of God. It was fitting for her to be up to this great honor; Yet, through her rebellion, she became worse than any pagan city. She is the center of the worship of God, embracing His holy temple; Yet, because holiness had no place in her, she became worthy of the Hebrew name ‘Moreah’, meaning (defiled), instead of ‘Mariah’, the name of the hill on which she was built. Finally, she is oppressive, and does not testify to God’s mercies, and compassion on those who are in need. In other words, He chose her to be His city; yet, instead of obeying Him, she became rebellious. He set His holy temple in her; yet, instead of holiness, she became defiled. He provided her with His commandment of love and mercy toward the neighbor; Yet, she became oppressive, and did not listen to His divine commandment. Hence, the Lord advises the king of Judah and the people of Jerusalem, saying: “Execute judgment and righteousness, and deliver the plundered out of the hand of the oppressor. Do no wrong and do no violence to the stranger, the fatherless or the widow, nor shed innocent blood in this place” (Jeremiah 22: 3). Three serious attributes, that make the people, as well as the individual, lose fellowship with the Holy God, the Grantor of life, holiness, and love. These attributes are: “rebellion”, namely lack of obedience, “defilement”, namely, lack of holiness, and “oppression”, namely, lack of love. “Rebellion” is not obeying God, and not keeping His commandment; “Defilement” touches his inner life; And “oppression” touches his relationship with his brethren; However, each of these attributes reflects on these three ranges; as there is no separation between obedience to God, sanctifying man and the love of neighbor. 44 1- Rebellion or lack of obedience: St. Augustine in a commentary on the words of the Psalmist: “Through Your precepts I get understanding; Therefore I hate every false way” (Psalm 119: 104), sees a connection between these three attributes. He believes that, in obedience to God’s commandments, there is an enjoyment of the riches of the knowledge of wisdom; through which, man would be dismayed by every way of evil, would love righteousness, and would hate oppression. Through his obedience to God’s commandments, (the Psalmist) gains an understanding of the issues he longs to know… “ Through His precepts he gets understanding” … Those who keep the commandments get greater riches in the knowledge of wisdom …”He loves righteousness”, and hates every oppression … A higher wisdom is given to him who obeys God; and an understanding of His commandments1. (St. Augustine) Nothing would please the lord like obedience2. (St. Jerome) 2- Concerning holiness it is said: “Your way, O God, is holy” (Psalm 77: 13). If you are not holy, the way of God is not in you. What is the way of God? The Savior says: “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14: 6). Hence the “Way” is the Son of God. If we wish to have Christ dwell in us, Let us be holy; As the way of God is holiness3. A holy man does not fear the fire {“A fire goes before him, and burns up his enemies round about” (Psalm 97: 3). Let the sinner fear it! Fire sanctifies the saints, but burns up the sinners!. “He makes His angels spirits, His ministers a flame of fire” (Psalm 104: 4) 4. (St. Jerome) 3- Concerning Oppression, it is said: As “Christ has no accord with Belial”, and “the righteousness has no fellowship with lawlessness”(2 Corinthians 6: 14-15); It is not possible for one soul to love both goodness and evil. You, who love the Lord, have to hate the devil! In every single work, there is love for one, and hate for the other5! The haughty man in his pride, acquires the source of all other evils, he offers no regret, assuming that he is the object of God’s pleasure. Pride is against God; The proud or the haughty, assuming that he is righteous, does not submit to God, nor repent his evil ways, but, in hypocrisy, he boasts his assumed good works6. (St. Jerome) “She has not obeyed His voice; She has not accepted correction; She has not trusted in the Lord; She has not drawn near to her God” (Zephaniah 3: 2) 1 On Ps. 118 (119). 2 Homily 95 on Obedience. 3 Homily 10 on Ps. 76 (77). 4 Homily 24 on Ps. 96 (97). 5 Homily 73 on Ps. 96 (97). 