Author: Archpriest Alexander Petrovich Rozhdestvensky
Fifteen years have elapsed since the discovery of the fragments of the long-lost Hebrew text of the Book of Jesus, Son of Sirach. Scholars have since worked to reconstruct the original text, free from later additions, translate it into new languages, and interpret its meanings. I reported on this significant finding and its impact on biblical scholarship; several articles have also appeared in our literature. However, a Russian translation considering the newly discovered Hebrew text is still missing. The Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach, despite being non-canonical, is significant for its content and its use by ancient Christian writers, as well as its role in edifying catechumens, newly joining the Church.
Book Title
In Slavic and Russian Bibles, among didactic Old Testament books not in the canon, the book appears as “The Book of the Wisdom of Jesus, son of Sirach,” similar to the Greek Bible. The newly discovered Hebrew text ends with “The Wisdom of Simon, son of Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sirah.” In the Syriac Bible, it’s titled “The Wisdom of the son of Asher” and in rabbinic literature, “the book of ben Sira.” In patristic writings, it’s sometimes called ἡ πανάρετος, “all-valiant,” considered a guide to virtue and wisdom. The name “Ecclesiasticus” in the Latin Bible indicates its ecclesiastical value, accepted by the Church as edifying despite its non-canonical status.
Writer
The Hebrew text of the Book of Wisdom of Jesus ben Sirach gives the writer’s full name: “Simon, son of Jesus, son of Eleazar, son of Sira,” repeated at the end of the Hebrew text. In the Syriac translation, it’s slightly different: “Jesus, son of Simon, son of Asher,” with “Asher” likely a mistake. The Greek translation omits the name “Simon” but includes “Eleazar.” The Hebrew and Greek readings differ on the placement of “Eleazar,” but the Hebrew version is preferred. The Greek text also indicates Jesus’s Jerusalem origin, possibly to endear him to Jewish readers outside Palestine.
The book itself provides little on the author’s life, but it shows his deep knowledge of sacred scriptures and worldly wisdom. The author speaks as a wise elder, wishing well for his readers, with evidence of extensive travel and knowledge application. Scholars agree the author was a “scribe” or scholar, adept in Holy Scripture and worldly observations.
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