Книга 32 [глава 39, стихи 34–35, глава 40, стихи 1–14]

The last two verses of the thirty-ninth chapter and the first fourteen verses of the fortieth chapter are explained, many things are taught about the infinite Power of God, and the schemes of Satan against people are shown. 1. The higher holy people rise to God in the dignity of virtues, the more accurately they see that they are unworthy; because the closer they become to His light, the more they see in themselves what has remained unnoticed until now: they see all the shortcomings more and more clearly. Everyone, when he is illuminated by the touch of the true light and, comprehending what true righteousness is, also sees what sin is, even if he has not seen it in himself before. Hence it turns out that our mind is often numb from the cold, arriving in conversation or reasoning about worldly affairs, and does not notice our sins at some points, as if there were none. But when he lifts himself up in regretful prayer, and sets his sights on the high, the eyes of his repentance are opened, and, returning, he continues to watch himself with greater vigilance after the tears have been shed. For when the mind neglects itself, it considers, for example, that empty words or bad thoughts have less guilt. But, being warmed by the fire of conscience, and touched by the sudden breath of contemplation, he soon begins to fear, as serious and deadly crimes, those things that previously seemed trivial to him. This allows you to avoid any harmful things because the Spirit will no longer allow vanity to lead to them. From what he sees in the illumination of the true light, he feels how terrible are those sins that are silent; and the more he sees, the more the evil deeds in which he is drowned are reduced. Nothing really supports him as much as what he has seen from the inside, and this allows him to resist to a greater extent what pushes him to do so from the outside. From those objects within which he was able to catch with his gaze, he forms a new higher standard of judging himself. For, through close attention to himself, when he contemplates sublime objects, more detailed indications remain in him of everything that remained without his attention when he was on his own. As before said, he sees himself no longer worthy, and this is the means by which he becomes more worthy; he feels far from the truth as he draws closer to Him. Therefore Solomon says: I tried to comprehend all things with wisdom, and said: I will be wise, but wisdom is far from me (Eccl. 7:23) 3256. Wisdom is said to be valued at a distance because it appears ever greater to the person who approaches it. But those who do not seek it think that it is right in front of them, much less they also do not know their level of righteousness; because, living in darkness, they do not know how to admire the brightness of light, which they have never seen, and since they are not inclined to look at their inner beauty, they willingly deform themselves more and more every day. For whoever touched His rays, He more clearly pointed out his deformation, and he sees more accurately how distorted he is in sin, and all the more acutely, taking into account the highest things, he sees how far he really is from righteousness. Therefore, blessed Job, having surpassed the entire human race in virtues, overcame his friends in conversation; The Lord instructed him and he was silent. He overcame those who spoke unjustly, but thanks to the inner voice he knew that he was justly condemned in any case. And even without really knowing why he was scourged, he nevertheless proved by silence that he reveres scourges. For when Divine judgments are unknown, they should not be discussed in bold words, but honored in silence; because even when the Creator of all things does not reveal the reasons for punishments, He shows that they are just, simply by the fact that it is He who inflicts them, He Who is absolute justice. Therefore, a holy man, who was reproached first for his words and then for his silence, shows what he thinks about himself. He says: Verse 34. I who spoke lightly, what can I answer (Job 39:34) 3257? 2. As if he said, I would defend my words if I said them with a good reason. But after my tongue is condemned for frivolity, what remains for it but bitter silence? Therefore it is added I will put my hand on my mouth. In the Holy Scriptures, a hand or hands denote a frequently done deed, and words or a spoken speech are denoted by the mouth. Therefore, “putting your hand on your mouth” means repenting of careless words. But who can be found, no matter how beautiful he may be, who will not be tempted at least once by an idle word? As James testifies, who says: There are not many teachers, and we all sin much (James 3:1) 3258. And again, no man can subdue his tongue (James 3:8) 3259. And the Truth says: I tell you that for every idle word that people speak, they will give an answer on the day of judgment (Matthew 12:36). But holy people learn to atone before the eyes of God for the mistakes of their language with the essence of their lives, they learn to restrain their immoderate words with the weight of good deeds. Therefore, in the Holy Church, “a hand laid on the mouth” means that the sin of idle talk is covered by the power of righteous deeds. For it is written: Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered (Rom. 4:7) 3260. But it is also written: all things are naked and open before His eyes (Heb. 4:13) 3261 Therefore, how can something be covered that can never be completely hidden from the eyes of Him before Whom everything is naked? We, as it were, place under ourselves what we cover from further spread; we do this when we refuse it and when we subsequently place above it, as a result of our choice, our good deeds. Therefore, whoever renounces his previous bad deeds and then does good deeds covers his past guilt, over which he spreads the merits of good deeds. Blessed Job therefore, as an example for everyone in the Holy Church, speaks of his circumstances, but is a lesson for us all: I will put my hand on my mouth, that is, my words, which caused the displeasure of the Strict Judge, I will cover with a veil of pious behavior. Therefore it follows: Verse 35. There is one thing I have said that I wish I had never said; and other things to which I will not add further (Job.39:35) 3262. 3. If we consider the former words of blessed Job, we will find that he said nothing sinful. But if we look at the fact that his words, which, as it seemed to him at the moment of speaking, were uttered as an expression of truth and freedom, could also be uttered by the sin of pride. Our words reveal to people our thoughts, expressed in words; but to the ears of God words show the slightest movements of our mind, even if we ourselves do not notice them; Blessed Job, examining himself more closely, admits that he twice offended Him in his speech. Therefore he, who was chosen and rewarded more than other men in all his works before the Lord, rising ever higher, acknowledged that he was first far from being right in his conduct, and then far from being patient in his trials. Whence he reproaches himself, saying: There is one thing I have said that I wish I had never said; and other things to which I will not add further. As if he said, I believed myself that I was truly righteous among other people, but I discovered that, firstly, I was unrighteous, since I was punished by disasters, and, another thing, that I grumbled after the disasters. But “to another I will not add further,” because now, the more accurately I understand Your words, the more humbly I seek myself. 4. And since blessed Job symbolizes the Holy Church, these words of his can be applied to all the elect who know the Lord and feel that they have offended Him in one and another, because they understand that they have sinned either in thoughts and actions, or in neglecting the love of God and neighbor. To which they promise not to add further, since, by the grace of transformation, they take care to cleanse even their former deeds by daily repentance. And yet, that blessed Job pleaded guilty and repented twice, clearly shows that every sinner must weep twice in his repentance, because, in one sin, he both failed to do the good that he ought to have done, and did the evil that he ought not to have done. That is why Moses says: Or if anyone foolishly swears with his mouth to do something good or bad... then let him bring to the Lord for the sin he has committed a trespass offering from the flock, a sheep or a goat, for the sin, and the priest will atone for his sin... If he is not able to bring a sheep, then as a toll for his sin, let him bring to the Lord two turtle doves or two young doves, one for a sin offering and the other for a burnt offering (Lev. 5:4-7) 3263. To swear means to vow to give oneself to the service of God. We can vow to do good deeds. We can vow not to do bad things, such as abstinence and other deprivations of our flesh. But because no one in this life is perfect, and devoting oneself to God, it is difficult not to sin, even to a small extent, in the midst of these pious vows, it was ordered to offer a lamb from the herd, or a goat, for one’s sin. What does the lamb signify if not the innocence of an active life? and the goat, which often feeds almost hanging from the tops and precipices of rocks, clearly signifies a life of contemplation. Therefore those who see that they have not fulfilled what they promised and proposed should prepare themselves more carefully to sacrifice to God, either by the innocence of their deeds, or by the high food of contemplation. Moreover, it is said that the lamb will be offered from the herd, but about the goat it is not said that it is from the herd; because the innocent life is the path for many, and the contemplative life for very few. Therefore, when we do those things that we see many doing, or have done, we offer, as it were, a lamb from the flock of sheep. But when the capacity of the offerer is not equal to a lamb or a goat, it is added as a remedy for the penitent that two young pigeons or two turtle doves may be offered. We know that young pigeons or turtle doves utter moans instead of songs. What then is signified by two chicks of doves or two turtle doves, if not the double groaning of our repentance? This is so, when we do not rise due to the impossibility of an active righteous life, we can mourn ourselves in two ways: both because we did not do right, and also because we did evil. Therefore, it was also ordered that one turtle dove be offered as a sin offering, and the other as a burnt offering. We offer, therefore, one turtledove as a sin offering when we weep for our fault, but we completely burn the other when we, carefully kindling ourselves, glow with the fire of grief because we have neglected good works. It is precisely because two groans are required for repentance that blessed Job takes root in himself the words of God, and grows in self-flagellation, confessing with repentance that he said “one thing” and “another.” As if he had openly said, I was carelessly lazy in good deeds, and through insolence I broke out in evil. Verse 1, 2: And the Lord answered Job from the storm and said: Gird up your loins like a man: I will ask you, and you explain to Me (Job 40:1-2). That the Lord answers from the storm, with which blessed Job girded his loins, what the Lord asked, and man answered, has already been explained in the first speech of the Lord. Therefore we will not bore our reader, and we will try to be especially careful not to repeat our words. What follows: Verse 3. Do you want to overthrow My judgment, accuse Me, and so that you may be justified (Job.40:3) 3264? 5. He who seeks to protect himself from disasters from God seeks to undo the decision of the One who inflicts them. For when he says that he is punished without guilt, what else does he do, no matter how much he accuses the Punisher of injustice? Heavenly punishment struck blessed Job not in order to extinguish his mistakes in him, but in order to increase his merits, so that the one who in calm times shone in such great holiness could also demonstrate and test the power of patience when struck. But he, having not discovered his guilt, which could lead to such disasters, nevertheless does not discover that those same disasters were sent to increase his merits, and believes that he was unjustly punished when he did not find anything in himself that could require correction. But, so that he does not become exalted in the swelling of pride, he is convicted by the Divine voice; and his mind, free from sin, but burdened with disaster, remembers the mystery of the Will of God; that the sentence of Heaven, although he does not understand it, cannot be considered unjust: but that he can and must consider that every thing from which he suffers is undoubtedly clear that he suffers at the hands of God. The Righteous Will of our Creator is sufficient reason to strike. And, since She cannot do anything unjust, he recognized Her justice, although he did not understand it. For, when we are struck by His Will, if we unite with the Divine in our contrition for sins that we do not know, we will soon be freed by this very combination. For whoever is now suffering a blow, but still does not know the cause of the blow, if he welcomes this very sentence against him, believing that it is just no matter what, he is immediately freed from unrighteousness, just as when he rejoices that he has been justly punished. By binding himself to God in his own punishment, he turns himself against himself; and already supports His righteousness, because he agrees with the Will of God in his punishment, from which he departed in sin. The holy man, thus, rebelling against God through any sin to which he has indulged, agrees with Him, humbly accepting punishment. But he did not immediately believe that the scourges that usually extinguish vices were aimed at him in order to increase his merits. Therefore it is said: Do you want to overthrow My judgment, accuse Me, and so that you are acquitted? As if it were clearly said: You really only take into account your own good deeds, but you do not know My Secret Will. So, if you protest against disasters from Me, on account of your merits, are you in a hurry to accuse Me of injustice, justifying yourself? From this it follows: Verse 4. Do you have a muscle like God? And can you thunder with your voice like He (Job 40:4) 3265? 