6 Homily 95 on Obedience 45 Here, He diagnoses the actual nature of the incurable ailment of Jerusalem; namely, rejecting reform, not trusting the heavenly Physician, and fleeing away from Him. Her ailment bears three serious symptoms: Rejecting the voice of her heavenly Physician; and not wishing for reform. Not trusting His ability to cure her and fulfill her needs. Not drawing near Him; As though she demands from Him to depart from her, and not to dwell in her midst. The prophet Moses says: “For what great nation is there that has God near to it, as the Lord our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him?” (Deuteronomy 4; 7) God desires to refer Himself to her, to be called ‘her God’; Yet, she flees away from Him! Jerusalem has always been refusing to listen to the words of the prophets sent to her, and not accepting any way of teaching from its source. She might have looked, as though ready for change at certain times; Yet, she soon returned to her wicked ways. Now, Jerusalem, the city that embraces the temple of the Lord, is disregarding the prophet sent by God to her, and despising that magnificent experience! She has completely forgotten the Lord, and declared war against him1. (Theodore Mopsuestia) It is just amazing, how the heavenly Physician has come down to us; Yet, we refuse to draw near Him. It is fitting for us to cry out together with the Psalmist, saying: “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul. O my God, I trust in You” (Psalm 25: 1). “To You, O Lord, I lift up my soul” By spiritual longing, I lift up my soul which bowed down to earth through carnal yearnings. “O my God, I trust in You, Let me not be ashamed” (Psalm 25: 2). O my Lord, by leaning upon myself, I have reached such physical weakness. Through deserting God, I ended up, shamefully afraid of the tiniest of insect! “I trust in You; Let me not be ashamed” 2. (St. Augustine) “Blessed is the man whom you instruct, O Lord” (Psalm 94: 12). Blessed is the man who receives God as his Instructor … Whom You teach Your law … in Your holy books … They will grant him comfort at the time of affliction3. (St. Jerome) Here, the prophet presents to us a magnificent concept of religion; namely, to be drawn near God, Who desires us to get attached to Him. “The Lord reigns, He is clothed with majesty” (Psalm 93: 1). The Lord is the King; He is clothed with majesty. The patriarchs (Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob), the prophets, and the saints, are His garments; They are His ‘sash’, referred to in Jeremiah: “’For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me’, says the Lord’”. But, as that sash or that glory, was cast away on the other bank of the River Euphrates, where it was hidden in a hole in the rock; It got ruined and corrupt (See Jeremiah 13: 4-12). … Yet, the Lord 1 Commentary on Zephniah, 3: 1-2. 2 On Ps. 25 (24). 3 Homily 22 on Ps. 94 (93). 46 would not remain naked, without sash or cover; Having lost His first people, He made for Himself a new sash of the Gentiles1. (St. Jerome) “Her princes in her midst are roaring lions; Her judges are evening wolves, that leave not a bone till morning” (Zephaniah 3: 3) Her rulers are terrible examples of evil and oppression; Those who were supposed to be the physicians to heal her wounds, turned into roaring lions in her midst,; disregarding both the Mosaic law and that of nature. As for the judges, in order to please their oppressive rulers, they walk in the darkness of the night to devour the flesh and bones of the people, and leave no trace of their preys till morning. “Her prophets are insolent, treacherous people; Her priests have profaned the sanctuary; They have done violence to the law” (Zephaniah 3: 4) The prophets no longer present the will of God, and proclaim His commandment; But for the sake of temporal honors, pleasures, and material benefits, they deceive the people by smooth and false words; They are no longer the messengers of heaven and the ambassadors of God, but have become like the devil, insolent and treacherous, with no truth in them, and not trusted by the people. About them, God says on the tongue of prophet Jeremiah: “Behold, I am against those who prophesy false dreams’, says the Lord, ‘And who tell them, and who lead My people astray by their lies and by their recklessness, when I did not send them or command them, so they did not profit this people at all, says the Lord” (Jeremiah 23: 32). As for the priests, instead of ministering in the temple to sanctify the people, they turned into a cause of defilement to the sanctuary and the temple; And instead of preaching the law and the divine commandment, to lead the people to God by repentance and obedience, they, themselves walked contrary to the law; They betrayed the divine covenant, corrupted the worship, and deformed the divine word according to their own intentions, to serve their interests, and those of the great and the rich. “The Lord is righteous, He is in her midst, He will do no unrighteousness. Every morning He brings His justice to light; He never fails. But the unjust knows no shame” (Zephaniah 3; 5) The Jews assumed that the secret of their holiness, prosperity, and conquest over the nations, is the presence of Jerusalem, the city of God, and the worship of the Lord in the temple of Solomon. Yes, the Lord is there, but He will never cover them with His mercy and compassion; But will realize His divine justice, and will chasten His people for their corruption, and for their reluctance to return to Him and to repent their iniquities. He is as though telling them: ‘You boast the presence of God in your midst. Well let that be! He is just; Why then are you not just like Him? He is light; Why do you practice the works of darkness, and do evil in secret, assuming that God does not see you, does not hear your words, and does not know your thoughts?’ The presence of the holy God in your midst does not justify you, but, on the contrary, will judge your corruption. “For the Lord your God walks in the midst of your camp, to deliver you and give your enemies over to you; Therefore your camp shall be holy, that He may see no unclean thing among you, and turn away from you”(Deuteronomy 23: 14). “… You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy” 1 Homily 26 on Ps. 99 (98). 47 (Leviticus 19: 2). “They lean on the Lord, and say: ‘ Is not the Lord among us? No harm can come upon us!’” (Micah 3: 11). “Every morning He brings His justice to light” (Zephaniah 3: 5). If, in His longsuffering, He did not yet chasten them; They should, with the light of every new morning, anticipate His justice; As He will eventually publicly chasten; and no one can justify himself, oppose, or get away from Him. He is capable of putting His judgment into effect. The repentant souls say together with prophet Jeremiah: “The Lord’s compassion fail not; They are new every morning” (Lamentations 3: 22, 23); Whereas the adversaries, should, every morning, expect the divine chastisement. Although God warns the slothful sinners, that the day of chastisement is drawing near; yet, He does not wish for them to become sad and bitter; while He threatens, He opens the door before them to enjoy His mercies through repentance. “On the wicked He will rain (traps)” (Psalm 11: 6); to catch in them those who misused their freedom; to motivate them to take the straight way; saying to them, “I am the Way” (John 14: 6). That is why in Jeremiah (16: 16), the Lord says, that He will send many fishermen, and hunters to cast their nets and set their traps to catch the lost fish, and the wandering beasts on every mountain and every hill, and to bring them over to enjoy salvation. This phrase and the following, present a promise of healing1. (St. Jerome) “I have cut off nations, Their fortresses are devastated; I have made their streets desolate, with none passing by. Their cities are destroyed; There is no one, no inhabitant” (Zephaniah 3: 6) The people should have learned a lesson from God’s chastisement of the pagan nations around them. After His long-suffering at the designated time, they fell under His very firm judgment: Kingdoms disappeared; kings’ palaces were struck; great cities were destroyed, and turned into barren wilderness with no inhabitant. On one hand, He probably means the seven nations of Canaan, mentioned in Leveticus 18: 28, and the surrounding nations; which the Lord allowed to be devastated, anticipating that Jerusalem and Judah would heed their example, and return to the Lord with repentance. On another hand, St Jerome and many other fathers, believe that the nations cut off by the Lord, refer to the heretics who proclaim erroneous teachings; and would soon be cut off. “O my God, make them like the whirling dust” (Psalm 83: 13); to have no place to settle down. Or (In another version), ‘Make them like a rolling wheel’, going forward and backward; As the heretics, likewise, are never stable, but change their teachings and views all the time2! Because the heretics are not searching for knowledge for the sake of salvation, but are searching for a new teaching just to overcome their opponents, Bring them down with 1 On Ps. 11 (10). 2 Homily 62 on Ps. 83 (82). 48 their multitude of controversial views; And let them have only one refuge – You, O Lord1! (St. Jerome) “I said, ‘Surely you will fear Me, You will receive instruction’ – So that her dwelling would not be cut off, despite everything for which I punished her. But they rose early and corrupted all their deeds” (Zephaniah 3: 7) God talks to us in our own language; He presents to His people an example of the surrounding nations, that He expected to fear Him, to accept His chastisement, and to return to Him; in order to save themselves the desolation He said to come over them. Although He threatened His people with desolation, yet He wishes for them not to fall into it. He warned them through His prophets, that He would cut off “her dwelling”, and to take it away from Jerusalem; Yet, He wishes not to put His threats into effect, if they return to Him. Saying “her dwelling”, and not “My dwelling” God refers the temple to Jerusalem, or to the people, and not to Himself. This is