The Catholic Bible & The Book of Tobit

[Try2BeHumble]

Try the introduction to the Book of Tobit in the NAB. It is available online at the USCCB website…

Although the Book of Tobit is usually listed with the historical books, it more correctly stands midway between them and the wisdom literature. It contains numerous maxims like those found in the wisdom books (cf. 4:3–19, 21; 12:6–10; 14:7, 9) as well as standard wisdom themes: fidelity to the law, intercessory function of angels, piety toward parents, purity of marriage, reverence for the dead, and the value of almsgiving, prayer, and fasting. The book makes Tobit a relative of Ahiqar, a noted hero of ancient Near Eastern wisdom literature and folklore. Reference usccb.org/bible/scripture.cfm?bk=Tobit&ch=

I believe that Luke borrowed the theme of scales falling off Tobit’s eyes (Tobit 11:13) when he spoke of scales falling off Paul’s eyes (Acts 9:18). If I am correct then it is an important reference which should not be ignored.

-Tim-

Thank you for the link and the explanation. I think it will be helpful for me and my friend to read.

 

[Try2BeHumble]

Just to clarify: BibleGateway (while an outstanding resource) does not actually have all English Bible translations (for example they seem to no longer have the Knox).

With that said to respond to an earlier post about the NIV having the Apocrypha. While it is the true that the KJV and other Protestant Bibles used to contain the DC books in an appendix, the norm is now to exclude them completely except in Catholic or Orthodox editions, or in editions that state “with Apocrypha”. This practice was a cost saving measure implemented by a Bible Society a long time ago and it’s become the common practice. Some versions, including as far as I know the NIV, don’t even publish Catholic editions or editions “with Apocrypha”, so it’s very possible that there’s no NIV Bible in existence that includes the Book of Tobit.

To get back to the OP, the introduction to the Book of Tobit in the NAB has some useful information (but as with all commentary in the NAB, it should be read with discernment), and apart from that some general information about the DC books can be found here at Catholic Answers as well as in articles such as this one by Jimmy Akin, this one by Mark Shea, this website, and this page on John Salza’s website. Haydock’s commentary is also a good resource for understanding what the Scriptures mean.

Thank you for your thoughts on the NAB and its commentary. The links look helpful as well.

 

[po18guy]

Just to clarify: BibleGateway (while an outstanding resource) does not actually have all English Bible translations (for example they seem to no longer have the Knox).

I emailed them. The copyright holder of the Knox asked them to remove it. It is still available, with Greek and Latin parallels, as New Advent.

With that said to respond to an earlier post about the NIV having the Apocrypha. While it is the true that the KJV and other Protestant Bibles used to contain the DC books in an appendix, the norm is now to exclude them completely except in Catholic or Orthodox editions, or in editions that state “with Apocrypha”. This practice was a cost saving measure implemented by a Bible Society a long time ago…

But, their removal was made possible only through the tacit rejection of the Deuterocanon, since the rebellion was firmly set in their opinions at the time of Trent. We see that, lacking any cohesive or genuine ecclesial authority, protestants cannot and will not ever know if these books are inspired, unless they trust the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in that regard.

 

[MattofTexas]

I emailed them. The copyright holder of the Knox asked them to remove it. It is still available, with Greek and Latin parallels, as New Advent.
But, their removal was made possible only through the tacit rejection of the Deuterocanon, since the rebellion was firmly set in their opinions at the time of Trent. We see that, lacking any cohesive or genuine ecclesial authority, protestants cannot and will not ever know if these books are inspired, unless they trust the Catholic and Orthodox Churches in that regard.

Thanks for posting that info about the Knox on BibleGateway, I was wondering why it had been removed.
You are correct, Protestants (with the partial exception of Anglicans/Episcopalians and even then only partially) do not accept the DC as inspired Scripture, and thus yes reject them and the natural conclusion of this decision is to ultimately remove them from the Bible altogether. From a Protestant prospective, the basis for the rejection of these books is critical scholarship along with the idea that they do not collectively feel they are canonical and thus through spiritual discernment they have determined they are not (cf. John 10:27). Of course the second of these points is highly subjective and raises the question of why Protestant discernment is correct and Catholic or Orthodox discernment on the matter is wrong. I am coming to believe that the Tradition of the Church and her teaching authority are the key for determining who is correct in such disputes since they provide a real historical link to the past, and utilize the gifts and authority Jesus gave to the Church.

 

[po18guy]

Thanks for posting that info about the Knox on BibleGateway, I was wondering why it had been removed.
You are correct, Protestants (with the partial exception of Anglicans/Episcopalians and even then only partially) do not accept the DC as inspired Scripture, and thus yes reject them and the natural conclusion of this decision is to ultimately remove them from the Bible altogether. From a Protestant prospective, the basis for the rejection of these books is critical scholarship along with the idea that they do not collectively feel they are canonical and thus through spiritual discernment they have determined they are not (cf. John 10:27). Of course the second of these points is highly subjective and raises the question of why Protestant discernment is correct and Catholic or Orthodox discernment on the matter is wrong. I am coming to believe that the Tradition of the Church and her teaching authority are the key for determining who is correct in such disputes since they provide a real historical link to the past, and utilize the gifts and authority Jesus gave to the Church.

Perhaps most famously, Saint Jerome apparently did not feel that they were inspired. Questions arise about their provenance - yet we do not know the authors of many of the books in the bible. Yet, out of obedience, Jerome translated them at the behest of Pope Damasus I inasmuch as the Church is greater than any of its members. I note that those who reject the Deuterocanon often cite Jerome’s concerns - yet they immediately turn against him as to his belief in the Catholic Church, his loyalty to the Pope, his belief in the seven Sacraments, Apostolic succession, etc.

 

[MattofTexas]

Perhaps most famously, Saint Jerome apparently did not feel that they were inspired. Questions arise about their provenance - yet we do not know the authors of many of the books in the bible. Yet, out of obedience, Jerome translated them at the behest of Pope Damasus I inasmuch as the Church is greater than any of its members. I note that those who reject the Deuterocanon often cite Jerome’s concerns - yet they immediately turn against him as to his belief in the Catholic Church, his loyalty to the Pope, his belief in the seven Sacraments, Apostolic succession, etc.

Correct.

 

[patrick457]

Perhaps most famously, Saint Jerome apparently did not feel that they were inspired. Questions arise about their provenance - yet we do not know the authors of many of the books in the bible. Yet, out of obedience, Jerome translated them at the behest of Pope Damasus I inasmuch as the Church is greater than any of its members. I note that those who reject the Deuterocanon often cite Jerome’s concerns - yet they immediately turn against him as to his belief in the Catholic Church, his loyalty to the Pope, his belief in the seven Sacraments, Apostolic succession, etc.

No, St. Jerome translated Tobit at the behest of two bishops (Heliodorus and Cromatius), to whom he wrote the prologue. Jerome’s translations of OT books from the Hebrew/Aramaic were all answers to private requests from various friends of his; they were not official ventures like his translation/revision of the gospels under Pope Damasus was. But it’s true that Jerome said that “it is better to be judging the opinion of the Pharisees to displease and to be subject to the commands of bishops.”