6. Since the blessed Job surpassed the human race in merit, the merciful Creator and Teacher tests him, asking him to consider the similarity with His greatness, so that, having recognized the great dissimilarity, he could keep himself in humility. 7. But when the voice of God speaks, we must exercise the greatest caution so that our minds do not imagine anything corporeal in Him. To limit Him to the lines of the body, the One who fills and embraces all things, means falling into the heresy of the Anthropomorphists. But Almighty God, in explaining His own things to us, humbles Himself, and, in order to teach us high things, condescends to lowly things; so that the small mind, which can only feed on things it knows, can rise in the understanding of what it does not know, but hears from Him who is far above it, certain truths are simplified in order to bring us a few steps closer to Him. Therefore it happens that in His own Scripture He sometimes attributes to Himself certain features from the bodies of men, sometimes from birds, and sometimes even from inanimate objects, which in fact have a very unlikely resemblance to Him. For He often applies to Himself the likeness of the bodies of people, as His prophet says to the Israelites: for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye (Zechariah 2:8). And the prophet just spoke about Him to the man who trusted in Him; He will cover you with the shadow of His shoulders (Ps.90:4) 3266. It is certainly clear that God in His own nature has neither eyes nor shoulders; but since we see with our eyes, and carry burdens on our shoulders, God is said to have “eyes” because He sees all things; and because He guides us and preserves us, it is said of Him that He makes a shadow for us from His shoulders. It is said that with the shadow of His shoulders He will cover you to the person who was a sinner, and, after repenting of his sin, the Lord protects him with the same love with which He endured it. For He covers with shadow, because while He carries, He protects you. But sometimes He applies to Himself a resemblance to our minds, as He, for example, says to the prophet in Israel: I remember the friendship of your youth (Jer. 2:2) 3267. And again comparing with his wife, He says: even if she forgot, I will not forget you (Is. 49:15). Although, who does not know that the memory of God is not interrupted by oblivion, and does not need the need for remembrance? It’s just that when He neglects certain things, they speak about Him in the words that speak about our consciousness, i.e. "forget"; and when, after a long time, He visits whatever He wishes, they also say of Him, in the manner of our variability, that He “remembered.” What oblivion can weaken the power of God, to whom even the most outstanding memory bears no resemblance? How can God remember past things when things that have already disappeared are always present at his full disposal? Or how can He forget when every thing that has existed or will exist is present in Him? For if it were not his word, it would not be at all; things that do not exist He creates by looking at them, and He holds everything together by looking at them. But sometimes the likeness is applied to Him from the birds, as it is said by Moses: He stretched out His wings, and took them (Deut. 32:11) 3268. And the prophet says: Hide me under the shadow of Your wings (Ps. 16:8) 3269. This is because, when we are young, He nourishes us, He protects us, and cherishes us from heaviness and burden, with light and tender protection, when He turns His mercy upon us, He spreads His wings over us, as birds do. He sometimes, with deep condescension, compares himself, knowing our weakness of consciousness, with insensitive objects; as He says, for example, through the prophet: Behold, I will creak over you like a cart laden with baskets of grass ( Am. 2:13 ) 3270 . For the life of the flesh is grass, as it is written, All flesh is grass (Is. 40:6) 3271. Since the Lord tolerates carnal life, it is said that he carries baskets of grass like a cart. And it creaks under the weight of the grass from the burden and iniquity of sinners. When He applies such differences or similarities to Himself, we must carefully observe that certain things of this kind sometimes speak of His works, but sometimes to show the essence of His Greatness. For when eyes, shoulders, legs and wings are said, the effect of His works is stated. But when it is said, the right hand, or the voice belonging to God, these words point to His Consubstantial Son. For He is, in fact, the right hand, about whose Ascension the Father speaks to Moses, saying: I will lift up my hand into the heavens, and I will swear by my right hand (Deut. 32:40) 3272. He is the One about whom the prophet says: and to whom was the arm of the Lord revealed? (Isa. 53:1). He is the voice because the Father said when He begat Him: You are My Son, today I have begotten You (Ps. 2:7) and it is written: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God (John 1:1). For God, in this way, in order to have a hand, begets the Son who works; Thunder in His voice means revealing His Consubstantial Son to the frightened world. So, when the Lord says to blessed Job: Do you have the same muscle as God? And can you thunder with your voice like Him? about the wonderful dispensation of mercy He exalts, rebuking it. Therefore it is added: Verse 5. Surround yourself with beauty, and lift yourself up to the height of greatness, and be full of glory and clothed in beautiful clothing (Job.40:5) 3273. 8. He surrounds himself with beauty, about which it is written: The Lord reigns, and He surrounded himself with beauty (Ps. 92:1) 3274. He rises in us, remaining in His own Nature, incomprehensible to our consciousness. He is glorious, Who while He needs no additional praise. He is clothed in beautiful garments, because He created, for the service of His beauty, choirs of holy Angels, and establishes His Church as a kind of glorious garment, without blemish or spot. From where the prophet says: In confession, beauty clothed with light, like a robe (Ps. 103:1-2) 3275. For there is beauty in confession, because to those whom He led here to repentance, He will give there the shining beauty of righteousness. He is clothed, therefore, in light, as in a robe, because in this eternal glory He will be clothed with all the saints, to whom he said: you are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14) 3276. Therefore, the Evangelist also said that when the Lord was transfigured on the mountain, His clothes became white as snow. In such a transformation, what else is announced if not the glory of the Resurrection? For His garments became like snow, because in heavenly brightness all the Saints will be united to Him, shining with the light of truth. But since He teaches how He unites the righteous in Himself, speaking of beautiful clothing, He shows in the same way how He separates the unrighteous from Himself. From this it follows: Verse 6. Scatter the proud in your wrath (Job 40:6) 3277. 9 . As if it were said: Whoever in times of calm unite against Me, when I come at last, I will scatter them in My wrath. But we must watch this carefully, because it is the greatest mistake and delusion if anyone accidentally thinks that for God anger and calm are variables. The Creator, supremely Immortal, He is not changed as an Essence. Therefore it is said of Him by Jacob: there is no change or shadow of turning (James 1:17). Therefore it is written: But You, O Lord, judge with calmness (Wis.12:18) 3278. Thus, the prophet says: The earth became desolate from the presence of the wrath of the Dove, from the presence of the wrath of the Lord (Jer. 25:38) 3279. For what he first called “the wrath of the dove,” he later called “the wrath of the Lord.” The pigeon is a very simple animal; in order to indicate the unchangeable power of Divine justice, he called His wrath “the wrath of a dove.” It is as if he is saying clearly: It is He who still continues to gently punish the unjust, who inflicts a serious sentence on the indifferent. Therefore, at the Last Judgment, remaining unchanged in Himself, He is not subject to vicissitudes or changes; but still He does not appear equally in the elect and the reprobate, because He will appear calm to the righteous, and to the angry the unrighteous. The witness-conscience within them will lead everyone's mind to a different point. It will be one Lord, but to some their righteousness will show Him gentle and merciful, and to others their sin will show Him terrible in His wrath. How to explain their fear, which befalls these unfortunate people who know sin in themselves, and saw the righteous Judge before them? And this undoubtedly takes place in the normal course of our lives. For when two people go to court, one recognizes his innocence, the other his guilt, although the verdict has not yet been pronounced. And they both look at the same judge, and yet the guilty man trembles with fear, suspecting that this outwardly quiet judge is preparing a heavy wrath against him. This anger of the judge depicts his memory of his wickedness, and not the passion of the judge who condemns him: for, although the verdict has not yet even declared him guilty, his conscience already strongly accuses him. But, on the other hand, the right one contemplates the face of the one who announces the verdict, and, based on the testimony of his good conscience, as having nothing to fear in himself, he looks at everything that happens calmly and without fear. In this place, the wrath of God does not mean a change in the Divine Nature, but the intercession of their conscience for righteous vengeance on sinners, equivalent to their guilt. For, although they see Him calm in judgment, yet, not doubting that they will be smitten by Him, they think that He is angry in His emotions. Therefore it follows: look at all the arrogant ones and humiliate them. 10. It’s as if He said, “like me.” But, speaking of punishment, the sin of pride is mentioned before arrogance; because in truth, pride is not generated by arrogance, but arrogance is generated by pride. But every sinner is viewed in two ways by the Lord, when he is either transformed from sin through repentance, or through punishment for sin. For example, it is said that the Lord looked at Peter; and Peter, remembering the words of Jesus, wept bitterly (Luke 22:61–62) 3280. Regarding punishment, he again said: But the face of the Lord is against those who do evil, to destroy the memory of them from the earth (Ps. 33:17). But in both directions, the result is that arrogance is brought down into humility, because he either admits his guilt with repentance, or through suffering from punishment. Verse 7. Look at all the arrogant and humiliate them, and crush the wicked in their places (Job.40:7) 3281. 11. The proud is put to shame before the sight of the Lord, either here by His mercy, when he repents and condemns his mistakes, or there, by suffering punishment according to His justice. But pride is the lot of the wicked; so it is written: Pride is the beginning of all sin (Eccl. 10:13) 3282, i.e. this is the place where godlessness arises; although wickedness is almost no different from pride. Because when we are very proud, it goes without saying that we begin to think ungodly thoughts about our Creator. The wicked is then trodden down in his place, because he is crushed by this very pride which he has cultivated; and when, by boasting, he elevates himself in his thoughts, he hides from himself the light of the truth which he must find. But often, while he is outwardly moving along the path of glorifying himself against God, he is inwardly languishing in real suffering. Where the Prophet says: You brought them down while they were raised up (Ps. 73:18) 3283. He doesn't say you put them down after they were up, but he says while they were up; because the very fact of proud exaltation in false glory is a fall down. For by God's Justice their guilt is turned into punishment, so that when they rise with the arrogance of pride, what is outwardly a sign of growth is itself in reality their inward fall. From this it follows: Verse 8. Hide them in the dust, and at the same time plunge their faces into the pit (Job 40:8) 3284. 