“Jesus answered them.
‘What did Moses
Command you?’”
ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς Τί ὑμῖν ἐνετείλατο Μωϋσῆς;
This questioning and answering of the Pharisees about divorce can also be found in Matthew, chapter 19:3-9, particularly 7-8. However, it was the Pharisees who brought up Moses, not Jesus there. Here, Mark said that Jesus answered them (ὁ δὲ ἀποκριθεὶς εἶπεν αὐτοῖς), by asking his own question about Moses. What did Moses command or instruct them to do (Τί ὑμῖν ἐνετείλατο Μωϋσῆς)?
“Jesus ordered them
To tell no one.
But the more
He ordered them,
The more zealously
They proclaimed it.”
καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν· ὅσον δὲ αὐτοῖς διεστέλλετο, αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον περισσότερον ἐκήρυσσον.
Once again, this unique saying of Mark had Jesus order or instruct this man and the crowd with him (καὶ διεστείλατο αὐτοῖς) not to tell anyone about it (ἵνα μηδενὶ λέγωσιν). However, the more he ordered or instructed them to be quiet (ὅσον δὲ αὐτοῖς διεστέλλετο,), the more zealously they proclaimed it (αὐτοὶ μᾶλλον περισσότερον ἐκήρυσσον). This was the strange Messianic secret that no one could keep secret. The ironic twist was that the crowds saw what was happening, yet Jesus was trying not to let people tell others. On the other hand, he would send his apostles out to preach. What did he expect to happen?
“The Pharisees said
To Jesus.
‘Why then did Moses
Command us
To give
A certificate of dismissal?
To divorce her?’”
έγουσιν αὐτῷ Τί οὖν Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο δοῦναι βιβλίον ἀποστασίου καὶ ἀπολῦσαι;
This questioning and answering of the Pharisees about divorce can also be found in Mark, chapter 10:3-4, almost word for word, with some minor changes, where Jesus asked this question instead of the Pharisees. Here the Pharisees asked Jesus (έγουσιν αὐτῷ) why did Moses command or instruct them (Τί οὖν Μωϋσῆς ἐνετείλατο) to give a certificate of dismissal or divorce (δοῦναι βιβλίον ἀποστασίου καὶ ἀπολῦσαι)? The reference to Moses here is from Deuteronomy, chapter 24:1-4, where there was talk about a certificate of divorce, and the possibility of many marriages. This certificate was called in Hebrew a “get.” Clearly divorce for a man was okay. However, after the second marriage there was a defilement. This command or instruction of Moses would appear to contradict what Jesus had said about the Genesis story and marriage.
“When anguish comes,
They will seek peace.
But there shall be none.
Disaster comes
Upon disaster.
Rumor follows
Rumor.
They shall keep
Seeking a vision
From the prophet.
Instruction shall perish
From the priest.
Counsel shall fail
From the elders.
The king mourns.
The prince shall be
Wrapped in despair.
The hands
Of the people
Of the land
Shall tremble.
According to their way,
I will deal with them.
According to their own judgments
I will judge them.
They shall know
That I am Yahweh.”
Yahweh concluded this oracle or vision to Ezekiel. In these times of trouble, they would seek peace, but there would be none. Disaster would come upon disaster. Rumor would follow rumor. They would keep looking for a vision from their prophets, but none would come. The priests would fail to instruct them. Counsel from the elders would fail. The king would mourn. The princes would be in despair. The hands of the land people would tremble. According to their ways, Yahweh would deal with them. According to their own judgments, Yahweh would judge them. They would know that Yahweh God was in charge. He was Yahweh.
“Then they said.
‘Come!
Let us make plots against Jeremiah!
Instruction shall not perish
From the priest.
Counsel shall not perish
From the wise.
The word shall not perish
From the prophet.
Come!
Let us bring charges against him!
Let us not heed any of his words!’”
This unidentified they, maybe the people of Anathoth mentioned in chapter 11, are making a plot against Jeremiah. This is Jeremiah reporting about a plot against himself. These people said, that if they got rid of Jeremiah, the priests would still instruct, the wise would still counsel people, and the prophets would still prophesize. Thus they decided to bring charges against him. They were not going to listen to his words anymore.
