Nine Homilies on the Visions of Isaiah

And the Seraphim stood round about him, six wings to the one, and six wings to the other. I see two Seraphim, and each of them having in itself six wings. Then the arrangement of the wings. And with two indeed they veiled the face, not their own, but God's; with two others they veiled the feet, not their own, but God's; and with two others they flew. According to what is written, it seems contrary to itself. If they stood, they could not fly; but it is written: Two Seraphim stood round about him, six wings to the one, and six wings to the other, and with two they veiled the face, and with two they veiled the feet, and with two they flew, and they cried one to another. But these Seraphim who are about God, who alone say by knowledge, Holy, holy, holy; for this reason they guard the mysteries of the Trinity, because they themselves also are holy. For among all things that exist, nothing is holier than these.

And they do not lightly say one to another: Holy, holy, holy; but they proclaim with a cry a confession salutary to all. Who are these two Seraphim? My Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Nor should you think the nature of the Trinity to be at variance, if the offices of the names are preserved. They veiled the face of God. For the beginning of God is unknown. But also the feet. For that which is last in our God is not comprehended. Only the middle things are seen. What things were before these I do not know: from those things which are, I understand God. What things shall be after these, according as they shall be, I do not know. Who has declared it to him? Ecclesiastes said: Declare to me the former and the latter things that shall be, and I will say that you are gods.

Hence also Isaias says: Declare to us the former things, and we will set our heart, and we will know, and declare to us the latter things that are to come. Announce beforehand the things that are to come, and we will say that you are gods. From which, if anyone shall tell things past, and shall be able to tell things last, he is God. Who then can say, besides the Seraphim, Holy, holy, holy? But the Seraphim have laid bare a certain part of God, so to speak, the middle part of him, and cried one to another, standing by God, and saying, Holy, holy, holy. They stand therefore and are moved; they stand with God, they are moved as they show forth God. For understand that they veil the face, they veil the feet; what is veiled is not moved, what flies is not veiled, and they say: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts, the whole earth is full of his glory.

The coming of my Lord Jesus Christ is announced; now therefore the whole earth is full of his glory. Or else it is not yet full, but it shall be that it be filled, when the prayer shall have been fulfilled, which the Lord himself commanded us to pray to the Father, saying, When you pray, say: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done as in heaven so on earth. As yet the will of the Father is in heaven; on earth his will is not yet fulfilled, so that Jesus himself, according to the dispensation of the flesh which he had assumed, says: All power is given to me, in heaven and on earth. Does not he who had power in heaven have power on earth? And should he receive something of the world, who had come into his own?

But that God might be believed on earth, as he was believed in heaven, therefore the man Christ received power, which before he had not, and even to the present he does not yet have on earth the power over all things. For among those who sin, he does not yet reign; but when this power also shall have been given him, when all things shall have been made subject to him, then his power shall be fulfilled, and he shall go through subjecting all things to himself. But certain ones do not yet wish to be subject to him, but are still subject to his enemies. Let us therefore say: Shall not my soul be subject to God? For from God is my salvation.

And with two they flew, and one said to another: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory. And the lintel was lifted up at the voice with which they cried: the voice of Jesus Christ and the voice of the Holy Spirit. If any one of us shall hear the voice of Jesus Christ and of the Holy Spirit crying, the lintel is lifted up, and made higher than it was at that time when it was lifted up, when it was said: Lift up your gates, O ye princes, and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting gates, and the King of glory shall come in.

And the house was filled with smoke. From the exhalation of the fire the whole house was filled. But smoke is the vapor of fire. And I said: Woe is me, for I am pierced with compunction, because, being a man, I have unclean lips also. I cannot perceive why Isaias humbled himself thus. Yet he speaks truly: for the Scripture bears witness that his lips are cleansed by one of the Seraphim, who was sent to take away his sins. Now one of the Seraphim is my Lord Jesus Christ, who was sent by the Father to take away our sins, and says: Behold, I have taken away your iniquities, and have cleansed you round about of your sins. Nor should you think it an insult to the nature, if the Son is sent by the Father. Finally, that you may recognize the Unity of the Godhead in the Trinity, only Christ in the present reading now forgives sins, and yet it is certain that sins are forgiven by the Trinity.

For he who believes in one, believes in all. Let there then be brought to me from the heavenly altar a pair of tongs to touch my lips. If the Lord's tongs shall have touched my lips, they cleanse them. And if they shall have cleansed them, and cut away vices, as we said just now, I will open my mouth with the word of God, and no unclean word shall any more come forth from my mouth: because, being a man, I have unclean lips, and I dwell also in the midst of a people having unclean lips. The Seraph that was sent cleansed the lips of the Prophet, but did not cleanse the lips of the people. For he himself confessed that he had unclean lips, and dwelt in the midst of a people having unclean lips. But this Seraph that was sent did not judge the people worthy that their lips also should be cleansed, and therefore they still act impiously, therefore they still resist my Lord Jesus Christ, still curse him with unclean lips.

But I pray that the Seraph, coming, may cleanse my lips.

And I saw with my eyes the King, the Lord of Sabaoth. Why should we not mention at present a certain tradition of the Jews, plausible indeed, yet not true, and the solution of it, why we do not find it so? They say that Isaiah was for this reason sawn in two by the people, as one transgressing the law and proclaiming things outside the Scriptures. For Scripture says: No one shall see my face and live. But this man says: I saw the Lord of Sabaoth. Moses (they say) did not see, and did you see? And for this they sawed him in two, and condemned him as impious. For they did not know that with two wings the Seraphim veiled the face of God. I saw the Lord—but Isaiah did not see his face, nor did Moses see it. Moses (as it is written) saw his hinder parts. Yet he did see the Lord, though he did not see his face. So here too he saw, though he did not see his face.

Wrongly, therefore, did they condemn the Prophet. And I saw with my eyes the King, the Lord of Sabaoth, and there was sent to me one of the Seraphim. The coming of my Lord Jesus Christ, by which he descended to the earth, is not a single event: he came to Isaiah, and he came to Moses, and he came to the people, and he came to each one of the Prophets: nor should you fear, even though he has already been received into heaven, that he will come again. But that he also came to men even before his coming in the flesh, take as witness the one who declared and said: Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children. How often would I. He does not say, "I did not see thee except at this coming," but he says, "how often would I." And turning himself through each of the Prophets, he says: I was the Christ who spoke through the Prophets.

I said, do not fear, and now Jesus Christ is sent. He does not lie. I am with you (says the Lord) all days, even to the end of the world. He does not lie: Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them. Since, therefore, Jesus Christ is present and stands by, and is ready and girded as the high priest to offer to the Father our supplications, let us rise up and through him offer sacrifices to the Father. For he himself is the propitiation for our sins, to whom is glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

As far as concerns the saying, Ahaz acted modestly when he was commanded to ask a sign in the depth or in the height, and he gave the reason why he was unwilling to ask. For he said: I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord. Yet he was blamed on account of this word, and it is said to him: Hear now, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, and how do you weary the Lord? Then this promise is spoken: Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. Behold, a virgin shall conceive in the womb, and shall bear a son, and you shall call his name Emmanuel. Let these things be expounded, and as for the rest we shall see, needing in those things also the grace of God that they may be made manifest. He is commanded to ask a sign, not simply, but for himself.

For the word says: Ask for yourself a sign from the Lord your God in the depth or in the height. The sign set forth is my Lord Jesus Christ. For this is the sign which he is bidden to ask for himself in the depth or in the height. In the depth indeed, because he is the one who descended; in the height, because he is the one who ascended above all the heavens. But to me this sign, set forth as my Lord Jesus Christ in the depth and in the height, profits nothing, unless the mystery of his depth and height be wrought in me. For when I shall have received the mystery concerning Christ Jesus, of the depth and the height, then I shall receive the sign according to the Lord's precept, and it will be said to me, as one having in myself the depth and the height: Say not in your heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? That is, to bring Christ down. Or who shall descend into the abyss?

That is, to bring Christ up again from the dead. The word is near, even in your mouth and in your heart. It is enjoined, therefore, upon all of us, that we ask for ourselves this sign, so that the sign which the Lord God gives in the depth and in the height may become useful to us. But if there is one who knows, and by rational contemplation perceives, that this saying, "in the depth and in the height," is not spoken disjunctively—for it signifies that both are possible—Ask for yourself a sign from the Lord in the depth and in the height. And in the promise the Apostle also said: That we may know what is the depth, and the height, and the length, and the breadth. And Ahaz said, I will not ask. He was unbelieving. For it was said: Ask for yourself. But the people to this day do not ask for a sign, and therefore do not have it, and the people who do not receive my Lord Jesus Christ weary the Lord.

Then another question follows. For when he says, "I will not ask, neither will I tempt the Lord," and reckons it a temptation if he should ask a sign, it is said: Hear now, O house of David. Is it a small thing for you to weary men, and how do you weary the Lord? Now he does not weary the Lord, nor do I think he wearies men, who asks a sign in the depth or in the height. For it is God's contest, how he may save man. He therefore does not weary the Lord who takes refuge in salvation. But he who, while the Lord contends to save man, flees from salvation and withdraws far from the Lord, wearies the Lord. Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign. The truth of the copies of this Prophet says, "you shall call." In Matthew, moreover, we know it is customarily read: And his name shall be called Emmanuel. We cannot say that something ought to be taken as diminished from the Prophet.

But how does the Gospel have this writing? Whether it be from someone not understanding, and running to the easier reading, as has happened in many other places too; or whether it was so from the beginning—let whoever wishes deliberate whether the Gospel was perhaps published in this way. The Prophet indeed clearly has: "and you shall call his name Emmanuel." I knew a certain man who, reading at the beginning of the Gospel writings: "And you shall call his name Emmanuel," said within himself: What is "you shall call"? Who shall call? Ahaz. And how could Ahaz, concerning the Savior who came after many generations, hear: "You shall call his name Emmanuel"? And so, instead of "you shall call," did he write "shall be called"? But see, it is not said to Ahaz: "And you shall call his name Emmanuel," but to the house of David, as is clearly seen said: Hear now, O house of David: Is it a small thing for you to weary men, and how do you weary the Lord?

