COMMENTARY ON THE PROPHET MALACHI

Book 1

It is necessary to say a few things beforehand about the prophecy of Malachi, for the easy understanding of those who will read it, and so that they might know each of the things contained in it. Therefore, when the times of the captivity had ended, Israel was brought back from Babylon to Judea, and arrived again at the holy city, having thrown off the yoke of slavery; and indeed the divine temple was raised, with Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, who was from the tribe of Judah, and Joshua the son of Jozadak, the high priest, overseeing the works. Haggai and Zechariah prophesied at that time to those redeemed from the captivity, with Ezra and Nehemiah being with them the ministers. And contemporary with the aforementioned holy prophets, or a little and briefly after them, was the divine Malachi, who is also called Angel, for Malachi is thus interpreted. But we must not accept the accounts of some concerning him, who have idly fabricated, thinking and saying that he was an angel by nature, but was embodied according to the will of God and became a prophet for those of Israel. For he is called an angel, as I said, especially because his name has this interpretation in itself; then, because by announcing the words from above and from God to those of Israel, he might not implausibly be called an angel. And indeed the Prophet Malachi himself in the following says concerning every priest, "For "the priest's lips should keep knowledge, and they should seek the law "at his mouth: for he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty." And concerning Emmanuel, the prophet Isaiah says, "And they shall wish, he says, that they had been burned with fire, because a "child is born, a son is also given to us, and his name is called "the Angel of Great Counsel." Do you see that announcing to others the will of the highest nature has caused some to be named even angels, although they are not angels by nature? For men are those who interpret the divine law for us, that is, the priests; but the Son is God and from God by nature. So then, according to us, the Prophet Malachi was a man; and the whole scope of his prophecy tends toward these two things. For when the divine temple had been raised, and the time was calling the leaders of the peoples to their priestly duties, that is, those of the blood of Levi, and allowing even those of Israel themselves, if they wished, to fulfill their vows according to the law, they made use of the commandments through Moses, but not blamelessly and properly. For the people brought the customary things for sacrifice, yet not with much care, but rather slothfully and neglectfully. For they brought the more shameful of the flocks, the sick and unacceptable, to the altar. And the priests received them, no longer inspecting for blemishes according to the law, whether the offering was lame, or had its ears cut, or had its nose slit, or had its tail docked, or had the scab, or had lichens, or was a monorchid. For the law made these things rejectable; and the matter was an insult, and nothing else. And the priests were neglectful in another way also towards the people under their hand, not rightly introducing the things from the laws, and gracefully instructing them in what is pleasing to God, but allowing them to decline into improper dissoluteness, and to be carried outside the straight path. And this is one manner of rebuke; and another in addition to this for those of Israel, for such reasons. For some, having bidden farewell to their affections for their wives, then cast a bill of divorce at them, even when they were sometimes condemned for no fault, and were joined with others, thinking that they in no way grieved God, even if they should choose to do this. And others again were mad for the daughters of foreigners, although the law clearly cried out, "You shall not give your daughter to his "son, nor shall you take his daughter for your son; "for he will turn away your son from me, and going he will serve "gods to others." And there was a long discourse about this also in the books of Esdras. whence some suppose him to be Malachi. But the truth is not so. And so much for the rebukes in these things; but at the end of the prophecy he makes his discourse about the manifestation of our Savior, since at that time a pure and bloodless sacrifice was about to be offered to God, and the accusations of all were to cease, sin having been taken away, and those on earth being reformed into a newness of life; for the things in Christ are a new creation, the old things having passed away, according to what is written. The burden of the word of the Lord to Israel by the hand of his angel. He calls the "burden" of the word of prophecy from God, as it were, the "reception." For the blessed prophets received through the Holy Spirit the knowledge of things to come, and they offered counsels and indeed rebukes to certain people, not from their own heart, plucking out perhaps whatever words they chose, or speaking falsely like some, but interpreting the things from God, and purely and blamelessly conveying the words from above to others. Therefore he says the reception of the prophecy came from the Lord. And through these things he implies that the word of the prophecy contains neither a prediction of some wicked and grievous thing as about to happen to those of Israel, nor indeed praises as for those who have lived rightly; but rather a rebuke for both priests and peoples. And you will understand "by the hand of his angel" in this way: for as the one called "angel" was managing, that is, carrying out, the ministry of the prophecy, the burden came upon Israel. And Malachi is called an angel for the reasons I have already mentioned. Lay it then to your hearts. I have loved you, says the Lord. He commands not to make the hearing of what will be said a secondary matter, but rather with earnestness and in the greatest attention and understanding. For it is fitting for those who are about to hear divine words to be disposed in this way, from which the benefit will be very great and most abundant, whenever they pour their mind into it. For somewhere the divine David also sings, "In "my heart I have hidden your words, that I might not sin against "you." For it is possible for one who hears to seem not even to hear, if the words do not touch the mind, but having flown as it were from the speaker's tongue, then dash only against the hearing of the body, they might be counted as equal to vain whispers. Such were those about whom one of the holy prophets said, "Behold, a foolish and heartless people; they have eyes and do not "see; they have ears, and do not hear." Therefore the Prophet necessarily exhorts, saying, Lay it then to your hearts, that is, by depositing the divine words within your mind and heart, and understanding the power of the oracles from above, by all means agree, that I have loved you, says the Lord, and I deemed you worthy of all gentleness and forbearance and the honor befitting those who are loved. But this again is a very strong reproach, that they returned evil things to him instead of good, although it was necessary, as those deemed worthy of love, to reciprocate with fairness and with zeal and eagerness in everything whatever that is pleasing to him. For if it is one of the absurd things, not to be willing to give rewards to those among us, what argument could be made concerning God who distributes all things for cheerfulness to us richly, if someone did not wish to repay to him the rewards of what has been given; even if it would be especially fitting for those who are truly sound of mind to say that, "What shall we render to the Lord for all that he has "rendered to us? And you said, In what have you loved us? Was not Esau Jacob's brother, says the Lord, and I loved Jacob, but I hated Esau, and I appointed his borders to destruction and his inheritance to the dwellings of the desert? The Jews are indeed struck at times by the things that happen from divine wrath, having been impious in many ways. For they went into captivity, their land having been ravaged, their houses desolate, and together with the divine temple consumed- of the burning of Jerusalem. And the pretext for their suffering such things was their choosing to depart from genuineness towards God, and to esteem reverence for the law as worth very little indeed. Therefore, since God said that He loved them, and very much so, it was likely that they would remember the evils of the captivity, and perhaps say this: In what have You loved us? Most economically, the God of all passes over the events that occurred in between, and runs past the narrative concerning them, but he brings back the proof of love to the beginning of the race, I mean, to Jacob, whom He maintains He loved, but had made Esau hated, although by the laws of nature he was bound in brotherhood to the one who was honored. For as the divine Paul writes, "Though they were not yet born and had done nothing either good or bad," He made Jacob the chosen one, from whom the race of the Jews sprang, but He cast out Esau. And we certainly do not say this was out of partiality; for God is not unjust, nor does He execute an unequal or biased judgment upon each of those on the earth; but having foreknown as God the future things of both and the character of each, He deemed the better and more holy one worthy of love. Just as, of course, He says He had known the blessed Jeremiah before He formed him in the belly, and consecrated him before he came forth from the womb. For He knew, He knew he would be a prophet and be fit for the ensuing mission of making the proclamation of things to come. So also the divine Paul says that we ourselves, who have been justified by faith, have been sanctified, "For those whom God the Father foreknew and predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son," these He is said to have both called and sanctified. Therefore, according to foreknowledge, Jacob was deemed worthy of love, but Esau was justly hated. Therefore, O Israel, He says, I have loved you. For I would in no way speak falsely, if I were to say this to you, and you will know all the more that the word is right and true, by tracing the manner of the love back to the beginning of the race. For both were from Isaac, but Jacob was good in his ways, and a lover of God, whereas the other was harsh and difficult and ready for profanity. For this reason I have inclined to Jacob, and the inheritance assigned to Esau I have destroyed, and I have given it over to desolation. But I have held together by my own forbearance that of Jacob, that is you, or the land which you have inhabited. And it should be known that Esau is interpreted as Oak; and Esau was hard and unbending, yielding little to the wood from an oak, and having sold his birthright for a single meal, he was also named Edom, which is earthly. For this reason holy scripture says the country of those descended from Esau is called Idumea, which the Jews conquered at times, and rendered completely impassable and uninhabited. And what would the meaning of the prophecy wish to declare to those of Israel? This, I suppose. For it says He loved Jacob, and for no other reason than that he became a "plain man, dwelling in a house;" but He hated Esau, for he became earthly and "profane" according to the voice of the blessed Paul. It was necessary, therefore, for the Jews to know that it would not have happened that they should suffer desolation and the flight from their motherland to foreigners, if they had imitated Jacob. But since they have become zealous and like-minded with Esau, and were detected going in the track of his awkwardness, they have consequently been given to their enemies. But if someone should wish to apply a spiritual contemplation to what has been said, let him understand clearly, that Jacob is interpreted as 'Supplanter;' and he would be a type of everyone who supplants sin. But Esau, as I said, is 'Oak' and Edom is indeed 'Earthly;' and this one would also be a type of everyone who minds only the things upon the earth. Therefore God loves the supplanter Jacob, but He has hated Esau the unbending and hard, that is, Edom, which is to say, the one who has inclined to earthly things, and has foolishly chosen temporary and perishing things over spiritual goods. our virtue-loving God will destroy the inheritance of those accustomed to live thus. For the things upon the earth are not secure, nor indeed does it have an unshaken state. But that it will surely fall, the inheritance of the Idumeans, completely desolated, will make clear as in a type. But he who is devoted to God will have a safe and secure hope, and will address the Giver of good things, God, saying "In your hands are my lots." Because if Edom should say, 'It has been overthrown, and we shall return and rebuild its desolate places;' thus says the Lord Almighty, 'They shall build, and I will overthrow; and it shall be called to them the borders of iniquity, and a people against whom the Lord is arrayed forever.' The composition of the diction is indeed very difficult, but the meaning is not remote from the matters at hand. For I have given, he says, the inheritance of Esau to destruction and desolation, since you who are from Jacob have plundered it. But perhaps the Idumean will say, 'Even if the country we inhabited has been completely overthrown and has come to an end of evils, nevertheless returning we will raise up the desolate cities and villages, and we, the survivors, will inhabit them.' What then does he say to this? Thus says the Lord, 'They shall build and I will overthrow.' And Edom will certainly be called 'Borders of iniquity,' as having been overthrown because of its exceeding great sin; and 'a people against whom the Lord is arrayed forever.' Therefore, the literal meaning is, I think, none other than this. But I would add that the inheritance of those who have a carnal and earthly mindset—for 'Idumean,' as I said, is interpreted as 'earthly'—will in every way and entirely fall, since God overthrows it; for the affairs in this world do not have security, nor indeed perpetual possession. For temporary desire bypasses those who have it, and it changes like a shadow, either when someone is extinguished by death, or when an unexpected disaster has been brought upon them. But even if one of the spiritual Idumeans should choose to build up his own inheritance, either by collecting wealth from injustice, or by reveling in empty opinions, and wishing to preen himself on the powers of this life, he will find the God of all all but resisting and fighting him. For as the divine disciple has written, "If anyone wishes to be a friend of the "world, he becomes an enemy of God." For He will not cease, as I said, to oppose those who have chosen to mind earthly things, nor will He stop the fight against them. For He always hates the sinner, and sends away the lover of sin. And your eyes shall see, and you shall say, 'The Lord has been magnified beyond the borders of Israel.' When, he says, you have observed the nature of things, and all but with initiated mind you clearly perceive what I just said, then indeed you will surely say in agreement that the Lord has been glorified and magnified in the borders of Israel. For those who have come from Jacob, that is, the Jews, having stumbled, as I said, because of great impiety, have become exiles and captives and conquerable by their enemies. But when God had mercy on them who had fared miserably and been sufficiently punished, they were brought back to their original state, their affairs having brought them to a better condition. And the country was in a good state, and they inhabited the cities, they rebuilt the temple, they rebuilt the walls of Jerusalem, and they were again in a state beyond hope and according to their prayer; but the country of the Idumeans has been desolated, and has remained in evils, not recovering for the better. Therefore God has been glorified in the borders of Israel. But it must be known that even according to the innermost meaning, even if some of those who know God should be in offense, even if they are disciplined for their sins, it nevertheless does not happen that they perish completely. But God has compassion after disciplining sufficiently, and brings them back again to cheerfulness. But as for those who love an earthly mindset, and look only to the things of the