Chapter 8

Chapter Seven

¹ And the iniquity of Ephraim shall be revealed, and the wickedness of Samaria; for he wrought falsehood, and a thief shall come in to them, a robber stripping men in his way. Again he teaches that he justly punishes those around Ephraim, and says: Their lawlessness shall be made plain to all, because they wrought falsehoods — that is, the idols. And thereupon the enemies, coming upon them after the manner of thieves and robbers, will strip them and lay them bare of all the good things they have. Christ too all but says to the Israelite people: Begin now at last to gather the things that make for salvation, when I came to turn back the lost sheep of the house of Israel, and to heal the broken-hearted. [1] For they that are strong have no need of a physician, but they that are sick. Then all the wickedness of the people was revealed, when, Pilate having asked, “Whom shall I release?” they said: “Release to us Barabbas, but crucify Jesus.” And while the very elements were being made new, they themselves persisted in their wickedness — at the time when even the thief and robber, who was crucified with him, came in to him, that is, was made his own through faith, and was with him in paradise. These things are also an exhortation to the soul, as it returns from the captivity in which it was taken captive while enslaved to the passions, and as it is healed from the wounds of sin and the gashes which are otherwise not cured, unless they present to it a stench and a loathing. For then it seeks out a physician, when it is sickened and distressed at the stench, as David also: My wounds stank and festered; and having said this, he says: Forsake me not, O Lord my God; depart not from me. Then therefore, O soul, when you are freed from sin, gather the fruits of virtue; but gather them for yourself, doing nothing for display, but working the good within yourself. And then the falsehood of wickedness is also revealed to it. For then it sees how the works of wickedness are false and deceitful; and through them the devil, a thief and a robber, entering in, strips the man, and renders him naked of all divine grace, in his way — that is, in his life, whether in the priestly or in the lay estate. As a thief, then, the devil comes upon us, when he persuades us to attend to the worse — for instance, slandering marriage, wine, the whole creation, as occasions of sins; and as a robber, when he comes upon us openly and shamelessly persuading us to pursue even the things manifestly condemned.

² So that they sing in harmony, as having it in their heart. The enemies, he says, will come upon them as thieves and robbers; but they will pass their time wailing and lamenting, not daring even to bewail and sing their own calamities aloud, but making their laments in their hearts and in their mind. These things may also be said concerning the robber on the cross; for his heart was in harmony with that of Christ; for the one confessed, and Christ granted him grace.

³ I have remembered all their wickednesses; now their devisings have encircled them; they came to be before my face. Having been long-suffering for a long time, he says, and seeming as it were not even to see the things they dared, now I plainly behold them, and they came to be before my face. For all were gathered together, and stood round about him — not the deeds only, but also the devisings, that is, the reasonings, showing them to me as worthy of punishment. And may it not be that, since God punishes more severely those sins which come of premeditations and devisings, for this reason he here said that “their devisings encircled them.” For these, he says, did not do their evils simply, nor on a sudden impulse, but with counsel and deliberation. So also on the last day of judgment, not only the deeds, but also the reasonings according to which they were done, are judged; and in these especially lies the decisive force, either of acquittal or of condemnation. The Hebrews also slew the prophets, while God bore with them; but since they became slayers of the Lord, and filled up the measure of their fathers, he remembered all their iniquities, that all righteous blood might come upon them, from the blood of Abel to the blood of Zechariah.

⁴ In their wickednesses they gladdened kings, and in their falsehoods princes. Because of their wickednesses, he says, having run on to destruction, they became authors of gladness to the kings and princes who conquered them in war. Or because they ran together with their kings in idolatry, and courted them by doing the same things, and in their falsehoods — that is, the idols, or the flatteries and false praises — gladdened those men, concerning whom Isaiah also said: Those who pronounce you blessed lead you astray; and, Woe to those who call the bitter sweet, and the sweet bitter. And the Jews too made their kings — the demons, the rulers of darkness — to rejoice by their false accusations against Christ and by their falsehoods; moreover they reconciled Herod and Pilate to one another in the condemnation of Christ.

