CHAPTER 30 ^[54]

Verse 15.^[238] “The leech had three dearly-beloved daughters: and <these> three did not satisfy her, <and the fourth was not contented so as to say, ‘Enough.’>”

Ι. It seems that “three” is an enigmatic way of expressing [αἰνίττεσθαι]^[65] the triad of heresy: the person who says that there is a different god from the Creator of all, and [the person who says] that Christ is not the Son of Him who gave the law through Moses, and the [person who says the same] concerning the Holy Spirit, for they say that the Holy Spirit we mention is different in the new covenant from [the Spirit mentioned] by the Prophets. The devil loves these [heresies] in the manner of “daughters,” for they fulfill his will, unceasingly supplying those who are perishing through deliberate consent,^[66] and he does not receive satiety for all that. The fourth daughter follows this who is insatiate for the punishments being meted out.

Verse 16.^[239] “The grave, and the love of a woman, and Tartarus and earth not filled with water, water also and fire will not say, ‘Enough.’”

II. All the offspring of the blood-thirsty leech are either “Hades,” to which sinners are being turned back ^[240], about which it says, “In Hades, who will confess you?” ^[241], as though in Hades one has already been cut off from praising God; or “love of a woman” which destroys through fleshly desire the lovers who corrupt the temple of God ^[242] and take away the “members of Christ” and make [them] “members of a prostitute” ^[243]. But also “of a woman” [can be] a wisdom called by the name “of the falsely-named knowledge” ^[244]. And a soul which is sandy and barren,^[68] as it were, is a daughter of the leech, who is continually drinking from the Scriptures, but shows no sign of this because of having consumed all the oracles which it has heard in vain. For each of these there is the fire of punishments which does not say, “It is enough,” or from which are “the fiery arrows of the evil one” ^[245].

Verse 17.^[246] “An eye that ridicules a father, and dishonors a mother’s old age, may the ravens of the valleys pick it out, <and may the young eagles devour it.>”

III The eye in the body, this is the principal part in the soul^[69] which is the source of sinning or keeping straight. When this eye is clear the whole body is bright, but [when it is] dark by participation in the father of evil, then the whole body will be dark ^[247]. For such is what happens when at one time someone accuses the depth of God’s judgments ^[248], and one ridicules Him as though imperfect and disparages his holy Scriptures, and at another time he invents fables about things that do not exist as though they did and he dishonors the Church along with the Father, [the Church] being the mother of which the free Sarah was a symbol, who at the old age of 90 years bore Abraham a son, which is taken [to mean] the new covenant ^[249]. Certain evil energies who administer punishments “pick out” [the eyes] of such a person. This “raven,” I think, or “young eagle” was the Babylonian who blinded the eyes of Zedekiah ^[250]. Such [energies] also put out the eyes of Samson who had delivered himself over to the love of Delilah. For these are a symbol of unseen powers.

Verse 18.^[251] “There are three things impossible for me to understand and the fourth I know not.” IV. Speculation into intelligible knowledge is impossible for a novice,^[71] and it is impossible for man to understand things that are above man, such as the treatment of cancer, even though the angels might understand this. It is impossible for someone to understand that which in no way exists, nor is able to exist, such as three things being four.^[72] It seems, therefore, to have been spoken concerning things that do not exist.

Verse 19.^[252] “The courses of a flying eagle, and the ways of a serpent on a rock, and the paths of a sea-sailing ship.”

V. For if indeed it is borne along with sails filled, it makes the water white, but for only a short while. Someone may say about these things, that even though they might not be understood by the person who is speaking, yet they are naturally disposed to be understood, since in fact dogs with a keen sense of smell^[73] detect the way of animals on the rocks, thus they may be able to find even the way of a “serpent,” if a dog is naturally disposed to hunt these things. In the same way, therefore, about the “ship” and “eagle,” someone may say that [they] leave behind an emanation of scent or a certain quality, and a dog may perchance apprehend this, if it has a nature to be carried through the air or even the sea, which is analogous to how these things can be understood by divine powers and, even greater still, by God who knows all things. But if we must take the position that the things which have been mentioned are not [able] to be understood because they are insubstantial, we should mention that Christ is called a “rock” according to, “The rock is Christ” ^[253], who, since “he did not sin” ^[254], has nothing of the “way of a serpent” in himself. The righteous, also, who speak truly when they say, “We will be caught up together in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air” ^[255], are not able to perceive the “course of an eagle”—which is an unclean and rapacious animal forbidden by law ^[256]—lest after being defiled they will be unable to be with the Lord always ^[257] with a most pure constitution and body.

