I’ve spent the past week reading large portions of the Old Testament Pseudepigrapha. This refers to documents written by Jews between 200 BC and 100 AD that were generally ascribed to well-known biblical characters, such as Enoch, Moses, and Job. I’m not going to share my thoughts on that now (or maybe ever), with one exception. In both the Apocrypha and the Pseudepigrapha, I have been impressed with 1) how well the ancient writers knew Scripture; 2) how they interpreted it generally in line with conservative approaches today. In other words, I didn’t read anyone suggesting that the sun didn’t stand still in Joshua’s day but that what really happened was ______ (you fill in the blank).
The last section of Sirach is a lengthy review of Israel’s history. Think of Stephen’s speech in Acts 7, only longer. If you read it only so that you can pick it apart by finding discrepancies with Scripture, you won’t enjoy it very much. But if you read it with an eye to understanding how this wise man who lived much closer to the events than we do (c. 200 BC) interpreted Scripture, you might have some fun and gain some insights. Here are a few things that I noted.
Concerning Joshua: Sirach 46:4 (NRSV) “Was it not through him that the sun stood still and one day become as long as two?”
If there was a literary device, it was long lost by Sirach’s time and he thought it meant what most who don’t deny supernatural events believe.
Concerning Samuel: Sirach 46:20 (NRSV) “Even after he had fallen asleep, he prophesied and made known to the king his death, and lifted up his voice from the ground in prophecy, to blot out the wickedness of the people.”
I’ve long thought that the witch wasn’t making it up.
Sirach 48:17 (NRSV) “Hezekiah fortified his city, and brought water into its midst; he tunneled the rock with iron tools, and built cisterns for the water.”
Hezekiah’s Tunnel even merits a mention here. I have to think that it was still known in Sirach’s day.
Sirach 48:22-25 (NRSV) “For Hezekiah did what was pleasing to the Lord, and he kept firmly to the ways of his ancestor David, as he was commanded by the prophet Isaiah, who was great and trustworthy in his visions. 23 In Isaiah’s days the sun went backward, and he prolonged the life of the king. 24 By his dauntless spirit he saw the future, and comforted the mourners in Zion. 25 He revealed what was to occur to the end of time, and the hidden things before they happened.”
Several good things here, but don’t believe that bit about Isaiah seeing the future, ‘cuz we know that he really didn’t. Later people like Jesus made his words mean something different.
Standing ovation over here, Todd!