Commentary on Isaiah, Discourses 1–19

Commentary on Isaiah, Discourses 1–19

continued

Discourse 7

1 Behold, the Lord, the Lord of Sabaoth, will confound the glorious ones with strength, and the lofty in their pride shall be broken, and they shall be humbled, and the lofty shall fall by the sword, and Lebanon with its lofty ones shall fall. In the completed book the discourse was about both the Assyrians, and of the one who administered the power of the Persians, who campaigned against Judea and Jerusalem, but unexpectedly suffered things from divine wrath. For Israel was saved miraculously, not by drawing a bow, not by snatching a shield, not a horseman, not by leading out [phalanxes] against his phalanxes with skill, not by conquering the hand of the enemies by the law of war, but in the power and grace of God. For an angel of the Lord went out, it says, and in one night killed one hundred and eighty-five thousand from the camp of the Assyrians. Since this had clearly happened, those who were expecting to perish danced, and they offered up hymns of thanksgiving to God who had saved them, saying: "In the evening weeping will lodge, and in the morning, rejoicing. And in addition to these things: "You have turned my mourning into joy for me; you have torn my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness.

2 But the insolent one, and arrogant, and shouting that great and destructive thing, "I will seize the whole world in my hand like a nest, and I will take it up like abandoned eggs, and there is no one who will escape me, or speak against me," was convicted of thinking great things of himself in vain. For he barely escaped, and as a fugitive departed for home, having left Judea. Therefore the God of all also said: Do not be afraid, my people, who dwell in Zion, because of the Assyrians. And the manner of his flight was also described, as he was, so to speak, shaking cities and villages in his passing. And again: Fear will seize Ramah, the city of Saul. And in interpreting such things, we have made the narrative more historical, yet not outside of the truth. For it is somehow entirely necessary that the discourse of the interpretation be adapted to the quality and power of the things set forth. But since it is the custom of the God-inspired Scripture, through things that happen in short order and historically, to sometimes reveal mysteries, and to fashion images of hidden meanings, we say that the inventor of sin has tyrannized over us, and over the sanctified peoples of the Savior, that is, through the Spirit, and those purified through faith, he leaped upon them terribly and bitterly, and campaigned against the Church of God, brandishing against her the most unholy phalanx of the spirits under his hand;

3 and perhaps he thought he could also overthrow it, and very effortlessly, the truly venerable and holy city of God, the spiritual Jerusalem, but he was captured, having considered none of the things that were possible. For it was not possible for him to besiege the holy city, and to overpower a right hand so very strong. For who will stand against God who is powerful in all things? Therefore he perished together with his own shield-bearers, and has been driven away from the flock of the pious, he who leaped upon them like a savage beast; and he has been cast out from his tyranny over us. And the Savior taught us this, saying: "Now is the judgment of this age; now the ruler of this age will be cast out. And I, if I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself. For the passion of Christ became the overthrow of death, the casting down of the devil, and the destruction of sin, as he was lifted up on the cross, bringing down and casting to the earth the boast of the devil. Therefore, after those things, at the opportune time now also the God of all introduces the discourse concerning the birth according to the flesh of the Only-Begotten, and reveals the mystery beforehand through the voice of prophets, so that when the events had come to their conclusion, he might receive undisputed faith from all. What therefore does he say?

4 "Behold now, the Lord, the Lord of Sabaoth, will throw the glorious into confusion with strength. The mystery of Christ transforms those on the earth into a newness of evangelical life, with the older customs clearly having been overturned, and those in shadows and types no longer having the power to prevail. But this was the purpose of his arrival into this world, and he has come to proclaim, and before all others to those of Israel, that the things imposed until the time of reformation, that is, the one in law in letters, is therefore completely abolished, the mind of believers being refashioned, as I said, to better things and a spiritual way of life. For all things in Christ are new. But although they should have been persuaded by him, and before all others the leaders of the Jewish synagogue, who boasted not moderately in the glories of the priesthood, they vehemently opposed him from the contrary, they acted impiously, and though always speaking of the law through the all-wise Moses, they wished to render ineffective, as far as they were concerned, the mystery of the economy in the flesh of the Only-Begotten. But it was impossible for them to do this, but setting their own will against the Savior and God of all, they perished miserably, wretches that they were, on the one hand attacking one another and plotting the law of war, and on the other falling into the hands of the Romans, who also burned the temple itself.

5 Behold, therefore, the Lord, the Lord of Sabaoth, will confound the glorious with strength. He calls the one who confounds "Lord of Sabaoth," terrifying the hearers with dread, so that no one might suppose, perhaps, that he would be weak, or that he used threats that would not be accomplished, and not at all things that would certainly be brought to completion. For what will be unaccomplished of the things undertaken by the Lord of Sabaoth? And he says that those who are high with pride will be shattered. For they have truly become high with pride, not only killing holy prophets, and saying shamelessly to those who give the best counsel: "Speak to us other things, and report to us another deceit," but even whetting their tongue against Christ himself, and raising their horn on high, speaking iniquity against God, according to what is written. But these will be humbled, he says, and will fall by the sword. For they perished, as I said, on the one hand as God brought upon them the sharpest wrath, and as it were consumed them with a sharp sword, and sheared them of the glories of righteousness, and dismissed them from leading the peoples, or also in another way, he says they will fall by the sword, that of their enemies, clearly, as I just said. But also Lebanon, he says, will fall with the lofty.

6 In this, he likely calls the temple Lebanon, which has been torn down, and has been burned, and has fallen together with those who have a haughty brow. For truly arrogant was both the swarm of priests, and Israel itself with them, having dishonored the Savior and Redeemer of all. And we will find Jerusalem itself called Lebanon. And so the prophet Zechariah said somewhere to it: "Open your doors, O Lebanon, and let fire devour your cedars. Let the pine howl, for the cedar has fallen; howl, you oaks of Bashan, for your dense forest has been cut down. For since he likened Jerusalem to Mount Lebanon, thus he named it, necessarily adhering plausibly to the turn of speech, and he usefully names the peoples in it, and indeed its leaders, as cedars and a dense forest, to whom he also commands to howl, because their destroyers would leap upon them like forests. But if anyone should choose to grasp a hidden contemplation, and to apply the force of the preceding to Satan himself, and to the wicked powers under him, he too will not walk outside of a likely aim. For the evil-loving throng of demons has been shattered and has perished, and with them the apostate dragon himself, the lofty one, and the haughty, and as it were likened to Mount Lebanon. For before the coming of our Savior, he was conspicuous to all, and absurdly worshipped everywhere, and had seized for himself the glory of divinity.

