THE UNTAMABLE DRAGON This chapter begins with an enjoyable talk by God, not just addressed to ‘Job’, but to all humanity, to reveal to them the new possibilities that became ours by Jesus Christ. If Leviathan, the enemy of mankind boasts his abilities and authority, Our Christ caught him by a snare, and turned him into what is like a little sparrow for the children to play with without fear. In this chapter God admonishes ‘Job’, who more than once, sought to stand before God, face to face, to debate against Him, concerning the tribulations that dwelt upon him. Here, God presents to ‘Job’ several questions, going around one point: If you cannot confront the horrible and most fearful crocodile in the river, and catch him? How dare you seek to confront the Creator?! If no man can confront the horrible Leviathan, the river crocodile, who can destroy the life of man; and who symbolizes the devil, the real enemy of man; without a support from God; How can he enter into a confrontation against God Himself, the Grantor of conquest to man, even against the devil, and all his hosts?! 1- Who can confront Leviathan? 1 – 10 2- A description of Leviathan 11 – 34 1- WHO CAN CONFRONT LEVIATHAN? “Can you draw out Leviathan with a hook? Or snare his tongue with a line which you lower?” (Job 41: 1). In His talk to ‘Job’ about the devil, God intends to confirm to him, that even with what characterize him of strength and violence; Yet, as far as the believer is concerned, he is no more than like a large fish, that can be caught with a little snare! The identity of Leviathan; meaning here the devil; was the object of much controversy; of which: 1- He is a huge, violent and voracious aquatic creature, whose name came in the Septuagint version as ‘Dralaonate’; namely, ‘a dragon’; the way it also came in the Syrian and old 247 Arabic versions. The false prophet and the anti-Christ were likened to the sea dragon and the land dragon. 2- A unique deadly kind of venomous serpents. In certain Jewish stories, it came that a huge serpent winds itself around the entire earth, giving forth its venom on it. 3- A kind of destructive whales. 4- According to Bochart, it is the crocodile of the Nile River. 5- According to Hasaeus, it is not a whale, but an ‘Orca’; which is a kind of huge and distorted-looking aquatic creature, armed with sharp teeth that bring terror even to whales. 6- According to Grotius, it is enormous huge fish, by the name of ‘mular’ or ‘musar’, found in the Mediterranean Sea. 7- According to Scultens, it is a symbolic name of an ancient horrible animal, meaning the devil. 8- Pope Gregory the Great believes that it is given the name ‘Leviathan’ as a sort of mockery; meaning something huge and horrible. Those who think it as a kind of crocodile, depend on the following facts: 1- There are no whales in the Mediterranean or in the rivers in this region; but the crocodile were abundant in the River Nile, and in the rivers of Asia and Africa. Therefore ‘Job’ had no knowledge of the whales, but only of crocodiles. It was indeed God who was talking; and was aware of everything He created; But still, He would not talk to ‘Job’ about an animal he knew nothing about! 2- The description mentioned here applies to the crocodile, being voracious; violent; un-tamable; with a horrible mouth gape, armed with formidable teeth; with a body covered by overlapping scales; has horrible eyes; could not be caught by traditional methods used to catch wild animals; usually between 18 and 20 feet long, but may reach up to 30 feet; considered to be among the most fearsome aquatic animals; floats quietly on the surface of the water to catch any prey he finds, or hide among the papyrus reeds to jump on any animal, drag it under the water to drown it and then devour it. 248 3- What would confirm the assumption that it is a crocodile, is what came in Job 40: 15, about ‘behemoth’, also an aquatic animal, most probably (hippocampus), that also abounded in the same region of the River Nile. In some drawings in ‘Herculaneum’, we find scenes of Egyptian nature, with a crocodile lying among the water reeds, and a hippopotamus on an island nearby. In the famous mosaic in Praeneste, we find plants and animals of Egypt and Ethiopia together in the River Nile. Herodotus refers to the facts that some Egyptians in regions like Thebes, Owbite, Arsinoite, and Maadbeh (facing the city of Manphalot nowadays), used to consider the crocodile as holy, deal with it with exaggerated reverence, offer to it fish and costly food, and adorn its head with valuable jewelry and precious stones, and after its death embalm it with fragrant ointments. While in other regions, it was the other way round, people used to despise it, and use every chance to attack and destroy it. Gesenws believes that the word ‘Leviathan’ is derived from the word ‘Laowah’, when a certain animal twist its body around another animal, to kill and devour it. Herodotus mentions that among the ways to catch the crocodile was to fix a big piece of pork flesh on a snare, and let it float on the water surface. Then bring a live pig on the shore and beat it violently until it screams loud. When a crocodile is drawn by its screams, and heads toward the shore to devour it, it finds the peace of pork meat, and swallows it together with the snare. Dragging the crocodile to the shore, the hunters cover its eyes with mud to make it easy to control it, Thevonet believes that some hunters used to dig a deep hole on the shore and cover it with reeds; And when a crocodile falls in one, and cannot climb out of it, they leave it there for a few days without food to weaken it, then tie up its jaws with ropes, and drag it up. Having no tongue, or a tiny one attached to its lower jaw; and referring to usual way of drawing a fish by a snare through its 249 tongue, God asks if ‘Job’ cannot draw Leviathan by its tongue; how would he deal with the devil the enemy of all mankind?! The devil, that extremely violent and unbeatable enemy; when the living Son of God descended to our land, and incarnated, His incarnate body, or His Manhood, became the (snare) to catch the devil. Assuming that Christ, having carried a body like man, and with a like soul, he could have authority on Him, to bring Him over to His kingdom of darkness, he stirred up his followers to demand His crucifixion; not aware of the snare set for him; as by the cross he (the devil) was made of no reputation, lost his authority, and was deprived of the captives whom he took under his authority. The lord let the devil and his followers blaspheme Him, and accuse Him; not aware that by the same tongue they blasphemed the Savior of the world, he and his angels were drawn to hell. Leviathan was caught by the snare of the body of our Savior at the time of His passion, when he was stabbed to death by His Godhead. Do you understand, O ‘Job’, what I did when I sent my onlybegotten Son in flesh for the perdition of the corruptor? In My Son, the mortal body is apparent, and not the power of His eternity. This is a kind of snare that conceals the power by which it pierces the one who swallows it! “You snare his tongue with a (cord)” … The sin is symbolized by a ‘cord’, or a ‘rope’ according to the words of the prophet: “Woe to those who draw iniquity with cords of vanity” (Isaiah 5: 18) …; and: “A threefold cord is not easily broken” (Ecclesiastes 4: 18). The faith in truth, woven by the mouth of preachers, through the Holy Trinity, abides in the elect; and is only broken in the heart of the wicked. Thus here, we can understand the word ‘cord’ as (faith) or as (sin); As our incarnate Lord has bound the mouth of Leviathan by a cord (or a rope), as He appeared in the likeness of the body of sin, and condemned all the wrong teachings … Through the likeness of the body of sin, the tongue of Leviathan 250 is bound; when the truth became known, before which the vain teachings were muted! Pope Gregory the Great Now dear brethren, the devil is slain; the tyrant who is against the whole world, no longer owns death, but life prevails instead of death; When the Lord said: “I am the Life’ (John 14: 6), everything was filled with joy and gladness; according to the scripture: “The Lord reigned, let the earth rejoice” … Now, as death is no more, and the kingdom of the devil is destroyed, everyone got filled with joy and gladness. If the devil, the enemy of our race has fallen from heaven, to our lower range, he got the authority over his followers who work deceit for the sake of disobedience, not only in those who are deceived, but attempt to hinder those who are exalting upward; according to the words of the apostle: “according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who now works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2: 2). The Lord came to drive the devil away, and to cleanse the air of him, preparing the way to heaven, “through the veil, that is, His flesh” (Hebrew 19; 20); … What kind of death can realize this, but the death that takes place in the air; namely on the cross?! … By being lifted up on the cross, the lord cleansed the air of the evil of the devil; according to the words of the Lord Himself: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10: 18); by which a new inauguration for the way to heaven was realized, according to the words of the Psalmist: “Lift up your heads, O you gates! And be lifted up, you everlasting doors!” (Psalm 24: 7 – the Septuagint). … The divine Word was in no need for the gates to be opened; as being the Lord of all, nothing of his works is closed before Him; but it is us who need the opening of the gates; Carrying us in His body, He prevailed on death to our account, and paved for us the way to heaven1. 1 De Incar. 25. 251 The Lord got in touch with every particle of His creation, and set it free from all the deceits of falsity and illusion; And according to the words of the apostle Paul, He disarmed by Himself the principalities and powers, triumphing over them on the cross; that no one after Him would be deceived, but find everywhere the word of the true God1. St. Pope Athanasius the apostolic The Lord, by standing fast before the temptations of the enemy, to give the conquest back to humanity; made the devil a plaything; as David proclaimed: “Leviathan You have made to play there” (Psalm 104: 26); and: “You have broken the heads of Leviathan on the waters”. And the Lord proclaims in the book of ‘Job’ that Leviathan, in this temptation, will become a plaything: “You draw out Leviathan with a hook” (Job 41: 1) 2. Father Khromotius The devil is deceived through being wounded with his own sting; and through immunizing the one he intended to weaken, against him. The blessed ‘Job’ got immunized when he was wounded; his whole body got covered with sores; endured the stings of the devil, and resisted the effect of his venom. It is well said to him: ‘You draw out leviathan with a hook”; you play with him the way a kid plays with a sparrow; and you lay your hand on him” (Job 41: 1, 5, 8 LXX). You saw how Paul ridiculed him, when the serpent took hold of his hand, and could not harm him. He drew Satan from his hidden place, and turned his venom meant for the destruction of the flesh, into a balsam to heal the spirit; as what harms the flesh would benefit the spirit (1 Corinthians 5: 5). Therefore, I shall let the serpent strike everything earthly in my body; I shall let her bite my flesh and turn it blue; Then the Lord will say about me: “Behold, he is in your hand, but spare his life” (Job 2: 6). 1 De. Incarn. 45. 2 Tractates on Matt. .(صدیق روفینوس وجیروم) . 14: 5 252 How amazing! God delivers the keeping of the soul of man, into the hand of the devil who wishes to destroy him ! … By the command of the Lord, the devil became the keeper of His flock; … Against his own will, he turned into an executioner of the commandments of heaven; And despite his cruelty, he became obedient to the commandments of meekness1! The day of the crucifixion of our Lord, turned into a day of great tribulation and grief for the devil and his hosts; because by His death and His descent to Hades, He did to them what He previously did to Pharaoh and the Egyptians; … He delivered the sons of men from their bondage, the way He delivered the children of Israel from the land of Egypt2. St. Ambrose Despite the abundance of boasting and insolence of the devil, the Savior caught him as a great dragon (Leviathan) by a fishhook (Job 41: 1); and as a beast He pressed down its tongue with a line, put a reed through his nose, and pirced his jaw with a hook (Job 41: 2). The Lord chained him to let us play with him as a bird (Job 41: 5), together with his followers, the demons, as serpents and scorpions (Luke 10: 19), for us to trample them under our feet3. Pope Athanasius the apostolic “Can you put a reed through his nose, or pierce his jaw with a hook?” (Job 41: 2). Pope Gregory the Great believes that the openings of the nose refer to his deceit; whereas the reed refers to the divine might. If the devil keeps blowing his deceits and tricks as though from his nose, in order to let man fall into a series of sins, then into despair to become unable to stand upright; Yet the mercies of the Almighty God nullifies these deceits, fills man with hope in the 1 On Repentance 1: 13:64-65. 2 On Belief in the Resurrection 2:110. 3 Vita antonii, 24. 253 forgiveness of his sins, and makes him stand by the grace of God working in him. Although some believe that He means the jewelries by which some Egyptians used to adorn the crocodile as a god; Yet it is obvious that The talk here is not concerning worshipping the crocodile and adorning it as a god, but concerning his violence that makes it difficult to tame him. “A reed” (agmon), a kind of rope, refers to the fact that Leviathan enjoys a tremendous strength that makes it impossible to put a rope around his ears to bind his jaws. It was the custom in the east to put a ring in the ear of oxen and cows to drag them by it. “A hook” (choach), a collar. It was the custom and still is to pierce an iron hook in the jaw of the big fish caught, to hang it in water by a rope, until the time comes to draw it out, when there is a buyer1. “Will he make many supplications to you? Will he speak softly to you?” (Job 41: 3). When man falls into captivity, he would humbly make supplications to his captors; But not the devil; being like a fierce animal, he would not stop struggling, even after being caught, in an attempt to find a chance to devour his catcher. He knows no language of compassion. The devil may utter soft words to the incarnate Son, saying: “I know You, who You are – the Holy One of God” (Luke 4: 34); and may make supplications to Him, as he did through ‘Legion’, saying: “If You cast us out, permit us to go away into the herd of swine” (Matthew 8: 31). Pope Gregory the Great The devil always works hard, especially when he faces the risk of losing his spoil2. 1 James M. Freeman: Manners and Customs of the Bible, Logos International Plainfield. N J, 1972, p. 215. 2 Homilies on Corinthians, 43:5. 254 He is always consistent, and would never despair! We should learn from this, that even if we fall a thousand times, and stand upright again; the devil would never quit or hesitate to go on fighting us. The prophet Zechariah teaches us that “the angels go to and fro throughout the earth” (Zechariah 1: 10-11); That miserable devil, does the same, to be more condemned for his evil, and for us to be more cautious toward him, who is called “the ruler of the darkness of this age” (Ephesians 6: 12). Speak out, O devil, what have you done? He says: I went to and fro throughout the earth, and here I am!. What have you achieved by going to and fro? … Having achieved nothing good or of benefit, he does not answer. St. John Chrysostom Although the devil never submit, nor calm down, even when defeated once and several times; The Lord Christ has cast out many demons from several people. Sometimes the demons humbly confess that He is the “Holy One of God”, hoping that He would not torture them, other times they ask his permission to enter into a herd of swine; or ask Him: Why did you come to torture us? … So it will be with him, who bears the Lord Christ inside him; Before him the demons would get confused, as though supplicating to him not to fight them by his prayers, and through his deep fellowship with the Savior. As