The book of Susanna is a short story found in the Apocrypha section of some Bibles. It tells the story of a beautiful and godly woman named Susanna who is falsely accused of adultery by two elders who lust after her. The story highlights themes of sexual sin, false accusations, justice, and deliverance.
Background
The book of Susanna is considered part of the Additions to Daniel or supplements to the Book of Daniel. It is found in the Septuagint (Greek translation of the Old Testament) following the Book of Daniel. However, it is considered apocryphal by Protestants and so does not appear in most Protestant Bibles today.
The story is set in Babylon during the Babylonian captivity of the Jews. It features Daniel as a young man who helps save Susanna’s life. The book provides more background information on Daniel than what is included in the biblical Book of Daniel.
Summary of the Story
Susanna was the beautiful, devout, and God-fearing wife of a wealthy man named Joakim. They lived in Babylon among the Jewish exiles. Two elders of the Jewish community frequently visited Joakim’s house and were attracted to Susanna’s beauty. One day, while Susanna was bathing in her garden, the two elders secretly watched her and were filled with lust for her.
After she finished bathing and sent her maids away, the elders approached her and threatened to falsely claim they had caught her secretly meeting with a young man. This accusation could lead to her death according to the Law. They offered to remain silent if she agreed to have sex with them, but Susanna courageously refused.
The elders then publicly accused her of adultery. During the trial, the elders pretended to be righteous men whose word could be trusted. Susanna was condemned to death based on the false testimony of the wicked elders.
As Susanna was being led away to her execution, the young Daniel was moved by the Holy Spirit to cry out for justice. He interrogated the two elders separately and their contradictory stories proved they had lied and falsely accused her. The elders were put to death according to the Law and Susanna’s life was spared.
Major Themes
Here are some of the major themes that emerge in the story:
Sexual Sin
The elders lusted after Susanna and plotted to coerce her into adultery. Their lust led them into greater sins of deception and bearing false witness. The story highlights the slippery slope of sexual temptation.
False Accusations
The elders maliciously targeted the innocent Susanna and falsely accused her of a capital offense. This illustrates how quickly one can be falsely accused and condemned on the testimony of dishonest witnesses.
Justice
The story highlights the need for thorough investigation and just judgment in legal matters. Daniel’s wise interrogation saved Susanna’s life by exposing the lack of evidence against her. Justice was served as the elders received the same punishment they hoped to inflict on Susanna.
Deliverance
Susanna’s great faith in God and refusal to sin even under threat of death led to her deliverance. God rescued her through Daniel’s discernment and courage. The story shows how God defends the righteous who stay faithful to Him.
Courage
Susanna courageously refused to give in to sin, even when threatened with death. She valued virtue and integrity above her own life. Her moral courage serves as an example for standing firm in what is right.
Discernment
Daniel’s spiritual discernment enabled him to get to the truth and expose the elders’ lies. The story promotes diligence and care in judging legal cases rather than blindly accepting accusations at face value.
Important Characters
Susanna
The main character and heroine of the story. She is described as a very beautiful, devout, and faithful Jew. Her love for God gave her the strength to refuse the elders’ sexual advances and threat of false accusations. Her courageous stand for virtue led to her deliverance.
The Two Elders
Respected leaders in the Jewish community who lusted after Susanna. They plotted to coerce her to sleep with them by threatening her with a false accusation. When she refused, they publicly accused her anyway, leading to her being condemned to death. Their lust and deception led to their own downfall.
Daniel
A young Jewish exile who was moved by God to come to Susanna’s aid. His discernment in examining the elders exposed their contradictory lies and saved Susanna’s life. Though young, he had wisdom and courage to defend the falsely accused.
Joakim
Susanna’s wealthy husband. He does not play a major role in the story itself, but as Susanna’s spouse, the assault by the elders was also an attack on his honor. According to the law, adultery was punishable by death for both parties.
