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Judith / Book of Wisdom / Sirach

Posted on 3 April, 2010 5:34 pm by Alexa Chipman 1 Comment


Mary Magdalen (for Holy Saturday)

I’ve been rereading the Catholic Bible, which I hadn’t looked over in a few years. I’m having a lot of fun, although I keep spotting verses I’d like to use in my talks to the children’s club at my parent’s church and cannot because they aren’t accepted by the Evangelical churches, which is really a pity.

Judith
This is incredibly fantastic, everyone should read this story! It is as good a thriller as Lord of the Rings or Star Wars, only it is historical! Anyone who says the Bible was all about subjugating women should read this book. The heroine is both beautiful, wise and spiritually mighty. This isn’t a matter of wandering into a courtroom like Esther– Judith openly walked right in to an entire camp of hostile enemy soldiers! I’d love to have half her courage, faith and wisdom.

Book of Wisdom
Many people pass this one by because they figure it is just the same as Proverbs. While there are many similarities, think of this book as an expansion of the chapter on Wisdom. Like on other traditional writings, wisdom is personified as a woman and this takes a journey with her. We learn about how wisdom was there during the creation of the world, how she is never apart from God, and it is all told in a beautiful and captivating fashion.

Sirach/Ecclesiasticus
I am still reading through this one (it is rather long) and at first I thought it was just another rewrite of proverbs. Now that I’m getting more chapters in, however, it has definitely taken a life of its own. I was particularly moved by the long section on speaking. It discussed how painful gossip can be– and how it is like an arrow lodged in the person’s thigh. There were comments on when to be silent and when to speak– about the differences between wise and foolish speech. Highly interesting and detailed suggestions!




1 Timothy 4:6-10

Posted on 22 February, 2010 5:18 am by Alexa Chipman Comment

6 If thou put the brethren in remembrance of these things, thou shalt be a good minister of Jesus Christ, nourished up in the words of faith and of good doctrine, whereunto thou hast attained.
7 But refuse profane and old wives’ fables, and exercise thyself rather unto godliness.
8 For bodily exercise profiteth little: but godliness is profitable unto all things, having promise of the life that now is, and of that which is to come.
9 This is a faithful saying and worthy of all acceptation.
10 For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

Here is an admonition that when you hear good teachings, it is best to pass them on. That way you know if you really understood them yourself, and it can encourage other people. If you heard a great homily and run into a friend who wasn’t there, see if you can give them the main points that would be helpful. It will bring you to a deeper understanding of the concepts as well.

Verse seven cautions to go by facts, rather than rumour and hearsay. As an example, Paul uses exercise/sports. Going out walking and keeping your body healthy is important, but doesn’t save your soul. We should work just as hard at our spiritual health because it is even more crucial.

There is a Middle Ages book called Piers Plowman that addresses this idea. In it there are three paths of life presented. Dowell = Do well by working hard at physical exercise and labour. Dobett = Do better by instead studying and working on godliness. Dobest = Do best by combining both and looking after both physical and spiritual aspects.

If this seems too hard, there is a reminder that the most important thing to pay attention to is that our hope is in God, not what we can accomplish on our own.




1 Timothy 4:1-5

Posted on 22 February, 2010 5:10 am by Alexa Chipman Comment

1 Now the Spirit speaketh expressly, that in the latter times some shall depart from the faith, giving heed to seducing spirits, and doctrines of devils;
2 Speaking lies in hypocrisy; having their conscience seared with a hot iron;
3 Forbidding to marry, and commanding to abstain from meats, which God hath created to be received with thanksgiving of them which believe and know the truth.
4 For every creature of God is good, and nothing to be refused, if it be received with thanksgiving:
5 For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer.

This is a warning against listening to incorrect doctrines that are preached in the wrong spirit and are meant to deceive and draw us away from the right path. The teachers are led astray as well, and it talks here about the fact their conscience isn’t quite right, which is the reason they can blatantly preach such lies. What sorts of things are they talking about? What should we watch out for?

Forbidding marriage: this does not mean that not getting married is wrong, in fact in other places Paul commends people who voluntarily remain single. This is about forcing people to follow moral teachings that are unscriptural and dogmatic. There is nothing wrong with getting married: you should always have a chose to do so or abstain.

Abstain from meat: again, there is nothing wrong with not eating meat or any other foods. This can be of great benefit to the Christian life. Paul himself fasted upon occasion. What he is mentioning here is the absolute requirement of abstaining. In one translation it says, “require abstinence from foods which God created to be eaten with thanksgiving by those who have come to trust and know the truth”. Basically don’t require silly rules– it is up to the individual person and their relationship with God. And Paul is warning to stay away from people who teach things like that.




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