But when, then, we do not understand what is said, let us take nothing away from it on that account, nor run to the easier reading, but let us wait until the grace of God, through the illumination of knowledge, subjects to us the illumination of the question: or else again let the grace of God enlighten us, through whom he wills, so that we no longer seek, but our question be resolved. But if we rashly rush upon things not understood, we shall be the cause of blame to ourselves. What, then, is the house of David? If David is Christ, as I have often proven, the house of David is we ourselves, the Church of God: and it is said to us who are the Church, that we should not weary God as said above, but should first receive from the Lord that sign. These things are said to us, not to the house of David. And it is prophesied, that if there is a house of David, it will call his name Emmanuel.

For at the coming of Christ, our Church alone says of Christ: God with us. These things having been explained, as the grace of God has given, let us now seek other enigmas.

Butter and honey shall he eat. How is Christ prophesied to eat butter and honey? If this be explained, the Lord granting it, again the things which follow will bring us another question. Would that we all did what is written: Search the Scriptures! Many things named from bodily foods are set in the Scriptures for spiritual foods. As newborn babes desire the rational milk without guile. Therefore there is without doubt a rational milk, and we ought to seek for ourselves milk of this kind. Again in Proverbs it is written concerning honey: If you find honey, eat what is sufficient, lest perhaps being filled you vomit it up. Did the Holy Spirit take care about this honey which is well known, lest perhaps we eat too much? But surely the Holy Spirit, meaning spiritual honey, says: If you find honey, eat what is sufficient. But what did the Holy Spirit mean when he commanded us that, if we find honey—for honey is indeed to be found—we should eat what is sufficient?

Go, he says, to the bee, and learn how industrious she is. And the Prophets are found to be bees. For they fashion wax, and make honey, and if it is fitting for me to say so to my hearer, their honeycombs are the writings which they have left. And willingly I came to the Scriptures, and found honey. But eat honey. And again in Proverbs he says: For the honeycomb is good, that your throat may be indulged. Do you think the Holy Spirit says this—eat the honey that is in common use, for it is good? I do not dare to say that the Holy Spirit commands me concerning bodily honey, "eat honey." Behold, I do not have it, or at least I am of such a nature that I cannot eat honey: by what reasoning does he say to me, "eat honey," and not, "do not eat meats, but eat, my son, honey; for it is good"?

If you see the Prophets as bees, and their work as honey or honeycombs, then you will see how, according to the dignity of the Holy Spirit, you should understand, "eat honey, my son; for it is good." If anyone meditates on the divine sayings, and is nourished by the words of the Scriptures, he fulfills the divine command bidding, "eat honey, my son": and doing what is commanded, he attains the word that follows, "for it is good." Because this honey which is found in the Scriptures is good. But as for what is said: "Go to the bee"—it is of this sort. There is (so to speak) a certain bee above the bees: and just as among bees there is a certain one who is called king: so the prince of the bees is the Lord Jesus Christ, to whom the Holy Spirit sends me, that I may eat honey—for it is good—and his honeycomb, that my throat may be indulged.

And perhaps the more subtle letters will be the honeycombs, but the honey is the understanding that is in them. Moreover this one who is born of a virgin, Emmanuel, eats butter and honey, and seeks from each one of us to eat butter. How he seeks butter and honey from each of us, the discourse will teach. Our sweet works, our most pleasant and useful words, are the honey which Emmanuel eats, which he eats who was born of the Virgin. But if our words are full of bitterness, wrath, animosity, vexation, foul speech, vices, contention, they have put gall in my mouth, and the Savior does not eat of these words. But the Savior will eat of the words that are among men, if their words be honey. Let us prove this from the Scriptures. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone opens the door to me, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Therefore he himself promises that he will sup with us out of what is ours; and it is certain also that we sup with him, if we sup him. For eating of our good words, works, and understanding, he in turn feeds us with his spiritual, divine, and better foods. Therefore, because it is blessed to receive the Savior, let us, opening the doors of the chief chamber of our heart, prepare for him honey, and all his supper: that he himself may lead us to the great supper of the Father in the kingdom of heaven, which is in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Seven women suffer reproach, and they go about seeking to take hold of him who can take away their reproach. These same seven women promise that they will eat their own bread, and be covered with their own garments. They have no need of his bread, but of the name of him who can take away their reproach. They do not need the garments of the man whom they take hold of. They have better garments than a man can provide for them. They have more sumptuous food than the condition of humanity can bestow. It is worth considering, therefore, whose the seven women are, and what their reproach is. The seven women are one; for they are the Spirit of God. And that One is seven. For the Spirit of God is the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and godliness, the spirit of the fear of the Lord. This wisdom suffers reproach from the many false wisdoms rising up against it. This true understanding endures reproach from false understandings.

This great counsel is reproached by many counsels that are not good. This virtue is reviled by a certain thing which, though it is not virtue, promises that it is virtue. This knowledge suffers reproach from a certain falsely-named knowledge stealing its name. This godliness is reproached by that which, though it calls itself godliness, is impiety, and instructs the impious. This fear suffers reproach from that which is thought to be fear. For many promise divine fear, but do not fear with knowledge. Let us consider, then, how these seven suffer reproach. See the wisdom of this age, see the wisdom of the princes of this world, how they reproach the wisdom of my Christ, and how they reproach the wisdom of true Judaism, according to which we are circumcised spiritually, whereas those are merely cut. Understand, therefore, how the wisdom of this age and of the princes of this world revile wisdom: and for this reason a man is sought who, together with these seven spiritual women, so to speak, may take away their reproach.

Properly there is one man who takes away their reproach. Who is this man? Jesus, who came forth according to the flesh from the root of Jesse, made of the seed of David according to the flesh, predestined the Son of God in power according to the spirit of sanctification. For a rod came forth from the root of Jesse. The rod is not the firstborn of all creation; the rod is not he who in the beginning was with God, God the Word; but the rod is from the root of Jesse, to which he was born according to the flesh; For a rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise from its root. Who is the flower, and what is the root? For both lie beneath the same subject. But the difference is one of matters. For if you are a sinner, there is no flower for you, nor will you see the flower which is from the root of Jesse.

For the rod will come to you also, just as the disciple speaks of the rod and the flower. Of the rod he says: What do you wish, that I come to you with a rod? But of the flower: Or in love and a spirit of gentleness? So there came forth from the root of Jesse the rod of wisdom for him who is struck by punishments, the rod for him who needs rebuke, the rod for him who must needs be reproved. But the flower is for him who is already instructed, and does not need harsh correction, or at least does not need punishments, but is already able to begin to flower, and to come forth to perfect fruit. For first the flower is shown, then after the flower the rod comes, and it comes forth to fruit.

A rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise from its root, and the seven women, the spirit of the Lord, shall rest upon him; the spirit of wisdom and understanding shall rest upon him. For the spirit of wisdom did not rest in Moses, the spirit of wisdom did not rest in Jesus the son of Nun, the spirit of wisdom did not rest in each of the Prophets, in Isaiah, in Jeremiah.

Do not stone me as though I were blaspheming, while I wish to glorify my Lord Jesus Christ: but bear with me and consider what is said, and you will see that in none of them did the Spirit rest—not that it did not come to any of them, but that it rested in none. It came upon Moses, and Moses did not believe, after the spirit of wisdom had come to him. For hear him say, O rebellious ones: Shall I bring forth water for you out of this rock? It came upon all the righteous, it came also upon Isaiah, but what does he say? I have unclean lips: and in the midst of a people having unclean lips do I dwell. The spirit of wisdom came after that tongs and fire, it came to one having unclean lips, but it did not rest. It used him as a minister, but it did not rest. It is troubled in whatever man it comes upon.

For every man sins, nor is there a righteous man upon earth who does good, and does not sin. No one is clean from filth, not even if his life were but one day, yet his months are numbered. Therefore it rests upon no one. We can also prove from the Gospel that the spirit came upon many, and did not remain in them. A little before this was read: My spirit shall not remain in these men forever. It does not say, it shall not be, but it shall not remain. John saw one alone in whom it remained, and this was the sign: Upon whomever you see the spirit descending and remaining upon him, this is the Son of God. He ministered indeed to the word of God with the spirit descending upon him: after a little he sins, after a little he speaks an idle word: I do not know, moreover, whether he even remains without sin. Do you think that, with the spirit present, one is permitted to sin?

Therefore the spirit of God rested upon none, according to what is written: A rod shall come forth from the root of Jesse, and a flower shall rise from its root, and the spirit of God shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of understanding, the spirit of counsel and might. For this reason he is the angel of great counsel: for this reason he grew strong, and growing strong he ascended, and the powers marvel at him ascending, and say of him: This is the Lord strong and mighty in battle. I will say further of him ascending into the heavens, or of his strength: And the spirit of counsel and strength rested upon him. My strength and my praise is the Lord, and he has become my salvation. Therefore the spirit of God rested upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of wisdom and godliness, and the spirit of the fear of the Lord filled him.

The women, then, seeking whom they may take hold of, seven of them will take hold of one man. And this depends upon what has gone before, and it is necessary first to know when the seven women receive the one man. When the strong men of Jerusalem shall have been humbled, when the ornaments of the daughters of Sion shall have mourned in their caskets, when she shall have been left alone, when she shall have been cast down to the ground, then the seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread, and be covered with our own garments: nevertheless let your name be called upon us. Then the seven women shall take hold of, and truly hold, one man, Jesus Christ our Lord, according as he is understood as man, according as he was born, according as he assumed a body. Seven women shall take hold of one man, saying: We will eat our own bread. Many men walk about, and the women take hold of none; no man pleases them.

