Numbers 16

Their bellies' fullness was followed by rebellion, which often rouses occasions of destructive danger. We say that a person is provoked when roused to anger by wicked deeds or very harsh words of others. The verse points to the incident when Dathan and Abiram roused strife and sought distinction for themselves. So their punishment ensued; for they provoked the holy men, which led to their own destruction, for they spoke through jealousy, and this is acknowledged to have displeased the Lord. This is aptly mentioned among the Lord's praises because he is seen to have avenged his servants.As Numbers attests, it is clear that this befell the men who with the poisonous teeth of envy sought the heavenly favor bestowed on Aaron and Moses. Thus Dathan and Abiram wantonly seized for themselves the distinction which had been bestowed by the Lord's kindness on Aaron and Moses. A similar end came on both of them because their motive in causing division was the same. They were swallowed up by the earth because they were steeped in earthly things, so that the nature of their punishment itself witnesses to their criminal deeds.

Let those then who dissent learn to fear to rouse up the Lord, and to appease His priests. What! did not the earthquake swallow up Dathan, Abiron, and Korah because of their dissension? For when Korah, Dathan, and Abiron had stirred up two hundred and fifty men against Moses and Aaron to separate themselves from them, they rose up against them and said: "Let it suffice you that all the congregation are holy, every one, and the Lord is amongst them."

Whereupon the Lord was angry and spoke to the whole congregation. The Lord considered and knew those that were His, and drew His saints to Himself; and those whom He chose not, He did not draw to Himself. And the Lord commanded that Korah and all those who had risen up with him against Moses and Aaron the priests of the Lord should take to themselves censers, and put on incense, that he who was chosen of the Lord might be established as holy among the Levites of the Lord. And Moses said to Korah: "Hear me, ye sons of Levi: Is this a small thing unto you, that God hath separated you from the congregation of Israel, and brought you near to Himself, to minister the service of the Tabernacle of the Lord." And farther on, "Seek ye the priesthood also, so that thou and all thy congregation are gathered against the Lord. And what is Aaron that ye murmur about him?"

Considering, then, what causes of offence existed, that unworthy persons desired to discharge the offices of the priesthood, and therefore were causing dissensions; and were murmuring in censure of the judgment of God in the choice of His priest, the whole people were seized with a great fear, and dread of punishment came upon them all. But when all implore that all perish not for the insolence of few, those guilty of the wickedness are marked out; and two hundred and fifty men with their leaders are separated from the whole body of the people; and then the earth with a groan cleaves asunder in the midst of the people, a deep gulf opens, the offenders are swallowed up, and are so removed from all the elements of this world, as neither to pollute the air by breathing it, nor the heavens by beholding them, nor the sea by their touch, nor the earth by their sepulchres.

Thus Korah, Dathan and Abiram, who tried to assume for themselves in opposition to Moses and Aaron the freedom to sacrifice, immediately paid the penalty for their efforts. The earth, breaking its bonds, opened up into a deep chasm, and the opening of the receding ground swallowed up the standing and the living. And not only did the anger of the indignant God strike those who had been the authors [of the revolt], but also fire that went out from the Lord in speedy revenge consumed 250 others, participants and sharers in the same madness, who had been joined together with them in the daring plan. Clearly [this] warned and showed that whatever the wicked attempt by human will to destroy God's plan is done against God.

But that they are said to have the same God the Father as we, to know the same Christ the Son, the same Holy Spirit, can be of no avail to such as these. For even Korah, Dathan, and Abiram knew the same God as did the priest Aaron and Moses. Living under the same law and religion, they invoke the one and true God, who was to be invoked and worshipped; yet, because they transgressed the ministry of their office in opposition to Aaron the priest, who bad received the legitimate priesthood by the condescension of God and the ordination of the Lord, and claimed to themselves the power of sacrificing, divinely stricken, they immediately suffered punishment for their unlawful endeavours; and sacrifices offered irreligiously and lawlessly, contrary to the right of divine appointment, could not be accepted, nor profit them.

We say therefore with confidence that according to the Scriptures God does not know all. God does not know sin, and God does not know sinners; those estranged from himself he does not recognize. Hear the Scripture saying: "The Lord has known those who are his, and: let everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord depart from iniquity." The Lord knows his own, but the wicked and the impious he does not know. Hear the Savior saying: "Depart from me all you workers of iniquity, I have not known you." And again Paul says: "If anyone among you is a prophet or spiritual, let him recognize that the things I write are the Lord's. But he who is ignorant, is ignored." But we say these things not perceiving anything blasphemous about God, as you do, nor ascribing ignorance to him, but we understand it thus, that those whose deed is unworthy of God are also deemed unworthy of the knowledge of God. For God does not deign to know him who is turned away from him and is ignorant of him.

