Vjerski život u knjizi o Tobiji
Religious Life in the Book of Tobit

Summary/Abstract: The Book of Tobit was written around 200 BC. The colorful narrative tells the history of one family in which the pious Jew, Tobit, a prisoner of the Naphtali tribe, lives in a manner of authentic religious observance. Filled with grace, he acts according to the Law. His goal is to follow the faith of his fathers, even if it costs him his life. He is determined to pass on the values he treasures to his son Tobias. The book is imbued with a sense of trust in Divine Providence and with the idea of the fatherhood of God, who cares for people and always responds to those who call upon him. The historical context of Tobit recalls the opportunity to live the fullness of faith within a cultural, social and political reality which at first glance seems to be totally alien to Judaism. It is not difficult to see that the religious life in Tobit is actual for us too. Even today Tobit offers a way of living in fidelity to God in an environment where the prevailing values seem to be completely alien. In other words, Tobit aims to answer the key question: How do we live as believers in a world that is not disposed towards religion and does not support religion? The author of this article highlights the religious elements in Tobit, bringing these elements to the surface and creating a synthesis. In several subsections he examines Tobit’s faithfulness to God, analyzing the moral and religious character of this fidelity. The author also explores characteristics of Sarah’s prayer and faith, and discusses the common journey of faith of the young married couple, Tobias and Sarah. Religious sensibility and a state of fellowship with the one true God are the mystery at the heart of the idyllic atmosphere described in Tobit.

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