For it is not because of a scarcity of men that they take hold of one man; not because of the rarity of a man such as they wished—such a one they sought: they found one man only whom they took hold of, so as to say to him: We will eat our own bread, and be covered with our own garments. There is a certain food of wisdom, and likewise a certain food of understanding, and of the other spirits. What is this food? I do not fear to say—the food is other than these; perhaps it is, as is my food, the Word of God, who says: I am the living bread which came down from heaven, and give life to the world; thus the food of wisdom is the Father himself. For this reason it is said: My food is to do the will of him who sent me, that I may finish his work.

Nor should it be thought that wisdom and understanding, and the other spirits, are in need of anything, as though they had another food, since the food of the whole dispensation is one, the nature of God. We will eat our own bread, and be covered with our own garments. There is a certain adornment of wisdom by which it is decorated. Wisdom is adorned by the word. Each of these women has her own ornaments. Nevertheless let your name be called upon us, take away our reproach. What is the name of wisdom? Jesus. What does it mean, Let your name be called upon us? I am wisdom, I wish to be called by your name, that I, wisdom, may be called Jesus, that understanding and great counsel and strength, and knowledge, and godliness and the fear of God may be named Jesus, that your name may become all in all. Let your name be called upon us, take away our reproach. Truly Jesus has taken away the reproach.

Therefore let us rise and pray to God, who sent this man, that the spirit of the seven women might rest in him, that this man may grant us communion with these women: that, taking hold of them, we may become wise, understanding in God and among men, adorning our soul with virtues in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.

It is impossible to find the beginning of God. You will nowhere comprehend the beginning of God's origin.

I do not say you, but neither anyone else, nor anything else of the things that exist. Only the Savior and the Holy Spirit, who have always been with God, see his face: and perhaps the Angels who continually see the face of the Father who is in the heavens also see the beginnings of matters. So too the Seraphim hide their feet before men. For as for the last things, they cannot be told. Who shall declare the last things? Says Scripture. The things we see (granting, however, that we do see some things) are the middle things: what things were before the world, we do not know. Yet there were certain things before the world. What things shall follow after the world we do not grasp with certainty. But there shall be other things after the world. Those things, therefore, which are written: In the beginning God made heaven and earth, and the earth was invisible and unformed, and darkness was over the abyss, and the spirit of God was borne over the waters, are understood.

Those waters were pure, over which the spirit of God brooded. But the darkness also which was over the abyss is not unbegotten. For both were created out of nothing. Hear the Lord saying in Isaiah: I am God who established the light, and made the darkness. Hear wisdom proclaiming in Proverbs: Before all the abysses I was born. These were not unbegotten, but when or how they were born, I do not know. For the earlier works of God, that is, the face of God, are veiled by the Seraphim: and likewise also the feet. The things which shall be after the last age, unto the ages of ages, who can expound? It belongs to talkative men to promise knowledge of these things, not knowing that man can grasp only those things that are in the middle, and those things which shall come to pass after the world up to the consummation in the judgment, concerning punishments, concerning recompense.

And of these also many things are hidden from us, so that on this account it is written: With two they covered the face. And they did not merely veil, but also covered over—that is, they veiled in such a way that not even a little of the former things might be seen, I mean of the face: nor might even a little of the last things be known, that is, of his feet. With two they flew. The middle things are open to contemplation. And one cried to another. Not one to many, but one to another. For no one can hear the holiness of God as it is announced by the Savior, according to the dignity of the matter, except the Holy Spirit: and again, no one can dwell in the holiness of God as it is announced by the Holy Spirit, except the Savior alone. For this reason one cried to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy.

It is not enough for them to cry "holy" once, nor twice, but they take up the perfect number of the Trinity, that they may manifest the multitude of the holiness of God, which is the repeated communion of threefold holiness—the holiness of the Father, the holiness of the only-begotten Son, and of the Holy Spirit. For both he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all of one. He who sanctifies is the Savior, according to this, that as man he receives sanctification from God the Father. They say, therefore: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Sabaoth. Sabaoth is interpreted (as Aquila has rendered it) Lord of hosts.

The whole earth is full of his glory. Formerly the house was full of glory, but now it is prophesied by the Seraphim concerning those who are upon the earth, that it shall come to pass that Christ shall fill the whole earth with the glory of my God. For in all who by their manner of life glorify God, there is the glory of God, and thus the whole earth is full of the glory of God. Formerly not all the earth was full of the glory of God, but one corner of the earth, when it was said: God is known in Judea, his name is great in Israel. Glory be to God, who sent his Son, that the whole earth might be filled with his glory. But what does it profit you, if the earth be full because of the churches of the blessed, who wherever they are, are the glory of God, but you yourself are not a partaker of the fullness of the glory of God?

Do you also labor, therefore, and strive in all things to be one who seeks the glory of God, that it may dwell and find a place in you, and that you too may become, together with the whole earth in which is the glory of God, full of his glory. How does the fullness of the glory of God come about through each of us? If the things I do, the things I say, are done for the glory of God, my speech and my act become full of the glory of God. If both my going out and my coming in are for the glory of God, if my food, if my drink, if all that I do are done for the glory of God, then I too am a partaker of that saying: The earth is full of his glory. When, therefore, I shall have done all these things, the lintel was lifted up by the voice of the Seraphim, by which they cried out.

Blessed, then, is each one of us who so labors that he becomes a partaker of the door, and of the lintel of the door, which according to the understanding is Christ God. For I do not think it unfitting to say that the door is called the flesh, and the lintel the Word.

The lintel was lifted up by the voice with which they cried out, and the house was filled with smoke. This smoke is a gift from the glory of God: And I said: O wretched man that I am, for I am pierced with compunction. Before you saw the vision, did you not confess yourself to be wretched, O Isaiah? He does not say: as long as Uzziah lived, nor did it come into my mind that I was wretched. But I begin to know that I am wretched when I see the vision, when Uzziah the leprous king dies for me, and I say: O wretched man that I am! Now I too begin to confess to the Lord, and to say of myself: O wretched man that I am! Just as Isaiah says: O wretched man that I am! And the Apostle says something very close to this: O wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death? It is blessed, therefore, that I confess myself to be wretched.

If I humble myself, and weep in penitence over my sins, God will hear me, and will give me a deliverer, and I shall say thanks to God through Jesus Christ our Lord. Let us truly say from the heart, I am wretched. Let each one recall the causes of his miseries, and his transgressions, and let us say, rising to prayer, remembering as if confessing, yet forgetting as if no longer doing them, and let us say: Wretched, for I am pierced with compunction. He was not pierced with compunction before he saw the vision, before Uzziah died: when he begins to do penance, he immediately says: for I am pierced with compunction.

If anyone is without sense as to the inner man, though he be a sinner, he is not pierced with compunction: but just as, even if you apply a goad to the outer limbs, a dead body does not feel it, in the same way, if you apply the divine words to a sinner who has been deadened by sin and is not doing penance, he is neither grieved nor repentant, nor does he have the sorrow that produces confession, the sorrow that is according to God. But if anyone wishes to be saved, and hears words of reproof and correction, he immediately says: O wretched man that I am! Nor is it enough to say, wretched: it must be added, for I am pierced with compunction. Would that we were pierced more deeply! For the more we are pierced with compunction, the more the bonds of our sins are loosed for us. For this reason that Ahab gained not much benefit, because he was not pierced with compunction much: he was pierced with compunction but once only.

Wherefore it is said: Have you seen how Ahab was pierced with compunction? But if anyone should be such that he does not cease being pierced with compunction, he says, like the Apostle: I am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. And: To me, the least of all the saints, this grace was given. And: Faithful is God, for Jesus Christ came into this world to save sinners, of whom I am the first. Do you see that he was pierced with compunction greatly, and not once only, but always, whether writing, or speaking, or acting, he was pierced with compunction? Just as Isaiah too, in the present passage, who says: O wretched man that I am, I am pierced with compunction, because though I am a man, and have unclean lips, and dwell also in the midst of a people having unclean lips. Let us note also another point, that the sins of Isaiah were not in deeds, but only in words.

Wherefore he says: Because though I am a man, and have unclean lips. But the people also had unclean lips. It was not fitting for him to accuse the people, and to say that there were more sins in it than that of unclean lips.

And I saw the King, the Lord of Sabaoth, with my eyes. If at any time we should think about God, while we are still sinners, let us also say what the Prophet now says: And one of the Seraphim was sent to me. How good is God! For, he says, I hear Isaiah confessing, for he said: O wretched man that I am, for I hear him doing penance, for he says: I am pierced with compunction: because he declared his own transgressions, saying: Because though I am a man, and have unclean lips, and dwell also in the midst of a people having unclean lips. And I, while he was still speaking, say: Behold, I am here. And one of the Seraphim was sent to me, and he had in his hand a coal. A coal is brought to the Prophet, that through the burning of fire his lips, which had at some time sinned, might be purged. Who is this one of the Seraphim?

My Lord Jesus Christ, he was sent according to the dispensation of the flesh, having in his hand a coal, and saying: I came to send fire upon the earth.

And would that it were already burning! And one of the Seraphim was sent to me, and in his hand he had a coal, which he had taken with tongs from the altar. The Prophet is not purged with just any fire, simply and by chance, but with that which is from the altar of God. If you have not been purged by the fire of the altar, that other fire remains for you, of which it is said: depart from me into eternal fire, which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Such is not the fire from the altar. All must be delivered to fire, but not all to one fire: for some the fire from the altar awaits, for others the fire which is prepared for the devil and his angels. Let, therefore, the word of correction touch the lips of our mind and soul, that we too may say: and it touched my mouth.

