine, and, in reference to the special point just mentioned, did not share the Messianic expectations of his time. As can readily be seen, the two general remarks just made simply set forth elementary canons of historical criti- cism; and they would not have been dwelt on here were it not that they have been very often lost sight of by Protestant scholars, who, biased by their desire to disprove the Catholic doctrine of the inspired charac- ter of Ecclesiasticus, have done their utmost to depre- ciate t he doctrinal and ethical teaching of this deutero- canonical book.
The following are the principal dogmatic doctrines of Jesus, the son of Sirach. According to him, as ac- cording to all the other inspired writers of the Old Testament, Clod is one and there is no God beside Him txxxvi, 5). He is a living and eternal God (xviii, 1), and although His greatness and mercy exceed all human comprehension, yet He makes Himself known to man through His wonderful works (xvi, 18, 23; XA'iii, 4). He is the Creator of all things (xviii, 1 ; xxiv, 12), which He produced by His word of command, stamping them all with the marks of greatness and goodness (xlii, 15-xliii; etc.). Man is the choice handi- work of God, who made him for His glory, set him as king over all other creatures (xvii, 1-S), bestowed upon him the power of choosing between good and evil (XV, 14-22), and will hold him accountable for his own
personal deeds (xvii, 9-l(j), for while tolerating moral
evil He reproves it and enables man to avoid it (xv,
11-21). In dealing with man, C!od is no less merciful
than righteous: "He is mighty to forgive" (xvi, 12),
and: "How great is the mercy of the Lord, and His
forgiveness to tliem that turn to Him" (xvii, 28); yet
no one should presume on the Divine mercy and hence
delay his conversion, " for His wrath shall come on a
sudden, and in the time of vengeance He will destroy
thee " (v, 6-9). From among the children of men, God
selected for Himself a special nation, Israel, in the
midst of which He wills that wisdom should reside
(xxiv, 13-16), and in behalf of which the son of Siracli
offers up a fervent prayer, replete with touching re-
membrances of God's mercies to the patriarchs ami
prophets of old, and with ardent wishes for the re-
union and exaltation of the chosen people (xxxvi, 1-
19). It is quite clear that the Jewish patriot who put
forth this petition to God for future national quiet and
prosperity, and who fiu'thermore confidently expected
that Elias's return would contribute to the glorious
restoration of all Israel (cf. xlviii, 10), looked forward
to the introduction of Messianic times. It remains
true, however, that in whatever way his silence be ac-
counted for, he does not speak anywhere of a special
interposition of God in behalf of the Jewish people, or
of the future coming of a personal Messias. He mani-
festly alludes to the narrative of the Fall, when he
says: "From the woman came the beginning of sin,
and by her we all die" (xxv, 33), and apparently con-
nects with tills original deviation from righteousness
the miseries and passions that weigh so heavily on
"the children of Adam" (xl, 1-11). He says very
little concerning the next Ufe. Earthly rewards oc-
cupy the most prominent, or perhaps even the sole,
place, in the author's mind, as a sanction for present
good or evU deeds (xiv, 22-xv, 6; xvi, 1-14); but this
will not appear strange to anyone who is acquainted
with the limitations of Jewish eschatologj' in the more
ancient parts of the Old Testament. He depicts death
in the light of a reward or of a punishment, only in so
far as it is either a quiet demise for the just or a final
deliverance from earthly ills (xli, 3. 4), or, on the con-
trary, a terrible end that ox'ertakes the sinner when he
least expects it (ix, 16, 17). As regards the under-
world or Sheol, it appears to the writer nothing but a
mournful place where the dead do not praise God
(xvii, 26, 27).
The central, dogmatic, and moral idea of the book is that of wisdom. Ben Sira describes it under several important aspects. When he speaks of it in relation to God, he almost invariably invests it with personal at- tributes. It is eternal (i, 1), unsearchable (i, 6, 7), universal (xxiv, 6 sqq.). It is the formative, creative power of the world (xxiv, 3 sqq.), yet is itself created (i, 9; also in Greek: xxiv, 9), and is nowhere treated as a distinct, subsisting Divine Person, in the Hebrew text. In relation to man, wisdom is depicted as a quality which comes from the Almighty and works most excellent effects in those who love Him (i, 10-13). It is identified with the "fear of God" (i, 16), which should of course prevail in a special manner in Israel, and promote among the Hebrews the perfect fulfil- ment of the Mosaic Law, which the author of Ecclesi- asticus regards as the living embodiment of God's wisdom (xxiv, 11-20, 32, 33). It is a priceless treasure, to the acquisition of which one must devote all his efforts, and the imparting of which to others one should never grudge (vi, fS-20; xx, 32, 33). It is a disposition of the heart which prompts man to prac- tise the virtues of faith, hope, and love of God (ii, 8- 10), of trust and submission, etc. (ii, lS-23; x, 23-27; etc ) ; which also secures for him happiness and glory in this life (xxxiv, 14-20; xxxiii, 37, 3S; etc.). It is a frame of mind which prevents the discharge of the ritual law, especially the offering of sacrifices, from becoming a heartless compliance with mere outward
