We know that The Book of Tobit summary wants to show us a story about Tobit, who was blind and suffering because he could no longer do all the good deeds. He was used to it, his family was impoverished, and his end was near. Raguel, for his part, was suffering for his daughter Sara, who could not marry, for all the seven grooms who had come to his house had died before the wedding.
The Book of Tobit summary, the famous Apocrypha, was written around the beginning of the 2nd century BC. It tells the story of two families, Tobit and Raguel, both deported to Assyria. In bondage, the two families strived to keep God’s law, even though they had to endure many hardships. And they bring to the people’s attention Raphael, the angel who helped them face them. The Book of Tobit summary is not found in the Bible because it is not considered to be a canonical Bible book. It is only a fictitious one whose credibility is uncertain because of witnesses who cannot affirm these things.
At one point, the prayer of both men being heard, before the glory of God, we read: And then Raphael was sent to heal them both: to lift the whiteness of Tobit, that he might see with his eyes the light of God, and to give Sarah the daughter of Raguel to wife to Tobias the son of Tobit, binding Asmodeus the evil spirit, for Tobias was destined to inherit her.
What is the message of the book of Tobit summary?
At one point, remembering some money given for safekeeping to a relative who lived in Raghesul Media, old Tobit sent his son, Tobie, to get it back. So being young and untried, Tobie chose a faithful man named Azariah, who was, in fact, the Archangel Raphael, as his companion. So throughout the journey, Tobit listened to the advice of the man he thought was a commoner.
The main message of the apocryphal Book of Tobit summary is the highlighting of Archangel Raphael’s ingenious struggle with earthly justice and its wickedness. An excellent example of this is the killing of the betrothed. All seven grooms had been killed by Asmodeus, i.e., by the demon of fornication, who also controlled them. Their death shows the killing power of this passion. On the other hand, Sarah represents virginal cleanliness as she testifies before God.
On their way to Raghesul Media, the two travelers stopped at Raguel’s house, and the Archangel Raphael, in the guise of Azariah, told Tobit to take Raguel’s daughter, Sarah, as his wife. Although it was known that Sarah could not marry, for all the seven grooms who had come to Raguel’s house one by one had been killed by an unclean spirit before the wedding, the young Tobias listened to the Archangel’s advice and entrusted himself to God’s care.
Who Wrote the book of Tobit?
The book of Tobit summary presents the exemplary lives of two related Israelite families in the Jewish Diaspora of the 8th century BC. So a new family will be formed from the marriage of children from these two families. Therefore the book specializes in children’s education and respect for parents. In this study, we will analyze the texts in this ancient writing, which were conceived in a historical period before the birth of Christianity.
Tobit’s book has an unknown author. But it is rumored that Archangel Raphael wrote the book. The book presents the exemplary lives of two related Israelite families in the Jewish Diaspora of the 8th century BC. A new family will be formed from the marriage of children from these two families. The book specializes in children’s education and respect for parents.
The family has always played an eminently active role in Jewish society, facilitating the continuity of a distinctive national identity and perennial religious values. We cannot easily overlook the Book of Tobit for a deeper understanding of biblical theology’s convictions about the family. Except for the Book of Acts, there is no other biblical writing like the Book of Tobit summary that contains more detail or reference to marriage, marriage, and all that pertains to family relationships.
Is there an angel named Raphael?
Archangel Raphael, together with Archangels Michael and Gabriel, is one of the essential Archangels in this angelic hierarchy. Raphael is also sometimes depicted with a fish or two, which is another reference to the biblical story of Tobias. The fish symbolizes life and spiritual regeneration.
In the Bible, he is spoken of as an angel named Raphael and represents the return to the very source of life, which essentially means the final, complete healing of all sickness and suffering. Through his divine power, Raphael reminds us that God is the supreme healer.
Raphael’s name means Divine Healer or God heals. His name refers not only to the healing of the body but also the healing of the soul. Indeed, Raphael helps us to get in deep contact with our soul, which secretly knows what is best for us to restore our health and regeneration. So Archangel Raphael represents the aspect of God that helps the human being maintain emotional balance and bodily health.
Biography of Raphael
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What did Raphael say to Tobias?
Archangel Raphael is the patron saint of doctors, nurses, and travelers. He especially helps those travelers who make the pilgrimage to holy places to obtain healing or comfort of body and soul. Raphael has great compassion for all beings and animals, but especially for people suffering from physical, mental, emotional, or spiritual disorders.