the way He deals with the people: If they are holy, He counts them as ‘His people’; and calls their feasts, ‘His feasts’; their Sabbaths, ‘His Sabbaths’; and their temple, ‘His temple’; But in case they are not holy, He does not count the people, their feasts, their Sabbaths, nor their temple, as His own. What brings Him grief, is that, when He expected them to heed the lesson of what happened to their neighbors, to repent and to return to Him; He finds them stubbornly rise early to spite Him by corrupting all their deeds, and to commit every sort of defilement and uncleanness. It is amazing, how man, both on the level of the individual and that of the whole congregation, wishes that God be long-suffering with him, and avenging against his opponents. The Jewish people as well, wished God to be long-suffering with them, but to avenge their pagan opponents, while they commit the same evils they commit, and fall into their idolatry and abominations. “Lord, how long will the wicked, how long will the wicked triumph?” (Psalm 94: 3). With no longsuffering on their part, humanity does not want God to be long-suffering on others. We wish to be the object of God’s compassion, but we do not wish the same for our enemies2. (St. Jerome) Do not protest because the evildoers are not punished (now). lest you would be punished together with them. You are not happy that whoever steals from you, does not die but still lives … If you want to reform the hand of another, and to keep it from stealing from you; Start by reforming your own hand and heart toward God; Lest, when you seek God’s revenge against others, while you persist on your evil, and deny His long-suffering and mercies; You may treasure for yourselves the wrath on the day of His wrath3! (St. Augustine) 2. THE FALL OF EVERYONE UNDER INDIGNATION: 1 Homily 2 on Ps. 2. 2 Homily 22 on Ps. 94 (93). 3 On Ps. 94 (93). 49 “Therefore wait for Me’, says the Lord, ‘Until the day I rise up for plunder; My determination is to gather the nations to My assembly of kingdoms, To pour on them My indignation, all My fierce anger; All the earth shall be devoured with the fire of My jealousy’” (Zephaniah 3: 8) The Lord, even in the moments of His anger, is addressing the few holy remnants of His people, to tell them about His plan. He is requesting from them to look forward to the times of glory that are to come; After the day of chastisement and punishment comes upon all nations; His jealousy will consume the whole earth, to set His heavenly kingdom. Yet, in His jealousy, He does not seek the destruction of men, but the destruction of what is earthly in them, to become a holy temple for Himself, carrying holy heavenly features. “I rise up for plunder”: Following that firm chastisement, the Lord will bear the spoils of conquest, when the nations return to believe in Him; to become His joyful spoils. 3. SETTING THE WORSHIPPING JERUSALEM: “For then, I will restore to the peoples a pure language, that they all may call on the name of the Lord, to serve Him with one accord” (Zephaniah 3: 9) He is taking away from the nations everything earthly, to grant them instead what is heavenly, He is taking away from humanity, what has came upon it in Noah’s days, when He confused their language to keep them from building themselves a tower with its top in the heavens (Genesis 11). Now, He makes all nations offer a sacrifice of prayer and praise with a pure language. What is this pure language, but the language of the Spirit? In Jesus Christ, the Church all over the world, gather together to worship Him by a holy heavenly Spirit, by one mind and by one heart. This is what God proclaimed through His prophets concerning the church of the New Testament; of which we may mention for instance: “in that day five cities in the land of Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear by the Lord of hosts” (Isaiah 19: 18); And, “ the Lord shall be king over all the earth. In that day it shall be – The Lord is one, And His name one” (Zechariah 14: 9). For all to have one mind, they will bear together, with one accord, His easy and sweet yoke, as though, with one (shoulder), on which, they, with joy and the rejoice of heart, partake of carrying His one cross. Having lost their patience, the Jews could not bear to hear even the little children praising the Lord Christ. They tried to mute the voice of those little ones, to whom the Lord referred in Isaiah (8: 18), saying: “The children whom the Lord has given me”. When the elders of the Jews kept silent, grinding their teeth in envy and hate, the children cried our glorifying Christ; And even the stones would also cry out; about which it is written in the gospel: “God is able to raise up children from these stones” (see Matthew 3: 9). These stones refer to us, the Gentiles, who were once stone-hearted, before we believed in Jesus Christ, enjoyed sonhood among the children of Abraham, and became the children of the mighty God, To Whom is the glory forever, Amen1. (St. Jerome) 1 Homily 64 on Easter Sunday. 