Sermon Notes 20231112 Tobit 11:1-18

Tobit 11:1 NABRE

As they drew near to Kaserin, which is opposite Nineveh, Raphael said: “You know how we left your father.

  Homeward Journey

11 When they came near to Kaserin, which is opposite Nineveh, Raphael said, 2 “You are aware of how we left your father. 3 Let us run ahead of your wife and prepare the house while they are still on the way.” 4 As they went on together Raphaela said to him, “Have the gall ready.” And the dogb went along behind them.

5 Meanwhile Anna sat looking intently down the road by which her son would come. 6 When she caught sight of him coming, she said to his father, “Look, your son is coming, and the man who went with him!”

Tobit’s Sight Restored

(Cp Acts 9.18)

7 Raphael said to Tobias, before he had approached his father, “I know that his eyes will be opened. 8 Smear the gall of the fish on his eyes; the medicine will make the white films shrink and peel off from his eyes, and your father will regain his sight and see the light.”

9 Then Anna ran up to her son and threw her arms around him, saying, “Now that I have seen you, my child, I am ready to die.” And she wept. 10 Then Tobit got up and came stumbling out through the courtyard door. Tobias went up to him, 11 with the gall of the fish in his hand, and holding him firmly, he blew into his eyes, saying, “Take courage, father.” With this he applied the medicine on his eyes, 12 and it made them smart.c 13 Next, with both his hands he peeled off the white films from the corners of his eyes. Then Tobitd saw his son ande threw his arms around him, 14 and he wept and said to him, “I see you, my son, the light of my eyes!” Then he said,

“Blessed be God,

and blessed be his great name,

and blessed be all his holy angels.

May his holy name be blessedf

throughout all the ages.

15 Though he afflicted me,

he has had mercy upon me.g

Now I see my son Tobias!”

So Tobit went in rejoicing and praising God at the top of his voice. Tobias reported to his father that his journey had been successful, that he had brought the money, that he had married Raguel’s daughter Sarah, and that she was, indeed, on her way there, very near to the gate of Nineveh.

16 Then Tobit, rejoicing and praising God, went out to meet his daughter-in-law at the gate of Nineveh. When the people of Nineveh saw him coming, walking along in full vigor and with no one leading him, they were amazed. 17 Before them all, Tobit acknowledged that God had been merciful to him and had restored his sight. When Tobit met Sarah the wife of his son Tobias, he blessed her saying, “Come in, my daughter, and welcome. Blessed be your God who has brought you to us, my daughter. Blessed be your father and your mother, blessed be my son Tobias, and blessed be you, my daughter. Come in now to your home, and welcome, with blessing and joy. Come in, my daughter.” So on that day there was rejoicing among all the Jews who were in Nineveh. 18 Ahikar and his nephew Nadab were also present to share Tobit’s joy. With merriment they celebrated Tobias’s wedding feast for seven days, and many gifts were given to him.h

a a Gk he

b b Codex Sinaiticus reads And the Lord

c c Lat: Meaning of Gk uncertain

d d Gk he

e e Other ancient authorities lack saw his son and

f f Codex Sinaiticus reads May his great name be upon us and blessed be all the angels

g g Lat: Gk lacks this line

h h Other ancient authorities lack parts of this sentence

1 The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version, Catholic Edition (Washington, DC: National Council of Churches of Christ, 1993), Tob 11:1–12:1.

Revelation From God

Author

The author of Tobit is Tobit and his son Tobiah, whom pick up after Tobit’s death.

Date

The book had to been written around 721 BC, because Tobit is in living in Nineveh after the Israelite are deport there around 722-721 BC.

History

Tobit, a devout and wealthy Israelite living among the captives deported to Nineveh from the Northern Kingdom of Israel in 722/721 B.C., suffers severe reverses and is finally blinded.1

1 New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Tob.

Tobit is a book within the deuterocanonical literature (sometimes also called the Apocrypha). As such, it is deemed canonical by Roman Catholics, but generally not by Protestants. The discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls (DSS), however, has proved to be a watershed for our understanding of Tobit. Fragments of Tobit have been found among the DSS in both Aramaic and Hebrew, proving that it was written in Aramaic, not Greek. As a result, the philological criterion (that it should not be deemed canonical because it was not written in a semitic language) originally used to justify Tobit’s proscription rests on shoddy footing. Although not canonical for large segments of Christianity, the book of Tobit will prove salutary for anyone interested in studying Scripture. Many Christians, including early pillars of the faith (e.g., Origen, Clement), have read it as “Scripture.” Tobit also contributes to an understanding of the biblical world. It is unique as the only text that envisions the Assyrian exile and deportation as its hypothetical historical referent. Tobit provides a more extended picture of quotidian Jewish family life than any other biblical book. Finally, the book of Tobit is a serious piece of narrative theology. Although enshrined in a folktale, it strives to say something profound in conversation with contemporaneous theological formulations. It intentionally engages Deuteronomy, Job, and Sirach as conversation partners.

Tobit is among the Apocrypha books in which the Catholic church makes canonical at The Counsel of Trent, December 13, 1545-December 4th, 1563.

Theology

This is an allegorical retelling to Tobit’s life and his son (Tobiah) trip o Media, along with the Arch Angel Raphael. We are given a deep hunger for faith and walking in the ways of righteousness by Tobit and Tobiah. That when we do YHWH will protect and guide us!!!!

