Commentary on Isaiah, Discourses 1–19

Commentary on Isaiah, Discourses 1–19

continued

Discourse 5

1 But the Lord shall bring upon you, and upon your people, and upon your father's house, days that have not yet come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah the king of the Assyrians. Since Ahaz was greatly troubled by the alliance of the two kings, Rezin and Pekah, the God of all promised assistance; but since He wished to confirm him in faith, He commanded him to ask for a sign, "either in the depth or in the height. But when Ahaz refused, and said most perversely, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord (for he sought rather the deceptions of the false prophets), God, in a way, went over of His own accord, and Himself gave a sign to the house of David. For He said: "Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel. But when the discourse about these things was well concluded, He turns the prediction of things to come again to the person of Ahaz himself. For it was necessary, it was necessary for the announcement of the salvation through Christ to be made to those of the house of David, that is, those of the tribe of Judah, from which Christ Himself also sprang according to the flesh;

2 but He makes the announcement of the terrible and dreadful things that would happen at times to those who chose to disobey, so that they might know that it is truly bitter, and not without penalty for those who dishonor the divine glory to give trouble to the Lord, and to choose to worship other gods beside Him who are not gods. Therefore, that at times, both Jerusalem itself, and all the land of the Jews, were about to fall into the utmost miseries, and to come under the hand of their enemies, He subtly foretells. But I shall try, as far as I am able, and before all else, to clarify the rather obscure composition of the words. "God, he says, will bring upon you, and upon your people, and upon your father's house, days that have not yet come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah. The meaning of the verses is as follows: In the time of the reign of Rehoboam, son of Solomon, Ephraim departed, that is, tore himself away, that is, again, the ten tribes, from the tribe of Judah. For the ten tribes were separated from the tribe of Judah, and have inhabited Samaria, but the tribe of Judah and the half-tribe of Manasseh have remained in Jerusalem. But as time went on, many dreadful things happened to them. For Samaria has been sacked, and the neighboring nations, Idumeans, Moabites, and those from Philistia, have overrun Judea. Therefore they have suffered many terrible things, and have experienced hard days, both these and those.

3 Therefore, he says, He will bring days God, the like of which have not yet occurred, that is, have come upon you from that time, from when Ephraim removed, that is, separated himself from Judah. But what is this time for us, or what are these days? The king, he says, of the Assyrians, that is, Nebuchadnezzar, who sacked Jerusalem, and by force conquered all of Judea, and also burned the divine temple, and omitted absolutely nothing of beast-like cruelty, which he is not found to have committed against the entire nation. And it shall be in that day that the Lord shall whistle for the flies, that which holds sway over a part of the river of Egypt, and for the bee, that is in the land of the Assyrians; and they shall all come, and shall rest in the valleys of the land, and in the clefts of the rocks, and into the caves, and into every ravine, and in every tree. He expands the narrative, and goes through in detail the assault of the war, and that those coming against them at the appointed times will occupy all their land, both villages and cities. And I think it is necessary to repeat what has been written in the fourth book of Kings, for the accurate clarification of the things that will be. Therefore, the son of Ahaz, to whom the discourse is now addressed, was Hezekiah; and of Hezekiah, Manasseh; and of Manasseh, Amos.

4 And his son was Josiah, a pious man, but he died in the following manner. Pharaoh Necho, king of Egypt, leaving his own country, set out with his whole army and hastened against the land of the Assyrians. Therefore Josiah, fearing lest somehow he might also come against Judea and take it under his own hand and rule over it, wanted to lead his army out against him, although Pharaoh was declining battle with him; but resisting, he died in the war, and the Egyptian prevailed over the land of the Jews, and he advanced to such a point of strength that he even removed from the kingship Jehoahaz, the son of Josiah, who was reigning, and brought him in chains to his own country, and appointed Eliakim as king, and imposed tributes on the nation, and demanded a great collection of money. Then after Eliakim had reigned over Judea for eleven full years in number, his son Jeconiah succeeded to the throne; then after him, Zedekiah, during whose reign Nebuchadnezzar campaigned against Judea, who, having burned them all, and adding Jerusalem itself to the other cities, took Israel captive, together with the sacred vessels, and did those things which are also recorded in the Holy Scriptures. The force of the preceding words gives us the narration of these histories.

5 "Therefore, he says, it will be in that day (that is, at that time), the Lord will whistle for the flies, that which holds sway over a part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee, that is in the land of the Assyrians. The discourse, therefore, is constructed from a metaphor based on the experience of beekeepers, who with whistling both lead the flies out of the hives into the fields and bring them back again, as if shutting up livestock in certain pens. And he compares the Egyptians to flies, as I suppose, on account of their multitude and the not very melodious sound of their voice. And to the bee, the nation of the Assyrians; for the bee is variegated, both colorful and marked in many ways. Such, in a way, as far as it pertains to garments and dress, are both the Assyrians and the Persians; for they are lovers of ornament, and always esteem being variously attired, and are indeed spurred on towards this. These, he says, will all come, and will rest in the valleys of the land, and in the clefts of the rocks, and in the caves, and upon every ravine, and in every tree. For since he has framed his words as if about flies, he continues with the trope. But it certainly shows that they will search their entire country, so that none of those in hiding can escape notice;

6 even if they should happen to hide themselves in rocks, or in valleys, or also conceal themselves in thickets and glens. And in another way also, in those who provoke the God of all and do not shrink from offending Him, the wicked and opposing powers, like wasps, make their abode and take up their lodging, and the no one warding off the strange passions within us, that is, defending and having the strength to save. For if God wishes to do harm, who is able to help us? In that day the Lord will shave with the great and drunken razor, which is beyond the river of the king of the Assyrians, the head and the hair of the feet, and he will take away the beard. It is necessary for us first to put the text together in these matters; then, finally, to speak what is signified by the thoughts. Therefore in that day, he says, that is, at that time, with the great and drunken razor, which is of the king of the Assyrians, who is beyond the river, clearly the Euphrates, the Lord will shave the head, and the hair of the feet, and will take away the beard. And he calls the great and drunken razor of the king of the Assyrians, who is beyond the river, his sword, which, as it were, shears unsparingly, and rejoices in being drunk with the blood of the fallen. And this is the meaning of the words.

7 But we say that it was a form of extreme dishonor for some to be seen at one time with their head and beard shaven. And indeed God of all threatened somewhere the daughters of Zion, who were exalted and walking with a high neck and with winks of their eyes, with the removal of their prosperity. For he said that, And it shall be, and instead of a sweet smell there will be dust, and instead of a girdle you will gird yourself with a rope, and instead of the golden ornament of the head, you will have baldness on account of your works. And some did this, dishonoring themselves also over the dead; whence also the law through Moses enjoins those who have received the divine ministry not to be shaven over the dead in the same way as others, nor indeed to destroy the appearance of the beard. For it is written thus. And when Jerusalem was sacked under Nebuchadnezzar, men went up from Shechem, and from Salem, and Samaria, as Jeremiah says: Eighty men with shaven beards, and with their garments rent, and cutting themselves, and manna and frankincense in their hands, to bring it into the house of the Lord. Therefore, to shear the head and beard with a razor was a form of mourning and at the same time of dishonor. The prophetic word said that the land of the Jews would suffer this at times. For it will remain, he says, when its children have perished, both mourning and most dishonored.

