Although biblical writers matched their contemporary wisdom writers in the Near East, they also challenged traditional thinking. True wisdom was more than knowledge of facts. It also included almost a devotional appreciation for the mystery of life, which had been designed by God, the Creator. Creation extended beyond the visible, physical aspects of earthly...
Read more »
The Book of Sirach (Aramaic and Greek) may also be called Ben Sira (Hebrew) or Ecclesiasticus (Latin). It was written in Hebrew at the beginning of the Second Century BC and later translated into Greek. It is not included in the Jewish Bible. The Protestants include it in the collection...
Read more »
This last chapter of the Book of Isaiah contains an eschatological vision. Jerusalem would be the gathering place for all the nations, who would worship the Lord. The six areas represent the lands around the Mediterranean. “My holy mountain” was the Temple Mount, where sacrifices were offered to God. God was the Lord...
Read more »
The papal declaration of the Dogma of the Assumption of Mary occurred in 1950. However, it was already a longstanding belief of the faithful. The feast had different names, e.g., the Dormition. It appears in the liturgical books as early as the fifth century. There are different readings for the...
Read more »
The author is contrasting the death of the firstborn of the Egyptians and the salvation of the children of Israel. He has shown earlier that God balances all things in His justice. Thus, what was done unjustly becomes the very means by which the unjust are punished. This is a theme of wisdom literature,...
Read more »