flesh, He fights them continually and prolongs the times of His wrath upon them; "For it will be called to them," he says, "the borders of the lawless and a people against whom The Lord is arrayed for battle for ever." A son honors his father, and a servant will fear his master. And if I am a father, where is my honor? And if I am a master, where is he who fears me? says the Lord Almighty. He shows them everywhere as going outside the bounds of proper speech, and as choosing to neglect things which they ought least of all to have neglected. For it would be fitting for decent sons, and quite reasonably so, to lay strong claim to the glory of the one who begot them, so that he may be called the child of a most glorious father. And if one were a genuine servant, he would surely pray for his own master to become illustrious and renowned, not insignificant and despised. For in this way he himself will also share in the prosperity in these things, and he will make the matter a boast, and will consider it a cause for the highest delight. But you, he says, who ought to honor me as a father and also to fear me as a master, will be caught having erred immoderately in both respects of what is fitting, attributing neither honor to me as a father, nor indeed fear as a master. For where is my honor? And where is the fear, if you do not endure to do any of the things that look to my honor, nor indeed, fearing to be punished, do you yield to my master's laws? He said something of this sort also through the voice of Isaiah: "Hear, O heaven, and give ear, O earth, for the Lord has spoken: I have begotten and brought up sons, but they have rejected me." Therefore we must seek the things that are for the glory of God, and indeed hasten to achieve them, knowing what is written: "As I live, says the Lord, I will honor those who honor me, and he who despises me shall be despised." God, the God of all, will be glorified by us as a father, not by our being eager to accomplish what is pleasant and dear to ourselves; but rather by our having dedicated our mind to him and following his commands everywhere. And we will fear him as Lord, checking our inclination to wickedness out of reverence for offending him, and welcoming the judgment at the divine tribunal. "For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive the things done in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad." You priests who despise my name. And you said, In what have we despised your name? by bringing to my altar polluted bread. And you said, In what have we polluted them? in that you say, The table of the Lord is despised, and the food placed on it is despised. He strongly blames the indifference of the Jews, to whom the law also proclaims: "Make the sons of Israel devout." For the multitude under their hand generally follows the goodness of its leaders, but it is wronged not moderately when it sees them neglecting their reverence towards God. For indifference to piety is immediately established and becomes sick along with them, and is shaped by the supineness of the teachers. And that the saying is true, the God of all will confirm, saying: "Because the shepherds have become foolish and have not sought the Lord, therefore the whole pasture did not understand and they were scattered." Therefore, the ministers of the divine mysteries are generally found to be a cause for others of a reputable life, if they should choose to live rightly, and to offer worship to God in the fitting manner; but of shameful and abominable practices, if they before others should be found to have been made sick by such evils. For this reason also the divine Paul wisely proclaimed to those engaged in teaching that it was fitting for them to become examples to their flocks. You, therefore, he says, are the ones who are distinguished by the boasts of the priesthood, who despise my name. And if you wish to learn the manner of this despising, you will hear him crying out: By your offering polluted bread upon my altar. And if indeed you should say to this again: In what way have we polluted them? I will say to you: As you perhaps think, or rather you even cry out by your deeds, that the table of the Lord is despised and the food placed upon it is despised. Since it is necessary to chew over each of the things that have been said and to interpret clearly, come let us say, what then the defiled bread means to signify. It calls defiled, then, that which is polluted and unclean. But it is necessary to know that, according to what seemed good to the lawgiver, loaves were also brought for the sacrifices that were offered; however, they were unleavened and clean; And He commanded that only the sacrifice of praise be performed with leavened loaves. And what the mystical meaning of these things might be, we have said sufficiently in other places; but I will now relate it briefly, so that I might not seem to be sluggish in matters so very profitable. Therefore, the unleavened bread would be a sign of an unleavened and pure life. Thus also the divine Paul writes to those justified in faith, saying, "Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth." And again, "Therefore purge out the old leaven, that you may be a new lump, as you are unleavened." And Christ instructs the holy apostles, saying thus, "Beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees." Therefore, the bread is a sign of a pure, sanctified, and unleavened life. Therefore, those who brought unleavened loaves and received unleavened bread according to the law were offering them in place of themselves, as still in types and shadows. And since we do not send away from the churches those who are still catechumens and have not yet washed away sin through holy baptism while we are glorifying God, but rather make them partakers, fulfilling the sacrifice of praise, for this reason, he says, the law also says that they should do this "with leavened loaves," speaking enigmatically of leavened bread as one not yet purified, as I said, through holy baptism, but having in himself, as it were, a certain leaven, the remnants of ancient depravity. You therefore, He says, are the priests who despise my name by offering defiled bread on my altar. Therefore, those who hold the divine priesthood must take great care that nothing of the sort be done in the churches; and to know that precise observance pleases God, but to choose to be negligent and to be careless of such holy things will greatly grieve Him; for that the matter is not without penalty for those who are negligent, how is it not easy to see, when they hear, "You are the priests who despise my name"? For the negligence of the priests is like a contempt for God, and the transgression is referred to the glory that is fitting for and owed to Him. For if you offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? And if you offer the lame or the sick, is it not evil? Offer it now to your governor; will he accept you, or will he show you favor? says the Lord Almighty. Although the law commanded to inspect the sacrificial animals for blemishes, and to reject the flawed but consecrate the unblemished, at that time they were bringing them to the altar indiscriminately and without distinction, and there was very little regard at all for the glory due to God; but there was very earnest care to gather as many victims as possible, and to have an abundance of meat both at home and perhaps even in the holy tabernacle itself. So then, O guardians of the law, if someone offers a blind animal for sacrifice, is the victim not evil? And if indeed a lame or a sick one, will it escape the blame of being flawed? For will you not indeed reckon such things as evil and not suitable for sacrifice? But if you think it is not so among yourselves, let someone bring them as a gift and in the manner of a present to one of the leaders. But he would not accept it, he says, nor, out of respect for the person of the one offering it, would he make the thing bearable, but he will be very angry as if insulted. It is therefore among the most absurd things, to dare to offer to God what not even one among you would choose to receive; and this transgression is great among us. For if we are about to offer something to God, we wretches seek out the baser and second-rate things of what we have, not considering that He did not make Cain's sacrifice acceptable, because he offered rightly, but did not divide rightly, for himself the first and having kept the choicest for himself, but thinking to honor God with the second-best. But the God of all did not accept his sacrifices. For He will not count as an honor the negligence of those who offer. Indeed, the law made unacceptable for sacrifice the blind among the flocks, and also the lame and the sick, with the blind enigmatically signifying those who do not have the divine eye in their heart; the lame, those who do not know how to walk uprightly in good works; and the sick, those who do not fulfill their service to God very robustly, but feebly and negligently. And He said somewhere through the voice of a prophet, "Woe to those who do the work of the Lord negligently." Therefore, we must have our mind enlightened, and walking uprightly and strong. For then we shall be acceptable to the Lord and holy before the philanthropic God. And now entreat the face of your God, says the Lord Almighty, and pray to him; these things have happened at your hands; shall I accept your persons from you? says the Lord Almighty. He calls to repentance those who have been impious, and says very well that they must shake off beforehand the wrath for their offenses by changes for the better. For He is good and raises up the broken, and heals the contrite, and turns back the straying. And in saying, Entreat the face of our God, He would suggest, and very reasonably so, that God turns away from those who do not scruple to offend Him, and that He averts His own eyes, as it were, from those who do not seek His glory, deeming them worthy neither of mercy, nor of love, nor yet of oversight. "For the eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous," according to what is written. And He said to some of the sinners through the voice of Isaiah, "When you stretch out your hands to me, I will turn my eyes away from you; and if you multiply your prayer, I will not listen to you, for your hands are full of blood." Therefore, those who have sinned must make propitiation, if indeed they might somehow turn back upon themselves the face of God, and might ward off the harm that will come from His turning away. For it defines the transgression of the priests, and refutes their denial. For he would not speak falsely in saying, At your hands these things have happened. For it is as if he says, You have not been silent when others sinned, but you yourselves, as if by your own hands, have become the perpetrators of the impieties against me, and the charges would be of your negligence, with no one in between. But even if some have perhaps feared to make these reproofs against you, still I myself will not be as one of you, nor will I accept the person of the impious. Similar to this is that through the voice of David, "You thought iniquity, that I would be like you. I will reprove you, and set your sins before your face." For the Judge knows no person; but He is upright and incorruptible as God. Because among you also the doors shall be shut, and you will not kindle my altar for free. Very aptly, as in a prophecy, he for the present reveals beforehand the beauty of the life in Christ; for since the shadow in the law was just about to cease, as was that ancient priesthood, and since the ministers of the truth were destined to be revealed in due time, who would also be liturgists of the worship in spirit, and would seek very eagerly the glory of God, he says that the doors will be shut against them, or that there would be no sweet savor for those who ministered according to the law; "For if he shuts against a man," he says, "who will open?" that is, when the truer tabernacle was revealed, that is, the Church, some who still kept the priesthood according to the law would not enter into it, but being shut out as if through unbelief, they would remain outside and would not touch the holy things. For that they have fallen from the priestly ministry would be clear from God saying through the voice of Hosea, "Because for many days the children of Israel shall sit, there being no king, nor ruler, nor there being no sacrifice, nor altar, nor priesthood, "nor declarations." Therefore, the virtual abandonment of the worship in the Law, and the shutting up of the priesthood according to it, would be signified, as it seems to me, by saying that the doors should be shut upon them, as if the Church would not admit them; for it is no longer the time for sacrificing sheep, but the God of all is now honored with bloodless sacrifices. But since he adds to this, 'You shall not kindle my altar for nothing,' we say that the word was spoken in a moral sense. for he wishes now to make clear that they have been called to priestly service, and to put fire on the altar, not that they should undermine the glory of him who called them, but that they should honor him in the proper ways, and have the rewards of the priesthood. But those who have not taken thought for such sacred duties, nor yet out of reverence for the sacred ministry refused to offend God, would justly now be punished. for it would be no small crime, and very reasonably so, to count as nothing the participation in the things given by God, and to shake off and very foolishly reject the honors from God. And so Esau was called earthly and profane, because "for one meal he sold his birthright." Therefore when he says, 'You shall not kindle my altar for nothing,' he wishes to make clear that the priesthood is not without its reward; yet it is not beyond judgment, if someone does not approach it in the fitting manner and way. But it must be known that the Hebrew version has another rendering of the meanings, and even the very construction of the wording. for it said: That you Levites, and indeed the priests, who have the lowest rank in the temple, and are appointed by you to shut the doors, you will not kindle my altar for nothing, that is, you do not perform your service, that is, the priesthood, without a wage, since the people bring you tithes, first-fruits, and thank-offerings. Because of this, therefore, the things of God have been neglected, and the most necessary thing has not been a concern,- I have no pleasure in you, says the Lord Almighty, and I will not accept a sacrifice from your hands. For from the rising of the sun to its setting my name has been glorified among the nations, and in every place incense is offered to my name, and a pure offering; for my name is great among the nations, says the Lord Almighty. He therefore clearly rejects the offering of sacrifice according to the Law, and all but departs from his love for the Jews, and makes the priesthood unwanted and the shadow unacceptable, I mean the slaughter of oxen and the smoke, because this was not his purpose in the beginning either. And this he made clear to us through other prophets also, saying through the voice of Isaiah: "I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of lambs, and the blood of bulls and goats I do not desire, not even if you come to appear before me. For who has required these things from your hands? You shall not continue to trample my court. If you bring fine flour, it is in vain; incense is an abomination to me;" and through the voice of Jeremiah: "Gather your burnt offerings with your sacrifices and eat the flesh, for I did not speak to your fathers about burnt offerings and sacrifices, in the day that I brought them up from the land of Egypt." For the Law was, as it were, a type and a pre-announcement of the worship in spirit and in truth, and "regulations for the flesh," as the divine Paul writes, "imposed until the time of reformation." And the time of reformation would be none other, I think, than the coming of our Savior. For the first covenant also, because it was not faultless, is said to have vanished; for it grew old. But a place was sought for the new and second one, which is beyond all blame and reproach. For it has been spoken through the Son himself, who has also been named the angel of Great Counsel. Therefore he also said, "I do not speak on my own authority, but the Father who sent me, he has given me