12. It is as if He had said: The just judgment of God hides the proud and the wicked in the dust, because He allows their hearts to be immersed in the earthly pursuits they choose, despising the love of their Creator. Therefore, when He examines their implementation, He does not recognize them, as if they were hidden from Him, saying: I do not know you where you are from (Luke 13:27) 3285. The life of the wicked is hidden under a layer of dust, because it is burdened with servility to desires. For whoever desires these things that are of the world does not appear, so to speak, in the face of the true light, because he is actually hidden under the dust of earthly thoughts. The burdened mind becomes covered with this dust of evil thoughts that the wind of great evil temptation brings with it. The prophet also said the same about every soul that is burdened with earthly desires when he speaks about Ephraim: Ephraim became like bread under ashes that was not turned over (Hos. 7:8) 3286. By nature our intention is rightly molded: to rise to God; but vicious habits arise to the pleasures of the world to put pressure on us and bring us down to the real world. But the bread under the ashes is cleaner on the side that is hidden below, and dirtier on the top, where the dust lies. So, he who neglects the efforts with which he should seek God lies on the clean side, like bread under ashes, and willingly attending to the cares of the world, he carries, so to speak, a heap of ashes above him. But the bread under the ashes will change if he has to throw off the ashes of carnal desires, turn over and show that underneath there are good intentions that he has. But it does not turn over when the mind, weighed down by attachment to worldly cares, neglects to throw off the mountain of ashes that lies on it; and when he does not strive to rise to good intentions, he crushes the clean surface beneath him. 13. And then he adds: And at the same time, plunge their faces into the pit. As it is said, with the help of righteous judgment the Lord plunges the faces of the proud into a pit; because He brings down the intention of their heart when it lifts itself above other people. For the one whose face plunges into the pit looks at things from below. And it is well said of the proud that their faces plunge into a pit, because they sink lower and lower when, through pride, they seek exaltation; and the more they raise themselves in their excellence, the lower they tend to be in their fall. For earthly glory, and other things to which they eagerly strive, are of the most base nature, while it seems to them in their pride that they are striving for the highest. Therefore, it turns out that the humble find Heaven, while they humiliate themselves ever lower, and the proud find base things, while, despising others, they rise, as it seems to them, to heights. The first, those who despise themselves, unite with the heavenly, and the second, while they exalt themselves, are separated from higher things. And some, so to speak, are elevated through humiliation, while others, through exaltation, are humiliated. And the psalmist said well about pride, that He will bring sinners down even to the ground; because, striving for those things that are below, while they elevate and exalt themselves, what else can they do but, having lost Heaven, fall to earth? Those who fell to the bottom, seeking low things, retreated from high things. Their faces are therefore, as it is rightly said, lowered into the pit, because by pursuing base things they tend to fall into the pit of hell. The point is that, by righteous judgment, those who deliberately plunged themselves into the darkness of the night here deserved the pit of punishment, falling out of sight of the true light. Even the holy man Job is questioned before the Divine Power by receiving this answer: do you have a muscle like God, or do you have a voice like Him? humble everyone who is arrogant, and other things that God can do, but man cannot; to show for what purpose He spoke at first about all these things, how the conclusion is attached; Verse 9. And I acknowledge that your right hand is able to save you (Job 40:9) 3287. 14. It’s as if it was directly said: if you are able to do these things that I Myself showed, I will attribute to you, and not to Myself, all the good things that you do. But if you cannot destroy sin with one glance, it is clear that you cannot rid yourself and become free from guilt and sin by your own power. Here! it is said by the Divine voice to blessed Job that even he will not save himself with his right hand, and yet some people who are far from the power of this man, despising the help of God, hope that they can be saved by their own power. And for them, what else should we pray for, except that if they have already received the gifts of good works, that they will also realize from whom they received them? But since the Lord in the previous words mentioned the greatness of His power, He now further speaks of the wickedness of the sworn enemy: in order that the good servant, having first heard of the merits of the Lord, might understand how to love Him, and, having subsequently learned the craft of the devil, might know how much to fear him. The prophet said well: The lion began to roar - who will not tremble? The Lord God said, “Who will not prophesy” (Am. 3:8)? After the power of His Creator has been revealed to him, the power of his adversary must be revealed, in order that he may present himself more humbly before the Protector, the more accurately he knows the wickedness of his enemy, and perhaps the more ardently he seeks his Creator, the more terrible he will find the enemy he must avoid. For it is certain that he who understands less the danger which he has escaped loves his deliverer less; and that he who believes that the strength of his adversary is weak, thinks that the help of his champion is worthless. Therefore the prophet rightly said, attributing liberation to the Lord: I love You, O Lord, my strength (Ps. 17:2) 3288, clearly speaking, I love You more, the more I feel my own weakness, and the more I acknowledge You as my strength. Therefore he says again: Your loving-kindness is wonderful, O You, who saves those who trust in You (Ps. 17:7) 3289 because the loving-kindness of the Lord undoubtedly becomes even more wonderful for us when, by the same loving-kindness, it is revealed what grave dangers we have escaped. 15. And therefore the Lord, in the previous part of his speech, reveals to the blessed Job the wonderful deeds of the Saints, so that he might learn, having heard about them, how humbly he should think about the height of his own merits. After it is revealed to him with what enemy he is waging war, both his strength and his weapons must be more accurately indicated, so that the one who spoke with his Creator can properly know the enemy. And in the words that follow, the Lord reveals to His faithful servant all the machinations of the insidious enemy: everything about how he captures, oppresses; all about where he is insidious; all about where he scares, threatens; it's all about where he attracts, persuades; all about where he presses on desperation, all about where he deceives by promising. He begins, therefore, the whole story of his wickedness, saying: Verse 10. Behold the hippopotamus that I made with you (Job 40:10) 3290. 16. Who does He call "Behemoth" other than an ancient enemy? This word came into Latin from a Hebrew word that means “animal.” For when his malice is further described, it is clear to whom it refers. But why does He specifically emphasize that He made this animal at the same time as man, when it is clear that He created everything at once? Again, we must ask how did God create all at once when Moses describes them as being created separately on different of the six days? But we will know this if we go back to the very beginning. The substance for things was indeed created at once, but the form was not fashioned at once: and what existed at one time in the substance of matter received form at different times. For when the heavens and the earth are described as being created at the same time, it is noted that the spiritual things and the corporeal things that come into being in the heavens, and everything that comes out of the earth, were all created together. The sun, moon and stars on the fourth day rose on the fourth day, but existed on the first day in the matter of the sky through creation. The earth is said to have been created on the first day, and the trees and all the plants of the earth are described as being created on the third day. But what became visible on the third day was undoubtedly created on the first day in the substance of the Earth. Hence Moses distinctly calls the creation of all things in separate days, and yet adds that they were all created at one time, saying: these are the creatures of the heavens and the earth, at the creation of them, on the day that the Lord created the heavens and the earth, and every plant in the field before it came into existence on the earth, and all the grass that was not yet growing (Gen. 2:4-5) 3291. For he who formerly said that heaven and earth, trees and plants, were created on different days, now declares that they were created on one day; This is done in order to clearly indicate that each being began to be at the same time in matter, although it had not yet acquired its appearance, i.e. form. That is why it is written there, God created man in His image; in the image of God he created him, male and female he created them (Gen. 1:27) 3292. It is not yet described how Eve will be created, but man is already spoken of, male and female. But since woman will soon emerge from the side of Adam, she is already considered to have been created in him, from which she will later take form. We can understand this better by looking at simple things. For example, when a plant just appears, neither fruits nor seeds of its fruits are yet visible in it. But fruits and seeds exist in it even when they have not yet appeared, because they certainly exist together in the substance of the root, and already existing, they grow in time. 17. We talked about things created at the same time in matter. But how could this Behemoth be created together with the blessed Job, when neither the substance for creating an angel and a man was the same, nor was a man created from a part of an angel or an angel from a part of a man? It may be supposed that Behemoth was created together with the blessed Job, because every creature was undoubtedly created at one time by Him whose works are not affected by the passage of time. But why is this specifically said about Behemoth, which in this sense is the same as all creatures in general? But if we look at the causes of things, we learn that Angels and men were created together; together, not in the sense of one unit of time, but together as thinking creatures; together, in the form of wisdom, and not together by the unification of the substance of their form. For it is written: Let us make man in our image and likeness (Gen.1:26) 3293. And Ezekiel said this to Satan: You were the seal of likeness, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty in the enjoyment of the paradise of God (Ezek. 28:12) 3294. In general, creatures, that is, people and angels, were born together and separately from other creatures that are not thinking. Because all creatures are not thinking beings, except people and angels, and everything that cannot think could not be created with man. Therefore, it is necessary to tell a person separately about the angel, who, although he has lost the power of his high position, has not lost the subtlety of his thinking nature. This is necessary so that a person knows that the one who was created with him thinking has fallen, and, seeing in ruins the one who was created with him, he was extremely afraid of falling in pride for himself as well. But we must particularly note that in these words, the wicked doctrine of Manichæus 3295 is clearly rebuked by the voice of the Lord; for he, when he speaks of two principles, seeks to prove that the "Race of Darkness" was not created. But what, if not this, was said when the Lord says that He created this Behemoth, the head of all the wicked? But since we have heard how Behemoth was created, let's hear what he does when he destroys. What follows. He will eat hay like an ox (Job 40:10) 3296. 18. If we carefully study the words of the prophets, we find that they also spoke by the same Spirit. For when Isaiah observes the life of sinners being devoured by the ancient and insatiable enemy, in his words: the lion will eat straw like the ox (Is. 11:7) 3297. But what is meant by the words hay or straw, if not carnal life? It was said by the prophet: all flesh is hay (Is. 40:6) 3298. So, we know who is called “Behemoth” here, or “lion” there, and what is called “hay”. But the mind strives to find out why it is the lion in Isaiah, or the Hippopotamus here, eating straw like an ox. Why, according to the voice of the Lord, in both passages he is compared not to a horse, but to an ox. We will understand this more quickly if we consider the difference in the foods that these two animals eat. Horses eat any hay, both dirty and clean, but they drink only clean water. But oxen equally drink water, both clean and disgustingly dirty, but feed exclusively on pure hay. What does it mean that this Behemoth is compared to an ox that eats pure food, except what is said about the ancient enemy by another prophet: His food is choice (Hab. 1:16) 3299. For he does not rejoice in the capture of those whom he sees lying of their own accord in the very depths of himself, participating in evil and foul deeds. Therefore, he strives to eat pure hay, like an ox, because he strives to wound the adherents of a pure spiritual life with the fang of his temptations. 