the believers make a practical renewable covenant with God, and set themselves free from the covenant done with the devil, the devil would collapse; because instead of them being enslaved to him, he would be enslaved to them; His venomous tricks and deceit against them would turn to their edification, justification, and glorification. Through His passion “the Lord ascended on high, led captivity captive, gave gifts to men” (Psalm 68: 18; Ephesians 4: 8). He granted those who believe in him the authority to trample on the 255 serpents and scorpions, and all power do the enemy; namely an authority over the leader of apostasy1. St. Erinaos Here, the ‘immunizing protection’ goes hand in hand with a permission to be stricken; The divine ordinance is realized through protecting, as well as through forsaking the elect servant; namely, while being forsaken, he is protected. This way the blessed ‘Job’ was delivered into the hand of his adversary (Job 2: 6), while his soul was kept in the hand of God, his Helper; being among His flock, about whom He says: “No one shall snatch them out of My hand” (John 10: 28). Moreover, ‘Lucifer’ would never be seen (by the believers) standing again. About him, Isaiah says: “Lucifer, the son of the morning has fallen from heaven, is cut down to the ground” (Isaiah 14: 12); referring to that by falling from heaven down to earth, he would never regain his past honors; ….God gives him, who would not be deceived by the traitor, the authority to trample on him by his feet, and to cut him to pieces. Father Hecichius of Jerusalem “Will he make a covenant with you? Will you take him as a servant forever?” (Job 41: 4). He refers to the fact that that animal, even if he falls in trap, would never enter into a covenant with man, or consent to serve him; he could not be tamed. We often, assuming that we are strong, would not be harmed by sin, and would not be deceived by the enemy; we become slothful toward the sin, by which we open the door to the devil, thinking that he has become our servant forever. That way, Eve opened the door before Leviathan, by entering into a conversation with the serpent, and by intending to make a covenant, together with her husband, and her descendants, with the devil and his hosts. Assuming that he would reveal to her the way to enjoy divinity and knowledge; she instead, fell into the humiliation of servitude to him. Entering into a debate with the devil, to make 1 Adv. Haer 5:24:2:20:3. 256 covenants with him, would never benefit us, but would rather bring us down to eternal perdition. On the other hand, the devil, during the temptation on the mount, presented several offers to the Lord Christ, But when the Lord rejected them, “The devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him” (Matthew 4: 11). You are not alone in doing evil, but there is always the devil, who suggests it to you, and who violently provokes you to do it; yet without having the authority to commit anyone to accept his suggestions; hence the Scripture says: “In case the spirit of the oppressor comes upon you, do not forsake your position” 1. If you shut your door, and drive him away from you, he would not be able to harm you; but if you slothfully receive the evil thought, his deceit would take root in you, he would seduce your mind with his tricks, and would bring you down to the pit of evil. You may say: I am a believer; no lust can come into me, even if I think much about it! Don’t you know that, through consistent pressure, the stem of a tree can break up a rock?! Do not allow the seed of evil to find a place in you, lest it would destroy your faith, and tear it apart; Root evil out before it produces flowers; lest through slothfulness at the beginning, it would need axes and even fire! Treat any inflammation in your eyes in due time, before it causes more damage, that even an able physician would not be able to cure2. St. Cyril of Jerusalem “Will you play with him as with a bird? Or will you put him on leach for your little girls?” (Job 41: 5). For fun, birds could be put in cages for little girls to enjoy watching them; and sometimes ignorant parents may even put a bird on a leach for the children to play with. But that is not the case with Leviathan! 1 جا 4 :10 . ا رجع أیضا أف 27 :4 "ولا تعطوا إبلیس مكانا". 2 Catechetical Lectures, 23:3. 257 The devil may assume that he is the prince of this world, on whom no one could have any authority; not realizing that, once the incarnate Word delivered Himself a sacrifice for the whole world, the devil lost his kingdom, became a helpless captive, and was put on a leach, for the little children to play with, and to trample on him with their feet. God turns His believers into a spiritual army of salvation, against their only enemy -- the devil and his angels; He trains His believers on the spiritual fight, And grants, even the children the possibility of conquest. It is said about the church which was like dry bones cast away on the valley: ”Breath came into them, and they lived, and stood upon their feet, an exceedingly great army” (Ezekiel 37: 10). And that she is: “Awesome as an army with banners” (Songs 6: 4). Pope Gregory the Great believes that the devil in his deceit uses every possible way to deceive man. He may appear to him as a weed-eating ox; as Leviathan in the water, that could be caught with a snare; or even as a bird of prey in the air. He chases man wherever he finds him on land, in the sea, or in the air. Yet, despite his dangerous and even deadly tricks, being foolish, he lost his glory and his eternity. God, indeed, played with him as with a bird; when He gave him the bait in the passion of His only-begotten Son; then caught him in the net. Pope Gregory the great We stand in awe before His limitless and unutterable love, His longsuffering, perpetual forgiveness of our sins which we confess to Him; and His acceptance of us despite our unworthiness, but according to His mercy and grace. That is beside offering us the limitless chances of salvation; granting us the son hood; providing us, since our childhood with the grace of the knowledge of His laws; granting us to overcome, by Him, the enemy (Satan) through His good will in us; presenting to us the eternal gladness and the perpetual crowns. And above everything, His ordinance of the incarnation for the sake of our 258 salvation, and the abundance of the wonders of His secrets that He presents to all nations1. Father Moses In the regular battles, the leaders do not arm the women, the children, and the elderly; whereas our divine Leader the Lord Christ distributes this royal weapon (which is acquiring Christ Himself) equally on all, in order to teach them about the crafty tricks of the devil2. Father Theodoret Follow the heavenly Groom, to be able to stand fast before the unseen enemies. Make war against the principalities and the powers (Ephesians 6: 12), to drive them, first, away from you, so as to give them no portion in yourself; Then to drive them away from those who resort to you for protection, seeking your counsel. As their leader, and protector, Cast them under your feet,. Deny those arguments against faith in Christ. Fight by the word of godliness against the bad and evil counsel; according to the words of the apostle: “casting out arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God” (2 Corinthians 10: 5). Above everything, put your confidence in the arm of the great King, by whose mere appearance His enemies tremble and become terrified3. St. Basil the Great “Will traders bargain over him? Will they divide him up among the merchants?” (Job 41: 6). Being a source of terror and great danger, hunters do not care much to catch him by any way, as the trouble of catching him would not be comparable to their profit, if they divide him among the merchants. 1 Cassian: Conferences 1:15. 2 Epistle to the Ephesians 6:11. 3 An Introduction to the Ascetical Life, (Frs. Of the Church, volume 9, p. 10-11). 