a commandment, what I should say and what I should speak." He said, therefore, clearly to those who served as priests according to the Law, that And they are unwanted by him, or rather that he has no will in them who fulfill the sacrifices in shadows and types, and that he would not accept the things sacrificed by them. But he foretells that his name will be both great and glorious among those throughout all the world under heaven, and in every place and nation pure and bloodless sacrifices will be offered to his name, the priests no longer belittling him, nor indeed negligently offering to him the spiritual services; but being eager to offer up the sweet fragrances of spiritual incense in diligence and fairness and sanctification, that is, faith, hope, love, and the boasts from good works, the heavenly and life-giving sacrifice of Christ having been clearly set forth, through which death has been abolished, and this corruptible flesh from the earth is clothed with incorruption. But you profane it in your saying, The table of the Lord is defiled, and the food placed on it is despised. That those called from the nations will be better and more reasonable than those from Israel, he makes clear to us also through these things. For among them the sacrifices are pure, and the incense is fragrant, and the name is great from the rising of the sun to its setting; but among you, he says, the altar is not in great glory and that which is fitting for God. For you profane it, saying, The table of the Lord is defiled, and the things on it are despised. And it is likely that the priests did not use such words, but that they cried this out by their very deeds, just as indeed also, "The fool says in his heart, There is no God." For through the things by which he is seen to be contemptuous, even if he does not say it with his voice, but nevertheless by his very deeds and the wickedness of his life he has all but cried out, "There is no God." For those accustomed to live thus, as if God were not watching, and to do all things without concern, and to act impiously in an extraordinary way, deny God by their very deeds and actions. In this way, therefore, those who have not been diligent to preserve for the holy altar the reverence most especially fitting and due to it, say by the very things they do, The table of the Lord is defiled. Therefore negligence in these matters must be rejected; and if anyone should not choose to do this, he will certainly hear God saying, "I have no will in you, and I will not accept a sacrifice from your hands." But that offending God is a most terrible thing, how could anyone doubt, if he is of sound mind and senses? And you said, These are from hardship. And I have blown them away, says the Lord Almighty. And you bring stolen things and the lame and the troubled; and you offered them as a sacrifice, shall I accept them from your hands, says the Lord Almighty. He greatly accused the sacrificing priests, as having by no means chosen to inspect for blemishes the victims being brought forward, but rather accepting both negligently and without examination the lame and blind and sick, although the law had clearly commanded that the blemished victims must be rejected. But if indeed any of the priests drove away, holding to the law, the one bringing the useless thing for sacrifice, those bringing it would insist, putting forward the captivity over and over again, and asserting, and very vehemently, that they were not of poor quality, but rather had suffered hardship on the journey, as they were returning from Babylon to Judea. And they brought what was stolen and what was lame and troubled. For when wild beasts come upon them they sometimes ravage the herds, and if they should happen to seize something, then the shepherd, running up, snatches what was seized from their teeth; either by scaring them with the barking of dogs, or by throwing a staff; this I think is what is meant by "stolen". These they brought along with those whose feet were maimed, and were no longer able to pasture with the others; and they brought the troubled, that is, those that were finally dying, insulting rather than honoring the God of all. But I have blown them away, he says, says the Lord Almighty. And since you have decided to sacrifice impiously, not at all, he says, I would accept the things from you, nor would I reckon as a fragrant aroma such lawless and unclean offerings. Therefore, we ought to sacrifice, and that very suitably and diligently, and to offer to God simply, not the despised and most dishonorable things, and those worthy of no account, but the prominent and choice things. But if anyone should offer himself to God; for we remember the blessed Paul having written thus: "Present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, "acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship;" let him examine the things concerning himself, and let him become as it were a precise fault-finder of his own soul. Let him see whether he is somehow blind, that is, not having the light of truth in his mind; whether he is lame in the foot by not being able to walk uprightly toward any good thing whatsoever; whether he has seizures and sicknesses. for we must not always sleep, "for our adversary "the devil, as a roaring lion, walks about, seeking whom he may devour." When therefore we are found sleepless and watchful, the beast runs by. But if he should see us drowsy and neglectful, he makes us his prey, and renders us sick, that is, dead, and altogether inactive regarding the ability to practice virtue. Let him also be far from being vexed, that is, superior to faint-heartedness and excelling in patience. For just as the way of patience leads to life, so also faint-heartedness leads to death. For we say this thing is a weakness of mind and a paralysis of heart. Therefore also the blessed prophet Isaiah advises us to be rid of such passions, saying "Be strong, you weak hands and feeble "knees, encourage the faint-hearted in mind, "be strong, do not fear. Behold our God, behold the Lord "comes with strength, and his arm with dominion." And cursed is he who was able, and had in his flock a male, and his vow was upon it, and he sacrifices a corrupt thing to the Lord; for I am a great King, says the Lord Almighty, and my name is glorious among the nations. He then defines the curse of the one who sacrifices impiously, and very fittingly. For if, he says, someone should make a vow, and have in his own flocks the male and unblemished animal, why does he not offer this to God, but rather gathers what would be worth nothing at all; for this thing is an outrage and nothing else. For we have not, like some who are devoted to darkness and errors and profane idolatries, been enslaved to stones and wood; but rather to God the Almighty, and to the Creator of all things, before whom the heavens tremble, and the earth and all who are in it shudder. He testifies again to the exceeding fairness of those from the nations, saying that the name of the Godhead is glorious among them, august and worthy of admiration; for we shall be disposed in no other way than in this manner. And our Lord Jesus Christ also accepted the centurion, who was an idolater, and indeed said, "Truly I say to you, I have not found such great faith with anyone in "Israel." Cursed, therefore, is he who sacrifices to God what is corrupted, although it is possible for him to honor with better things, if he has in his flocks, as I just said, the unblemished and male animal. But it should be noted that he asks for the male for a sacrifice, although the law had commanded to sacrifice females also to God. We say, therefore, that sacrifices according to a vow, that is, the voluntary ones, accepted an unblemished and male victim, and this was a type of the one offering, the law all but instructing that those willing to ascend to God as a fragrant aroma must be courageous and superior to passions and very far from every blemish. But the sacrifices offered for sins always accepted the female from the lambs, and from the kids. And this too was an enigma of the weakness of those offering. For the female is weak, and second to males in strength. And every sin would be done by a weakened mind, and by one no longer preserving spiritual strength. And now this commandment is for you, O priests. If you will not listen, and if you will not take it to your heart to give glory to my name, says the Lord Almighty, and I will send upon you the curse, and I will curse your blessing, and I will curse it; and I will scatter your blessing, and it will not be among you, because you do not take it to your hearts. He kindly passes over the charges for what has already happened, and grants mercy, setting up those who have sinned, as it were, at the beginnings of clemency. For I think this is what it means when it kindly says, "And now this commandment is for you, O priests." But it threatens for the future, that if they should not choose to do what they ought to be seen doing, and to take into their inner mind and heart the sense of the divine oracles, and become better than they were before, and seek the glory of God, no longer belittling the altar, nor indeed performing the customary rites simply or unexamined, he will in every way and altogether declare them accursed and under divine wrath. And I, for my part, think that "I will curse your blessing and I will scatter it," perhaps signifies this. For when God bestows prosperity on some, the things in the fields will be fertile, and they will be fruitful and in abundance, and the flocks will increase to an immeasurable number, and they themselves will be superior to bodily corruption. But when he removes his blessing, matters will change to the complete opposite, and prosperity will be entirely absent, but rather those things will prevail over which one would rightly grieve. And the Word says these things as in reference to sensible and temporary matters; but it is necessary to know that if someone does not choose to keep the divine commandments in mind, the good things in his mind will completely vanish into nothing, and he will have no fruit from a life that loves God; but he will be bereft of the blessing from above and from God; and he will fall into curses and the penalties resulting from them. Therefore, one must seek the gift of God; and in what way we shall accomplish this, the Savior himself taught us, saying, "Let your light shine before men, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven." Then we shall receive the full blessing and unshakable joy, and we will delight in spiritual fruitfulness, and having become full of every good thing, we shall live a truly honorable and praiseworthy life. Behold, I am setting apart the shoulder for you, and I will scatter dung upon your faces, the dung of your feasts, and I will take you away to the same place; and you will know that I, the Lord, have sent this commandment to you, for my covenant to be with the Levites, says the Lord Almighty. Something is again hidden in the preceding words, which I think I must clearly explain for those who love to listen; for thus they might understand very well what is being shown. The law, therefore, through Moses, crowning with the highest honors the attendant and minister of the divine altars, has placed him, as it were, in the rank of God. For it said that his inheritance is the offering made by fire to the Lord. And somewhere the divine Paul also said, "Behold Israel according to the flesh. Are not those who approach the altar partakers of the altar?" For it was the custom from every sacrifice to set apart for God the breast and the shoulder, and the lobe of the liver, and the two kidneys, and indeed the stomach, that is, the belly, the letter of the law enigmatically indicating that all our inner parts, of us who offer ourselves as a fragrant aroma to God, ought to be both sacred and sanctified. For the inner parts are offered, freed from the impurity within them. The shoulder, however, might be understood as a sign of strength. And I say that we, being strong and courageous for every good work, ought wisely to sing that which is through the lyre of the psalmist, "Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name." And concerning the inner parts and the sacrifices performed according to the law, a very meager account has been made by us in other writings; therefore, refraining from saying these things for the present, of the we will hasten to make the clarification of the things set forth, as far as possible. Therefore, since the law commanded that the sacrificial victims must be inspected for blemishes, and that an unexamined victim not be offered at the altar, and that the portions from the victims be set apart for those appointed for the sacred ministry, they neglected the duty to inspect for blemishes, but they kept the commandment of the so-called portions, not putting what is more pleasing to God before their own desires, and strengthening and hastening to confirm what seemed to profit them, collecting the meat from the sacrifices. This He brings for reproof, and says, Behold, I set apart for you the shoulder; and now he has put "I set apart" instead of "I have already set apart and I wish the custom to be observed hereafter." And I have thrown, as it were, or rather I throw, the stomach against your faces. For since they themselves dishonor the altar, for this reason God says, "I will scatter," as if insulting in return. "For he who despises me," he says, "will be despised." I will therefore take you to the same place, that is, in this very thing I will prevail and convict you as you act impiously. For whereas you have kept the law concerning your portions, and in no way do you tolerate being negligent of the share given to you, but it seems to you to be a vain thing that one must inspect for blemishes, you will therefore know when the doors are shut upon you, that is, being shut out and sent away from the sacred ministry. That I have given this commandment, that is, the covenant, which I made with the Levites. What then is from this? It is fitting for those who minister in the divine mysteries to know that what seems good to God must be accomplished, and that everything which seems to profit them otherwise must be cast behind the master’s commands. For in this way they will be sacred ministers, and not lovers of temporal things and overcome by shameful gains. My covenant was with him of life and of peace. He brings back the discourse to those who were holy and who served as priests with good repute, and shows the sacred ministry to be a truly admirable thing, at least as far as it pertains to law, and the benefit and security from the divine oracles. For as the most wise Paul writes, "The law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good." Therefore, when he seems to be making his argument concerning Levi, we must consider well the force of the thoughts, not, of course, entirely to him who was descended from Jacob, and was numbered among the twelve sons; for he did not serve as a priest at all; but we will understand the matter of the priesthood, and this very thing which is the sacred ministry almost being formed, as it were, in the person of Levi; Therefore, he says, my covenant of life and of peace was with him. For the written law had been spoken, as it were, to the most holy Moses, ministered through angels; and it was established through the mediator Moses for those of the blood of Israel, having a promise of life and peace for those willing to live rightly, and to make what seems good to the lawgiver the rule of their own life. And the discourse seems for the present to hint at something of the more necessary things for contemplation. For the law was given to the ancients, that is, to those of the blood of Israel, introducing the tutelage that leads to Christ, and a certain image and a clear prefiguration of the truer things; but the truth is Christ, who is life and peace, and the shadows through Moses depict him to us. Therefore he also said, speaking to the Jews, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me; for he wrote about me." The lamb being slaughtered on the fourteenth day of the first month signified him, and wishing to save by his blood those willing to anoint the doorposts of their houses; him the red and unblemished heifer, whose ashes with water sanctified the defiled "for the purifying of the flesh," as it is written; him the unleavened