7 And a rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall grow up from his root, and the spirit of God shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and piety, the spirit of the fear of God shall fill him. The prophet, having foreknown through the torch-bearing from above the clear things that were to be he makes the prediction. For it was said in later times to the blessed David by God who rules over all: "Of the fruit of your loins I will set upon your throne. And since He who knows all things instilled in the holy prophets the foreknowledge of things to come, this too was proclaimed beforehand by them, so that the mystery might be attested from all sides, and be believed to have happened. He says, therefore, that a rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and that a flower shall also come up, and not after the glorious with strength are troubled, and the lofty are humbled, and with them Lebanon falls, then he says the rod from the root of Jesse springs up. But in the first parts, the power of the whole matter was being shown more summarily. For what was going to happen to those of Israel who had wickedly provoked our Lord Jesus Christ, we have learned in a brief account;

8 but now the narrative returns to, as it were, the very highest beginning of the matter, I mean the incarnation of the Only-Begotten, and His birth according to the flesh from a woman, which was to be according to the economy. He therefore called Christ according to the flesh from the root of Jesse a rod; and moreover, in addition to this, also a flower, and through the rod, as is likely, His royal dignity is indirectly signified. For the rod is a symbol of royalty. And indeed the divine David says somewhere to Him, the Son: "Your throne, O God, is forever, a rod of uprightness is the rod of your kingdom. And a rod in another sense, as one who possesses all things, and holds them together for their well-being, and makes what is weak stand firm, that is, human nature, which was all but shaken to pieces, and intoxicated by passions. For the blessed David sings, taking upon himself the common person of all, "Your rod and your staff, they have comforted me. For the Lord upholds the righteous, according to what is written; and He is named by the voice of prophets a glorious staff, a rod of majesty; a rod also in another sense, since He is a good shepherd, laying down His soul for the sheep. For it is said to Him through one of the holy prophets: "Shepherd your people with your rod, your tribe, the sheep of your inheritance.

9 But if it seems to anyone, and since He is a judge, and renders to each according to his works, for this reason, he will understand well, that He is also very fittingly called a rod. For it was said to Him, when Israel had acted insolently toward Him, and had intemperately turned aside to disobedience: "You shall shepherd them with a rod of iron, and like a potter's vessel you shall break them in pieces. Thus also the law of the all-wise Moses signifies Him to us; for the rod of Aaron that budded, and was brought into the Holy of Holies, is also taken as a type of Christ. For it blossomed with nuts, and what indeed is the meaning of the thoughts in the shadows, it is necessary to say. For some touch upon natural philosophy, and indeed say that a nut-tree rod, if it should lie by the head of some persons, is naturally productive of sleeplessness. Therefore, since Christ was about, by the grace of God, as the blessed Paul says, to taste death for everyone, and having dozed off for a short while, as it were, to be awakened again as from sleep, and to live again in a manner befitting God, death having been trampled underfoot. For this reason He is compared to a nut-tree rod. And through this divine and spiritual rod Moses worked wonders, delivering Israel from the bondage in Egypt. For he called it the rod of God.

10 For it became for him a rod of power, according to what is written. When, therefore, the prophet, enigmatically revealing the mystery of Christ, says that the rod from the root of Jesse has appeared to us, then indeed, then with the eyes of the mind beholding Him, the only-begotten Word of God, through whom are all things, and in whom are all things, having been made flesh and become man, and having descended into a voluntary emptying of Himself, and having endured for our sake the birth according to the economy, I mean that according to the flesh and from a woman, he says together with the prophet: "O Lord, I have heard your report, and I was afraid; I considered the works, and I was amazed. Therefore, it is called a Rod for the reasons we have just stated. And again, a Flower; for in him human nature blossomed forth to incorruption, and to life, and to the newness of the evangelical life; and a flower in another way, because of the intelligible sweet fragrance. "For I," he says, "am a flower of the field, a lily of the valleys. And there came to us a certain fragrance, as it were, of the knowledge of God the Father. And indeed the divine Paul writes, and says:

11 "Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and makes manifest the fragrance of his knowledge through us in every place, for we are the sweet aroma of Christ to God among those who are being saved and among those who are perishing; to the one, a fragrance of death unto death, but to the other, a fragrance of life unto life. Upon this rod, he says, that is, upon the flower that will be born from the root of Jesse, the Spirit of God will rest in due season, having many operations. For he calls it the Spirit of counsel and understanding, of knowledge and wisdom, of piety and fear of God. But we say that the proclamation of the prophetic skill does not introduce to us Jesus as a mere man, then become a bearer of the Spirit, and, as if in our rank, a partaker of the gifts from God, but rather it reveals the Word of God having become man, being full of every good, as pertains to his own nature, but appropriating along with his humanity also its properties. For it is proper to humanity to have of itself and from its own nature none of the gifts from above; "For what do you have that you did not receive? is said to it, but rather to be enriched from without and adventitiously, that is from God, with things beyond its own nature.

12 It was necessary, therefore, for the only-begotten Word of God, having brought himself down to emptiness, not to refuse the lowliness resulting from the emptying, and, being full by nature, to receive because of his humanity, not so much for himself, but for us who are in need of every good. So that if it is ever said that he received the Spirit, although he himself is the supplier of the Holy Spirit, and does not give it by measure, but distributes it to the worthy as from his own fullness, let the receiving be understood in terms of the measures of the emptying, for thus we will arrive straight at the truth. But consider this: "For the Spirit of God," he says, "shall rest upon him. For it was given in the beginning to the first-fruit of our race, that is, to Adam, but he became negligent about keeping the commandment given to him, he neglected what was commanded, he was brought down to sin, the spirit found no rest in men. "For all have turned aside, together they have become worthless; there was none who does good, no, not one. Then the only-begotten Word of God became man, without however ceasing to be God. But since, although he had become like us, he was impervious to sins, the Holy Spirit rested upon human nature, as in him first, and as in a second first-fruit of the race, so that it might also rest on us, and henceforth remain, dwelling in the minds of believers.