If I shall have cleansed my mouth, so that I speak nothing idle, nothing foolish, nothing base, nothing scurrilous (to name all at once), nothing of those things which are forbidden, then we may say: it touched my mouth. But as long as I have unclean lips, and bear unclean things because of sinful words, the fire from the altar does not touch my mouth, nor is one of the Seraphim sent to me.

And he said: Behold, I have touched your lips, and I have taken away your iniquities, and I have purged your sins all around. Let the divine word bite us, let it burn our souls. Let us say, hearing: Was not our heart burning within us? That our iniquities and sins may be taken away, and, being made clean with clean mouth, and clean heart, and a wholly clean conscience, let us give thanks to almighty God in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.

The Prophet says that Christ is living justice, and we thought that it was said by the Apostle alone, that Christ is justice, and sanctification, and redemption, and wisdom. But perhaps the Apostle too, instructed by the Prophets, knew that justice is animate and living: What is this justice? The Only-begotten of God. But that it is not from the Apostle alone that it arose that Christ is justice, both living and subsisting justice, but you will find that this mystery has also been set forth to us by the prophetic sayings. This is certain also from the chapter at which the reading has now paused: For who, he says, raised up justice from the East, and called it to his feet? He called justice. It is clear that it is animate, if it walks when called. But the Father called Christ, that for our salvation he might make his way to us, and descend from heaven to us. For no one ascends into heaven, except he who descended from heaven, the Son of man.

He called him from the East: not from this sensible east, but from the rising of the true light. Wherefore it is written: Who made justice rise up from the East, and called it to his feet? The Father called the Son, or rather, to speak truly, God called man, justice, to his feet, that is, the incarnation of his Son. Therefore we also worship the footstool of his feet, according to what is written: Worship the footstool of his feet, for it is holy. For the flesh of the Lord assumes the honor of the deity. But since the beginning of the reading requires a loftier exposition, let us pray to the highest King, that the word, which had gone away when called, may return to us again, that we may set forth a few things according to our ability.

And it came to pass in the year that king Ozias died: I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, and the house was full of his glory; and Seraphim stood round about him, six wings to the one, and six wings to the other. And with two indeed they veiled his face, and with two they veiled his feet, and with two they did fly, and they cried one to another, and said: Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God of Sabaoth, the whole earth is full of his glory: and the rest. But that we also may see the vision which Isaias saw, let us call upon Jesus, who has bestowed eyes upon those who saw not. For he is able even now to come and bring it to pass that we may behold with open eyes the mysteries spoken of in the reading: let us promise him that we will no more make the body of Christ the body of a harlot, nor do works worthy of mourning.

Let each one of us speak these things in his heart to God, and let us pray that his coming may take place even now. For if Jesus shall not come, we cannot see these things. I pray that a Seraph may be sent even to me, and, taking a coal with the tongs, may purge my lips: and why do I say my lips? Isaias was holy, and therefore only his lips were purged, because he had offended only in his lips, that is, in speech. But I am not such that I can say that I have only unclean lips; rather I fear lest I have an unclean heart, unclean eyes, unclean ears, an unclean mouth. So long as I sin in all these, I am wholly unclean. If I look upon a woman to lust after her, I have already committed adultery with her in my heart. Behold, I have unclean eyes. If from my breast there proceed most evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, false witnesses, behold I have an unclean heart.

How beautiful are the feet of them that preach peace, that preach good things! But I fear lest, running to evil things, I have unclean feet. I stretch out my hands to the Lord. And perhaps, turning away his face, he says: If you stretch out your hands, I will turn away my face from you. Who then shall cleanse me? Who shall wash my feet? Jesus, come, I have filthy feet, become for my sake a servant: send your water into your basin, come, wash my feet. And I know that what I say is rash. But I fear the threat of him who says: If I wash not your feet, you shall have no part with me. Therefore wash my feet, that I may have a part with you. But why do I say, wash my feet? Peter could say this, who had no need except that only his feet should be washed, for he was wholly clean.

But I, though once washed, need that other baptism of which the Lord says: I have another baptism to be baptized with. Why have we said these things? I am preparing both myself and my hearers for greater mysteries. If only the word of God will come, will descend to us: for I fear lest it flee from me, lest it disdain even my blessing. Once the word fled from the people because of Achar, a single sinner; it fled, I say, from the people because of the one sinner Achar, the son of Zambri, son of Zara, of the tribe of Judah, who was disobedient to God, and was therefore anathematized. And because now there is a multitude of the people because of the Preparation, and especially on the Lord's day, which is the commemoration of Christ's passion (for the Lord's resurrection is not celebrated once in the year, but always after seven days), pray to God almighty, that his word may come to us. Even if you are sinners, pray to the Lord.

God hears sinners. But if you fear that saying in the Gospel: We know that God hears not sinners, do not be afraid, do not believe it. It was a blind man who said this. Rather believe him who says, and does not lie: even if your sins be as scarlet, I will make them white as wool. And: If you be willing and hear me, you shall eat the good things of the land. If you are willing even now to hear, let us pray together to the Lord, that at least now, at the coming of the word, we may be able to perceive the things spoken by the prophet.

It came to pass, he says, in the year that king Ozias died, I saw the Lord sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. The vision is inscribed. Why is the time of the king signified? Attend to when the vision arose. When king Ozias died, Isaias saw the Lord of Sabaoth sitting upon a throne high and lifted up. If any of us knows who Ozias was, and what he did, he can know what the Prophet taught through the Spirit, what the divine word offers to us. Let me go to the life of Ozias, and inquire from the books of Kings, and from the history of Paralipomenon concerning Ozias: and there I shall see why it was necessary, if it was to come to pass that I should see the Lord of Sabaoth sitting upon a throne high and lifted up, that king Ozias should die for me.

This Ozias, descended from the seed of David, and reigning over the people of Judah, as long as Zacharias, who had understanding, lived, did what was right in the sight of the Lord. And not content with this, he made great lights for the Lord, and built up the temple of God, and there were many virtues in his religion. But when Zacharias, the man of understanding, died, then he did wickedly. Who is this that did wickedly? He was a king, not a priest. One is the royal order, another the priestly order. He wished to enter into the temple, and to perform the office of a priest, and to do a work which had not been granted to him. He went in, forestalling the priests, and took up the vessel of libation. But the high priest of that time also went in, and eighty priests with him; and the high priest said to him: Are you not Ozias, and not a priest? He persisted violently, and leprosy rose upon his forehead.

He was cast out as dead, he went out of the temple, the Lord brought him forth. Therefore he became a leper because of his transgression of the law. Every man is under the rule either of sin or of righteousness. If sin reigns in me, I am one of the kings of Israel who violently entered the temple. If I am righteous according to the measure of my progress, and do what is right, and persevere in the sight of God, righteousness reigns in me. But as long as the leper lived, Isaias had unclean lips. As long as the wicked man lived, Isaias could not see the Lord of Sabaoth, and had unclean lips, for he was under a wicked king. For when does he begin to see the vision of God? In the year that Ozias died. Similar things to these you will be able to say, by the gift of God, concerning many other Scriptures also.

In Exodus something of this sort is written: And it came to pass after certain days, the king of Egypt died, and the children of Israel sighed, and their cry went up to God. As long as Pharaoh lived, the children of Israel did not sigh, and, placed in a worse condition, did not even have free liberty to groan. For the king was alive who commanded them to make bricks and straw. As long as Pharaoh lived, they did not sigh to God: when Pharaoh died, then they were able to lift up their faces wet with tears. A wicked king lives in our breast as long as Pharaoh the Devil lives. Then we work bricks and straw, and then we swallow tears in silence, and do the first works of iniquity. But when he has died, the Lord God visiting us, then we sigh to the Lord. Therefore let us pray to the Lord, that the kingdom of sin, which is in our mortal body, may die. For it is said, Sin died: but I lived again.

And again, Sin lived again, but I died. When the one who holds the kingdom of sin, Ozias, dies, Pharaoh also dies. When the most wicked king dies, I lift up my eyes to heaven, and God hears my voice, as he heard Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob: and I see the Lord of Sabaoth sitting and reigning upon a lofty throne, whom the people did not see. For Ozias had not yet died. I wish to interpose something similar concerning a good thing, which is contrary to this one. This same Ozias, as long as Zacharias, the man of understanding, lived, did no sin in the sight of God; but when Zacharias died, he turned away from the Lord, where he ruled the people and governed the city.

Reading and hearing these things day and night, and hearing the Lord saying: You ought to have put my money to the exchangers, and at my coming I should have received my own with usury, let us not bind up in a napkin the pound entrusted to us, nor cast our money into the ground, but let us lend it out to the peoples. And when we have entrusted the dominical account, it will be for you to see how you shall repay with usury the things entrusted to you. To whom. Amen.

Isaiah, seeing the Lord Sabaoth sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and seeing also the seraphim standing about him, and receiving through him the remission of sins by fire, which was brought from the altar and by its touch purged his lips, says that he heard the voice of the Lord not commanding, but rousing and saying: Whom shall I send, and who shall go to this people? Then he says that he answered the Lord: Behold, here; send me. Now having come to this passage, and examining what is written, I find that Moses did one thing, Isaiah another. For Moses, chosen for the leading forth of the people out of the land of Egypt, says: Provide another whom thou mayest send, and even seems to contradict God. But Isaiah, not chosen, but hearing "Whom shall I send, and who shall go," says, Behold, here; send me.

