Böcker av Patrick Henry Reardon

Although it is found in every major extant Christian manuscript ofthe Old Testament, the later exclusion of the Wisdom of Sirach (also known as Ecclesiasticus) from the Protestant canon has made it one of the little-known gems of Holy Scripture. Composed in Hebrew and translated into Greek in the second century before Christ, it is among the last books of the Old Testament. Sirach represents the more primitive and conservative aspect of Israel's Wisdom tradition-the practical application of the fear of God to daily life-but he enhances that tradition by a singular attention to biography and historical literature in the shaping of the soul. In short, Wise Lives.Sirach's social context-the struggle to preserve the Jewish religion and culture against the corrosive influence of Hellenic paganism-will resonate with Christians living in the secular world today. In this commentary, Fr. Patrick Reardon illustrates for contemporary readers the riches of this often-neglected jewel of the Bible.

The Old Testament Books of Chronicles contain some of the most neglected passages in all of Scripture. Understanding their message can be a difficult and daunting task for the modern reader. Patrick Reardon brings these important books to life, unfolding their powerful message for our own day. Like any family history, the story of Chronicles is told with a distinct purpose in mind. It asks the question: "What was the real and lasting significance of King David and his house?" Beginning with the long list of names of the first chapter, this heritage is revealed in cosmic significance. It has in fact become the family tree of every true believer.One volume in the Orthodox Christian Reflections series, which also includes:Creation and the Patriarchal Histories: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of GenesisThe Trial of Job: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of JobWise Lives: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Wisdom of Sirach

Subtitle: Orthodox Christian Reflections on the Book of GenesisThe Book of Genesis is foundational reading for the Christian, concerned as it is with the origins of our race and the beginnings of salvation history. Its opening pages provide the theological suppositions of the entire biblical story: Creation, especially that of man in God's image, the structure of time, man's relationship to God, the entrance of sin into the world, and God's selection of a specific line of revelation that will give structure to history. Early Christian writers such as St. Paul saw no dichotomy between the writings of the Law, of which Genesis is the beginning, and the Gospel. Rather, the Gospel is the key to understanding the Law. In "Creation and the Patriarchal Histories," Fr. Reardon shows clearly how the proper understanding of Creation and the Fall informs all of Christian doctrine, and how the narratives of the patriarchs from Noah to Joseph pave the way for the salvation history that continues in Exodus.