13 For thus indeed the divine John says he saw the Spirit descending from heaven upon Christ. Just as we have become co-heirs of the evils that befell the first-formed man, so we shall be partakers of the things that were dispensed economically to the second first-fruit of our race, that is, Christ. That the Spirit which is said to rest on him did not work in him a partial grace, as in the saints, but was the fullness of the divinity, lodging as in its own temple in its own flesh, and not in something soulless, but rather in that which was ensouled with a rational soul, the prophet will make clear, saying: "The spirit of the fear of God shall fill him. And to the one Spirit he has given manifold energy. For it is not that the Spirit of wisdom is one, and another that of understanding, or of counsel, and of strength, and of the rest, but just as the Word from God the Father is one, but his operation is named in many ways; for he is life, and light, and power; so also you will understand regarding the Holy Spirit; for being one is conceived in many ways, but it also works in this way. And so the most wise Paul, enumerating for us the forms of different gifts: "All these things," he says, "the one and the same Spirit works, distributing to each one individually as he wills.

14 He shall not judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to speech, but he shall judge with justice for the humble, and shall reprove the humble of the earth, and he shall strike the earth with the word of his mouth, and with the spirit of his lips he shall slay the ungodly. And he shall be girded with righteousness about his loins, and with truth wrapped around his sides. Having foretold very well that Emmanuel would be born in due time, he usefully adds also the things by which he would be recognizable from his inherent God-befitting virtue, and from the splendor in his works. For it was necessary, it was necessary to persuade in advance, with an accurate prophetic foretelling, those who were going to accept faith in him, who he was, and of what sort, and through what achievements he would come. For just as if someone, wishing to describe one of us to those who do not know him, paints him with words from what he knows him to be, and says about him that his hair is not long, but moderately short, and that his eye is bright, having a slightly smiling glance, and his nose is slender, and he goes through the other parts of the body, in the same way, I think, the blessed prophet too, since his discourse is about the Word who became man for our sake, for this reason he enumerates the signs of his God-befitting excellence and indeed authority, and so he says about him:

15 "He will not judge according to appearance, nor reprove according to speech. The matter is God-befitting, and resembles the most high nature. For not to look at the reputation among men, but to make a right and unperverted and completely blameless judgment on each person, how would this not be fitting for the nature that is queen of all things? For it does not know how to look at the face, nor does it deem worthy of honor or account the one adorned with the coverings of wealth, or with dignities, when he wishes to take advantage of some, but it condemns him completely, and declares the worker of iniquity accursed. But he will not reprove according to speech; and it is necessary to explain in what way this should be understood, and this. For very many of us deem worthy of honor those who wish to praise, and even if some are not good in their ways, they assign them as a reward for their flattery, as it were, sometimes to serve, and they restrain the reproofs directed against them. But one would not see our Lord and God Jesus Christ having done this. Therefore, even those who chose to speak fair words, but were not yet good in truth, he often converted with sharp rebukes to choose to live more prudently. For once some of those called Herodians approached, and these were agents of the tax collectors, and then, preparing a bitter deceit for him, they said:

16 "Teacher, we know that you teach the way of God in truth, and you care for no one. For you do not look on the face of men. Is it lawful to give tribute to Caesar, or not? But he said to these things, Why do you test me, you hypocrites? Show me the tribute coin. See then how he refutes those who flatter, and shakes off those who speak fair words. And he refuted, and not according to their speech; for they expected to be praised, perhaps speaking ironically, but practicing a clever and most talkative fine speech, but he unexpectedly called them tempters and hypocrites. Therefore he will not judge according to appearance, that is, he will not be a judge who shows partiality, nor will he reprove according to speech. For he will not endure, he says, those who have chosen to think impious things, but who put on fine speech for themselves like a mask of deceit and guile. This, indeed, he says clearly: "Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. And again: "Many will say to me on that day, that is, the day of judgment: 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and many mighty works have we done? But then, he says, I will say to them: Amen, I say to you, I never knew you. What then does the impartial judge do in addition to these things?

17 He will judge with judgment for the humble, that is, he will not overlook any of the humble, but will render a right and blameless judgment upon him. And he will likewise convict the humble of the earth; for just as he will not blush at the face of the rich man who wants to take advantage, but will make a just judgment upon the humble one; so too if someone, he says, of those in a lowly and humble state of life, should be carried outside the divine laws, and giving himself over to the charges of injustice should be caught, he says, this one too will be convicted. For it is written that, "You shall not pity a poor man in judgment. For just as distinction will not deliver the man of wealth, and prominence, and indeed of power from accusations, if he should be condemned for any transgressions, so the humbleness of being in a lowly and humble state will not free one from being wicked, nor will it release from the necessity of being punished the one who is weighed down by poverty and lives a detestable and thrice-miserable life. And he adds to these things some other of the most divinely-fitting dignities, which he says also belong to the Savior of all, Christ, because he was not a mere man like us, but was, as I said, the only-begotten Word of God, incarnate and become man. What then will he do? he says. He will strike the earth with the word of his mouth.

18 And what earth? Most of all, that which he would curse. But what was said would be true also of every one. For he cursed all the earth, that is, the nature of man, saying in Adam: "You are earth, and to earth you shall return. For he no less cursed the world of the ungodly by drowning it with water. And in addition to these things he cursed Judea, when its inhabitants acted insolently toward him. For he said: "Jerusalem, Jerusalem, who kills the prophets and stones those sent to her; how often I wanted to gather your children together, the way a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing! Behold, your house is left to you. For in the words, your house is left to you, the suffering of the abandonment that came upon it is revealed. And having been abandoned by him, it has been consumed by war and fire, and by the hands of those who destroyed it. And another sign besides this, and an effect of the highest power, is to slay the wicked man with the spirit of his lips. For he rebuked the unclean spirits, and as much as pertained to the human, the voice was uttered through mouth and lips, but by the ineffable power of the spirit the multitude of demons was crushed. And he will be, he says, girt with righteousness about his loins, and with truth wrapped around his sides.