bread, the turtledoves, the young of the pigeons, and in a word the law was full of the contemplation of Christ. Therefore it is fittingly called a Covenant of life and peace. For having been made alive in him, through him again we have had access to the to God and the Father, and we are at peace with him through obedience and faith. And I gave to him to fear me with fear and to stand in awe of my name. He usefully enumerates the glorious boasts of the priesthood, set forth through the mystical teaching of the law. for it especially instilled in the priests the fear of God, persuading them to stand in awe of his name, that is, preparing them to regard with suspicion and to shrink from the Lord's name, persuading them that the reverence due to it should be not casual, but earnest; for what could be more honorable than this? for it is written, that "He who fears the Lord, this one is healthy." and again "The fear of the Lord is glory and a boast." He has therefore testified to those who have ministered piously and truly the steadfastness unto security. For he does not say that they feared simply, but that they feared with fear, that is, as having received the divine fear in their whole soul and heart. For the intensifications in these things, and the reduplication of the words signify to the hearers the steadfastness in virtue of those who are praised. A law of truth was in his mouth, and iniquity was not found on his lips. For the law commanded also to depart from falsehood, to speak right and just things and to love to make the judgment upon each matter true and unperverted. But again he seems to call our Lord Jesus Christ "truth," whose law he says was carried on the lips of those who lived in a priestly manner. For even if the law was, as I said, in shadows, yet in it was the form of truth, and the outline, as it were in letters, of the evangelical ordinances. For we will find in the types the power of worship in spirit. But that the law formerly given as an oracle to the ancients through Moses was also the law of Christ, the Savior himself will persuade us, saying "Do not think that I have come to abolish the law or the prophets; I have not come to abolish, but to fulfill. For amen I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not one iota or one tittle shall pass from the law, until all things are accomplished." Walking uprightly in peace he went with me, and turned many from iniquity. To be at peace with God, what else could it be understood to be, both by ourselves and by others who might be knowledgeable of the divine oracles, than to choose to think and to do what he wills, and in no way to offend him, but rather to be eager to achieve aright the glorious conduct and the admirable and most lawful life? Thus also the divine Paul has spoken to us, "Therefore, having been justified by faith, let us have peace with God." For thus indeed, knowing the Lord by nature and in truth, we honor him. But by attaching reverence to creation, and with profane and filthy sin overpowering our thoughts, we have stood against the Lord, and as it were we rise up against him for battle, lifting a stiff neck, and still practicing what is disobedient and stubborn. And the disciple of the Savior will confirm it, saying "Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world, makes himself an enemy of God." But having turned to the God of all through faith, and sin having been taken away, there is nothing in between, nor could anyone shut us out from intimacy with him, but we are joined to him, as it were, through all gentleness, and we will walk by a straight path, and we will truly travel the good road, directing both ourselves and others to it. And it would be most fitting for these holy priests, concerning whom it might be said, most fittingly, Walking uprightly in peace he went with me and turned many from iniquity. For in a way the flock follows the tracks of the gentleness of their leaders, and those who go by a straight path save many, and they easily persuade them to abandon the licentious and accursed life and the ways of iniquity, and to choose and to love the better and admirable things, and those things for which one ought to be praised both by God and to men. For the lips of a priest shall guard knowledge, and they will seek law from his mouth, because he is a messenger of the Lord Almighty. In what manner indeed he turned many from iniquity, and has walked, directing in peace with God, he clarifies by saying, that he bore on his lips, that is, on his tongue, the knowledge of everything necessary for life, and he became "a teacher of the foolish, a master of infants," and to those willing to learn what seems good to the law a true and most unerring interpreter, not turning the meaning of the divine oracles elsewhere, nor indeed teaching "doctrines, the commandments of men;" but as a messenger of God making very clear to the people under his hand what was at times dimly prophesied. For he reports not his own will, nor indeed does he utter words from his own opinion; but rather he serves the Lord's decrees. And I would say, that in these matters it is also true what is said in the book of proverbs: "A desirable treasure will rest on the mouth of the wise, but foolish men devour it." And it would be to the praise of those who report something from God, to add nothing more to what they report, nor indeed to dare to make any subtraction. Holding this of almost no account at all, the unholy crowds of the Pharisees foolishly sank down to this nonsense, so as to teach "doctrines, the commandments of men," and through their own tradition to nullify the divine commandments. For such were the accusations made against them by Christ. Therefore the law concerning the divine oracles is sure; for it is not possible to add to them, and it is not possible to take away from them. Therefore the lips of the priests will guard the knowledge of the law, and he will report it, adding nothing. For this reason he is also called a messenger of the Lord almighty, although being a man by nature, because he clearly reports what seems good to God, and the movement of his tongue has law. But you have turned aside from the way and have made many stumble in the law, and have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord Almighty. He contrasts, in a way, the accusations of the indolent with the moderation of the esteemed, and by comparisons with the better ones he exposes what is base. For just as light shines in darkness, "and power is made perfect in weakness;" so also the beauty of virtue makes the lack of it more manifest, if some baseness or sin should lie beside it. Therefore some lived in a manner befitting priests, in peace directing both themselves and others, and were with God, and turned many away from iniquity. For they bore knowledge on their lips, and became accurate interpreters of the divine words. But those after them, to whom the discourse is addressed, have turned aside from the way; for they slipped from what is proper, and have wronged both themselves and others not moderately; and they have made many stumble in the law, that is, they have made them weak and most inactive concerning the need to choose to live according to the law. For if the leadership goes outside of what is fitting, how was it possible for the subject not to follow away in every way and in all things, and for that which is in the inferior lot, and as being deficient in understanding, to slip down together with the leaders? For just as a lawful and holy priest will make the people under his hand imitators of his own right actions; so also the opposite. For if they themselves have corrupted the covenant of Levi, how was it likely that those initiated by them would consider the law venerable? And I have made you despised and abased among all the nations, because you have not kept my ways but have shown partiality in the law. He goes back to the sins of the fathers, and reminds them also of the ancient accusations. And since they were not secure concerning the keeping of the law, for this reason he says they were given to those who carried them into captivity, pitiable and cast down and having fallen from all mercy; for what of grievous things did not happen for them to suffer? Or in what calamities have the wretched ones not shared? but if you wish, he says, to learn the causes of the wrath that has come upon you, you will hear him saying "Because you did not keep my ways but showed partiality in the law." This, I think, is what it means to corrupt the covenant of Levi: to choose not to keep the way of life in the law, but to make exceedingly strange judgments on each matter, although God clearly says, "You shall not show partiality in judgment; you shall judge the small and the great alike." And by what he says, that for this reason they have been given to their enemies and have become rejected, through these very things he skillfully makes the threat, that if they should not choose to live rightly, he himself would not refrain from punishing them, and the fitting and most suitable justice for those accustomed to do this will follow those who outrage the law. Did not one God create you? Is there not one father of you all? Why does each of you forsake his brother, to profane the covenant of your fathers? Judah has been forsaken, and an abomination has occurred in Israel and in Jerusalem. At the beginning of our writing on the Prophet, we said that after the return from Babylon and from the land of the Assyrians, those of Israel, caring little for the commandment of the law, were entangled with foreign women. And indeed their practice proceeded to this point of depravity, that even the priests were carried away with the others, and to consider the women they had already married, who were of the blood of Israel, as most dishonorable, and to send them away from their hearths, but to bring into their homes rather the foreign women, both Ammonite, Moabite, and Idumean women. And from this resulted a great profanation of Israel. For those women did not cease from their ancestral customs, but still served idols, and worshipped the host of heaven, and it was somehow necessary for those who had unlawfully married women so corrupted in mind to be defiled along with them and to offend God. And very much has been said about these things in the books of Ezra. Therefore the God of all accuses them, as dishonoring the women of the blood of Israel, that is, of Judah, while impiously devoting themselves to the daughters of foreigners, although the law forbids the union. But they, having I know not how despised such venerable things, were either carried away by the beauty of the women to licentious pleasures, or perhaps they wished to gain an advantage through friendships with foreigners, so that they might not fight against them as they were now acquaintances and had a close relationship from the marriages. This was nothing other than to insult God through little faith, as if he were unable to deliver from their hand, or to make them superior to the greed of the foreigners. Therefore, indeed, the matter grieved God in every way. For this reason he says, seeing them disregard their innate affection, "Did not one God create you? Is there not one father of you all? Why does each of you forsake his brother?" For there is one Creator of all, and all belong to one Master, who wishes that which was made to be bound together in unity and concord by the laws of love. For if there were two gods and lords, or even more, it would be nothing unlikely for their creations to be constrained by the opinions of their makers, and to harmoniously adopt a hostile stance toward one another, according to what seems best to those who rule. But since there is one God who is through all, and in all, and over all, what pretext could there be for dissension? And since, in addition to this, there is also one father of all the Jews according to the flesh, that is, the divine Abraham, what is it that persuades one to embrace the disease of lack of love for one another? Or how is it not fitting for those who are near in blood to render love as if by way of a debt? And how is it not near to madness, to be mad for the daughters of foreigners, dishonoring those at home and of your own race, so that you might profane the covenant of your fathers; for they kept the things prescribed by the divine laws concerning foreign women. For they heard, "Your daughter you shall not give to his son, and you shall not take his daughter "for your son; for he will turn your son away from me, and "he will go and serve other gods." But they, having made nothing of the oracle, have trampled upon the law, and as far as it depended on them, they have rendered the covenant ineffective and profane, grieving the Most Excellent One by the transgressions of the laws. And as if astonished at what was being done, and seeing the nation of women from the blood of Judah being taken advantage of with a most unjust hatred, he adds and says, Judah has been forsaken, and among those who dwell in Jerusalem; O, he says, what a paradoxical thing! Not to Assyrians, not to Medes, not to Persians, not to Elamites, not to the enemies from the neighbors, but to Israel itself and to those who dwell in Jerusalem has Judah become abominable and hated, that is, the race from Judah and the wretched multitude of related women. It must be known that by 'Israel' he names the ten tribes, which had dwelt in Samaria before the times of the captivity, whom Shalmaneser first deported to the Assyrians and Medes; but by 'those dwelling in Jerusalem,' he means those whom Nebuchadnezzar took during the last captivity, when he burned Jerusalem and the divine temple itself, whom he also carried away to Babylon. He accuses them, therefore, or rather, he makes no moderate outcry against them, because having abandoned the women of Judah, they unlawfully took in those of the foreign tribes, even though, as I have already said, they were clinging fast to their ancestral customs, and were still wallowing in the filth of idolatry. We must also be on our guard ourselves, who have been justified in Christ and through faith in him have obtained a share of the Holy Spirit, from intermingling with any who may be perverted in mind, profane in thought, and not holding the right faith. For these are of a foreign race and of a strange tongue and "speaking perverse things;" with whom if anyone intermingles, he will be utterly and completely defiled. For it is written, "He who touches pitch will be defiled." Since, then, it is possible to bear fruit spiritually in the Church of Christ, what reason could there be for wishing to be joined, as it were, to others, and to have communion with profane synagogues, and to sharpen the God of all against themselves? Because Judah has profaned the holy things of the Lord, in which he delighted, and has practiced strange gods; the Lord will cut off the man who does these things, until he is even humbled from the tents of Jacob and from among those who bring sacrifice to the Lord Almighty. He says that Judah was hated, not by any of the foreigners but by Judah himself, who profaned the law, by being inclined to love foreign women, and choosing to emulate their ways, and to love the apostasy from God, and to be devoted to the worship of idols. For, as I said, some were being carried away to this, following those unlawfully joined to them, and 'letting out every sail' to their wishes, just as indeed at Shittim those who had been redeemed from Egypt were joined to the women of the Midianites, or Moabites. And they slipped little by little into this foolishness and unholy mind, so that they were even initiated to Baal-peor. For this reason the wretched ones utterly perished. Therefore, the God of all curses the one who does these things, and the unholy lover of such outrageous practices; and if anyone is acting so among the peoples, until he is destroyed from the tents of Jacob, that is, until he should utterly perish, and lose the memory of his having been born; but if anyone should be of those appointed to the sacred ministry, until he is humbled from among those who bring sacrifice to the Lord almighty, that is, until he should perish and be cast out from the priestly rolls. For, as I said, some of the priests also slipped along with the others into the crimes of the peoples, and were overcome by foreign women, having utterly disregarded the divine oracles. Therefore if he is