Cristiani Cattolici Romani

The Trinity is the Christian doctrine according to which there is only one God in three persons equal in nature and substance, but distinguished by their relationships of origin. Jesus revealed that God is Father and Son (Logos) and Holy Spirit, and the Church over the centuries has formulated this doctrine above all through the Councils, resorting to the use of notions of philosophical origin such as “hypostasis” or “person” to indicate the Father and the Son and the Spirit in their mutual distinction, and “substance” to indicate the unity of God. Below we will see some scriptures that prove the truthfulness of the Trinitarian doctrine:

GOD IS ONE

Deuteronomy 32:39
See now that I, even I, am he, and there is no god with me: I kill, and I make alive; I wound, and I heal: neither is there any that can deliver out of my hand.

Romans 3:30
Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith.

James 2:19
Thou believest that there is one God; thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

GOD IS THE FATHER

John 1:18
No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath revealed him.

John 5:18
Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.

Romans 15:6
That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

GOD IS THE SON

Luke 8:37-39
Then the whole multitude of the country of the Gadarenes round about besought him to depart from them; for they were taken with great fear: and he went up into the ship, and returned back again. Now the man out of whom the devils were departed besought him that he might be with him: but Jesus sent him away, saying, Return to thine own house, and shew how great things God hath done unto thee. And he went his way, and published throughout the whole city how great things Jesus had done unto him.

John 16:15
All things that the Father hath are mine.

John 20:28
Thomas replied, “My Lord and my God!”

Acts 20:28
Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Spirit hath made you bishops, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.

Romans 9:5
Whose are the fathers, and of whom as concerning the flesh Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever. Amen.

Colossians 2:9
For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity dwells in bodily form.

Titus 2:13
Looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ.

2 Peter 1:1
Simon Peter, a bondservant and apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who have obtained like precious faith with us by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.

GOD IS THE HOLY SPIRIT

Acts 5:3-4
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart TO LIE TO THE HOLY SPIRIT and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? While it remained, was it not your own? And after it was sold, was it not in your own control? Why have you conceived this thing in your heart? YOU HAVE NOT LIED TO MEN BUT TO GOD.”

1 Corinthians 3:16
Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?

THE SON IS ONE GOD WITH THE FATHER

John 10:30
I and the Father are one.

John 14:9-11
Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father? Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works. Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works’ sake.

THE SON OF GOD HAS HYPOSTATICALLY UNITED HIMSELF HUMAN NATURE

The Son – when the fullness of time has come – became incarnate (John 1:14; Galatians 4:4), therefore he has two natures, divine and human, integral, indivisible, not confused. According to human nature – and only in reference to this – Jesus is subjected to God (John 14:28; Acts 3:13; 1 Corinthians 11:3). Thus in him the human will to his divine and almighty one (Hebrews 10:7.9; Luke 22:42; John 14:31).

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS, AT ONE TIME, THE SPIRIT OF THE FATHER AND THE SPIRIT OF THE SON

Matthew 10:20
For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.

Galatians 4:6
And because you are sons, God has sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts, crying out, “Abba, Father!”

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS A DIVINE PERSON

The Holy Spirit desireth: Romans 8:27
He who searches the hearts knoweth what the Spirit desireth, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit creates: Job 33:4
The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.

The Holy Spirit loves: Romans 15:30
Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me.

The Holy Spirit comforts: John 14:6
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever.

The Holy Spirit is saddened: Ephesians 4:30
And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

Isaiah 63:10
But they rebelled and grieved His Holy Spirit; So He turned Himself against them as an enemy, And He fought against them.

The Holy Spirit reveals: Luke 2:26
And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ.

The Holy Spirit forbids: Acts 16:6
Now when they had gone through Phrygia and the region of Galatia, they were forbidden by the Holy Spirit to preach the word in Asia.

The Holy Spirit teaches the truth: John 14:17
The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

John 15:26
But when the Comforter comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

The Holy Spirit knows all things: 1 Corinthians 2:9-11
But as it is written: “Eye has not seen, nor ear heard, Nor have entered into the heart of man The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.” But God has revealed them to us through His Spirit. For the Spirit searches all things, yes, the deep things of God. For what man knows the things of a man except the spirit of the man which is in him? Even so no one knows the things of God except the Spirit of God.