19 For it is as if he were to say, His power and dignity are not at all of the things in the world, but rather the God-befitting glory, and as it were, to be girt with righteousness and truth. And a girdle is a sign of authority, and to say that he has his sides wrapped would be nothing other than signifying this very thing, that he will wear righteousness as a kind of belt, and with it, truth. And it is likely that he called the new and evangelical preaching both righteousness and truth, according to what was said to him through the voice of the psalmist: "Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness; and your law is truth. For the law too was a teacher of righteousness, but it has not remained for ever, since a better and more perfect one has been introduced, clearly that which is through Christ. And the old law was not so much truth, but a type and a shadow; but Christ and his things are purely the truth. Therefore he also said: "I am the truth. And the wolf shall feed with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the bull, and the lion shall feed together, and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed together, and their young shall be together;

20 and the lion and the ox shall eat straw together, and a nursing child upon the hole of asps and upon the den of the offspring of asps will lay a hand upon; and they shall not do evil, nor shall they be able to destroy anyone on my holy mountain; because the whole world was filled with the knowledge of the Lord, as much water covers the sea. In addition to what has already been said before, this is a great and exceptional sign, and one might, quite rightly, grant it to be a not unmarvelous result of our Savior’s advent. For before the only-begotten Word of God became man like us; before he took hold of the seed of Abraham, and was made like his brothers in all things, as it is written, the entire race on earth, I mean the human race, was divided into two nations, both that of the Jews, and that of those who had served the creation rather than the creator. And God was known in Judea; but a great and boundless swarm of idols was worshiped by the others; and what seemed right to each was honored with the glory of God; "For all have turned aside, together they have become worthless, and there was no one who does good, there was not even one. But the Jews, through the instruction of the law, being somehow tamed and domesticated by the ways of righteousness, honored a life befitting humans;

21 while the others, that is, those who worship lifeless idols, not having the guiding law, were terrible in their thoughts, savage and rapacious, ready for greed, rushing towards pleasures and extreme excesses, and most prone to anything of the most shameful kind; of whom one was like a wolf, another similar to leopards, on account of their minds being, as it were, tattooed with very many and manifold varieties of passions; another was unrestrained in his mind, effortlessly achieving greed against those he chose, continuing through life likened to lions. But those who were nourished in such savage characters and ways, when Christ transformed them to a most gentle and holy life, ceased from the cruelty that was in them; and they too have honored the life befitting humans, that is, the one in meekness. For they have believed Christ when he said: "Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. Therefore, together with faith they have gained also the casting off of their ancient cruelty, and the being good and meek, and the living intermingled with the saints. For they too have been called fellow citizens of the saints and members of the household of God; this I think the prophetic word hints at for us in many ways in these things.

22 For, it says, the wolf shall pasture with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid, that is, through Christ the savage will be joined to the tame, those who are in no way holy to the holy and sacred. For insofar as Israel was educated by the law and knew the ways of gentleness, it was tame and meek, and at the same time holy, and like a sheep and a goat; and both animals are sacred and clean, and in addition to this have received tameness from their very nature. But a wolf and a leopard, and indeed a lion, are naturally savage and incompatible with the others; but in Christ this too has been accomplished. For they were brought together with one another, both Jews and Greeks, making as it were a common food, that is, the evangelical and apostolic proclamation, and being under one chief shepherd of all, who knows how to pasture, as the prophet says, in a good pasture, and in a rich place. But also a calf, it says, and a bull and a lion will pasture together. And it seems to call a calf the newly-grown and new people of those who have believed, that is, the one who is an infant in Christ; and a bull, perhaps, Israel, as the first-born. For a bull precedes a newborn calf in time. Or, by calf he indicates the one who is superior in knowledge and virtue.

23 Such as to say that the small with the great, and the old with the younger, will be blessed by the Lord, according to the voice of the psalmist. And the most wise John also knows such an age of mind and soul. For he writes and to fathers and to little children, and in addition to this also to young men, assimilating, I think, the measure of each one's mind, that is, of understanding and of the knowledge of God, to the ages of their bodies. Therefore, he says, they will feed together and at the same time, calf and bull, and lion. And he again usefully interweaves the lion with the calf and the bull, so that you might again enigmatically understand that those who have been justified in faith, and have come under the scepter of the Savior of us all, Christ, are not from the clean and sacred alone, that is from the tame and meek, that is, those who have been tamed through the law, but also from the wild, that is, clearly, from the Gentiles, with the Savior of us all, Christ, joining them together into a unity of spirit, and transmitting the good from this to the children of children, that is, to their descendants. For the peace of Christ extends to this point and among us, and the good that comes from unity of spirit and unity of faith.

24 For this, I think, he indicates by adding, that their children will be together, and lion and ox will eat straw together, he says. Observe that he did not say the tame would change to the food customary for the wild, but the wild to that of the tame; for admittedly the bear and lion are carnivorous, but the ox and calf, or kid, are not; rather such animals are grass-eating. But the wild, he says, will abandon its habits. It will rather change to the food of the tame, for they too will eat straw. And the food would be a type of the teachings. It is possible, then, to understand that before faith in Christ, the nations had evil teachers, who set before them beast-like learning, and persuaded them to honor the works of corruption and destruction. But when they were called to the knowledge of the truly existing God, they were delivered from their ancient error and their familiar learnings, honoring the flourishing and easily digestible food of the evangelical instructions together with those from Israel. But also a little child, he says, will lead them, that is, they will be under teachers and guides who do not have a bitter and malicious mind, but rather are simple, and childlike in malice, but wise in their understanding. Such are all those in Christ who have the divine treasure in earthen vessels, and having their heart free from perversity and depravity, in no way lacking compared to newborn infants.