8 But if someone should wish to approach the contemplations in another way, he will think of something like this. For by the hairs of the head, he perhaps means those who are most honored in wealth and who have risen above the others in preeminence; for nothing is higher than the head; and by the beard, those in intelligence and understanding; for thus is beard always understood in the divinely-inspired Scripture. And when he names the hairs of the feet, he signifies somewhere, as is likely, those who are placed in the last and lowest rank. But the drunken razor spared no one at all, but together with those who were superior, it sheared off the middle and the last, and the intelligent of the land of the Jews, so as to leave it naked and bare. For Nebuchadnezzar transported almost all of Israel to the mountains of the Persians and Medes. And it shall be in that day, a man will nourish a heifer of oxen, and two sheep; and it shall be from the abundance of milk produced that he will eat butter and honey, every one that is left upon the earth. His purpose is to make manifest the working of the great and drunken razor, that is, of the Babylonian sword.

9 For he says that the whole land of the Jews will be stripped bare, and will come to such a state of poverty and lack of men, that the one who is left and has been saved from the hand of the enemies, and has remained in the land, will be the master of one heifer and two sheep, although in the past those throughout all Judea were accustomed to possess and pasture very many flocks of sheep, and indeed also of oxen. Therefore, this is a clear proof of extreme poverty. And he further proves that they will be exceedingly few in number in places, saying: "And it shall be from the abundance of milk produced, that everyone who is left will eat butter and honey- slain upon the earth. From two sheep and one heifer, he says, there will be so much milk that it will be sufficient for all who are left behind to have their fill, if indeed they should wish to make their meals from milk. Is it not clear, then, that those who escaped the razor are altogether few in number, and have remained in each place of Judea? For how many would they be, for whom the [milk] of two sheep and one heifer would be enough for food and satiety? What then from this will result for the benefit of us who are spiritual, it is possible to see through the matters themselves.

10 As many as practice what is hard to hear, and raise a haughty neck to God, will both be consumed by a lack of spiritual goods, and will become altogether few, and will be found in need of everything that knows how to nourish to spiritual well-being, and is able to bring them up, and very quickly, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. But such men will hear God saying through the voice of a holy one: Behold, those who serve me will eat, but you will be hungry. Behold, those who serve me will drink, but you will be thirsty. For very abundant is the participation in every good from God for those who have resolved to think his thoughts, to whom he himself has also spoken, saying: "Eat, and drink, and be drunk, my neighbors. And it shall be in that day, every place, where there shall be a thousand vines for a thousand shekels, shall become a waste land and a thorn; with arrow and with bow they shall come there; because all the land shall be waste land and thorn. This would be the work of the great and drunken razor, and a clear proof of the nation's scarcity of men. For the war has so consumed the inhabitants of Judea, that barely a few in number were left behind in it.

11 For this reason, he says, both the most beautiful and choicest of their possessions will be neglected, and will become waste land and thorn, since there are evidently none who know how to farm. For if there should be, he says, in one place a thousand vines for a thousand shekels, so that each vine is worth one shekel (and this is a measure of value), it will become waste land and thorn; so that even if someone should wish to approach the place, and only enter, he would not be able to do this without arrow and bow. For the thorns, lacking nothing of arrows and darts, would immediately wound the feet of one wishing to walk around. Therefore, wishing to do what is not right will be for us a cause of every evil. For we shall be laid waste in a way, not shrinking from offending God. For by doing, and indeed by being willing to think those things that are pleasing and dear to him, we shall bear the fruit of virtue, being deemed worthy of his care. For we shall hear Christ saying: "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in me that does not bear fruit, he takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, he prunes it, that it may bear more fruit. But having turned aside without restraint to impiety of ways, we are filled with spiritual thorns, with every kind of wickedness springing up in us. But the end of the thorn is fire;

12 and the food of fire, or useless matter. And this the blessed Paul will make clear to us, saying: "For the earth which has drunk the rain that often comes upon it, and brings forth vegetation useful to those for whom it is also tilled, receives a blessing from God; but if it brings forth thorns and thistles, it is worthless and near to a curse, whose end is to be burned. And every mountain that is plowed shall be plowed, and fear shall not come there. For it shall be from waste land and thorn for a pasture for sheep, and for the treading of an ox. He says that those left behind in Judea will be few, and that they will come to such cowardice, and indeed lack of manliness, that under a terrible and unbearable dread, they will spend their time in the mountains, and will depart from cities, and from the dwellings long desired by them, and will hasten to hide in woods and thickets. For this is the custom for those throughout all the country and city to do, if indeed there should be any of the enemy expulsion. For running up to the high and impassable parts of the mountains, they make the difficult terrain their weapon, and a remedy for cowardice to be in the clefts of rocks. This is what the Savior himself said to the people of the Jews: "Then," he says, "let those in Judea flee to the mountains.

13 Therefore the most beautiful of places will become wasteland, he says, and thorns, since those who are left behind fear even to enter them alone, or are not even permitted by the thorns; but having fled instead into the mountains, there, groaning, they will take up the labors of agriculture. For every mountain and every hill will be plowed, since those who have fled to them desire to gather, not things for wealth and luxury, but whatever serves the necessary need of the body, and provides meager and hard-won sustenance. What then is the reason for living in the mountains and wanting to farm them, even though the choice lands have been overlooked? "Fear shall not come upon it," he says, "there. They will reckon these things among themselves, that fear would not come upon them if they wished to dwell there. Then he points out the magnitude of the utter desolation. For he says that the whole land, from the wasteland and thorns, will become pasture for sheep, and a place for the ox to tread, that is, for the grazing of cattle, the rich, the well-vined, the olive-bearing, the most beautifully treed, the one always abounding with fruits, the one flowing with milk and honey, according to what is written. Therefore, by pleasing God with obedience in everything whatsoever, we shall dwell securely, as in some country or city, in virtue, and we will prevail over our enemies. And nothing at all will terrify us.

14 But we shall rather be caretakers of all reasonableness and good works, and full of the fruitfulness that pleases God, and freed from the intelligible thorn, and a desirable land, according to the voice of the prophet, and truly God's husbandry. And the Lord said to me: Take for yourself a great new scroll, and write on it with a man's pen, to quickly make a plunder of spoils. For it is at hand, and make for me faithful men as witnesses, Uriah, and Zechariah son of Barachiah. Having made a very sufficient prediction of the things that were about to happen in due time to the land of the Jews, and having shown the magnitude of the disaster, he usefully adds the things concerning Emmanuel, and having revealed the mystery concerning him, God makes it clearer to the prophet. For he said: "Behold, the virgin shall conceive in her womb, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel. For that he will be the mediator of a new covenant, the first one obviously being abolished, as it had much weakness, and was grown old, and perfected no one according to the conscience, he hints, saying: "Take for yourself a great new scroll. And what could "for yourself" signify, if not surely that? For not, he says, to those who have chosen to disobey, but to those who in faith have honored the word concerning him will the things in the new scroll be given. That is, the mystery of Christ will be revealed.

15 Therefore the scroll is new and great. For the new covenant speaking the mystery of Christ is not composed according to the first covenant, nor indeed will it be seen having the lowliness of the legal history, but as in excellence and height of knowledge and of doctrines. Whence also the divine Paul says most gladly, that he had suffered the loss of all things in the law for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ. It is clear then that when the first had grown old, as I said, a new and great scroll of the second covenant is taken, which is received upon better promises, as the most holy Paul says. And the scroll is written with the pen of a man. For what reason? When with the eyes of the mind we investigate the mystery of the holy and consubstantial Trinity, then at times we attempt to speak to others of the ineffable generation of the only-begotten Son of God; then indeed, then we have need of a pen not human and according to us. For what Would a word suffice to be able to make clear what is beyond mind and reason? But that reed alone is sufficient for such powerful narratives, which are beyond all understanding, concerning which God the Father says through the voice of David: "My tongue is the pen of a swift scribe. For no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know who the Father is except the Son, and to whomever the Son wills to reveal Him.