259 In the Septuagint version it came as: “Will the nations feed on him?”; In the Volgata, it came as: “Will friends divide him?”; And in the Arabic version it came as “divide him among the Canaanites”. “Can you fill his skin with harpoons, or his head with fishing spears?” (Job 41: 7). The large fish are usually caught by harpoons; Yet that is impossible in case of the crocodile; as no harpoon can wound him unless it pierces his belly, which is difficult to reach; whereas his back is covered by formidable scales that no harpoon can pierce. “If you lay a hand on him, you will remember the struggle and never do it again” (Job 41: 8). The blessed ‘Job’, however righteous he is, should put in mind the earlier battle that took place between him (in the person of his early parents Adam and Eve) and the devil; as because of its bitter memory, man would not attempt to enter into a similar battle against that Leviathan. God says to him: Touch him if you dare; but remember that past battle before attempting to enter into a new one; to avoid worst consequences. ‘Job’ prophesied the coming of the Lord, saying that He will defeat the great Leviathan (Job 41: 8); a prophecy that actually materialized, when He cast that horrible devil down, and humiliated him at the end of time, through the honorable passion of His body1. St. Ambrose Here God warns ‘Job’, not to enter a battle with his own strength against the devil, with the assumption that he is capable of laying his hand on him; namely, of submitting and overcoming him. What, if God makes light the burdens that He allows us to carry; but withdraws His help from us; and lets us face alone the temptations of that Leviathan? To whose help shall we then 1 Of the Christian Faith, 5:2:30. 260 resort, to confront such a formidable enemy, if not to that of our divine Creator?! In case you see the sword of the adversary coming against you; do not complain because of the strokes I allow on you; as you cannot realize the danger of the enemy from whom I protect you, by my strokes on you! … You should keep silent while you are under the chastisement of your divine Father. … You should feel your weakness before that enemy; because my strokes, are meant to reform you, and to train you on endurance; … If you take the might of your enemy in consideration, you would not count your suffering as hard; Because by the outer pains, you will be liberated from the inner ones! Pope Gregory the Great “Indeed any hope of overcoming him is vain; shall one not be overwhelmed at the sight of him?” (Job 41: 9). Conquest is not realized by great wealth, nor by an abundance of power; does But the Lord grant His help for free to those who seek it through dense sorrows. So was the apostle Paul, who made his sorrows the subject of his boasting; to become able to say: “When I am weak, I am strong”. Can’t you see how sorrows can lead you to “the hope that would never fail1?” St. Basil the Great Let us not be overcome by despair; as we have an abundance of incentives in good hope; Even if we err every day, let us keep approaching Him, supplicating, begging , and seeking forgiveness; by which we may get farther and farther from our sin, the closer the designated time becomes; We can thus drive the devil away; call on the love and compassion of God; and gain the blessings of the age to come, through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, and His love for man2. St. John Chrysostom 1 Hom. 20 On Ps. 59. 2 Homilies on Matthew, 22:8. 261 “No one is so brave that he would dare stir (the mighty) up. Who then is able to stand against me?” (Job 41: 10). If no wise man dare to stir the crocodile up, and enter into a battle against him; how could he then be able to stand before God as an Adversary, and oppose His plan, ordinances, and wisdom? If this is the situation with a creature made by God to be underneath the feet of man, to whom God gave the authority over creation; how can man take a position of rebellion against his Creator? Who can stand before the wrath of God? By ‘the mighty’, is meant the devil; by ‘his house’ is meant his kingdom on earth; And by ‘his possessions’, is meant those who follow the lead of the devil, their father, in their affairs and works. As we consider the saints as holy vessels and dedicated possessions of the Lord; we can likewise, call the wicked, vessels and possessions of the devil, as they are his partners in good and evil. Christ alone entered into the devil’s house, that earthly world, and “cast him down, and delivered him into chains of darkness” (2 Peter 2: 4). He saved Levi, the taxcollector, from being a captive in the kingdom of the devil, and by his repentance he became worthy of the divine blessings; By that we learn that repentance is the sound way to salvation and redemption; according to the Scripture: “Look to Me, and be saved, all you ends of the earth” (Isaiah 45: 22) 1. Habakkuk, referring to the enemies of the apostles, says: “Woe to him who increases what is not his, and to him who loads himself with many pledges! Will not his creditors rise up suddenly? Will they not awaken who oppress you? And you will become their booty?”(Habakkuk 2: 6, 7). When the devil gathered together in his fold, all the inhabitants of the earth -- who are not his -- and made them worship him; he imagined himself important and great; Yet, all of a sudden, some of them rose up to rob him of his spoils … The apostles cast the net of 1 In Luc hom 21. 262 their teachings over the captives and the sinners, brought it back to God filled with the entire people of the earth1! St. Cyril the Great “He will bring justice to the poor of the people; He will give deliverance to the needy, and crush the oppressor” (Psalm 72: 4). He does well by calling the devil ‘the oppressor”, as he oppressed God, by wrongly claiming that He forbade Adam and Eve of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, on the assumption that if they eat of it, their eyes will be opened and they will be like God, knowing good and evil (Genesis 3: 5); And he oppressed ‘Job’ by saying to God: “Does ‘Job’ fear God for nothing? … Stretch out Your hand and touch all that he has, and he will surely curse You to Your face” (Job 1: 9, 10). In Psalm 8, he was called “an enemy, and an avenger”; but here he is called “an oppressor” 2 (Psalm 72: 4). Theodoret, bishop of Coresh 2- A DESCRIPTION OF LEVATHAN: “Who has preceded me that I should pay him? Everything under heaven is Mine” (Job 41: 11). Who thinks that he could give me anything, when everything under heaven is mine?! It is befitting of man to submit to the Creator, and to receive everything with thanksgiving. “I will not fail to speak of his limbs, his mighty power, or his graceful proportions” (Job 41: 12). Here again He gives a detailed description of Leviathan whom He has already described in a general way. He so does, not to show his beauty, but to demonstrate his mighty power and his slaborate weapons of offense and defense. “Who can remove his outer coat? Who can approach him with a double bridle?” (Job 41: 13). 1 In Luc hom 23–24. 2 Commentary on Ps.72. 263 No one can strip him of his solid outer solid, to reveal his inner skin. And no one can dare to put a double bridle on his jaws, as done with other beasts, to control his horrible teeth. That Leviathan publicly presents to the wicked the evil things they covet; But in a concealed way, he cast his nets over the good, and deceive them under the false pretence of holiness … That is why the apostle Paul, seeing that some dedicate themselves to serve their bellies, under the garment of preaching, says: “And no wonder! For Satan he transforms himself into an angel of light. Therefore it is not a great thing if his ministers also transforms themselves into ministers of righteousness” 2 Corinthians 11: 14). Having this in mind, when Joshua encountered an angel, he asked him: “Are you for us or for our adversaries?” (Joshua 5: 13). Pope Gregory the Great “Who can open the doors of his face, with his terrible teeth all around?” (Job 41: 14). This description, according to ‘Bochait’, applies more to the crocodile, which has 30 formidable teeth size; some of which protrude outside, and others are like a saw, that a prey could never escape their bite. The doors of his face refer to the wicked teachers; as through their vain preaching, people may enter to meet that Leviathan of royal power; and the door of perdition is opened before the miserable listeners. Pope Gregory the Great “His rows of scales are his pride, shut up tightly as with a seal” (Job 41: 15). “One is so near another that no air can come between them; They are joined one to another, they stick together and cannot be parted” (Job 41: 16, 17). The rows of his scales are like a solid armor. The only way to penetrate his body are through his eyes, throat (when he opens his mouth), or his belly. 