25 For the Savior himself says that such are worthy of the kingdom of heaven; "Let" for, he says, "the little children, and do not hinder them to come to me; for of such is the kingdom of heaven. And that they might have the greatest guilelessness in mind, and be unconquerable and invincible, and superior to all fears, he hints, saying: "And an infant child shall lay his hand on the hole of asps, and on the den of the offspring of asps, and they shall not do evil, nor shall they be able to destroy anyone on my holy mountain. And the holes and dens of asps, I think, he calls either the evil hosts of demons, or the houses, as it were, and lairs of unholy heretics; so that we do not say churches; upon which those who are childlike in Christ, often laying their hand, easily prevail, being harmed in no way; For it is Christ who defends them, and destroying the bites of their wickedness, and rendering the venom ineffective. For they shall not be able, he says, to destroy anyone on my holy mountain. And by holy mountain he means the Church, because of being set on high with respect to glory, and the loftiness of the doctrines within her. For there is nothing lowly among us. For we are not accustomed to offer equal reverence to the creature as to the Creator, bypassing the Creator and Maker;

26 nor indeed do we bring down the God Word, the creator of all things, from the glory that befits him, numbering him with the created things. And he says that the whole world has been filled with the knowledge of the Lord, and so is full of piety towards him, just as, of course, the wide and spacious sea is full of its own waters is. And one might see that this is also true. For where at all or among whom is Christ not named? or what race of men has not submitted to him? For every knee will bow to him, and every tongue will confess him according to what is written, that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And in that day there shall be the root of Jesse and he who rises to rule the nations, in him they will hope, and his rest shall be honor. The contemplation of the things obscurely said gradually shines forth, and what he said through riddles, these things he makes very clear to those who are eager to hear.

27 For in what way will the wolf feed with the lamb, and the leopard lie down with the kid, and the calf, and the ox, and the lion eat straw together, and when at all will these things be, and who are they who were once savage and harsh, but after this will be tame and gentle, and how will they be pastured mixed with the tame and the sacred under the one chief shepherd of all, he clarifies by saying: And there shall be the root of Jesse. But what will he be and over whom? So that he may rule, he says, over the nations, and also become a hope for those who have no hope, that is, clearly, the Gentiles, to whom the most wise Paul also writes, saying: "Therefore remember that you, the Gentiles, who are called the uncircumcision by the so-called circumcision made in the flesh by hands, that you were at that time without Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel, and strangers to the covenants, having no hope of the promise and without God in the world. But now you who were once far off have been brought near in the blood of Christ. But even if they were without hope, and having no God in the world; for they have worshipped the works of their own hands;

28 yet having been called through faith to the knowledge of Christ, they have also been placed under him, and they have had the God who is by nature and truly, and they have become partakers of the hope of the saints. And his rest, he says, shall be honor. You will understand what is said in a twofold way. For if one should choose the rest in these things to signify the death of Christ in the flesh, which he willingly endured for us, not as enduring death, for he was life by nature, but as it were causing the flesh to rest for a short time; the matter is honor, and nothing else. For the Savior of all and our Lord Jesus Christ has been glorified, having endured the slaughter for the world, and voluntarily undergoing death for the life of all. And so he said to the Father in heaven, when he was about to go to the precious cross: "Father, glorify your Son, that your Son may also glorify you. And again: "Now the Son of man is glorified, and God is glorified in him. For as far as it concerned the madness of those who crucified him, and the unholy and hateful undertaking, the passion was a disgrace and dishonor to him. For they perhaps thought that he suffered unwillingly.

29 But since he came back to life, having plundered Hades, and having shown by the very deed that he is stronger than death, we shall find the outcome of the matter ending in honor and glory for him. Therefore, he says, in this way his rest shall be honor. But if one should wish to approach the contemplations in another way, he will understand the meaning of what has been said as follows. For Christ will not be only a hope for the nations, but he will be revealed in due time, that is, he will arise not only to rule them, but he will also grant them his rest in them for honor and glory. For the mind of the saints is a beloved dwelling place for him, and he lodges with the worthy, and rests in the holy souls of those who worship him, and to those who have received this thing it is both honor and glory. For what could be equal in terms of renown to having God lodged and dwelling in one's heart? Therefore, in this way also his rest in us will be an honor to those who once are willing: "For if anyone hears," he says, "my words, my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and we will make our home with him.

30 And it shall be in that day, the Lord will add to show his hand, to be zealous for the remnant that is left a remnant of the people, which if it be left from the Assyrians, and from Egypt, and Babylonia and Ethiopia, and from the Elamites, and from the rising of the sun, and from Arabia. The prophet, then, in these words calls "day" the time in which the coming of Christ occurred, and the mystery of the economy in the flesh of the Only-Begotten was revealed. Then indeed, then, he says, the Lord will show his hand, that is, there will be a great demonstration of power; and this not in vain, but for "the sake of making zealous the remnant that was left of the people, which shall be left from the Assyrians," he says, and from the other nations. But it is necessary, I think, to elaborate on the meaning of what has been said to make it clearer. For in the times of old, the nation of the Jews had grown exceedingly weary, being ravaged, on the one hand by the Assyrians and Elamites, and on the other hand by those from Egypt and Babylonia, and from the rising of the sun, and from Arabia. But after this, Christ having shone forth, the most mighty hand and all-working right hand of God the Father made itself manifest through wonders, and was eager to fully convince those of Israel that He was in truth God, and the Son of the true God.

31 For what of the most admired things was not accomplished among them? For all things were befitting of God and extraordinary, and had a clear and most evident demonstration of the highest power. At that time, he says, therefore, the Lord will proceed to show His hand, in order to make Israel zealous, and, as it were, not to concede Christ to the nations alone, but that they also might choose to have hope in Him, and indeed also to seek to be under Him, and to make Him a ruler, guide, and teacher, who for this cause became man. And indeed He said through the voice of David: "But I was appointed king by him on Zion his holy mountain, proclaiming the decree of the Lord. For Christ came, saying He was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. And so He first preached among them, and He commanded the holy apostles: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But since the wretched ones, out of excessive folly, persisted in insulting with their disobedience Him who had come for this, He then turned to the nations, and the last have become first, and the first last.

