Sirach 38:1-14 ~ that He might be glorified in His marvelous works

Sirach 38:1-14

Canadian Anglican Daily Lectionary

New Revised Standard Version

38 Honor physicians for their services,

    for the Lord created them,

2 for their gift of healing comes from the Most High,

    and they are rewarded by the king.

3 The skill of physicians makes them distinguished,

    and in the presence of the great they are admired.

4 The Lord created medicines out of the earth,

    and the sensible will not despise them.

5 Was not water made sweet with a tree

    in order that its power might be known?*

6 And He gave skill to human beings

    that He might be glorified in His marvelous works.

7 By them the physician heals and takes away pain;

8     the pharmacist makes a mixture from them.

God’s works will never be finished,

    and from Him health spreads over all the earth.

9 My child, when you are ill, do not delay,

    but pray to the Lord, and He will heal you.

10 Give up your faults and direct your hands rightly,

    and cleanse your heart from all sin.

11 Offer a sweet-smelling sacrifice and a memorial portion of choice flour,

    and pour oil on your offering, as much as you can afford.

12 Then give physicians their place, for the Lord created them;

    do not let them leave you, for you need them.

13 There may come a time when recovery lies in the hands of physicians,

14     for they, too, pray to the Lord

that He grant them success in diagnosis

    and in healing, for the sake of preserving life.

Joshua Ben Sirach, or, according to the Greek text "Jesus the son of Sirach of Jerusalem", was a Judahite scribe from Jerusalem, wrote in Hebrew, and authored the work in Alexandria, Egypt c. 180–175 BC, he is thought to have established a school. Ben Sirach is unique among all Old Testament and Apocryphal writers in that he signed his work.

Nineteenth-century artistic rendering of the Library of Alexandria by the German artist O. Von Corven, based partially on the archaeological evidence available at that time[ The Great Library of Alexandria in Alexandria, Egypt, was one of the largest and most significant libraries of the ancient world.  400,000 Books from the Third Century

until Julius Caesar in 48 BC.

Hosea 11 1

Out of Egypt, I called my son.

Pharaohs' bodies show brain surgeries, foot surgeries

and King Tut had many orthopedic items to help

with his hip and foot deformities. 

Jesus was in Egypt for the early years of His life.

The Greek translation was accepted in the Septuagint. Sirach is accepted as part of the canon by Catholics, Eastern Orthodox, and most Oriental Orthodox Christians. The Anglican tradition and The Lutheran Churches take a similar position. It was cited in some writings in early Christianity. The Babylonian Talmud occasionally cites Ben-Sira (Sanhedrin 100b; Hagigah 13a, Baba Bathra 98b) Portions of Sirach were found in Dead Sea  area excavations. Two such discoveries were among the Qumran scrolls, both fragmentary parchment scrolls from the Early Roman (Herodian) period (40 BCE – 70 CE): 2Q18 (2QSir) containing Sir 6:14–15, 20–31and 11Q5 (11QPsa)

  “For it is the dawn that has come, as it has come for a thousand centuries, never failing.”

― Alan Paton, Cry, the Beloved Country

*Is there a tree that makes water sweet? 

One tree being used to purify water today is Moringa oleifera. 

This tree has been used successfully to cleanse turbid waters

from the River Nile and other areas.Sept, 2018

 

When people try to connect to Jesus, they open the Bible and see a man in a robe, dusty feet, doing miracles unknown today. And immediately wonder how to feel warm about miracles and miracles seen by people 2,000 years ago. They don't know of the Vatican Libraries telling about the Beloved Disciple, John, living in the 2nd Century, in old age.

John had someone who studied John's life

Polycarp probably died about 140 A.D. Polycarp had a role to authenticating orthodox teachings through his connection with the Apostle John: "A high value was attached to the witness Polycarp could give as to the genuine tradition of old apostolic doctrine." Polycarp was a disciple of the beloved disciple John on Patmos. 

Through Polycarp we know John gave his approval of the other 3 Gospels and knew of them. Peter himself wrote he had read all of Paul's writings in the Holy Spirit.

The Harris fragments tell of this connection, claiming John was engaged in a battle with the Jews over Religious Law and the Divinity of Jesus, Gnostics. And this was linking John and the Martyrdom of Polycarp. The text of the Harris Fragments on Polycarp and John raises discussions on martyrdom and apostolizing, the earliest history of the important Christian communities. 

 We have not only Bishop Papias. Bishop Papias traveled to Judea in the early, early 2nd century to interview all the presbyters who had seen Jesus heal or had family healed.  And in the generation after Polycarp, then Irenaeus' letter below. He was the Bishop of Lugdunum in Gaul. The three bishops form a historical chain. Witnessing to John's old age and vibrant struggle.

A Greek Letter of Polycarp

They don't know about Jerome, collecting all the works of the Bible and putting them into Latin to be understood around the trading worldwide community. It has been assumed too long the disciples couldn't read, when the house of Peter and his grave, are filled with graffiti exactly similar from the 1st to 4th centuries. Or the graveyard of all foreigners in Rome, 1st to 3rd Century under the Vatican.

Why isn't it important to know Sirach discussing miracles and medicine? It's a good lead in to the Glorious Physician, Luke.

Luke 1, 2, 3 Papyrus 75

Vatican Library,

earliest year attributed to 175 AD

 Inasmuch as many have undertaken to compile a narrative of the things that have been accomplished among us, 2 just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word have delivered them to us, 3 it seemed good to me also, having followed all things closely for some time past, to write an orderly account for you, most excellent Theophilus, 4 that you may have certainty concerning the things you have been taught.

5 In the days of Herod, king of Judea, there was a priest named Zechariah

Would a Greek known of Herod? Arsinoe IV, half sister to Cleopatra, Mark Antony killed Arsinoe in the temple of Diana, The Book of Acts 19 placement. The lineage places Ptolemy, their father, being related to Greeks and the Herodian line and Alexander the Great. Roman generals traveled to Jerusalem to glimpse the Temple of the One God. And one wanted only to enter the Holy of Holies, turning away, when struck by a feeling of Holiness never experienced before. 

Theophilus is a Greek name and places us, quickly, out of Judah. Luke 3 takes us to an entirely different family tree from Matthew 1. Luke, as a Physician, would be more interested in Mary, Mother of Jesus, and might have known her personally. This ties into the Talmud from the time of Jesus, found in Scotland, explaining Mary's genealogy going back to King David as well as the genealogy of Joseph. 

So quickly, the Gospels travel from the Roman Empire History to writing Greeks about Jesus. The time frame jumps incredibly, in an era, when traveling was leading to thieves and shipwrecks. The Gospels point out immediately The Light of the World, Light of mankind, moved with incredible speed. 

Abba, Father 

To Him 

Who loves us and has freed us from our sins by His Blood

And made us a kingdom, priests to His God and Father,
to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Behold, He is coming with the clouds, 

and every eye will see Him, 

even those who pierced Him, 

and 

all tribes of the earth will wail on account of Him. 

Even so. Amen.

Revelation 1

We thank You, Father, for hearing our prayers.

 Increase the Love showing the Holy Spirit 

and 

help us with the political upheaval and storms. 

We ask Your mercy on the people You have given us. 

Prayers for the Peace of Israel

and less sensationalism headlining from the news.

A Lasting and Sincere Peace

for the Children of Israel.

Thanksgiving, 

For Your Love and care for the people we love. 

We lift up our concerns to You, knowing Your Love.

Amen in Jesus Christ.

♔ Lord Jesus Saves †

Thank You Lord Jesus