accursed who provokes God, and attempts to oppose his ordinances, the things in worldly delights, let us reject the curse, and let no account be made of them, but let us rather hasten to brighten our souls with boasts of obedience. For thus the things of the curse will be ineffective, and with the good things from His own gentleness the Master of all will enrich us. And these things which I hated, you did; you covered the altar of the Lord with tears and with weeping and groaning from weariness. Is it still worthy to look upon a sacrifice or to receive an acceptable offering from your hands? The types of sacrifices according to the law were very many. For some were offered for a voluntary vow, others were thank-offerings, and indeed also for sin. And again tithes and first-fruits, and the tribute of the didrachma, as from legal commandments were offered to the accounts of the priests. Therefore, bringing voluntary things as a sacrifice to God, they brought, as I said, the lame and the blind and things seized from captivity, always recounting evils, calling the devastation this way and that, and the poverty brought upon them from it, although after the return from Babylon the all-powerful God was gladdening them with incomparable gentleness, and richly bestowing those things in which it was likely for them to delight not moderately. Therefore they brought them dejected and in tears, all but lamenting over the sacrifices and saying to the priests, These are from our toils, that is, not procured without labor, but found with difficulty as from sweat and toil. Then, how, he says, is it still worthy for me to look upon a sacrifice, or how could I still make acceptable what is from a disposition that is not good? For it is fitting to sacrifice cheerfully, celebrating and rejoicing. And this, I think, is what was rightly said through the voice of Paul to those collecting the offerings: "Not from grief, or from necessity, for God loves a cheerful giver." Therefore, if we should sacrifice cheerfully, God will both look upon it and accept and praise it, and having accepted it, He will honor and bless it. But I say it is one of the necessary things for benefit to apply another interpretation to the preceding words. For the God of all made accursed, and very justly, the one who profanes the covenant of the fathers, by being joined to foreign women, with those of their own race being cast out and often condemned for no reason at all. And in addition to these things he accused certain of the priests, as showing partiality in the law, and indeed He said: "The Lord will destroy the man who does these things, until he is humbled from the tents of Jacob, and from among those who offer sacrifice to the Lord Almighty." Then to these things he immediately added: You covered the altar of the Lord with tears and with weeping and groaning from weariness. But "You covered" must be understood as: You caused the divine altar to be filled with lamentations and wailing. For both the women who were unreasonably cast out, and those who have strangely endured an unjust judgment from you priests, stand around the altar, bewailing the ways of injustice and from the toils brought upon them, weeping uncontrollably. Then how is it worthy, he says, to look upon a sacrifice or to receive an acceptable offering from your hands? For just as it is true what is written in the book of Proverbs: "Vows from the hire of a harlot are not pure;" so a priest would not be considered pure and blameless, if, having all but said farewell to the divine ordinances, and having trampled upon the fitting law of the sacred ministry, as if having given offense in no way, he should offer the sacrifice. It is a fearful thing, therefore, to minister to God with unwashed hands, as it were. For I myself say it is necessary for those purified with all strength, at least as far as is possible, to undertake so august a liturgy. For such a one is found outside of all blame and of the movements that come from anger. And you said, "For what reason?" Because the Lord has been a witness between you and between the wife of your youth, whom you have abandoned, and she is your partner and the wife of your covenant, and he did not make another, and a remnant of his spirit. and you said, What else does he seek but seed God? When God frequently blamed such things, and persuaded them to love women of their own race, but to turn away from foreigners, and to abstain from marriages which the divine law itself had forbidden, they, lacking understanding, would say, What else but seed does God seek? it is said, he says, through the commandment of Moses, "There shall be no one "barren or sterile among the sons of Israel." And somewhere the God of all said to Abraham, "I will greatly multiply your "seed, as the stars of heaven in multitude." Therefore, he says, the divine purpose looks to multitude and procreation, so that the grace of procreation promised to Abraham might be brought to its fitting conclusion; but whether this is done by us with foreigners or with our own people, it makes no difference to God, for what was promised is brought to completion. Tell me then, he says, For what reason did the Lord bear witness between you and the wife of your youth whom you have forsaken? But if you should choose to say this, "For what reason did he bear witness" and command that the one who lives with you ought not be sent away, I too will say in response to this: Consider that she is your partner and the wife of your covenant, that is, one flesh with you and joined to you according to law, and God has not created her otherwise. And she is also, I think, a remnant of his spirit. Practically speaking, the man is somehow mingled both carnally and spiritually with the woman joined to him according to law; and just as they have become one body, so in a way they are also one soul, as love binds them and divine law gathers them into a union of soul. Therefore, he calls the wife a remnant of the man's spirit, and as it were a part of his own soul, on account of the union, which, as I say, lies in the oneness of soul according to love. Do not, therefore, going beyond proper reason, accuse God, as though perhaps He unjustly rebukes those who send away from the hearth the wife of their youth, their partner in covenant and spirit, who has been united to them carnally. And I think that the most wise Paul, moved by this, wrote to those who had believed in Christ, "Are you bound to a wife? Do not seek to be released." And the Savior Himself also said somewhere, "Whoever divorces his wife, "except on the ground of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; "and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery." And when the Sadducees, who were fond of inquiry, asked, For what reason "did Moses "command to give a bill of divorce" and be rid of a wife? He said again, "Because Moses, for your hardness "of heart, commanded it; but from the beginning it was not so. "For he who created them made them male and female. What therefore "God has joined together, let not man separate." And guard yourselves in your spirit, and do not forsake the wife of your youth; but if, having hated her, you send her away, says the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, impiety will cover your thoughts, says the Lord; and you shall guard yourselves in your spirit and you shall by no means forsake the covenant. Since the law clearly and openly prescribed that it was permitted for those who wished to serve a bill of divorce on their spouses and be blamelessly rid of the one who lived with them, the words spoken through the Prophet seemed somehow to oppose what had been long ago established, as he brought to judgment and recorded the crime of transgression for one who dared to expel and get rid of his wife. Most providentially, therefore, through the preceding words, he neither renders the ancient commandment inoperative, nor does he permit some to make it a pretext for unholy undertakings. For it is not because the law permitted the bill to be given that you who give it are therefore also without accountability, so that you may cleave to foreign women. But even if it is permitted to leave a wife, and to do this by legal decrees, guard yourselves in your spirit from forsaking the wife of your youth. For this is better, even if the law has permitted divorce to those who wish it. But if, having hated her, you send her away, says the Lord the God of Israel; that is, if making the dismissal plausible and well-reasoned, you should write on the bill, "Because I have hated her, I will send her away"; then, impiety would cover the your thoughts, that is, if an impious and profane pleasure should prevail over your thoughts, and the pretense for hating is a vain one, but you find yourself overcome by the beauty of others, and wanting to attach yourself to foreign women, beware, lest you abandon [her], or you will be accursed in every way and manner; for I said that "The Lord will cut off the "man who does these things, until he is humbled from the "tents of Jacob and from those who offer a sacrifice to the Lord "Almighty." And this much is for the obvious and ready interpretation; but those called to sanctification through faith must also be on guard, lest they somehow be carried away, as if to women hateful to God and of another race, to the profane heresies. For the pure and blameless teaching of the doctors of the Church is sufficient for them for spiritual fruitfulness, and it makes them, so to speak, fathers of noble children, spiritually begetting from a good heart the boasts of love for God; to whom be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

Book 2

You who provoke God with your words, and you said, "In what have we provoked him?" in that you say, "Everyone who does evil is good in the sight of the Lord, and in them he has taken delight, and where is the God of justice?" I have already said that not in one way, but rather in many, the God of all was embittered against those of the blood of Levi. and charging them with the negligence of the priests he said, "And you brought what was stolen and the lame "and the diseased," and to this he added, "And you "show partiality in the law." For honoring not as was fitting, and through misplaced respect for some of those who approached, they unrighteously condemned the weaker, and they brought greed upon some, not judging what was just, according to the law, but bringing forth a biased and unequal verdict; or perhaps also seizing the inheritances which in no way belonged to it; delighting also in bribes, and abusing the honors of the priest- hood, and lording it over those under their authority. Some of those who had endured injustices, observing those who had this way of life, so disreputable and utterly lawless, were, so to speak, astounded. For there was no rebuke upon them from God, nor the things which at times happen from wrath to those accustomed to show contempt; but rather they were in comfort and luxury. So, being distressed at such things, and perhaps no longer able to bear in mind the incomparable gentleness of God, they, so to speak, cried out from faint-heartedness, saying, "Everyone who does evil is good in his sight and in them he has taken delight," that is, perhaps the worker of evil is good in the eyes of God; and he takes pleasure in those who have chosen to live so shamefully. For if this is not true, they say, where is the God of justice? For it was necessary, necessary for the ruler of justice not to be so forbearing towards avaricious priests, and who defile the altar, and are especially zealous to do unjust and unholy and unlawful things. And these would be the charges of the faint-heartedness that had come upon them. But it must be known that, according to the force of what is set forth, those who use such uninstructed voices provoke God. For they have decided, so to speak, to rebuke a forbearing God, who waits, and very kindly, for the return of the straying and the conversion to better things of those who have slipped into sin. And so the divine Paul rebuked those who hesitate and still shrink from repentance, saying, "Or of the "riches of His goodness and forbearance and "longsuffering, not knowing that the goodness of "God leads you to repentance? But in accordance with your hardness "and your impenitent heart you are treasuring up for yourself wrath "in the day of wrath and revelation of the righteous judgment of "God." Therefore, they who are overcome by such cold faintheartedness and let their tongue loose against God, stumble in every way and altogether, but those who give them the occasions for their weakness would be liable to the charge of transgression. It is necessary, therefore, for the chosen ministers, that is, those called to the priesthood, to live holily and to walk uprightly in the Church. For in this way they will be a pattern of good order and all virtue to the people under their charge, who also honor the God of all when they behold the splendid and excellent beauty of the priests' way of life. And this, I think, is what was rightly said through the voice of the Savior: "Let your "light so shine before men, that they may see your "good works and glorify your Father who is "in heaven." For just as peoples are scandalized when the ministers choose to live disorderly; so they will gain very great and abundant benefit, if they see them fulfilling what is good, and choosing to live as is pleasing to God. Behold, I send my messenger, and he will survey the way before my face, and the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant whom you desire. Since they were saying, "Where is the God of justice?", the word of the prophecy before us has very opportunely passed over to the mystery of Christ. For Emmanuel has become for us from God the Father "righteousness "and sanctification and redemption," and cleansing from all filth, and a putting away of sins, and a rejection of what is more shameful, and a way to things better and more fitting, and a door, as it were, and a leading to eternal life, and through him has come all correction, and an overturning of greed and a finding of righteousness; for what wonderful things have we not been enriched with through him? Behold, therefore, he says, I will send my messenger, and he will survey the way before my face. And through these words, he seems to be making a pre-announcement of the ministry of the holy Baptist. For Christ himself also said somewhere, "This is "he of whom it is written, 'Behold, I send my messenger "before your face, who will prepare your way "before you.'" Thus also the divine Isaiah signified him to us, saying, "The voice of one crying in the wilderness: "'Prepare the way of the Lord, make straight the paths "of our God.'" When this had happened, he says, and he who was commanded to announce such things had run a little ahead, Suddenly, he says, the Lord whom you seek will come to his temple, and the messenger of the covenant whom you desire; and the blessed John also affirms, saying to those coming for the baptism of repentance, "I baptize you with water, but a "man comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to "stoop down and untie; he will baptize you with the "Holy Spirit and with fire." Do you understand, then, how immediately and, so to speak, on the heels of the one announcing him, Christ walked, making himself manifest to those throughout all Judea, and appearing, as it were, suddenly and unexpectedly. But we say that the divine Baptist was called a messenger, not indeed on account of his nature; for he was born of a woman, and was a man like us; but because the ministry of proclaiming and announcing such things to us was entrusted to him. Therefore the name is from the deed, and will not be significant of the substance of an angel. But he says that he will come to his temple, either because the Word became flesh, and dwelt, as in a temple, in the all-holy body from the holy virgin; that is, was believed to be united immediately and economically to a perfect man, I mean of soul and body. or he simply names as a temple the city that is, as it were, sacred and dedicated to him, clearly that is, Jeru- Salem; that is, as in a type towards that Church. And he proclaimed his own coming by working wonders in many ways, "preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and "healing every disease and every infirmity among the people," as it is written. The Lord whom you seek