AUTHOR:           THOLOGICAL DEACON EHAB R. WAHIB

REVISED BY:     BISHOP MOSSES

FR. MARCOS TAWFIK

TRANSLATION  EMILE BASSILIOUS

EDITION1          Third- MAY 1998

 “The Holy Bible is the lamp of those who walk in the way to the kingdom”

In The BIBLE, we find out:

·        God’s dealings with man.

·        Stories of different characters.

·        Numerous experiences in the spiritual path.

·        True promises of God.

·        God’s stewardship for the salvation of man.

·        The Lord’s commandments to his disciples.

Therefore, it is good to go deeply in the books of two testaments, the old and the new, also to study the different Bible characters.

In this book, a concentrated study of the Book of Tobit, the works of God with Tobit and Tobias through the angle of joy Raphael, and various questions. Also, the text of the book itself as well as the prophecies about the New Testament, the gates of Jerusalem and the fish.

May the Lord bless the writer of this research, the dear son Ehab Wahib, also bless whoever reads it, through the prayers of H.H. Pope Shenouda III the grace of our Lord be with us all. Amen.

The Two TESTAMENTS of the Holy Bible, together the Deutero-canonical Books are considered priceless treasures because they are the words of God. Whoever possesses such treasure possesses the eternal life. When we say possess we do not mean keeping a copy of the Bible at home, or in your pocket or briefcase for blessing, but hearty possession, i.e. To keep his words and search for them… to transfer them into daily spiritual behavior.

The Loud commanded us to deal with his words and said, “And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.

You shall bind them as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates. “ (Deut.6: 6-9)

This book is the outcome of a great and honest effort by the blessed brother, The Theological Deacon Ehab Raeef Wahib. In an attractive way and he sheds some lights on the Deutero-canonical Books, especially the book of Tobit.

The book has an honest historical research and tells the story in its details. It also contains the spiritual in depth. It is not free from the comparisons and objections with answers, in a constructive and objective way, which makes me, pray to our beloved Lord to reward the blessed brother Ehab and all those who have helped him to bring out the book in this attractive form.

May this book be a blessing to many others through the pleadings of the Mother of God St Mary, and the patron of our church the Prince of Martyrs St. George. And through the prayers of our blessed father, H. H. Pope Shenouda III. May the Lord preserve his life AMen?

Fr. Marcos Khela Tawfik

St. George Coptic Orthodox Church

Sydney - Australia

1^st. may 1993 (23^rd Buramoda 1709 AM)

Feast of St. George

 thank the Lord that great interest has been shown in the second canonical books nine years after publishing this book for the first time both the first and second editions have ran out and a number of authors have written books entitled Tobit. I have also noticed special interest in the second canonical books from servants and pre-servants meetings.

We also thank Lord who stood by us that seven books of this series have been published so far; these are Tobit, Judith, completion of Daniel, Baruch, completion of Esther, Wisdom of Solomon and Wisdom of Jesus son of Sirach.

I would like to thank all those who have contributed to bringing out this new edition where a new chapter has been added and the English translation has been improved. I would like to thank all those who supported me in writing this series. I would like to thank all the priests and servants who are committed to reviving and studying the second canonical books.

May this be a cause of blessing for all those who read it through the intercessions of Saint Mary, Saint George the Prince of Martyrs, Archangel Raphael and Tobit and through the blessing of the prayers of our honouned father his Holiness Pope Shenouda III and his partner in the apostolic ministry his Grace Bishop Moussa.

Remember us in your prayers.

This rite is still practiced until today. After the wedding ceremony, the couple goes to the monastery, especially a monastery that allows families to spend the night like St. Mina’s monastery. The groom would stay in the Retreat house and the bride in the families’ house. They would pray the liturgy together, attend vespers and spend the day reading the book of Tobit. These are beautiful days to start a marital life made up of holy, blessed days full of the work of the Holy Spirit. Thus, we hand down to the future generations the deep meanings of marriage and family.

A marriage which starts like this being linked with Christ from the first day becomes a successful marriage, blessed by Christ, unlike the marriages which we see starting with inappropriate parties and ending up with problems and alienation from God so that the evil one surrounds it completely.

If we know the true meaning of marriage, 90 % of marital problems would be solved before they even occur because marriage is a union between the couple by the Holy Spirit to become one body. If the bride and groom knew that they have become one body, talk of each individual’s personal money or that the man of the house’s orders has to be followed would not exist, for they are one body and one spirit. May the Lord bless your homes and your lives?

