Sirach

As a Protestant, I didn’t grow up reading Sirach. I still do not believe it should be part of the ‘canon’ in the sense of biblically inspired, however I think we lack something for leaving it out of our inherited books. I appreciate those copies of Scripture that include (some of) the additional works that the early father’s viewed as “helpful” to the faith, including Sirach.

Here are some recent quotes that I’ve found interesting:

Do not say, ‘It was the Lord’s doing that I fell away’; for he does not do what he hates.

Do not say, ‘It was he who led me astray’; for he has no need of the sinful.

The Lord hates all abominations; such things are not loved by those who fear him.

It was he who created humankind in the beginning, and he left them in the power of their own free choice.

If you choose, you can keep the commandments, and to act faithfully is a matter of your own choice.

He has placed before you fire and water; stretch out your hand for whichever you choose.

Before each person are life and death, and whichever one chooses will be given.

For great is the wisdom of the Lord; he is mighty in power and sees everything;

his eyes are on those who fear him, and he knows every human action.

He has not commanded anyone to be wicked, and he has not given anyone permission to sin.

-Sirach 15:11-20

Regardless of the mechanics of providence, this says that God does not will (in some sense) that anyone do what opposes his moral desires. Many Christians reconcile God’s determination of all events with statements like this by means of compatibilism, or the idea that humanity’s free will is compatible with God’s determinism. There are a variety of other views, such as that God’s providential oversight of creation does not determine, but arranges things towards a certain end (however in these views His foresight has perceived what will occur if this or that happens, and thus He steers it omnisciently towards a determined end and it will reach that end.)

There is a shame that leads to sin, and there is a shame that is glory and favor.

-Sirach 4:21

Shame is the feeling that one has done something that ostracizes them from the person they have wronged. Shame is not good or can even “lead to sin” if 1. the person did not actually do something wrong, or 2. if the result of shame is to cover things up when one has done wrong, or 3. feeling shame leads someone to do something even more shameful. But, on the other hand, “there is a shame that is glory and favor”. When someone feels shame for doing something wrong, and this feeling leads them to confess before God and others, and change their behavior, this is “glory and favor”.

Let those who are friendly with you be many, but let your advisers be one in a thousand.

When you gain friends, gain them through testing, and do not trust them hastily.

For there are friends who are such when it suits them, but they will not stand by you in time of trouble. And there are friends who change into enemies, and tell of the quarrel to your disgrace. And there are friends who sit at your table, but they will not stand by you in time of trouble.

When you are prosperous, they become your second self, and lord it over your servants; but if you are brought low, they turn against you, and hide themselves from you…

Faithful friends are a sturdy shelter: whoever finds one has found a treasure.

Faithful friends are beyond price; no amount can balance their worth.

Faithful friends are life-saving medicine; and those who fear the Lord will find them.

Those who fear the Lord direct their friendship aright, for as they are, so are their neighbors also.

-Sirach 5:5-12, 14-17

I know from experience “friends who sit at your table, but they will not stand by you in time of trouble”. When I went through my divorce it seemed like everyone was lining up to take a side. People I had shown hospitality to, had been generous to, had loved and been compassionate to, lined up on the other side and falsely accused me.

But on the other hand, I have known faithful friends that are like a sturdy shelter, that are beyond price, and are a life-saving medicine. Only a few, yes too few, but a faithful few have stuck with me through things. They are people without selfish ambition, without hasty or misplaced judgment, and are loyal. There are a lot of ‘friends’ who only value others out of convenience. But when hard times come, they walk away because of difficulty or hasty conclusions. Thank God for good friends.

Do not babble in the assembly of the elders, and do not repeat yourself when you pray.

-Sirach 7:14

Jesus takes up this case. He says, “And when you pray, do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do, for they think that they will be heard for their many words” (Matt. 6:7). Today, the Eastern Orthodox and Roman Catholics repeat phrases (though good phrases) in useless repetition. For example they will say “Lord, have mercy” three, seven, then twelve times a row. Sirach advises, “do not repeat yourself when you pray.”

Give graciously to all the living; do not withhold kindness even from the dead.

Do not avoid those who weep, but mourn with those who mourn.

Do not hesitate to visit the sick, because for such deeds you will be loved.

-Sirach 7: 33-35

The apostle Paul quotes or references part of this in Romans 12:15 when he says, “Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

You who fear the Lord, wait for his mercy; do not stray, or else you may fall…

You who fear the Lord, hope for good things, for lasting joy and mercy.

Consider the generations of old and see: has anyone trusted in the Lord and been disappointed?…

Woe to timid hearts and to slack hands, and to the sinner who walks a double path!

Woe to the fainthearted who have no trust! Therefore they will have no shelter.

Woe to you who have lost your nerve! What will you do when the Lord’s reckoning comes?

-Sirach 2:7, 9-10a, 11

Probably my favorite passage because it is convicting and also encouraging.