WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.480 All right, welcome to the deep dive. Today, we're 00:00:03.480 --> 00:00:06.040 going deep on something, I think, pretty unique. 00:00:06.820 --> 00:00:09.019 We're going to be looking at personal instructions, 00:00:09.960 --> 00:00:13.880 a father's instructions to his son, and the sources 00:00:13.880 --> 00:00:17.600 titled Tobit's Testament, instructions to his 00:00:17.600 --> 00:00:20.289 son. Wow. So picture this, right? You have a 00:00:20.289 --> 00:00:22.250 father, Tobit, knowing that, you know, his time 00:00:22.250 --> 00:00:24.730 is coming to an end. He calls his son Tobiah 00:00:24.730 --> 00:00:27.469 to his side, and he starts to share these important 00:00:27.469 --> 00:00:29.789 pieces of wisdom, practical advice, you know, 00:00:29.850 --> 00:00:32.109 as any father would before, unfortunately, you 00:00:32.109 --> 00:00:33.929 know, passing. Yeah. And so these instructions 00:00:33.929 --> 00:00:36.070 are very personal. It's a father reflecting on 00:00:36.070 --> 00:00:38.469 his life and how to, you know, prepare his son 00:00:38.469 --> 00:00:40.750 for the future. And so what we want to do today 00:00:40.750 --> 00:00:43.109 is really explore these core principles and this 00:00:43.109 --> 00:00:45.229 guidance and see if there are any insights that 00:00:45.229 --> 00:00:48.119 we can glean from this ancient text. you know, 00:00:48.140 --> 00:00:50.320 what stands out to you? What's thought provoking? 00:00:50.700 --> 00:00:52.439 How can this be relevant even if it's, you know, 00:00:52.460 --> 00:00:54.179 coming from a different time in a different context? 00:00:54.759 --> 00:00:56.780 Yeah, I think what's so fascinating about this 00:00:56.780 --> 00:00:59.420 particular source is that it's not some kind 00:00:59.420 --> 00:01:02.020 of public decree. It's not a philosophical treatise. 00:01:02.500 --> 00:01:05.859 It is a father speaking to his son. Yeah. And 00:01:05.859 --> 00:01:09.019 so there's an intimacy here that we don't often 00:01:09.019 --> 00:01:11.840 get to see. Yeah. And so it's just, it's Toget, 00:01:11.900 --> 00:01:14.439 like you said, reflecting on his life. Considering 00:01:14.439 --> 00:01:16.620 what matters, you know, and what's he gonna leave 00:01:16.620 --> 00:01:19.319 behind for his son, right? And it's, yeah, it's 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:21.459 fascinating. I'm excited to dive in. So let's 00:01:21.459 --> 00:01:24.420 dive right in. So, verses three and four, we 00:01:24.420 --> 00:01:26.140 kind of get right into it. It's very personal, 00:01:26.239 --> 00:01:29.019 very practical. And Tobit is asking to buy it 00:01:29.019 --> 00:01:31.640 to make sure he has a proper burial. But even 00:01:31.640 --> 00:01:33.620 more than that, he really emphasizes honoring 00:01:33.620 --> 00:01:36.859 his mother and to never abandon her. He even 00:01:36.859 --> 00:01:39.299 expresses this wish to be buried alongside her. 00:01:39.719 --> 00:01:42.120 What do you think about this? What's significant 00:01:42.120 --> 00:01:44.519 here in these initial requests? I think it's 00:01:44.519 --> 00:01:46.319 fascinating that that's where he starts, you 00:01:46.319 --> 00:01:50.079 know. Right. start off with some grand pronouncements 00:01:50.079 --> 00:01:53.480 about God or about life or about faith it's it's 00:01:53.480 --> 00:01:56.079 really about his parents and you know particularly 00:01:56.079 --> 00:01:59.060 his mother and he reminds he specifically reminds 00:01:59.060 --> 00:02:01.519 Tobiah that his