16 But when we make discourses concerning His incarnation, then indeed, then there is need of a human pen; which indeed the wise John has also done, saying: "The Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us. It is not at all difficult also to announce in our own voices His death in the flesh and His resurrection from the dead, and that as a kind of first-fruit and first-offering of human nature being renewed into incorruptibility, He ascended to the Father, and has sat down in the heavens. And He will come at the appointed time, and will be seated as judge. Therefore, the Spirit-inspired writers write with a human pen the things concerning the incarnation of the Only-Begotten. And he further commands, saying: "Make for me faithful men as witnesses, Uriah, and Zechariah the son of Barachiah. It should be known that at that time, when the word concerning these things came from God to the blessed Isaiah, Uriah was a certain prophet, and Zechariah was a priest and a teacher of the law. Therefore, the initiation into the mysteries and the understanding through the law and the holy prophets, that is, the prediction, are taken as a witness to Christ. For Christ is the end of the law and the prophets. We say that something of this kind was shown to the holy apostles at the time of Christ's transfiguration on the mountain.

17 For it is written that, "After six days Jesus took Peter, and James, and John his brother, and brought them up into a high mountain by themselves; and was transfigured before them. And His face shone as the sun, and His garments were white as the light. And behold, there appeared to them Moses and Elijah talking with Him. Observe, then, how Moses and Elijah, that is, the priesthood and the law (for Moses was both), and indeed also Elijah, being taken as the representative of the holy prophets, were speaking with one another concerning His departure, he says, which He was about to accomplish in Jerusalem. And what departure? Clearly, the end of the economy: the cross, the death, the resurrection from the dead, the ascension into heaven. For the law prefigured all these things through a shadow, and the splendid and great chorus of the holy prophets also foretold them. And he went in to the prophetess, and she conceived, and bore a male child. God revealed to the prophet that the birth of Christ according to the flesh was not of blood and of flesh, nor of the will of man, but was something new and unusual, and beyond the laws of human nature. For He Himself, he says, who said, "Take for yourself a new, large scroll," went in to the prophetess. Observe, then, how the mystery of Christ is written with a human pen and in our own words.

18 For the divine Scripture is accustomed to say, "went in," instead of "came together," that is, had marital relations. Therefore the prophet sees a form of union having taken place with the holy Virgin, whom he also says is a prophetess, teaching a true matter; then he also says that a conception has occurred, and that a son has also been born. And the rendering of the vision is very swift, setting forth all things to the prophet for his knowledge. For that that all-holy body which was united to the Word was formed from the Holy Spirit, how could anyone doubt? Therefore the energy of the Spirit, through which the body was formed in the holy Virgin, was signified indirectly by the form of the union. For in this also Christ has become the first-fruit of those sanctified in the spirit, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. Therefore He Himself was born of the Spirit according to the flesh and before the others, in order that also we are in these things through him. But it is necessary to note, that he commanded Uriah and Zechariah to be his witnesses, for making a swift distribution of spoils. And he added that, "For he is present.

19 For the law has testified, and indeed the foretelling of the holy prophets, that Christ, having been born, will despoil Satan, and will plunder his goods, as he himself says, that is, he will make his own those who were once his worshippers. For Christ himself also said this, speaking as in the manner of an example: "Or how can someone enter the house of the strong man and plunder his goods, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his goods. And saying, "For he is present," he announced that the manifestation of Emmanuel would not be far off. This is what he is found saying to the blessed Habakkuk: "Yet a little while, and the one who is to come will come, and will not delay. And the Lord said to me: Call his name, Spoil quickly, Plunder swiftly. For before the child knows how to call father or mother, he will take the power of Damascus, and the spoils of Samaria, before the king of the Assyrians. Having said above, "Behold, a virgin shall conceive in her womb, and shall bear a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel; he now commands his name to be called, Spoil quickly, Plunder swiftly. Is therefore the first name for him, that is, Emmanuel, meaningless? and would 'Spoil quickly, Plunder swiftly' be most fitting? We do not say this, but rather that.

20 It is the custom of the divinely inspired Scripture to call the God of all beings by different names, and sometimes to devise appellations from the things done at various times. This is observed also in the case of Christ himself. For he is true God, and that the Word, being God by nature, became with us, when he appeared as one of us, the name Emmanuel would signify very clearly. But since he became man, he despoiled Satan, and indeed rescued from his wickedness those who had long been plundered and were enslaved to him through sin, 'Spoil quickly, Plunder swiftly' would show. That as God he was about to accomplish with ineffable power the redemption of those on earth, he prefigures, saying: "For before the child knows how to call father or mother, he will take the power of Damascus, and the spoils of Samaria, before the king of the Assyrians. But the meaning of the preceding is very deep, and the narrative is spiritual. For the divine word is always somehow hidden in obscurities; for we will not find, as in a history and in perceptible things, that Christ, immediately after being born, despoiled Damascus, or the country of the king of the Assyrians, ransoming those who had been carried away from Samaria to his country. But when we take it spiritually, then indeed we shall certainly see the truth. Therefore Damascus, that is all of Syria, and indeed the land of the Assyrians, that is, of the Persians and Medes, was full of idols;

21 and for this reason it is called the land of carved images; for there were altars and sacred precincts everywhere, and those accustomed to frequent the precincts, I mean the races of false prophets, and those whose art was sorcery. But all their power was the demons worshipped among each of them, and their leader, Satan. When, therefore, Christ was about to seize, as it were, both the power of Damascus and that of the king of the Assyrians, that is, Satan and the evil and profane hordes of demons, and to free the deceived from slavery under him, and before he came to that bodily age at which it would be fitting for him to know how to call father or mother, he made it clear, saying: "For before the child knows how to call father or mother, he will take the power of Damascus. And 'He will take' is in place of 'He will subdue.' And likewise he will take the spoils of Samaria. That is, he will free the captives, having fought for them. Before the king of the Assyrians. Of the spiritual one, clearly, I mean Satan. For he was also the Damascus, and the power of Syria. Because even the worshipers of idols have all their hope of salvation in them; But that Christ despoiled Satan, having been born immediately, is easy to see. For Matthew writes:

22 "Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem, saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him. They worshipped him, then, and offered gold, and frankincense and myrrh. Do you see how he despoiled Satan, and plundered him quickly? And that the purpose of his coming looks to the redemption of those who were in spiritual captivity, Christ himself would indicate, speaking through the voice of Isaiah: "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind. And the blessed David also sings somewhere about him: "Having ascended on high, he led captivity captive. And he himself taught this, saying: "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all men unto me. And the Lord added to speak to me yet again: Because this people does not desire the water of Shiloah that goes softly, but desires to have Rezin, and the son of Remaliah as king over you, for this reason, behold, the Lord brings up upon you the water of the river, strong and mighty, the king of the Assyrians, and his glory.

