Book Of Baruch

The Book of Baruch is a Deuterocanonical book, found in the Greek Bible ( LXX ) and in the Vulgate Bible , but not in the Hebrew Bible , although it was included in Theodotion's version ¹ . Scholars propose that it was written during or shortly after the period of the Maccabees ² . Baruch is found among the prophetical books which also include Isaiah , Jeremiah , Lamentations , Ezekiel , Daniel , and the twelve Minor Prophets .

LITURGICAL USE

Bar 3:9-38 is used in the Liturgy of Holy Saturday during Passiontide in the traditional Roman Catholic calendar of Scriptural readings at Mass . A similar selection occurs during the revised modern calendar {Link without Title} .

Bar 1:14 - 2:5; 3:1-8 is a liturgical reading within the revised Roman Catholic : " this [that we pray for is that peace that surpasses all understanding, even when we ask for it in prayer we do not know how to pray for what is right..."; from there he explains what it means that the Holy Ghost pleads for the saints.

Bar 3:9-15, 24-4:4 is a liturgical reading for the Saturday of the same week. The theme is that ''the salvation of Israel is founded on wisdom'': "Learn where prudence is, ... that you may know also where are length of days, and life, where light of the eyes, and peace. Who has found the place of wisdom, who has entered into her treasuries? ... She is the book of the precepts of God, ... All who cling to her will live... Turn, O {Link without Title} , d. A.D. 450, who quotes the Apostle: "let us also wear the likeness of the man of heaven".

USE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT

Lk 13:29 bears relation to Baruch 4:37 [http://scripturecatholic.com/deuterocanon.html].

Jn 3:13 bears relation to Baruch 3:29 (ibid.).

1 Cor 10:20 bears relation to Baruch 4:7 (ibid.).

85:9 .

USE BY THEOLOGIANS AND CHURCH FATHERS

In '' quotes Baruch 3:38 to affirm that "the Son of God assumed human nature in order to show Himself in men's sight, according to Baruch 3:38: 'Afterwards He was seen upon earth, and conversed with men.'" This is part of his discussion of "the mode of union on the part of the human nature" III 4 . He quotes the same passage of Baruch in III 40 1 to help answer "whether Christ should have associated with men, or led a solitary life" III 40 .

Church Father St. Clement Of Alexandria d. A.D. 217, quoted Baruch [http://drbo.org/cgi-bin/d?b=drb&bk=30&ch=003&l=16-19 3:16-19 , referring to the passage thus: "Divine Scripture, addressing itself to those who love themselves and to the boastful, somewhere says most excellently: 'Where are the princes of the nations...'" (see "Paean for Wisdom" example ''infra'') (Jurgens §410a).

and Isaias , listen now a third time, and to Jeremias, who teaches the same thing, when He says:..." (Jurgens §864).

USE IN THE CURRENT CATECHISM OF THE CATHOLIC CHURCH

Baruch 6 is quoted in . During the Diaspora the Jew s lamented their lapse into idolatry, and their repentance is captured in the Book of Baruch.

BASIC STRUCTURE

1:1-14 Introduction: "And these are the words...which Baruch...wrote in Babylonia.... And when they heard it they wept, and fasted, and prayed before the Lord."

1:15-2:10 Confession of sins: " {Link without Title} he Lord hath watched over us for evil, and hath brought it upon us: for the Lord is just in all his works.... And we have not hearkened to his voice"

2:11-3:8 Prayer for mercy: " the dead that are in hell, whose spirit is taken away from their bowels, shall not give glory and justice to the Lord..." (cf. Psalms [http://drbo.org/cgi-bin/d?b=drb&bk=21&ch=006&l=6 6:6/5 )

3:9-4:14 Paean for Wisdom: "Where are the princes of the nations,... that hoard up silver and gold, wherein men trust? ... They are cut off, and are gone down to hell,..."

4:5-5:9 Message to those in captivity: "You have been sold to the Gentiles, not for your destruction: but because you provoked God to wrath.... the sins of my children, he [the Eternal hath brought a nation upon them from afar...who have neither reverenced the ancient, nor pitied children..."

FOOTNOTES

¹ "Baruch" by P. P. Saydon, revised by T. Hanlon, in A New Catholic Commentary on Holy Scripture, ed. Reginald C. Fuller , Thomas Nelson, Inc. Publishers, 1953, 1975, §504j. The same source states that " {Link without Title} here is also evidence that Baruch was read in Jewish synagogues on certain festivals during the early centuries of the Christian era (Thackeray, 107-11)," i.e. Henry St. John Thackeray, ''The Septuagint and Jewish Worship'', 1923.

²Fuller, op. cit., §504h. Also, "late Babylonian"; "alluded to, seemingly, in 2 Mac 2:1-3 " in ''The Jerusalem Bible'', 1966, p. 1128.

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Book Of Baruch