VI. Perhaps we should read the “ship” in these [verses] as Jesus and his disciples, and at another time as only the disciples. [It refers to Jesus and the disciples] when it is not “sea-sailing,” for “immediately,” by divine power, “the boat was on the land to which they were going” ^[258]. But when the “ship” is not carrying Jesus, it is “sea-sailing,” as it is being unsettled continually by adverse winds.^[74] And since the matters of the life are “vanity of vanities” ^[259] for humans who are perpetually “sea-sailing,” and with none of them advancing unto eternal life, it is not possible to understand their “paths.” Therefore, with the glorious kings of the earth or indeed with rulers who are foreign to piety, no “course” is left behind after death, for their glory and kingdom and reputation are extinguished. For “the memorial of the righteous person is with eulogies, but the name of the ungodly will be extinguished,” says Solomon ^[260].

Verse 20.^[261] “and the ways of a man in youth.”

VII. “They are not recognized,” it says, nor are the ways “of a man in youth” who is enflamed with desires. For such people are “an oven glowing with flame for hot-baking” ^[262], since they accept nothing older and middle-aged. Wherefore every way of theirs is not recognized by the wise person for it in no way exists. But the righteous person is not “in youth,” since “having been perfected in a short time, he fulfilled lengthy times” ^[263]. Such is the case with every adulterous woman who alienates herself from the bridegroom and for a soul who forsakes [her] husband and goes “after her lovers” ^[264], as Hosea says. She who has been raised with false opinions and the host of sins, who “washes herself” with deceitful water, but not with the living and pure [water], justifies herself by her own mouth and because of that she does not know that she sins; for the wise are judges in themselves and before themselves, but not of Christ ^[265].

Verse 21.^[266] “By three things the earth is shaken, and the fourth it cannot bear: Verse 22.^[267] If a servant reigns and a fool is sated with grain, Verse 23.^[268] and a hateful woman obtained a good man, and if a maid-servant casts out her own mistress.”

VIII. The “shaking” now indicates the up-ending of things on the earth, which happened once in the deluge ^[269] because of sin reigning at the time, which by nature is a “servant.” For “everyone who sins is a servant of sin” ^[270], for sin reigns “in the mortal body” of men ^[271].The second [indicates] the Sodomites who did not bear the abundance of the land, but even did violence to foreigners. The third [concerns] “hateful” Egypt who appointed Joseph to be the man who dealt out measures of corn to all, such that they might not waste away with famine, but [Egypt] did not bear the good fortune, perpetrating greatly oppression against the sons of Israel. The “maid-servant” who “casts out her own mistress” is the church from the nations, who is by nature servant and a stranger to the covenants and a foreigner to the promises, yet she “casts out” the Legislation and becomes Christ’s Bride ^[272]. Someone might also say, according to different concepts, that these things harmonize with those who have believed from the nations, who were “maid-servants” on account of the first sin, but who [now] “reign” because of the acceptance of the heavenly Bridegroom. They themselves were “fools,” for “by a nation devoid of understanding I will provoke them to anger,” says Moses in the great song ^[273]. And the Apostle: “But God chose the stupid ones of the world so as to shame the wise” ^[274]. This was a “foolish people” before this, but they were nourished after these things by the oracles of God and they feed on the bread of wisdom which he prepared in the Law and Prophets, and partake of Him who says: “I am the Bread” ^[275]. Our soul also, which is a “hateful woman,” has “obtained a good man.” “For we also were foolish ourselves, disobedient, deceived, enslaved to various desires and pleasures, spending our life in vice and envy, hateful, hating one another. But when the goodness and the loving kindness of God appeared to us” through Jesus Christ and the “washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, which he poured upon us” ^[276] we “obtained a good man.” But also the church from the nations, being a “maid- servant” of the house of God, has “cast out her own mistress” and has become a mistress, being a foreigner to the divine race, to whom God says: “Listen, O daughter, and see and incline your ear and forget your people and the house of your father, for the King greatly desires your beauty” ^[277]. But Jews, “who do not understand the things they say, nor concerning those things they make confident assertions” ^[278], hand over [the queenship],^[78] since indeed when Christ came, who loves the gentile woman, he will accept her to reign over Israel with Him.

Verse 24.^[279] “These are four of the smallest things on the earth, but these are wiser than the wise: Verse 25.^[280] the ants, to whom there is no strength, yet prepare food in summer; Verse 26.^[281] and the conies, which is not a mighty race, who make their own houses in the rocks.”