50 “The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, The leopard shall lie down with the young goat, The calf and the young lion and the fatling together, and a little child shall lead them” (Isaiah 11: 6): The Jews may say, [Even if these impossible things actually happen, how would it benefit mankind?!] That text here, does not refer to wild beasts, as much as it does to wild peoples; namely, to an assortment of races and nations, about whom the prophet clearly proclaims, that they will all come together under one yoke, “to worship the Lord, each one from his place” (Zephaniah 3: 9; 2: 11); That they will no longer have to come to Jerusalem to worship the Lord, but each will stay home and offer his worship to God1. (St. John Chrysostom) “From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, My worshippers, My dispersed ones, shall bring My offering” (Zephaniah 3: 10) Here, He refers to a congregation of Jews dispersed in Ethiopia, who supplicate to God anticipating their return and reform. Those, accepting the belief in the Lord Christ, being the church of the New Testament, will present the spiritual offering to the Lord (Romans 12: 1), outside the land of Israel. Origen believes that, anticipating the salvation of Israel through receiving faith, after “the fullness of the Gentiles has come into faith” (Romans 11: 25); the Gentiles, together with Israel, will gather together to worship God, as though under one yoke and with one accord (one shoulder) (Zephaniah 3: 9); Even as far as Ethiopia, all will present Him offerings (Zephaniah 3: 10); according to what came in the psalms: “Ethiopia will quickly stretch out her hands to God” (Psalm 68: 31) 2. St. Jerome often spoke of the holy people of God, as being the ‘garment of majesty’ that clothes the Lord. (see Psalm 97: 1). Having lost the first people, the Lord did not stay naked, but made for Himself another garment of the Gentiles. It is said: “The Lord reigns; Let the earth rejoice; Let the multitude of isles be glad” (Psalm 97: 1). It is not only one isle; namely, Judea, that will be glad, but a multitude of isles; namely, the whole world3. His goal from ascending the cross was to lift us up from the earth. I believe that the cross of the Savior is the ladder that was seen by Jacob, on which the angels went up and down. On that ladder; namely, the cross, the Jews descend, and the Gentiles ascend4. (St. Jerome) 4. THE HUMBLE JERUSALEM: “In that day you shall not be ashamed of any of your deeds in which you transgress against Me; For then I will take away from your midst those who rejoice in your pride, And you shall no longer be haughty in My holy mountain” (Zephaniah 3: 11) Proclaiming the great reform, through setting the new Jerusalem, and the appearance of the church of the New Testament; She shall no longer be ashamed of any of her deeds; as He takes away from her midst, the haughty who take pride, in a deadly 1 Demonstration Against the Pagans, 6: 9. 2 Cf. Homilies on Jeremiah 5: 4: 3. 3 Homily 26 on Ps. 99 (98). 4 Homily 21 on Ps. 92 (91). 51 formal literality, in the blessings that were once given to the people of Israel. The Lord takes away from Israel what they thought to be the secret of their greatness – the presence of Solomon’s temple and Jerusalem the city of God, etc. in their midst; And grants the few believers -- that little remnant, characterized by humility and not haughtiness -- the inner beauty; namely his Holy Spirit. What then? Have they all perished, and are they denied their reference to David and to the tribe of Judah? No, Some of them believed, actually several thousands did, after the resurrection of the Lord. After they crucified Him, and watching the great miracles that were performed by the disciples in the name of the crucified, who seemed helpless in their hands; they realized that the Deity was then hidden in Him. And when they sought the counsel of the apostles, they told them: “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2: 38). The Lord Christ resurrected to judge those who crucified Him; He transferred His presence from the Jews to the Gentiles; and seemed to act for the good of the remnant of Israel, about whom He was told: “For Your servant David’s sake, Do not turn away the face of Your anointed” (Psalm 132: 10). Let the hay be gathered together with the wheat, “for the remnant to be saved” (See Isaiah 10: 21). Out of those remnant, came the twelve apostles; the five hundred brethren to whom the Lord appeared after His resurrection (1 Corinthians 15: 6); the several thousands who were baptized on the day of the Pentecost (Acts 2: 41), and those who laid their possessions at the apostles’ feet This made the prayer has provided to God “For Your servant David’s sake, Do not turn away the face of Your anointed” (Psalm 132: 10)1. (St. Augustine) “I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the Lord” (Zephaniah 3: 12) St. Augustine believes this to be a prophecy about the few remnant of Israel who were saved through believing in the Lord Christ2. Having taken away their haughtiness, they started to practice humility and to trust in the name of the Lord, and in His work in them. Here He connects between the true humility and the living faith, filled with trust in the work of God. Miracles were realized in some of those who crucified Christ; who became believers, and received the blood of Christ. Those, on whose hands was the blood of the Savior, He cleansed them; Those who persecuted His dead body, have themselves become His body; namely, the church3. (St. Augustine) 5. THE TRUE JERUSALEM: “The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; For they shall feed their flocks and lie down, and no one shall make them afraid” (Zephaniah 3: 13) This holy remnant who accept faith in the Lord Christ, shall have exalted features: humility with practical faith, holiness of behavior, doing no unrighteousness, uttering no 1 On Ps. 132 (131). 2 Cf. City of God, 18: 33. 3 On Ps. 94 (93). 52 lies, and deceit shall have no place in their hearts, nor in their mouths. They shall be true in their thoughts, deeds, and words. 6. THE REJOICING JERUSALEM “Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!” (Zephaniah 3: 14) The fruits of humility with practical faith, the holiness of thought, deeds, and words, will be the true inner joy. The church shall have no work but to give the Lord perpetual thanksgiving, praise, shouting, and incessant rejoice. It is joy “with all the heart”, in which the source of joy will dwell, leaving no place for anyone else. “Sing to the Lord a new song” (Psalm 96: 1). Because the old man will be destroyed, and replaced by the new man, the earth will sing a new song, “Sing to the Lord, all the earth” (Psalm 96: 1). The earth that turned to the Lord with all her heart, will incessantly sing with the sweet praises of thanksgiving of youth1. “The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord” (Psalm 89: 5) … If to the sinner, it is said: “You are dust, and to dust you will return” (Genesis 19: 3); So why not say to the righteous and the saint: “You are heaven, and to heaven you will return”? The saints, like the apostles, will have “their citizenship in heaven” (Philippians 3: 20). “The heavens will praise Your wonders, O Lord”, prophesies the repentance preached by the apostles, and by which we accept the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. If we obey the counsel, and follow the example of those who have their citizenship there, we shall also be called “heaven”… Paradise is the home of the saints2. (St. Jerome) “Rejoice in the Lord, O you righteous” (Psalm 33: 1); “”For the praise from the upright is beautiful” (Psalm 33: 1); Submitting to the Lord, they will never go astray; “Praise the Lord with the harp” (Psalm 33: 2); Praise the Lord, presenting to Him “your bodies a living sacrifice” (Romans 12: 1); “Make melody to Him with an instrument of ten strings” (Psalm 33: 2). Let your body members minister to the love of God and to the love of your neighbor … “Sing to Him a new song” (Psalm 33: 3); Sing to Him the song of the grace of faith. “Play skillfully with a shout of joy” (Psalm 33: 3) 3. (St. Augustine) 7. JERUSALEM, THE DWELLING PLACE OF THE LORD: “The Lord has taken away your judgments, He has cast out your enemy. The King of Israel, the Lord, is in your midst; You shall see disaster no more” (Zephaniah 3: 15) The secret of joy of the church is that He has taken away and wiped out her charges, to be judged no more. The Holy One took her place, and received the verdict of death on her behalf; He took what is hers, and gave her what is His, being the holy and the righteous Son. The enemy, the devil, who became the prince of this world, has no more place in the true church of Christ. The Lord has cast out her enemy, has publicly made him of no 1 Homily 72 on Ps. 96 (95). 2 Homily 66 on Ps. 89 (88). 3 On Ps. 33 (32). 