Context in the Broader Bible Story
The book of Susanna fills in some background of Daniel’s earlier life in Babylon before the events recorded in the Book of Daniel. The themes of lust, false accusations, and justice connect back to Genesis with Joseph and Potiphar’s wife. Like Joseph, Susanna flees sexual sin even under threat of imprisonment. Daniel rising to deliver the falsely accused mirrors Joseph interpreting dreams in prison to eventually become Pharaoh’s right hand man.
Susanna echoes other Bible stories ofAttacks on women by wicked men in power, like Amnon and Tamar or Herodias and John the Baptist. It joins a pattern of God saving the oppressed who stay faithful to Him.
The book reinforces the importance of sexual purity and integrity emphasized across Scripture. It adds an example of standing firm in persecution and being unexpectedly delivered, much like many stories in Acts. Overall it aligns with broader biblical themes of courage, justice, temptation, and deliverance.
Susanna’s Relevance for Today
Though not canonical, Susanna offers some valuable lessons for Christians today:
1. Refuse sexual sin even under pressure – Susanna models courage and commitment to purity. Her example challenges believers to avoid compromise.
2. Guard your heart – the elders’ lust led them into greater evils. Jesus warns that sin begins in the heart before actions (Matthew 15:19).
3. Do not bear false witness – the elders sinned gravely in falsely accusing Susanna. Exodus 20:16 prohibits false testimony.
4. Trust God in persecution – like many biblical heroes, Susanna trusted God to deliver her. We too must trust in His justice even amid accusations.
5. Intercede for the vulnerable – Daniel rescued Susanna by interceding for the oppressed. The Bible calls Christians to protect the vulnerable.
6. Investigate carefully – Daniel exposed the elders’ deceit by thorough interrogation. Justice requires searching out facts, not just assumptions.
7. Choose courage over comfort – Susanna could have saved her life by giving in to sin but courageously refused. Christ calls believers to choose what is right over what is easy.
Susanna remains an inspiring example of trusting God and standing for truth when living in a pagan culture. The themes of sexual integrity, justice, and courage still resonate strongly for Christians in a fallen world today.
Key Bible Passages in Susanna
Though not considered canonical Scripture, Susanna includes references to a few key Old Testament passages:
Deuteronomy 19:15-21 – Establishes the principle that accusations require corroborating testimony by two or three witnesses in order to be considered valid. The elders’ contradictory statements violate this principle.
Leviticus 20:10 – Prescribes the death penalty for both parties in cases of adultery. This law is what the elders threaten to use against Susanna to coerce her.
Proverbs 12:19 – “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue is but for a moment.” The elders’ lies are soon exposed leading to their condemnation.
Isaiah 5:20 – “Woe to those who call evil good and good evil.” The elders twisted morality by lusting after Susanna while pretending to be righteous judges.
Evidence of its Apocryphal Origins
While an interesting story, Susanna does not seem to share the same kind of divine inspiration as books included in the canon. Evidence it likely comes from a later apocryphal source includes:
– Unknown author – It is anonymous rather than clearly attributed to a biblical prophet.
– Late original language – The story was likely composed in Greek rather than Hebrew.
– Doesn’t claim inspiration – It reads as a humanly composed story rather than claiming “thus says the Lord.”
– Not referenced by Jesus or Apostles – It is never cited in the New Testament.
– Contains historical problems – Critics claim it incorrectly identifies Babylon as part of the Persian empire rather than Babylonian.
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Susanna’s Uncertain Historicity
Some scholars conclude the story of Susanna is simply a fictional lesson rather than literal history. Reasons to question its factuality include:
– Not mentioned by extra-biblical sources – There are no mentions of Susanna in other ancient Jewish sources that reference Daniel.
– Unclear dating of events – It provides no clear dates tying it to specific events in the Babylonian or Persian rule.
– Diverges from biblical Daniel – After Susanna, Daniel disappears from the story rather than aligning with his rise in the court in Daniel 2.
– Daniel’s young age – The book portrays Daniel as a young boy able to outwit Jewish elders, differing from the biblical portrait of his abilities.