19. But I see we must ask how this Behemoth, who eats hay like an ox, destroys spiritual life, when before it was said that the word “hay” denotes carnal life. His food will not be selective if, eating hay, he only takes in the flesh. It is also necessary to immediately answer that some people are hay in the eyes of God, but among people they are considered to live in holiness when their lives show one thing in front of people, and before the Divine court their conscience is aimed at another. Therefore, according to people, they are “chosen,” but in the Lord’s decision they are “hay.” Was not Saul hay in the eyes of God, about whom the prophet Samuel said to the people: see whom the Lord has chosen? (1 Samuel 10:24) 3300 and about whom it was said just above, is he chosen and good? ( Job 9:2 ) 3301 for He whom sinful men praised was an outcast in the sight of God, and yet, in that order of causes, was chosen and good. Solomon said well about many who are actually hay, but believe that they are the chosen ones, based on the opinion of people: I saw that the wicked were buried, but while they still lived, they were in a holy place, and were highly valued in the city, as if for good works (Eccl. 8:10) 3302. The fact that many are hay, but are still preserved in the place of holiness, a certain sage also points out, saying: go, O stranger, and prepare a meal (Sir.29:29) 3303. The stranger is told to prepare a meal, because if anyone, standing at the altar of God, seeks glory for himself by good works, the glory of the altar is maintained in holiness, and yet he himself is not considered by God to be among his citizens. His opinion is taken into account by others, and yet he himself “passes like a stranger” before God. He “goes to prepare a meal” because he will not stay to make a sacrifice, having been taught everything, but descended into his thoughts to receive human glory. Because when some people diligently lead a clean life, but strive for this only to prove themselves to other people, they are choice food, about which it is said that this Behemoth eats hay like an ox. It is pure hay that lies, so to speak, on the earth, below, before the mouth of this Behemoth, when life is led, so to speak, in innocence through the observance of the commandments, and yet, together with behavior that is so right, the heart is not raised to the search for higher things. What is the use of him guarding the purity of his life if, in his basic intentions, he leaves himself on earth where the jaws of this Behemoth can find him? Therefore Almighty God tells us what our enemy is doing, so that now, being known to us, his cunning can be more easily overcome. Verse 11. His strength is in his loins, and his strength in the navel of his belly (Job 40:11) 3304. 20. The place for the seed of intercourse is said to be in the loins of the man, but in the navel of the woman. Therefore, Truth says to His disciples: Let your loins be girded (Luke 12:35) 3305. That is why Peter, when he removed lust from his heart, exhorted, saying: Gird up the loins of your mind (1 Pet. 1:13) 3306. Therefore Paul said of Levi, who hid himself in the body of his father: For he was yet in the loins of his father. But that the seed of intercourse in women is contained in the navel is testified by the prophet, who, reproaching Judah for debauchery in the guise of a dissolute woman, says: On the day of your birth, your navel was not cut off (Ezek. 16:4) 3307, cutting off the navel on the day of birth means cutting off the lusts of the flesh at the moment of conversion. It is difficult to correct the evil of the beginning, and to mold into a better form things that once began badly, and Judah is accused because from her birth, as born of God, she kept her navel uncut, because she remained in lust. Therefore, it is difficult for both sexes to overcome the infirmities of lust because of the power of the devil, which, as it is said, is in the loins in relation to men, and in the navel in relation to women. 21. But why, when this Behemoth is first mentioned as eating hay, does He include the fatal consequences of lust as the first arguments of his temptation? It is clear to everyone that after pride has captured a person’s spirit, he immediately reaches out to defile the flesh. We see this even in the first man and woman, who, by covering their private parts, after becoming proud, immediately showed that after they had tried of themselves to comprehend high things, they immediately became subject to the flesh, which, being uncovered, brings shame. This Behemoth, therefore, raging insatiably, seeks to devour the whole man at once, at once elevating his mind with pride, and at once corrupting his flesh with the pleasure of lust. But his power is also well spoken of when it is emphasized that it is not in the loins or navel of those who are tempted; but, his strength is in his loins, and his strength in the navel of his belly. As if it were expressly said that his strength is in his own loins, and the navel of his own belly; because they, undoubtedly, specially became his body, who, being deceived by the persuasions of offers, gave themselves over to him through the loopholes of lust. What follows. Verse 12. He lifts up his tail quickly, like a cedar (Job 40:12) 3308. 22. There are many points in these words that will be put forward for moral comprehension. But we consider first of all the evil power of this Behemoth, in order to then discover more accurately his skills. In the Holy Scriptures, the word “cedar” sometimes expresses the sublime perfection of heavenly glory, but sometimes it also denotes the stubborn pride of the wicked. “Cedar” expresses the sublimity of heavenly glory, as the psalmist testifies: The righteous blossoms like a palm tree, and multiplies like the cedar of Lebanon (Ps. 91:13) 3309. Again, the word “cedar” denotes the arrogant power of the wicked, as said by the same prophet: The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars (Ps. 28:5) 3310. But what is meant by the tail of this Behemoth, except this last end of the ancient enemy, when it enters, no doubt, into this destroyed man, his peculiar vessel, which is called the Antichrist? For he is resolved, at one time by the honors of the world, at another by signs and wonders from feigned holiness, exalted in the swelling of power, his tail is rightly compared by the voice of the Lord to a cedar. For, as the cedar leaves behind other trees, increasing in height, in a similar manner will the Antichrist, possessing in temporal things the glory of the world, surpass at that time the ordinary man and in the power of his miracles. For there is in him a spirit that was created in a high place, and the strength of his character is not lost, even when defeated. But his power is now very little visible, since it is bound by Divine power. Therefore it is said by John: And I saw an angel descending from heaven, who had the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand, and he took the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and set a seal over him (Rev. 20:1-3) 3311. For he is said to be bound, and thrown into the abyss; because he is bound in the hearts of the wicked by Divine power, not to be free while he is capable of doing harm; and although it may rage secretly within them, it cannot break out into the violent destructive movement of pride. But it is made clear that he must be released at the end of the world, and after the thousand years have passed, Satan will be released from his prison and will go out and seduce the nations. The number “thousand”, due to the perfection of number, describes this entire period of the Holy Church, no matter what it was. Upon its completion, the ancient enemy, given his own strength, will oppose us for a short time, but with great capabilities. 23. However, although his rage causes him to break out in cruelty, Divine mercy limits him to a few days. Therefore, the Truth says: there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor will there be (Matthew 24:21) 3312. So again the Truth says, if the number of those days had not been shortened, no flesh would have been saved. For the Lord sees us that we are proud and weak, and those days that are evil, by His mercy, He says, will be shortened. In order, undoubtedly, to humble our pride, the hardships of that time will be, and to alleviate our weakness, the difficult days will not be long. 24. But it must be taken into account that the Behemoth, when he raises his tail like a cedar, will attack with greater ferocity than he now tries. What types of punishments do we know that have not yet been used to test the strength of martyrs? For some, the sword plunged into the neck with a sudden blow; Some have undergone torture on the cross, where death is delayed and prolonged; some were buried to the teeth; some were trampled under hoofs; some were torn to pieces by furious beasts; some were buried alive in deep graves; some were thrown into the abyss with their heads; some were swallowed up by the water as they drowned; some were consumed by the flames and turned to ashes. When this Behemoth raises its tail more deadly, at the end of the world, even greater cruelty will be applied in this torment. In addition, the Truth says in the Gospel: false Christs and false prophets will arise and show great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect (Matthew 24:24). While our faithful perform miracles, when they humbly endure insults and hardships. But at that time, the preachers of this Behemoth are going to perform miracles, even if they are cruel. Let us therefore consider what a temptation it will be for a person’s consciousness when at one time a pious martyr submits his body to torture, and at the same time his tormentor performs miracles before his eyes! Whose resolve will then not be shaken, from the very bottom of his thoughts, when he who torments with disasters also shines with miracles? It is rightly said then that he lifts up his tail like a cedar, for he will surely be exalted in reverence, and cruel in his torture. 25. For in this case he will not only be elevated in power, but also supported by the manifestation of miracles. Therefore David also said: He lies in wait in secret, like a lion in his den (Ps. 9:30) 3313. For open power, it would be enough if he were a lion, even if he did not lie in ambush. And conversely, for his secret craft, it would be enough for him to lie secretly in ambush, even if he were not a lion. But since this ancient enemy has fallen in all his strength, he is allowed to rage in both directions, so that he releases both deceit and force into the struggle against the chosen ones; strength in its power, deception in its miracles. Therefore, it is rightly said that he is like a lion, and in ambush: in ambush by the splendor of his miracles, the lion is in his temporal power. In order to attract those who are openly wicked, he displays his temporal power; but in order to deceive even the elect, he performs supposedly holy miracles. For he convinces some with the height of his greatness, and he deceives others with the manifestation of holiness. About the tail of this Behemoth, it is said in John, under the description of the dragon: His tail carried away a third of the stars in the sky, and threw them to the earth (Rev. 12:4) 3314. Heaven is the Church, which on this night of real life, contains within itself the countless virtues of the saints, glitters from above with the radiance of the stars. But the tail of the dragon brings down the stars to the earth, because this is the last end of Satan, when he takes possession of some whom he finds in the Church, as if they were God's elect, and who outwardly should be so. The stars therefore fall from heaven, showing some who have abandoned the hope of heavenly things to strive, under his guidance, to pursue temporal glory. 26. Therefore, Daniel speaks in the person of Antiochus against this tail of the dragon: and he ascended to the host of heaven, and cast down to the earth part of this host and the stars, and trampled them, and even ascended against the Leader of this host, and the eternal sacrifice was taken away, and the place of his consecration was trampled under foot. But the power was given to him against the eternal victim, because of the crime. And the truth will be cast down to the earth, and he will act and prosper (Dan.8:10-12) 3315. For he casts down some of the mighty host and the stars, when he suppresses those who shone with the light of righteousness and were strong through their works. And he glorifies himself to the title of Leader of this army, because he puts himself against the Creator of virtue Himself. He takes away the eternal sacrifice because he breaks the desire for life in the Church in those whom he has captured. But the power is committed to him against the eternal sacrifice because of the crime, because unless the perishing one calls him, the enemy will never be able to take possession of him, who is believed to be righteous. Truth has been thrown to the ground because faith in heavenly things has been perverted into longing for temporary life. And he will act and prosper because he will exercise violence not only over the minds of the rejected, but also over the bodies of the elect with incalculable cruelty. Therefore, Daniel said again: a king will rise up, arrogant and skilled in deceit; and his strength will be strengthened, although not by his own strength (Dan.8:23–24) 3316. This man's strength will not be increased by his own strength, for it will be the strength of Satan through which he rises to the glory of destruction. Therefore he says again: He will smite the mighty and the holy people according to his will, and skill will be directed directly into his hands (Dan. 8:24-25) 3317. For he slays the mighty when he overcomes from within those who are disobedient to him in appearance. And he, of course, kills the mighty and the holy people, according to his will, when those who are believed to be strong and holy come to serve his will. And the skill is directed directly into his hands, as it helps him in his affairs. For what he says with the skill of his tongue is confirmed by the miracles he performs with his hands. So that his lying tongue does not speak, his hands, working miracles, seem to confirm that this is supposedly true. 27. Therefore he says again: He will rise up against the Lord of lords, and he will be overthrown without hand (Dan.8:25) 3318. That is why Paul says: so that he will sit in the church of God as God, showing himself to be God (2 Thess. 2:4) 3319. And therefore again he says: Whom the Lord Jesus will slay with the breath of His mouth and destroy by the appearance of His coming (2 Thess. 