It is worthy, therefore, to compare spiritual things with spiritual, and to inquire which of the two did better: Moses, who after being chosen refused, or Isaiah, who, not even chosen, offered himself to be sent to the people. For I do not know whether one, considering the contrariety of proceedings which appears in each, can say that Moses did the same thing as Isaiah. I have boldly done this, comparing the two holy and blessed men, and deciding, and saying, somewhat reverently, that Moses acted more modestly than Isaiah. For Moses was considering the greatness of the task, to preside over the people in leading them out of the land of Egypt, and to withstand the incantations and sorceries of the Egyptians. On this account he says: Provide another whom thou mayest send. But this one, not waiting to hear what he might be commanded to say, as if he had been chosen, says: Behold, here; send me.

Whence, because he did not know what he would be commanded to say, and yet, as if chosen, said, Behold, here; send me: he is commanded to say those things which were unwelcome to the speaker. Was it not unwelcome to be commanded straightway to prophesy, beginning to speak with curses: With the ear ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall perceive, and shall not see: for the heart of this people is waxed gross, and the rest? Perhaps then (if indeed it is fitting to say so boldly) he obtained the reward of rashness and boldness, in that he is commanded to say those things which he did not wish to prophesy. But since we have compared Isaiah and Moses, let us set forth also another comparison close at hand, of Isaiah and Jonah. The latter is sent to preach the overthrow of Nineveh after three days, and, unwilling on account of the evils of the city, he is grieved to go forth.

But this one, not waiting for what he might be commanded to say, says: Behold, here, send me. It is good not to rush forward to those dignities and principalities and mysteries of the Church which are from God, but to imitate Moses, and to say with him: Provide another whom thou mayest send. For he who wishes to be saved does not come to the primacy of the Church, even if he presides; but to the service of the Church, if it is fitting to speak also of the Gospel: The princes of the Gentiles indeed lord it over them, and they that have authority over them are called benefactors. But it shall not be so among you; for the princes do not lord it over you, but whoever wishes to be greatest among you shall be least of all. Whoever therefore is called to the episcopate is called not to a principate, but to the service of the whole Church.

If you wish to believe from the Scriptures that he who presides in the Church is the servant of all, let the Savior and Lord himself persuade you, who became such and so great in the midst of his disciples, not as one reclining, but as one serving. For taking a towel, after he had laid aside his garments, he girded himself, and pouring water into a basin, began to wash the feet of the disciples, and to wipe them with the towel with which he was girded. And teaching what sort of persons rulers ought to be, as servants, he says: You call me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If then I, your Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet. Into servitude, therefore, is the ruler of the Church called, that he may be able from this servitude to go to the heavenly throne, as it is written: You shall sit upon twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.

Hear also Paul, so illustrious a man, saying that he was the servant of all believers: For I am, he says, the least of the Apostles, not worthy to be called an Apostle, because I persecuted the Church of God. Moreover, this does not seem to prove his servitude, but only his humility; hear him saying: We became little children in the midst of you, as if a nurse should cherish her children, when we might have been weighty, as the Apostles of Christ. It behooves us, then, to be imitators of the humble words and deeds of the Lord himself, and of his Apostle, and to do what was done by Moses, so that even if someone is called to a principate, he may say: Provide another whom thou mayest send. He says to God: I am not worthy, neither yesterday nor the day before. I am of slender voice and slow of tongue.

And because he said to God humbly, I am of slender voice and slow of tongue, he hears from God: Who gave man a mouth, and who makes the deaf and the dumb, the seeing and the blind? Am I not the Lord God? Believe God, consecrate yourself to him. Though you be of a subtle voice and slow tongue, deliver yourself to the word of God. Afterward you will say: I opened my mouth and drew in the spirit. These things indeed on account of what Isaiah said: Behold, here; send me.

Let us proceed, however, in part, and along with him. For having now received grace from God, he did not wish to receive it in vain, but to use it for what was necessary. Seeing the Seraphim, seeing the Lord Sabaoth sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, he said: Woe is me, for I am pierced with compunction, because, being a man, and having unclean lips, and dwelling too in the midst of a people having unclean lips, I have seen with my eyes the King, the Lord Sabaoth. Saying this, and making himself wretched, he deserves help, God looking upon his humility. What is this help? There was sent, he says, to me one of the Seraphim, and he had in his tongs a coal, which he had brought from the altar, and he touched my lips and said: Behold, I have taken away thy iniquities, and thy sins are purged round about. He obtained the benefit, being made clean, and receiving remission of sins.

When he heard: Whom shall I send to the people, and who shall go for us? Not on account of his former conscience did he dare to say: Behold, here, send me. But it was after he had heard: Behold, I have taken away thy iniquities. Since, therefore, the saints are pierced with compunction, and inquiry is made between Moses and Isaiah, let us do justice for Moses, and also for Isaiah, giving to each his due from the Scriptures. Moses had not received remission of sins, so as to say, as one now conscious of being cleansed, send me; on account of which he says: Provide another whom thou mayest send; for he had on his conscience the slaying of the Egyptian, and perhaps, as a man, he knew that he had certain other sins as well; for this reason he refuses. But this one asks for the ministry not as one just by nature, but as one who had obtained grace.

So also Moses, if he had received a like grace, and had heard, Behold, I have taken away thy iniquities, and have thus purged round about thy sins, would perhaps by no means have said: Provide another whom thou mayest send. There is, therefore, some reason both in Moses' refusing, and in Isaiah's saying: Behold, here; send me.

But let us also look at those things which the Lord commands should be said to the people: Go, and say to this people: With the ear you shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing you shall perceive, and shall not see; for the heart of this people is grown fat, and they have heard heavily with their ears, and their eyes they have closed: lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them. Knowing that the hearing of the word is twofold, and recognizing a double constitution—that is, one bodily, the other spiritual—either prophesying to the people concerning those things which were to come at the advent of Christ, that there would be a time when they would hear and not understand these things. For indeed when they heard my Lord Jesus Christ, they heard only the voice of the words spoken, not the sense.

And this is made manifest from the fact that outwardly he spoke to the people in parables, but to the disciples he expounded them privately. He prophesies, moreover, what came to pass: With the ear you shall hear, and shall not understand. Furthermore, that this was prophesied to the people concerning the Advent of the Lord, the Saviour himself says: Well did Isaiah prophesy of you, saying: With the ear you shall hear, and shall not understand. Let us grant, then, that the people, listening to the words of the Lord, were unable to know what was said. But let us see what this that follows means: And seeing you shall see, and shall not know. Not that whoever saw the things which the Saviour did could immediately, upon seeing, understand why they were done. As, for example (let us take this instance), he washed the feet of his disciples.

And they indeed saw well how the Master washed the feet of his disciples; and others too who were present saw it, but only what was being done, not also why it was being done. For the washing of feet was indeed a likeness, in that the Word of God washed the feet of his disciples. Therefore the Saviour says to Peter, who refused, saying: You shall not wash my feet. What does he say? What I do you do not know now, but you shall know hereafter. But what are you doing now, says Peter. I see you washing our feet, and the basin set down, and you girded with a towel, and serving us, and wiping our feet.

But because this was not a bodily matter, but a spiritual one, the Saviour, having stripped, pours spiritual water into the basin according to the Scriptures, and washes the feet of his disciples, so that, being clean, they may ascend to him who says: I am the way, and not be full of the dust which he wished to shake off upon those unworthy, and not receiving peace, nor worthy of the things spoken. And because this was what was signified, therefore he says: What I do, you do not know now, but you shall know hereafter. This was also what was said to the rest: Because you call me Master and Lord, and you say well, for so I am. If then I, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s. Does he then say this, that a bishop, pouring water into a basin, and stripped of his garments, and girded with a towel, should, with me stretching forth, wash my feet?

For he says, you ought to wash one another’s feet. If this is what is meant, none of you will keep the commandment. For no deacon, presbyter, or bishop, taking a towel, washes the feet of whoever comes. But if you understand the things that are written, those bishops are truly blessed who, serving the Church, pour water from the Scriptures into the basin of the soul—which is according to the Scriptures—and strive to wash the filth of the disciples’ feet, and to cleanse it, and cast it away. And if bishops keep the commandment, imitating Jesus, so also do presbyters. Would that I too might now receive water able to wash the feet of your souls! So that each of you, once washed, might say: I have washed my feet, how shall I defile them? For this the bride says in the Song of Songs, not showing bodily feet washed, but feet that do not stumble. Of which Solomon says: Let not your foot stumble.

Of which it is also written in the Psalms: But my feet were almost moved. But also concerning those who are appointed as widows in the Churches: If she has washed, he says, the feet of the saints. But if you wish to hear more openly how a widow washes the feet of the saints, hear Paul in another place instructing widows, and saying: Teaching well, that they may make the young women chaste, washing the filth of the feet of the young women. And these widows are worthy of ecclesiastical honor, whoever wash the feet of the saints by the word of spiritual teaching—the saints, however, not of males, but of women. For he does not permit a woman to teach, nor to have authority over a man. He wishes women to be good teachers, that they may persuade to chastity not young men, but young women; for it is unseemly that a woman should become the teacher of a man, but that they should persuade young women to chastity, and to love their husbands and their children.

Let us, then, learn to wash the feet of disciples. These things were said for this reason: Seeing you shall see, and shall not know. For if anything was done by the Saviour, it was seen, by those who did not understand, according to the body, but not seen according to reason; while by those who did understand, it was seen indeed with the eyes, but also seen with the understanding, so that this which was said, Seeing you shall see and shall not know, was not fulfilled upon the blessedly seeing, but upon sinners. But let us also pray that we, seeing all the things of the Gospels in a twofold manner, may see how they came to pass according to the body, when our Saviour came to earth. For each thing that was done in the body was a likeness and a type of things to come.

