The book of Tobit and Magic

[Ron_Conte]

A protestant said that the book of Tobit teaches magic.

He gave me these verses any thoughts?

Then the angel said to him, Cut open the fish and take the heart and liver and gall and put them away safely.’ … Then the young man said to the angel, Brother Azarias, of what use is the liver and heart and gall of the fish?' He replied, As for the heart and the liver, if a demon or evil spirit gives trouble to any one, you make a smoke from these before the man or woman, and that person will never be troubled again. And as for the gall, anoint with it a man who has white films in his eyes, and he will be cured’" (Tobit 6:4,6-8).

This action of taking a fish and dividing it into parts is very similar to the various Old Testament animal sacrifices, which of course have a symbolic meaning. The term ‘heart’ is still used today in modern English as a symbol. Similarly, the parts of the fish have symbolic meanings. The smoke symbolizes prayer. The heart symbolizes a pure love for God and neighbor. The liver symbolizes the removal of sin from one’s life (the liver removes toxins from the body). The gall symbolizes the suffering of self-denial and the healthful effects on the soul of that suffering (since gall is bitter, but was used as a medicine in ancient times). So the parts of the fish represent useful medicines for the soul.