2:8) 3320. For also what Daniel said: He will rise up against the Lord of lords, is said by Paul in the words: so that he sits in the church of God, pretending to be God. And what Daniel partakes of, he will not be crushed by hand, Paul expresses it in the words, whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the spirit of His mouth. For he will be defeated without a hand, because he will be struck down with eternal death, not in battle with Angels, not in battle with saints, but through the coming of the Judge, by the breath of His mouth alone. Paul also spoke about the pride of this Behemoth, opposing and exalting himself above everything called God or that is holy (2 Thess. 2:4) 3321. Daniel also spoke about the same thing, when he said that the fourth beast had ten horns, he immediately added: I looked at these horns, and behold, another small horn came out between them, and three of the former horns were plucked up by the roots before it, and behold, in this horn were eyes like the eyes of men, and lips speaking arrogantly (Dan.7:8) 3322. He is described in truth as the eleventh horn of this monster, because the power of his kingdom is strengthened by lawlessness. Every sin is numbered eleven because all sinful acts go beyond the dictates of the Decalogue (Ten Commandments). And because sin is mourned in goat's hair, eleven curtains of goat's hair were made for the tabernacle (Ex. 26:7) 3323. Therefore it is said in the eleventh psalm: Save (me), O Lord, for the righteous is no more, for there are none faithful among the sons of men (Ps. 11:2). That is why Peter describes how, out of fear that the Apostles remained in the number of eleven, they chose Matthew by lot as the twelfth (Acts 1:15–26). If he had not known that guilt is signified by the number eleven, he would not have so hastily striven for the number of apostles to be twelve. Since crime is expressed by the number eleven, the author of the crime is himself designated by the eleventh horn of that animal. He is described in truth as coming out of small size, because he was born a common man; but it increases enormously, because it contains angelic power within itself. And he pulls out three horns before him, because he takes under his power the same number of kingdoms that are next to him. And his eyes are like the eyes of a man, but his mouth says great things, because one can see in him the form of a truly human being, but according to his words he rises above people. This is what Paul said, opposing and exalting himself above everything that is called God or that is holy (2 Thess. 2:4) 3324 and the prophet Daniel testifies to this, speaking with a mouth that speaks proudly (Dan. 7:8) 3325. Both the words of Daniel and the words of Paul are a description of the very thing that, in the words of God to blessed Job, is compared to a cedar. Like the cedar, he, through all the pride of deception, flourishes both in strength and in tall stature. And it is well said that he quickly raises his tail, because all his strength is collected and stored in this one damned man, so that the more he accomplishes powerful and amazing things through him, the more strength would gather in him and around him. Since we have heard about what the head of the wicked is, let us now learn what members are attached to this head. The veins of its stones 3326 are intertwined together (Job 40:12) 3327. 28. This Behemoth has as many “stones” as he has preachers of his iniquity. Are it not they, his stones, that capture the hearts of people with false beliefs, pouring into them the poisonous seeds of error? And it is said that the veins of his stones are woven together, because the arguments of his preachers are connected with each other in cunning statements to pretend to be true, and to convince otherwise, so that although the intricacy of their statements can be seen like veins twisted together, yet their basis cannot be unraveled. His “stones” have “intertwined veins” because the meaning of the words of his preachers is hidden under the ambiguity of statements. But overall, when they infect hearts with their words, they generally display outwardly innocent behavior. They will not attract good to their beliefs if they act as perverts in their behavior. But since they are the stones of this beast, and are bound by sinews twisted together, they manifest themselves as supposedly good, in order to avoid unnecessary noise, and preach evil in order to attract followers, no doubt for the head, which sits like a lion in ambush, and inflates earthly joys and deceives with pretended holiness. I wish this beast could only act this way. But these stones also capture some of the believers through lust. For not only is there evil that is intertwined with what is spoken with the lips, but, even worse, that which is manifested in behavior. How many are there who do not notice the Antichrist, and yet are his stones: because they spoil the hearts of the innocent by the example of their deeds! For whoever is exalted in pride, who is lustful in self-interest, who is relaxed in the pleasures of lust, who is inflamed in unjust and immoderate anger, who is he if not the stone of Antichrist? He willingly devotes himself to his service, he gives his offspring - an example of wicked behavior. One acts wickedly, others cleave to him and also act wickedly; and the first one not only does not stop them, but even promotes them in wickedness. Who else is he then, except the stone of the Antichrist, if, throwing aside the commitment to the faith that he promised to God, he testifies in favor of errors? If you expose these individuals, they hide behind the cover of defense; since their veins are twisted together, and entangled in evil, they cannot be freed from corruption. From this it follows: Verse 13. His bones are like pipes of brass (Job 40:13) 3328. 29. In the body, they are the bones that hold the members together, and the members that stick together. This beast, since it has flesh, also has bones; because there are some wicked who support their lives in error, and others even more wicked who support others in living in error. What else can we understand by the name “bones” of the Antichrist, if not some of the most powerful people in his body? Those whose hearts have been greatly hardened in iniquity are the foundation upon which his body rests. For many rich people have appeared in our time, who, relying on their possessions and wealth, combine their strength, and spend their wealth, which supports them, in order to lead others in their own errors. At one time they seduced others, their gifts became evil, and others are bound by their gifts so that they too continue their lives of evil. What are these but the bones of Antichrist, which at the same time increase the number of the wicked by keeping them together, and support the flesh in his body? They sometimes show sweetness of speech in order to deceive their listeners, for even thorns produce flowers that smell sweet, but cause a wound that is not immediately visible. They combine sweet with bitter, soothing with harmful. They seek to be admired because of their power and, through their skill in deception, they appear to be humble, but they are easily exposed, for their behavior hints at who they really are, despite the fact that they deny it with their speech. 30. Therefore, also, the “bones” of this Behemoth are rightly compared to pipes of copper, because, no doubt, like insensible metal, they have the sound of right speech, but not the sense of right living. For they claim to be humble, but they also refute these words by living arrogantly. Paul said this well: If I speak in the tongues of men and of angels, but do not have love, then I am a sounding gossamer or a sounding cymbal (1 Cor. 13:1) 3329. For whoever speaks good things, but does not pursue those same good things through love, utters a sound like brass or a cymbal; because he himself does not feel the words that he pronounces. But there are some in the body of this beast, not glorified by honors, not supported by wealth, not adorned with the beauty of external virtues, not masters in cunning, who are yet bent on appearing such as they are not, and who are therefore more harmful to the life of the righteous. Therefore it should also Its cartilage is made of plates of iron (Job 40:13) 3330. 31. Cartilage does have the appearance of bone, but does not have the strength of bone. What is meant when its cartilage is compared to plates of iron, except that those in it who are weakest are most wickedly inclined to commit evil? Other metals are cut by iron, and his cartilage is said to be made of iron, because those in his body that are not equal in strength to the mighty of this world flare up all the more violently to cause the death of believers. Because they know that they themselves cannot create imaginary signs and miracles, they turn out to be faithful to him in their cruelty and can distort the hearts of the innocent with their beliefs. They are celebrated for their variety of ways in destroying goodness, much more than others. Therefore it is well said: His cartilage is made of plates of iron; for what seems to anyone the weakest part of his body wounds more mortally. And they are rightly compared to plates, because while they extend themselves on all sides in violence, they also extend themselves as much as possible in a plane, like plates. 32. It seems to us that it is also good for a more rigorous study to look again at some of the words of the Creator that have already been discussed, and to gather more abundant fruits of understanding of moral teaching. For we have heard about the machinations of the enemy against people, as about a person who took him into himself, and it remains for us now to explore how he works among people even on his own, without the help of that damned person. So it was said: Verse 12. He lifts up his tail quickly, like a cedar (Job 40:12) 3331. 33. The kite's first offering is soft and gentle, not pushy, and can easily be crushed with force. But if, through negligence, it has been allowed to gain strength, and has been allowed free access to the heart, it increases itself to such great power that it enslaves the mind, and grows intolerable. It is said, therefore, that he quickly raises his tail, like a cedar, because his temptation, when once given room to grow, in all subsequent attacks acts as if it came by right. This Behemoth's head is therefore grass, his tail is cedar, he fawns and humiliates himself in this first sentence, but gains great strength in habit, hardens and grows, completing the temptation. Any thing he suggests is at first easily overcome; but if you give in, you will hardly be able to overcome it. It first addresses the mind in gentle wiles, as if advising, but when it fastens in it, piercing the fang of pleasure, it is thereafter bound to it almost inextricably, by the powerful force of habit. Therefore it is well said: he quickly raises his tail. For he inflicts wounds with his fang, and then quickly binds with his tail; because if it strikes from the first sentence, it pierces the mind, and strikes with a much stronger temptation, which is practically impossible to resist. For sin exists in three forms, namely, when it is committed at the suggestion of the serpent, at the pleasure of the flesh, and with the consent of the spirit; this Hippopotamus first extends its tongue, suggesting illicit thoughts, then lures with pleasure, infecting with its bite; and finally, having received the man into his hands by the consent of the spirit, he clutches his tail. Hence, some persons who condemn within themselves the sins that are committed due to long habit, and which they avoid in judgment, cannot avoid them in action, although they really want to; This is because, when they have not crushed the head of this Behemoth, they become, often against their will, bound by its tail. It becomes so difficult because sin has grown from the tempting pleasure of its beginning to a forcible retention. It is said that he quickly raises his tail, like a cedar, so that each person tries the more to avoid the beginnings of temptation, the more he understands that he cannot defeat it after it sprouts. 34. It is also known that for those whom he has seized, he generally proposes heavier sins when he knows they are nearing the end of this life: and that the more he endeavors to consummate the temptation, the heavier the burden of iniquity he lays upon them. The hippopotamus, therefore, quickly raises its tail, like a cedar, because those whom it has captured with its tail it makes worse towards the end; because the closer the end of his temptations are, the more powerful they become. For he is engaged in making their suffering equal to his own punishment, and the more vehemently he strives to increase every sin before death. But often this Behemoth has the heart of someone who is already dying, but Divine grace pushes him away; and the gift of mercy throws out the one to whom the will has brought itself into captivity. And when it is thrown out of the heart, it seeks to inflict sharp wounds of sin so that the mind will again fall under the attack of its words, releasing those waves of temptations that it recognized when it possessed it. This is well described in the Gospel, when the unclean spirit was told by the Lord to leave a person. About the boy who was possessed by a spirit and was presented to Him, it is written: the spirit is dumb and deaf! I command you, come out of it and do not enter it again. And he cried out and shook him violently and came out (Mark 9:25-26): Behold, he did not tear him apart when he had him, he tore him apart when he went out; because it undoubtedly disturbs the thoughts of the mind more desperately when forced by Divine power to come out quickly. From that which he possessed as a dumb spirit, he came out screaming: therefore often, when everything is at his disposal, he inflicts lesser temptations; but when it erupts from the heart, it disturbs it with more violent attacks. Therefore it is well said that he takes root and sprouts with his tail like a cedar, because, having a heart, he always increases in malice in the end; and when leaving the heart, it strikes it with severe wounds of thoughts. But, through the wonderful compassion of the Creator, the subtler temptations of this Behemoth are also revealed to us when we partake; The veins of its stones are intertwined together. 