We find that also made clear in Numbers when Korah and Dathan and Abiram claimed for themselves the liberty of sacrificing in opposition to Aaron the priest. There also the Lord teaches through Moses that the people should be separated from them lest they be bound by the same guilt with the criminals and contaminate themselves by the same crime. "Keep away," he says, "from the tents of most shameless wicked men, and do not touch anything that is theirs, lest you perish at the same time in their sin." Because of this, a people who obey the precepts of the Lord and fear God ought to separate themselves from a sinful leader and should not take part in the sacrifices of a sacrilegious bishop, especially since they themselves have the power either of electing worthy bishops or of refusing the unworthy.

While we wish to obey the commands of love, we may perhaps fall into reproach, since we are writing about a matter that has never been questioned by anyone; for while we do not wish to offend friendship, we entangle the effort that ought to have served to reveal some hidden matter: yet on account of the excessive foolishness of a certain person who emphasizes what we set forth below, that aforementioned love has enjoined this on us, lest, since no one answered him on this for a long time, he grow worse, and, long exercised in vain, be unable to be corrected. For this is the task of love, which does not seek its own. A certain man therefore, who bears the name Falcidius, led by folly and by the boasting of the city of Rome, strives to equal deacons [levitas] with priests and deacons with presbyters: I will not say to favor them, because that would be even more foolish and perhaps seem unbelievable, and we might be regarded not as correctors but as slanderers. By what law then, or what custom, by what example he dares to undertake this, I think no one knows: namely, that he should make equal to those who, as God’s bishops, sit in the house of God and in the honor of Christ with dignity, those to whom no seat has been granted in the Church. What audacity is it to make ministers equal to presbyters themselves? What rash presumption it is to compare with priests the bearers of the tabernacle, and the cutters of all its wood and the carriers of water? For this was the office of the deacons [levitarum]. It is as if officials were equated with captains, and slaves with masters. For this is written, with the Lord saying to Moses, Take the tribe of Levi from the midst of the children of Israel, and set them before Aaron the priest, and they shall serve him (Num. 8:13). What is clearer than this example, which is still observed in the Church? Although the deacons of the Roman Church may appear a little more shameless, yet they do not presume the dignity of sitting in the Church. And if they do not perform all the ministries of service in order, that is due to the multitude of clerics. For otherwise they would also carry the altar and its vessels, and pour water on the hands of the priest, as we see in all the Churches, and as it was appointed by the Lord through Moses. Or are they better than Elisha, who poured water on the hands of Elijah (2 Kings 3:11)? Yet he defends the deacons against the presbyters, as though deacons were ordained from presbyters, and not presbyters from deacons. But because they are ministers of the Roman Church, they are therefore thought more honorable than in the other Churches, on account of the magnificence of the city of Rome, which appears to be the head of all cities. If this is so, then they ought to claim this also for their priests: for if those who are lower are exalted because of the magnificence of the city, how much more should those who are higher be raised up? For whatever is granted to the officials becomes an increase of the power: just as the honor of the servant contributes to the praise of the master. Yet before the just Judge, God, the honor remains for each here which has been assigned to the several offices of the Churches, so that whoever is a deacon has the honor of a deacon in all the Churches. For it is no slight honor to serve in the Church as minister to a bishop of God; only the priest is worthy of the whole honor of the ecclesiastical order. For the higher order has within itself and by itself the lower as well: for the presbyter performs the office of deacon and of exorcist and of reader. That “presbyter” is to be understood as “bishop,” the Apostle Paul proves, when he instructs Timothy, whom he ordained presbyter, as to what sort of man he ought to ordain as bishop (1 Tim. 3:1–7). For what is a bishop, if not the first presbyter, that is, the chief priest? Accordingly he here calls them his fellow-presbyters and his fellow-priests. Does the bishop also call the ministers his fellow-deacons? Certainly not, because they are much lower. And it is shameful for a judge to be called the head of the office staff. For in Alexandria and throughout all Egypt, if the bishop is lacking, the presbyter consecrates. How great the dignity of the priestly order is, the case of Caiaphas shows, who, although he was a very wicked man, prophesied. Why? Because, he says, he was the high priest (Jn. 11:49). And again, that there is a great difference between a deacon and a priest, the book we call the Acts of the Apostles proves. For when in Samaria they had believed Philip as he preached, Philip, a deacon ordained by the Apostles, they sent, it says, to Peter and John that they might come and give the Holy Spirit by the laying on of hands to those who believed (Acts 8:14–15). But they, I think, defend these things either ignorant of the Scriptures or forgetful of the Law. He, therefore, who thinks these things ought to be asserted must recall what happened to the deacons [levitis] when they thought in this way. For when they presumed that there was no difference between priests and deacons [levitas], Korah and those who agreed with him were swallowed up by the gaping earth, by the judgment of God, and a rush of fire consumed the two hundred and fifty men together (Num. 16:31–35): and King Uzziah, when he presumed to perform the priestly work, was covered with leprosy (2 Chron. 26:19–21): so that by this example, at least, others, struck with fear, might not dare to suppose what has not been granted to them. For now we see deacons rashly doing at banquets and in prayer what belongs to priests, wanting it to be the case that people answer them, whereas this is permitted only to priests. For it is the role of the deacon to receive from the priest and so to give to the people. You see what empty presumption produces? Forgetful, in the pride of their minds, that they are ministers of the Roman Church, they do not consider what has been ordained for them by God and what they ought to observe: rather, they remove from memory these things, the constant attendance to household duties and official service, which now has great power through good or bad suggestions. For either it is feared lest they give bad advice, or they are bought so that they may grant favors. These are the people who cause them not to consider the rule of their own order. For while they unlawfully humor them with flattery, they drive them headlong, so that they think more is permitted them: since they see that priests are not so courted; and by this they suppose themselves to be preferred He says that by testimony the deacon becomes a presbyter, as though this belonged to the privilege of greatness. For we read that Peter the Apostle said to the people: “Choose from among you those whom we may appoint to serve the mysteries of the Church” (Acts 6:3). I do not wish to say, the tables. Behold, by the testimony of laypeople deacons were created. And the Apostle wants the one who is to be ordained bishop to have testimony even from the Gentiles; for he says, “For he must also have a good testimony from those who are outside” (1 Tim. 3:7). Therefore it belongs to all to give testimony, and yet not all are worthy of this honor. For all can judge, and yet not all can be what they judge. A painter can be judged good and preferred to another by someone who does not know how to paint; and a flute-player may be approved as better than another flute-player by one who practices a different art. So too a witness for the creation of a presbyter can be someone who is lower in rank. And again, they are puffed up by this and think much is owed to them: “For it is by us,” they say, “that those who are to be ordained are brought forward,” so that, since they stand at their side, they may appear worthy of honor. Suppose this is true. For he is sent by the bishop as an attendant, to render service to the one being ordained. For even the emperor, that he may appear as emperor, is established with the service of the army; yet the army is neither better than nor equal to the emperor. For Haman too, though he was illustrious in military rank, was sent by the king to go in attendance to Mordecai (Esther 6:10), so that by such acts of service it might be known how worthy Mordecai was. So also deacons are sent in attendance for the creation of presbyters, so that all may understand that they become worthy to be priests. For except for the priests, to whom they owe service, deacons are placed before all.