264 ‘Umbreit’ and ‘Prof. Lee’ believe that the word “pride” here, in the Hebrew version, came as (geewoh, like gewah or gevah), meaning ‘back’; as the back of the crocodile is covered with scales. And when his mouth is shut up,, it becomes as though tightly closed with a seal, that not even air can pass through his jaws or teeth. The heart of the devil is hard as stone, non-compassionate, like the solid anvil of the ironsmith; and his depths never calm down; Yet the saints have trampled on him under their feet by the power of Christ, who said: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10: 19); That is why Christ said (to Peter): “Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail” (Luke 22: 31) 1. St. Cyril the Great The scales of the wicked are solid and so joined one to another that no breath of life from the mouths of preachers could get through to them. Those who are alike in practicing transgression stick together in evil packs, to defend their common sinful selves; Everyone of them fears for his own safety when he sees his fellow rebuked or reformed. Defending one another in the fellowship of their evil ways, they do not let a breath of holy teaching get through to them by any means… Their union makes their deviation stronger, and renders their reform more difficult. Pope Gregory the Great “His sneezing flash forth light and his eyes are like the eyelids of the morning” (Job 41: 18). The amphibian animals, as they dive under water, usually suppress their breathing for extended periods; and when they resume it, they seem as though sneezing what looks like a rainbow. … When the crocodile is under water, his eyes appear pale;. …but once he ascends to the surface, the first thing to appear of his body 1 Commentary on Luke, Homily 144. 265 is his very glittering eyes; to be like the appearance of the morning; Being directed toward the sun they seem as though emitting fire; St. Anthony says: The devil mostly appears, as revealed by the Lord to ‘Job’: “His eyes are like the eyelids of the morning; Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out; Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes; His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth” (Job 41: 18-21). So appears the prince of devils, who as I already said, is horrible, and talk with haughtiness and arrogance; as condemned by God when He said to ‘Job’: “He regards iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood” (Job 41: 27). He counts the sea as his private pool, its bottom as his yard, and its waves as his driveway. And as said by a prophet: “The enemy said, ‘I will pursue, I will overtake” (Exodus 15: 9); and by another: “As one reaches into a nest, so my hand reached for the wealth of the nations; As men gather abandoned eggs, so I gathered all the countries” (Isaiah 10: 14); All these things are boasted by the devil, and are promised by him to deceive those who worship the true God. Therefore it is befitting of us, the believers, not to fear the apparitions of the devil, nor care for his words, because he is a liar, and never says the truth1. St. Athanasius the apostolic “Out of his mouth go burning lights; Sparks of fire shoot out” (Job 41: 19). The animal here is described as though he vomits fire all around him; or breathes fiery breaths, that burns the prey and kills it. “Out of his mouth go burning lights”, the wicked preachers flare their listeners’ minds by their wrong views; and while pretending to be full of wisdom, they burn them with evil. Pope Gregory the Great “Smoke goes out of his nostrils, as from a boiling pot and burning rushes” (Job 41: 20). 1 Vita antonii, 24. 266 This analogy also applies to the horses in battles, out of whose nostrils come out the smoke of burning fire. The dense breath of Leviathan is produced by his evil pride … and goes out of his nostrils as a smoke screen of his deceitful false miracles that may produce doubt for some time, even in the hearts of the elect; and like mist that may corrupts the eyes of those with sound minds. Pope Gregory the Great “His breath kindles coals, and a flame goes out of his mouth” (Job 41: 21). This same poetic description was used to describe the wrath of God (Psalm 18: 8). These coals refer to the corrupt minds of some people, kindled with earthly lusts or temporal desires; their longings do not allow their minds to be in a state of balance or tranquility. The breath of Leviathan kindles coals, when his secret suggestions lead the mind toward evil pleasures. His breath kindled the coals of pride in Eve’s mind, by suggesting to her to disregard the commandment of the Lord; … kindled the coals of envy in the mind of Cain, when he was grieved by God’s acceptance of his brother’s sacrifice, and killed him; … kindled Solomon’s heart with the coals of desire for the love of women, that led him to worship their idols, and to forget to present the fitting honor to His Creator; … And kindled the coals of greed in the mind do Ahab, inducing him to seek the vineyard of another, to kill him for its sake. The flame of the mouth is indeed the same as offering a secret evil suggestion. Pope Gregory the Great “Strength resides in his neck, dismay goes before him” (Job 41: 22). “Strength resides in his neck”, means that it is always there; breathing horror, it dances for joy before him, scattering terror all around. 267 From these words we understand that there is only one King, the Creator of the whole universe; whereas, on the other side, there is the prince of this world, who calls himself the king of darkness! Thousand of thousands of angels minister to the true King, while the king of darkness is surrounded by a like number of demons. (Colossians 1: 13). The principalities, the powers, and the virtue, follow the King of kings, and the Lord of lords; “Then comes the end when He delivers the kingdom to God the Father, when He puts an end to all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign till He has put all enemies under His feet” (1 Corinthians 15: 24-25) 1. St Gregory of Nyssa Leviathan’s neck refers to stretching his pride of authority, and haughtiness on God, together with pretending holiness. The prophet Isaiah testifies to such pride, expressed as the neck, when he rebuked the daughters of Jerusalem, saying: “They walk with stretched necks” (Isaiah 3: 16). It is said that strength resides in the neck of this Leviathan; and because of the authority added to his pride, he goes on practicing his haughty pride and all his evil plans, through his temporal power. Pope Gregory the Great +By like words St. John (12: 31; 14: 30; 16: 11), refers to the devil as the prince, not on God’s creatures, but on the sinners, to whom he refers as “this world”, using the word “world” to mean (evil). The Lord refers to those who love this world; referred to in another place as “Friendship with the world is enmity with God” (James 4: 4). Far from it, for us to understand that the devil is the prince of the world, in that he controls the ordinance of affairs of heaven and earth, and everything in them; The world, about which it was said, “The world was made through Him” (John 1: 10); namely through Christ the Word.. The whole world from the highest heaven to the lowest earth, submit to the Creator and not to 1 Homilies on Song of Songs, ترجمة الدكتور جورج نوّار . 