I HAVE NEVER IMAGINED that one day I would be a writer. What a difficult task it is! No one writes a book today without saying the following day: if change this it will be good, or if I add this, it will be better.

This proves that deficiency possesses all over mankind, but the love of God allowed this research-now in your hands-as the fruit of prayers and constant encouragement I received from my fathers and brothers the servants. Para I would like to extend a special thanks to Fr. Macros who encouraged me to write the book which he kindly revised its contents as well as wrote the introduction.

Also, my thanks go to all those who helped in producing this book. May the Lord use this book for the blessing and salvation of many, through the pleadings of the blessed virgin St. Mary, the great St. George, the Archangel Raphael and the prophet Tobit, and through the prayers of H. H. Pope Shenouda III and his brother in the apostolic ministry H. G. Bishop Moussa.

In the name of the Father, the son and the holy spirit, one god amen

Dear Reader

The story of the book of Tobit is the story of every generation as it gives clear instruction of the importance of holding the law of the lord (commandments) even in the foreign land. As the righteous Joseph, Daniel, the three young youth and other saints lived. It is essential that we follow their example and do the saying of the lord “Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your father in heaven” (Matt.5: 16)

Also, the importance of prayer and charity, which are greatly rewarded by god.

We also find that it is the only book in the holy bible that fully reveals the works of Archangel Raphael, while only few events were mentioned about other archangels in various books.

It is considered nearly forgotten to the majority of people, preachers and writers as to-date there is no commentary written on the book of Tobit except some brief introductions.

We therefore ask our Lord to help us make this humble research to become a new addition to the library of the Coptic Orthodox Church. Pray that the Lord may use every work and every effort for the glory of his holy name and the salvation of many, through the prayers of Archangel Raphael and St. Tobit.

  1.   GENERAL VIEW ON THE DEUTERO - CANONECAL BOOKS

  2.   PERSONS WITH THE NAME OF TOBIT (TOBIAH)                              

  3.   The Book of Tobit

  1-   GENERAL VIEW ON THE DEUTERO - CANONECAL BOOKS

The book of Tobit is one of the Deutero Canonical Books and is listed with the historical book. The Holy bible is called the first Canonical Books.

The following books (the Deutero-canonical) are deleted from the Protestant edition. But both the Orthodox approves them and Catholic churches:

TOBIT

JUDITH

THE COMPLEMENT OF ESTHER

THE WISDOM OF SOLOMON ECCLESIASTICUS (or the wisdom of Jesus the son of Sirach)

BARUCH

THE LETTER OF JEREMIAH

THE COMPLEMENT OF DANIEL (Susanna and the Three Youth in the fire)

THE FIRST BOOK OF THE MACCABEES

THE SECOND BOOK OF THE MACCABEES

The naming of these books as “The Apocrypha” is incorrect, as it means “Hidden” relating to books, which contain legendaries, and absurdities that contradict the Christian ethics and which are not accepted as part of the books of the Holy Bible.

These books were not included in the books of the Old Testament compiled by Ezra the Pries when he put together the books of Torah in 534 B.C. because of the dispersion of the Israelites and some books were written after the death of Ezra.

THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE DEUTERO-CANONICAL BOOKS

  1-   The Council of Hippo held in 393 A.D. declared its authenticity among the other books (St. Augustine was present at this Council), also the Council of Cartagena in 397 A.D.

  2-   The father of the second and third generations like Clement of Alexandria Origen, Eronimios, Dionysius of Alixandria and Kipuianos, also the fathers of the fourth generation such as St. Basil, St. John Chrysostom and St. Gregory of Nazianzus as well as the great St. Athanasius the Apostolic, they all quoted many verses from both the first and Deutero canonical books in their writings.

  3-   These books were mentioned in the Holy Bible in the Apostles’ Teachings. El Saffy Ebn-Assal confirmed this in his book “The Laws Collection” capter2.

  4-   The traditional churches (the Coptic, Byzantine, Roman, and others) accepted these books among the first canonical books. The Catholic church declared the authenticity of these books at the Council of Trente in 1546 A.D. (and previously at the Council of Hippo where St. Augustine said the whoever rejects these books will be excommunicated as they have been read in the Greek church which consider them authentic. When the Protestants discussed this matter with the Greek church, patriarch Dositheos of Jerusalem hold a council in 1692 A.D. at which he made the following resolution: “We consider these books lawful and believe they are from the Holy Bible as we received them from the early church”. Also, the church of Antioch adhered to the viewpoint of the first church with regard to the legality of these books.

