Tobit: A Biblical Coming-of-Age Story

With a new year beginning, the time has come once again for numerous Catholics to take up the mantle of the “Bible in a Year” devotion. Across the nation and world, numerous devotees opt to challenge themselves by reading the entirety of Sacred Scripture from cover to cover over the course of the coming year. Many choose to take this scriptural journey with the help of a guide, most popularly Fr. Mike Schmitz, but many others choose to read the sacred texts alone and at their own pace.

But whatever the circumstances, it is likely that this is the first time in a while that many Catholics have revisited the Old Testament. The opening story of Genesis, which is likely fresh in the minds of many readers, recounting its theologically rich tales of Creation, the Fall of Man, Noah and the Flood, the Call of Abraham, and others, has captured the hearts and imaginations of many. As Pope St. John Paul II states in his Letter to Artists, “The Old Testament, read in the light of the New, has provided endless streams of inspiration.” But amongst these stories and others, such as those of Moses and King David, there lies another captivating Old Testament narrative: the Book of Tobit.

The lack of popular attention given to Tobit is deeply unfortunate, but also unsurprising, since our separated brethren do not have this book. Tobit is one of the seven “Deuterocanonicals” (the others being Maccabees 1 and 2, Sirach, Wisdom, Baruch, and Judith), a series of Old Testament books which are not featured in Protestant bibles. Meanwhile, works such as Genesis, Exodus, and Isaiah are accepted by all Christians. But while it may not be present in popular discourse to the same degree as the aforementioned books, Tobit is undeniably a beautiful work in its own right, and has gained its own following among Catholics, particularly the young.

For those who have not had the opportunity to read this story, Tobit focuses on two Hebrew families stranded within hostile pagan territory, and the angelic helper sent to deliver them from their trials. Tobias, the young hero of the story, witnesses his father, and the book’s namesake, Tobit, being driven to the point of wanting death by numerous misfortunes, most notably being stricken blind. Tobias is sent to Media to obtain a sum of money for his father, and, unbeknownst to him, meet his future wife, a young and righteous Jewish woman named Sarah who has witnessed seven of her prospective husbands being slain by a demon. But Tobias is accompanied by Raphael, an angelic messenger who poses as a relative of the family, and lends the Jewish youth his aid as he contends with the demon, even healing Tobit’s blindness after leading his son to his spouse.

A mere summary of events fails to do justice to this piece of biblical literature. But certain aspects of the work immediately set it apart from much of the Old Testament: rather than recounting a historical narrative, a series of prophecies, or a set of moral laws and guidelines, the book of Tobit tells a story, with the USCCB even referring to its literary style as a “religious novel”. Indeed, one might notice certain similarities between Tobit and the time-tested “coming-of-age story” or bildungsroman. Literary scholar Stephanie Brown defines this term for us: “The narrative…traces the protagonist on an arduous physical or psychological journey as they grapple with moral quandaries, gain invaluable life experiences…By the end of the narrative, the protagonist has grown significantly, showing far more depth and maturity”.

Arguing that Tobias does not fit the definition of a coming-of-age hero would be a Herculean task. Tobias’ journey alongside Raphael leads him to become a stronger and more confident young man, who trusts more fully in Divine Providence. His initial state at the opening of the story is one which many of us can identify with: he has good intentions, but is notably flawed. We see Tobias’ good nature show itself as early as the second chapter: in his first appearance in the story, Tobias searches for poor people that the family can share their dinner with, only returning to the house to report the grisly murder of one of their fellow Jews (Tobit 2:2-3 Revised Standard Version). But Tobias is also shown to be irresolute, full of questions and uncertainties. He is often daunted by the tasks he is given, expressing trepidation when commanded to travel to Media, and becoming outright fearful when Raphael informs him of his upcoming confrontation with the demon (Tobit 5:2, 6:13-14).

I say this not to belittle Tobias’ fears, which are certainly understandable, but to emphasize the wonderful transformation he undergoes into an active and assertive young man who places his full confidence in God. After Raguel, Sarah’s father, agrees to let Tobias marry her, he combats the demon using the method Raphael taught him at the earliest opportunity. He then takes the initiative to lead Sarah in prayer, telling her “Sister, get up, and let us pray that the Lord may have mercy upon us.” (Tobit 8:1-4) During the final chapters of the story, we see Tobias express concern for his parents, to the point of demanding to leave Raguel’s household in order to see them again and put their fears of his dying on the journey to rest. Notably, he also accepts Raphael’s assertion that his father will recover from blindness without question (Tobit 10:7-9, 11:7). Tobit has grown from a trepidatious boy to a confident, capable, and trusting young man.

But aside from the coming-of-age narrative, other literary archetypes are notably present in this story. Raphael, for instance, can be seen as a “mentor figure”, encouraging Tobias to persevere through seemingly impossible difficulties with an attitude of trust and courage, which transforms Tobias for the better. Furthermore, like countless beloved stories throughout history, Tobit contains an element of romance. After he is assured by Raphael that he will deliver Sarah from her demonic oppressor, Tobias “fell in love with her and yearned deeply for her.” (Tobit 6:17) Tobias’ love for his future bride makes the story’s conclusion, with Sarah’s deliverance and the routing of the demon, all the more satisfying to witness, as we, the readers, put ourselves in his shoes and vicariously experience his triumphant rescue of the one he loves.

I am not saying any of this to detract from the theological richness of this story. Rather, I believe that recognizing the literary artistry of this narrative can help us be more open to the gift that this biblical narrative is. As I mentioned previously, merely listing a series of events does not do justice to the story- it has to be read to be properly appreciated. But you will not regret exploring this narrative yourself. I believe that Tobias in particular provides a wonderful example of a literary protagonist- especially for young people such as myself.

I mentioned earlier that while Tobit is not the most well-known book of the Bible, it still enjoys notable popularity with young Catholics. My belief is that this comes from Tobias’ being an easy character to identify with, but particularly for young people. His blend of passion and apprehension, altruism and skepticism, and his journey to embrace the hope and peace that can be found through confidence in Divine Providence provides young people with a hero they can easily identify with: understanding his faults but rooting for him to grow past them, and finally rejoicing when he triumphs over his own faults and his demonic antagonist. The Book of Tobit is an undeniably beautiful work of literature, and I cannot recommend it enough, especially to those of you out there in my age group.

St. Raphael, pray for us!

Bibliography:

Akin, J. (n.d.). Defending the Deuterocanonicals: EWTN. EWTN Global Catholic Television Network. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/defending-the-deuterocanonicals-996
Brown, S. (2023, March 16). What is a Bildungsroman? Celadon Books. https://celadonbooks.com/bildungsroman-definition/
Letter to Artists, (April 4, 1999): John Paul II. The Holy See. (1999, April 22). https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/en/letters/1999/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_23041999_artists.html
Smith, W. (n.d.). Entry for “Medes, Media.” Bible Study Tools. https://www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/medes-media/#:~:text=Smith’s%20Bible%20Dictionary%20%2D%20Medes%2C%20Media&text=(middle%20land%20).,great%20salt%20desert%20of%20Iran.
Tobit, The Book of Tobit. USCCB. (n.d.). https://bible.usccb.org/bible/tobit/0