23 And he shall come up over all your valleys, and shall walk over all your walls, and shall take away from Judaea a man who will be able to lift up his head, or able to accomplish anything. And his camp shall be so as to fill the breadth of your land. That, contrary to what is customary for men, the birth of Emmanuel will be strange and wonderful, that through the holy Virgin, and having stated very well that very many and truly most manifest divine signs would be accomplished at times, he reveals finally to the prophet, also the future madness of the Jews against him at the time of the incarnation. Indeed, the only-begotten Word of God came into this world, in the likeness of sinful flesh, not having the glory of his God-befitting excellence manifest and visible; nor indeed, according to his custom, dwelling in light unapproachable; nor being clearly attended by angelic powers; nor even perhaps in the glory of an earthly king; but very moderately and humbly, and with very much quietness. And this God the Father has declared to us through the voice of the saints, saying: "Behold, my beloved Servant shall understand, in whom I am well pleased; he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles; he shall not strive, nor cry, neither shall his voice be heard in the streets. A bruised reed shall he not break, and smoking flax shall he not quench. And this is the manner of the economy of the Only-begotten in the flesh.

24 But the wretched Jews, either not understanding at all the mystery concerning him or else impiously rejecting it, were terribly enraged, and sought to kill him, saying: "For a good work we stone thee not, but for blasphemy; because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. And they have continued always hard and stubborn, and even beyond this in impiety. For they brought him to Pilate, saying: "Away with him, away with him, crucify him. And when he all but smiled at these things and said, Shall I crucify your King? they cried out, saying: "We have no king but Caesar. See then how they denied being ruled by him, and inscribed Caesar and men as their kings. Therefore God makes this very thing clear to the prophet in a riddle. But since I think it is fitting also to make the interpretation of the discourse suitable to the matters of that time; we say that by the water of Shiloah he likens the kingdom under God, which the Jews, having dishonored, have come to be under another, and have been given to the to enemies. For this reason he says: "Because this people did not want the water of Siloam that goes quietly, but want to have Rezin, and the son of Remaliah as king over you, for this reason, behold, the Lord brings up upon you the water of the river, the strong and the abundant, the king of the Assyrians.

25 They say that the water of Siloam flows so quietly as to be poured out without any sound. And Siloam is interpreted, "sent". It receives him therefore as an image and type of the coming of our Savior, which happened without noise, as I just said. And Christ is truly the "Sent One". For the wise Paul also names him Apostle and High Priest of our confession. And likewise Siloam is received simply as a type of the kingdom under God. Therefore, since this people, unbending and unruly, does not want to have the water of Siloam that goes quietly; for it shakes off the yoke under God; but desires rather to be under the kingdom of men, and for those who wish to take advantage of it to prevail over it, I mean Rezin and Pekah; for this reason I will send up upon them the water of the river, that is, of the Euphrates. And since the saying was somewhat unclear, he immediately adds and says, The king of the Assyrians, and his glory; that is, all those under him, and every nation that has submitted its neck to him. And he compares the multitudes to water. And this is a custom for the divinely-inspired Scripture. And indeed concerning Nineveh, and its innumerable multitude, he says through the voice of the prophets: "And Nineveh is like a pool of waters, her waters. And he continues with the figure and says:

26 "As upon water and a river, and he shall come up over all your valleys, and shall walk over all your wall, and he shall take away from Judea a man who will be able to lift up his head, or be able to accomplish anything. And his encampment shall be so as to fill the breadth of your land. And all these things were brought to fulfillment, while Jeremiah was prophesying, when Nebuchadnezzar marched against the land of the Jews; and he took the renowned Jerusalem; and having burned the temple, and having killed the notable men of the Jews, along with the sacred vessels he carried off all the other multitude le- ft from the war to his own land. It is clear therefore that upon those who do not wish to have the water of Siloam that goes quietly, that is, Christ, or the kingdom under God, the king of the spiritual Assyrians will certainly leap, that is, Satan, and taking them captive, will place them under his own yokes, and will make them slaves, binding them with the chains of manifold sins. God is with us, know, O nations, and be conquered; hear, unto the end of the earth; you who are mighty, be conquered. For if you are strong again, you will be conquered again. And whatever counsel you shall take, the Lord will scatter it; and whatever word you shall speak, it shall not abide; because the Lord God is with us.

27 The mind of the prophet leaps for joy, having clearly understood the mystery of Christ. Then taking up at once the person and the word of the holy evangelists and indeed of the apostles, he practically testifies to both Greeks and Jews, that for those who have made him their weapon, nothing will be able to resist. He commands the nations, therefore, to accomplish these two things: to recognize the mystery of Christ, and indeed that they must be conquered by those who teach it. For "know," he says, "and receive the word in him, and be conquered," that is, yield, and do not resist the holy mystagogues; but rather obey them to the end of the earth, that is, you who are in every city and country, even to the very ends of the world under heaven. And those who are conquered and are willing to yield the victory to the teachers of the truth, will easily receive the word from him, and having believed in Christ they will walk straight toward every good thing, and having achieved the virtue most dear to him, a brilliant and enviable they will inherit glory. And these things the prophet says to the multitudes of the Greeks, as from the person of the holy apostles and evangelists: But you, O Jews, having been strong, are defeated. For as far as the purpose of the Jews was concerned, they prevailed against Christ, the wretched ones having delivered him to the cross.

28 But they planned a plan which they could not establish, according to what is written. For it was not possible to encompass with death the author of life. Therefore, even if you thought, he says, that you prevailed by killing the Lord, you were nevertheless defeated then, and show obedience by accepting the faith, or rather, know this, that even if you prevail again by not tolerating the teaching, but savagely rebuking those who proclaim the Gospel, you will be defeated again by the Judge who will then punish you, demanding penalties for such great folly. Which indeed has been done. For after Christ came back to life and ascended into heaven, they also plotted against the holy apostles themselves; and indeed bringing them into the councils they would beat them, accusing and saying: With a command we commanded you not to speak to anyone in this name, and behold, you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching. Therefore, they seemed to prevail in this as well, but everything was useless for them, both plan, and thought, and word; for the divine disciples conquered, saying, because The Lord our God is with us. But they paid bitter penalties, being unwillingly defeated by the Roman armies. Thus says the Lord: They disobey the strong hand, the course of the way of this people, saying: Let them never say, It is hard. For whatever this people says is hard.

29 I said that the blessed prophet, putting on himself the person of the holy apostles and evangelists, advised both Gentiles and Jews to be defeated by Christ, and for those to the ends of the earth to obey him. Then God to him, almost wondering at the foolishness of Israel and its great ignorance, says, They disobey the strong hand. "For all-powerful," and unbreakable, and all-prevailing is the right hand of God the Father, the Son, through whom are all things, and in whom are all things; who abolished death, and crushed Satan, and plundered Hades, and grants incorruption to those under corruption, and renews all things to their original state. Thus also through the voice of the psalmist those saved in Christ say: "The right hand of the Lord has exalted me, the right hand of the Lord has wrought strength. And it is also said in the Odes: "Your right hand, O Lord, has been glorified in strength; your right hand, O Lord, has shattered enemies. Therefore, they have progressed to such a point of impiety and also madness, as to choose to readily disobey the strong hand that saves, and to consider the matter of no account. And they likewise disobey the course of this people, he says; whose person he took up and said immediately: God is with us. And what kind of course of the people is it? Of those who have Emmanuel, the faith in him, the evangelical way of life, the one in the law and as in shadows having been disregarded.