  5-   These books appeared in the Greek version of the Old Testament, which is known as the Septuagint, during the tome of Ptolemy 11 in 282 B.C. in Alexandria by 72 translators, six from each tribe, which proves that they regarded these books in the same standard as the other books. Whoever looks at the oldest Siptuagint: the three well know manuscripts written in the fourth century A.D. in Sinaitic, Alexandrian and Vaticanus, he will find these books. Also, it was found in the Coptic copy, in its different dialects, which is considered the oldest translation after the Septuagint, and in the Old Latin copy.

  6-   In John’s Gospel (10:22) the Lord Christ mentioned the feast of dedication “Now it was the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, and it was winter” This feast was not named in the Old Testament, but was referred to in the first book of the Maccabees (1MK 4:59). Judas Maccabees is the first to observe this feast after he cleansed the Sanctuary, removed the defiles of the Gentiles and dedicated its altar. This shows that the Jews received the celebration of this feast from this book.

  7-   The writers of the New Testament used quotations from these books. We give below some examples relating, in particular, to the book of Tobit:

 A.  “Give alma from you possessions. Do not turn your face away from any poor man, and the face of God will not be turned away from you. So you will be laying up a good treasure for yourself against the day of necessity. Give of your bread to the hungry, and of your clothing to the naked.” (Tob4: 7-9-16) This corresponds to Luke (14:13/14) “But when you give a feast, invite the poor, the maimed, the lame, the blind. And you will be blessed, because they cannot repay you; for you shall be repaid at the resurrection of the just.”

 B.  “Be on your guard, son, against every form of immorality” (Tob.4: 12) which corresponds to:”For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality.” (1Thes4: 3)

 C.  “And what you gate, do not do to any one.” (TOB4: 15) which corresponds to: ”Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them.” (MATH.7: 12) and “And just as you want men to do to you, you also do to them likewise.”(LUK.6: 31)

 D.  “Do not be afraid, my son, because we have become poor. You have great wealth if you fear God and refrain from every sin and do what is pleasing in his sight.” (TOB.4: 21) which corresponds to: “For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are mot worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. These examples relate only to the book of Tobit, but if you need more information regarding the other books, please refer to “The Deutero Canonical Books”. Long ago the Coptic Church used come chapters of these books among its reading of the Great Lent and Passion Week. The whole book of Tobit is read during the morning of Friday of the 6^th week. The Position of these books in the order of the Holy Bible. The books of Tobit-Judith-Esther are to be placed after the books of Ezra and Nehemiah, as this is its historical order. These three books are of the narrative type from which we come out with many spiritual benefits and useful lessons as well as important geographical and historical facts. The book of Tobit was a great comfort to the Israelites during their hard times and captivity. It reveals to the faithful soul that the Lord never forgets and if he allowed any hardships, He “In all their affliction he was afflicted, And the Angel of his Presence saved them.” (ISIAH63: 9)

  2.   PERSONS WITH THE NAME OF TOBIT (TOBIAH)

Some say that Tobit is a Hebrew word consisting of two syllables, which means (God is Kind). It was mentioned in the Holy Bible as a name for more than one person:

  1.   A Levite who was sent with others, by Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, “throughout the cities of Judah and taught the people the Book of the Law of the Lord.” (2CHR. 17:8)

  2.   An Ammonite servant who was against the restoration of the walls of Jerusalem (NEH. 2:10&4:3-7). It was also said that Tobiah the Ammonite was the head of his people, and he allied with the Jews who were against Nehemiah, he stayed for some time in the rooms of the sanctuary. But, when Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem, he expelled him. It is told that his palace and his grave were discovered at (Arak El Amir) East of Jordan.

  3.   Another Jewish captive, from whom and others God ordered Zecharia the Prophet to take the silver and gold, make an elaborate crown and set it on the head of Joshua the son of Jehozadak, the high priest. (ZECH. 6:11).

Chapter Two

  1.   DEFINTION AND INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF TOBIT

  2.   OBJECTIONS AND ANSWERS

  3.   THE BOOK OF TOBIT
1. DEFINTION AND INTRODUCTION TO THE BOOK OF TOBIT

Some of the researchers see that the writer of this book is Tobit the elder and his son Tobit. In the discovered Aramaic script, it was found that the name of Tobit, also (Tobi), is a Shemitic word which means good, as indicated in the verse (TOB.12: 20) “. And Angel Raphael talked to them, Praise God and speak out of his wonderful works”. This text is according to the Creek translation, with the addition of his saying “Write in a book everything that has happened.”