In the accounts in the book of Tobit summary, Raphael told Tobias to pray in his room and to fast. Through the intercession of the Holy Archangel Raphael, in the guise of one Azariah, old Raguel sees his married daughter, Sarah gains a faithful husband, Tobias takes for himself a God-fearing woman, and Tobit regains his sight.
When old Tobit wanted to repay Azariah for his trouble, he showed his steadfast faith, saying: I am Raphael, one of the seven Holy Angels, who lifts the prayers of the saints and exalts them before the glory of the Holy One. Fear not. Also, the peace you shall have! Bless God forever! For I am not come by my own will, but by the will of our God, therefore bless him also forever.
How long was Tobit blind?
The Archangel Raphael is mentioned in the Book of Tobias as a healer, a book from the Old Testament, and part of the biblical canon of the Orthodox and Catholic churches. Raphael is also supposed to be one of the archangels mentioned in Revelation 8:2 when it says, And I saw the seven archangels kneeling before God, to whom were given seven trumpets.
According to the apocryphal writings, Tobit was blind for 58 years until he was healed with the help of Raphael. The first chapters deal with the origin and background of Tobit and Anna, the first family exposed in the book. In shaping the characters of both spouses, the unknown author drew inspiration from various Old Testament books, particularly the Book of Acts.
His identity as a healer of the Earth comes from his story told in the Book of Enoch, which shows how the Archangel Raphael healed the Earth when the sins of fallen angels defiled it.
Key Verse related to the Book of Tobit
In my young days, when I was still at home in the land of Israel, the whole tribe of Naphtali, my ancestor broke away from the House of David and from Jerusalem, though this was the city chosen out of all the tribes of Israel for their sacrifices; here, the Temple– God’s dwelling-place– had been built and hollowed for all generations to come.
Why is Tobit not part of the Bible?
Most Apocrypha and pseudo-epigraphs are eschatological. Either they deal, in addition to the divine and human mysteries, with the supernatural causes of events in human life, with the revelation of the fate of men, the fate of the biblical people, the future history of humankind, the origin of evil, the cause of sin. Many investigate the causes of natural phenomena, the forces, and the laws of nature. Their authors claim to know all these things through Discovery from above.
The book of Tobit summary is not found in the Bible because it was included in the Apocrypha. Therefore the Apocryphal books are writings that contain things that are hidden, secret, misunderstood, or come from unknown authors who, for some reason, wanted to remain anonymous.
The Church recognized as accurate only some of the sacred texts. In this way, those that appeared later were hidden and referred to as apocryphal. Although they are not admitted into Holy Scripture, their content is not forbidden, and therefore anyone can have access to them. They were discovered both in 1945 near Nag Hammadi in Upper Egypt by some local people and in the spring of 1947 in the Holy Land at the Jordan River’s outflow into the Dead Sea.
Primary Takeaways
- The meeting scene between Raguel and his relatives can easily be paralleled with the Philoxenia scene at Mamvri’s Oak. The common elements between the two passages are numerous, especially the details concerning the theme of hospitality.
- Tobit, his son, from the travel prayer in which it is said, “send me a guardian angel like Tobiah. Moreover that he may be my guardian and my guide, and that he may leave me unharmed from all evil”.
- For his great acts of mercy, Tobit was also granted the help and direct intervention of angels. So the lives of the saints include many other such interventions.
Conclusion
The story in the Book of Tobit is about a very merciful man, Tobit, who helped the poor and buried the dead, who were also thrown in the street and left to be eaten by birds. A man righteous before God and kind-hearted, who, because of an accident, goes blind and yet does not murmur before God but blesses him, believing that for his sins, he deserves it.
Thank you so much for your time. If you enjoyed reading our article, play the following Quiz to test your biblical knowledge about The Book of Tobit.
Quizlet about The Archangels of God
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Explanation of biblical words
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Bibliography
- Collins, J. J. (2005). The Judaism of the Book of Tobit. The book of Tobit: Text, Tradition, theology (pp. 23-40). Brill.
- Ego, B. (2005). The Book of Tobit and the Diaspora. The book of Tobit: Text, Tradition, theology (pp. 41-54). Brill.
- Hieke, T. (2005). Endogamy in the Book of Tobit, Genesis, and Ezra-Nehemiah. In The book of Tobit: Text, Tradition, theology (pp. 103-120). Brill.
- Littman, R. J. (2008). Tobit: The Book of Tobit in Codex Sinaiticus. Brill.
- McCracken, D. (1995). Narration and Comedy in the Book of Tobit. Journal of Biblical Literature, 114(3), 401-418.