30 And they disobey the course of this people, saying: May you never say, It is hard. For whatever this people says is hard. For the word of the holy apostles seemed somehow hard to the Jews, because, setting aside the shadow at the proper time, they did not permit living according to the law of Moses, but rather evangelically and spiritually. But do not fear their fear, nor be troubled, sanctify the Lord himself, and he will be your fear. And if you trust in him, he will be a sanctuary for you, and you will not encounter him as a stumbling stone, nor as a rock of offense. Having first accused those of Israel as choosing to disobey the course of the people, that is, the one in Christ, and the mystagogies of the holy apostles, he turns the word of exhortation to them, and works in them an unbreakable mind, saying that they should not fear those who disobey them, nor at all receive the tumult from their foolishness; but rather having courage in God, to act insolently against the enemies; knowing well that He will be to them both a weapon, and a tower of strength, and they will easily prevail over their opponents. For this reason, he says: "But you shall not fear their fear, nor be troubled. But if one should wish to apply a slender mind to the thoughts of the preceding matters, he will understand it in another way. And it is thus.

31 For the Jews feared not a little, lest they should somehow offend God, by rejecting the way of the life in the law; and accepting the word of the Savior, who drew them away from the types and commanded them to consider the shadow as nothing. And so they said about him: "If then this man were from God, he would not break the Sabbath. Therefore, that even if the divine disciples were from the Jews, they ought to renounce the fear of the disobedient, who feared, as I said, to offend against the law, by choosing rather to live according to the Gospel, he exhorts, saying: "But you shall not fear their fear, nor be troubled; "but rather," he says, "let the Lord of glory be sanctified by you," that is, Christ, "and let him be honored by faith, and let him be feared by you. For thus he will be a sanctuary to you, and you will not encounter him as a stone of stumbling, nor as a rock of falling. He sets two great and excellent things in him. For first, he says, he will sanctify you who believe, and will make you partakers of his divine nature through the Holy Spirit; and in addition to this, you will gain the benefit of not falling upon him as a stone, nor indeed as a rock of offense. Which is indeed what the wretched Jews have suffered through their exceeding great ignorance, saying: "We know that God has spoken to Moses;

32 but as for this man, we do not know where he is from. Therefore, since they neither sanctified him, nor were willing to trust in him, they have remained completely without share in sanctification, and having stumbled as against a stone, they have fallen, and have come to be in every evil. But the house of Jacob is in a snare, and sitting in hollow places in Jerusalem; for this reason many among them will be weak, and will fall and be shattered, and they will draw near, and people who are in safety will be captured. Then will be manifest those who seal the law so as not to learn. The wise Proverb-writer said: "My son, let not your heart envy sinners, but be in the fear of the Lord all the day long. For it would be fitting for those who are truly of sound mind to become imitators not of the foolishness of the wicked, but of the gentleness of the good. Therefore, since he advised the holy disciples to make Christ a sanctuary, and to trust rather in him, and to consider the madness of their persecutors as nothing, he necessarily added what great and terrible injuries will befall those who have chosen to disobey. For the house, he says, of Jacob, that is, the Jews, suffering from a very great and unceasing madness against Christ, will be like those who have fallen into a snare, and have been hunted for destruction.

33 Or also like those in hollow places, that is, those who have slipped into a pit. And for this reason many among them will be weak, and will fall, and will be shattered, and they will draw near, that is, they will be near and not far from that which is naturally destructive. For they will be powerless and shattered, and easily captured by their enemies. And this was, then, what was said about them by God through the voice of a prophet. "Behold, I am bringing weakness upon this people; and fathers and sons together will be weak among them. Neighbor and his fellow will perish; and yet it is not so with those in Christ who are called to sanctification. For their strength and praise is the Lord, according to what is written. And the divine Paul will confirm this, saying: "I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me. "Therefore the unbelieving," he says, "will be captured, people who are in safety. For as much as pertained to the help from above which always belonged to those of Israel, they were in some ways indestructible, and hard to fight against for their enemies, both visible and invisible. For God said somewhere concerning Jerusalem: "And I will be to her, says the Lord, a wall of fire round about, and I will be for glory in the midst of her. But since they have stumbled by treating Christ with insolence, they continue in the world destitute of all security, both spiritual and sensible.

34 For the grace of the Savior has passed over to others, that is, to those from the Gentiles. "Then," it says, "shall be manifest those who are sealing the law so as not to learn. And who might these be again? Clearly, those justified and sanctified in Christ through the Spirit; to whom it would be fitting to say: "The light of Your countenance, O Lord, has been signed upon us. For the Son is the image and likeness and, as it were, the face of God the Father. And the light sent from Him to us is the Holy Spirit, through whom we have been sealed, being re-formed into the first image through sanctification. For we have been made according to the image and likeness of God the creator. Therefore, they will be manifest, it says, that is, distinguished and most well-known to God, and eminent in the world; those who are being sealed by the Holy Spirit, so as not to learn the law. Shall we therefore abstain from the legal readings? And yet how is it not ignorant to think thus, when Christ says clearly: "Therefore I say to you, that every scribe instructed in the kingdom of heaven is like a rich man who brings out of his treasure new things and old. Therefore, we do not refuse to know the law; but to know it in such a way as to choose to live legally, that is, Jewishly, is to be avoided.

35 For we will not sacrifice an ox, nor will we honor the God of all with sacrifices of blood. But rather we will offer to him spiritual worship as a fragrant aroma. For as the Savior says: "God is Spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth. And that for those sealed by the Holy Spirit unto newness of life, it is a great loss to still wish to live and conduct oneself Jewishly, that is, according to the shadow of the law, the blessed Paul will confirm, saying to those who, after faith, go backwards as it were, to the worship in shadows: "Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being perfected in the flesh? And again: "But I say to you, that if you are circumcised, Christ will be of no benefit to you. You have been estranged from Christ, you who live by the law, you have fallen from grace. For we through faith eagerly await the hope of righteousness. And he will say: I will wait for the God who has turned his face away from the house of Jacob, and I will be confident in him. That there is much obedience in those in Christ, and through these things the prophet tries to fully convince us. For the God of all was addressing them concerning Emmanuel: Sanctify him as Lord, and he himself will be your fear. And if you are confident in him, he will be to you for sanctification.

36 And they, having very gladly received the word of initiation into this, without any delay promise obedience, and placing all their hope in him say: "I will wait for God, who has turned his face away from the house of Jacob, and I will be confident in him. And what might "I will wait" mean? Or surely that which the divine David also said: "Waiting, I waited for the Lord, and he attended to me. And he waits for the Lord who has chosen to think what seems good to him, and who follows his commands, and who most gladly endures the struggles for piety towards him. For to this the Spirit urges them through the voice of the psalmist, saying: "Be courageous, and let your heart be strengthened, and wait for the Lord. "Therefore I will wait," he says, "for the God who has turned his face away from the house of Jacob" See then, see how much intelligence they have in addition to their obedience. For from the things by which others have stumbled, and indeed have suffered the turning away of the divine face, by these very things they make their own hearts more secure for the inclination toward better things. For they fear the turning away of the divine eyes. For the judge is no respecter of persons, and one would not doubt that in every way and entirely, according to the ways of each, fittingly and justly he will either bestow praise or, that is, he will bring judgment.

37 And those who have been insolent through disobedience, he will cast out of his presence and will consider them hateful. But those who have honored him by faith, he will consider as beloved for keeping the faith, but he will turn away from those who have abandoned the genuine thing, and he will consider them equal to those who have not believed at all, or perhaps even in a worse state. For it is written concerning some: "For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of truth, than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. Behold, I and the children whom God has given me, and he will be for signs and for wonders in Israel from the Lord of Sabaoth, who dwells on Mount Zion. Since they have rightly distinguished the good confession (for they said: "I will wait for the God who has turned his face away from the house of Jacob, and I will trust in him"), he immediately introduces the person of Emmanuel himself, bestowing intimacy upon those who have placed their hope in him, that is, clearly, the intimacy through the Spirit. For the Son has sent his own Spirit into us, and we have become his own; and in him we cry, Abba, Father. He therefore names us children of the Father, as having the regeneration through the Spirit, so that we might be called brothers of the one who is truly Son by nature.