As, for instance, a certain man blind from birth received his sight: but truly this man blind from birth was the people of the Gentiles, to whom the Saviour restored sight, anointing his eyes with his spittle, and sending him to Siloam, which is interpreted “sent.” For he sent those whom he anointed with his Spirit to believe, to Siloam, that is, to the Apostles and teachers; for which reason it is written of Siloam that it is interpreted “sent.” And as often as we begin to be visited by Jesus, that we may receive the eyes of the soul, he sends us to Siloam, that is, to one sent. And so let each one of us, when he reads the things that were done in the Gospels, pray that this not also be fulfilled in himself: Seeing you shall see, and shall not know.

But if, as the more simple suppose, those things which were done were done not for our sake, but only for their own sake, and were not examples of another matter, let them explain what sacred sense that saying, Seeing you shall see, and shall not know, could have, such that, when even looked at with bodily eyes, they might also be regarded spiritually—otherwise he would never have said: Seeing you shall see, and shall not know. And for the proof of these things we will bring forward also the testimony of another Scripture from the Gospel, which, according to those who follow only the letter, is a falsehood. The Saviour and our Lord says to the disciples in the Gospel according to John: If you believe, not only the things which I do shall you do, but you shall do greater things than these. Let us see, then, whether the disciples did any greater things? What is greater than raising the dead? Who, I do not say of us, but of the Apostles, raised a dead man?

History relates that Paul raised Eutychus from the dead; and Peter, Tabitha, which is interpreted Dorcas. These things, and others of this kind, can be found: where are the greater things? But also the Saviour made the blind to see again, and, what is greater, those who were born so. Let them produce those whom they have seen cured of blindness from the womb by the hands of the Apostles. And whoever seeks can find countless other examples from the Gospels, because neither the Apostles did greater things than these, nor their successors. But the word of Scripture has spoken something of this sort: Greater than these bodily things which I have done, you shall do. I have made the dead rise bodily; you shall make them rise spiritually from the dead. I have poured this sensible light into the blind; you shall give spiritual light to those who do not see. And even to this day I see these greater signs done—greater than the bodily ones which Jesus did—through the most faithful disciples of Jesus.

Do not the blind now see? And do not the lame walk, and lepers become clean? And do not the other things come to pass? If he who yesterday was blinded, going up to an idol as though to a God, today invokes the living God, forsaking his former ways, does he not see? Or does not he who yesterday was lame because of sin, now, taught the true way by the teaching of the disciples, walk with a steady foot? He who yesterday had a withered hand, idle for doing good, today, receiving his hand, has it living? If you see someone polluted, and having leprosy in his soul, suddenly repent, and be pierced by the word of teaching, do not be reluctant to say that it is a greater thing for this man to have been spiritually cleansed of leprosy, than for someone to have been bodily purged. And this discourse has poured forth rather abundantly, wishing to show what this means, which is said: And seeing you shall see, and shall not understand.

What, then, is the cause that the one hearing does not understand, and the one seeing does not see? The heart of this people, he says, is grown fat. For it is necessary to understand also whence this comes; the bodily fatness is not the same as the spiritual, nor is the bodily thinness the same as the spiritual. For that which is bodily fat occurs in the flesh, and it does no harm to me if the fleshly heart grows fat, nor does it profit me if it be made thin by illness or by any other cause. Such, I think, is what happens to the fleshly heart of those who are gripped by fear. For as they waste away entirely from sickness, so they say also the fatness, and whatever fat there is around their heart, is made thin. What harm, then, does it do to me if my bodily heart grows fat? Or suppose even that my heart grows thin, what benefit is that to me?

But the heart, by a figurative usage together with the bodily term “heart,” is named as the ruling faculty of our soul, as is clear from what is said in the Gospel: Blessed are the pure in heart. For those are not pure in heart who have no blood, or any corporeal matter, within them. But it was said, Blessed are the pure in heart, meaning: Blessed are those who have the ruling faculty of the soul pure. The ruling faculty is called “heart.” Since, therefore, the ruling faculty of our soul, which is said to be in the bodily heart, whether our heart is pure or impure—impure indeed when the worst thoughts go forth from it, murders, adulteries, thefts, false witness, blasphemies; but pure when there are holy thoughts, and divine understandings, and a pure mind—for this reason it must be judged that it is said to be made thin, made thin by the Holy Spirit of him who is being saved; but made fat and choked by the malice of him who sins.

For it is said of the Holy Spirit, which is according to wisdom, that it is manifold, subtle, mobile, and that the just man receives this subtle spirit.

For this spirit differs from all intellectual spirits, pure, subtle. There is, then, a ruling faculty of the heart that is thin, and one that has been made gross from the fault of corporeal matter, full of bodily thoughts, which are matters of reproach. Thus it is said: The heart of this people is grown fat. Understand from this that the heart is grown fat, because there is nothing in it besides human and carnal concerns. For just as the matter of the body is fat, in the same way also are the corporeal understandings and thoughts.

Wherefore, since two things are set forth—that the heart is made fat from worldly cares, and made thin from spiritual concern—when one thinks on the things that are of the Lord, casting the fatness out of his heart, and knowing that if his heart be made fat, he will neither receive the words of God nor see the mysteries of salvation, let us also cast off our fatness, and take up that thinness which has been spoken of, so that we too may say, as the Prophet: My soul has thirsted for you, how manifoldly does my flesh long for you. In a desert land, trackless and waterless, so have I appeared to you in the sanctuary—not as though I had been holy by nature, but if the prudence of the flesh wastes away, and if the prudence of the flesh be wasted away, then shall I appear to him in the sanctuary. These things in explanation of what is said: The heart of this people is grown fat.

There follows: And with their ears they have heard heavily. It does not harm me if I hear heavily in body, nor does this become for me a cause not to hear the words of God. For just as bodily blindness does not harm me at all, if my soul is not blinded: so neither lightness nor heaviness of bodily hearing hinders me at all. There is a certain other heaviness of hearing which does harm the soul of a man. What is this heaviness, which is in the hearing of the soul? Sin, according to the Scriptures, is heavy. On account of which, one perceiving his sins, says: Like a heavy burden they have weighed upon me. And because iniquity is heavy, for this reason it sits upon a talent of lead, as is written in Zechariah.

The Egyptians, however, were sunk like lead in the mighty water not because they had heavy bodies, but because their souls had been weighed down to the talent of lead upon which iniquity sat: on account of which they were sunk like lead in the mighty water. Heaviness of ears, therefore, comes from sin, and lightness from righteousness. What is it that makes hearing not hear heavily, but lightly? The feather of the word, the feathers of virtue. For indeed the feathers of the word bring much lightness: Who will give me wings like a dove, that I may rest? The Prophet says this, not praying to receive the bodily wings of a dove, but the wings of the dove of the Holy Spirit. And again Solomon says of the rich man: He will make for himself wings like an eagle, and he turns to the house of him who is set over him. If, then, we receive wings, we shall hear lightly.

But if we sin, and are negligent about our wings, and our feathers fall off, we shall be weighed down, and shall hear heavily. With their ears, therefore, sinners have heard heavily. All the Jews indeed, who then heard the Saviour, heard him heavily; therefore they did not believe. But even to this day, as many as hear the Scriptures, do not hear the word spiritually, which is light, but hear the letter, which is heavy and kills, heavily. And thus Scripture is heard in two ways. By him who does not understand what is said, it is heard heavily: but by him who understands it, it is not only not heard heavily, but rather sharply. Whence also he who becomes understanding, becomes a hearer.

There is also another thing which is prophesied concerning the people of the Jews, and concerning all of us if we sin: And they have closed their eyes, lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and understand with their heart. Among those who do not see, some are blind, and because of blindness they do not see: some are in darkness, and therefore do not see: others, however, are neither in darkness nor blind, but because they close their eyes, they do not see. And divine Scripture knows these distinctions, which are the principal ones of our heart. For the Saviour says to those who are in chains, Come forth: and to those in darkness, that it may be revealed to them. And to those sitting in the region and shadow of death, light has arisen for them. These did not see because they were in darkness, until light should arise for them. Deaf, hear; and blind, look. And these therefore did not see before because they were naturally blind.

But those who are outside these categories, and who, in comparison with the blind and those in darkness, are much worse: these are they who do not see because they had voluntarily closed their eyes. And that this is so, as we have asserted, the Saviour will be my witness, saying: If you were blind, you would not have sin. But now you say, We see; your sin remains. And well does he say, you say that you see, for he says truly that they do see, and have the possibility of seeing, but by closing their eyes, they do not see. And if ever you see a soul ingenious for understanding, and swift and eager, yet not meditating on the sayings of God, know that it does not fail to see what is contained in the Scriptures because of blindness; not because it is in darkness, but because it closes its eyes.

If, therefore, you hear divine Scripture saying to those who close their eyes: open your eyes, and see rightly, open your eyes from that which you had closed: then you will be able to see rightly, and behold the light of truth. And indeed it accuses those of whom it complains, why they close their eyes lest they see. But it does not say this either, that it is never expedient even to close the eyes of the soul. For it is expedient, as Isaiah made manifest, saying in what follows: Who has announced to you the eternal place? He who walks in righteousness, and speaks the true and right way, stopping his ears, that he may not hear the judgment of blood, and closing his eyes, that he may not see iniquity. If it is going to happen that, opening the eyes of the soul, I hear and perceive foul speech, it is better to close the hearing than to hear things that would harm. When, then, shall I close it?

When evil things are said, so that I may not even understand them. When are the sayings of God to be seen?

When we are converted, and God heals us, sending the word which heals those who wish to be healed in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

Give occasion to a wise man, and he will be wiser, says the divine word. The most sacred Apostles took occasion for the understanding of the prophetic sayings. Let us pray to God that we may receive wisdom and be able to become wiser through the occasion afforded by the Apostles for expounding the Prophets. The Apostle, recalling this saying: Behold I and the children whom God has given me, then adds and expounds: Since therefore the children have shared in blood and flesh, he himself likewise partook of the same, that through death he might destroy him who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and might deliver those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong bondage.

