Tobit — Chapter 5

TUNC EGRESSUS TOBIAS INVENIT JUVENEM SPLENDIDUM STANTEM PRAECINCTUM ET QUASI PARATUM AD AMBULANDUM — Raphael appeared to Tobias as a radiant youth, standing girded as a road-guide. He appeared as a \"youth\" because of the vigor and strength belonging to the immortal, eternal, immutable nature of Angels, who never age or fail; \"splendid\" because of the splendor both of Angelic nature (a pure and most luminous spirit) and of beatific glory; \"standing girded\" as a guide for the road, for Raphael is the patron and protector of travelers. Lapide cites Vasco da Gama's voyage to India (1496), whose flagship was dedicated to St. Raphael, road-guide and protector of wayfarers. He also narrates how Raphael (or his associate) in the form of a shepherd guided the army of Theodosius through impassable marshes to Ravenna, routing the tyrant John (Socrates, VII.73; Baronius ad ann. 425).

EX FILIIS ISRAEL — Raphael speaks truly: he comes from the cities of the sons of Israel, the faithful, whose salvation was entrusted to him by God. Moreover \"Israel\" means \"God shall prevail\" or \"man who sees God\" (Sanchez), and Raphael is Israel par excellence, seeing God face to face and beatified by that vision. Lyran and Dionysius: \"What Angels say and do among men is figurative; the locution by which Raphael calls himself of the sons of Israel signifies the bond of charity by which the holy Angels are united to devout believers.\" As the Angel of the Apocalypse (19:10) calls himself a fellow-servant of John.

QUAE (RAGES CIVITAS) POSITA EST IN MONTE ECBATANIS — Ecbatana is an indeclinable noun, the name of the Median city which gave its name to the whole surrounding mountain and plain where Rages was situated. The Hebrew adds: \"Rages is two days' journey from Ecbatana; for Rages is in the highlands and Ecbatana in the plain of the field.\"

ET AIT TOBIAS QUALE GAUDIUM MIHI ERIT QUI IN TENEBRIS SEDEO ET LUMEN CAELI NON VIDEO — Three interpretations of Tobias's reply to Raphael's greeting \"Joy be always with you\": (1) Hugo: \"You seem to know how I might recover sight; tell me if you do\"; (2) Dionysius: \"I do not desire present joy, blind as I am and soon to die — I desire future joys\"; (3) Most naturally: \"How can I rejoice, destitute of all light, living an obscure, miserable, and sorrowful life in the darkness of blindness?\"

GENUS QUAERIS MERCENARII...EGO SUM AZARIAS ANANIAE MAGNI FILIUS — Lapide defends Raphael against Whitaker's blasphemous charge of lying: Raphael speaks truly, having assumed the form and person of Azarias (Athanasius, Synopsis). Just as an image of St. Peter is rightly called \"St. Peter,\" so the Angel speaking in the person of God can say \"I am God\" (Gen. 31:13; Exod. 20). The name \"Azarias\" means \"help\" or \"assistance of God\" (from azar = helped), since Raphael and all Angels are \"ministering spirits\" (Heb. 1); it could also mean \"restrainer of God\" (he bound Asmodeus), \"rich one\" or \"treasury of God\" (he contains the treasures of God's wisdom), or \"beatitude of God.\" \"Ananias\" means \"grace of God\" or \"God's gift, compassion, and gracification\" (Bede) — Angels are his sons, receiving their angelic nature, grace, and glory as a free gift. Lapide traces many great biblical figures named Azarias (king Ozias, two high priests, a prophet, three companions of Daniel) and shows Raphael alluded to all of them. Allegorically, Raphael as \"Azarias son of great Ananias\" typifies Christ, \"the helper of God\" (Isa. 50:7) and \"son of the great Father of mercies.\"

ET TOBIAS RESPONDIT EX MAGNO GENERE ES TU — The Greek adds Tobias's recognition: \"I know Ananias and Jonathan the sons of great Semolth (= 'the peaceful'), for we used to go together to Jerusalem to worship and to consecrate first-fruits and tithes; they were not led into the error of worshiping the golden calves.\" This shows: (1) a real Azarias son of Ananias existed; (2) he was a faithful Israelite known to Tobias; (3) Raphael rightly adopted his form and name.

ANGELUS EJUS COMITETUR VOBISCUM — Tobias's blessing reveals that in that era the faithful believed guardian Angels assigned by God to individual men accompanied, directed, instructed, and defended them in their journeys. The Greek also records Tobias's promise to Raphael of a drachma of silver per day, plus expenses and a bonus upon safe return.