The Holy Spirit intercedes for the Church: Romans 8:26-27
Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knoweth what the Spirit desireth, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God.

The Holy Spirit testifies to Christ: John 15:26
But when the Comforter comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

The Holy Spirit can be tempted: Acts 5:9
Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.

The Holy Spirit can be lied to: Acts 5:3
But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself?

The Holy Spirit can be blasphemed: Matthew 12:31-32
Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

The Holy Spirit is a Paràkletos (John 14:16) like Jesus Christ (1 John 2:1).

THE SON IS NOT THE FATHER

John 17:18
As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world.

2 Corinthians 1:3
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort.

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS NOT THE FATHER NOR THE SON

Psalm 104:30
You send forth Your Spirit, they are created; And You renew the face of the earth.

John 14:16-17
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever. The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

Therefore the doctrine of the Trinity is not an invention of the fourth century, but finds its foundation in the Bible. In 325 and 381 the Councils of Nicaea and Constantinople were necessary above all against the error of the Arians and against that of the Macedonians (also called pneumatomachi), who denied the divinity of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. Therefore the Church through the Councils defined the divinity of Jesus and of the Holy Spirit. Instead, the term Trinity was coined in the second century by Tertullian (De pudicitia XXI, 16) with which it expresses, at the same time, the unity of God and the distinction between the three divine persons (Adversus Praxean II, 4; VIII, 6- 7; IX, 1; XII, 7; XXV, 1). Having become part of theological language, the term Trinity has effectively become the name of the fundamental doctrine of the Christian Church.

John 19:19
And Pilate wrote a title, and put it on the cross. And the writing was Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews.

John is the only one of the four evangelists to bear the inscription: “Jesus Of Nazareth The King Of The Jews” (John 19:19). In fact, Matthew reports this inscription: “This is Jesus, the king of the Jews” (Matthew 27:37), while Mark and Luke both report: “The king of the Jews” (Mark 15:26; Luke 23:38). John is also the only one of the four evangelists to report the news that the inscription was written in Hebrew, Latin and Greek (John 19:20). The Hebrew inscription had היהודים (Hyhudim) ומכל (Vmlk) הנוצרי (Hnotsri) ישוע (Yshu) – which is read from right to left (Yshu Hnotsri Vmlk Hyhudim) – abbreviated becomes יהוה (YHVH), the sacred name that God revealed to his people. That inscription reported in three languages, only by John, has no historical value, but theological. Hebrew is the language in which the books that are part of the Old Testament were written. Greek is the language in which the Gospel was preached and the books that are part of the New Testament were written. Latin is the language of the imperial city in which the apostle Peter established his episcopal seat as the center of government of the Church, and in which Christianity took the place of paganism, becoming the only religion of the Roman Empire. The inscription with the greatest historical value is probably the one reported by Mark and Luke: The king of the Jews. “In fact, the high priests objected to this inscription, saying to the Roman procurator Pontius Pilate: “Do not write: the king of the Jews, but that he said: I am the king of the Jews “(John 19:21). The inscription was surely written in Latin: Rex Iudaeorum, since the Romans would never have bothered to put on the head of what was believed to be a criminal, an inscription in three different languages. Reporting the inscription in Hebrew, John, albeit in a veiled way, is telling us that God himself was placed on that cross.

Giovanni 19,19
Pilato compose anche l’iscrizione e la fece porre sulla croce; vi era scritto: Gesù il Nazareno, il re dei Giudei.

