Unless otherwise noted, all citations are taken from the New Revised Standard Version (NRSV).
Authorship
An anonymous author wrote Tobit. He could’ve been writing in Palestine, because Qumran contains five copies of the book.[1] Though, because the book focuses on Jewish life in the Exile and a lack of interest in the land of Israel, deSilva leaves open the possibility that the book was written outside of Palestine.[2]
Date
Dating of this book is very difficult. The earliest date proposed by scholars is the third century BC.[3] The latest date must be ~100 BC, because it was discovered among the Qumran manuscripts. Because Tobit doesn’t mention anything about the Maccabean Revolt or Hellenization by the Greeks, deSilva argues that “the book was written sometime between 250 and 175 B.C.E.”[4] Bruce Metzger concurs, dating the book anywhere between 190-170 BC.[5]
Historical inaccuracies
Bruce Metzger writes, “The story is entirely unhistorical.”[6] He continues, “The book of Tobit reflects… the admixture of many speculations derived from folklore and magic (for example, the view that a demon can be exorcized by means of a disagreeable odor).”[7]
DeSilva calls Tobit “a delightful story.”[8]
Tobit is called “a young man” (Tob. 1:4) when the northern tribes split from the kingdom (922 BC), but he is still alive during the deportation (740-731 BC).[9] This would mean that he was alive for at least 182 years! Yet Tobit 14:2, states, “Tobit died in peace when he was one hundred twelve years old.”
DeSilva adds further historical difficulties for the work. He writes, “Sargon II, not Shalmaneser, was the father of Sennacherib; Rages and Ecbatana are 180 miles apart, not a two-day journey; Tobias and Raphael would not have sat on the banks of the Tigris on their journey from Nineveh to Ecbatana, unless they got lost (the Tigris is west of Nineveh, not east).”[10]
Manuscripts
Tobit exists in two Greek editions (or “recensions”). DeSilva writes, “Codices Vaticanus and Alexandrinus (B and A) preserve the shorter edition, while Codex Sinaiticus (K) preserves the longer version.”[11] The longer recension (found in the NRSV) is thought to be earlier. The shorter recension (found in the RSV) is thought to be later.[12]
Use by the early church fathers
DeSilva notes that various church fathers cite Tobit in their writings.[13]
- Polycarp quotes Tobit 4:10 (To the Philippians2).
- The Shepherd of Hermas may quote from Tobit’s teaching about laying up alms for the future—though he could also be quoting from the gospel of Luke (Similitude 1).
- Clement of Alexandria quotes Tobit 4:16 as “the scripture” (Stromata 2.23.139; see also the references at 1.21.123 and 6.12.102).
DeSilva explains the acceptance of this book in the church fathers: “In the West, the book tended to be regarded as canonical, with Augustine’s judgment being preferred over Jerome’s… Of all the Apocrypha except Ben Sira, however, Tobit has enjoyed the most positive assessment and use even in Protestant circles. Luther commended it in the preface to Tobit in his German Bible as an edifying story profitable for Christians to read… The Anglican and United Methodist Churches include Tob. 8:5-8 as a possible Old Testament reading for marriage services. The story was woven into a collect (prayer) in the marriage service of the 1549 Book of Common Prayer and is promoted as the basis for a marriage service homily in the Old Order Amish Minister’s Manual.”[14]
We reject the canonicity of this book both on theological and historical grounds (see The OT Canon).
Important content in this book
(Chapter 1) The book takes place in the “days of King Shalmaneser” (v.2). He was in exile in Ninevah in Assyria (v.3). He remembers seeing Jerusalem and the Temple when he was young (v.4). They were exiled because of idolatry (v.5). Tobit wouldn’t worship idols; he would worship Yahweh (v.6). He tithed to the Temple priests, and gave an additional tithe to the poor in Jerusalem (v.7). He have a third tithe to the orphans, widows, and converts (v.7). He married and had a son named Tobias (v.9). He refused to eat Gentile food (v.11). Like Daniel, God gave him influence with Shalmaneser—the king (vv.12-13). After Shalmaneser died, he was replaced by his son, Sennacherib (v.15). Tobit would bury dead Jewish people (v.17). He would bury the men Sennacherib had killed (v.18). Sennacherib put a death sentence on Tobit for doing this, so he fled (v.19). Sennacherib confiscated all of his property (v.20). But Sennacherib’s sons killed him (v.21). Ahikar (Tobit’s nephew) was the king’s cupbearer, and Ahikar spoke for Tobit to be brought back into the country.
(Chapter 2) The story moves to during the reign of Esar-haddon (v.1). Tobit tells his son to invite people to a feast. Tobias tells Tobit of a murdered man, and Tobit grabs the body to bury it. Tobit’s neighbors mock him for burying the body. After all, he just got exiled for doing this. As he is burying the body, birds defecate in his eyes, and blind him. Tobit is 62 years old when this happens (14:2). Ahikar and his wife supported him for two years. Tobit refuses to eat a stolen goat.
(Chapter 3) Tobit wants God to take his life, because he’s so miserable. Another character, Sarah, had seven husbands die by demons before they could sleep with her. Sarah considers suicide by hanging, but decides against it, because it would give her father shame. Instead, she prays that God would take her life.