14 268 the fugitive; To the Savior and not to the destroyer; To the Rescuer and not to the enslaver; and to the Teacher and not to the deceiver1. The prince of this world (the devil) who prevails where deceit and disturbance are is not able to approach those, on whose life, peace and perfect order prevail, and where the Son of God has authority. As when this peace originates and abides in their inside, all the outside disturbances stirred up by the prince of this world, would not be able to harm their inner building, the strength of which on the inside, would lead to the failure of the plots of the devil on the outside. That is why the Lord goes on to say: “Blessed are those persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” 2 (Matthew 5: 10). “No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon3 (wealth)” (Luke 16: 13). Whoever worships wealth, ministers to the devil, who is called by our Lord as “the prince of this world”, on account of his vain authority on the earthly affairs? Man either “hates” that one (the devil), and “loves” the other (God); Or be loyal to the one (the devil) and despises the other (God); Whoever submits to his lust for wealth, submits, and is loyal to the devil, despite his hate toward him – as who among us loves him?! He will be like someone in love with a maiden of a great man; despite his lack of love toward her master, yet he would submit to his cruel servitude for the sake of his beloved4. St. Augustine “The folds of his flesh are joined together; They are firm on him and cannot be moved” (Job 41: 23). The folds of flesh in the neck or belly are usually soft and weak; but in that animal, the folds of the flesh in his neck are joined 1 St. Augustine: On the Gospel of St. John, tractate, 79: 2. 2 Sermon on the Mount, Book 1:2:9. إله المال. 3 4 Sermon on the Mount, Book 2:47. 269 together, firm and strong, as though made of iron. What a horrible portrait! The way the body of Christ grows to embrace every day, new souls to enjoy His righteousness and holiness, and to become fellows with Him in glory; So would the body of the devil, grow to embrace those who are more evil than their predecessors; and all of them would join together as folds in the flesh of the devil, as one firm mass of iron that cannot be moved toward repentance, and the return to God. The union together of the wicked corrupts the souls, and closes the door before many, who may seriously think of enjoying the divine truth. If the Lord Christ has embraced us to become members in His one body, through our enjoyment of faith in Him, and our birth in the Spirit as children of God in the water of Baptism; Our mission, in turn, would be to embrace in love, every day, those who are saved, to enjoy together the fellowship with Him, in the new resurrected life that He granted us. The folds of the flesh of the devil are likewise those who accepted son hood to him, became united with him through his works; and are persistent on embracing many others to become together with them members in the body of the devil, to share with him his ultimate destiny; As the wicked would be more content to embrace to himself those who are to become worse than him! The body of Leviathan (those already wicked) is altogether corrupt, having no longing toward their spiritual city; And the folds of his flesh are those who join those persons in an evil life, and may even precede them on their evil way … In the wicked congregation of Leviathan, those are the members of his body, who, by their evil works, would draw to him others who would become more evil than them. Pope Gregory the Great “His heart is as hard as stone, Even as hard as the lower millstone” (Job 41: 24).. The Lord Christ says: “God is able to rise up children to Abraham from these stones” (Matthew 3: 9). What are these stones 270 that give children to Abraham, but the idol-worshippers who worship stones, and the children of the devil, who have his heart, hard as stone (24), to become the children of God, bearing the faith of Abraham. Some believe that the voracious wild animals, with their cold feelings, and cruel hearts, are not moved by the screams of their prey, or by their blood shed by their fangs. Comparing the hardness of their hearts to the lower millstone is because the lower millstone has to be harder and heavier, in order to endure the movement and the pressure of the upper stone. Some may wonder, why wouldn’t the devil be given a chance to repent?! Since his fall, he is not only consistent on his opposition to God, but he is getting more and more violent, is provoking mankind to follow his lead, and would be most happy if they share his destiny. With the passing of time his cup of evil is rather getting fuller, not caring for the eternal punishment. The heart of our old enemy will stay hard; will never soften by any remorse or repentance; but will only be prepared for the eternal condemnation. Pope Gregory the Great He is violent, knows no compassion; his heart would never become peaceful; And as said by the Holy Book: “His heart is as hard as stone; even as hard as the lower millstone” (Job 41: 24). Yet the Lord Christ puts him under the feet of the saints, saying: “Behold, I give you the authority to trample on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy, and nothing shall by any means hurt you” (Luke 10: 19) 1. St. Cyril the Great “Satan transforms himself into an angel of light” (2 Corinthians 11: 14); Not that he would ascend again to where he 1 Commentary on Luke, homily 144. 271 has been; as his heart is as hard as stone1, and his will has become unable to repent; But he so does to drown those who walk along an angelic life, in the darkness of blindness. Many ravenous wolves walk around in sheep’s clothing (Matthew 7: 15), to deceive the innocent by their false appearance, and then bite them with their deadly venomous fangs2. St. Cyril of Jerusalem There is a common saying, concerning those who find themselves in a very difficult situation; they are said to be “between a hammer and an anvil”; (or between a rock and a hard place). In the holy books these two refer to the devil and the serpent (or the dragon). In confidence, I shall proclaim that there are those who are not affected by ‘The hammer of the whole earth’… Let us now search for a material that is harder than the hammer and can endure its strokes. I found it in the ‘adamant’ (a hard unbreakable rock, assumed by some to be diamond); which even if placed between the hammer (the devil), and the anvil (the serpent or dragon), It would never yield, as long as it is in the hand of God, and under His care3. You can say that a holy saint is an adamant stronghold, or an adamant rock in the hand of God; that would neither be affected by the hammer from above, nor by the anvil from below; And the more it is stricken, the more the splendor of his virtue shines. Being ignorant of such adamant rocks, the devil intends to test them through several strokes by his hammer; but only God knows well their material4. The scholar Origen “When he raises himself up, the mighty are afraid; Because of his (thrashings), they are beside themselves” (Job 41: 25). 1 ا رجع أي 24:41 الترجمة السبعینیة، وقد اُستخدم هذا النص في الرد على الأفكار الأوریجانیة القائلة عن الشیطان أنه یمكن أن یخلص. 2 Catechetical Lectures, 4:1. 3 Homilies on Jeremiah 27:3. 4 Fragments from Catena (on Jerm.), 30. 272 When he raises himself up to charge or to defend himself, the mighty are so afraid that they try to escape, but get lost, and do not know where to go! “Though the sword reaches him, it cannot avail, nor does spear, dart, or javelin” (Job 41: 26). Nothing can pierce his armor of scales. While the spear of the holy preaching is gentle and delicate, if it strikes us we die, as far as sin is concerned; the sword of the crafty devilish calling, on the other hand, if it strikes man, it would cause deadly wounds that deprives him of the uprightness of life. Pope Gregory the Great “He regards iron as straw, and bronze as rotten wood” (Job 41: 27). What preoccupies the devil’s mind, is not his bitter destiny; as much as how to draw the souls of men to evil, especially those of the believers. If he encounters a soul as strong as iron, and adamant as bronze; he hastens to aim the arrows of his evil, to turn the iron into straw, and the bronze into feeble rotten wood. The enemy concentrates his strokes more on the preachers who testify to the evangelic truth, the laborers in the vineyard of the Lord. When that Leviathan holds that sword, called by the holy books as ‘The anti-Christ’, to practice his evil, he would turn iron into straw, and