Structure

The inspired author of the book used the literary form of religious novel (as in Esther and Judith) for the purpose of instruction and edification. The seemingly historical data, names of kings, cities, etc., are used as vivid details not only to create interest and charm, but also to illustrate the negative side of the theory of retribution: the wicked are indeed punished.

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.1

1 New American Bible, Revised Edition. (Washington, DC: The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, 2011), Tob.

Chapter (11) Whose sum is (2), (1) YHWH the Father, YHWH Ab, Gen 1:1, Rev 22:13, plus (1) YHWH the Father, YHWH Ab, Ex 3:14-17, Ex 20:1-11, which equals (2) YHWH the Son, Christ Jesus, Yeshua, Gen 1:3, Rev 22:1-5!!!! It has (1) Pericope (Theological Idea), YHWH the Father, YHWH Ab, Zec 14:9, John 17:20-26, Eph 3:14-21, Rev 1:8, Rev 22:13 !!!! There are (18) verses whose sum is (9) {(3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach Gen1:2. Rev 22:17, times (3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach, Joh 14:15-31, Joh 16:4-15}. (18) is the product of (2) YHWH the Son, YHWH Bane, Christ Jesus, YHWH Yeshua, Enoch 48:5–6, Enoch 48:10, Enoch 99:10, Isa 9:6-7, Isa 53:5, times (9) {(3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach Gen1:2. Rev 22:17, times (3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach, Joh 14:15-31, Joh 16:4-15}!!!!

Purpose 

The purpose of Tobit is to teach all to walk is faith, Enoch 99:10, Eph 2:8-9, Gal 2:15-21, Gal 3:1-29, Gal 5:1-26, Heb 11:1-40, Jas 2:14-26!!!!

The purpose of Chapter (11) is to teach all, to take courage, have faith, Enoch 99:10, Eph 2:8-9, Gal 2:15-21, Gal 3:1-29, Gal 5:1-26, Heb 11:1-40, Jas 2:14-26, when you Walk in the ways of YHWH Deut 8:6, Deut 10:12, Deut 30:1-20, Rom 8:1-17, which is THEOPHILUS, GOD'S LOVE, Deut 10:18-19, Deut 11:1-32, Deut 13:3, 1 Sa 18:1-5, 2 Sam 9:1-13, YHWH will bless you with miracle blessings, Gen 12:2, 2 Ki 4:1-44, Enoch 94:1–5, Psa 115:12, Luke 14:14, Jas 1:25, that will be provide for you and for all those in need, Deut 1:11, Deut 15:11, 2 Cor 8:14-15 !!!!

Exegesis / Hermeneutical

Receive the Blessings of YHWH, Tobit 11:1-18 :

Pericope, (1), YHWH the Father, YHWH Ab, John 17:20-26, Eph 3:14-21, Rev 1:8, Rev 22:13 !!!! It has (6) {(2) YHWH the Son, Christ Jesus, Yeshua Gen 1:3, Rev 22:1-5, times (3) YHWH, the Holy Spirit, Ruach Gen 1:2, Rev 22:17, which is Man, the (6th day), YHWH the Church, Qahal, Ecclesia, Gen 1:27-31}!!!!

Tobit 11:1-18 : YHWH will bless you with miracle blessings, Gen 12:2, 2 Ki 4:1-44, Enoch 94:1–5, Psa 115:12, Luke 14:14, Jas 1:25, that will be provide for you and for all those in need, Deut 1:11, Deut 15:11, 2 Cor 8:14-15 !!!!

Conclusion

Chapter (11) teaches all to take courage, have faith, Enoch 99:10, Eph 2:8-9, Gal 2:15-21, Gal 3:1-29, Gal 5:1-26, Heb 11:1-40, Jas 2:14-26, when you Walk in the ways of YHWH Deut 8:6, Deut 10:12, Deut 30:1-20, Rom 8:1-17, which is THEOPHILUS, GOD'S LOVE, Deut 10:18-19, Deut 11:1-32, Deut 13:3, 1 Sa 18:1-5, 2 Sam 9:1-13, YHWH will bless you with miracle blessings, Gen 12:2, 2 Ki 4:1-44, Enoch 94:1–5, Psa 115:12, Luke 14:14, Jas 1:25, that will be provide for you and for all those in need, Deut 1:11, Deut 15:11, 2 Cor 8:14-15 !!!!

Bible Study Question

Are You Receiving the Blessings of YHWH?

Take courage, have faith, Enoch 99:10, Eph 2:8-9, Gal 2:15-21, Gal 3:1-29, Gal 5:1-26, Heb 11:1-40, Jas 2:14-26, when you Walk in the ways of YHWH Deut 8:6, Deut 10:12, Deut 30:1-20, Rom 8:1-17, which is THEOPHILUS, GOD'S LOVE, Deut 10:18-19, Deut 11:1-32, Deut 13:3, 1 Sa 18:1-5, 2 Sam 9:1-13, YHWH will bless you with miracle blessings, Gen 12:2, 2 Ki 4:1-44, Enoch 94:1–5, Psa 115:12, Luke 14:14, Jas 1:25, that will be provide for you and for all those in need, Deut 1:11, Deut 15:11, 2 Cor 8:14-15 !!!!