Since, therefore, the children were made partakers of blood and flesh, and our Saviour shared in flesh and blood; for it was foreign to his nature and divinity to take on blood and flesh: but for our sake he took on those things which were foreign to himself, that he might make his own those who had been estranged through sin. And indeed the Apostle expounded it thus, saying: Since therefore the children have shared in blood and flesh, he himself likewise partook of the same. But I would say, that just as the children shared in blood and flesh, and he himself likewise partook of the same: so, because the children cannot hear stronger things, for they must, as children, hear the words of God, therefore, having become in the blood of the children for the sake of those who shared in flesh and blood, speaking as to little ones, he speaks not divine and ineffable things, but whatever little ones can grasp.

Now all men are little ones, if you compare them to the perfection of the word, though you name Moses, though you name one of the Prophets; though you name John, than whom none greater has arisen among those born of women: though you come to the Apostles: Peter, against whom the gates of hell shall not prevail: or Paul, who was caught up even to the third heaven, and heard unspeakable words: you do not diminish their glory, saying that they too, in those things which they understood in comparison with those which they did not understand, were instructed with the disciplines of little ones, which are handed down to men. The Saviour, therefore, speaks not of those whom Paul calls little ones in Christ, and declares must be given milk to drink, and not solid food, but of all men together: Behold I and my children, whom God has given me.

But just as among children some are sharper than others, and grasp more quickly what has been handed to them: so, I say, Moses and the Prophets, but also the Apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ, were made like unto sharp-witted children. Therefore, perceiving themselves, that even if they progressed, they progressed with the progress of children, they said: We know in part, and we prophesy in part. For they did not yet behold the very substance of the matters, but the shadows of the matters; not the full light, but a dim image. And therefore they repeated, saying: We see now through a glass, and in a riddle, but then face to face. Who, then, reading and understanding these things will be puffed up, and lift himself up over knowledge, or over any of the gifts whatsoever? For indeed all things which have come down to children are much inferior to those which are laid up for men.

Those, therefore, who seem among children to be of sharper and swifter wit, ought not to be lifted up and be proud. And these children he calls all men, whom the Saviour also indicated, saying: Behold, I and my children whom God has given me. The Saviour also received a gift from God. For no one comes to him, unless the one who sent him has drawn him coming to the Saviour, as we have learned in the Gospel according to John. And because he received as a gift from the Father those who believe, therefore the Prophet says of them: Behold I and the children whom God has given me. Nor is he who received to be thought not to have had it, since he who gave still has it himself.

Then in what follows, the Saviour prophesies through the Prophet, saying that it will come to pass that when he has received the children, signs and wonders will be done in Israel. It reads thus: And there shall be signs and wonders in Israel from the Lord of Hosts, who dwells on Mount Sion. For he who dwells in the watchtower, and can behold the truth in every soul, this one performs signs and wonders through the Saviour, and after the Saviour through the Apostles, and wherever a soul is found fit for the ministry of the signs and wonders of God, whether according to spiritual healing, or by sensibly exhorting those who come to the faith, God is not idle, he who then wrought signs and wonders, even now working them. And if they say to you: Seek ventriloquists and those who cry out of the earth, who speak vain things, who cry out of the belly, do not the nations seek their god, who seek the dead on behalf of the living?

Take heed that these things are obscurely said, and the sense must, with God himself granting and revealing it, be connected with what precedes. He teaches us, therefore, not to be disciples of other words, save of heavenly and good ones. For there are some who speak, and promise true doctrine, who speak not heavenly things, but earthly. He who is of the earth speaks of the earth: he who comes from heaven is above all: and what he has seen and heard, he testifies. If anyone, he says, should say to the children who believe in me: Seek ventriloquists and those who cry out of the earth, who speak vain things, who cry out of the belly, as though to say, seek demons: for from one species of demon, the ventriloquists, he has τροπικῶς (figuratively) named all demons. If they say to you, seek ventriloquists, that is, seek from demons, whether divination, or truth, or sacred contemplation, answer them what I say: What are the things that teach them? He says in what follows.

And there are some who send you, or rather the catechumens, so far as it is in their power, to the ventriloquists. For those who wish you to go to idols, of whom it is written: And all the gods of the nations are demons, wish you to go not only to ventriloquists, but to every kind of demon. But may our God, who makes all things in heaven and on earth, pluck us away from demons, and make us his own through our Saviour Jesus Christ. See to it, therefore, that the soul of none of you be deceived, so as still to waver and doubt, when he has heard of this man and that: In that idol a demon cured that ailment: it divined this and that. All these are idols of demons, and of men who do not know the truth. Ascend in mind to God, who is the creator of all things, and compare this piety with every so-called piety which is announced to be piety and is not, and see that you are blessed.

For who is like you, people saved by the Lord? And blessed is the nation whose Lord is its God, the people whom he has chosen for his own habitation. Blessed indeed was once the nation of the Jews, but it lost its blessedness, and was cast out from its place, because it treacherously killed him who was sent, and who had the testimony of the Father, not only through the Law and the Prophets, but also in signs and wonders. Blessedness, therefore, has passed over to us, the disciples of Jesus Christ, and we believe in him unshaken and firm, living according to what we have been taught.

And if they say to you: Seek out the ventriloquists and those who cry out from the earth. Because they speak empty things, he called them vain-speakers. Every word that is spoken is either empty, or full of truth. Every word that is false is empty. But that word is full of truth which possesses the knowledge of the God of all things, and teaches us to believe God who promises the kingdoms of heaven to his saints. See then what those say who were not vain-speakers, nor ever appeared empty in the sight of the Lord. We have all received of his fullness. Those who are vain-speakers do not have this from his fullness, but are all empty of truth, empty of virtue, empty of Christ. If they say to you, seek those who cry out from the earth, who speak empty things, who cry out from the belly.

I wish to explain also the reason why the discourse has now taken up especially this demon of the ventriloquists, so as to say: If they say to you, seek the ventriloquists. You will find that all who make promises and yet have no truth are serving their own belly, and in a certain way do everything for the sake of its pleasure and abundance. And not only the gentiles, but also those who, while professing religion in Christ, are heretics, and not only them, but even among us, who are of the Church, you will find someone who does everything for the sake of filling his belly, that he may be honored and receive the gifts that are brought into the Church. Such a one speaks from the belly, and the fountain of his words has its seat in the belly. For the fountain of his words does not flow from a good heart, not from good thoughts, not from the Holy Spirit.

If then anyone at any time promises to teach you, observe whether his words have their origin from the belly, or not. But I will myself raise the objection that could be made to me, lest perhaps someone among you, hearing it from another, should suppose either that Scripture is contrary to itself, or that he had not considered how one ought to approve the accusatory word against those who cry out from the belly. What then is the objection? If anyone, he says, believes in me, rivers shall flow from his belly, a fountain of water springing up into eternal life. Let someone then, of those who raise objections, say this: if the Savior promises that this fountain of water springing up into eternal life comes from the belly, it goes forth from the just man, and the just man cries out from the belly. Since indeed the fountain of water which God promises is in his belly.

But it must be said, lest perhaps we have two bellies, one corporeal, another spiritual; just as the other parts which appear to be named in the body—such as the eyes—are, some of the body, some of the soul. For if it is said of the eyes: The commandment of the Lord is clear, enlightening the eyes, I do not think this is to be referred to the bodily eyes. And if it is said: He who has ears to hear, let him hear, it is not to be thought that this is said of the ears of the body, but of the soul, which those have who are pure in the hearing of the soul. But even if it is said in promise: Your foot shall not stumble, it is not to be supposed of the bodily foot. For there is a certain foot of the heart that enters in to him who said: I am the way.

So then, like the bodily belly, there is a belly of the soul, of which the just man speaks: From fear of you, O Lord, we have conceived in the belly, and have been in labor, and have brought forth the spirit of your salvation, which you have made upon the earth. But whoever have their belly full of vain words, which are of the earth, have a belly subsisting from the earth, of which it is written: But God will destroy both this and that. The saints therefore have a belly in which they have conceived from the fear of the Lord, and their belly is full of fountains of water springing up into eternal life. Of this belly he says: My belly is as new wine that has no vent, which bursts the new vessels. For he said this not of the bodily belly: for his belly was not corporeal, but full of divine things, and, close to these, of wine bound in a wineskin. This is in answer to the objection.

Now let us return to what we had begun. If then they say to you, seek the ventriloquists, and those who cry out from the earth—shall not a nation seek to its God—answer them thus. But it is spoken elliptically. Answer them thus: it is not a nation that seeks to its own God. Each nation, if it seeks Jove, refers what it has sought to its own god. Answer them thus. But you, Israelites, having the true God, who is above all things, when you seek, do not seek ventriloquists, nor those who cry out from the earth, nor vain-speakers, but your own God. Those who seek the dead on behalf of the living. For the demons are dead, deprived of the true life, which says: I am the life. Do not then let the dead be raised up concerning the affairs of the living. For you have received the Law.

O you, who could not be persuaded to seek these things from ventriloquists and those who cry out from the earth, with vain words—take up the word of truth and the Law, receiving it as a help for your Law, and attend: it is written in your law: You shall not follow idols; acting according to the law, you shall not attend to ventriloquists, nor to those who cry out from the earth. For he gave the Law as a help, that they might say, there is no word like this word, for which no gifts are to be given. For he who has received the Law, and knows that the Law is a help, and especially the spiritual Law, which forbids seeking from ventriloquists and augurs: this man, when he has understood the Law, ought, admiring it, to say that no word among Greeks or barbarians is so pure as the word of the Law. For the Law which has been given to us by God differs from every word, from every doctrine that promises truth.

