Sirach 16:14
Ben Sira, Ecclesiasticus
Deuterocanon
11 Even if there were only one stiff-necked person, it would be a wonder if he remained unpunished. For mercy and wrath are with the Lord; he is mighty to forgive—but he also pours out wrath. 12 Great as is his mercy, so also is his chastisement; he judges a person according to his or her deeds. 13 The sinner will not escape with plunder, and the patience of the godly will not be frustrated. 14 He makes room for every act of mercy; everyone receives in accordance with his or her deeds. 17 Do not say, "I am hidden from the Lord, and who from on high has me in mind? Among so many people I am unknown, for what am I in a boundless creation? 18 Lo, heaven and the highest heaven, the abyss and the earth, tremble at his visitation! 19 The very mountains and the foundations of the earth quiver and quake when he looks upon them. 20 But no human mind can grasp this, and who can comprehend his ways?
Date: 195-175 B.C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
1 Corinthians 11:29
New Testament
27 For this reason, whoever eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. 28 A person should examine himself first, and in this way let him eat the bread and drink of the cup. 29 For the one who eats and drinks without careful regard for the body eats and drinks judgment against himself. 30 That is why many of you are weak and sick, and quite a few are dead. 31 But if we examined ourselves, we would not be judged. 32 But when we are judged by the Lord, we are disciplined so that we may not be condemned with the world. 33 So then, my brothers and sisters, when you come together to eat, wait for one another. 34 If anyone is hungry, let him eat at home, so that when you assemble it does not lead to judgment. I will give directions about other matters when I come.
Date: 55-57 C.E. (based on scholarly estimates)
Source
Notes and References
"... This view that suffering is brought on by one’s sins remains the dominant conviction in the proto- and deuterocanonical works such as Esther, Judith, Tobit, 1 and 2 Maccabees and Sirach. Sirach says, for example, that “each receives his reward according to his deeds” (Sirach 16:14). Paul, as a Pharisee, would have accepted this view and would have believed that suffering was a God-given sign of judgement or punishment. He seems to accept this view in 1 Corinthians 11:29-32 ... However, despite the above, Paul is adamant that this is not why he suffers: he is an innocent righteous sufferer (see, for example, 1 Corinthians 4:1-5) ..."
Mortell, Philip B.
A Socio-rhetorical Interpretation of Paul’s Theology of Christian Suffering in 1 Corinthians
(pp. 24-25) University of Limerick, 2020
* 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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