32 For this reason now the prophet, being a Spirit-bearing man and enriched with the knowledge of future things through heavenly enlightenment, first mentions the nations, and then after them Israel, as being cast behind those sanctified by faith, and placed in the rear and among the remnants, according to what is written. And he shall lift up a standard for the nations, and shall assemble the lost of Israel, and shall gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth. And the jealousy of Ephraim shall be taken away, and the enemies of Judah shall perish. Ephraim shall not be jealous of Judah, and Judah shall not afflict Ephraim. In a remarkable way the prophet especially concludes for us his discourse in these words. For he takes what happened historically as an image of a spiritual matter; and I think it is necessary to state this also clearly, as far as possible. For Rehoboam, his son, succeeded to the rule of Solomon; and the nation of the Jews was split from him into discord; and the ten tribes and the half-tribe of Ephraim were relocated in Samaria, while in Jerusalem remained the tribe of Judah, and the half-tribe of Manasseh. And at times, certain men of both these and those reigned; in Jerusalem, those from the tribe of Judah; but in Samaria, those from the tribe of Ephraim; and great jealousy was kindled between the parts, and frequent wars, and uprisings against one another, as is also clearly narrated in the books of the Kings.

33 But since the Chaldeans and the kings of Persian Babylon, having laid waste, so to speak, all of Judea, carried away captive to their own, both Israel and Judah, that is, those in Samaria, and those in Jerusalem; then, having been freed from captivity, they returned again to their own land, and dwelt no longer divided, but all in Jerusalem; and they ceased from anointing kings and rulers over themselves in turn, and from afflicting and envying one another, as they had done before. For they were at that time under one man, Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, who was from the tribe of Judah, and also under Jesus the son of Jozadak, who was preeminent in the priesthood. And so far, the historical account. But it was the prophet's purpose, from more manifest events and from what had happened to those of old, to show forth the achievements of our Savior's advent. For when the sign was raised, that is, the precious cross, and had become manifest to the nations and peoples throughout the whole world, there came a release for those in captivity (clearly, the spiritual one), a coming together in one mind, a zeal for concord and one faith among those formerly divided;

34 who, having been yoked to many unholy tyrants (for they had served unclean spirits), shook off their yoke, and have run together very eagerly to the spiritual Zion, that is, Jerusalem, which is the Church, and have come under one king, that is, Christ, of whom Zerubbabel was a type, bringing back Israel from captivity with Jesus the great priest accompanying him, so that in him Christ might be understood as king and high priest, holy, blameless, undefiled, separated from sinners, and made higher than the heavens, as the divine Paul says. That the sign of Christ, that is, the precious cross, became the cause of those throughout all the earth being brought together in one faith, and thus being reconciled through it to the all-holy Father, would be clear from what the divine John the evangelist has written. For he brings in the accursed Caiaphas saying to those in the council: "You know nothing at all, nor do you consider that it is expedient for us that one man should die for the people, and that the whole nation should not perish. And to these very words he added: "This he did not say on his own authority, but being high priest that year, he prophesied that Jesus would die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but also that He would gather together in one the children of God who were scattered abroad.

35 For Christ has become our peace, according to the Scriptures, He who broke down the middle wall of the partition, and abolished the law of commandments in ordinances, and created the two peoples into one new man; reconciling both through Himself to God the Father, and destroying the enmity between them, so that all of us in one spirit and in one body, being of one soul and one body with one another, in Christ that is, might bear fruit for Him, the righteousness which is above the law, and the purity of the evangelical life. Therefore, coming from the things that were done historically to the spiritual contemplation, you will understand very well the mystery of Christ. And they shall fly in the ships of foreigners; they shall at the same time plunder the sea, and those from the rising of the sun, and Idumea, and on Moab they shall first lay their hands; and the sons of Ammon shall first obey. In what way, then, those from the four corners of the earth, that is, all the nations, will be brought together to the unity in Christ through faith, and to the bond of holy love, he makes clear again in these words. For before the precious cross, Christ said to the holy apostles: "Do not go into the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter a city of the Samaritans; but go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. For as He Himself said again:

36 "I was not sent except to the lost sheep of the house of Israel. But since, having reached the extreme of all impiety, they have acted insolently toward Christ, and have killed the author of life, and they denied the Holy and Just One; then indeed, then having trampled upon death, and having been raised from the dead, he commanded his holy disciples: "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit; teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you. And when he had ascended into heaven, and then the power from on high had descended upon them, they no longer remained preaching Jesus in Judea alone, but some went to the East and preached in the cities there; others went to the West, and others bestowed the words of instruction upon the neighboring nations; and it was somehow necessary for those wishing to travel throughout the whole world under the sun to also make use of sailing. And so the divine Paul claims to have spent a night and a day in the deep. And the one who wrote the Acts of the holy apostles says that he and those with him embarked on an Alexandrian ship with the sign of the Dioscuri. For it was a custom somehow, especially on Alexandrian ships, to have such inscriptions on both the right and left of the prow.

37 And since it was likely, as idolatry prevailed at that time, that the Dioscuri were inscribed on the ship , it therefore follows that the master of the ship was a foreigner, that is, an idolater. Therefore, they will fly on the ships of foreigners, he says, that is, they will cross swiftly and eagerly and as if on wings, and they will plunder the sea. And it is a custom in the divine Scripture to call the parts toward the west "sea," because the sea there is very great and wide. And so the blessed David, declaring the God of all to be the creator of the whole world, says, "The north," he says, "and the sea you have created. And that the divine Peter, and indeed the all-wise Paul himself, having reached the parts of the west, preached Jesus, no one would doubt. And they will plunder, he says, also those from the rising of the sun, and Idumea, and they will lay their hands upon Moab. And the sons of Ammon will be the first to obey. For after the land of the Jews, all the neighboring and adjacent lands, and even those further away, were full of idolaters, and incompatible in their mindset with those who know the one God by nature and in truth. And the Idumeans and Moabites, and indeed the sons of Ammon, were neighbors to those of Israel, and they inhabited a neighboring land, but were terribly different, and among the most hostile.