Then there were the miracles of the seditious among the people of God. They separated themselves from the divinely ordered community. They were swallowed alive by the earth, as a visible token of an invisible punishment.

In the Old Testament, as, for instance, in the case of Korah and the men who dared to enter the priesthood without being called to it and by the severity of the wrath which came upon them to their utter destruction, we see how grave a thing it is to do that which is unsuitable as regards the person.

And that He might increase in them this fear, immediately, by the mouth of offence, the rod of His chastisement was revealed, and after the offence the Chastiser gave them no respite, because their servitude was not worthy of His longsuffering. Above their head the rod of justice hung continually, and immediately they committed sin they were chastened, and at the time of their offence they were beaten, and at the entrance of the path of their sins they forthwith received rebuke; for longsuffering teacheth the foolish servant contempt, and in order that that stupid nation, which in the manner of an evil-doing servant, sat in the house of God, might not [learn] contempt, the Chastiser took away longsuffering, especially when they went forth from Egypt. And we must also understand the object of that swift punishment in another way, and that there was not longsuffering as regardeth the correction of their sins; for God the Teacher took the people, like a child, from Egypt their nurse, that He might deliver unto them the doctrine of His knowledge, and might teach them the instruction of His wisdom. But the people, in their ignorance, when instruction had been delivered unto them, forgot it, and they never kept in remembrance the meditation of the commandments of God, and they were frequently punished with severity, so that, if it were only through fear of chastisement, they might lay hold upon the remembrance of instruction. The man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned by all the congregation; and the earth opened and swallowed up others who were called by Moses, and who scorned him and came not; and fire went forth suddenly, and burnt up the bodies of others who thought lightly of his priestly office, and who sought honour for themselves; and others, who in the guise of paying honour, brought strange fire out of season, were burnt up by a tongue of fire which went forth from the tabernacle, and they perished; and others, because they asked for flesh and rejected the bread of angels, were tortured by the indigestion which came upon them; and others who went astray as concerning the calf, were pierced through by the swords of the Levites; and others, who were the cause of the revolt at the waters of trial were set apart for destruction; and others who murmured against the Lord perished by fiendish snakes; and likewise they all, because they strove against going into the land of promise, came to an end and were destroyed in the wilderness. To these offences, then, these punishments were united, and together with each act of wickedness a punishment straightway sprang up by its side, so that evil deeds might be suppressed by stripes, and sins by vengeance, and so that the people might be like a child who feareth the teacher who giveth him instruction, and that it might tremble before the Judge who would beat them like a wrongdoing slave.