For he gave the Law as a help, that they might say, there is none like this word. What is it that there is none like this word? There are many words, but none like this word. For there is no word after the word of Moses, after the word of the Prophets, and much more after the word of Jesus Christ and his Apostles. See whether the sense of what is said does not cry out: For he gave the Law as a help: that they might say, there is none like this word, which Moses spoke in the Law given through angels by the hand of a mediator. But much more worthily can the Church say this: there is none like this word, which was made flesh, which dwelt among us, whose glory we have seen, not veiled as Moses' was, but glory as of the only-begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.

There is none like this word which the Church has received, in which she believes, through which she will also be saved, the Word which in the beginning was with God, God the Word, to whom be glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.

Formerly indeed, when the former people sinned, they fell away from religion, and Judah made carved images in Jerusalem, and he who was called Israel, in Samaria. But if now also anyone should consider, out of the multitude of those who are gathered as sinners, he will not be reluctant to say that each one, making a god of whatever he thinks to be good, and serving sin, is accursed, making a carved image, and casting a work of the craftsman's hands, and setting it in a hidden place. For indeed in the hidden place of the heart we make many idols, if we sin. Whence the discourse teaches us to do penance, and to wail over the carved images and idols that are in Jerusalem and Samaria. And if we, who desire to be of the Church, sin, we make carved images in Jerusalem. But if those who are established outside the Church, in whatever way heretics have sinned, make idols in Samaria.

Nevertheless, almighty God, according to his goodness, calls all to repentance, saying: Wail over the carved images in Jerusalem, and in Samaria. For as I have done to Samaria and her handiworks, so will I do to Jerusalem and her idols. He threatens whatever he did to the Samaritans, also to those who are of the Church. But when God shall have completed all things, doing them in Mount Sion and in Jerusalem, he will bring upon the great mind, the prince of the Assyrians, and upon the loftiness of the glory of his eyes. We are taught what shall be the fate of our enemy and of the Devil, whom the Prophet has now called a certain great mind.

For as the serpent was wiser than all the beasts that are upon the earth, and the children of this age are wiser than the children of light in their generation; and the steward of iniquity acted wisely according to a wisdom that was not good: in the same way, he who is figuratively called the prince of the Assyrians is a great mind, and one must marvel at the greatness of his mind: in which he has abused it to instruct the wise of this world, who, with every appearance of probability and every kind of skill, compose and display the falsehood of their sects. When therefore God shall have done all things in Mount Sion, and in Jerusalem, and shall have rendered what has been promised to the just, then he will bring upon the great mind, the prince of the Assyrians, and upon the loftiness of the glory of his eyes. The discourse knows him as wise in lofty things, and knows that the beginning of his ruin took its start from being puffed up.

Wherefore, if we too are puffed up, let us fall into the judgment of the devil, into which the Devil himself fell.

Let us also see his inflation, how great it is, that we may guard against it, and not allow him to speak truly against us. What then does he say? By my strength I will act, and I will take away the wisdom of understanding, the boundaries of the nations. He believes that by his strength he can accomplish what he wishes in us. And indeed, if we are conquered, and after these words sin; if after the Church we go back again to the circus, and to the horse-races, and to the assemblies of the gentiles, what else happens except that, being overcome, he takes possession of us? And what did the Devil say, by my strength I will act? He accomplishes in us sinners what he has threatened. But also if we fornicate after a long time of chastity, after much holiness, what else happens but that he is proved to have spoken truly against us, who said, by my strength I will act? Let us also consider what else this boaster promises.

And I will take away the wisdom of understanding, the boundaries of the nations. He promises some wisdom, I know not what, of which the Prophet also speaks. There is a certain foreign wisdom among them. For there is a certain wisdom, foreign to truth, which God will destroy. He, having this, thinks himself to be wise, and says: I will take away the wisdom of understanding, the boundaries of the nations, and I will feed upon their strength. For his operation has reached all nations; but the Savior, sending his words into all nations, has snatched away those who were held captive by the Devil among all the nations. And I will feed upon their strength. He threatens that our strength will be plundered, and handed over to those warring against us. And indeed it is possible to see him doing this to certain people.

For when anyone is overcome by the Devil, and handed over to demons, the most evil spirits, the powers opposed to us, what else has happened but as if he had said: And I will feed upon their strength. Taking our strength, he has fed upon us. And I will shake the cities that are inhabited. This too the Devil threatens; he sees the cities inhabited, the Churches of God built in Christ the Lord, and proclaims that he will shake these. And indeed he has often shaken the inhabited cities by persecutions, often shaken them by scandals. But let us strive, having our foundation upon the rock, to become such that he who says: I will shake the cities that are inhabited, may not be able to move us by his storms, nor by hostile spirits. But let us remain steadfast against whatever may happen, seeing that we have our building upon the rock, Jesus Christ, to whom be glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send, and who will go to this people? And I said: Behold, here, send me. And he said: Go, and say to this people: Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand, and the rest. Concerning that which has now been read from the discourse of Isaiah the Prophet, let us pray God to bestow on us his grace, that we may be able to expound things worthy of the prophetic spirit. And I heard, he says, the voice of the Lord saying: Whom shall I send? After the Prophet had been cleansed in his lips, he took up the ministry of the Lord ready and willing, and says: Here, send me. But that he might be the more ready for this, he remembered the utterance of Moses. For he too, using the same words, "send me," having become prince and judge of the people, was also styled the servant of God.

But I have heard a certain Hebrew expounding this passage, and saying that indeed the Prophet gladly and readily undertook the prophecy to the people, not knowing what things were to be said to him. But hearing thereafter the sad things which were to be announced to the people, that is, "hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand,", he becomes more reluctant in what follows; the voice of God saying to him, "Cry," he answers and says: "What shall I cry?" But I think that these things are prophesied concerning the Saviour; because it was to come to pass that those who heard would not hear, and those who saw would not see. Moreover, what is said will become clearer if we consider this passage a little: "seeing you shall look, and shall not see," is of this sort. Indeed they saw, when they saw the blind then looking upon things, but they did not know the reason of the vision. They heard the parables, which the Saviour resolved in secret to the disciples.

But they themselves did not hear, not knowing what was said, for which reason, bearing witness of them, he said: "He who has ears to hear, let him hear." For they were not deprived of these ears, so as not to hear; but their inner ears were made heavy for hearing. For this reason he preaches to them, and through the Prophet foretells things to come, saying: "Hearing you shall hear, and shall not understand: and seeing you shall look, and shall not see. For the heart of this people is grown fat." Let us look into what is meant by this saying: "For the heart of this people is grown fat." For all who are occupied with the cares of this present life, their heart is grown fat: not otherwise is the heart of those who dwell in worldly matters made fat, than as if they were being choked by thorns. Therefore the heart grows fat, and cannot receive the perceptions of a more subtle spirit.

Let us flee, then, from such cares, that our heart, made thin, may become acceptable to God. Let us flee earthly business. For it is by these things that the heart is made fat. For this reason the word was subtle, as it is written in Exodus concerning him who says: "Whoever shall be of such thinness of heart, these shall see God". For by such eyes God is seen. Three things are said. "For the heart of this people is grown fat, and with their ears they have heard heavily, and their eyes they have closed." But these words spoken here can also be understood otherwise, more plainly. For many men think, when looking upon the creatures and contemplating this world, that they see them. And why do I say "of men"? Behold, birds and four-footed beasts see the sun and the moon, and the whole heaven together with the chorus of stars; but they do not understand their reasons. But only the just and holy, comprehending through the reason of the wisdom of God, look upon them.

Therefore in the eighth psalm David says: "For I shall see thy heavens, the works of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast founded." For does the Prophet now not see the heaven and the moon? But if we consider what he says, "I shall see," we shall be able to understand it.

They have turned to the iniquities. Of whom? He does not say simply, "of the fathers," but with an addition, "of their former fathers." We have said that these things are spoken of us, and of those sinners who are among us. How then have those who are sinners among us turned to the iniquities of the fathers, and of their former fathers? We have two kinds of fathers, and one kind is of the worst fathers. For before we believed, the devil was our father, as the Gospel word shows, saying: "You are born of your father the devil." But when we believed, we became sons of God. If, then, after these things we should sin, we are turned to the iniquities of the fathers, not simply, but of the former fathers.

But as proof of this matter, that we have fathers of two kinds, we use also the testimony of David, in the forty-fourth psalm, speaking thus: "Hear, O daughter, and see, and incline your ear, and forget your people, and your father's house." As it were a father, indeed, he began: "Hear, O daughter." Therefore our fathers are of two kinds. But "forget," he says, "your former father's house." If, then, having forgotten the house of your former father, you should again be turned to sins, you have fallen into that which is now called sin: "They have turned to the iniquities of their former fathers." We were saying just now that the devil was our father, before God became our father, if indeed we do not now also have the devil as father: which thing we also confirm from the Epistle of John, in which it is thus written: "Everyone who commits sin is born of the devil." As often as we sin, so often are we born of the devil.

Unhappy is he who is always begotten of the devil. And again much blessed is he who is always born of God. For I would not say that the just man is born of God once only, but through each work of virtue the just man is always born of God. But that this may be more fully proved, let us speak also of the daily nativity of our Saviour, clearly obtaining in the just what has preceded in the Lord. Our Saviour is the splendor of glory; but splendor is not born once, and thereafter cease to be born: as often as the light arises, from which the splendor arises, so often also does the splendor of glory arise. Our Saviour is the wisdom of God. But wisdom is the splendor of eternal light.

Thus, then, the Saviour is always being born, and therefore he says: "Before all the hills he begets me," not, as some wrongly read, "he begat me." If the Lord is always born of the Father, you also, having in your likeness of him only the writing of adoption, are always being begotten of God through each understanding, through each work, and you become a son of God in Christ Jesus, to whom is glory and dominion for ages of ages. Amen.