will come, therefore, he says, you who say out of faintheartedness, "Where is the God of justice?" And he will come teaching the things that are above the law and beyond shadow and types. For he will be the angel of the covenant long ago foretold through the voice of God the Father. For he said somewhere to the hierophant Moses, "I will raise up a prophet for them from among their brothers like you, and I will put my words in his mouth, and he will speak to them according to all that I command him." And that Christ was the angel of the new covenant, the blessed Isaiah will also make clear when he says concerning him, "Because every garment gathered by deceit and "every cloak with a price they will repay, and they will wish if "they had been burned with fire. For a child is born to us, a son "is also given to us, whose government is on his shoulder, and his name is called "Angel of Great Counsel," it is clear, that is, of God the Father. Therefore he also said, "I do not speak on my own, but the Father who sent me, he gave me "a command what to say, and what to speak." For the word of the Savior was not human, but as from God the Father it came to us through the Son according to nature; For he is the Word of the one who begot him; and he will confirm this, saying through the voice of David, "My heart has brought forth a good word." Behold, he is coming, says the Lord Almighty, and who will endure the day of his coming? or who will stand in his sight? Similar to this and very much like it is that through the voice of Isaiah, "Be strong, you weary hands and feeble knees, "be encouraged, you of fainthearted mind, be strong, do not "be afraid; behold, the Lord is coming with strength, and his arm "with dominion." For showing that he would indeed be very near, or rather, that he was already present, he states clearly that the time of his visitation in this world would not be for a long postponement. And that the power of the economy will not be contemptible to some, nor would it be bearable to the disobedient, he teaches, saying, And who will endure the day of his coming? or who will stand in his sight? And he calls his coming the entry of the Only-begotten in the flesh into this world; and his sight as it were a manifestation. For though he is invisible by nature as God, he became visible, having taken on our likeness. And the psalmist had clearly proclaimed this in the spirit, saying, "God "will come manifestly, our God, and will not be silent." "For the Word became flesh," as the divine John says, "and dwelt among us," and he was in the form of a servant. And "to those who loved his appearing" he was in no way burdensome; but rather he became mild and gentle, and the giver of eternal life. And God the Father said somewhere concerning him, "Behold, my beloved servant will understand, "in whom I am well pleased. He will not strive nor cry out, "nor will his voice be heard outside. A bruised reed "he will not break and a smoldering wick he will not quench; "but he will bring forth judgment to truth." But to those who dishonor the salvation through him, and do not accept the purification through faith, it happened that they suffered the most shameful of all evils; for the wretched have perished. Therefore he also said to the crowds of the Jews, "Truly, I say to you, that unless "you believe that I am, you will die in your sins." And John said somewhere, "He who believes in "him is not judged; but he who does not believe is already judged, because "he has not believed in the name of the Son of God." And the baptist also proclaimed to those from Israel, "And already the "ax is laid at the root of the trees; therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit, is cut down and cast into the fire." Therefore, to the disobedient the time of his coming and of his appearance has become unbearable and not very tolerable. for they were convicted, as they themselves the destroying their souls, and being dead in their own sins, because of not choosing to think rightly, and to receive into mind and heart the purification through faith. Who then, he says, will endure the day of his coming? Or who will stand when he appears? That is, who then will be so terrible and harsh, as in the time and day of his entry into the world; clearly, that which is with the flesh, through which he would be both tangible, that is, visible; to stand and remain unbroken? For he will be punished in every way and altogether, and will pay the bitter penalties for his folly. For he comes in like a refiner's fire and like the launderers' soap, and he will sit refining and purifying as silver and as gold, and he will purify the sons of Levi and will pour them out like gold and silver. The discourse in these things is made as from a likeness of our own affairs, but it would bring an ineffable revelation of a mystery to the more intelligent. For those wise in these matters test silver and gold, melting down in fire all that is counterfeit and most unbeautiful in them. But the divine fire from heaven, that is, the grace through the Holy Spirit, by which it would happen that we, even while living, are perfected in the spirit, when it should come into our mind and heart, Christ sending it in, then, yes then, it wipes away all the filth from sin, and consumes the defilement from what was already transgressed; and so it makes those who have it purified and most approved, and, so to speak, spiritually reforges them to newness of life, and henceforth shows them to be bright and sanctified vessels, prepared for honor, useful to the great house, that is, the Church. This divine and spiritual fire the wondrous John indicated, saying, "I baptize you in water, but after me comes a man whose sandal strap I am not worthy to stoop down and untie; he will baptize you in the Holy Spirit and in fire." We remember also Christ himself saying, "I came to cast fire upon the earth, and what do I wish, if it is already kindled?" Therefore, since those of the blood of Israel made no small outcry against the impurity, or rather iniquity, of the Levites, or rather, because of them, they continually provoked the God of all, speaking certain contradictory things and daring to say, "Everyone who does evil is good in his sight, and in them he has taken pleasure, and where is the God of justice?" He usefully foretells that in due time Christ will shine forth, who puts all our sin out of the way, and makes his own priests all-holy, and testing them like gold or silver in the fire, that is, making them approved and brightened. For such, for the most part, are the ministers of the Church, to whom it would be fitting, and very reasonably so, to say that which is through the voice of David, "For you have tested us, O God; you have refined us as silver is refined." For to those of Aaron the vestment according to the law was a garment; but for the chosen in Christ and those appointed to the priesthood, the bright, sacred, and holy vestment will be Christ himself. Therefore God the Father also said through the lyre of the psalmist concerning the church of the Gentiles, "I will clothe her priests with salvation, and her saints shall rejoice with exultation." For salvation, Christ himself, is the admirable vestment of his own priests, or rather, also of all who have believed. "For as many of you," it says, "as were baptized into Christ, have put on Christ." And they shall be to the Lord, offering sacrifices in righteousness; and the sacrifice of Judah and Jerusalem will be pleasing to the Lord, as in the days of old and as in the former years. They will be dedicated, he says, to God; for this, I think, is the meaning of *And they shall be to the Lord, offering*. And we will be dedicated to God, living no longer for ourselves, but cleaving in every way to love for him, and having chosen with all our strength to do right in those things that seem good to his divine commands. The wondrous Paul also said something of this sort concerning the of Christ, the Savior of us all "For one died for all, that they who live should live no "longer for themselves, but for him who died for them and "was raised." and describing to us, as it were, the beauty of his own way of life, and making manifest the power of the mystery according to Christ, he said again, "I have been crucified with "Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life I "now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who "loved me and gave himself for me." Therefore, he says, they will be bringing offerings to the Lord, that is, they will be devoted to his will alone, not "minding earthly "things," not loving the defilements from injustice, not choosing to honor greed against some, but rather bringing sacrifices of righteousness. And it seems to me that Paul spoke very wisely, "For when the priesthood is changed, "there is of necessity a change of the law as well." For we who are called in Christ approach the sacred ministry no longer through blood and smoke, nor indeed do we bring lambs or kids to God, but rather we fulfill in the churches the holy and spiritual sacrifice understood in Christ, and setting him forth for sanctification, and indeed also for participation in life eternal, as a choice incense, we bring the sweet smells from good works, and sacrificing to him righteousness, we are confident that we shall be accepted. For it is written that, "Honor the Lord from your righteous "labors, and offer to him the firstfruits of your fruits of righteousness." For God is not pleased, I think, with other sacrifices, except with such as these, the God of all. He said, therefore, concerning those called in Christ to the sacred ministry, that they will be better than the first ones, not slaughtering sheep like them, nor indeed defiling the altar by offering polluted bread; but as in the order of incense, offering righteousness to God, and the spiritual fragrance of the evangelical life. And they will so perform the acceptable worship, as in no way to fall short of the fitting sacrifices in the days of eternity, that is, in the life of the holy spirits in heaven, who spend continuous and long days, or times; and to be equal also to the times of old, that is, to the worship of the saints, who have been in the times of old. For approval came to the ancients through obedience; thus Abraham offered his son to God, "and it was reckoned to him as righteousness, and he was "called a friend of God." So also Noah "prepared the ark "for the salvation of his household," as it is written. Therefore, he says, the sacrifice of Judah will be pleasing, that is, of the people bearing the circumcision in heart and spirit, and indeed of Jerusalem, the spiritual one, that is, of the Church; just as that of those who have the days of eternity and that of the saints who lived in former times, who became well-pleasing through obedience and faith. And the divine Paul enumerates these in the epistle to the Hebrews, saying many are justified by faith. And I will come near to you in judgment, and I will be a swift witness against the sorcerers and against the adulteresses and against those who swear by my name falsely, and against those who defraud the hireling of his wages and those who oppress the widow and those who strike orphans and those who turn aside the judgment of the sojourner and those who do not fear me, says the Lord Almighty. According to the purpose of the matters, our discourse proceeds again even in these things. For those from Israel were saying ignorantly, "Everyone who does evil is good in his sight, "and he has taken pleasure in them, and where is the God of "justice?" and what the pretext was for such terrible loose talk, has already been said; nevertheless it will be said again. For since some of the priests heedlessly, and indeed of the others who were more distinguished and eminent in the highest honors, went to every kind of wickedness and evil deeds, and he appeared beyond measure forbearing- God having care for them; for He is good, kind, gentle, and loving to humanity; for this reason some were belching forth words from unrestrained faint-heartedness. But that there will be in due season a transition to the better for those appointed to sacred service, Christ transforming them into newness of life, and transferring them to good order and to a glorious state and life, he has clearly indicated. But that He would not then accept the practitioners of wickedness, nor would He deem them worthy of praise and account; but rather He will judge them, and will demand justice for their outrageous lives, he makes clear by saying And I will draw near to you in judgment, that is, I will be brought forth as a judge, and I will be a swift witness, that is, a volunteer and called by no one. For I will pronounce sentence against the wicked. And I will bring out the judgment against them; not with another revealing the things in them, but as God knowing the unseen and hidden things, and bearing witness through the conscience of each of those who have sinned. And the divine Paul said somewhere that in due season those throughout the whole earth will be presented before the Judge, "their conflicting thoughts accusing or even defending them on the day when, according to my gospel, God judges the secrets of men through Jesus Christ." Observe, then, how he says that those who have transgressed both in secret and in public will be brought to judgment. For first he names sorcerers and adulteresses, then those who swear falsely; and these things are hidden and done secretly; for who would ever practice magic openly? Or how would an adulteress choose to be seen by anyone? And I think being hidden is a concern also for those who choose to swear falsely. And the blessed David will refute such foolish people, saying, "Understand, you brutish among the people; and you fools, when will you be wise? He who planted the ear, does He not hear? Or He who formed the eye, does He not see?" For absolutely nothing is unseen by God; He alone knows the hidden and the manifest evils. But those things are done secretly and as if in darkness; yet he adds to them also the manifest things, I mean defrauding a hired worker of his wages, and greed and oppression, which some might do against the weaker, I mean widows and orphans. And he adds to these also those who pervert right judgments and those who do not fear him. And these would also be those who in some other way, besides those just mentioned by us, grieve God. I will be, he says, therefore, a judge and a swift and volunteer witness against sorcerers and adulteresses, and the practitioners of other evils. It is likely that such things were dared by some at that time, and because of them the blasphemy of the many against God occurred. It is necessary, then, with all one's strength to shun evil things, and to run towards better things, and to hasten to accomplish those things by which one might become full of all praise and gentleness. For in this way he will not share in the things brought by divine wrath upon those accustomed to transgress, but will be within reach of the rewards and glory which God would give to those who love him. Because I am the Lord your God, and I have not changed; and you, sons of Jacob, have not refrained from the sins of your fathers, you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Again he removes them from unholy thoughts and, moreover, words. For to suppose somehow, either that the God of all has been turned away from willing good things to the contrary, or that He no longer loves righteousness, but accepts the lovers of wickedness, how is this not ignorant, but rather discordant and utterly unholy, and filled with the highest impiety? When, therefore, you see called to judgment, he says, the sorcerers among you, that is, enchanters—these are certainly whispering and scurrilous women—and the practitioners of other evils, then, he says, you will recognize through the events themselves, that I am the Lord your God, who of old and now is both good and a lover of virtue. For I know no turning or change. But I am always and unchangeably that which I am; but you, he says, although being descended from Jacob, a man who loved God and was good and always hated wickedness, and served God, you have not become zealous for his ways; but you have rather imitated the disobedience and intractability of your fathers, who for this very reason went away as captives, leaving the land that bore them, and have been enslaved to the enemies who captured them. And you also have turned aside from my laws and have not kept them. Therefore God is always unchangeable, and as it were fixed in goodness, and unshakable in righteousness; but they have become, so to speak, ones who have kept unchangeableness in evil, and the best imitators of their fathers' impiety. Christ is also found saying this somewhere. For He rightly pronounces woe upon the workshop of the uninstructed scribes and Pharisees. And He spoke thus: "Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for you build the tombs of the prophets and adorn the monuments of the righteous, and say, 'If we had lived in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.' Therefore you bear witness against yourselves that you are sons of those who murdered the prophets; and you, fill up the measure of your fathers." Therefore it is necessary for us, if we are truly sound of mind and in a stable mind, to emulate as much as possible the most approved of the fathers, and to shake off the imitation of those who are not good. Or if someone should not choose to do this, but should follow simply and without examination those who have gone before in time, he will surely be like the children of the Greeks, whom if one should mock because, having abandoned the knowledge of the truth and left behind the God by nature, they worship stones, they always bring up the custom of their own fathers. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the Lord Almighty. And you said, "In what shall we return?" Will a man supplant God? because you supplant me. And you will say, "In what have we supplanted you?" Because the tithes and first-fruits are with you. and you who look are looking at them, and you supplant me. The year was completed, and you brought all the produce into the storehouses, and in his house will be its plunder. Having very well put a stop to the slander against himself, and having shamed them as much as possible with fitting defenses, he calls to repentance those who have sinned, saying that he will again grant them his usual gentleness, and very readily. For just as he inflicts fitting penalties on those who wish to live wickedly; so to those who, as it were, go backwards, and indeed also refuse to sin any longer, he truly rejoices, everywhere cutting off despair as a cause of destruction. From this it is possible to see what a terrible disease they bring into life, those who counterfeit the grace of repentance, and ignorantly claim for themselves the name of purity. And yet how is it not better to understand, that thinking and having to say that they are pure brings upon them the charge of the utmost impurity? For it is written, "You tell your sins first, that you may be justified." And our divine David also sings somewhere, "For I know my iniquity, and my sin is ever before me." "For no one is clean from filth," according to what is written. Therefore, those who are so feebly sick are in need of the good things that come from repentance, and of the gentleness from above that thoroughly washes the defiled one and justifies the ungodly. Therefore he calls to repentance out of gentleness those who have sinned. But to those who in turn ask and wish to learn the manner of their sin, he says, "Will a man supplant God? For you are supplanting me." Now to "supplant" is to snatch away, or to cheat, and to think that one might escape notice when lying, perhaps, or even when doing some of the most wicked things. And so Esau was indeed angry with Jacob, and explaining the reason for his murderous intent he said, "For he has supplanted me now this second time; he has taken my birthright, and now he has taken my blessing." Will it then survive, he says, a man of God, or will he plunder the one who knows all? Why then do you trip me up? But I think it is necessary for a precise clarification of the concepts before us to say now a few things which are also written in the books of Ezra. For when those from Israel returned to Judea, having left the land of the Babylonians, they dwelt in Jerusalem; and the divine temple had been raised, and the orders of priests were finally in order, with singers and sacred psalmists and those set over the gates. Then what happened after this? The redeemed became slothful with regard to the necessity of holding to the divine ordinances. For they did not keep the law, and the transgression of the divine commandment was considered as nothing by them. And they brought for sacrifice, with difficulty and reluctance, the blind and stolen and lame and afflicted. Then, having harvested in the fields at the proper time the ear of grain and indeed the other seeds, and gathering grapes from the vines, and pressing the fruit of the olive, they did not bring tithes, and the firstfruits according to the law, so that the orders of priests, having self-sufficiency, might apply themselves without distraction to the worship of God, and might remain at the liturgies appointed to them by the law. Therefore, since nothing was being brought, the sacred ministers of the divine altars were scattered, and the temple thus remained desolate, with no sacrifice being performed, nor anything else being done of the things that lead to the glory of God. Therefore, everything in the fields was then being destroyed, and they were oppressed by famine, and indeed they had slipped into such necessity and want, as even to wish to sell their own children to those who had food, until Ezra, having been called to a perception of the divine wrath, charged the leaders of Israel concerning these things; and thus with difficulty they brought tithes and firstfruits, and then the sacred ministers ran in and stood performing their usual duties in the temple. Why then, he says, do you trip me up? The year was completed, the fruits were gathered, and yet the tithes and the firstfruits according to the law are still with you. And in his house, he says, shall be his plunder. It is as if he were to say: You have gathered the fruits from the fields into your houses, and perhaps you think they are safe for you and lie very well, but in the very houses they will disappear, and the matter will be no different from plunder. For you will be oppressed by famine, even though you have gathered, he says, with sweat and difficulty what was found. We shall know, therefore, from this, that it will be counted as a great fault, not to offer thanksgivings to God and not to render sufficient gratitude for what he has bestowed for his glory. But if we do this, he will bless us in every way and in all things, and will lavishly bestow good things; but if indeed, having drawn back our hand, we keep what was given for our own luxuries alone, he will neither give more readily, but will scatter, as it were, even that which was gathered with difficulty. For it is necessary to be generous and willing to share, and to set before others for participation the gifts from God. Test me now in this, says the Lord Almighty; if I will not open for you the floodgates of heaven, and pour out for you my blessing, until it is sufficient; and I will set apart for you what is for food, and I will not destroy the fruit of your earth, and your vine in the field will not fail, says the Lord Almighty. And all the nations will call you blessed, because you will be a desirable land, says the Lord Almighty. Again he lets go of the accusations, and frees them from every charge, and promises to graciously and without remembrance of wrongs grant their wishes, and to delight them with honors beyond description. And he wishes them to learn by experience itself and by facts, that bearing fruit will be in every way beneficial for them. And if they should choose to do this, he promises to bestow an abundant supply of rains, and to distribute the blessing lavishly, so that they may have an abundant sufficiency of edible things, and simply a satisfactory share of the good things from the earth. For I will set apart for you, he says for food. But you will understand *I will distinguish* as *I will set apart*, that is, that each of the things that grow from the earth has its own season, in which it might happen to grow or ripen. And He clearly promises that the fruit of the earth will be free from all harm, and that the vine in the fields will be full of clusters and exceedingly productive of good wine, and when these things have been brought to fulfillment, He says they will then be blessed, and be called a desirable land, that is, one worthy of love because of its fruitfulness and fertility. Therefore, if anyone has bowels of compassion, he will surely encounter such a God, and will lay up treasure in heaven, and will eat the fruits of his own labors, according to what is written, and will not be like that harsh and foolish rich man, whose land, the Savior says in the gospel parables, had brought forth plentifully. For he said, "What shall I do? I will pull down my barns and build larger ones, and I will say to my soul: Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; eat, drink, be merry." But while he was thinking such things and being foolish, God says, "Fool, this night your soul is required of you; and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?" Therefore, as I said, the one who shares is full of blessing. Such a one will also have spiritual rains watering the heart, and sufficiently making it glad, and he will bring forth the fruits of piety, in different ways at different times, and as it were distinguished, excelling now in love, now in kindness and brotherly love, in courage and patience. And he will be like a fruitful and most fertile land, illustrious and renowned and truly thrice-blessed. "For a good name is to be chosen rather than great riches," as it is written. You have spoken harsh words against me, says the Lord. And you said, "How have we spoken against you?" And you said, "It is vain to serve God; and what profit is it that we have kept his charge, and that we have walked as suppliants before the face of the Lord Almighty? And now we call strangers blessed; and those who do lawless things are built up; they have resisted God and have been saved." These things those who feared the Lord spoke, each to his neighbor; and the Lord gave heed and listened. When God wishes to correct some of his own who have slipped into sin, He brings their transgressions into the open, and clearly convicts them, and as it were strikes them with reproaches, so that, blushing at their own offenses, they might choose to turn to better and more useful things, and thus be saved, having sought mercy from Him. Therefore, he also accuses those of Israel on another account, and weaves a rebuke that is, as it were, common also to those after them, knowing the matter to be beneficial and salutary for all. For whatever happened to those before us as types, "These things were written for our admonition," as the most wise Paul says. Therefore, he accuses them of unbridled speech, and of choosing to grieve him with slanderous words. For he says, you have spoken harsh words against me. And what then was the manner of the slander? You said, he says, "It is vain to serve God," and that there is no profit in wishing to keep his charge, that is, the ordinances of the law. Besides this, you say, it is futile also to beseech him, that is, to offer prayers for whatever you might choose. And the God of all is surely true, if he should both say these things and accuse those of Israel. But what indeed was the pretext for the sinful speech of those who had spoken nonsense, it is necessary to say. For countless nations grazed the earth; but from all of them God chose one, the nation of Israel, and it has been called his portion and his measuring line and his inheritance. And having made them his own, he instructed them by the law, he helped them through the prophets. And what did the frenzied Israel do in response to these things? It has worshipped the host of heaven, it has served idols, it said to the carved images, "You are our gods." The God of all, being reasonably indignant at such terrible impieties, disciplined them in many ways, calling them to repentance by famines, by blight, by scarcity of fruits, by the locust and the cankerworm, by mildew and by caterpillars. For he did not yet wish to strike with a mighty hand, but rather, so to speak, to scare them away with terrors and still measured motions to choose to do what is profitable, and to love the God who is by nature and truly God. But since they had no regard even for being struck with measure, and went away unbridled into every form of impurity, he sent them into captivity, and caused them to fall under the hand of the Babylonians. But when they were called back to Judea, God having compassion on them, and they rebuilt the walls of the city, and they built up the temple, they again turned to indifference, not fulfilling their vows, not following the ordinances of the law, not bringing tithes or firstfruits; but sluggish and scarcely coming to sacrifice, and slaughtering the lame, the blind, and the diseased, and doing these things improperly, God no less disciplined them with famine and barrenness. But they, although it was necessary, if they were good and knowledgeable of what was profitable, to heal the grieved God of all by returning to what is better, made an unintelligent outcry. For when they saw the neighboring nations, although not knowing God, but rather worshipping carved images, and sick with the ultimate error, were in comfort and luxury, they said foolishly, "He who serves God is vain," and "what profit is it that we have kept his commandments?" For we, he says, the keepers of the law are in barrenness and plagues, and we have gone into captivity, although always falling down and becoming suppliants to the Lord Almighty; but those who do none of such things have no plague, no pain. Therefore we call strangers blessed, and they who do lawless things are built up, they have resisted God and have been saved. For in truth those who wander act against the glory of God in many ways, both offering sacrifices to molten images and "saying to the wood, 'You are my God,' and to the stone, 'You have begotten me.'" These things, he says, those who fear the Lord spoke among themselves. The accusation is again blasphemy, and a clear proof of the worst sicknesses. For the words are of a sick mind, and to say anything against God is the God-hated filth of a drunken intellect. And that he listens to such words not as it were incidentally, but with diligence, he has assured us, saying: "And the Lord gave heed and heard." "For the Spirit of the Lord has filled the world, and that which holds all things together has knowledge of the voice." And if any word should be spoken against his divine glory, this will be heavy and as it were unbearable, although he is accustomed to be exceedingly patient; for this very reason he also said, "You have made your words heavy against me." Therefore it is necessary, then, even if we are in troubles, while God disciplines us for our benefit, not to be exceedingly despondent, nor indeed to think that one who so loves virtue would be unsparing of good things; but rather to examine carefully the things for which we have given offense, and thus to appease, and to ask for mercy. And if indeed some lovers of sin are in worldly comfort, having the enjoyment of temporary things, it is fitting to attribute the reason to the ineffable economies of his long-suffering toward them. And he wrote a book of remembrance before him for those who fear the Lord and revere his name. and they shall be mine, says the Lord Almighty, in the day that I make for my special possession, and I will spare them as a man spares his son who serves him well. While those of Israel were mocking him, and speaking unholy nonsense against him, "he gave heed and heard." Then, though it was necessary to impose the fitting penalty on the sinners, and to exact an account for their loose-tongued words, as God he passes over even this, forgetting injuries; but he writes a book of remembrance for those who fear him, concerning whom I think somewhere David himself also said to the one writing the book, "And in your book all shall be written." And we will find our Lord Jesus Christ saying to the holy disciples, "Do not rejoice that the demons are subject to you; but rejoice rather, that the names of yours has been written in heaven.” And the divine David very fittingly curses the people of the Jews who killed