35. The veins of his stones are the deadly arguments of his tricks. From there he awakens the power of his cunning, and corrupts the fickle hearts of people. His stones are evil proposals with which he rages in the perversion of the mind, and gives birth to the offspring of evil deeds in depraved souls. But the veins of these stones are woven together, because the arguments of his proposals are connected with each other by complex combinations; in order to commit a lot of sin in any case, they line up in such a way that even though the victims might want to avoid the sin, they cannot avoid it without becoming entangled and drawn into another sin; so that when they make a mistake, they will not be able to release one sin from themselves unless they agree to be bound by another. We will explain this point of view by showing some examples of this entrapment from the general affairs of men. 36. For example, one person, seeking to gain the friendship of this world, binds himself with an oath to another, who seeks the same thing, that he will keep his secrets in complete secrecy; but it turned out that the one to whom he swore was guilty of adultery, so much so that he even sought to kill the husband of the adulteress. And the one who has sworn begins to struggle in his own mind and is overcome by various thoughts. On the one hand, he is afraid to remain silent on this issue, so as not to become an accomplice in murder by remaining silent, but at the same time he is afraid to reveal it, so as not to become an apostate. The veins of stones are therefore intertwined together, because no matter what decision he is inclined to make, he will become a criminal in any case. 37. The other, having abandoned all worldly things, seeks spiritual development, and wants to present himself in obedience to the will of the other. But he had not carefully examined the character of him who should govern him in the Lord. And when the one who was foolishly chosen began to dominate him, he began to forbid the things of God and to enjoin the things of the world. The man under him must therefore fall either into the sin of disobedience, or into that which is the pollution of secular life, and he is both afraid to obey and afraid to disobey; what should be done - in obedience to leave God with His commandments, or in disobedience to the one whom he chose, again to abandon God, showing disobedience. In obeying wicked orders, he must go against God in order to carry out what He has chosen for God's sake; or again, not obeying, must, in his own judgment, condemn the one whom he sought as his judge. He is thus, through the fault of his indiscretion, bound by veins of stones intertwined together, because either by obeying or by disobeying he binds himself with the sin of crime. The veins, therefore, are woven together if the arguments of the enemy so bind us that the knots of sins are held the more strongly the more we strive to free ourselves. 38. Another, neglecting to think about the spiritual meaning of the church hierarchy, ascends through bribes to a high place of service. But because every eminent position in this world brings more sorrow than joy, when the heart is burdened with adversity and failure, his guilt reverberates in his memory: and the person laments that he achieved the position by wrong means, and realizes how wrong this is his behavior, being crushed by the difficulties that have befallen him. Thus admitting that he is guilty of bribery, he wants to renounce the high position that he has acquired: but he is afraid that it will become an even more serious sin to leave the flock that he is obliged to look after. He wants to care for the flock, and he is afraid that it will be a greater guilt if he undermines the flock's faith in pastoral grace. Therefore, in search of a way out, he becomes entangled in sin even more on all sides. Anyone sees guilt both in abandoning the flock, which he has taken under his own responsibility, and in occupying a holy place purchased by secular means. He is afraid to move in every direction, and is shrouded in suspicious fear on all sides. Because, then, it is Behemoth that binds us in such tangled knots that the mind, when it falls into doubt, binds itself even more firmly in sin, the more it tries to free itself from sin. Therefore, it is correctly said that the veins of its stones are intertwined together. The more the arguments of evil are weakened on the one hand, as if freeing us, the more they are intertwined on the other. 39. There is, however, a plan which can be profitably adopted. Namely, that when the mind is in bondage between the lesser and the greater of sins, if there is no way out for escape that is pure from sin, the lesser evil must be chosen: because even he who has shut himself up with walls on all sides, so as not to escape, throws himself headfirst in the place where the wall is lower. And Paul, when he observed certain people in the Church suffering from intemperance, in order that they might avoid greater sin, says: Because of fornication, each one should have his own wife (1 Cor. 7:2) 3332. But married people are then only without sin in their relationship, when they get together, not to satisfy lust, but to bear children, and in order to show that this decision is also not without sin, although less, he immediately added: But I say this as a permission, and not as a command (1 Cor. 7:6) 3333. When we are limited by doubt, we must yield to the limit, for fear of sinning unforgivably more. The intricacy of the veins of this Behemoth is also often unraveled when we move to the greatest virtues as a result of committing small sins. Verse 19. His bones are like pipes of brass (Job 40:13) 3334. 40. What do the “bones” of a given Behemoth signify, if not its sentences? For just as the strength of the body is supported by the bones, so his evil deeds are supported by his cunning proposals. For he does not immediately oppress by force, but he destroys by the craftiness of his deadly exhortations. And just as the strength of the spirit strengthens the bones of the body, his genius, infused with the strength of spiritual nature, strengthens these “bones” of his - sentences. And in this his “stones” differ from his “bones”. The first are those of his proposals that he openly exposes as harmful, and the second are, as it were, veiledly recommending. He promotes the former in open battle, but the latter through shadow intrigues. That’s why his “bones” compare well with copper pipes. Trumpets of copper are generally adapted to sonorous melodies, and when they reach the ears, they delicately pronounce soothing sounds that create tension and attract to external charms; and through the sweet sound they utter, they weaken the masculinity of the heart with a flood of pleasure. And when the ear turns to pleasure, the mind relaxes and loses the firmness of its strength. Also, when his insidious sentences are constructed, so to speak, with tender foresight, they remove the determination of intention from the heart, and when they utter sweet sounds, they dispose to harmful things. They are like trumpets of brass because when a person hears them, he takes pleasure in withdrawing the mind from internal discipline and immersing himself in the pleasures of outer life. After all, this Behemoth specifically labors in presenting his deception in such a way as to be able to pronounce sweetly what he says when he puts forward his scheme of evil, as if for our good, so that he can deceive the mind by placing in the first place the imaginary utility, behind which the guilt is hidden. 41. We will understand this more clearly in every respect if we briefly outline some of the arguments of his exhortations. For example, a person, holding to his convictions, decided not to try to succeed in the pursuits of this world, greatly fearing the loss of inner peace and tranquility and disdaining the accumulation of wealth and sin. The crafty enemy seeks to approach him in order to undermine his intention of sincere devotion, and secretly puts forward a proposal, as if in his favor, saying the following. You have what is enough for you at present, but what will you do when you fail after a while? For if you produce nothing during this time, achieve nothing, how will you provide for your children? Even what you already have, you will lose. Many are successful in worldly affairs, and yet avoid sin, they are respected businessmen, and live according to their conscience. He hints with these thoughts and whispers them gently but constantly; and already secretly sets traps for sin in worldly affairs, which a person, following temptation, begins to engage in. His bones are therefore like pipes of brass, for his disastrous suggestions gently draw the listener in with the sweet sound of the voice that gives them such advice. 42. Another also made the decision not only not to seek worldly success, but to give up everything he possessed in order to advance in spiritual growth. He constantly lightens the soul and refuses things that could burden their owner. The eternal enemy addresses his heart with a secret suggestion, saying: Where did the courage of such great audacity come from that you decided to believe that you could exist by removing all these things from your life? Your Creator made you what you are, and put you in the place where you are, and you want something else: He would have made you much stronger if He would have you follow in His footsteps of a life of need. Most people do not leave their earthly estates, and yet acquire on them, through compassion, humility, and repentance, the eternal benefits of the heavenly inheritance. He says this with flattery; but secretly in his deception he promotes the deadly pleasures derived from the things he advises to preserve. His bones, therefore, are like pipes of brass, because while his cunning constructions sound outwardly soothing, they are in fact mortally terrifying. 43. The other, having given up all his external things, gives himself over to the obedience of the will of the other. The crafty enemy addresses him the more gently, the more ardently he tries to push him down from his sublime desires, and servilely admonishes him with deadly proposals, saying: what great miracles do you want to be able to perform yourself, if you in any case submit to the opinion of another? Why are you questioning the progress of your life? Why do you suppress the goodness of your intention when you are going to postpone your development further than necessary, at the will of another? After all, you have achieved a lot by living according to your own will? Why are you looking for someone else’s decision over you, if you yourself are completely sufficient for a holy life? He says these things in a flattering tone, but he secretly prepares the indulgence of a person's own desire, creates pride for its implementation, and while he praises his heart with the awareness of his inner rightness, he cunningly seeks where to undermine it with sin. His bones, therefore, are like pipes of copper, because his secret proposals, which sweetly flatter and delight the mind, fatally distract it from the right intention. 44. Another, has already completely subdued his will, many sins have already been corrected, both by changing his life and by crying repentance; and with greater zeal he helps others get rid of sins, the more he gets rid of sins himself, leaving the captivity of his iniquities. The crafty enemy, noting that his zeal for righteousness benefits others besides himself, attacks him with words that exhort and advise him, as if for his benefit, saying: Why do you afflict yourself and stunt your growth by being considerate of other people? You could already have much greater strength if you took care of yourself! Don't you think that by becoming involved in the needs of others, you stop going further? And what good is it if you wiped away the blood of someone else’s wound, but neglected to fight your own sins? When he speaks like this, as if giving useful advice, he takes away the zeal to help his neighbor, and destroys with the secret sword of laziness, all that good that can bring help to others. For if we are commanded to love our neighbors as ourselves, we must do everything with zeal for them as for ourselves. He alienates the mind from its good decision by giving flattering advice, therefore it is rightly said that his bones are like pipes of copper. For when his wiles produce a pleasant sound in the mind of the listener, he sings like a trumpet of brass to deceive through his temptations. In fact, this Behemoth begins his temptations even more carefully when, under the cover of weakness, he sits in ambush. But then he raises stronger temptations, when he hides the sources of iniquity before the eyes of the tempted one, under the appearance of virtue. Therefore it is correctly added: Its cartilage is like a plate of iron. 45. Cartilage has the appearance of bone, but does not have the strength of bone. And there are some vices that take on the appearance of righteousness, but which come from the weakness of sin. And the malice of our enemy manifests itself with such skill that mistakes appear as virtues before the eyes of a deceived mind; so much so that a person expects, so to speak, a reward for behavior that in fact deserves to face eternal punishment. For example, cruelty often manifests itself in punishment, and is mistakenly considered