bronze into rotten wood, unless the divine care intervenes to grant protection against him, lest he would turn the strength of preachers to straw, and consume them with the fire of his evil, to turn them into ashes. Pope Gregory the Great “The arrows cannot make him flee; slingstones are like chaff to him” (Job 41: 28). We can interpret this phrase, that; If the devil does his best to provoke the believer toward evil, and his battle against the church of Christ would never stop; The believer on his side, as long as he hides in the Lord Christ, and bears the weapon of the living 273 faith; should not fear the arrows of the devil’s bow, nor his sling stones, that would all turn into chaff, that cause him no harm. Claiming that the adversary power is too severe; and that evil has a full authority on man, is as though referring injustice to God, who condemns man for his submission to such a very strong and irresistible devil; And as though making the devil greater and stronger than the soul. It would be like condemning a kid who loses his battle against a grown up man1. St. Maccar the Great Do not fear then; as there is no weaker than the devil, who is without body, when he charges against man with a body; and there is no stronger than that man, who is brave and daring, even though he bears a mortal body2. St. John Chrysostom “A clubs seems to him but a piece of straw, he laughs at the rattling of the lance” “Job 41: 29). Pope Gregory the Great believes that this phrase applies to the devil when God rebukes him, as though striking him with a hammer; Yet he, persistent on his evil, does not care for the strokes of the hammer, even laughs at it in ridicule, counting it as a piece of straw. This also applies to the wicked followers of the devil, whom God allows to be chastened, hoping for their return to the divine truth, But, being stubborn and persistent on their evil ways, His hammer of chastisement, become for them like straw, and like their evil master – the devil – they do not care for the rattling of the lance to chasten them. The Lord rattle the lance against Leviathan, threatening to destroy him with a severe verdict of eternal perdition; But the rebellious spirit, disregarding the threats of death by the Creator of life, laughs at Him, who rattles the lance. Whatever is his . 1 عظة 6:3 2 Resisting the Temptation of the Devil, homily 2:4. 274 prior vision of his horrible destiny, he does not fear its dwelling on him; but the more he realizes that he cannot avoid the eternal condemnation, the more violent would be his practice of evil. Pope Gregory the Great With the intention to conform His true believer according to his wish, God would allow for him to be put by the devil on the anvil and to be stricken with his hammer; but the strokes of the hammer would become like straw, with no harm nor effect on his mind and life God does not keep away the devil’s temptations and seductions, But He grants His believers the strength, so that the temptations on them would turn into naught; and they would gain a conquest and a crown, “His undersides are like sharp potsherds, it spreads itself like a threshing sledge on mire” (Lob 41: 30). Here he probably refers to scales on his undersides like sharp potsherds, that spreads itself on the mire like a threshing sledge; Or could be interpreted, that laying on a rocky bottom of the river with sharp or broken edges, he would feel like laying on soft mire; Or still, according to some scholars, that if arrows or spears are aimed at him, they would be broken on his hard cover of scales, into what are like broken potsherds scattered all around him. “He makes the deep churn like a boiling caldron; he stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment” (Job 41: 31). Some believe that by his swift motion in the deep, he stirs up the mud, like stirring up a bottle of ointment to bring up the particles sedimented on its bottom. The term ‘sea’ here refers to the River Nile, on account of its greatness; a common term used even nowadays in Upper Egypt, and also applies for the River Euphrates. The term ‘sea’ may also refer to the lovers of the world, and the ‘deep’ to their deep and hidden thoughts. Leviathan makes this deep sea churn like a boiling caldron; like he did during the days of the recent persecution, when he stirred up the minds of the wicked against the elect with the fire of cruelty. 275 Pope Gregory the Great With his deceit, the crafty enemy stirs up the deep thoughts of the wicked, who liken the sea, to provoke them to persecute the children of God by any possible means; and, according to the words of the Lord Christ Himself, when they kill them, they will think that they offer God service (John 16: 2). Their depths churn with evil, and count that they are offering the ointment of truth with its nice fragrance; the way – according to them – the Lord Christ – the Truth – offers in the life of His children, who say together with the apostle Paul: “For we are to God the fragrance of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2: 15). “He leaves a shining wake behind him; one would think the deep to be white-haired” (Job 41: 32). Because of his swift motion, he leaves behind him a wake of white foam, like the white hair of an elderly. The way the Lord Christ makes His true believers “the light of the world”, shedding light on those around, to bring them over to the kingdom of light; The enemy, appearing as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11: 14), deceives his followers and let them think that they know the truth, and light the way; And because of their vain hidden reasoning waves or depths, appearing like a white-haired elderly; give the false impression of long experience and practical wisdom! One should not marvel at the multitudes of heresies prevailing nowadays, which are actually there from the beginning; because the devil has for long, cleverly mixed between the lies and the truth. Like God who, from the beginning has promised men many good things; the devil, likewise, seduces men with his false promises. God planted for them the Garden of Eden; then came the devil to say to them: “You will be like gods”; although he actually delivered nothing to them; Yet he managed to deceive them with his promises, the way the deceitful heretics do1. St. John Chrysostom 1 In 2 Tim. hom. 8. 276 “Nothing on earth is his equal – a creature without fear” (Job 41: 33). In Hebrew it came as “Nothing on the mire is his equal”. The earth has never produced such a violent, strong, brave, and fierce creature; As though he was created to challenge fear! And as said by Pope Gregory the Great; Despite men’s knowledge that he has fallen because of his deeds; Yet he did not lose his (angelic) abilities, he turned into evil, that he boasts, by which he managed and still is, to draw the human race to submit to his authority. That is the enemy from whom we should flee; and against whom St. Peter warns us, saying: “Your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith” (1 Peter 5: 8-9). Although you are human Yet you are higher and far exalted than the devil, whose corruption caused him to fall. Coming up from (Hades), the place of his punishment, it is said: “The lion has come up from his thicket, and the destroyer of nations is on his way; He has gone forth from his place to make your land desolate. Your cities will be laid waste, without inhabitant. For this, clothe yourself with sackcloth, Lament and wail” (Jeremiah 4: 7-8). Supplicate to God with prayers that He would destroy that lion and save you from falling a victim to his fangs. He is trying to catch you by through your ears, when he let you hear false words, albeit nice to hear, to make you deviate from the way of the truth; Or through uprooting your feet from the soil of truth. Well, Let him try! All you have to do, when you see the enemy approaching you, is to clothe yourself with sackcloth; beat your chest; lament and wail; bring forth the cries of war,; That, once you enter into the fortified city, God’s wrath would be lifted up from you. Let us then thank God who saves us in Christ Jesus, to who is the glory and the might, to the age of ages, Amen1. The scholar Origen 1 عظات على إرمیا، عظة 14:5 ترجمة جاكلین سمیر كوستى. 