38 For he said through the voice of the Psalmist: "I will declare your name to my brothers. Yet even if he has become a brother and has been called our firstborn on account of his humanity, although he is God and the only-begotten Son, we have not been ignorant of his glory and his pre-eminence over all creation. And we know that we have been given to him by God the Father. And he himself is found saying this to the Father and God in heaven: "Those whom you have given me out of the world were yours, and you gave them to me. For the Son is by nature Lord of all; and he rules together with God the Father over every created thing. And since he became man, to whom all things are God-given and bestowed, he is said to have received the things of which he was lord as God: "For ask," he says, "of me, and I will give you the nations for your inheritance, and the ends of the earth for your possession. He therefore rejoices over those who trust in him, that is, those called to the knowledge of the truth through faith; and all but stretching out his hand, he points them out, saying: "Behold, I and the children whom God has given me. Who then says these things? Emmanuel, clearly. Who will be, he says, for signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Sabaoth, who dwells on Mount Zion.

39 For so that those throughout the whole earth might believe that, being God by nature, he became man, and being Lord of all, he wore the form of a servant according to the economy for our sake; he worked very many signs throughout Judea, and made a most effective demonstration of his divine pre-eminence; the things accomplished miraculously and beyond reason: now raising the dead, now rebuking unclean spirits; and bestowing sight on the blind with authority. And the prophetic word will be an accusation of the perversity and impiety of the Jews. For he says that the signs and wonders have come from the Lord of Sabaoth who dwells on Mount Zion. But they, leaving nothing unattempted of outrageous deeds or words, dared to blaspheme, saying: "This man does not cast out demons except by Beelzebul the ruler of the demons. And if they say to you: Seek out those who speak from the earth, and the ventriloquists who speak empty things, who speak from the belly, should not a nation seek its God? Why do they inquire of the dead concerning the living? For he gave the law for a help, that they might say: Not like this word concerning which it is not possible to give gifts concerning it. Emmanuel himself weaves a catechetical discourse for those who have placed their hope in him, who have been reckoned as children;

40 and they have been given to him by God the Father, as to a Savior and Redeemer and Life-giver, and able to enlighten, and to deliver from every evil; and it completely turns them away from their ancient customs, and their former madness. For it is the custom of the idol-worshippers to love the oracles from the demons, and to be fond of attaching themselves to certain vain-speaking necromancers, who say nothing true; but they simply belch out whatever comes to mind. But you, he says, even if someone should approach, saying: Seek those who speak from the earth, that is, those who pretend to bring up the dead; and to make their divinations as if from Hades; that is to say, the ventriloquists; who pretend to have certain gods in their belly, and thus to speak to those who approach them what comes from them, do not accept the advice. For they speak only from their own belly, and they are not a wise nation, so as to seek God and learn something from him. But say to those who advise such things: Why do they seek the dead concerning the living? do you see how he makes them most sensible? For not only does he command them to depart from their foolishness and madness, but he also commands them to become good counselors to the deceived. For you say, he says: Why do they seek the dead concerning the living? for the reasoning is common and human.

41 For what sense would it make to wish to inquire about those still living from those lying in the earth, or souls who happen to be in Hades? And in another way, it is utterly ignorant to pay attention to necromancy and to the false words of sorcerers who have a dead mind and, as it were, a chilled heart. For they do not know the creator of all things, they do not have within them the life-giving word of God. They are, moreover, also supervisors of dead works. How then do the living, that is, those who have the life-giving power from above within themselves and have been enriched with the living Word of God, ask the dead about themselves? Therefore, say these things, he says, adding that he gave a law for assistance, that is, the evangelical one, so that those who pay attention to it may say: Not as this word, concerning which it is not possible to give gifts for it. For those who speak from their own heart alone sell falsehood; but the saving and true law of God, that is, the evangelical decree, which has been given for the help of those on earth, is not like this word, clearly that of the false prophets. But neither is it possible to give gifts for it. For as I just said, some people buy the false words of the sorcerers with silver. But the heavenly decree is set before those who are willing, through which we have been guided to anything good whatsoever.

42 And indeed, we have learned as much as was necessary of the things that are to come. For to whom is it not plain that for those who do good things for us, and keep genuine love for Christ, everything whatsoever will be according to prayer? For he declares them blessed both in this world and in the age to come. Therefore, the law given by Christ for assistance is set before those who wish to know it, without silver and any gift. And this, then, was what was wisely spoken through the voice of Isaiah: "You who are thirsty, go to the water, and as many as have no silver, go and buy without silver and price. And a harsh famine shall come upon you, and it shall be that when you are hungry, you will be grieved, and you will speak ill of the ruler and of your ancestral ways. And they will look up to the heaven above, and down to the earth below they will look; and behold, affliction and distress, and darkness, severe anguish, and darkness so that they cannot see, and he who is in distress shall not be in want until a time. He transfers the discourse to the disobedient nation, that is, Israel, who, though they had broad and abundant consolation from God, and reveled richly in the legal instructions, did not receive Christ so as to know what leads to benefit.

43 Therefore they have also slipped from their intelligible and spiritual intimacy with him, and have perished as if by a famine. For the God of all said through the voice of the prophets. "Behold, I am bringing a famine upon the land, says the Lord; not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the word of the Lord; and from the east to the west, they will run about seeking the word of the Lord, and they shall not find it. When, therefore, he says, having killed the author of life, you endure a harsh and unbearable famine, not having the word of God, the bread from heaven, the one giving life to the world, then you will hunger. And indeed, having been brought to a sense of what has happened, you will speak ill of the ruler and of your ancestral ways. And what is this? For the teachers of the Jews, I mean the Scribes and Pharisees, did not cease from inciting the multitude under their hand against the Savior of us all, Christ. And they took as a pretext for their madness against him, reverence for both Moses and the law. For they persecuted him, saying, "If this man were from God, he would not break the Sabbath. Therefore they would persuade them to persecute him as a lawbreaker. When therefore he says:

44 You who have been deceived by them will hunger, then you will speak ill of all your rulers and of your ancestral ways, that is, the lawful customs. For you will remember that your leaders incited you; and the pretext of the rulers for the madness against Christ was the ancestral ways; that is, the customs and the traditions, and not at all those of the law, but they also accepted doctrines from vain observances, commandments of men. There will be, therefore, upon you a harsh famine, and looking up and down and looking everywhere, that is, turning the eye of your mind about, you will see nothing else, he says, except dire straits and darkness, so as to be able to see nothing useful, and he who is in distress will not be at a loss until the time comes. Again he foretells the calling of the Gentiles. For those who are now, he says, oppressed in distress and famine of divine teachings, will not be at a loss. For Emmanuel will grant them the blessing, and will set before them spiritual foods, and will spread the divine table for them, saying that: Eat and drink, and be drunk, O neighbors. And this will be, he says, until a time, that is, it will not now come to an end. When also the word of prophecy concerning them came to be. But at the due time in which Emmanuel will shine upon those on earth. For then the multitude of the Gentiles is called.