Giovanni è l’unico dei quattro evangelisti a riportare l’iscrizione: Gesù il Nazareno, il re dei Giudei. (Giovanni 19,19) Infatti Matteo riporta questa iscrizione: Questi è Gesù, il re dei Giudei (Matteo 27,37), mentre Marco e Luca riportano entrambi: Il re dei Giudei (Marco 15,26; Luca 23,38). Giovanni è anche l’unico dei quattro evangelisti a riportare la notizia secondo la quale l’iscrizione fu scritta in ebraico, in latino e in greco (Giovanni 19,20). L’iscrizione in ebraico היהודים (Hyhudim) ומכל (Vmlk) הנוצרי (Hnotsri) ישוע (Yshu) – che va letta da destra verso sinistra Yshu Hnotsri Vmlk Hyhudim – ha come acronimo יהוה (YHVH), il sacro nome che Dio ha rivelato al suo popolo. Quell’iscrizione riportata in tre lingue, solo da Giovanni, non ha valore storico, ma teologico. L’ebraico è la lingua con cui furono scritti i libri che fanno parte dell’Antico Testamento. Il greco è la lingua con cui fu predicato il Vangelo e furono scritti i libri che fanno parte del Nuovo Testamento. Il latino è la lingua dell’imperatore e della città imperiale nella quale l’apostolo Pietro ha fissato la sua sede episcopale come centro di governo della Chiesa, e nella quale il cristianesimo prese il posto del paganesimo, diventando l’unica religione dell’impero romano. L’iscrizione con il maggior valore storico è probabilmente quella riportata da Marco e Luca: Il re dei Giudei. Infatti i sommi sacerdoti obiettarono proprio questa iscrizione, dicendo al procuratore romano Ponzio Pilato: “Non scrivere: il re dei Giudei, ma che egli ha detto: Io sono il re dei Giudei” (Giovanni 19,21). L’iscrizione fu sicuramente scritta in latino: Rex Iudaeorum, poiché i romani non si sarebbero mai disturbati a mettere sul capo di quello che si riteneva essere un malfattore, un’iscrizione in tre lingue differenti. Riportando l’iscrizione in ebraico, Giovanni, seppur in modo velato, ci sta dicendo che su quella croce fu messo Dio stesso.

John 17:11
Holy Father, keep through Your name those whom You have given Me, that they may be one as We are.

John 17:21-23
That they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. And the glory which You gave Me I have given them, that they may be one just as We are one: I in them, and You in Me; that they may be made perfect in one, and that the world may know that You have sent Me, and have loved them as You have loved Me.

Jesus prays for the unity of the Church, and the ideal model of this unity is the communion between Father and Son. Believers must be one, with each other, and this unity must be visible in their actions. This implies a united and fraternal ecclesial community. Jesus’ prayer concerns not only his first disciples, but also all future believers. As Jesus and the Father are one, so believers must be one, one body and one spirit, having one faith and one hope (Ephesians 4:4-5). Believers must be one Church (Colossians 1:18; 1 Corinthians 12:13.14.27). However, that of believers is a unity in faith, hope and mutual love, while that between Jesus and the Father is an authentic divine unity. Father and Son and Holy Spirit, although distinct by their original relationship, fully participate in the same and indivisible divine nature and substance, and therefore the three are truly the same and indivisible God. Then Jesus can say: “I and the Father are one” (John 10:30), and: “All things that the Father has are Mine” (John 16:15). And of the Spirit of God it can be said that he is, at the same time, the Spirit of the Father (Matthew 10:20) and the Spirit of Jesus (Acts 16:6-7; Romans 8:9; Galatians 4:6; Philippians 1:19; 1 Peter 1:10-11).

Giovanni 17,11
Padre santo, custodisci nel tuo nome coloro che mi hai dato, perché siano una cosa sola, come noi.

Giovanni 17,21-23
Perché tutti siano una sola cosa. Come tu, Padre, sei in me e io in te, siano anch’essi in noi una cosa sola, perché il mondo creda che tu mi hai mandato. E la gloria che tu hai dato a me, io l’ho data a loro, perché siano come noi una cosa sola. Io in loro e tu in me, perché siano perfetti nell’unità e il mondo sappia che tu mi hai mandato e li hai amati come hai amato me.

Gesù prega per l’unità della Chiesa, e il modello ideale di questa unità è la comunione tra Padre e Figlio. I credenti devono essere una cosa sola l’un con l’altro, e questa unità dev’essere visibile nel loro agire. Ciò implica una comunità ecclesiale unita e fraterna. La preghiera di Gesù riguarda non soltanto i suoi primi discepoli, ma anche tutti i futuri credenti. Come Gesù e il Padre sono una cosa sola, così i credenti devono essere una cosa sola, un solo corpo e un solo spirito, avendo una sola fede e una sola speranza (Efesini 4,4-5). I credenti devono essere una sola Chiesa (Colossesi 1,18; 1Corinzi 12,13.14.27). Quella dei credenti è però un’unità nella fede, nella speranza e nell’amore vicendevole, mentre quella tra Gesù e il Padre è un’autentica unità divina. Padre e Figlio e Spirito Santo, pur essendo distinti per le loro relazioni d’origine, partecipano pienamente della medesima e indivisibile natura e sostanza divina, e perciò i tre sono veramente il medesimo e indivisibile Dio. Allora Gesù può dire: “Io e il Padre siamo Uno” (Giovanni 10,30), e: “Tutto ciò che il Padre possiede è mio” (Giovanni 16,15). E dello Spirito di Dio si può dire che egli è, ad un tempo, lo Spirito del Padre (Matteo 10,20) e lo Spirito di Gesù (Atti 16,6-7; Romani 8,9; Galati 4,6; Filippesi 1,19; 1Pietro 1,10-11).

