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Jesus Ben Sira

Sirach

Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus

About this book

Wisdom’s Gifts

Chapter 15

1 He who fears the Lord will do this. He who holds to the law will obtain her.⁠ 2 She will meet him like a mother, and receive him like a wife married in her virginity.⁠ 3 She will feed him with bread of understanding and give him water of wisdom to drink. 4 He will lean on her and will not be shaken. He will rely on her and will not be put to shame. 5 She will exalt him above his neighbors. She will open his mouth in the middle of the congregation. 6 He will inherit joy, a crown of gladness, and an everlasting name.

7 Foolish men will not obtain her. Sinners will not see her. 8 She is far from pride. Liars will not remember her. 9 Praise is not fitting in a sinner’s mouth, for it was not sent to him from the Lord.⁠ 10 For praise will be spoken in wisdom, and the Lord will make it flourish.

Human Freedom and Responsibility

11 Don’t say, “It is through the Lord that I fell away,” for you must not do the things that he hates.⁠ 12 Don’t say, “He caused me to go wrong,” for he has no need of a sinful man. 13 The Lord hates every detestable thing, and those who fear him don’t love them.⁠

14 He himself made man from the beginning and left him in the hands of his own judgment.⁠ 15 If you choose, you can keep the commandments. To be faithful is a matter of your choice. 16 He has set fire and water before you. You will reach out your hand to whichever you desire. 17 Life and death are before a man. Whichever he desires will be given to him.⁠

18 For the wisdom of the Lord is great. He is mighty in power, and sees all things. 19 His eyes are on those who fear him. He knows every act of man. 20 He has not commanded any man to be ungodly. He has not given any man permission to sin.

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Texts in conversation

Compare Psalm 119:167 and Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 15:13

Hebrew Bible · Deuterocanon

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Summary

Sirach 15 describes obedience as a free choice between right and wrong. This language is similar to Psalm 119, which speaks of loving and keeping God’s instruction as a personal act of devotion.

Passages

Psalm 119:167

Hebrew Bible
165 Those who love your law are completely secure;
nothing causes them to stumble. 166 I hope for your deliverance, O Lord,
and I obey your commands. 167 I keep your rules;
I love them greatly. 168 I keep your precepts and rules,
for you are aware of everything I do. 169 ת Tav
Listen to my cry for help, O Lord.
Give me insight by your word.
1000–200 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Psalms

Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 15:13

Deuterocanon · Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
11 Don’t say, “It is through the Lord that I fell away,”
for you must not do the things that he hates. 12 Don’t say, “He caused me to go wrong,”
for he has no need of a sinful man. 13 The Lord hates every detestable thing,
and those who fear him don’t love them. 14 He himself made man from the beginning
and left him in the hands of his own judgment. 15 If you choose, you can keep the commandments.
To be faithful is a matter of your choice.
195–175 BCE (scholarly estimate) Read in Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach

References

"... Newsom considers how the Hodayot uses the same moral language as the dominant Second Temple discourse but gives it a new meaning within the context of a “predestined drama.” This arises from the “perfecting” of the idea of divine sovereignty. In particular, she considers that, because the righteousness of the individual is dependent upon the graciousness of God rather than upon his own autonomous moral agency, the term righteousness has been “re-accented” with the non-traditional meaning of “acts of grace.” Newsom argues that this distinctive use of language is a powerful polemical tool for shaping an identity which is estranged from the dominant discourse. She illustrates this re-accentuation of traditional language by comparison with Psalm 119 and Sirach 15:11–16. She notes that Psalm 119 speaks of being humbled, but that the speaker assumes that he has the power within himself to perform moral acts, rather than attributing these to God. She states that Sirach 15:11–16 appears to go even further in explicitly making a case for humankind’s free moral choice. She argues that the sectarian use of language, which attributes righteousness and choice to God alone, “stakes out the moral high ground of humility” making other discourses seem seriously wanting to the sectarian mind ..."
Julie Hughes, Scriptural Allusions and Exegesis in the Hodayot, STDJ 59 (Leiden: Brill, 2006), 29–30.

References are not endorsements of their contents. Read each reference in full to understand its author's intentions in using these texts.

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Psalm 119:167 and Jesus Ben Sira, Sirach 15:13

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