THE WISDOM OF SIRACH

Introduction to the Book of Joshua Ben Sirach

By: Fr. Tadros Y. Malaty, Bishoy Boshra Behnam

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

The book of Sirach may seem like the constitution which governs our earthly life and practical conduct. This perspective is right though incomplete. The book is a journey into a deeper understanding of divine guidance, which purifies our thoughts, feelings, words, and conducts through the wisdom of God the Word and the leadership of the Holy Spirit. The believers take pride in the divine gift of mental enlightenment while taking into consideration the following facts: 1- The Lord gave the rational earthly and heavenly beings both “wisdom” and freedom of will. 2- Heavenly wisdom bestows hope in divine salvation upon fallen humanity. We can regain the lost pearl of the divine image and likeness (Gen.2:26). Believers feel humbled by the work of grace in them so that God grants them the seemingly impossible gift of becoming a living image of God! 3- The book focuses on two major themes which are: how to begin our journey and what our destination is. The beginning of the trip is fearing the Lord. Believers are like children, and the Lord lovingly carries them on His shoulders on an eternal quest. They respond with holy fear and awe that makes the heart overflow with true love, hope, and joy. They realize heavenly beings expect their arrival with astonishment because the Savior turned earthly humanity into a celestial chorus. 4- While honoring such natural abilities as rational thinking and holy feelings, the book emphasizes that our constitution, weapon, and crown are divine commandments that we can only obey through the grace of God. Those commandments are not shackles holding back human freedom; they are jewels forever adorning the Church. Believers follow them not because they are afraid but because they are children seeking to reflect the image of their Heavenly Father. 5- The destination is the heavenly wedding, where we will enjoy union with the wisdom of God and be partakers of divine nature (1 Pet. 1:4) by love. 6- God’s grace: He believes that there is no hope for humanity without divine grace. Believers cannot ignore their free will, intellectual abilities, skills, and other divine gifts, which must be used under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. Sirach traveled a lot, and he greatly appreciates those who go to gain more experience (34:9-11). He especially values scientific skills in the fields of medicine and pharmaceuticals (38:1-15).