⁵ All of them adulterers, like an oven burning for baking, from the burning of the flame. By “adultery” you may understand the bodily kind, since God says that all in Israel are adulterers; and thus they burn with the fire of licentiousness, like an oven, when a burning comes from the flame, which is heated for baking — that is, for the roasting of loaves. And the fire of licentiousness will bring upon them the flame of captivity, by which, being burned up, they will become serviceable for the digesting of the rawness they now have. And by “adultery” you may also understand idolatry, toward which they were inflamed, following after the first idolater among them, Jeroboam.

⁶ From the kneading of the dough until the whole is leavened — these are the days of your kings. By “fat,” that is, dough, which is flour, he calls all the people, and says: Just as leaven transforms the flour mixed with it into itself, so also from the time the people began to be kneaded into the leaven of Jeroboam’s impiety, until the whole was leavened and made like to it, all this time is “the days of your kings.” And by this he shows that under all the kings from Jeroboam onward and downward idolatry prevailed. Understand by “adulterers” also the adulterous and sinful generation of the God-slayers, who, inflamed with envy, and having plotted the cross for the baking — that is, the consuming — of the heavenly bread, Christ, did not cease until they accomplished the deed. These, however, are “the days” of the rulers and chief men among them — that is, of ancient calamities. For Scripture, as we said above also, calls calamity too a “day.” And as he who does not believe is already judged even before the judgment, so also the adulterer is already burning even before that burning, in which he shall then be burned, unto the digesting and the ceasing of wickedness.[2] For wickedness will no longer be put into operation after the last judgment, nor will anyone be friendly disposed toward it; but there will be eternal hatred in those who now love it, because for its sake they are eternally punished. For now it fawns upon the foolish with its apparent sweetness; but then, when its unseemliness is revealed, repentance will not come upon those who in this life were deceived by it, and they will repent inconsolably, because they preferred a thing so ugly and unseemly to the divine beauty. The adulterer, then, is already burning, according to the saying: Walk in the light of your fire, and in the flame which you have kindled. And since, as the lump comes from leaven and flour, so action comes from reasonings and operation, he says that the reasonings that reign in the adulterer do not seem to be in darkness, but to have a kind of daylit and cheerful condition, “from the kneading of the dough until the whole is leavened” — that is, from the time they begin to plot the evil until they accomplish it.

⁷ The princes began to be enraged from wine. Having accused all in common as adulterers, he now accuses all the princes as drunkards, and for this reason given to rage.

⁸ He stretched out his hand with pestilent men, because their hearts were kindled like an oven in their dashing men down. Each of the princes, he says, stretches out his hand to take bribes, and consorts with pestilent and corrupting men, loving them, because in the dashing down — that is, in plotting against and harming his own kinsmen — he is hot. Out of the drunkenness of envy the rulers of Israel raged also against Christ; and the disciple Judas stretched out his hand, when he took the silver of the betrayal, agreeing with the pestilent Pharisees and Scribes, who were hot to lie in wait, to dash down and to destroy the Lord; and the hearts of the soldiers too were kindled as they kept watch, when they guarded the tomb.

⁹ The whole night Ephraim was filled with sleep. Morning came, he was kindled like the light of fire; all were heated like an oven burning with fire, and it devoured their judges. All their kings fell, and there was none among them that called upon me. According to the obvious sense, it follows for the drunkards mentioned above to sleep the whole night, which is the greatest shame, and especially for the rulers of a people; for this shows them to take no thought at all for their subjects. And when morning came, he says, they were kindled like fire, both toward drinking, and toward raging, and toward taking bribes, and toward all the other evils; and not the princes only, but all are like an oven, burning toward sinning, each as he is able. And especially this fire of wickedness devoured their judges — that is, the kings and princes — inasmuch as they had their power for fuel; and all their kings fell, committing idolatry and sinning in other ways. For no one who sins is said to stand. And there was none among them who, inclining toward me, called upon me; or else, that there was no teacher who called them and drew them to me. And the Jews slept without care, while the soldiers guarded the tomb; but when morning came, the Lord having risen, their envy was kindled, and they became like an oven burning with rage. And the jealousy over the resurrection devoured their judges; and all fell a great fall, being cheated of their hopes. And the sinner too sleeps the whole night of this life, without perception. Wherefore Paul exhorts his genuine child, and son of the day, Timothy: Be sober in all things. But when morning comes — that is, the state to come — then there is kindled in him and there blazes up the perception of the things he has done, but only as the light of fire; for it burns him, and then fire will devour his former judging reasonings, which judged that it was right to act thus. For all these, reigning and holding sway before, were the cause of the fall of sin, and in no way called him toward God.