mother went through many dangers 00:02:01.519 --> 00:02:03.480 for him you know even when he was in the womb 00:02:03.480 --> 00:02:06.439 yeah and I think that speaks to just a really 00:02:06.439 --> 00:02:09.819 fundamental importance of family bonds yeah you 00:02:09.819 --> 00:02:11.300 know it's really interesting how Tobit wants 00:02:11.300 --> 00:02:13.840 to be buried next to his wife yeah it makes you 00:02:13.840 --> 00:02:16.819 think that you know they had a very strong relationship 00:02:16.819 --> 00:02:19.539 and one that he hopes will even transcend death. 00:02:19.819 --> 00:02:23.099 Yeah. That's a really good point. Then as we 00:02:23.099 --> 00:02:26.639 move into verses five and six, we start to see 00:02:26.639 --> 00:02:28.620 kind of the introduction of these spiritual and 00:02:28.620 --> 00:02:31.580 moral foundations. The big idea here is to keep 00:02:31.580 --> 00:02:34.020 the Lord in mind. Then he says, to steer clear 00:02:34.020 --> 00:02:37.259 of sin. And then he follows that with a promise. 00:02:38.000 --> 00:02:40.199 Those who act with fidelity, he says, all who 00:02:40.199 --> 00:02:42.740 practice righteousness will prosper in their 00:02:42.740 --> 00:02:45.919 affairs. What do you think Tobit is envisioning 00:02:45.919 --> 00:02:49.419 here when he talks about prosperity? Well, it's 00:02:49.419 --> 00:02:51.740 hard to say exactly what he's envisioning, but 00:02:51.740 --> 00:02:54.919 I'm pretty sure he's not just talking about getting 00:02:54.919 --> 00:02:58.060 rich. I think if you think about what a good 00:02:58.060 --> 00:03:00.780 life would have looked like back then, it's strong 00:03:00.780 --> 00:03:04.259 community ties, a sense of purpose, maybe the 00:03:04.259 --> 00:03:09.360 respect of his peers and following the law. You 00:03:09.360 --> 00:03:12.000 know, I think this idea of prosperity, it could 00:03:12.000 --> 00:03:14.479 encompass that sense of inner peace and maybe 00:03:14.479 --> 00:03:17.039 a good reputation and, you know, the stability 00:03:17.039 --> 00:03:19.000 that comes from living in accordance with your 00:03:19.000 --> 00:03:20.699 beliefs. Right. Right. It's like this natural 00:03:20.699 --> 00:03:23.699 consequence. Yeah. Yeah, I think so. Yeah. Very 00:03:23.699 --> 00:03:26.080 interesting. And, you know, I wonder, what does 00:03:26.080 --> 00:03:28.340 prosperity mean to you today? What is a prosperous 00:03:28.340 --> 00:03:31.560 life beyond just, you know, money and, you know, 00:03:31.759 --> 00:03:34.060 all that? Yeah, it's a really good question. 00:03:34.300 --> 00:03:36.120 Now, a theme that I've noticed coming up quite 00:03:36.120 --> 00:03:38.180 a bit is the power of almsgiving, and this is 00:03:38.180 --> 00:03:42.340 in verses 7 through 11. And Tobit is very, very 00:03:42.340 --> 00:03:45.280 clear about the importance of giving to the poor. 00:03:45.960 --> 00:03:48.879 One line that really stood out to me is, do not 00:03:48.879 --> 00:03:51.800 turn your face away from any of the core so that 00:03:51.800 --> 00:03:53.719 God's face will not be turned away from you. 00:03:54.919 --> 00:03:57.759 And, I mean, he's really not mincing words there. 00:03:57.900 --> 00:03:59.719 No, he's not. And, you know, it's interesting 00:03:59.719 --> 00:04:02.530 that he doesn't present it as Optional charity, 00:04:02.650 --> 00:04:04.830 right? This is something you have to do, right? 