38 And they worshiped the stars, and held the Morning Star in all reverence, and called it God, preeminent among the others. But upon them also first the true Morning Star shone into their mind and heart, and the light of the spiritual day dawned. And having cast off that ancient darkness, and having further rejected the worship of creation, they have worshipped Christ, and made those who were formerly most hostile, I mean those of Israel, their mystagogues and guides on the road that leads to salvation. And the Lord will lay waste the sea of Egypt, and he will lay his hand upon the river with a mighty wind, and he will strike the seven ravines, so that one may cross it in sandals. And there will be a passage for my people left in Egypt; and it will be for Israel as the day when he came out of the land of Egypt. The inventor and father of sin has prevailed out of greed over all under heaven. Having led man astray from the truth, he made him a worshiper of the herd of demons, and placed him under his own yokes; But the Egyptians especially have become more superstitious than others and terrible in this regard. For there were temples everywhere and altars throughout their land, and countless shrines, and a swarm of statues, and many-formed things in their sanctuaries. For they have worshiped birds and fish, a goat and a sheep, and a calf was their object of worship.

39 But God visited them even in this state, and together with the others called them to the light, and to the knowledge of truth. For in it they preached the Gospel of Christ, both Mark the blessed evangelist, and others after him at various times; on the one hand, coming from the land of the Hebrews, and on the other hand, also from among those who had believed , appointed at various times as mystagogues and teachers. It is necessary to explain in what way this was achieved, broadening the account of the history. For before the Roman power prevailed over all, and each country had its own leader, that is, a king, there was great division among the nations; on the one hand, because the difference of religion caused enmity to be kindled between them, and on the other hand, because those who wished were allowed to plunder those from another land, with no one rebuking them. Therefore there was for a long time very great lack of intercourse between the nations, and for anyone to be caught within another's country was not without penalty. But when the rule of the Romans prevailed over all, and they came under one leader, they were taught to live by their laws, and henceforth intercourse between the nations became fearless, and a great civility prevailed; then, indeed, then a passage, or a way, was made for those evangelizing Jesus, so that they could also pass into Egypt.

40 And in what way Augustus Caesar captured the land of the Egyptians, the prophetic word explains to us. For the river of Egypt is wide and large, and flooding at certain times, it comes through seven mouths, bestowing its stream upon the neighboring sea; and being, moreover, in the parts of the marsh-men, it forms long and wide lakes, and floods all their land, so that even the grain-bearing land is navigable. So when Augustus Caesar, having conquered Judea, came to the land of the Egyptians, its inhabitants thought that even if they chose to be quiet, and to abstain from war and arms, the fact that it was girded with lakes and rivers would make the country impregnable to him. But since it seemed good to the God who rules all things to subject the land of the Egyptians also, with the others, to the Roman scepters, having pushed the water of the river toward the sea with a most violent south wind, He made the whole land passable, so that those wishing to cross both the lakes and the ravines themselves, that is, the seven mouths of the river, did not, so to speak, even have to loosen the sandals on their feet. Thus, with God smoothing the passage for the Roman army, the Egyptians were conquered. This again the prophet teaches us, saying: "Thus says the Lord Sabaoth, And the Egyptians shall drink the water that is by the sea; but the river shall fail and be dried up;

41 and the rivers shall fail, and the canals of the river; and every gathering of water shall be dried up, and in every marsh of reed and papyrus, and all the green sedge around the river, and everything sown by the river shall be dried up by a blight-wind."-Therefore, he says, the Lord will lay waste the sea of Egypt. It is a custom of the divine Scripture to call even the lakes seas. And He will bring His hand upon the river with a mighty spirit. For we say that the bringing of the most violent wind against the waters was the work of a hand, that is, of divine power. For He struck the seven ravines, that is, the mouths, and made them so dry, as to cross them in sandals. Then indeed, then, he says, there will be a passage in Egypt for my people who are left. And who was this? Those from Israel who believed, concerning whom also the prophet Isaiah says: "Though the number of the children of Israel be as the sand of the sea, a remnant shall be saved. And the firstfruits, as it were, of the remnant are the blessed disciples and those with them, of whom the divine Mark was also one. But it shall also be, he says, as the day when they came out of the land of Egypt;

42 that is, those of the blood of Israel, having proclaimed the divine and heavenly word to those in Egypt, will rejoice greatly, just as they certainly rejoiced on that day when they came out of the land of Egypt. For again they themselves of the in they were brought forth from the slavery of Egypt. But having become ministers of the divine proclamations, and genuine stewards of the evangelical decrees, they did not deliver the Egyptians from carnal slavery, but taking them from the hand of the devil, they made them free. And while the all-wise Moses was mediating, the river was changed into blood; but now for them in Christ the water has become saving. For we have been saved through holy baptism. Then those who pursued Israel, having assailed the Red Sea, were drowned; but through the holy apostles they were taught to swim through the surge of the present life, and to be seen as superior to worldly waves. Then the terrible and most violent hail fell upon them. But since they have been initiated into the mystery of the economy in the flesh, the divine rain has descended into their mind, making it fruitful. A deep and three-day darkness was brought upon them; but they have come to be in light. They mourned their firstborn; but the Firstborn from the dead, that is, Christ, saved them from death and corruption.

