The question of authorship or attribution is important. Like many of the books of the Old Testament, some of the books attributed to some authors in the New Testament writings are not the persons mentioned. Moses did not write all the Torah. Paul did not write all the letters attributed to him. The technical scholarly name for this is pseudo epigrams. Sometimes, they are forgeries. These false attributions exist for a number of biblical books. Since we do not know the names of many of the writers of these books in the Bible, we can say that anonymous people wrote these works. However, I have decided to use the traditional attributed names that have been associated with these pseudo epigram works to better identify them.
the names
Yahweh would remember the just righteous ones (Mal 3:16-3:16)
“Then those who revered Yahweh
Spoke with one another.
Yahweh took notice.
Yahweh listened.
A book of remembrance
Was written
Before him
Of those
Who revered Yahweh,
Of those
Who thought on his name.”
However, there was a group of Israelites who revered Yahweh. They spoke among themselves. Yahweh saw and listened to this, as he took notice of what was going on. There was a book of remembrance, where all the names of those who revered Yahweh and his name were written down. This is where we get the idea that someone is keeping track of our lives in a book.
Get rid of idols (Zech 13:2-13:2)
“Says Yahweh of hosts.
‘On that day,
I will cut off
The names
Of the idols
From the land.
Thus,
They shall be remembered
No more.
Also,
I will remove
From the land
The prophets.
I will remove
From the land
The unclean spirit.’”
Yahweh spoke directly to Zechariah. On that day to come, he was going to cut off the names of the various idols in the land. Thus, no one would remember them anymore. He also was going to remove the prophets and unclean spirits. This will be the end of institutional prophets.
The unique ornamented vestments of Aaron (Sir 45:10-45:13)
“The sacred vestments were
Gold,
Violet,
And purple.
They were the work of an embroiderer.
Aaron had the oracle of judgment,
The Urim and the Thummim.
They had twisted crimson,
The work of a craftsman.
There were precious stones
Engraved like signet seals.
There was a setting of gold,
The work of a jeweler.
This was a commemoration
In engraved letters,
Of each of the tribes of Israel.
He had a gold crown upon his turban.
This was inscribed
Like a signet seal with
‘Holiness.’
This was a distinction to be prized.
This was the work of an expert.
This was the delight for the eyes,
As this was richly adorned.
Before him,
Such beautiful things did not exist.
No outsider ever put them on.
Only his sons put this on.
Only his descendants perpetually put this on.”
The colorful vestments of Aaron were made of embroidered gold, violet, and purple. The artisans had made these crimson yarns. The Urim and Thummim were sacred oracles, in the pouch of the breastplate of judgment, according to Exodus, chapter 28. Aaron would carry the names of the Israelites and the judgment of the Israelites, when he went into the holy place. This unmentioned breastplate had precious stones engraved seals of the 12 tribes in settings of gold. He had a gold crown on his head that was on the top of his turban with gold flower designs. On the top of it was engraved “holiness” or as in Exodus, “Holy to Yahweh.” These highly artistic works were a delight to the eye since nothing like it existed anywhere before. Nobody, but Aaron and his sons could wear these vestments. Eventually, these became the sacred vestments of the Temple high priest.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 