The Book of Tobit

This week we will begin reading from the Book of Tobit, a short book of only fourteen chapters which is part of the Roman Catholic and Orthodox canon, but is not included in the Jewish and Protestant Bible.  As is usually the case, the reason that the Jews exclude the book is because of the language in which it is written; namely, Aramaic.  I thought it would be helpful to quote from the introduction to the Book of Tobit as it appears on the USCCB website:

The Book of Tobit, named after its principal character, combines Jewish piety and morality with folklore in a fascinating story that has enjoyed wide popularity in both Jewish and Christian circles. Prayers, psalms, and words of wisdom, as well as the skillfully constructed story itself, provide valuable insights into the faith and the religious milieu of its unknown author. The book was probably written early in the second century B.C.; it is not known where.

The inspired author of the book used the literary form of religious novel (as in Esther and Judith) for the purpose of instruction and edification. The seemingly historical data, names of kings, cities, etc., are used as vivid details not only to create interest and charm, but also to illustrate the negative side of the theory of retribution: the wicked are indeed punished.

Although the Book of Tobit is usually listed with the historical books, it more correctly stands midway between them and the wisdom literature. It contains numerous maxims like those found in the wisdom books (cf. 4:3–19, 21; 12:6–10; 14:7, 9) as well as standard wisdom themes: fidelity to the law, intercessory function of angels, piety toward parents, purity of marriage, reverence for the dead, and the value of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting.

The story opens today with the problem that Tobit faces.  If he is true to the Jewish faith and its customs and practices, he suffers at the hands of his captors.  He is also ridiculed by his own countrymen because he persists in practicing his faith even though he suffers for it.  So the story is something of a morality play in which a good man is punished for doing good deeds.  Happily the story has a happy ending.  Good wins out over evil. 

The story is relevant for us today as we confront our own situation and our “culture wars.”  The practice of our faith can put us at odds with our society’s norms and beliefs.  The story includes a few subplots that also seem at odds with our culture and society’s norms.  We will read from this book throughout this week.

Fr. Lawrence Jagdfeld, O.F.M., Administrator