00:04:05.169 --> 00:04:07.090 And I think it's interesting also the nuance 00:04:07.090 --> 00:04:09.550 here where he says give in proportion to what 00:04:09.550 --> 00:04:13.349 you own. Yeah So it's not about a fixed amount, 00:04:13.349 --> 00:04:16.769 you know, it's about the act of giving but relative 00:04:16.769 --> 00:04:19.230 to your means It's like what you're able to give 00:04:19.230 --> 00:04:21.629 exactly So whether you have a lot or a little 00:04:21.629 --> 00:04:24.290 you know that principle of generosity it applies 00:04:24.290 --> 00:04:27.069 to everyone Yeah, what what stands out to you 00:04:27.069 --> 00:04:30.360 about this emphasis on proportional giving? Well, 00:04:30.459 --> 00:04:32.339 I mean, I think it's really practical. Yeah, 00:04:32.519 --> 00:04:34.060 you know, I think it's equitable and I think 00:04:34.060 --> 00:04:36.180 that's what you know makes it so powerful Yeah, 00:04:36.240 --> 00:04:39.199 and the benefits that he mentions it's not they're 00:04:39.199 --> 00:04:42.519 not small, you know, he talks about Storing up 00:04:42.519 --> 00:04:45.079 treasure against adversity. He talks about deliverance 00:04:45.079 --> 00:04:48.569 from death and darkness. He talks about you know, 00:04:48.610 --> 00:04:51.410 being a worthy offering to God. And so these 00:04:51.410 --> 00:04:53.490 aren't just earthly advantages that he's talking 00:04:53.490 --> 00:04:56.009 about. No. And I think, you know, when he's talking 00:04:56.009 --> 00:04:58.329 about storing up treasure, there's probably a 00:04:58.329 --> 00:05:00.629 couple ways to interpret that. Yeah. I think, 00:05:00.730 --> 00:05:03.389 you know, on a practical level, axi -generosity 00:05:03.389 --> 00:05:06.209 can strengthen community bonds. Right. And that 00:05:06.209 --> 00:05:08.269 can provide support during difficult times. Yeah. 00:05:08.569 --> 00:05:10.430 But then I think there's probably also a spiritual 00:05:10.430 --> 00:05:14.800 dimension to it. And the idea that you're accumulating 00:05:14.800 --> 00:05:18.720 merit or divine favor, and then the idea that 00:05:18.720 --> 00:05:21.220 deliverance from death and darkness, I mean, 00:05:21.259 --> 00:05:25.079 what does that mean? I think maybe overcoming 00:05:25.079 --> 00:05:29.360 despair, finding hope in bleak situations, and 00:05:29.360 --> 00:05:33.319 even having a positive spiritual destiny. And 00:05:33.319 --> 00:05:37.279 so it just highlights how generosity, how important 00:05:37.279 --> 00:05:40.220 it is and how powerful it can be. Let's shift 00:05:40.220 --> 00:05:42.120 gears a little bit and let's talk about verses 00:05:42.120 --> 00:05:45.620 12 and 13. This is where Tobit starts to talk 00:05:45.620 --> 00:05:47.980 about marriage and family And he really emphasizes 00:05:47.980 --> 00:05:51.259 that his son should marry within their ancestral 00:05:51.259 --> 00:05:54.939 family and to avoid foreign women Yeah, and he's 00:05:54.939 --> 00:05:56.959 very specific about this and it's interesting 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:59.939 because the reasoning he gives for this is he's 00:05:59.939 --> 00:06:02.319 connecting it to their lineage from prophets 00:06:02.319 --> 00:06:06.300 Yeah, and the desire for blessed children and 00:06:06.300 --> 00:06:09.920 inheritance of the land and You know this to 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:12.680 me this feels very specific to his time. Yeah, 00:06:12.740 --> 00:06:14.860 absolutely I mean I think it's really important 00:06:14.860 --> 00:06:17.300 to understand this and in its historical context 00:06:17.300 --> 00:06:19.540 Okay, I mean back then in a lot of societies 00:06:19.540 --> 00:06:21.639 marrying within the extended family marrying 00:06:21.639 --> 00:06:24.339 within the community It was a way to you know 00:06:24.339 --> 00:06:26.500 maintain social cohesion right it was a way to 00:06:26.500 --> 00:06:28.639 preserve their cultural identity Okay, and even 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.560 you know continue these traditions and make sure 00:06:30.560 --> 00:06:32.420 that inheritance line stays within the family. 