According to anti-Trinitarians, when Jesus said, “I and my Father are one” (John 10:30), it must mean a unity of purpose, not of divine nature or substance, between Father and Son. But the same discussion between Jesus and the Jews demonstrates the truth of the Trinitarian faith: After those words of Jesus, the Jews took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father, for which of those works do ye stone me? (John 10:31-32) Attention, the Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not, BUT FOR BLASPHEMY, AND BECAUSE THAT THOU, being a man, MAKEST THYSELF GOD. (John 10:33) It is evident that the Jews had understood the words of Jesus as a violation of the oneness of God, therefore a very serious blasphemy. These accused Jesus of making himself God. This shows that those words of Jesus are to be understood according to the divine unity between Father and Son, and not only according to a unity of purpose.

Secondo i testimoni di Geova quando Gesù disse: “Io e il Padre siamo Uno” (Giovanni 10,30) si deve intendere un’unità di intenti, non di natura o sostanza divina. Ma la medesima discussione tra Gesù e i giudei dimostra la verità della fede trinitaria: Dopo quelle parole di Gesù i giudei portarono di nuovo delle pietre per lapidarlo, e Gesù disse loro: “Vi ho fatto vedere molte opere buone da parte del Padre mio, per quale di esse mi volete lapidare?” (Giovanni 10,31-32) Attenzione, i Giudei gli risposero: “Non ti lapidiamo per un’opera buona, MA PER LA BESTEMMIA E PERCHÉ TU, che sei uomo, TI FAI DIO.” (Giovanni 10,33) È evidente che i giudei avevano inteso le parole di Gesù come una violazione dell’unicità di Dio, quindi una gravissima bestemmia. Questi accusavano Gesù di farsi Dio. Ciò dimostra che quelle parole di Gesù si devono intendere secondo l’unità divina tra Padre e Figlio, e non soltanto secondo un’unità di intenti.

Protestants reject the book of Tobit as divinely inspired. They state six reasons why they consider him to be among the apocryphals:

1) The angel Raphael hides his true identity from old Tobi, lying to him and presenting himself as Azariah son of Hananiah and grandson of Nathan (Tobit 5:13-14).

2) Old Tobit regains his sight after fish gall is applied to his eyes (Tobit 11:1-14).

3) The devil who tormented the young Sarah is chased away by the smell of incense coming from the embers on which the liver and heart of a fish have been placed (Tobit 8:1-3).

4) Jesus and the apostles never referred to it.

5) Never recognized by the Jews, never by the Christians of the first centuries.

6) The Holy Spirit does not at all testify in us children of God that it is the word of God, on the contrary, it makes us feel unequivocally that we must reject its content.

I answer point by point to the aforementioned disputes:

1) In the First Book of Kings it is written that God sends an angel to deceive Ahab:

1 Kings 22:19-22
And he said, Hear thou therefore the word of the Lord: I saw the Lord sitting on his throne, and all the host of heaven standing by him on his right hand and on his left. And the Lord said, Who shall persuade Ahab, that he may go up and fall at Ramothgilead? And one said on this manner, and another said on that manner. And there came forth a spirit, and stood before the Lord, and said, I will persuade him. And the Lord said unto him, Wherewith? And he said, I will go forth, and I will be a lying spirit in the mouth of all his prophets. And he said, Thou shalt persuade him, and prevail also: go forth, and do so.