As a consequence of her prayer, Raphael (an angel) heals Tobit of blindness. Sarah marries Tobias (Tobit’s son). The rest of the book recounts this story of how Tobit gets healed and Sarah and Tobias become married.
(Chapter 4) Tobit tells his son to bury him and his mother after he dies. Tobit tells Tobias to give alms to the poor. He tells Tobias to marry a Jewish woman. He tells him to live righteously.
Tobit tells Tobias that he left him ten talents of silver as his inheritance in Media.
4:11 becomes the basis for almsgiving replacing the temple sacrifices.
4:15 is the opposite of the Golden Rule. DeSilva writes, “Tobit also includes the negative version of the Golden Rule (Tob. 4:15; cf. Matt. 7:12; Luke 6:3 1). This precept is quite common in the moral teaching of the ancient world, being found also in Hillel (b. Shabbat 31 a), the Targumim (Targum Pseudo Jonathan Lev. 19:18), Confucius (Analects 12.2), Epictetus (Fragmenta 38), and, in its positive form, in Diogenes Laertius (Lives of the Philosophers 5.21, attributed to Aristotle)… This negative version appears again in Didache 1.2, probably as a rephrasing phrasing of Jesus’ saying in the negative rather than a sign of direct dependence on Tob. 4:15. That a Jesus saying would be thus modified at the close of the first century (and also in the scribal addition to Acts 15:29 found in late-second-century fathers and some later manuscripts) shows the persistence of the negative formulation.”[15]
(Chapter 5) Tobias promises to live righteously. He wonders how he can get this inheritance in Media. Tobias looks for a guide to get to Media, and Raphael (the angel) meets him. Tobias doesn’t realize he’s an angel. Tobit interviews Raphael (not knowing he’s an angel). Raphael lies and says that he is Azariah, so of Hananiah. Tobit promises to pay him well for guiding his son to Media. Tobit’s wife is angry that he sent Tobias to Media, because it is a dangerous travel. She’s angry that he’s only travelling for money.
(Chapter 6) On their journey, a fish tries to swallow Tobias’ foot. Raphael (called Azariah) tells him to grab the fish. He says, “Cut open the fish and take out its gall, heart, and liver. Keep them with you, but throw away the intestines. For its gall, heart, and liver are useful as medicine” (6:5). When Tobias asks what the medicinal value is, Raphael answers, “As for the fish’s heart and liver, you must burn them to make a smoke in the presence of a man or woman afflicted by a demon or evil spirit, and every affliction will flee away and never remain with that person any longer. 9 And as for the gall, anoint a person’s eyes where white films have appeared on them; blow upon them, upon the white films, and the eyes will be healed” (6:8-9).
Raphael fixes up Tobias with Sarah. Tobias is worried that the husband-killing-demon will also kill him on his wedding night (v.15). Raphael also tells him, “When you enter the bridal chamber, take some of the fish’s liver and heart, and put them on the embers of the incense. An odor will be given off; the demon will smell it and flee, and will never be seen near her any more” (6:17-18).
(Chapter 7) Raguel and Edna welcome Tobias. Raguel gives his daughter, Sarah, in marriage to Tobias.
(Chapter 8) On his wedding night, we read, “[Tobias] took the fish’s liver and heart out of the bag where he had them and put them on the embers of the incense. The odor of the fish so repelled the demon that he fled to the remotest parts of Egypt” (8:2-3).
Raguel fears that Tobias might have been killed by the husband-killing-demon. But Tobias survives the night because of the fish liver concoction.
(Chapter 9) Raguel encourages Tobit to stay for a couple weeks before going home.
(Chapter 10) Back at home, Tobit starts to worry that his son died. Tobias collects the money. Raguel blesses their marriage and sends them back to Tobit.
(Chapter 11) Raphael tells Tobias that the fish gall will heal Tobit’s blindness: “I know that his eyes will be opened. 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” (11:7-8).
Tobit gets healed, and he rejoices over the successful trip.
(Chapter 12) Tobit and Tobias agree to give Raphael half of the money as a reward.
“Prayer with fasting is good, but better than both is almsgiving with righteousness. A little with righteousness is better than wealth with wrongdoing. It is better to give alms than to lay up gold” (12:8).
“For almsgiving saves from death and purges away every sin. Those who give alms will enjoy a full life, but those who commit sin and do wrong are their own worst enemies” (12:9-10).
Raphael reveals to Tobit and Tobias that he is an angel sent because they prayed to him. The two men are scared, but then praise God after Raphael ascends.
(Chapter 13) Tobit praises God in prayer, and he trusts that the nation will be regathered in the land.
(Chapter 14) Tobit died at 112 years old. He trusted that the prophets accurately predicted the regathering of Israel. Tobias buried his father and mother. Tobias died at 117 years old. He lived to see the destruction of Ninevah.
[1] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 68.
[2] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 68-69.
[3] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 69.
[4] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 69.
[5] Bruce M. Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha (New York: Oxford University Press, 1977), 31.
[6] Bruce M. Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha (New York: Oxford University Press, 1977), 37.
[7] Bruce M. Metzger, An Introduction to the Apocrypha (New York: Oxford University Press, 1977), 38.
[8] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 63.
[9] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 69.
[10] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 69.
[11] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 67.
[12] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 67.
[13] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 84.
[14] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 84.
[15] David A. deSilva, Introducing the Apocrypha (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 83.