¹⁰ Ephraim was mingled together with his peoples. Though he ought, he says, to guide the others toward the good, he instead mingled himself with the multitudes unto wickedness; and the king transgressed equally with the rest. For the tribe of Ephraim reigned, as we have often said.

¹¹ Ephraim became a cake baked under the ashes, not turned. For just as the cake baked under the ashes, touching the fire on one side only, is burned up and becomes useless — for it must be turned, that it may be baked on the other side as well — so also he persisted in wickedness, and was burned up by it.

¹² Strangers devoured his strength, but he himself knew it not. Since he had named him bread, he continued in the figure, and says: The foreigners warred against him, and devoured all his strength, both that in men and that in wealth. But not even so did he recognize the God who chastens.

¹³ And gray hairs blossomed upon him, and he himself knew it not. For a long, he says, and lengthy time he is chastened, and as it were grew old under chastening; yet not even by time was he taught what was needful. And the leaders and teachers of Israel, agreeing in mind with the vulgar crowd, would not turn from the letter to the spirit. Wherefore the nations, which were strangers to the covenants of God, devoured his strength (and the strength of Israel was the Law); but they, being hardened, did not know it, but grew old in the manner of life according to the letter. And everything that wears out and grows old is near to vanishing; and when anyone, giving himself wholly to the flame with which he is inflamed, and pursuing the things done in secret, which it is shameful even to speak of, will not turn from such a state, the demons devour his strength, which he received naturally from God for good works — the demons, who became strangers and enemies to us, envying the glory of man. Wherefore, growing old in sin, he has a complete ignorance of the good.[3]

¹⁴ And the pride of Israel shall be humbled before his face. That is, before his own eyes he shall see the dreadful things; just as those also who insulted the Lord were humbled, when the temple and the city were destroyed upon them.

¹⁵ And they did not return to the Lord their God, nor did they seek him out in all these things. And Ephraim was like a senseless dove, having no heart. He called upon Egypt, and went to the Assyrians. I for my part, he says, brought afflictions upon them, that, coming to understanding, they might turn to me and call upon my help; but they looked to human alliances. For they sought the help of the Egyptians when warred upon by the Assyrians; and when subdued by the Syrians, they called upon the Assyrians, displaying the senselessness of the dove. For just as the dove, when its young are taken away, does not fly off, but remains in the same places, so also these ran to their enemies; for the Assyrians were confessedly their enemies, and the Egyptians too. And the dove is lustful and unchaste. When, then, a soul, being incontinent toward the pleasures of darkness, is senseless in this, and supposes that nothing is evil for it, it also makes friends with the Assyrians: with the one, through the works of darkness; with the others, through conceit; whence it shall also hear: Go into the outer darkness, prepared for the devil and his angels — who are the spiritual Assyrians. These things fit the God-slaying Synagogue also; for they did not know, nor understand, but out of conceit they walk in darkness.

¹⁶ As they go, I will cast my net over them; like the birds of heaven I will bring them down; I will chasten them in the report of their affliction. As they go, he says, to call upon allies and helpers, I will cast the enemies upon them, like a kind of net, and will bring them down — that is, I will drag down and humble their arrogance. Yet first I will attempt to chasten them by foretelling, and by making audible to them the afflictions that await them; if they are not chastened, then I will bring on the afflictions too. Or else, that the enemies will be so fearful that, even without having yet arrived, but merely being rumored and heard of, they will suffice for their chastening. The net of God is his manifold wisdom, according to which, often providing for us, when we go and are moved to do some evil, he casts hindrances in our way; and when we are high-minded, after the manner of the demons in the air, he brings down and humbles us; and foretelling Gehenna, and the worm that does not die, and the fire that is not quenched, he chastens through the hearing, as a lover of mankind. And upon the God-slayers, as they walked in error, he cast the net — the teaching of the fishermen — that he might bring them down to the humility that is in Christ, and persuade them to learn that he is meek and lowly in heart, and not to boast in the works of the Law, but to be confirmed as men justified freely by his grace; and he himself chastened them in the hearing of their affliction, telling beforehand of Jerusalem trodden down by the nations;[4] and concerning the temple, that there should not remain stone upon stone; and, Blessed are the barren that did not bear; and all that concerns the capture.