277 “He looks down on all that are haughty; He is king over all that are proud” (Job 41: 34). He ends His description that he (Leviathan) haughtily looks down on the other entire animal that think of themselves as fierce and mighty; and considers them in a lower level than him. Being the one with authority; No other creature can oppose him; all submit to him, and he submits to no one. The lion who calls himself the king of the wilderness, or the king of animals, and is proud of its might and abilities; would lose his title before him. Looking down, as though he is above all; and despising all other creatures; On him, apply the words said by the prophet: “Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes” (Isaiah 5: 21); as well as those said by the apostle Paul: “Do not be wise in your own opinion” (Romans 12: 16). “He is king over all that are proud”. Leviathan, the way he has destroyed his past blessed life, by striking himself with pride; he is using the same weapon to attack the ointment of our eternity. God, at the end of his talk, after mentioning all Leviathan’s other evils, refers to his pride as the worst of them all. Man who without shame, boasts with haughtiness in his own mind, will soon face destruction; according to the Scripture, saying: “Pride goes before destruction” (Proverbs 16: 18). Pope Gregory the Great We have fallen under the authority of our enemy – the prince of this world – and consequently became in need of redemption by Him who purchases us, in order to return from that state of sojourning from Him, Hence, our Savior gave His blood to redeem us. … And as the forgiveness of sin, that follows redemption, would be impossible unless man is liberated; In order to be able to enjoy the forgiveness of our sins, the healing from the wounds of sin, and to carry out the works of godliness and other virtues; We have first to be liberated from the authority of the one who took us captives, and kept us under his authority; we have to be liberated away from his hand. 278 But if we prefer lust to God, sin will prevail on us; according to the words of the apostle: “It (would) reign in our mortal body” (Romans 6: 12). Therefore sin or the devil reigns on the wicked; And Justice, namely, Christ reigns on the righteous. Aware that Christ came to take away his kingdom, and to bring under his authority, those who have submitted to his deceit; Satan “showed Him (Christ) all the kingdoms of the world” (Matthew 3: 8); showed Him how he reigns over all people by lust, by greed, by love of vain glory, etc. Asking Him if he wishes to reign on all creation! He showed Him all the uncountable multitudes who submit to him! Actually, to realize the extent of our misery, we shall find that the devil reigns on most of the world; Hence the Lord Calls him ‘The prince of this world” (John 12: 31; 16: 11). Saying to Jesus: “Do you see the multitudes submitting to my authority?”; the devil would do that in an instant of time; … He is as though, saying to the Lord: Have you come to wrestle against me, and to take away all those under my authority? … NO; Do not try to compare Yourself to me, and do not subject Yourself to the troubles of such a battle. … “All these things, I will give you if you will fall down and worship me” (Matthew 3: 9). Wishing to reign, yet through justice, truth, and every virtue … And not wishing to be crowned a King without labor (the cross); the Lord answered him, saying: “It is written, ‘You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve’” (Deuteronomy 6: 13; Matthew 3: 10); My royal will is to have all worship Me, and not anyone else…. Do you want me to sin; I who came to destroy sin, and to liberate men from it?! Let us then, having become His own, rejoice and be glad, Let us supplicate to Him to kill the sin that has long reigned in our bodies (Romans 6: 6); in order that He would reign alone on us1. The scholar Origen 1 In Luc. Hom 30:1-4. 279 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF ‘JOB’ 41 BY YOU, I SHALL OVERCOME HIM, WHO HAS OVERCOME HUMANITY I have nothing to offer You, O Lover of all mankind; You came to our word and became clothed in our humanity; Because you became a real man; the devil intended to have you! Assuming that You, like every other man would submit to him! You presented Your body to him as a bait on the cross; And he hastened to jump to devour it. There, the divine snare caught him. He who thought of himself as the king of this world, turned into a plaything. He fell into the trap; his tongue was tied, as though with the rope of faith. He was mocked by little maidens, out of the heaven of their hearts he fell down like lightning. He fell down under their feet. He assumed that, by soft the words of deceit, he could escape from Your hands. He confessed that You are Holy; and realized that You came to send him away from his kingdom. Although he was perplexed and confused, yet, he stuck to his evil ways. By Your cross, You tore up my covenant with the enemy. You liberated me from him, he who assumed that he would submit me eternally. Instead of my humiliation to him, he himself became humiliated. Although he goes on opposing me, Yet he is no longer destroying me; By you, I have overcome him, he who has overcome humanity. I shall no longer trust in his promises; I shall no longer enter into a debate with him. I shall no longer let his words corrupt my time; 280 Your amazing covenant is good enough for me. That which You presented to me, written by Your blood on the cross. his deceit, he approaches me wherever I am; On land I see him feeding on weeds like an ox. In the sea I see him swimming like a crocodile. And in the air I see him setting forth high like a bird. He uses ever way to embrace me. He stirs up in me, lusts in which I may find pleasure. He breathes in me the spirit of pride and self-righteousness. He sometimes appear like a lion to terrorize the onlookers. And some other times, he appears like an angel of light to deceive the believers. He binds the wicked to himself, as though to the scales of a crocodiles. All of them unite together to form a solid tightly knitted armor. They are only preoccupied with drawing new scales every day. Their conscience become content when they all work together. By their union together, they let no one escape from their hands. They would never allow the breath of holy counsel to get through them. The enemy breathes his evil pride through his nostril; And out of his mouth goes forth burning light. He fills the air with the smoke of deceit by his false miracles. And infiltrate into the minds of the corrupt by his false light. Out of his mouth, sparks come out on the minds of the wicked, and turn into a destructive fire. That flares the evil lusts in them. He stretches his neck like one of authority; He creates a spirit of hatred in the world. To turn the hearts of many into stones that bear the hardness of his cruel features How amazing that his war against the church never calms down; 281 With the intention of turning the iron-like souls into straw; And the solid hearts into rotten wood; He concentrates his strokes on the preachers of the truth; And aims his swords and spears to those who labor in the vineyard of the Lord. He did not learn a lesson from the battle of the cross; When even the little children, by the cross, turned into heroes. When the arrows of his bow turned into chaff. How stupid is the devil, who did not learn a lesson from the battle of the cross. Arrogantly, he provokes his wicked followers to persecute the children of God. And while they kill the righteous, they assume that they are serving God. And while opposing the truth, they count themselves as though bearing the fragrance of the truth. He puts the believers on the hard rock, and strikes them with all his might by the hammer. He assumes that he is able to conform them to be according to his image. Although the Crucified does not keep him from striking His believers, Yet He turns his hammer into straw. And his temptations into a cause of conquest and crowns of glory for the children of God.
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