justice; immoderate anger is hidden under righteous zeal, and when sinners must be carefully brought to repentance of sinful habits, they close within themselves, being forcibly broken. Often carelessness or negligence is seen as gentleness and patience, and while criminals are considered virtuous in this life, they will remain in eternal punishment. Extravagance is considered compassion; the intransigence of the wicked is often called constancy, when the mind is not subject to turning away from evil, it is glorified as if something right was being defended. Inconstancy is often seen as compliance, and therefore, although a person does not keep his word to anyone, he considers himself good to all people. Fear is sometimes mistaken for humility, and when a man, oppressed by temporary fear, shrinks into silence and does not defend the truth, he thinks that, in accordance with the command of God, he is humiliating himself before his superiors. Sometimes arrogant and proud speeches are mistaken for a righteous defense of the truth. Laziness is often regarded as the preservation of the world, and although it is a grave offense not to be zealous for what is right, it is considered the most worthy virtue. Restlessness of spirit is often called attentive care or even zeal, and when a person cannot calm down and rest, he thinks that he is doing an exercise in virtue. Carelessness in little things, which should be done with praiseworthy diligence and attention, is forgiven, because the sooner the work is done, the better. When error masquerades as virtue, we must clearly understand that the mind becomes aware of its guilt more slowly, and it does not blush with shame for what it does; the mind realizes its guilt more slowly, being deceived by the external resemblance to virtue, and it strives for reward for behavior instead of repentance. But sin is easy to eliminate only if the mind turns red with shame, when the act is perceived as a mistake. And a mistake is corrected with great difficulty when a person believes that it is a virtue. Therefore, it is rightly said that its cartilage is like a plate of iron. The more insidiously this Behemoth hides his cunning under the guise of virtue, the more firmly he entices the mind into sin. 46. Therefore, sometimes those who seek the path of holiness, falling into error, are corrected, but slowly. For they believe that they are doing the right thing, and devote their persistence to the practice of vice, believing that they do it for the strengthening of virtue. They believe that what they are doing is right, and therefore contribute to the deepening of their delusions. Accordingly, when Jeremiah said: Her princes were in her purer than snow, whiter than milk; they were redder than old ivory, their appearance was more beautiful than sapphire, and now their face is darker than burnt coal; they are not recognized on the streets; he rightly added that immediately their skin stuck to their bones and became as dry as a stick (Lam. 4:7–8) 3335. What is meant by the word “Princes” if not a temperate and chaste life, which, as they say, is whiter than snow and milk? Snow is frozen water coming from above; and the milk is squeezed out of the flesh, and nourishes those below. Therefore, “snow” is the brightness of heavenly life, and “milk” is the orderliness of temporary life. And because temperate and chaste people in the Church often do such wonderful things that many who also strive for heavenly life, and many who have correctly ordered earthly life, have not surpassed them, they are said to be whiter than snow, and purer than milk. And since they sometimes display the ardor of their spirit to such an extent that they surpass the ancient and powerful fathers, they are rightfully associated, more ruddy than old ivory. For where the word "blush" is used, the flame of holy desire is indicated. We know that ivory is the tusk of great animals. They are more ruddy than old ivory, because they often glow with more ardent jealousy than some of the previous fathers. And then added to lay it all out at once; more beautiful than sapphire. Sapphire is the color of the sky. And because they are superior to many who are before them and who have reached the sky, it is said that their appearance is more beautiful than a sapphire. But when the abundance of virtue increases beyond what is expedient, the mind often comes to a kind of self-confidence, and, deceived by self-reliance, suddenly becomes dark with sin. From here it is rightfully added that their face is darker than coal. For they become black after whiteness, because, having lost righteousness before God, when they suppose that righteousness is their own merit, they immediately fall into those sins which they do not understand; and because after the fire of love, they come to the cold of numbness, they are compared to burnt coals. Sometimes when they lose the fear of God through self-confidence, they become even colder than cold minds. And then he rightfully joins; they are not recognized on the streets. Street (Platea), according to the Greek language, means “straight and narrow path.” But what is the straight and narrow path for a person's mind, if not to crush his will? That is why the Truth says: Enter through the narrow gate (Matthew 7:13) 3336. And what could be more expansive than when we do not fight against any desires coming from us, and expand ourselves forward without restrictions? They, then, are those who, through the confidence of their holiness, began to follow themselves, and put aside the opinion of those above, took the broad path. And they are not known on the streets because they made their lives different when they walked by their own will, instead of keeping themselves on the narrow and straight road. And it is well added that their skin stuck to their bones. What could “bones” mean here, if not the hardness of strength; and what is “skin” if not the softness of infirmity? Their skin is said, therefore, to cleave to their bones, because through their depraved judgment, weakness is considered by them to be the strength of strength. Their deeds are weak, but from the deception of pride, they associate them with concepts of strength, and because they have a very high opinion of themselves, they despise being corrected for their atrocities. Therefore it is rightly added: she became dry as a stick. Their guilt becomes less palpable to them the more they believe it deserves praise. And it is rightly said that it is “dry”, because nothing ever blossoms of its own accord. What Jeremiah calls “skin,” meaning weakness, is called “cartilage” in the book of blessed Job because of its fragility, as opposed to “bones,” which are hard. But let us hear more about this Behemoth, about his character and origin, who, together with his members, fights against the chosen ones of God with such skill in iniquity, and who in his own person reveals himself with such great cunning cunning. For he would not be able to perform such miracles if he did not have such a powerful origin. Therefore, the Lord speaks of his strength and adds with great attention, Verse 14. He is the chief of the ways of God (Job 40:14) 3337. 47. As if it were directly said: it has strength sufficient for many purposes, because in the nature of things the Creator created it first, when creating it in matter. What do we mean by God's "ways" if not His actions? He speaks about them through the prophet: My ways are not your ways (Is. 55:8) 3338. And Behemoth, as it is said, is the chief of the ways of God, because, without a doubt, when He began to create, He created him first, whom He made more distinguished than the other Angels. The Prophet saw this excellence when he said: The cedars in the garden of God did not darken it; The cypresses were not equal to its branches, and the chestnuts were not the size of its branches, not a single tree in the garden of God equaled it in beauty. I adorned it with many branches thereof, so that all the trees of Eden in the garden of God envied it (Ezek.31:8-9) 3339. What could cedars, cypresses, and chestnuts mean, if not heavenly virtues of high height, blooming in the greenery of eternal joy? But they, although they were created tall, could not equal him. And he, as it is said, was more beautiful with his numerous and dense branches, because he was taller than others, in an outfit more beautiful than many angels. This tree in the garden of God had, so to speak, the most luxurious greenery, and he saw legions of heavenly spirits stationed beneath it. And therefore, when he sinned, he was condemned without mercy, because he was created better. Therefore it is said through the same prophet: you were the seal of the likeness of God, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty in the joy of the paradise of God (Ezek. 28:12-13) 3340. Everything is said about his greatness in the first words. What virtue did he not possess if he was a seal of the likeness of God? For from the seal of the ring such a likeness is impressed into the image, as it exists in the seal itself. And although man was created in the likeness of God, something more is ascribed to the angel, when it is said, not that he was created in the likeness of God, but that he was the seal of the likeness of God; in order that, being more subtle in nature, the likeness of God might be more fully impressed upon him. 48. Consequently, the same prophet also speaks of the power of his superiority: Every precious stone in your garments was, ruby, topaz and diamond, peridot, onyx, jasper, sapphire, carbuncle and emerald (Ezek. 28:13) 3341. He noted nine types of stones, undoubtedly because there are nine orders of angels. The very words of Scripture name Angels, Archangels, Principalities, Dominions, Powers and Powers, Thrones, Cherubim and Seraphim, which are expressly mentioned, and show how great the differences are among the inhabitants of heaven. And yet this Behemoth is described as adorned with them, because he had them as ornaments on his clothes, and in comparison with which he was more colorful and beautiful. Even more description is added in this passage: Your beauty is worked with gold, and the holes were prepared in the day of your creation (Ezek. 28:13) 3342. The gold work is beautiful, it is said, because it shone forth with the brightness of the wisdom which it received when it was created. And holes were made in the stones for it, so that, being connected with each other with gold, they could be combined into ornamental compositions, and could not be separated from each other. Gold would bind them together, as in jewelry, where gold is poured into the holes of the stones and it fills them. The holes in these stones were prepared on the day of his creation, because he was the first to be created capable of love. And if he wished, he could unite all the angels, like the stones in the king's ornament. And if he filled them with the gold of love, connecting the holy Angels through himself, he could, as we have already said, firmly fix all the stones in the king’s ornament. Therefore, the stones had holes, but, through the sin of pride, they were not filled with the gold of love. The stones are fastened with gold so as not to fall, but he fell, despite the great hand of the Master, because he despised being bound by the bonds of love. But now, the other stones that remained, and in which holes were prepared for him, are bound together by mutual love, and, notwithstanding his fall, they will now never be weakened or fall from the king's ornament. The same prophet, continuing to describe the sublimity of his superiority, says: You were the stretching and covering Cherub, you were on the holy mountain of God, you walked among the stones of fire (Ezek. 28:14) 3343. Cherub means "Fullness of Knowledge" and he is therefore called a Cherub because he had no doubt that he surpassed anyone and everyone in his knowledge. And he walked among the fiery stones, because he lived among the hearts of Angels, who burned with the fire of love, with the bright glory of their creation. And it is rightly said of him as extending and covering. For we extend over everything and cover everything that we protect and that we transcend. And because he covered the brightness of others, in comparison with his brightness, he is also said to be extending and covering. For he who goes beyond the greatness of others in his great perfection covers them, so to speak, with his shadow. Because, as it is said in one place that he is the crown of beauty and the seal of likeness, in another - a cherub, and in another that he covers all the angels, in the book of Job it is declared by the voice of the Lord that this Behemoth is the chief of the ways of God. 49. But He mentions these miracles about him in order to say once again what he had and what he lost in order to directly show the blessed man what happened to the one guilty of pride; He did not refrain from punishing the one whom He had exalted above all His creations to the glory of such great brightness. Let a person then decide what he deserves for his pride on earth, even if an Angel, incomparably higher than other Angels, was cast out of Heaven. Therefore, the prophet also said well: For My sword is drunk in heaven (Is. 34:5) 3344, as if he was directly saying, think with what wrath I will strike pride on earth, if I struck for the sin of pride even those whom I created next to Me in Heaven. Having now heard of the many skills of the ancient enemy, knowing the greatness of the Kingdom in which he was created, who will not be afraid and who will not be plunged into despair? But as the demonstration of the power of our enemy subdues our pride, the Lord also comforts our weakness by revealing the dispensation of His grace. Therefore, when he calls it “the chief of the ways of God,” He immediately adds: He who created him can bend his sword (Job 40:14) 3345. 