How come Protestants do not contest this episode of the First Book of Kings in the same way as the one in which Raphael hides his true identity? The angel had hidden his true identity to reveal it only at the end of his mission (Tobit 12:15). This does not take away from the sacred text the authority of the word of God. Tobit story is a parable, longer than the ones we are used to reading in the Gospel. The parable is a narration of an imaginary fact but belonging to real life, with which to illustrate a moral teaching. In this great parable the mysterious and saving action of God through his envoy is shown. It is no coincidence that Raphael (God heals) presents himself as Azariah (YaHVeH helps) son of Hananiah (YaHVeH shows his favor) and grandson of Nathan (God gives).

2) In the book of Tobit, Raphael heals old Tobit of blindness, telling young Tobias to apply fish gall on his father’s eyes. In the Gospel, Jesus Christ, in healing a man blind from birth, applied mud over his eyes and sent him to wash in the pool of Siloam:

John 9:1-7
And as Jesus passed by, he saw a man which was blind from his birth. And his disciples asked him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him. I must work the works of him that sent me, while it is day: the night cometh, when no man can work. As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. When he had thus spoken, he spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and he anointed the eyes of the blind man with the clay, And said unto him, Go, wash in the pool of Siloam, (which is by interpretation, Sent.) He went his way therefore, and washed, and came seeing.

3) In the book of Tobit the demon Asmodeus was cast out by the smell of incense coming from the embers on which the liver and heart of a fish were placed. In the Second Book of Samuel, however, David drives away the devil who tormented Saul by playing the lyre:

1 Samuel 16:23
And it came to pass, when the evil spirit was upon Saul, that David took an harp, and played with his hand: so Saul was refreshed, and was well, and the evil spirit departed from him.

Why do Protestants not contest this episode in the First Book of Samuel in the same way that they contest the one in the Book of Tobit?

4) It is absolutely not true that neither Jesus nor his disciples ever referred to the book of Tobit during their preaching. The books of the New Testament contain quotations also taken from the book of Tobit. Let’s see some examples:

For the golden rule, Matteo uses the reverse quotation from Tobit

Matthew 7:12
So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you.

Tobit 4:15
Never do to anyone else anything that you would not want someone to do to you.

Regarding the seven brothers who took the same woman as wives, the synoptic gospels refer to the book of Tobias

Matthew 22:25-27
Now, there were seven brothers who used to live here. The oldest got married and died without having children, so he left his widow to his brother. The same thing happened to the second brother, to the third, and finally to all seven. Last of all, the woman died.

Mark 12:20-22
Once there were seven brothers; the oldest got married and died without having children. Then the second one married the woman, and he also died without having children. The same thing happened to the third brother, and then to the rest: all seven brothers married the woman and died without having children. Last of all, the woman died.

Luke 20:29-31
Once there were seven brothers; the oldest got married and died without having children. Then the second one married the woman, and then the third. The same thing happened to all seven—they died without having children.

Tobit 3:8
Sarah had been married seven times, but the evil demon, Asmodeus, killed each husband before the marriage could be consummated. The servant woman said to Sarah, You husband killer! Look at you! You’ve already had seven husbands, but not one of them lived long enough to give you a son.

Tobit 7:11
I have already given her to seven men, all of them relatives. Each one died on his wedding night, as soon as he entered the bedroom. But now, my son, have something to eat and drink. The Lord will take care of you both. Tobias replied, I won’t eat or drink until you give me your word.

Regarding the seven angels who stand in the presence of the Lord, John of Patmos refers to the book of Tobit

Revelation 1:4
From John to the seven churches in the province of Asia: Grace and peace be yours from God, who is, who was, and who is to come, and from the seven spirits in front of his throne.

Revelation 8:2
Then I saw the seven angels who stand before God, and they were given seven trumpets.

Tobit 12:15
I am Raphael, one of the seven angels who stand in the glorious presence of the Lord, ready to serve him.

For the description of the new Jerusalem, John of Patmos refers to the book of Tobit

Revelation 21:18-21
The wall was made of jasper, and the city itself was made of pure gold, as clear as glass. The foundation stones of the city wall were adorned with all kinds of precious stones. The first foundation stone was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh yellow quartz, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chalcedony, the eleventh turquoise, the twelfth amethyst. The twelve gates were twelve pearls; each gate was made from a single pearl. The street of the city was of pure gold, transparent as glass.