53 reputation, and has reigned in her midst; making His righteousness and holiness her law; Evil cannot force its way through her. Live, O Jerusalem in complete joy, in perfect happiness, and in fulfillment. The Lord has cast away all your evil deeds, and saved you of your enemy’s might; to whom you were once submitted. Now, being in your midst, and proclaiming His Kingdom by caring for you; no disturbance can ever approach you1. (Theodore, Bishop of Messisa) The deep meaning of this phrase is that it clearly commands Jerusalem to rejoice and to be happy with all her heart; having all her iniquities cast away by Christ. The spiritual Zion – the church, or the holy congregation – become righteous in Christ, and in Him alone. By, and through Him, they are saved from the harm of their unseen enemies; having as an Intercessor, the Incarnated who took our form; the King of all; namely the Word of God the Father. Thanks to Him, being saved from the hosts of darkness, we shall no longer see evil;. He is the (Word), the Shield of good will, Peace, Stronghold, Grantor of non-corruption, the Intercessor of crowns, who overcomes the incorporeal Assyrians, and makes of no avail, the plots of the devils2. (St. Cyril of Alexandria) I know that certain scholars interpret this text, as the return from Babylon, and the renewal of Jerusalem. Although I shall not argue against their interpretation; as the text also applies to what happened then. Yet you shall find a more logic and correct interpretation in the incarnation of our Savior, that healed the grieved hearts by the cleansing of the new birth, having renewed our human nature; proclaiming His love for us by delivering Himself for our sake; “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15: 13); and, “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (John 3: 16) 3. (Theodore, Bishop of Coresh) After making war against the devil for a certain time, we will be in need of a dwelling place where we find peace4. (St. Augustine) “In that day it shall be said to Jerusalem: ‘Do not fear, Zion, let not your hands be weak’” (Zephaniah 3: 16) Dwelling in the midst of His people, and dwelling in the heart of the believer, He seeks the raising of the pure hands with no weakness nor fear. Casting away the devil with his works, fear will have no place in the church of Christ, who, daringly, will raise her hands to supplicate for the sake of her children, and for all humanity. The secret of having no fear will be what the church enjoys of the freedom of the glory of the children of God; by which she can, daringly, speak with Him like a son or a daughter with their father. 1 Commentary on Zephaniah, 3: 11-15. 2 Commentary on Zephaniah, 43 3 Commentary on Zephaniah 3: 16-18., 4 On Ps. 15. 54 “The Lord is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid?” (Psalm 27: 1). The Lord will make all the attacks of the enemy of no avail. “When the wicked came against me, to eat up my flesh” (Psalm 27: 2); I shall change to the better; With their teeth, they will not devour me, but will devour my carnal lusts1. (St. Augustine) “The Lord your God in your midst, The mighty One will save; He will rejoice over you with gladness, He will quiet you in His love, He will rejoice over you with singing” (Zephaniah 3: 17) By the return of the remnant to the Lord, The Lord will proudly refer Himself to her; She will be told: “Your God”; the same way it is said: “God of Abraham, of Isaac, and of Jacob” . In the midst of His church, He is the mighty God, capable to save to perfection, to defend her, and to grant her the life of conquest. She will be the object of His rejoice, and His joy; He will (quietly) contemplate in her spiritual beauty, not in disregard, but will find His comfort in His great love for her. We know that God is the source of our rejoice, joy, and happiness; But, how amazing to hear that God finds pleasure in us, and rejoices over us! According to Ben Sirach: “God finds pleasure in mankind”; And according to the Lord Christ Himself: “There will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents” (Luke 15: 7). He will indeed save; Yet, He will do that according to the way He promised; And how is that? We have to seek salvation; We have to listen to Him; As He is not promising wooden boards2! (St. John Chrysostom) 8. JERUSALEM ENJOYING SALVATION: “I will gather those who sorrow over the appointed assembly, who are among you, to whom its reproach is a burden” (Zephaniah 3: 18) Grief reigning over the hearts of the captives, they refused to play on their harps. The Psalmist says: “By the rivers of Babylon, there we sat down, yea, we wept when we remembered Zion. We hung our harps upon the willows in the midst of it. For there, those who carried us away captives required of us a song, And those who plundered us required of us mirth, saying, ‘Sing us one of the songs of Zion’. How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a foreign land? If I forget you, O Jerusalem, Let my right hand forget her skill …” (Psalm 137). But, once the Lord reversed their captivation, brought them into the spiritual Jerusalem, and gave them the freedom of the glory of the children of God; their whole being became a spiritual harp on which the Holy Spirit of God plays the songs of salvation, of thanksgiving, and of praise. Her reproach is taken away, her grief is scattered, and she is bearing an inner glory, an exalted heavenly joy. “Behold, at that time, I will deal with all who afflict you; I will save the lame, and gather those who are driven out; I will appoint them for praise and fame in every land where they were put to shame” (Zephaniah 3: 19) Enjoying salvation from captivity and the reproach of the devil, the weakness of the holy remnant will not be an obstacle on the way of her true glory, As the Savior will 1 On Ps. 27 (26). 