Narratives of Hope
Times of great stress frequently give rise to the secret circulation of writings that announce the hope of the oppressed as well as the defeat of the oppressors and encourage religious, national, or ethnic fidelity. They present themselves as historical accounts, but upon reading them, one quickly realizes that the context is fictitious and the events are imaginary. Under the appearance of a page of history, a lesson for the present is proposed.
The three Books that follow—Tobit, Judith, Esther—belong to this category of writings: they simulate an account of the past in order to interpret the present. They are born in a moment when Israel feels threatened in its faith, vocation, and prayer-life by the hostility of a pagan world. In the wake of the Exile, Israel becomes ever more aware that the unity of the people will result not from a unique homeland but from a unique faith and a unique hope.
In the case of Tobit and Judith, we cannot arrive at the original Hebrew; while in the case of Esther, the Hebrew text is shorter than the Greek translation. And only Esther has become a part of the Bible of the Hebrews.
The Christian Church, which in its turn has experienced dispersion and persecution, has recognized the authentic inspiration not only of Tobit and Judith but also of the additions that are part of the Greek version of Esther.
The Protestant Churches, which returned to the Hebrew Bible, recognize only the shorter text of Esther.
The Book of Tobit
The Mirror of the Hebrew Family
The Book of Tobit was composed in the third or second century B.C. with the purpose of preserving the traditional faith for the Jews who remained outside Palestine even after the return of many of them from the Exile. Centered around an Israelite deported to Nineveh by Shalmaneser (we are therefore in the eighth century), the account mentions a few captivating personages and, in particular, the son of one.
From the very beginning we know that the life of the protagonist of the account is exemplary; he is a faithful Jew who observes the law of Moses, and God rewards him for this absolute fidelity.
Despite appearances, the work does not narrate a real history. It was composed very artfully and imaginatively to edify the readers. We quickly become aware that the author is taking liberties with facts.
If we took the account literally, Tobit would have lived at least two centuries, and his son would have had to walk 180 miles in two days. This point, however, is of little import. The author, a sage, is concerned above all to paint the life of a just man for his readers. With this concrete illustration, he wishes to show that true wisdom, the way that leads to fidelity, consists in loving God and observing his commandments no matter what may occur. Herein lies the key to this Book.
The writer is able to instruct without annoying. His sense of the picturesque and his acuteness of observation contribute to make his work a literary jewel. It enchants us by evoking the family traditions of Israel; and long before the Gospel, it celebrates the nobility that characterizes marriage from the very beginnings: one husband and one wife.
According to the author, the just receive their recompense on earth; Christ had not yet come to illumine the complete dimension of human destiny. But to discover Providence in daily life and to overcome sorrowful situations by means of faith—as this Book invites us to do—are elements that form part of Christian existence.
The Bible has given us many pages about the covenant and about the requirements for the life of the people. It is touching to find, in an account closer to daily life, praise for the fidelity that is lived in the framework of family life, the meaning of almsgiving, respect for the dead, concern for purity, and the love of prayer.
The Latin text of the Vulgate, translated from the Hebrew and Aramaic by St. Jerome, has various differences and additions with respect to the text followed here, which is that of the Greek translation. Fragments of the original have been found in the Dead Sea Scrolls.
The Book of Tobit may be divided as follows:
I: The Suffering of the Righteous (1:3—3:17)
A: Tobit, a Righteous Man Put to the Test (1:3—3:6)
B: Sarah: Innocence Diabolically Offended (3:7-17)
II: The Righteous Are Rewarded (4:1—12:22)
A: Tobit’s Testament (4:1-21)
B: Tobiah’s Journey (5:1—10:7)
C: The Return of Tobiah (10:8—12:22)
III: Vision of the New Times (13:1—14:15)
A: The Canticle of Tobit (13:1-18)
B: Tobit’s Prophecy (14:1-12a)
C: The Last Days of Tobiah (14:12b-15)