Tobit 13:16-17
Jerusalem will be rebuilt and will be his home forever. Jerusalem, how happy I will be when my descendants can see your splendor and give thanks to the King of heaven. Your gates will be built with sapphires and emeralds, and all your walls with precious stones. Your towers will be made of gold, and their fortifications of pure gold. Your streets will be paved with rubies and precious jewels.

For the beatitudes, Matthew also refers to Tobit

Matthew 5:4
Happy are those who mourn; God will comfort them!

Tobit 13:16 (Vatican and Alexandrine Codex)
Blessed are those who have wept for your misfortunes: they will rejoice for you and will see all your joy forever.

5) It is not at all true that the book of Tobit was never recognized by the Jews and early Christians. First of all, in the previous point it was shown that the New Testament writers also referred to the book of Tobit for their teachings. Tobit is part of the deuterocanonical books. Until the coming of Jesus Christ, the Jews possessed two canons of Sacred Scripture, the Hebrew and the Alexandrian. The latter was written in Greek by the Jews of the diaspora. This translation of their Old Testament is called “Septuagint” (referring to the seventy elders Israelites who accompanied Moses [Exodus 24:9]), and also contains the seven deuterocanonical books: Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, First Maccabees, Second Maccabees, Baruch and Sirach. The Alexandrian biblical canon was accepted by the Jews until the second half of the first century AD. In their teachings Christ and his disciples also referred to the Septuagint. Suffice it to note that in the New Testament there are three hundred quotations taken from those texts. For a few centuries the Jews had welcomed the Septuagint, but they moved away from it towards the end of the first century AD, mainly because of their disagreements with the Christians who also used those texts for their doctrines. Thus, towards the end of the second century AD, the rabbis officially fixed the Jewish canon excluding the Alexandrian one. The New Testament writers also referred to the Deuterocanonical books, as has already been shown in the fourth point with some examples concerning the book of Tobit. And if doubts were shown by some Fathers regarding the Deuterocanonical books, doubts were also shown towards some New Testament letters. In fact, before the fourth century AD, not even the letter to the Hebrews, the letter of James, the second letter of Peter, the second and third letters of John, the letter of Judas and the Apocalypse of John of Patmos. The Christian writer Eusebius of Caesarea (265-339) stated that among the books discussed were the letter of James, the Second letter of Peter, the Second and Third letters of John, the letter of Judas and the Apocalypse of John of Patmos (Ecclesiastical History III, 25, 3-4). The fragment of Muratori (II-III century AD) omits the letter to the Hebrews, the letter of James, the First and Second letters of Peter. Origen (185-253), mentioned by Eusebius, considered the Second Letter of Peter and the First and Second Letters of John to be doubtful (Ecclesiastical History VI, 25, 8.10). In 382 it was the Bishop of Rome, Damasus (366-384), who established the biblical canon and included Tobit, Judith, Wisdom, Baruch, Sirach, First Maccabees, Second Maccabees, Hebrews, James, Second Peter, Second John, Third John, Judas and Apocalypse. The current biblical canon in use in the Catholic Church became official in 1546, during the Council of Trent, with the decree De Canonicis Scripturis. It was the Catholic Church that established which books were to be part of the Biblical Canon, not the Protestants, born fifteen centuries after Christ, under Luther, who even tried to pass for apocryphal the letter of James which he called the “straw epistle” (Martin Luther, Preface to the New Testament, year 1522 and year 1546). James’s letter is opposed to the Protestant doctrine of “sola fide” (James 2: 14-26), and was therefore considered dangerous by the former Augustinian monk.

6) Evidently it is not the Holy Spirit who suggests to them that they should reject the content of the book of Tobit, which is the word of God. But it is another spirit.

The book of Tobit was written in the second century BC. It is a great parable, in which the main protagonist, God, already emerges from the names of the characters: Tobias (YaHVeH is good), Raguel (God is a friend), Raphael (God heals), Azariah (YaHVeH helps), Hananiah (YaHVeH shows his favor), Nathan (God gives), Gabael (God raises). The message of this story is an invitation to recognize that the providence of the merciful God never fails, and here he works discreetly and effectively through his envoy (Tobit 4:1.2.20.21; 5:1-22). The Lord knows how to give birth to great joy even from situations that were unhappy (Tobit 3:8.17; 8:1-3; 11:1-4). It is an uplifting story in which a high conception of marriage emerges (Tobit 6:12.19; 7:9.10.13; 10:10), expresses the sense of family with great vitality (Tobit 7:2; 9:6) and stands out the practice of almsgiving (Tobit 1:3.17) and duties towards the dead (Tobit 1:17-19; 2:4.8).

