The verbal identity between the two passages here suggests either direct influence, or else that a current saying (from Mal. iv. 6) has been adopted in each. xi. 19. What time he saith, I xii. 19, 20 ... And I will say have found rest, to my soul, Soul, thou hast And now will I enjoy my much goods laid up for goods,— many years; take thine ease, He knoweth not what lot eat, drink and be merry. shall befall; But God said unto him, He shall leave them to others, Thou foolish one, this and die. night is thy soul required of thee; and the things which thou hast prepared, whose shall they be? Cp. also Ecclesiasticus xxxi. 3 with the Lucan passage last quoted. Examples of other small details illustrative of the usefulness of Ecclesiasticus for this purpose are i. 1-20, which offers an interesting commentary on Matthew xi. 19: “Wisdom is justified by her works” (cp. the various reading in Luke vii. 35). The visitation of the sick referred to in Matthew xxv. 39 is illustrated by Ecclesiasticus vii. 35: Forget not to visit the sick, For thou wilt be loved for that. Evidently this was a duty laid upon all good Jews. And, once more, the custom of wagging the head in sign of mockery mentioned in Matthew xxvii. 39 is also referred to in Ecclesiasticus xii. 18. Numbers of similar, small but interesting, points offer themselves to students of the book. But the most striking fact in this connection is that of the many parallel thoughts and passages between Ecclesiasticus and the Epistle of St. James; these are of such a nature as to justify belief in the direct influence of the former on the latter. A few examples are appended[372]: Ecclesiasticus. St. James. i. 26. If thou desire Wisdom, i. 5. But if any of you lacketh keep the commandments, Wisdom, let him ask of God, And the Lord will give her Who giveth to all liberally freely unto thee. and upbraideth not; and it shall be given unto him. xv. 11-13. Say not, From God i. 13, 14. Let no man say when is my trangression, he is tempted, I am tempted For that which He hateth of God; for God cannot be made He not. tempted with evil, and Say not, It is He that made He Himself tempteth no me to stumble. man; but each man is For there is no need of evil tempted, when he is drawn men. away by his own lust, and Evil and abomination doth enticed. the Lord hate, And He doth not let it come nigh to them that fear Him.