“But be alert!
I have already
Told you
Everything.”
ὑμεῖς δὲ βλέπετε· προείρηκα ὑμῖν πάντα.
This is like Matthew, chapter 24:25. Mark said that Jesus warned his disciples to be alert (ὑμεῖς δὲ βλέπετε). He had already told them everything, before it happened (προείρηκα ὑμῖν πάντα). The disciples should be wary of these false messiahs and false prophets.
“Take note!
I have told you beforehand!
Thus,
If they say to you.
‘Look!
He is in the wilderness!’
Do not go out!
If they say.
‘Look!
He is in the inner rooms.’
Do not believe it.”
ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν
ἐὰν οὖν εἴπωσιν ὑμῖν Ἰδοὺ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐστίν, μὴ ἐξέλθητε· Ἰδοὺ ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις, μὴ πιστεύσητε
This is unique to Matthew, except for the first line that is like Mark, chapter 13:23. Matthew seemed more concerned about the disciples being led astray. Jesus warned his disciples, since he was telling them before it happened (ἰδοὺ προείρηκα ὑμῖν). If someone said that they were to look in the wilderness for the Christ (ἐὰν οὖν εἴπωσιν ὑμῖν Ἰδοὺ ἐν τῇ ἐρήμῳ ἐστίν), they were not to go out there (μὴ ἐξέλθητε). If they say that the Messiah was in the inner rooms or secret chambers (Ἰδοὺ ἐν τοῖς ταμείοις), the disciples should not believe it (μὴ πιστεύσητε). The disciples should be wary of these false messiahs and prophets.
“Gain the trust of your neighbor
In his poverty.
Thus you may rejoice with him
In his prosperity.
Stand by him
In time of his distress.
Thus you may share with him
In his inheritance.
One should not always despise
Restricted circumstances.
One should not admire
A rich person who is stupid.
The vapor of the furnace
Precedes the fire.
The smoke of the furnace
Precedes the fire.
Thus insults precede bloodshed.
I am not ashamed
To shelter a friend.
I will not hide from him.
But if harm should come to me
Because of him,
Whoever hears of it
Will beware of him.”
Friendship happens in good times as well as bad times. If you trust your neighbor in his poverty, you can rejoice with him in his prosperity. If you stand by him in his distress, you can share with him in his good times. On the other hand, you should not admire a rich stupid person or despise those in poverty. Where there is a smell and smoke, there surely will be a fire. So too, insults often precede bloodshed. So be careful! Sirach was not ashamed to shelter a friend. However, if any harm came to him because of that friend, this would be a reminder to others to be wary about what his friend had done. Even this friendship is a little shaky, so that you should always be on guard against false friends.
Eugene Finnegan Bible Project 