– Legal ambiguities – Critics claim Susanna’s execution by the Jews violates Roman law which prohibited capital punishment at the time.
– Odd circumstances – The sequence of events with the elders, Susanna, the garden, etc., has struck some as convenient rather than plausible.
Of course, defenders argue God could still have providentially arranged the precise events recorded to teach important lessons. But the historical problems coupled with its apocryphal status give good reason to doubt the literal truth of the account.
Early Support by Christian Leaders
In the early Christian era, a number of prominent church leaders viewed Susanna as canonical Scripture, indicating the story was seen as authoritative in some circles:
– Tertullian – Quoted from Susanna extensively and called it a “holy scripture.”
– Origen – Referenced Susanna as scripture and said the church acknowledges it.
– Athanasius – His festal letters include Susanna in the canon based on use by the early church.
– Regional councils – The Synod of Laodicea (363 AD) lists Susanna as part of the Old Testament canon.
– Jerome – Called Susanna “holy scripture” but later switched to viewing it as apocryphal.
So while some key leaders accepted Susanna early on, over time the broader church rejected it as non-canonical when more formally establishing the Old Testament canon.
Adoption by the Catholic Church
Though rejected by Jews and Protestants, the Roman Catholic Church includes Susanna and other apocryphal books in its Old Testament canon:
– Jerome’s Latin Vulgate – This 4th century translation grouped apocryphal books together but still included them.
– Council of Rome – In 382 AD, a council led by Pope Damasus I ratified the Vulgate canon including the apocrypha.
– Council of Carthage – In 397 AD, this council formally approved the apocryphal books as canonical.
– Council of Florence – This 15th century ecumenical council reaffirmed the canonicity of the apocryphal books like Susanna.
– Council of Trent – This key 16th century Catholic council declared the Vulgate inspired and canonical, aligning later Catholic Bibles with its apocryphal status.
The Catholic church thus views Susanna as divinely inspired based largely on its inclusion in the Septuagint and support by leaders like Augustine. But again, Jews and Protestants consider these grounds inadequate to establish full canonicity.
Rejection by Jewish and Protestant Groups
While appreciated by some early church fathers, Susanna faced scrutiny by Jewish and Protestant groups that led to its eventual exclusion from the canon:
– Jewish rejection – mainstream Judaism rejected Susanna and other apocryphal books as non-inspired relatively early on.
– Jerome’s doubts – Jerome initially defended Susanna but later declined to view it as on par with canonical scripture.
– Reformation doubts – Reformers like Luther argued against Susanna as lacking clarity and authorship to justify canonicity.
– Hebrew absent – The Hebrew version was likely lost if it ever existed, undermining claims to authenticity.
– Westminster Confession – This key 17th century Protestant statement excluded the apocrypha as non-inspired.
– Modern evangelicals – Mainstream evangelicalism today aligns with the Protestant view that Susanna is apocryphal rather than God-breathed scripture.
Of course, Catholics view the church councils that affirmed Susanna as authoritative. But Protestant groups see these councils as lacking the kind of biblical or traditional support needed to justify canonical status.
Summary of Susanna’s Canonical Status
In summary, the book of Susanna:
– Originated as part of the Jewish apocrypha, likely composed in Greek some time in the late 3rd or 2nd centuries BC.
– Was included in the Greek Septuagint translation but not the Hebrew Masoretic text.
– Was accepted by some important early church fathers and a few regional councils.
– Was affirmed as canonical by the Catholic church in the late 4th and 16th centuries.
– Was rejected as non-inspired and apocryphal by both Jews and Protestant reformers.
– Remains canonical and authoritative to Catholics but apocryphal and non-authoritative to Jews and Protestants.
So in the end, Susanna represents another example of disagreement between Catholicism and Protestantism over the limits of the inspired Old Testament canon. Christians are left to examine the evidence and decide for themselves whether to accept or reject its canonical status and authority.