“I have written
In this book about
Instruction in understanding.
I have written about knowledge.
I am
Jesus son of Eleazar,
Son of Sirach,
Of Jerusalem.
My mind poured forth wisdom.
Happy are those
Who concerns themselves
With these things.
Those who lay them to heart
Will become wise.
If they put them into practice,
They will be equal to anything.
The fear of the Lord is their path.”
This appears to be the original ending of this book as Jesus son of Eleazar, son of Sirach, explains who he is and why he wrote this book. He wrote this work to instruct people in understanding. He wanted to give them more knowledge. He has poured out his wisdom. Now he would be happy if anyone concerned themselves about these things. Let them take these things to heart and become wise also. So much the better, if they put these things into practice. If they do, the fear of the Lord will be their path.
“If a person is wise
To his own advantage, T
he fruits of his good sense
Will be praiseworthy.
They will be trustworthy.
A wise person
Instructs his own people.
The fruits of his good sense
Will endure.
A wise person
Will have praise heaped upon him.
All those who see him
Will call him happy.
The days of a person’s life
Are numbered.
But the days of Israel
Are without number.
Whoever is wise
Among his people
Will inherit honor.
His name will live forever.”
Sirach now points out who the truly wise person is. The wise ones work to their own advantage. They have good sense that is praiseworthy, trustworthy, and honored. The truly wise ones instruct their own people. The fruits of these happy wise people will endure with praise. Although the days of everyone are numbered and limited, that is not true about Israel since its days are not numbered. So too, the honorable wise person will have his name last forever. This hyperbolic use of forever indicates a long time, rather than eternity.
“Hear!
My child!
Your father’s instruction!
Do not reject your mother’s teaching!
They are a fair garland for your head.
They are pendants for your neck.”
The first recommendation about wisdom is that children should listen to their parents. Their father and mother will instruct them and teach them. They should not despise parental instruction. In fact, they should wear their parents’ teaching on their head like a Roman garland or pendant on their necks. They should be proud of their parents.
“I will instruct you.
I will teach you
The way that you should go.
I will counsel you
With my eye upon you.
Do not be like a horse or a mule,
Without understanding.
Their temper must be curbed with bit and bridle.
Otherwise they will not stay near you.”
David would instruct the people. He was going to teach them the way that they follow. He was going to counsel them by keeping his eyes on them. He reminded them that they should not be like a horse or a mule without understanding. Those animals have to have their temper curbed with a bridle or bit in the mouth. Otherwise these horses and mules would not stay near anyone. So too the faithful needed guidance.
“They and our ancestors acted presumptuously.
They stiffened their necks.
They did not obey your commandments.
They refused to obey.
They were not mindful of the wonders you performed among them.
They stiffened their necks.
They determined to return to their slavery in Egypt.
You are a God ready to forgive.
You are gracious and merciful.
You are slow to anger.
You abound in steadfast love.
You did not forsake them.
Even when they cast an image of a calf for themselves,
They said.
‘This is your God who brought you up out of Egypt.’
They had committed great blasphemies.
You in your great mercies did not forsake them in the wilderness.
The pillar of cloud that led them in the way did not leave them day.
The pillar of fire gave them light on the way by which they should go.
You gave your good Spirit to instruct them.
You did not withhold your manna from their mouths.
You gave them water for their thirst.
Forty years you sustained them in the wilderness.
They lacked nothing.
Their clothes did not wear out.
Their feet did not swell.”
Despite the great love of God, the Israelites would not obey him. They actually wanted to return to Egypt. However, God was forgiving, merciful, gracious, and slow to anger. He was steadfast in his love so that he did not forsake our ancestors. Even though they were blasphemous and created a golden calf, in his mercy he did not forsake our ancestors. He sent a pillar of cloud and fire to guide them. He gave his Spirit to instruct them. He gave them manna and water to sustain them in the wilderness. They lacked nothing as their clothes did not wear out nor their feet swell.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 