2 Homily on Thessalonians 3: 4. 55 deal with whoever has humiliated her, will break his might and power, and will take away his authority over her, If the enemy has made her lame and helpless to move; the Savior will move on her behalf, and will spare her the feeling of weakness and helplessness. And if the enemy has captivated her, brought her into exile, and scattered her away from her home, The Savior will gather her, and will bring her over, as though to her heavenly home. And if the enemy has distorted her image, and poured on her shame and reproach, She will bear the name of her Savior in the whole earth; And will become, herself, a song, and a source of joy to many. 9. JERUSALEM THE GLORIOUS: “’At the time I will bring you back, Even at the time I gather you; For I will give you fame and praise among all the people of the earth, when I return your captives before your eyes’, says the Lord” (Zephaniah 3: 20) He ends the book by proclaiming the Church of the New Testament as a glorious church that reflects the splendor of the glory of her heavenly Father. She, who used to be an object of ridicule and reproach, Her name now, will be all over the earth, the source of joy for all mankind. Everyone will marvel, how the captive has become free; and how the one who was in disgrace, has come to such an exalted glory?! The salvation of humanity would only be realized through the compassion of God; We would not acquire it as wage for our own righteousness; but rather as a divine grant and goodness. That is why the Lord says: “For your sake I save and make alive”; I will bring back to me, him who has gone after another; I will make him more prominent and more famed; I will set him free from his past reproach, captivity, and servitude; I will make a free nation for Myself, out of those who returned from Babylon at that time, and the whole people of the world later on. We, who were under the violent servitude of the devil; have become now free; Who have irrationally fallen under the worship of a multitude of gods, have become subjects of the living and true God, and, have become, according to the prophecy, more famed and prominent than the pagans and the Barbarians; And, according to the blessed apostle, we, who were far before, became near1. (Theodore, Bishop of Coresh) Having enjoyed salvation, the believer will be the object of pleasure to God; And this, being reflected on everyone he encounters, he will become the secret of joy to many, who get in touch with the Lord Christ dwelling in him – the fountain of joy; and his mere name will become a praise on the mouths of people. Wherever the true believer goes, he will turn the location as though into heaven, by the grace of God working in him. And what we say about the believer, we do say about the church as a whole. Her name will turn into a praise, blessed by many, as a source of joy and rejoice to them. That was the experience of St. Mary, who carrying her Savior in her womb, she became a praise to the whole world; And as she said: “Behold, henceforth all generations will call me blessed” (Luke 1: 48). 1 Commentary on Zephaniah 3: 19-20. 56 AN INSPIRATION FROM THE BOOK OF ZEPHANIAH (3) YOU BUILD, AND YOU DEMOLISH I shall entrust no hand to demolish me except Your divine hand that builds and demolishes. To demolish my rebellion. defilements, and oppression; and to take away every disobedience in me. To scatter every haughtiness which infiltrated into my depths; and to kill every voracious thought. In place of my dryness, You grant me the living spirit of worship; So that, in me, the river of Your Holy Spirit will run, to transform my wilderness into a paradise. Will grant me the fellowship of the divine nature. I will find my pleasure in enjoying obedience, humility, and meekness. I will bear Your abidance, enjoy Your humility, and will enjoy Your meekness. Glory to You, O who works in the sinners, and grants righteousness to Your servants, in which to hide. Your amazing Spirit sets out of me, a rejoicing Jerusalem. And turns my depths into Your holy temple, to become Your dwelling place. To know nothing but the joy of heaven and the rejoice of the angels. To enjoy Your salvation, and the pledge of eternal glory. Glory to You, O Grantor of glory to Your beloved children.
Welcome