45 This first, drink, do it quickly, land of Zebulun, the land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, and the rest who inhabit the seacoast and beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles. The people walking in darkness, see a great light. Those who dwell in the land and shadow of death, a light will shine upon you; the greater part of the people, whom you have brought down in your gladness; and they will rejoice before you as those who rejoice at the harvest, and in the manner of those who divide the spoils. Saying that those who have chosen to disobey Emmanuel will be oppressed by a harsh famine and indeed also by want, having foretold that those in distress will not be at a loss until the time, according to the meaning already previously given. He begins to show also who were the first to believe, and who became the firstfruits of those called to the knowledge of Emmanuel who says: Behold, I and the children whom God has given me, who has also become signs and wonders in the house of Israel from the Lord of Sabaoth who dwells on Mount Zion. For they say somewhere that the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali lie beside the lake of Tiberias, and are in the extremities of the land of the Jews, so as to be bordering on Galilee of the Gentiles, there being another one near the land of the Phoenicians. From these tribes, they say, the holy apostles for the most part came.

46 And so, concerning their calling, Matthew, the blessed evangelist, explaining to us, first brings Jesus into the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali. Then he clearly adds in what manner he made the holy apostles chosen. And he writes thus about Christ: "And leaving Nazareth, he came and dwelt in Capernaum by the sea, in the borders of Zebulun and Naphtali, that what was spoken through might be fulfilled Isaiah saying: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali, the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and for those who sat in the region and shadow of death, light has dawned for them. And he adds to these: "And walking by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. And Jesus said to them: Come after me, and I will make you become fishers of men. And they immediately left their nets and followed him. And going on from there, he saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets, and he called them. And they immediately left the boat and their father and followed him. It must be known that the Holy Scripture calls the Sea of Galilee the Lake of Tiberias; where also the divine disciples were found, practicing the art of fishermen.

47 Therefore the God of all makes these statements through the voice of the prophet for the present time, as to the regions, that is, the cities of the tribe of Zebulun and Naphtali, which lay beside the Lake of Tiberias; and, as it were, giving them the cup of salvation, and bringing the wine that makes glad the heart of man, that is, the preaching about Christ. Drink this first, he says, do it quickly, that is, O land of Zebulun and Naphtali, receive the saving proclamation. But do it quickly, that is, without any delay. And the disciples, as I said, were sharp, and went very readily to believe in Christ. For they followed immediately, leaving their nets and their father, and did not need a long initiation. For they heard: "Come after me, and I will make you become fishers of men, and they followed him. In the same way we will find other of the holy apostles were called, and made the account of the initiation in Christ. For John writes thus about the Savior of us all, Christ: "The next day he wanted to go out to Galilee; and he finds Philip, and Jesus says to him: Follow me. Now Philip was from Bethsaida, from the country of Andrew and Peter. Philip finds Nathanael and says to him: We have found him of whom Moses in the law, and the prophets, wrote, Jesus, son of Joseph, from Nazareth. And when he came to Jesus, then he heard him saying:

48 "Before Philip called you, when you were under the fig tree, I saw you," he believed immediately, and indeed cried out, saying: "Rabbi, you are the Son of God, you are the king of Israel. And Bethsaida, from which Philip was and indeed Nathanael, again lay beside the Sea of Tiberias. And the blessed David also remembers the proclamation of the disciples, and says: "There is Benjamin, the younger in ecstasy, the rulers of Judah their leaders; the rulers of Zebulun, the rulers of Naphtali. And that not only the divine disciples were to be called at times, but also the flocks of the Gentiles, he reveals, saying: And the rest who are by the sea and beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles, the people who walk in darkness have seen a great light. Those who dwell in the region and shadow of death, a light will shine upon you. For they walked like those from the Gentiles, and they lived in this world; like those in night and in darkness, because of not having the light of true knowledge of God in their mind, but falling as if into every pit; and stumbling as if against every evil stone. And he says they dwell in a region and shadow of death, because there was among them, that is, in their lands, nothing other, except only mist and darkness, the intelligible darkness, that is, and being as if in the likeness of the dead, although still living.

49 For the shadow of bodies in every way imitates their forms, and does not differ at all in any way, as far as it concerns resemblance, which I speak of as in form; but not to know the God who is by nature And truly, it is in a way an imitation and shadow of death. But upon those who were sick with those things a light has shone, that is, after the one from Christ, and the evangelical oracle. From there came the greatest part of the people, whom you brought down in your gladness. For far more numerous are those called from the nations than those who believed from Israel. Therefore, he says, the greatest part of the people saw a great light, whom you brought down in your gladness. And he has put 'You brought down' instead of 'I have called back,' and 'I have redeemed,' as if they had been captives from diabolical rapacity. "They will rejoice before you, as those who rejoice in the harvest; and in the way that those who divide the spoils do. We shall understand the meaning of the preceding words in two ways. For if it is the divine disciples who are rejoicing in the harvest and dividing the spoils, we say that gathering those from the nations like some wheat into the Master's storehouse, and cutting them off from their ancient error, they rejoice in the same way as those who harvest in the fields;

50 and snatching like from a tyrannical greed those deceived by Satan, and transferring them through faith to piety, they rejoice as those who divide the spoils. For some persuaded these, and others those; and to each the saved are a gain, just as to the victors are the spoils from the war. But if these things are said to be spoken concerning those who have believed, let us understand that at the time of their wandering, having no fruit of righteousness, they have been enriched with it by believing in Christ. But also, having been formerly ravaged and plundered by both the demons and Satan, they have conquered through Christ those who formerly despoiled them, and have become superior to their wickedness. Therefore they themselves also rejoice, as the prophet says, as those who rejoice in the harvest, and in the way that those who divide the spoils do. Because the yoke that lay upon them shall be taken away, and the rod that was upon their neck. For the Lord has scattered the rod of the exactors, as in the day of Midian. Those on earth being free, and having been made very well in the divine image, and created, as the blessed Paul says, for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them, the inventor of iniquity has taken great advantage of, and having turned them from the love of God, he made them his own worshippers, having placed upon them the hard-to-escape yoke of sin.

51 Therefore, Christ rescued those who had acted wretchedly, and were in these evils, especially those from the nations, and again declared them free. For this reason, he says: "The yoke that lay upon them shall be taken away, and the rod that was upon their neck. And I think he means by 'rod' either the scepter, that is, the kingdom, clearly that of Satan, or perhaps the compulsion, and as it were the blow and the scourge. For the vile and profane host of demons, and their leader Satan, constrains us to its own will, all but beating us with a rod by the tyrannies of the passions, which it brings upon the mind, and forces the heart to wish to do what is not lawful. Therefore, he says, they will shake off the yoke from greed, and indeed also the rod, which they have always had upon their neck, just as servants are subject to the blows of the master. And again he mentions a story found in the book of Judges. And it is this. For having abandoned the God of all, those of Israel in the days of the Judges turned to unholy ways, and having greatly grieved the defending God, they were devoted to idols, and offered worship to the works of their own hands. For this reason they were given over to the Midianites; who plundered all their land, pillaging both cities and villages, and the things in the fields.

52 And they instilled such terror in the wretched people, that they chose to dwell in rocks, and the impassable parts of the mountains, and to search out the recesses of the caves, and were afflicted by a severe and long famine. But God had mercy on them when they were greatly wearied, then has saved them by the hand of Gideon, who conquered the Midianites, and freed Israel from the necessity and rod hanging over them. Thus, therefore, the Lord scattered the rod of the exactors, as in the day of Midian. For as he then rescued those who were ensnared by unbearable greed, having driven out the covetous nation, so he has saved those from the nations, having driven away the rod of the exactors. And by 'exactors' he means Satan himself, and the demons, whose purpose and entire effort is to demand from people, as a kind of tribute or tax, their customary sins. For they always seek, from the one accustomed to fornicate, fornication, and from the one who steals, theft, that is, simply to strip clothes, and from each of those who are in passions, the things that are customary and dear to him. Whence I think the sacred Scripture blesses some, as not having heard the voice of the tax-collector. For every garment gathered by deceit, and every cloak with a change they will repay; and they will wish that they had been burned with fire.

