Can you provide an introduction to the Book of Tobit?
By CopticBot.ai (Coptic Space Inc.) · Last reviewed 2026-10-10
The Book of Tobit is a beautiful and spiritually profound work found in the Second Canonical Books (Deuterocanon) of the Old Testament. In the Coptic Orthodox tradition, it is regarded as divinely inspired and is cherished for its teachings on family life, almsgiving, and the reality of angelic protection.
Summary of the Story
The book follows the life of Tobit, a righteous and God-fearing Israelite from the tribe of Naphtali, who was taken into captivity to Nineveh by the Assyrians. Even in exile, Tobit remained faithful to the commandments of God, specifically by performing acts of charity and burying the dead of his kin, which often put his life at risk.
After a series of trials, including becoming blind, Tobit sends his son, Tobias, to Media to retrieve a sum of money. Along the journey, Tobias is accompanied by a mysterious traveler named Azarias, who is actually the Archangel Raphael in disguise.
During the journey, Tobias meets Sarah, a woman whose seven previous husbands were killed on their wedding night by the demon Asmodeus. Under Raphael’s guidance, Tobias marries Sarah, expels the demon using the heart and liver of a miraculous fish, and returns home to heal his father’s blindness using the fish’s gall.
Key Theological Themes
- Angelic Guardianship: The book provides the most detailed scriptural account of the ministry of Archangel Raphael, whose name means "God heals." It reinforces our Orthodox belief that the angels are "ministering spirits" who intervene in the lives of the faithful.
- The Virtue of Almsgiving: Tobit teaches that "alms deliver from death, and the same is that which purgeth away sins, and maketh to find mercy and life everlasting" (Tobit 12:9). This scriptural foundation is central to our practice of mercy.
- Godliness in Trials: Like Job, Tobit’s faithfulness is tested through suffering. The book teaches that God permits trials to refine the soul but never abandons the righteous.
- Sanctity of Marriage: The prayer of Tobias and Sarah before their wedding night is a cornerstone for the Orthodox understanding of a Christ-centered marriage, emphasizing that the union should be based on a desire for God’s blessing rather than lust.
Liturgical and Devotional Use
The Coptic Church holds Archangel Raphael in high honor, designating the 13th of Pi Kogi Enavot (the small month) as his feast day. The events of the Book of Tobit are the primary source for our icons of St. Raphael, where he is often depicted holding a fish or leading the young Tobias.
Furthermore, the prayers of Tobit and Sarah serve as a model for deacons and the laity in how to approach God with a spirit of repentance and humility. While some heretics—such as Protestants—ignore this book because it is not in the Masoretic Hebrew text, the Coptic Church continues to preserve it as a vital treasure of the Holy Scriptures.