ΙΧ. These things seem to have been spoken with an [intentional] order of sequence. For first he spoke concerning the blameworthy daughters of the leech ^[282] and of the eye that ridicules a father and dishonors an aged mother ^[283], then concerning sinful things which are impossible to understand ^[284], and thirdly concerning the up-ending of the depraved ^[285]. But the fourth now concerns praiseworthy things, which are those things that are “wiser than the wise” ^[286], to be followed by those who “go about easily” ^[287]. I think that the “smallest things on the earth” are those who come to Christ. For “God chose the stupid ones of the world so that he might shame the wise ones” and these things pertain to them: “these things that are wiser than the wise,” concerning whom it was said that “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise” ^[288]. If even these “smallest ones” are “on the earth,” then the greatest are in the heavens. Wherefore the Savior says: “He who wants to be great among you, let him be the least of all,” etc. ^[289]. The first of the “smallest things on earth” are the worker “ants,” which he urges the sluggard to imitate ^[290]. Those, then, who are persuaded by the Savior who says, “Work as it is day; night is coming when no one will be able to work” ^[291], are the “ants” who are “wiser than the wise,” since they “prepare food in summer,” being persuaded by the Lord who says: “Lift your eyes and observe the fields that are already white for harvest” ^[292]. For “they prepare food” before the coming winter of wrath. The “conies” are a symbol of those who “dwell in the help of the Most High” ^[293], and not of those who only drink from the rock—which is Christ ^[294]—but who also dwell in him. Because there are different concepts [in Scripture] for the animal (i.e., coney), it is reckoned among the unclean [animals] in Leviticus ^[295], yet here it is praiseworthy. In the same way the lion is both praised and associated with the devil.

Verse 27.^[296] “The locust is not ruled by a king, yet it marches out at one command in good order.”

Χ. The locust is also praised as well-ordered, being persuaded by the command of God’s word. Such is the Church which, because it is despised by men, is compared to a “locust” as living on the earth. And because it is gathered together with Jesus and does not disperse, but is endowed with “the full armor of God,” in order that she may stand “against the wiles of the devil” ^[297], she takes her position “in good order from one command.” And she is “without a king” as regards subjection to Pharaoh, but not as regards subjection to God; and the labors of the Egyptians have been handed over to her, but equally because we are not ruled [by a king] before the kingdom of Christ.^[79]

Verse 28.^[298] “And the spotted lizard sticks fast with [its] hands, and being easily taken, it dwells in fortresses of a king.”

XI. But also the “spotted lizard” is someone who utters an unintelligible expression, that is, a confused thought; whenever he sticks steadfastly to practices, he will have habitation in royal palaces, clearly in the kingdom of the heavens.

Verse 29.^[299] “There are three things which go about easily, and [the] fourth which advances well: Verse 30.^[300] a lion's cub, stronger than animals, [which] does not turn away from nor cower at an animal, Verse 31.^[301] and a rooster walking stoutly among hens, and a he-goat leading a herd, and a king publicly addressing a nation.”

XII. You could indeed say that the lion is the person who conquers everything that rises against it, whether by strength according to reason, or by vigor according to life. For the “lion” in Christ “goes about easily,” not being troubled by hissing or kicking. For he is confident because he has procured for himself the invincibility of the lion. A second form of invincibility is he who stirs up those [lions] who are sleeping and yells to them, “Awake, O sleeper, and rise up from the dead” ^[302], for “the night is far gone, and the day has come near.” Wherefore, conduct yourself “properly as in the day” ^[303], and, “How long will lie down, O sluggard?, and when will you get up from [your] sleep?” ^[304]. It is fitting for us to bring to remembrance here the crowing of the rooster of old after Peter’s threefold denial of the Lord, at which time he began to cry bitterly, as the rooster’s crowing led him both to an awareness of the word about the sins he committed just prior and announced [the arrival] of the day. Third, the “he-goat,” according to the LXX alone, is “leading a herd,” causing it to grow and to multiply and leading [it] to the pastures in exalted places. For no other herd of animals mounts up to exalted places in this way. This one who is leading is Christ, who brings those in his herd up to the summit. The fourth animal “which crosses over well” is “a king publicly addressing a nation,” such as the Apostles “publicly addressing” the nations where, striving earnestly, they were ambitious to preach the gospel ^[305]. Such was the case with Paul who “publicly addressed” at Athens and “crossed over well,” going through and observing their objects of worship. For he “crossed over” from the inscriptions [on the idols] to the word concerning God.