53 For a child is born to us, a son is given to us, whose government was born upon his shoulder, and his name is called angel of great counsel. For I will bring peace upon the rulers, peace and their health. Great is his government, and of his peace there will be no end; upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it, and to uphold it, in justice, and in judgment, from now and for all time; the zeal of the Lord of Sabaoth will do these things. The remnant of Israel has been called to the knowledge of Emmanuel through the holy apostles; and the nations have also been called. And so he said: Land of Zebulun and land of Naphtali; then to these he added, Galilee of the nations; the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, that which is clearly through Christ, illumining intellectually, no longer one nation from Israel, but rather the whole world under heaven. That the enlightened were about to cast off the yoke of the devil's malevolence, and to escape the rod, he has fully assured by setting forth: Because the yoke that lies upon them shall be taken away, and the rod that is upon their neck. But we see that upon those who had served creation and had worshipped the works of their own hands, the yoke of diabolical malevolence was cast; and indeed upon those from Israel, the hard-to-bear burden of the law, and a truly unbearable load.

54 And so the blessed disciples, to those who after the faith persuaded some to keep the things in the law, rebuked them saying: "And now why do you test God by placing a yoke on the neck of the disciples, which neither we, nor our fathers were able to bear? Therefore, the yoke of the law was very unbearable for those from Israel; and in addition to this, even more burdensome, the malevolence of the Pharisees was crushing them, not moderately, shattering them with their insatiable greed. For the leaders of the synagogue of the Jews were lovers of money, and had one purpose, to collect from everywhere, and to oppress the peoples under their hand. Therefore, it would be very right to say also concerning those from Israel: "Because the yoke that lies upon them shall be taken away, and the rod that is upon their neck. And by 'rod', as is likely, he names the greed of the leaders, because of their terrible inclination towards love of gain. For this reason, the wretched ones also killed the Son himself. For though they saw that he is the heir, they said among themselves, he says: "Come, let us kill him, and let us take his inheritance for ourselves. Therefore, since they had this impious and unholy purpose, they would have most gladly endured the loss of all their possessions. Or that they saw Emmanuel shining upon the world, he hints at, saying:

55 "For every garment gathered by deceit, and every cloak with reconciliation, they will repay, and they will wish that they had been burned with fire. For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. For from deceit and guile, and from not judging rightly, they made their collection of money, he says; but it was sweet and dear to them, even up to the very of their robes and garments with exchange, that is, with addition. to send away and to cast off, or rather he says they wished to be consumed even by fire, being exceedingly vexed, because a child was born to us, a son. For having been entrusted with the master's vineyard, they wished to have the fruits for themselves and alone, offering to the master nothing at all. But by saying a child has been born, he clearly refutes the inertness of the Manichaeans' opinion, who refuse to say that the Word became flesh; that is, that He wore our flesh for our sake, according to the economy. But if they wish to think rightly, and to condemn their own ill counsel, let them not dishonor the words of the prophet, who says that a child has been born to us. For where there is a true birth from a woman, what place could there be for the idea that His sojourn came to be in appearance and shadow, and, so to speak, in fantasies alone? but he says the son has been given to us.

56 For the only-begotten Word of God became man not for His own sake, but rather renewing our condition to what it was from the beginning, and as a ransom for the life of all, offering His own body as a fragrant aroma to God the Father. And he says that his government has been upon his shoulder, and it seems to some to mean something like this. For since, he says, our Lord Jesus the Christ, carrying the cross for Himself on His shoulders, went to the saving passion, and through it was exalted and has ruled over what is under heaven, for this reason it is also said that His government came to be upon His shoulder. The argument has plausibility, and the concept, being correct, should not be dishonored, even if one should choose to praise it. But it seems that in these things the prophetic word wishes to signify to us strength by the shoulder. For all our strength is in our arms and shoulders. And so the Son has been called the right hand and arm of God the Father. "Lord," he says, "who has believed our report? And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed? Therefore, Christ ruled over what is under heaven through His own power; for He is the strength of God the Father. He has also been called the Angel of great counsel, clearly that of God the Father. And the wise John will testify concerning Him, saying: "He who receives His testimony has certified that God is true.

57 For He whom God has sent speaks the words of God. And He Himself somewhere says to the holy apostles: "You are my friends if you do what I command you. No longer do I call you servants, for the servant does not know what his Lord is doing. But I have called you friends, for all that I have heard from my Father I have made known to you. Therefore, for this reason, He names Emmanuel the angel of great counsel. And since He became man, He Himself attributed to God the Father the energy and power in all things done by Him, and through these things God the Father Himself is for us, which He makes clear by saying: For I will bring peace upon the rulers, their peace and health. Christ indeed gave the existing peace to the holy apostles as His own. For all that belongs to the Father is His, and indeed He said: "My peace I give to you; my peace I leave with you. But if Emmanuel Himself should be said to receive peace and health, understand again the skill of the economy with the flesh. For He received peace, clearly from the world, as the Father brought all to Him, and persuaded them to be at peace with Him, by worshiping Him, and accepting the yoke of His kingdom. "For no one can," he says, "come to me, unless the Father who sent me draws him. And the wise Isaiah also cries out somewhere:

58 "Let us make peace with him, let us who are coming make peace. He receives, then, peace from the Father, in this way, as I said. For we have heard Him saying to the Father and Son in the heavens: "Those whom you have given me out of the world, they were yours, and you gave them to me. And He receives health, that is, the revival from the dead. For since it is said that he became weak for a little while, because of yielding his own flesh, by the grace of God to taste death for all, receives health, that is, the return to life, and this he himself having accomplished again. For he raised his own temple, being himself the power of the Father. For if he is the resurrection and the life, of what would life have need for giving life? And if he is seen having raised the bodies of others again by his own power, how would he not have raised his own even before the others? And yet, he himself says to the Jews: "Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up. For he teaches that the kingdom of Christ is unshakable and has stability forever, saying: "Great is his rule, and of his peace there is no end. For he no longer ruled only Judea, but rather all that is under heaven. And there will be no end of the peace offered to him by us.

59 For we are at peace with him, we worship him, as I said, and through him and in him to God the Father. And being eager to remove from the midst sin, the cause of war. That he came to set free the nation of the Jews, he teaches, setting forth: "Upon the throne of David, and upon his kingdom to establish it; and to uphold it in righteousness, and in judgment, from now and for evermore. Since the blessed prophet has sufficiently made for us the discourse concerning Emmanuel, he sets forth the time of the incarnation, saying: "The zeal of the Lord of Sabaoth will do these things. But what sort of zeal and over what things, it is necessary to say. For the Dragon, the apostate, seized all that is under heaven, and subjected to his own scepters man, who was made in the image of God. Therefore, what had happened against us was truly worthy of all zeal, and full of all greed; therefore the zeal of the Lord of Sabaoth set free those throughout all the earth. And in another way, those of Israel provoked him to jealousy with what are no gods, as it is written, and with their vanities, and finally they crucified Emmanuel. They were provoked to jealousy by the gentiles, as he himself says: They provoked me to jealousy with what are no gods. They angered me with their idols, and I will provoke them to jealousy with a no-nation, with a foolish nation I will anger them.