The Wisdom of Sirach, or Ecclesiasticus, is an intertestamental, second-century BC Jewish text offering practical and moral wisdom but not considered canon by Protestants. While Ecclesiasticus contains valuable insights, some teachings conflict with biblical principles.
The Book of Ecclesiasticus, also known as the Wisdom of Sirach or Book of Sirach or simply as Sirach, is a second century BC writing by a Jewish scribe named Shimon ben Yeshua ben Eliezer ben Sira who was from the City of Jerusalem. It is considered a deuterocanonical book in the Catholic and Orthodox traditions and is part of the broader collection sometimes referred to as the Apocrypha in Protestant Bibles. Ecclesiasticus was originally written in Hebrew though it also existed in Greek after being translated in Egypt by the author's grandson Joshua. It is believed Shimon was living in Alexandria, Egypt, where he had started a Jewish school, at the time of the book's compilation. Ecclesiasticus is the only book found in the Apocrypha whose writer signed the writing.
The Wisdom of Sirach includes much insightful wisdom, often-resembling Proverbs or other Wisdom Books in its style. It also contains some passages that seem similar to the New Testament (Matthew 6:19-20; Luke 1:52). But it also contains teachings that are anti-biblical. For instance, the Bible affirms the dignity of all human beings (Galatians 3:28; Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1; Deuteronomy 15:12-15; Ruth 1—4). The book's contents were not included in the authoritative books of the Bible accepted by the earliest Christians.
The Hebrew canon or collection of books did not include Ecclesiasticus / the Wisdom of Sirach. The Greek translation of the Hebrew Scriptures called the Septuagint did include Ecclesiasticus, making it popular among Greek-speaking Jews in Egypt. The Apocrypha or Deuterocanonical Books found in Catholic, Orthodox, and Anglican versions of the Bible also include this book. Though used by various church leaders throughout history, Ecclesiasticus / Sirach was not officially accepted until 1546 at the Council of Trent.
Despite its often-wise sayings, Ecclesiasticus also includes some disturbing readings. For example, it supports harsh treatment of slaves (33:24-28) as well as a poor view of women (42:12-14).
Should the Wisdom of Sirach / Book of Ecclesiasticus be accepted into the collection of Bible books? The church leader Jerome who was responsible for overseeing the translation of the Bible into the Latin Vulgate in around AD 400 believed it was best considered among the ecclesiastical books (writings of the church) rather than Scripture. This evaluation reflected the earlier church councils and leaders prior to the divisions of the Catholic and Protestant churches and remains the best evaluation of the Book of Ecclesiasticus for today.