NOTES for Sir 35:1-12

The call of the wise man "not to corrupt with gifts" can seem strange, if only we do not consider the fact that all sacrifices of the Torah were strictly regulated, from the point of view of the quantity (a defined quantity of sacrificial animals during defined feasts), as from the point of view of the quality (the sacrificial animal had to be of a defined age, it must not be maimed, etc.). In which cases could violate these requirements the one who brings the sacrifice? Obviously, only when he could count on the indulgence from God Who receives his sacrifice. Such calculation may seem strange, but, on the other hand, humanely it is very clear. Every believer at least once in their life experienced a peculiar temptation of a certain crony relationship to God and to His requirements, when it seems that for God you are His, and He, if you ask Him "friendly", will not of course refuse you a little relief measure. The wise man warns against such a relationship to God.

He knows that God has no favorites, that His chosen ones are not for Him favorites, to whom He forgives everything and allows everything, but responsible servants, thus the more their responsibility is high, the more will be given to them. And the probleme here is not that God is merciless and does not want to condescend in our weaknesses and sins. Be it so, none of us would have any chance for salvation. The probleme is that indulgence without correction would mean in this case pandering these weaknesses and sins, which make our salvation impossible. God is ready to accept us such as we are. But here is, He is not ready to accept our sins, not because they are nasty to Him, but because with them we cannot enter His Kingdom, where He wants to lead us. That is why He will not allow us to be His favorites. By love for us and from the desire for our salvation.

The sage's call not to "reduce the gifts" may seem strange, unless one takes into account that all sacrifices were strictly regulated by the Torah, both in quantity, with a fixed number of sacrificial animals for particular feasts, and in quality, since the sacrificial animal had to be of a precisely defined age, could not be maimed, and so on.

In what cases could the one bringing the sacrifice violate these requirements? Obviously, only when he expected some leniency from God, who received his sacrifice.

Such calculation may seem strange, but on the other hand, in human terms it is very understandable. Every believer at least once in life has experienced a peculiar temptation toward an overly familiar attitude toward God and His requirements, when it seems that you are one of God's own, and if you ask Him "as a friend," He will surely not refuse you a small concession.

The sage warns against just such an attitude toward God. He knows that God has no favorites, and that His chosen ones are not favorites to whom He forgives and permits everything, but responsible servants whose responsibility is greater the more they have been given. The point is not that God is merciless and does not want to condescend to our weaknesses and sins. If that were so, none of us would have any chance of salvation at all.

The point is that condescension without correction would in this case mean indulging the very weaknesses and sins that make our salvation impossible. God is ready to accept us as we are. But He is not ready to accept our sins, not because they disgust Him, but because with them we will not be able to enter His Kingdom, where He wants to bring us. Therefore He will not allow us to become His favorites. This, too, comes from His love for us and His desire for our salvation.