00:06:32.480 --> 00:06:35.420 Yeah, and so you know, even this reference to 00:06:35.420 --> 00:06:38.160 prophetic lineage, it really shows how important 00:06:38.160 --> 00:06:40.420 it was to them to maintain this heritage. Right. 00:06:40.620 --> 00:06:43.180 So, you know, this advice might not apply directly 00:06:43.180 --> 00:06:46.620 today, but, you know, it does raise some broader 00:06:46.620 --> 00:06:49.220 questions about the importance of community and 00:06:49.220 --> 00:06:51.579 shared values. Right. Right. How do we think 00:06:51.579 --> 00:06:55.370 about family? Yeah. It's a great point. And you 00:06:55.370 --> 00:06:57.550 think about the communities and the shared values 00:06:57.550 --> 00:06:59.750 that you prioritize in your own life and your 00:06:59.750 --> 00:07:03.550 own relationships. Yeah, for sure. He also warns 00:07:03.550 --> 00:07:05.990 against arrogance towards kindred. He talks about 00:07:05.990 --> 00:07:07.850 the importance of marrying within the community. 00:07:08.209 --> 00:07:11.350 And then he has this, I think, pretty stark warning 00:07:11.350 --> 00:07:14.089 about idleness. He says, in idleness, there is 00:07:14.089 --> 00:07:16.629 loss and dire poverty. For idleness is the mother 00:07:16.629 --> 00:07:19.970 of famine. So he's not really pulling any punches 00:07:19.970 --> 00:07:22.089 when it comes to being unproductive No, it's 00:07:22.089 --> 00:07:24.529 a pretty strong statement But I think again it 00:07:24.529 --> 00:07:27.810 reflects this timeless wisdom right that purposeful 00:07:27.810 --> 00:07:31.149 activity and contribution They're essential for 00:07:31.149 --> 00:07:33.670 well -being for the individual and for the community. 00:07:33.810 --> 00:07:37.089 Yeah, and I think you know He's not just saying 00:07:37.089 --> 00:07:40.110 that oh idleness is a lack of work, right, but 00:07:40.110 --> 00:07:43.279 that it can really Breed these negative consequences 00:07:43.279 --> 00:07:45.939 right and so yeah, it speaks to the value of 00:07:45.939 --> 00:07:48.319 diligence and really actively engaging with life. 00:07:48.399 --> 00:07:53.019 It's a great point now in verses 14 through 17 00:07:53.019 --> 00:07:56.720 Tobit gets into you know some really practical 00:07:56.720 --> 00:07:58.860 day -to -day advice Yeah, he talks about paying 00:07:58.860 --> 00:08:01.319 wages on time he talks about being wise in your 00:08:01.319 --> 00:08:03.639 speech and disciplined in your actions And then 00:08:03.639 --> 00:08:06.970 we get this kind of like the golden rule, but 00:08:06.970 --> 00:08:10.370 it's stated negatively, he says, due to no one 00:08:10.370 --> 00:08:13.470 what you yourself hate. And that is something 00:08:13.470 --> 00:08:15.550 that I think we hear over and over, but it still 00:08:15.550 --> 00:08:18.250 is relevant today. It's absolutely relevant. 