A. J. MATTIL, Jr.
In this short study we concentrate on a book which was probably written about 180 BC/BCE. This book has various names, such as Ecclesiasticus (Book of the Church), or the Book of Ben Sira, or The Wisdom of Ben Sira, or simply Sirach. Whatever we call this book of fifty-one chapters, it is not part of the Jewish and Protestant canons of inspired scriptures, but it is included in the canon of the Roman Catholic Church. Now let us focus our attention on six of what I as a freethinker would call Sirach’s screwups, that is, blemishes, blotches, blunders, botches, and bungles.
Screwup One. Sirach 1:12 declares that “the beginning of wisdom is fear of the Lord.” “Fear of the Lord” is an attitude of profound awe in the face of God’s power and splendor. Now we revise Sirach 1:12 in the light of modern knowledge. The beginning of wisdom is not “fear of the Lord.” Rather, the beginning of wisdom is trembling with awe before the threefold mystery of the universe, that is, meditating on the tremendous mystery, the primal mystery, and the cosmic mystery.
The tremendous mystery is the mystery of the vastness and power of the universe which is infinitely beyond our comprehension. The primal mystery is the unexplainable given at the beginning of all things. Here we puzzle over what was there first, and why and how it was there, and whence it came, and wither it is going. We think about the source of the source. The cosmic mystery is the mystery of whether there is anything personal about the vast creative and destructive process in which we live and move and have our being (see Acts. 17:28).
In short, “a sincere recognition of the truth that our own and all other existence is a mystery absolutely and forever beyond our comprehension, contains more of true religion than all the dogmatic theology ever written” (Philosopher Herbert Spencer, 1820-1903). That’s the true beginning of wisdom.
Screwup Two. According to Sirach 12:1-7 “we should do good to just people and they and the Lord will reward us. Give to the good man, refuse the sinner. The Most High himself hates sinners.” On the other hand, Jesus commands us to “do good to those who hate us and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great” (Matthew 5:43-48; Luke 6:27-36).
Many thoughtful people say we should decide for ourselves on a case by case basis whom we should help or not help. Never should we expect a supernatural being to reward or punish us for our generosity or niggardliness.
Screwup Three. Sirach lived in Jerusalem and was a lover of the Mosaic law, the priesthood, temple, and divine worship. In other words, Sirach was enthusiastic about brutal butcher-shop religion/pitiless packinghouse piety/senseless slaughterhouse spirituality (Sirach 50:1-29, which is a eulogy of Simon, the high priest). Few sensitive persons who seek to follow reverence for life will endorse bloody butcher-shop religion.
Screwup Four. Sirach was intoxicated with chosenpeopleism, the detestable belief that Almighty God is a partial God who plays favorites. The Lord places a ruler over every nation, but Israel is the Lord’s own portion (17:14; 24:8). Wisdom fixed her abode in Zion (24:10). Chosenpeopleism is the basis of the unending warfare between the Israelites and the Palestinians, and should have been discarded centuries ago.
Screwup Five. Sirach screwed up when he adopted the human-centered doctrine that the Lord gave humans rule over beasts and birds (17:4; Genesis 1:28). How unfortunate that the Lord didn’t instruct humans how to live by the ideal reverence for life so that they would respect the animals’ will to live. The Lord could have taught us to treat all beings as relatives and to do the least harm to the least number of life forms and the greatest good to the greatest number of life forms. The Lord could have inspired us to devote our thoughts to the knowledge of life, to devote our affections to the love of life, and to devote our actions to the service of life.
Screwup Six. Sirach blundered when he issued this command, “When you are ill, delay not, but pray to God, who will heal you” (38:9). Sirach hadn’t lived long enough to discover through bitter experience that nothing fails like prayer.
Conclusion. We could consider many more of Sirach’s screwups, but these six screwups should be enough to convince us that the Book of Ben Sira should not be included in any canon of inspired scriptures.