TIME AND LANGUAGE OF THE BOOK

The time and language is an internal proof of the book of Tobit. We notice that Tobit was a captive in Nineweh in the days of Shalmaneser, King of Assyria. The book tells the history of Tobit and his son who lived until after the destruction of Nineveh in about 624 B.C., i.e. the book was written in the 7^th century B.C. in the Aramaic Language, and was kept with the captives. Consequently, it was not among the book collected by Ezra in Jerusalem.

THEME AND SPIRITUAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE BOOK

The book describes the life of Tobit and his son who were from the tribe of Naphtali. They were taken into the second captivity of the ten tribes in the days of Shalmaneser, King of Assyria that occurred about 722 B.C. (refer 2KG 17:1-6). The first captivity was in the days of his predecessor Tiglath- Pileser about 740 B.C.

FIRSTLY: TOBIT’S VIRTUES AND RICHTEOUSNESS

  1.   Piety in his youth before captivity

 A.  In his youth, he knew God (TOB 1:4)

 B.  He did not go after the golden bull, which Jeroboam made in Israel. (TOB.1: 5)

 C.  He used to pay the tithes and first lings (TOB.1: 6)

 D.  When he became a man, he married Anna, a woman from his tribe and by her he became the father of Tobias. (TOB.1: 9)

  2.   When he was carried away captive, with his wife and son to Nineveh in the days of Shalmaneser (TOB.1: 11):

 A.  He kept himself from eating the food of the Gentiles. (TOB.1: 12)

 B.  He shared his daily earning with his captive fellow countrymen.

 C.  He remembered God with all his heart. (TOB.1: 13)

  3.   God gave him favor in the sight of Shalmaneser and allowed him to go wherever and do whatever he wanted (TOB.1: 13-14)

 A.  He used to travel and preach his brethren in captivity and hive them advice (TOB.1: 15). Once at Rages in Media, he left ten talents of silver in trust with Gabael.

  4.   When Shalmaneser died, Sennacherib his son reigned in his place and he persecuted the Jews. (TOB.1: 18). Tobit used to help his tribesmen, he would give bread to the hungry, clothing to the naked, and bury the dead. When Sennacerib heard of what Tobit did, he sentenced him to death and confiscated his properties. Tobit hid himself until Sennacherib was killed by two of his sons. After 45 days Tobit returned home and his properties restored to him. (TOB.1: 22-25)

  5.   His continuity to perform acts of charity despite the dangers after the death of Sennacherib and Esarhaddon succeeded him.

 A.  He used to celebrate the feasts of the Lord by preparing good dinner and invite those who are mindful of the Lord. (TOB.2: 1-3)

 B.  He continued to bury the dead; he hid the bodies at his home until sunset, then he dug a grave and buried them. (TOB.2: 3-9)

 C.  He was not afraid of the king because his fear of God was greater. (TOB.2: 9)

  6.   His continual life of thanksgiving: Despite his righteousness, God allowed that his faith and patience be tested as in the case of Job the Upright. One day, after burying the dead, he was tire and when he returned home he slept by the wall of the courtyard. There were sparrows on the wall and their fresh droppings fell into his open eyes and he was deprived of eyesight. He was mocked by his relatives who said to him, “Where is tour hope for which you giving alms and burying the dead.” Tobit rebuked them saying, “Do not talk like that, as we the sons of the holies look forward to the life which God grant to those who do not turn their faith from him.”

What Job experiences, the same happened to Tobit. Not his kinsmen reproached him but his wife too. She worded for hire at weaving cloth. One day the owners paid her and also gave her a young goat. Tobit thought it was stolen and told her to give it back to its owners. She became angry and retorted: “Where are your charitable deeds and virtuous acts? See! Your true character is finally showing itself!” In his grief he prayed in anguish saying, “Deal with me according to your pleasure and command my spirit to be taken up, for it is better for me to die than to live” (TOB. 3:6) Compare this supplication to Elijah’s when he escaped from Jezebel (1KINGS 19:4)

CONTEMPLATION

When sufferings become hard and human souls become weak, it is better for man to seek God, stick to him, disclose all his feelings and ask all his needs even if they are not according to God’s will. As God knows the weakness of our nature, He encourages, strengthens and comforts our weak souls and answers our prayers. The Lord gently and kindly handled Elijah when he prayed he might die. He sent his angle that strengthened him and gave him food to eat and drink and he went in the strength of that food forty days and forty nights as far as Horeb, the mountain of God