00:08:18.490 --> 00:08:20.889 And I think the idea that you're paying wages 00:08:20.889 --> 00:08:24.230 on time, that underscores the importance of fairness 00:08:24.230 --> 00:08:28.949 and ethical conduct and respect for other people's 00:08:28.949 --> 00:08:31.470 labor. And then, like you said, this golden rule, 00:08:31.610 --> 00:08:33.590 even though it's stated negatively, I think it 00:08:33.590 --> 00:08:37.000 really captures this core human understanding 00:08:37.000 --> 00:08:39.759 of empathy and reciprocity. Have you found that 00:08:39.759 --> 00:08:43.779 to be helpful? Oh, absolutely. Yeah, it's definitely 00:08:43.779 --> 00:08:45.279 something to strive for. I think, you know, he 00:08:45.279 --> 00:08:47.320 also talks about moderation with alcohol. He 00:08:47.320 --> 00:08:49.059 talks about giving to the hungry and clothing 00:08:49.059 --> 00:08:51.879 the naked, which are all, I think, pretty straightforward. 00:08:52.500 --> 00:08:56.320 But then there's this kind of interesting, maybe 00:08:56.320 --> 00:09:00.220 a little unusual instruction. He says to pour 00:09:00.220 --> 00:09:02.679 out your wine and your bread on the grave of 00:09:02.679 --> 00:09:05.370 the righteous. but do not share them with sinners. 00:09:06.769 --> 00:09:09.250 And this, to me, this really stood out. Yeah, 00:09:09.429 --> 00:09:11.190 and it's a little bit of a headscratcher, you 00:09:11.190 --> 00:09:13.029 know? Yeah, yeah. And I think, you know, one 00:09:13.029 --> 00:09:16.350 way to possibly interpret this is that, you know, 00:09:16.409 --> 00:09:19.590 back then, there were these ancient rituals to 00:09:19.590 --> 00:09:22.149 honor the deceased, right? Right, okay. And it 00:09:22.149 --> 00:09:25.429 was common to make offerings at gravesites. And 00:09:25.429 --> 00:09:28.509 so this distinction between the righteous and 00:09:28.509 --> 00:09:31.169 sinners That could just reflect showing more 00:09:31.169 --> 00:09:33.730 reverence for those who lived a good life, according 00:09:33.730 --> 00:09:37.230 to their faith. And maybe this was a way to seek 00:09:37.230 --> 00:09:39.610 their blessing or just to remember their virtuous 00:09:39.610 --> 00:09:42.909 example. It's also possible this was just a specific 00:09:42.909 --> 00:09:44.789 custom in their community that we don't fully 00:09:44.789 --> 00:09:47.149 understand. And so I think it highlights how 00:09:47.149 --> 00:09:50.830 some of these practices and beliefs are really 00:09:50.830 --> 00:09:53.450 embedded in a particular cultural and historical 00:09:53.450 --> 00:09:55.629 context. It really does make you think about 00:09:55.629 --> 00:09:59.370 the world that they were living in. Moving on 00:09:59.370 --> 00:10:02.309 to verses 18 and 19 the focus I think really 00:10:02.309 --> 00:10:06.190 shifts to seeking wisdom and relying on a higher 00:10:06.190 --> 00:10:10.070 power Yeah, and Tobit says seek counsel from 00:10:10.070 --> 00:10:13.049 every wise person and do not think lightly of 00:10:13.049 --> 00:10:15.909 any useful advice And that's a that's a great. 00:10:15.990 --> 00:10:20.409 I think Call for open -mindedness. Yeah, absolutely. 00:10:20.529 --> 00:10:22.879 It's like don't you know be humble He'd be willing 00:10:22.879 --> 00:10:25.299 to take advice from many different sources. And 00:10:25.299 --> 00:10:27.519 then, you know, right after that, he talks about 00:10:27.519 --> 00:10:29.600 blessing God and seeking guidance. And that shows, 00:10:29.720 --> 00:10:32.139 you know, a belief in a divine presence. And 00:10:32.139 --> 00:10:34.519 then he even says, no other nation possesses 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:37.460 good counsel, but he is the Lord who gives all 00:10:37.460 --> 00:10:40.059 good things. And so that reflects a really deep 00:10:40.059 --> 00:10:42.379 faith in a divine source of wisdom and prosperity. 