In the Bible the office of “archangel” is attributed only to Michael (Jude 9). However, the Catholic Church also recognizes Gabriel and Raphael as archangels. An archangel is an angel who is in command of other angels. The Bible attributes the office of angel (which means “messenger”) to Gabriel and Raphael, because this office can also be performed by the superior spirits, the archangels. Daniel notes that Michael is “one of the first princes” (Daniel 10:13). In Daniel the “princes” are the angels (Daniel 10:13.20; 12.1). Therefore the “first princes” are higher angels, archangels. So Michael, while being the only one in the Bible to be called archangel, is not the only one belonging to this hierarchy. In the book of Revelation we read of seven angels who stand upright before God and who were given seven trumpets (Revelation 8:2). In the East there were seven assistants to the throne (Esther 1:10). These seven angels standing before God can only be superior spirits, archangels. The Bible lists Gabriel and Raphael among these seven angels (Luke 1:19; Tobit 12:15). In addition to Michael, the Bible attributes a proper name only to the angels Gabriel and Raphael. A name given to an angel indicates a particular assignment. Michael means “Who is like God?”. Michael is in charge of the defense of the dominion of the Almighty (Daniel 12:1), to which no one is equal (1 Samuel 2:2; Job 40:9; Isaiah 42:8; Psalms 34:10; 70:19; 144:3 ; Micah 7:18). Michael opposed Satan when the latter turned against God, and cast him out of heaven (Revelation 12:7-9; Luke 10:18). He went to the aid of the angel of the Lord when he was hindered for twenty-one days by the prince of the kingdom of Persia (Daniel 10:12-14). And when the Lord Jesus comes from heaven in his glory, the archangel Michael will come with him and with all the heavenly host (1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; Matthew 24:30-31; 25:31-32). Gabriel means “God is Strong”. Gabriel was sent to Daniel to instruct him and make him understand the vision received from God (Daniel 8:1-26; 9:20-27). He was sent to the priest Zechariah to announce that his wife Elizabeth, despite her advanced age, would conceive and give birth to the forerunner of the Messiah (Luke 1:5-20). He was sent by the Virgin Mary to announce that she would conceive and give birth to the Son of God – the Messiah – by the work of the Holy Spirit (Luke 1:26-38). Probably the angel who appeared to Joseph in a dream was always Gabriel (Matthew 1:20-21). Raphael means “God heals”. Raphael was sent to the young Tobias to accompany him and guard him on his journey (Tobit 4:1.2.20.21; 5:1-22), and to make him marry the young Sarah (Tobit 6:12.19; 7:9.10.13; 10:10) and free her from the devil Asmodeus (Tobit 3:8.17; 8:1-3), and to heal his father Tobit from blindness (Tobit 3:17; 11:1-14). The holy archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael are venerated by all Christian churches that admit the cult of saints. In the Catholic liturgy, the solemnity of the three holy archangels Michael, Gabriel and Raphael is celebrated on 29 September. In the Orthodox liturgy it is celebrated on November 8th. Places of worship are dedicated to the three holy archangels. In Christian art, St. Michael the Archangel is almost always represented as a young man with eagle wings and wearing a helmet and breastplate, and a sword (sometimes replaced by a spear or cross) in his hand, which are references to the word of God (1 Thessalonians 5:8; Hebrews 4:12; Revelation 1:16), and in the other hand a balance (according to some interpretations it indicates the weighing of souls, therefore it is a call to divine judgment). Often in the act of casting out the devil (sometimes in the form of a dragon). St. Gabriel the Archangel is always represented as a young man with eagle wings and with a sprig of white lily in his hand, a symbol of purity, chastity and goodness. We often see him with the Virgin Mary in the act of announcing the conception of the Son of God. St. Raphael the archangel is always represented as a beautiful young man with eagle wings, often together with the young Tobias while they are traveling. In some paintings the three holy archangels are represented together.