Texts in Conversation
The Letter of Aristeas tells the king to show mercy to people born into pain and suffering, since God also shows mercy. Sirach 18 connects human and divine mercy the same way, with God pouring out mercy on all flesh because of how short human life is.
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2500 BCE
1000+ CE
Letter of Aristeas 1:208
Letter of Aristeas to Philocrates
Pseudepigrapha, Hebrew Bible Expansions
The king praised him and asked the next in order How he could be the friend of men? And he replied, 'By observing that the human race increases and is born with much trouble and great suffering: so you must not lightly punish or inflict torments on them, since you know that the life of men is made up of pains and penalties. For if you understood everything you would be filled with pity, for God also is merciful.' The king received the answer with approbation and inquired of the next 'What is the most essential qualification for ruling? ' 'To keep oneself', he answered, 'free from bribery and to practice sobriety during the greater part of one's life, to honour righteousness above all things, and to make friends of men of this type. For God, too, is a lover of justice.'
Sirach 18:13
Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
9 The number of man’s days at the most are a hundred years. 10 As a drop of water from the sea, and a pebble from the sand, so are a few years in the day of eternity. 11 For this cause the Lord was patient over them, and poured out his mercy upon them. 12 He saw and perceived their end, that it is evil. Therefore he multiplied his forgiveness. 13 The mercy of a man is on his neighbor; but the mercy of the Lord is on all flesh: reproving, chastening, teaching, and bringing back, as a shepherd does his flock. 14 He has mercy on those who accept chastening, and that diligently seek after his judgments.
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Notes and References
“... 208. how he might be humane The virtue of philanthrōpia (benevolence) occurs with frequency in Greek literature and philosophy; it appears too in Jewish Hellenistic writings (e.g., Wis. 12:19). Aristeas, however, makes it equivalent to “mercy.” The equation of human and divine mercy accords with the expression of Sir. 18:11–14. ...”
Gruen, Erich S.
"The Letter of Aristeas" in Feldman, Louis H.; Kugel, James L.; Schiffman, Lawrence H. (ed.) Outside the Bible: Ancient Jewish Writings Related to Scripture
(p. 2750) Jewish Publication Society, 2013
* The use of references are not endorsements of their contents. Please read the entirety of the provided reference(s) to understand the author's full intentions regarding the use of these texts.
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