00:10:42.879 --> 00:10:45.480 Right. You know, I wonder, what are some of the 00:10:45.480 --> 00:10:48.240 sources that you turn to for counsel and guidance 00:10:48.240 --> 00:10:50.899 in your own life? Yeah, that's a good question. 00:10:51.299 --> 00:10:53.639 Finally, let's get into the matter of finances. 00:10:54.080 --> 00:10:56.500 This is in verses one to two and twenty twenty 00:10:56.500 --> 00:11:00.320 one. Okay. And Tobit recalls, you know, of some 00:11:00.320 --> 00:11:03.120 of silver that he deposited and he's sharing 00:11:03.120 --> 00:11:04.899 this information with his son. He's preparing 00:11:04.899 --> 00:11:06.940 for his passing. Yeah. But it's interesting because 00:11:06.940 --> 00:11:09.759 it's this practical consideration alongside all 00:11:09.759 --> 00:11:11.840 of the moral and spiritual guidance that he's 00:11:11.840 --> 00:11:14.779 been giving. And he even says to his son, you 00:11:14.779 --> 00:11:17.110 will have great wealth if you fear God. avoid 00:11:17.110 --> 00:11:19.909 all sin and do what is good before the Lord your 00:11:19.909 --> 00:11:22.230 God. And so this really brings us back to this 00:11:22.230 --> 00:11:25.049 idea that righteous living leads to prosperity. 00:11:25.669 --> 00:11:27.389 Yeah, it's interesting because he brings up this 00:11:27.389 --> 00:11:30.210 silver, right? So there's an actual inheritance 00:11:30.210 --> 00:11:33.730 there. But it's all framed within this larger 00:11:33.730 --> 00:11:37.169 context of living a virtuous life. And so it's 00:11:37.169 --> 00:11:41.190 not about just magically becoming rich. But it's 00:11:41.190 --> 00:11:43.710 about building this foundation for a good life. 00:11:43.830 --> 00:11:45.929 Yeah. Through your actions and through your belief. 00:11:46.169 --> 00:11:48.409 So it's holistic. It's everything altogether. 00:11:48.830 --> 00:11:50.649 Yeah. Exactly. So to bring this all together, 00:11:51.009 --> 00:11:52.649 Tobit's instructions, I mean, they really do 00:11:52.649 --> 00:11:54.649 touch on, I think, some of the most fundamental 00:11:54.649 --> 00:11:58.710 aspects of life. Family, faith, the power of 00:11:58.710 --> 00:12:01.429 generosity, you know, the value of community, 00:12:01.549 --> 00:12:04.850 at least as he defined it, ethical conduct, seeking 00:12:04.850 --> 00:12:07.590 wisdom, and this core belief that a righteous 00:12:07.590 --> 00:12:11.009 life leads to a good future. It's amazing how 00:12:11.009 --> 00:12:12.789 he kind of weaves all these threads together 00:12:12.789 --> 00:12:16.750 in his testament. What about you? Which of these 00:12:16.750 --> 00:12:19.450 principles stand out to you? Which ones resonate 00:12:19.450 --> 00:12:26.330 the most in your life today? You know, wrap up, 00:12:26.429 --> 00:12:28.549 I think a final question to leave you with is, 00:12:28.690 --> 00:12:30.169 you know, we live in a very different world than 00:12:30.169 --> 00:12:32.470 Tobit did. Yeah, for sure. What does it mean 00:12:32.470 --> 00:12:37.139 for you to store up a goodly treasure for yourself 00:12:37.139 --> 00:12:40.100 against the day of adversity. Is this just about 00:12:40.100 --> 00:12:43.460 money? Or is it something more? Is it the strength 00:12:43.460 --> 00:12:45.659 of your relationships, the integrity of your 00:12:45.659 --> 00:12:48.200 character, the positive impact you have on those 00:12:48.200 --> 00:12:49.820 around you? I think that's something really worth 00:12:49.820 --> 00:12:51.759 thinking about. And thanks for joining us for 00:12:51.759 --> 00:12:52.299 this deep dive.