Bible Commentaries
51

Verse 1

Sirach. This prayer may be in imitation of the book of Wisdom. (Haydock) --- Grotius assigns it to the grandson, without reason; as the author continues to speak of his travels, &c. He seems to have lived under Onias III and under Seleucus and Antiochus Epiphanes, of Syria, to whom he was probably accused, and hence took occasion to retire into Egypt, where Ptolemy Epiphanes was king. (Calmet) --- Others think (Haydock) that he was accused before Ptolemy Lagus, when he took Jerusalem. (Menochius) --- We know too little of his life to decide any thing. (Calmet) See chap. l. 1. (Haydock) --- Saviour. When we are not able to make a return, we must shew greater marks of gratitude, and particularly to God, for the favours which we have not deserved. (Worthington)

Verse 3

By. To accuse me, Zacharias iii. 1. (Calmet)

Verse 5

Gates. Greek, "many." (Haydock) --- He exaggerates the danger to which he was exposed, as he was not miraculously delivered from the flames, &c., (Calmet) though this might be the case. At least he thanks God for preserving him (Haydock) from the various torments which were then in use.

Verse 6

In. Greek, "from the midst of a fire which I did not enkindle," or deserve by any crime.

Verse 7

Hell. The grave. I was preserved like Jonas. (Calmet) --- Unjust. Greek, "the accusation was made to the king, by an unjust tongue. My soul approached unto death, and my life," &c. (Haydock)

Verse 11

World. Shewn to Noe[Noah], Joseph, &c. (Calmet) --- Nations. Greek, "enemies," ver. 12.

Verse 13

Thou. Greek, "I raised my supplicating voice from the earth, and I," &c. (Haydock)

Verse 14

The Father. Grotius asserts boldly, that it should be, "my Father," and that some Christian has changed this. But his authority may be rejected, when he brings no proof; and Bossuet has solidly refuted him. The passage clearly proves the belief of the second person, and seems to allude to Psalm cix. 1. (Drusius; Vatable, &c.) (Calmet)

Verse 18

When. He now gives some account of himself, and exhorts all to seek for wisdom. (Haydock) --- He was advanced in years, when he fell into the aforesaid danger, after his travels, chap. xxxiv. 9. (Calmet) --- Wisdom is most easily acquired, while a person is innocent, Ecclesiastes xii. (Worthington)

Verse 19

After her. Being convinced that prayer is requisite for the preservation and improvement of such a treasure. See 3 Kings iii. 8. (Calmet) --- And. Greek, "from the flower as of a ripening grape. My heart," &c.

Verse 22

Wisdom. Greek, "instruction for myself." (Haydock)

Verse 25

Wrestled. Against pleasure, idleness, &c. This shews how arduous a task it is to attain wisdom. (Calmet) --- Confirmed. Greek, "in earnest."

Verse 27

Knowledge. Greek (Alexandrian), "time of harvest." Grabe substitutes, "in purification," (Haydock) or the practice of virtue, Wisdom i. 4.

Verse 28

Heart. Or understanding, as the Hebrew place this in the heart, 3 Kings iii. 9.

Verse 29

Her. I did it, with all solicitude, Canticle of Canticles v. 4., and Jeremias iv. 19. (Calmet)

Verse 30

Tongue. Eloquence, (Menochius) which I will exert in praising him.

Verse 31

CHAPTER LI.

Gather. Greek, "dwell in the," &c. (Haydock) --- He addresses those who are walking in the broad road.

Verse 33

Silver. Only good-will is necessary, which all may have, Isaias lv. 1., Romans x. 6., and Wisdom vi. 13.

Verse 36

Gold. The wise man has more opportunities of enriching himself than others; but he despises unnecessary wealth. (Calmet) --- We must labour for wisdom more than for riches, and we shall be rewarded hereafter. (Worthington)

Verse 38

The time. It is never too soon to be wise. In doing good let us not fail, (Galatians vi. 9.) in order to obtain that food, which remains for ever, Isaias vi. 7. Fear God, and keep his commandments, for this is all man, Ecclesiastes xii. 13. (Calmet) --- This is the sum of the sapiential works, and of all the Scriptures: To depart from evil is understanding, Job xxviii. 28. (Haydock)

ON THE PROPHETS.

We come now to another division of the Bible, specified by our Saviour: All things must needs be fulfilled which are written in the law of Moses, and in the Prophets, and in the Psalms, concerning me, Luke xxiv. 44. He more frequently comprises all the Scriptures under the titles of Moses, or the Law and the Prophets; (Luke xxiv. 27) as in effect, all the sacred writings refer ultimately to him, who is the end of the law; (Romans x. 4.) and the Jews comprise under the name of the first prophets, the histories of Josue, &c. (Haydock) --- God has kept up a succession of prophets from the beginning, who either by word of mouth or by writing, established the true religion. Their predictions are the most convincing proof of its divine of its divine origin, Isaias xli. 23. They contain many things clear, and others obscure: having, for the most part, a literal, and a mystical sense. (Calmet) --- Yet some relate solely to Christ, while others must not be applied to him. (Bossuet) --- The Fathers, in imitation of the ancient Jews, and of the apostles, discover frequently a spiritual sense, concealed under the letter, as Christ himself declared that Jonas, in the whale’s belly, prefigured his burial and resurrection on the third day. See Matthew xii. 39., Mark ix. 11., and Galatians iv. 24. When the figurative sense is thus authorized, it may serve to prove articles of faith; and such arguments must be more cogent in disputes with the Jews, than what can be drawn from their authors. They must confess that the New Testament contains a true history, or they cannot require that we should pay greater deference to the Old. Tertullian (Præs.) well observes, that heretics have no right to the Scriptures: But if they will quote them, they must receive them all, and adopt the sense given to them by the Church. (Calmet) --- The providence of God, in giving the prophets, and other guides to direct his people, was ever an object of admiration and gratitude. The prophets were enabled, by a supernatural light, superior to that of faith, though beneath that of glory, to announce the secrets of futurity, as eye-witnesses; whence their predictions are styled visions, as such witnesses deserve the utmost credit. We have the writings of the four great, and the twelve less prophets. In these, many things are hard to be understood, which must not be interpreted by the private spirit, 2 Peter i. A large commentary would be requisite to explain these to the bottom, and we must refer the curious to the works of the Fathers, &c., as the subsequent notes will be rather briefer than usual. (Worthington) --- The Septuagint varies much from the original in Isaias. But we cannot specify every particular. (Calmet) --- St. Jerome has frequently given a double version in his learned comments on the prophets, as he would not peremptorily decide which exhibited the sense of God’s word more accurately. (Haydock)

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