Christ, saying thus, “Let them be blotted out of the book of the living, and let them not be written with the righteous.” Therefore the book of remembrance is written for those who fear God, whom He says will also be His own and most well-known at the time of acquisition, when Christ sits upon the throne of His glory, attended by angels, “and He will set the sheep on His right, but the goats on His left, and He will say to those on His right, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.’” For then He will choose them, that is, He will make them chosen, yielding nothing in affection to our fathers, who dote on their own children, especially when they are wise and obedient, and hold their parents in the greatest reverence. And you will turn and see the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous, and between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve. Then indeed, he says, ceasing from such rotten idle talk, and checking your unrestrained and undisciplined tongue, you will no longer revile the God who loves virtue, but having almost cast off your drunkenness, and as it were turning from error, you will see very well what and how great is the difference between the righteous and the lawless, between the one who serves God and the one who does not serve. For the lawless and unruly, and those who shake off the yoke of slavery under Him, will go away to destruction and into endless punishment; “There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth,” as it is written; but the good and God-loving, and those knowledgeable in the divine laws, and cultivators of every virtue, radiant and sanctified, will be crowned with the crown of incorruptibility, and being in the mansions above, they will live together with the holy angels, and being shown as partakers of the glory of Christ, they will delight in the good things for an eternal life, “What eye has not seen, and ear has not heard, and has not entered into the heart of man,” as it is written. Yet seeing the lovers of wickedness prospering in this life, some of the saints have had doubts, but they did not fail to know that they will have the end of their life in destruction. And so the blessed Jeremiah says something like this: “Righteous are You, O Lord, that I may plead with You, yet I will speak judgments to You. Why does the way of the wicked prosper? All who deal treacherously have thrived. You have planted them, and they have taken root; they have borne children and produced fruit. You are near in their mouth, but far from their reins. And You, O Lord, know me; You have tested my heart before You.” Then again he says, “Consecrate them for the day of their slaughter. How long will the earth mourn?” You see how he has fallen into a difficulty of thoughts, but he did not fail to know the end of the wicked. “Because all flesh is grass, and all the glory of man as the flower of grass,” as it is written. For behold, a day is coming, burning like a furnace, and it will burn them, and all the foreigners and all who do lawless things will be stubble, and the coming day will set them on fire, says the Lord Almighty, and neither root nor branch will be left of them. For it is consistent to understand that the day of judgment will be in fire, “in which the heavens will pass away with a rushing noise, and the elements will be dissolved, being burned up, and the earth and the works in it will all be burned up. But we look for new heavens and a new earth according to His promises;” for thus said one of the holy disciples. Therefore, he says, the day of the Lord will come like a furnace, and it will burn up all the foreigners, and to these it will add those who do lawless things; for the judgment will be one for both. But see how cleverly he now makes mention of the foreigners. For since they were calling them blessed, saying, “And now we call the arrogant blessed, and they are built up doing "lawless things, they resisted God and were saved," for this reason he says they will be burned up, as having warred against the glory of God, and having chosen to worship the creation rather than the creator. And we also consider in another way that idolaters are called foreigners and those who in some other manner have been alienated from the holy and chosen race, such as I mean the heretics, concerning whom it might be said, and very appropriately "They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us." these, having cast off their divine noble birth, and being separated from the holy and chosen race which has come to be for a possession; clearly through faith in Christ; such people, at any rate, will be food for the all-consuming fire. and those who do lawless things will lie in equal portion before God, even if they happen to be numbered among those who have believed and have been chosen, and know the God who is by nature and in truth. for this is not enough for them for the washing away of sin, if it is true that "faith without works is dead." For faith in Christ justifies, and frees from the stain of previous sins. But if after this someone should be found lazy and fallen away, inclined toward the passions of the flesh and of the world, he has, as it were, put faith to death in himself, adding none of the praiseworthy things, but rather relapsing to the old worthlessness of life. concerning such people the divine disciple also says "For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them. For what the true proverb says has happened to them: ‘The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire.’” Therefore, those who do lawless things are on a par with the foreigners, and they will be as stubble, and will be burned up just as if fire were brought upon it. For the wheat is gathered into the barn, as the Savior also says concerning the holy reapers; but the chaff is burned with unquenchable fire. and there shall not be left for them a root or a branch, that is, they will have no hope of growing again to life, and by life I mean that which is lovely and in glory with God, that which is understood as in holiness and blessedness. For if the root is not entirely cut off, nor the branch, as it were, removed from the depths, some hope is saved of growing again; "For there is hope for a tree," according to what is written; "for if it is cut down, it will sprout again, and its shoot will not fail." But if indeed from below and from its very root, as I said, it should be dug up, and endure a savage cutting of the plants, all hope for it of being able to grow again to life will surely perish with it. Therefore, as by a likeness from plants, he says that all hope of the lovers of sin has been removed. And this the divine Isaiah clearly proclaims, saying "Their worm will not die, and their fire will not be quenched, and they will be a spectacle for all flesh." And for you who fear my name, the sun of righteousness shall arise, with healing in its wings; and you shall go out and leap like calves released from their bonds. and you will tread down the lawless, for they will be ashes under your feet on the day that I am preparing, says the Lord Almighty. The only-begotten Word of God has indeed shone forth, having appeared in this world, having put on our likeness; for he says, "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us;" and while we were in mist and darkness, like a sun, he shines around us with his own rays, and sending a brilliant beam of the true knowledge of God into the hearts of believers, he has made them pure and wise and knowledgeable in every good work. And he showed us the Father in himself, through his ineffable instruction making us most skillful and wise, and having our mind full of the knowledge concerning him. But having been brought to this brightness and been enriched, as the blessed Paul says, "in every thing in word and in all knowledge and in all wisdom," "we see now in a mirror and in a riddle, and we know "in part." But that which is perfect will come in due time, and then we shall be in the fullest knowledge, when Christ shines on us again from heaven, and abolishes the knowledge that is partial and in a riddle, but illuminates us as the most perfect, and fills our mind with a certain divine and ineffable light, and makes it radiant by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. For the divinely-inspired Paul said, "Whether prophecies, they shall be done away; whether knowledge, it shall "cease." But we say that we shall not proceed from knowing in part to knowing nothing at all, far from it. For in what way will the time of the future hope not be a loss for the souls of the saints, if they must entirely lose even what they have, not gaining better things, not directing their mind to any of the things that are above, but rather selling off even what has already been acquired, sometimes not without hardship? But prophecies are abolished, and knowledge will cease, when that which is far superior is clearly introduced into our souls. For just as if someone, when a single lamp is shining in a house and casting a moderate gleam on those who see it, should bring in a torch, it is entirely necessary, so to speak, that the light of the former become inactive, yielding to the immensity of the greater one; and just as when the sun illuminates the world under heaven, the brightness of the stars is left somehow inactive; so too, when a more radiant knowledge is introduced into us, the lesser will be somehow abolished. And Christ also said somewhere to the holy apostles, "These things I have spoken to you in "parables; the hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in "parables, but I will tell you plainly about the "Father." Therefore, to the saints, who have greatly feared the name of God and have become practitioners of every virtue in this world, Christ will shine forth, like a sun of righteousness, casting the rays of the most perfect knowledge, and delivering them from all sickness of the soul, and putting their former affliction as far away as possible. For this is "Healing in his wings;" as was said concerning the eagle and its young, according to that which was spoken by the all-wise Moses concerning God and those delivered from Egypt: "As an eagle will shelter its nest, spreading its wings, "it received them." Therefore, he says, there will be healing in his wings. For in this age, the stirrings of the flesh in us are somehow terrible; for it incites the mind to improper pleasures, and the law of sin rages in our members, even if it happens to be conquered through the goodness of the saints, with Christ helping. And the mind is somehow intoxicated, being tempted in another way by passions; for boasts attack, and worldly ambitions and angers and avarice and the other evils. But since through Christ we have been enriched with the pledge of the Spirit, we are accustomed to prevail over the passions, though not without sweat; but in the age to come, having the full gleam of the knowledge of God, and being rich in the perfection of the gift of the Holy Spirit, and having put off corruption and the passions of the flesh, we will serve God in every way, not being divided towards sin, nor indeed being troubled by any of the former passions, but living a pure and harmless life in equal rank with the holy angels. For it is written concerning the saints that they will forget their affliction, and it will not come up into their heart; and there will be, he says, "and everlasting joy upon their head, "for upon their head praise and joy and "gladness will overtake them, pain and sorrow and "sighing have fled away." For this reason the Prophet says, or rather God who is the worker and giver of these things, that you will both go out and leap like calves released from bonds. For just as suckling calves, when released from their bonds, skip about the fields, leaping up and lowing in the flourishing grass; so in due time the saints almost as if released from the bonds of the affliction and care of this life, and of sweat and toils, they will come out into the gladness that befits the holy, treading upon the lawless, who are no longer fighting and resisting, but have already fallen and been conquered, and are as if laid under their feet, because the war from them has been completely done away with. "For there shall be no lion there, nor shall any of the evil "beasts go up there," according to what is written; "but there shall be a clean way, and it shall be called a holy way." For the life of the saints at that time will be without war and free from every stain. And behold, I send to you Elijah the Tishbite before the great and manifest day of the Lord comes, who will restore the heart of the father to the son and the heart of a man to his neighbor, lest I come and strike the earth utterly. A proof of God's gentleness and long-suffering is that Elijah the Tishbite should shine forth for us in due time, when the Judge is at last at hand, heralding him to those throughout the whole world. For the Son will descend as judge in the glory of God the Father, with angels as his guard, and he will sit "on the throne of his glory," judging the world in righteousness, and he will by all means render to each according to his work. But since we are in very many sins, the divine prophet usefully goes before, leading those on earth to one mind, so that all, brought into unity through faith, and having ceased from their zeal for wickedness, may choose to fulfill what is good, and thus be saved when the Judge descends. Therefore, the blessed Baptist John, arriving first, came forth "in the spirit and power of Elijah." But just as he proclaimed, saying, "Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight," so too the divine Elijah will then proclaim that he is near, and will be present in just a moment, to judge the world in righteousness. And now perhaps some are divided, and a father is divided against a son, and a son against a father. For one has believed in Christ, while the other is numbered among the unbelievers, and others stand apart from one another's love, torn apart by enmity and unceasing anger, and contentions over any of the affairs of the world. Nevertheless, the prophet will restore, gathering into one faith those long divided, and restoring a man to his neighbor, lest, he says, I come and strike the earth utterly, that is, in every way and completely. Do you see, then, the gentleness of the Lord of all? He persuades beforehand those on earth, and almost bears witness through the voice of Elijah, that a judge will be present, so that those living on the earth at that time, by correcting their own life with changes for the better, may not meet a harsh judge, who sends to the flame and to the outer darkness; but might rather hear, "Come, you blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world." Remember the law of Moses my servant, as I commanded him in Horeb for all Israel, with ordinances and judgments. He again persuades those who will encounter the words of the Prophet to understand that the proclamation concerning Christ was not something new or unusual, nor was it foretold only by the voice of Malachi; but from above and from the beginning, and from the first times, so to speak, in which Israel was called to the knowledge of God, when God delivered the laws in Horeb through Moses. For the God of all descended in the form of fire upon Mount Sinai, and there appeared smoke and flames darting on high, and inspiring great dread in those who saw; and there was darkness, and gloom, and a tempest, and "the sound of the trumpet sounded "loud." Then indeed, having become terrified, the sons of Israel came and said to the mediator and instructor—this was Moses—"You speak to us, and let not God speak to us, lest we die." And indeed, to these things, God says, "Rightly all that they have spoken; I will raise up for them a Prophet from among their brothers like you, and I will put my words into his mouth, and he will speak to them according to all that I command him." Do you see how from long ages past the sacred scripture foretold Christ? But if one would wish to examine the very shadows of the law, he will find Christ being written, and the mystery concerning him. And so he said to the Jews, "If you believed Moses, you would believe me, for he wrote about me." For Christ is the fulfillment of the law and the prophets, through whom and with whom, to God the Father be glory with the Holy Spirit, now and forever and to the ages of ages. Amen.