I feel as though I have nothing new to say about politics today. Sure, there’s no doubt that I could comment on a couple news stories, but you’d most likely already know what I’d have to say about them if you’ve read much here. So back to Tobit. Where we left Tobiah last, he was leaving his in-laws to introduce his parents to his new wife. They have no idea that he’s gotten married, and are concerned that he is late coming home:
1 After these things Tobiah went on his way, praising God that he had given him a prosperous journey. He blessed Raguel and Edna his wife, and went on his way until they approached Nineveh. 2 Then Raphael said to Tobiah, “You know, brother, how you left your father. 3 Let us hurry on ahead of your wife to prepare the house. 4 And take in your hand the gall of the fish.
Remember that Tobiah’s father, Tobit, is blind, and that the gall of this particular fish is supposed to heal the eyes of Tobit. Admittedly this is a weird concept, and some Protestants have gone so far as to call it witchcraft, and use this incident to condemn the Roman Catholics as heretics. The reasoning they use is that by giving the fish-gall power that ought to belong only to God, the story of Tobit shows its pagan influences. Though I certainly don’t hold Tobit to be inspired, and I can’t even rule out the possibility of some pagan influence, it would seem to me that it’s unfair to call this an example of witchcraft. For the Bible uses physical things for strange purposes in a number of places. Before we try to pick at the Catholic speck of fish-gall, let us remember the plank in our own eye. Consider the way in which mere contact with the bones of Elisha raised a dead man (2 Kings 13:21). Remember that a stick cast into a running stream caused metal to float (2 Kings 6). Recall that Jesus used a mixture of spittle and mud for healing (John 9). If we do not believe the deuterocanonical books to be inspired and infallible, let us say so. Let’s even argue about it if we must. But let’s not use unfair reasoning to advance our case, lest we become followers of Jack Chick instead of Jesus Christ.
So they went their way, and the dog went after them.
I wish we knew more about this dog. Perhaps he’s the only dog in all the canonicals and deuterocanonical books to be portrayed in a positive light.
Now Anna sat looking around toward the road for her son. 6 And when she spotted him coming, she said to his father, “Look–your son’s coming, and the man who went with him!”
7 Then Raphael said, “I know, Tobiah, that your father will open his eyes. 8 Therefore anoint his eyes with the gall, and when he feels the sting he will rub them, and the whiteness will fall away, and he will see.”
9 Then Anna ran out and fell upon her son’s neck, and said to him, “Now that I have seen you, my son, from now on I may die in peace.” And they both wept.
10 Tobit also went out toward the door, and stumbled, but his son ran to him, 11 and took hold of his father, and sprinkled the call on his father’s eyes, saying, “Have good hope, my father.”
12 And when his eyes began to smart, he rubbed them, 13 and the whiteness peeled away from the corners of his eyes, and when he saw his son, he fell upon his neck. 14 And he wept, and said, “Blessed are you, O God, and blessed is your name forever, and blessed are all your holy angels. 15 For you have scourged, and have taken pity on me, for behold, I see my son Tobiah. And his son went in rejoicing, and told his father the great things that had happened to him in Media. 16 Then Tobit went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh, rejoicing and praising God. Those who saw him marvelled, because he had received his sight. 17 But Tobiah gave thanks before them, because God had mercy on him. And when [Tobit] came near to Sarah his daughter-in-law, he blessed her, saying, “You are welcome, daughter. May God be blessed, who has brought you to us, and blessed be your father and your mother. And all his brethren at Nineveh were filled with joy. 18 And Achiacharus came, as did and Nasbas his brother’s son. 19 And Tobiah’s wedding was kept seven days with great joy.
So we’ve had a beginning, a set of problems (specifically the demon Asmodeus, the poverty, and the blindness), and now all is solved and happy. The book could just end here. But it doesn’t. There’s a few more chapters. But Joel warned me not to skip them, so I shall post on them starting Monday. Have a great afternoon (or whatever time of day or night you might happen to read this).
One Comment
Awesome series, and I promise that you will enjoy the rest.
One Trackback
[...] ve'al timkor — ואל־תמכר never sell out the truth Skip to content aboutcomments policyno copyrightinformational freedomcontacting mestuffbible resourcesgreek new testamentrobinson and pierpont greek new testamentcoptic new testamentenglish biblestextual criticismpeshitta new testamenthebrew biblelxxpioneer bible translatorsapologeticsliberated informationstatsme « posting through the deuterocanonicals: tobit 11 [...]