The New Testament references the Hebrew Bible that came to be known as the Old Testament. The New Testament books were not referred to until the second century of the common era. Consensus on its contents did not occur until the late fourth century. There is nothing wrong with different points of view or inconsistencies. The first two chapters of Genesis are not contradictory. The synoptic gospels give different versions of the Baptism of Jesus. Most of us just say “so what?” We understand different points of view. The Bible had different authors over a considerable amount of time. The Old Testament took hundreds of years to complete. The New Testament took thirty to sixty years to finish. Very few could write, so that oral tradition dominated in that society. The texts themselves were rewritten, so that we say that the texts we have, with all its corrections, is the one that God wants us to have.
wants
Accept the discipline (Sir 6:23-6:31)
“Listen!
My child!
Accept my judgment!
Do not reject my counsel!
Put your feet into her fetters!
Put your neck into her collar!
Bend your shoulder!
Carry her!
Do not fret under her bonds!
Come to her with all your soul!
Keep her ways with all your might!
Search out!
Seek her!
She will become known to you.
When you get hold of her,
Do not let her go.
For at last,
You will find the rest she gives.
She will be changed into joy for you.
Then her fetters will become for you a strong defense.
Her collar will be a golden ornament.
Her bonds will be a purple cord.
You will wear her like a glorious robe.
You will put her on like a splendid crown.”
Sirach wants the children to listen to him and accept his judgment. They should receive the chains of wisdom around their necks and on their feet in order to accept wisdom. They should carry her, this feminine wisdom, and let her come into their souls. They should seek and search her out. She will become known to them. They should never let her go. Their lives will be changed into joy as the chains will be a defense. They will have golden ornaments around their necks, purple cords, and a splendid crown. Just listen to what he and wisdom are telling them. This almost sounds like a masochistic love for this female wisdom.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 