The Wisdom of Ben Sira

What are the books known as the Deuterocanon or Apocrypha, and what can they teach us? Explore the history of these Second Temple Jewish writings, what they meant to Jesus and the apostles, and why Christian traditions have different views about their status alongside the Hebrew Bible.

How can one man’s suffering offer hope to future generations? Though not written to be a part of the Hebrew Bible, Tobit was authored by an Israelite deeply familiar with Scripture, and it is included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. Tobit’s suffering and restoration during the Assyrian exile offered hope to Jewish communities during later exiles.

How does God’s Kingdom overturn the violent kingdoms of our world? Though not written to be a part of the Hebrew Bible, the book of Judith was valued by Jesus’ early followers and later included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. Judith tells the story of an Israelite widow whose radical faith topples an empire.

Where is God in the midst of oppression? Both editions of Esther contain the same core message: God is always at work behind the scenes to fulfill his promises. The second edition of Esther would have been widely read by Jesus’ early followers and was eventually incorporated into Catholic and Orthodox Bibles.

How can we distinguish God’s Kingdom from human kingdoms? 1 Maccabees chronicles the Israelite rebellion against the Greeks and Syrians, leading to the Hasmonean dynasty. Though not written to be a part of the Hebrew Bible, this book was widely read by ancient Jewish and Christian communities and later included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles.

Does God respond to the prayers of suffering people? Though not written to be a part of the Hebrew Bible, 2 Maccabees was read by ancient Jewish and Christian communities and later included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles. It explores how God delivers his people when they call out to him for mercy.

Which path to wisdom will we choose? Written for Jewish people living in ancient Greek and Roman culture, this book promotes the path to life found in the wisdom of the Torah. The Wisdom of Solomon was widely read by early Christians and included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles.

What does it look like to be wise and fear the Lord? Ben Sira immersed himself in the Hebrew Scriptures in order to pass down God’s wisdom to future generations. Though not written to be a part of the Hebrew Bible, The Wisdom of Ben Sira was read by Jewish and early Christian communities and later included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles.

How do we respond when God seems far away and slow to act? Written for Jewish people in exile, these poems issue a call to repentance and trust in God’s coming Kingdom. Baruch and The Letter of Jeremiah were widely read by Jesus’ early followers and later included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles.

Widely read by Jesus’ early followers and included in Catholic and Orthodox Bibles, the second edition of Daniel makes further connections to the major themes of the Hebrew Bible. Each time Daniel is tested, he emerges as an image of a future, new Adam who will overcome beastly kingdoms and rule alongside God.