43 Therefore, on account of all these things it was fitting for those of Israel to rejoice, as when they themselves came out of the land of Egypt. And you shall say in that day: I will praise you, O Lord; for you were angry with me, and you have turned away your anger from me, and have had mercy on me. Behold, my God is my Savior, the Lord; I will trust in him, and I will be saved in him, and I will not be afraid; because the Lord is my glory and my praise, and he has become my salvation. Saying that those from the nations have been saved through faith in Christ, and that the most superstitious of all others have come to the knowledge of the truth, he fittingly introduces them giving glory. For of being wholly delivered from the first and initial ignorance which was in them, and of finally turning to choose to think the things that seem good to Him, even to the God who alone saves, a clear demonstration would be their haste to give glory, and to offer thanks to him like a spiritual sacrifice. Therefore, at that time, he says, when there would be a passage in Egypt, that is, for those who preach the evangelical and saving word, You, he says, who were long ago in deep darkness, and a bitter idolater who was buried in the deceits of demons, when with the eyes of the mind you look up to the light;

44 when you see the glory of the one who has called you, and are brought to the perception of from what things to what things you have passed; and that though yoked to a bitter tyrant, you have escaped his greed, and have run for the aid of the all-powerful God who saves the lost; then indeed, then, rejoicing in yourself very much and quite fittingly, you will cry out, saying: I will praise you, O Lord; for you were angry with me, and you have turned away your anger from me, and have had mercy on me. And they offer up thank-offerings, and they kindle doxologies, not because they have come under divine wrath, but because having done so, they have been shown mercy. And we say that the God of all is angry with those who say such things, clearly, with the idolaters. For what reason? The divine Paul will make it clear to us, having written: "Claiming to be wise, they became fools. And they exchanged the glory of the incorruptible God for a likeness in the image of corruptible man, and of birds and of creeping things, and of four-footed beasts. For this reason," he says, "God gave them up to a debased mind, and to dishonorable passions, to do those things which are not proper. For those who misrepresented the divine glory, and attributed the excellent beauty of the highest nature to such wretched creatures, how would they not most fittingly be subjected to the impulses of divine wrath?

45 But since, he says, you have turned away your anger, you have had mercy on me (for I have been called to knowledge through faith, not according to the works which we have done, as it is written, but according to his great mercy); for this reason, he says, having been brought to a perception of the great gift, I will offer you unceasing doxology, and indeed I will also say: Behold, my God is my Savior, the Lord; I will trust in him and I will be saved in him. For of old, falling down before woods and stones, and offering sacrifices to senseless statues, they besought to be saved through them. But since they have known the true God, having thrust aside those falsely named, they point to him alone, saying: Behold my God, my Savior, the Lord. I will no longer be trusting in woods and stones, he says, but in him alone, and through him I will be saved. And if he who of old took advantage and snatched away into error, comes again tempting and fighting, I will conquer, he says, because my glory and my praise is the Lord. Do you see how they have known that to give glory is a saving thing? "Offer," for, it says, "to God a sacrifice of praise, and pay your vows to the Most High. And, "Call upon me in the day of your trouble, and I will deliver you, and you will glorify me. And draw water with joy from the fountains of salvation.

46 Generous is he who has called, ready to repay is the God who has saved, he does good to those who have known him, with divine and spiritual things he richly gladdens those who glorify him. For behold how they were confessing, saying: Behold my God, my Savior, the Lord, I will trust in him; and he immediately promises them both fountains and saving water. For it was necessary, it was necessary for those who had run from darkness to the light, for those called from Hellenic ignorance to the knowledge of the God who truly is, not to lack instruction and a gladdening word, and able to hold them fast to piety. "For not by bread alone shall man live," he says, "but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God. Therefore he calls water the life-giving word of God; and fountains the holy apostles and evangelists, and I might add also the prophets themselves; and Salvation, Christ. You therefore, he says, who with confessions unto faith gladden me who am by nature God of all, will receive in return a divine and spiritual joy, drawing the word that is able to hold you fast to this from the fountains of Salvation, that is, of Christ. For he appointed the holy apostles; concerning whom the blessed David also sings in the psalms: "The fountains of the waters were seen, and the foundations of the world were uncovered.

47 For the fountains of waters are the divine disciples, gushing forth to those under all heaven words from above and through the Spirit. And they are likewise also foundations of the world. For a chosen stone is Christ, who is also said to have been laid by God the Father in the foundations of Sion, that is, of the Church. For on him we have been set and through faith we are built up a spiritual house into a holy temple, into a dwelling place of God in spirit. And stones after him, that is, foundations of the world, would be and very fittingly so named those who proclaim him to those throughout all the earth. For their writings uphold us for stability and confirmation in faith and in truth. And you will say in that day, Praise the Lord, call upon his name, declare his glorious deeds among the nations; remember that his name is exalted. Sing to the name of the Lord, for he has done lofty things; declare these things in all the earth. Rejoice and be glad, you who dwell in Sion, for the holy one of Israel is exalted in your midst. O wondrous thing! The one recently initiated, then having come upon the fountains of Salvation and having drawn the life-giving stream, is seen to have acquired such progress, I mean, in being faithful and genuine, that he immediately displays an apostolic ministry.

48 And not only did he himself hasten to give glory alone, but already also to all others he commands to do this, saying: Praise the Lord, call upon his name. And to whom he commands to call, he makes clear by adding immediately: Declare among the nations his glorious deeds. For let it not be hidden, he says, the glory of the Savior, let it be manifest to all, the god-befitting His power and authority. He saved without remembering evils; He cast down the invincible tyranny of the devil and of the demons; He redeemed the deceived; He freed those in captivity; He proclaimed recovery of sight to the blind. He has justified through faith, He has sanctified through the Spirit, He has made sons of God those who were once fugitives and living an inglorious and accursed life. He has fully convinced by His deeds that He is by nature and truly God. He raised the dead, He declared clean those with leprosy. He has healed by a nod those in sickness; He has checked the assaults of spirits. He has calmed the sea when it was wild. Therefore declare His glorious deeds among the nations, and hold them in great remembrance, because His name is exalted. For He has done lofty things. For it is truly beyond a human hand, or rather, the accomplishments are beyond every wonder. Exult, therefore, and be glad, you inhabitants of Zion, that is, those who have a firm faith in the Churches;

49 because the Holy One of Israel is exalted in your midst. For even if the Holy One of Israel became man, and in the form of a servant arrived for our sake according to the economy, yet from the results, and the brilliance of His works, He was exalted in a manner befitting God; and we have known who He is by nature.