¹⁷ Woe to them, because they leaped away from me; wretched are they, because they were impious against me. In the case of the sick, so long as there is hope of recovery, those who care for them say and do everything; but when they despair of them, they thereafter lament. This God too does over the people, having despaired of their healing, and he laments them as having leaped away through their wicked deeds, and having been impious through their godless worship.

¹⁸ I redeemed them. Those of former times, from the slavery in Egypt; and those of later times Christ redeemed from the demons, and the diseases, and the maimings; and last of all, through his own blood, in which we found redemption.

¹⁹ But they spoke falsehoods against me. Both when, standing around the calf, they said: These are your gods, O Israel; and when they said: Though he smote the rock, and waters gushed out, can he also give bread?

²⁰ And their hearts were not given to me. With their lips only they honored me, but their heart was far from me; or, when they did not ascribe their benefits to me as benefactor, but to the idols.

²¹ But rather they howled upon their beds; over grain and wine they cut themselves. Enjoying the land promised to their fathers, and having received their allotments by lot (he named these “beds,” because in them they rested from their toils in the wilderness), they did not give thanks to me, but, performing the idolatrous rites, they howled, as men raving among them; and having the grain and the wine, my gifts, and luxuriating in them, they made incisions in honor of the demons, gashing their breasts and arms. Or he means that which they did in serving Rhea. For, being cut by them, they gashed themselves, and removing their generative parts, were called galli and bacchae.[5] And the Israelites did these things over grain and wine — that is, asking these things from the idols. The God-slayers also spoke against Christ, saying: By Beelzebul he casts out the demons. Again they said: Good Teacher; and, We know that you proclaim the way of God, and do not regard the face of man. But they said these things not from the heart, but in private (for this is what “upon their beds” signifies) murmuring against him they groaned, that, doing such things, he was still alive; and when he said: My flesh is truly food, and my blood is truly drink; they cut themselves off from him and departed, and became many divisions, saying: This saying is hard; who can hear it? The Lord redeemed us also from all uncleanness. But many of those who sin speak falsehoods against him, saying: Who knows whether there will be a judgment, whether he will come to examine our affairs? Let us eat and drink; for tomorrow we die; and they call Mammon their lord. And they cut themselves over grain and wine — perhaps both those who get drunk and live in luxury, then proceed to quarrels and wounds and murders; and perhaps also those who stir up wars for the sake of grain, and wine, and other good things of the earth. Wherefore they also turn to nothing. For all zeal about such things ends in no well-pleasing end.

²² They were instructed in me, and I strengthened their arms, yet against me they devised evil things. I, he says, instructed them, and taught them the way of righteousness, and all good order, so that they too said, rejoicing over themselves: Blessed are we, O Israel, because the things pleasing to the Lord are known to us. And not this only, but I also made them noble warriors, and strengthened their arms; but they reasoned concerning me that I am not God.

²³ They turned away unto nothing. That is, to the things that in no way whatever exist. For this is the more grievous, that instead of me they reverenced such things, which he says also elsewhere: Two evils my people committed: they forsook me, a fountain of living water, and dug for themselves broken cisterns, which will not be able to hold water. The Savior also instructed the Israelites, ever teaching in the synagogues that they should turn to himself and believe; but they turned to nothing — that is, for a little while. For many, it says, of those who had believed went back.

²⁴ They became like a bent bow. That is, they became unbending, and in no way slackening or yielding of their tension toward wickedness. But some of the copies have “like a bow turned back”; and it signifies: I for my part stretched them like a bow of my own, that through them I might shoot down and put an end to the idolatry among the others; but they were turned back, and did the very contrary. For shooting at and pulling down my honor, they made war against me on behalf of the idols.

²⁵ Their princes shall fall by the sword, because of the unruliness of their tongue. The “princes” are both the priests and the kings; for these taught the people lawless things. And the greatest unruliness is to say to the wood: You are my god; and to the stone: You begot me.