A specific scene in the Book of Tobit

[Paladin D]

If you look in [b]Tobit 8[/b] when Tobiah enters into Sarah's room, he drives away a demon with a fish's liver and heart? I don't understand the act, and it seems to me to be borderline superstition. Am I missing a hidden, subtle message to this or what?

[jessinoelw]

Not having the text in front of me my first thought is that it's no more supestitious than having folks stare at a snake on a staff to be healed.

--Jessica

[Cure of Ars]

[quote]A final charge made against the book is that some critics find difficulty with Raphael’s use of the fish’s heart, liver, and gall (cf. 6:3–8) to perform two miracles, the driving away of the demon Asmodeus (cf. 8:1–4) and the healing of Tobit (cf. 11:8–14).

Regarding these miracles, natural objects were often used in Scripture to accomplish miracles, even if they had no natural power to do so. The use of the fish’s heart and liver to drive away the demon is no more strange than the use of sticks Jacob made in a sheep-breeding miracle (cf. Gen. 30:37–43), especially since prayer to God is involved (cf. Tob. 8:4), and Raphael himself binds the demon (cf. 8:3).

The use of fish gall in the healing of eyes is also no surprise. Jesus himself used intermediaries in performing eye cures (cf. John 9:6–8). Healings were also performed with materials that had slight medicinal value and were used in the ancient world as medicine (cf. Mark 6:13;Luke 10:34). Such was the case with fish gall, which was regarded as useful in curing eye diseases and irritations (cf. Pliny the Elder, Natural History 32:24).

One concludes therefore, that Tobit—like Judith and the other deuterocanonicals—is no different than the protocanonical books of Scripture in having difficulties that admit of solutions. The question is whether one is willing to find the solutions and accept them when they are presented. [/quote]

[url="http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0307bt.asp"]http://www.catholic.com/thisrock/2003/0307bt.asp[/url]

[Paladin D]

Thanks for the replies, I'll read the article later [b]Cure of Ars[/b].

[StColette]

That scene in Tobit can uphold the use of sacramentals today. Many of the sacramentals we wear and use, brown scapular. miraculous medal, Benedictine medal, etc. all have the ability to ward away evil. Even the use of holy water is a way of warding off evil.

Some people have trouble understanding that natural objects can hold special abilities which God has bestowed into them. But remember they are only filled with these abilities because God has made it thusly.

[Paladin D]

[quote name='StColette' date='Oct 7 2004, 09:07 PM'] That scene in Tobit can uphold the use of sacramentals today. Many of the sacramentals we wear and use, brown scapular. miraculous medal, Benedictine medal, etc. all have the ability to ward away evil. Even the use of holy water is a way of warding off evil.

Some people have trouble understanding that natural objects can hold special abilities which God has bestowed into them. But remember they are only filled with these abilities because God has made it thusly. [/quote]
Oh ok, I can understand it as a sacramental... I just never looked at it that way.