I promised this post would be written Monday. But as probably the only biblioblogger in God’s green earth who has no internet connection at home, I faced the unique challenge of discovering that my library and coffee shop were apparently closed for Venezuelan Independence Day. And so with no more ado, back to Tobit. We find Tobit and family where we left them last–at what appeared to be the happy ending of their story. But there’s more:
1 Then Tobit called his son Tobiyah, and said to him, “My son, make sure this man who went with you has received his wages, and give him extra.”
2 And Tobiyah said to him, “Father, it would do me no harm to give him half of what I have brought. 3 For he has brought me back to you in safety, and cured my wife, and brought me the money, and also healed.”
4 Then the old man said, “It is due him.”
5 So he called the angel, and said to him, “Take half of all that you have brought and go away in safety.”
6 Then he took them both apart, and said to them, “Bless God, praise him, and magnify him, and praise him for the things which he has done for you in the sight of all who live. It is good to praise God and exalt his name, and honorably to show forth the works of God; therefore do not be slack to praise him. 7 It is good to keep close the secret of a king, but it is honorable to reveal the works of God. Do what is good, and no evil will touch you. 8 Prayer is good with fasting and charitable giving and righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than much with unrighteousness. It is better to give charitable gifts than to store up gold, 9 for charitable gifts deliver from death, and will purge away all sin.
Perhaps in Tobit 12:9 we can find a contributing factor to the medieval concept of paying in cash for one’s sins. Or maybe I’m just reading too much in.
Those who practice charitable giving and righteousness will be filled with life, 10 but those who sin are enemies to their own life.
Those who sin are enemies to their own life. That’s one of the great concepts of the Judaeo-Christian tradition–the idea that sin harms us not because God is just ticked off at disobedience, but because sin is inherently harmful in and of itself. It points to a less arbitrary vision of God than the angry father many see.
11 Surely I will keep nothing secret from you. For I said that it was good to keep the secret of a king, but that it was honorable to reveal the works of God. 12 Now then, when you prayed with Sarah your daughter-in-law, I brought the memory of your prayers before the Holy One, and when you buried the dead I was with you also. 13 And when you did not delay to rise up and leave your dinner to go and cover the dead, your good deed was not hidden from me, but I was with you. 14 And now God has sent me to heal you and Sarah your daughter-in-law. 15 I am Raphael, one of the seven holy angels who present the prayers of the saints, and which go in and out before the glory of the Holy One.
As far as I can remember, our Protestant Bibles never explicitly outline a group of seven angels which go in and out of God’s presence. But perhaps a whiff of the idea is found in Revelation 1:4 — “John, to the seven churches which are in Asia. Grace to you, and peace from God, who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits which are before his throne.”
16 Then they were both troubled, and fell on their faces, for they were afraid.
This fear response seems to be the typical response to seeing an angel. And what do angels always say?
17 But he said to him, “Do not be afraid, for it will go well with you, therefore praise God. 18 For it was not of any favor of mine, but by the will of our God I came, therefore praise him forever.
And here we come to an interesting problem. Angels, in the Bible, are spirit-beings which don’t eat or drink (Genesis 18, Judges 6, cf. also Luke 24:39-43). But Raphael had to eat to maintain his deep cover! How to solve this theological problem? The author of Tobit presents a solution, and also explains how the book of Tobit came to be.
19 All these days I appeared to you, I neither ate nor drank, but you saw a vision. 20 Now therefore give God thanks, for I am go up to the one who sent me, but you are to write all these things that have occurred in a book. 21 And when they arose, they did not see him again. 22 Then they confessed the great and wonderful works of God, and how the angel of the Lord had appeared to them.
Again, the book looks like it’s over. But we’ll look at chapter 13 next.
3 Comments
Almost there…. almost there…
There are 7 angels are so in Jewish mythology. Uriel is another. Gabe, Mike, Ralph and Uri are th big four, with three more to follow. I do think you are correct, that this is the whiff we find in Revelation’s throne room scene. Just wait to the next chapter. The whiff turns into a full blown buffet
I’m guessing Joel meant Raph – not Ralph!
No, I mean Ralph, but Raph might make more sense…
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