3. Historical and relierthus tharacter of the Book. -There are three theories about the historical character of this book. a. That it records actual history ; b. That it is pure fiction ; and c. That it is a mixture of history and fiction.
a. The opinion that this book records proper b istory was universally held by the Christian church up to the time of the Reformation, and has even since been maintained by Bishop Gray (A Key to the O. T 62o, etc., ed. 1857), Welte (Ein/eitung, 84, ff.), Scholz (Einleituns, ii. 594, ff.), and most Roman Catholic writers. In support of this opinion rt is urged-i. The minute account which it gives of Tobit's tribe, his pedigree, place of birth, the time in which he lived, his family, his condition and employment, his captivity, poverty, blindness, recovery, age, death, and place of burial (i. r, 13, 20, 21 ; 10 ; Xi. 13 ; XiV. I 1-13) ; ii. The exactness of the historical remarks about the Assyrian kings (i. 2, 13, 15, 21), without de riving the names 'EvepArcrapos (= Shalmaneser) and laxepaov6s from the O. T., as well as the correct ness of the geo,graphical points (i. 14 ; ; 7 ; vi. r, 11) ; and iii. The impossibility of tracing the main features of the narrative to any O. T. prototype, and of explaining them on the hypothe sis of fiction. The obscure place Thisbe is given as Tobit's place of birth (i. 2), and many minute particulars of his life are described which have in themselves nothing whatever to do with the plot, and which can only be accounted for on thc reality of the events.
b. The opinion that it is a moral fiction was first thrown out by Luther (Vorrede aufs Buch Tobia Bible, ed. 1534), and has since been maintained by Rainold (Censur. i. 726), J. A. Fabricius, Buddeus (Hist. Eccl.. ii. 489), Paul Fagius, Eichhorn (Einlei tung, 401, ff.), I3ertholdt (Einkitung, v. 2477, ff.), De Wette (Einleitung, sec. 3o9), Gutmann (Die Apok075hen, 143), Ewald ( Gesckichte a'. V. y. iv. 233, ff.), Fritzsche (Kurzgej: exeget. Handb. z. d. A,p kr)75hen, ii. 14, ff.), Davidson (The Text of the O. T. considered, row), Vaihinger (Herzog's Real Encyklapacdie, s. v. Tobias'), Gmetz (Geschichte der Yuden, iv. 18o, 2d ed. 1866), etc. In support of this opinion it is urged-i. The narrative is completely isolated, and though the events pretend to have occurred before and shortly after the fall of Nineveh (n.c. 6o6), no other document written at a later period refers to them. ii. The name Tobit does not occur in the O. T., and belongs to a later age. iii. The form, spirit, and tone of the narra tive show that it belongs to a very late period.
The doctrine of good and evil spirits (iii. 8 ; vi. 14 ; viii. 3 ; xii. 15) ; the ascription of human lusts to spiritual beings (vi. 14) ; the notion of the seven presence-angels bringing the prayers of the pious before the divine throne (xii. 12, 15) ; the marriage instrument (MZ111Z) and the legal benediction pro nounced over the wedded pair (vii. 13, i4), are of post-Babylonian origin. And iv. The stories of the angel Raphael in a human form giving a false ac count of himself as being a kinsman of Tobit (v. 12), of Tobit becoming blind on both eyes by the falling of some dung of sparrows ro), and of the marvellous fish (vi. 2-5), are beyond all matter of fact.
c. The view that the narrative is based upon a real occurrence preserved by tradition, but poe tically embellished to suit the spirit of the time in which it was written, is maintained by Arnald, Dereser, Ilgen, Keil, etc. This theory escapes the arguments urged by the defenders of the preceding two extreme views, and is in harmony with the other Deutero-canonical documents which, as has been shown elsewhere in this Cyclopmdia, have always a certain amount of truth for a basis of the embellishments called forth by the peculiar circum stances of the time to convey a certain moral lesson [JuDITH]. Moreover, the fact that there are dif ferent recensions and embellishments of the story, and that the Midrash Tanchuma (Pericope, IrtNn [TANcHumA ; M1DRAsit]) gives an independent version of it, shows that it was traditionally handed down from the time when the occurrence took place.
The religious character of the book is one of its most important and interesting features, inasmuch as it shows the phases of faith which obtained prior to the advent of Christ, and explains many points in the N. T. The doctrine of good and evil spirits is more fully developed than in the O. T. Seven angels are described as presenting the prayers of the saints before God (xii. 15 with Rev. i. 4 ; iv. 5 ; viii. 2). Carnal lusts are ascribed to the angelic beings (vi. 14 with Gen. vi. 2 ; Jude 6, 7). The greatest stress is laid on alms-giving (i. 16, 17 ; iv. 7-11), and the power of deliverance from death and expiation for sin are ascribed to it (xii. 9 ; xiv. ro with Ecclus. iii. 20 ; I Pet. iv. 8). The temple is consecrated and built for all ages' (i. 4 ; xiii. 8), and the feasts are an everlasting decree ' (i. 8). No trace is to be found in it of the belief in a Messiah, in a future state of reward and punish ment, or in the survival of the soul after the death of the body.