50. The sword of this Behemoth refers to his malice in causing suffering. But his sword can be bent by He Who created it. His anger is restrained by the Divine dispensation, and it is not allowed to hit the minds of people as much as he wants. Therefore, therefore, although our enemy has greater strength, he strikes less. The goodness of our Creator bends his sword so that it leans back, and so that his malice does not spread further than righteously commanded from above. He has great power for many things, which he received from the original thanks to the power of the Creator; but as he is defeated by some, his sword is undoubtedly bent back by his Maker. For when this Behemoth, who is the chief of the ways of God, received permission to practice temptation against a holy man, he awakened the nations, he took away the flocks, he cast fire from heaven, he stirred up the air and awakened the winds, he overturned the house, he killed the sons as they feasted together ( Job 1:19 ) and he used the mind of the wife in the craft of evil persuasion, he pierced the flesh of the husband with wounds ( Job 2:9-10 ) 3346 . But his sword is bent back by his Creator when it is said to preserve his life (Job 6). And how great his weakness immediately became when his sword was bent back, as, for example, it is described by the evangelist that he was unable to be in the person he possessed, and again that he could not even attack animals without permission, saying: if you drive us out, then send us into the herd of swine (Matthew 8:31) 3347. For it is shown how much his sword of malice is bent back, since he will not be able to attack even a herd of pigs unless permission is given to him. How can he do anything of his own accord to hurt people who are made in the image of God, when it is certainly clear that he cannot even afford to touch pigs without permission? 51. We must also understand that when Behemoth is called the main way of God, the teaching of Arius is refuted for a simple reason. He says that the Son of God is a creation, but Behemoth is presented by the Lord himself as the first created in the creation of things. It remains therefore for Arius either to assert that the Son is not a creation, or to believe in the stupidity that He was created after Behemoth. But since every thing that bends bends again, Behemoth is rightly called a sword curved back. His malice is self-absorbed when, being forbidden, he does not manifest himself fully according to his desire, against the life of the elect. But he is allowed to strike many as their virtues deserve, so that when they leave God they can try to fight off the sword of the accursed enemy. But he is defeated the more by the chosen ones, the more they bow in greater humility before the Only Creator of all things. And we are directly told that he is the main one of God’s ways, so that when the Lord allows this, we know clearly what a strong enemy we are fighting; Therefore, it remains for each of us to humble ourselves before our Creator with greater zeal, the more we realize the mighty power of our enemy. What are we if not dust? If he is not just one of the heavenly spirits, but created by the greatest of them? How then can we count on our own strength when we, the dust, stand against the Angel created by the main and the best? But since the Creator of the heavenly spirits has assumed an earthly body, the humble dust now rightly overcomes the haughty angel. By adhering to true power, a person gains the opportunity that the apostate spirit lost by following himself. And the one who believed that he was strong when he left his Creator to be conquered by dust, so that he did learn defeat, which he failed because of pride. And therefore the proud deserve to be overthrown, thereby the humble deserve to be exalted, since the heavenly spirit can withstand hell, exalting itself, and dust, through humility, can reign forever above the heavens. I have experienced all this through wisdom; I said: “I will be wise”; but wisdom is far from me. behold, I am insignificant; How will I answer You? Not many become teachers, knowing that we will be subject to greater condemnation. but none of the people can tame the tongue. Blessed are those whose iniquities are forgiven and whose sins are covered. but everything is naked and open before His eyes... I said once, now I won’t answer, not even twice, but I won’t answer again. Or if someone recklessly swears with his mouth to do something good or bad, any matter that people foolishly swear, and he did not know it, but later finds out, then he is guilty of it. If he is guilty of any of these, and confesses what he has sinned, then let him bring to the Lord a guilt offering from the flock, a sheep or a goat, for the sin that he has committed, and the priest will cleanse him from his sin. If he is not able to bring a sheep, then as a toll for his sin, let him bring to the Lord two turtle doves or two young doves, one as a sin offering and the other as a burnt offering. Do you want to overthrow My judgment, accuse Me in order to justify yourself? Do you have a muscle like God? And can you thunder with your voice like Him? He will cover you with His feathers, and you will be safe under His wings; shield and fence - His truth. Go and cry in the ears of the daughter of Jerusalem: Thus says the Lord: I remember the friendship of your youth, your love when you were a bride, when you followed Me into the wilderness, into the land that was not sown. spreads out his wings, takes them and carries them on his feathers. ... cover me in the shadow of Your wings. Behold, I will crush you as a chariot laden with sheaves crushes. The voice says: Proclaim! And he said: What shall I proclaim? All flesh is grass, and all its beauty is like the flower of the field. I lift up My hand to heaven and (I swear by My right hand and) say: I live forever! Adorn yourself with greatness and glory, clothe yourself in splendor and splendor. The Lord reigns; He is clothed with majesty, the Lord is clothed with power (and) girded. Bless the Lord, my soul! Lord, my God! You are wonderfully great, You are clothed with glory and greatness; You dress yourself in light like a robe, you stretch out the heavens like a tent. pour out the fury of your anger, look at everything that is proud and humble it. but, possessing power, You judge leniently and rule us with great mercy, for Your power is always in Your will. and their land became desolate because of the wrath of the desolator and because of His fiery wrath. Then the Lord turned and looked at Peter, and Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He said to him: before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times. And, going out, he wept bitterly. look at all the arrogant and humiliate them, and crush the wicked in their places. for the beginning of sin is pride, and he who possesses it spews out abomination (Sir.10:15) I couldn't find the corresponding quote. bury them all in the ground and cover their faces with darkness. Ephraim mixed with the nations, Ephraim became like unturned bread. Then I also recognize that your right hand can save you. I love you, Lord, my strength! Here is the hippopotamus I made, just like you. This is the origin of the heavens and the earth at their creation, at the time when the Lord God created the earth and the sky, and every bush of the field that was not yet on the earth, and every grass of the field that had not yet grown. And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female he created them. Let us make man in Our image (and) after Our likeness. you are the seal of perfection, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty. Manichaeism (Chinese Manijiao 摩尼教) is a syncretic religious doctrine of the period of late antiquity, founded by the Persian prophet Mani, or Manes, and composed mainly of Christian-Gnostic ideas based on a specifically Gnostic understanding of the Jewish Bible, with the borrowing of some Iranian (Zoroastrianism) elements (2). Along with Zoroastrianism and Mithraism, Manichaeism was one of the most influential Iranian religions. The teaching of Mani is a dualistic teaching about the struggle between light and darkness, good and evil. Taking its origins from Gnosticism, it demanded from a certain circle of followers the strictest abstinence, especially in relation to nutrition, sex life, and physical labor. (approx.) and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. Do you see who the Lord has chosen? I couldn't find a similar quote. Perhaps, when translating the interpretation to chapter 9, we will find the necessary quote. I saw then that the wicked were buried, and they came and left the holy place, and they were forgotten in the city where they did this. And this is vanity! “Come here, stranger, prepare a table and, if you have anything, feed me.” behold, his strength is in his loins, and his strength in the muscles of his belly. Let your loins be girded and your lamps burning. Therefore, (beloved), gird up the loins of your mind. on the day you were born, your navel was not cut off. turns his tail like a cedar. The righteous blooms like a palm tree and rises like a cedar in Lebanon. The voice of the Lord breaks the cedars; The Lord breaks down the cedars of Lebanon. And I saw an angel descending from heaven, who had the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. He took the dragon, the ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and cast him into the abyss, and shut him up, and put a seal over him, so that he would no longer deceive the nations until the thousand years were ended; after this he should be released for a short time. for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been from the beginning of the world until now, nor will there be. lies in wait in a hidden place, like a lion in a den. His tail carried away a third of the stars from the sky and threw them to the ground. This dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she gave birth, he would devour her baby. and he ascended to the host of heaven, and cast down part of this host and the stars to the earth, and trampled them, and even ascended against the Leader of this host, and the daily sacrifice was taken away from Him, and the place of His sanctuary was desecrated. And the army was delivered up along with the daily sacrifice for wickedness, and he, casting the truth to the ground, acted and succeeded. At the end of their kingdom, when the apostates have fulfilled the measure of their iniquities, an insolent and skillful king will rise up in deceit; and his strength will be strengthened, although not by his own strength, and he will produce amazing devastation and will succeed in acting and destroying the mighty and the holy people... and he will cause amazing devastation and will manage to act and destroy the mighty and the holy people, and with his understanding and deceit will prosper in his hand... and he will rebel against the Lord of lords, but he will be crushed - not by hand. so that in the church of God he will sit as God, showing himself to be God. whom the Lord Jesus will kill with the spirit of His mouth and destroy by the appearance of His coming. one who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God or that is holy. I looked at these horns, and behold, another small horn came out between them, and three of the former horns were uprooted from before it, and behold, in this horn there were eyes like human eyes, and lips that spoke arrogantly And thou shalt make curtains of goats' hair to cover the tabernacle; Make eleven curtains like this. and lips that speak arrogantly. In the time of Gregory Dvoeslov (and for quite a long time after), testicles (testicles) were called “stones” for euphony in certain contexts. the veins on his thighs are intertwined. his legs are like copper pipes. If I speak in the tongues of men and angels, but do not have love, then I am a ringing brass or a sounding cymbal. his bones are like iron rods. To avoid fornication, each one should have his own wife. However, I said this as permission, and not as a command. his legs are like copper pipes; his bones are like iron rods. Her princes were purer than snow, whiter than milk; they had a body more beautiful than coral, their appearance was like sapphire; and now their face is darker than all; they are not recognized on the streets; their skin stuck to their bones and became as dry as wood. Enter at the narrow gate, for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and many go there. this is the height of God’s ways; only He who created him can bring His sword closer to him. neither are your ways my ways, says the Lord. The cedars in the garden of God did not darken it; The cypresses were not equal to its branches, and the chestnuts were not the size of its branches, not a single tree in the garden of God equaled it in beauty. I adorned it with many branches thereof, so that all the trees of Eden in the garden of God envied it. ... you are the seal of perfection, the fullness of wisdom and the crown of beauty. You were in Eden, in the garden of God;... your garments were adorned with all kinds of precious stones; ruby, topaz and diamond, peridot, onyx, jasper, sapphire, carbuncle and emerald, gold, everything skillfully placed in your nests and strung on you, was prepared on the day of your creation. You were an anointed cherub to overshadow, and I appointed you to do so; you were on the holy mountain of God, walking among the fiery stones. For My sword is drunk in heaven: behold, it comes down for judgment on Edom and on the people whom I have given over to the curse. only He who created him can bring His sword closer to him. And Satan departed from the presence of the Lord and smote Job with fierce leprosy from the sole of his foot to the very top of his head (Job 2:7) If you drive us out, then send us to the herd of pigs.