Every kind of honour and happiness was bestowed upon you, and then was fulfilled that which is written, "My beloved ate and drank, and was enlarged and became fat, and kicked." [Deuteronomy 32:15] Hence flowed emulation and envy, strife and sedition, persecution and disorder, war and captivity. So the worthless rose up against the honoured, those of no reputation against such as were renowned, the foolish against the wise, the young against those advanced in years. For this reason righteousness and peace are now far departed from you, inasmuch as every one abandons the fear of God, and has become blind in His faith, neither walks in the ordinances of His appointment, nor acts a part becoming a Christian, but walks after his own wicked lusts, resuming the practice of an unrighteous and ungodly envy, by which death itself entered into the world. [Wisdom 2:24]

For thus it is written: "And it came to pass after certain days, that Cain brought of the fruits of the earth a sacrifice unto God; and Abel also brought of the firstlings of his sheep, and of the fat thereof. And God had respect to Abel and to his offerings, but Cain and his sacrifices He did not regard. And Cain was deeply grieved, and his countenance fell. And God said to Cain, Why are you grieved, and why is your countenance fallen? If you offer rightly, but do not divide rightly, have you not sinned? Be at peace: your offering returns to yourself, and you shall again possess it. And Cain said to Abel his brother, Let us go into the field. And it came to pass, while they were in the field, that Cain rose up against Abel his brother, and slew him." [Genesis 4:3-8] You see, brethren, how envy and jealousy led to the murder of a brother. Through envy, also, our father Jacob fled from the face of Esau his brother [Genesis 27:41-45]. Envy made Joseph be persecuted unto death, and to come into bondage. [Genesis 37:18-28] Envy compelled Moses to flee from the face of Pharaoh king of Egypt, when he heard these words from his fellow-countryman, "Who made you a judge or a ruler over us? Will you kill me, as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?" [Exodus 2:14] On account of envy, Aaron and Miriam had to make their abode without the camp. [Numbers 12:14-15] Envy brought down Dathan and Abiram alive to Hades, through the sedition which they excited against God's servant Moses. [Numbers 16:33] Through envy, David not only underwent the hatred of foreigners, but was also persecuted by Saul king of Israel. [1 Samuel 21:10-15]

For the quick know and feel what is being done about them; but the dead can feel nothing. For they would go down dead into hell if they committed what is evil without knowledge. But when they know what is evil, and yet do it, they go down quick, miserable, and feeling, into the hell of iniquity.

And that He might increase in them this fear, immediately, by the mouth of offence, the rod of His chastisement was revealed, and after the offence the Chastiser gave them no respite, because their servitude was not worthy of His longsuffering. Above their head the rod of justice hung continually, and immediately they committed sin they were chastened, and at the time of their offence they were beaten, and at the entrance of the path of their sins they forthwith received rebuke; for longsuffering teacheth the foolish servant contempt, and in order that that stupid nation, which in the manner of an evil-doing servant, sat in the house of God, might not [learn] contempt, the Chastiser took away longsuffering, especially when they went forth from Egypt. And we must also understand the object of that swift punishment in another way, and that there was not longsuffering as regardeth the correction of their sins; for God the Teacher took the people, like a child, from Egypt their nurse, that He might deliver unto them the doctrine of His knowledge, and might teach them the instruction of His wisdom. But the people, in their ignorance, when instruction had been delivered unto them, forgot it, and they never kept in remembrance the meditation of the commandments of God, and they were frequently punished with severity, so that, if it were only through fear of chastisement, they might lay hold upon the remembrance of instruction. The man who gathered sticks on the Sabbath day was stoned by all the congregation; and the earth opened and swallowed up others who were called by Moses, and who scorned him and came not; and fire went forth suddenly, and burnt up the bodies of others who thought lightly of his priestly office, and who sought honour for themselves; and others, who in the guise of paying honour, brought strange fire out of season, were burnt up by a tongue of fire which went forth from the tabernacle, and they perished; and others, because they asked for flesh and rejected the bread of angels, were tortured by the indigestion which came upon them; and others who went astray as concerning the calf, were pierced through by the swords of the Levites; and others, who were the cause of the revolt at the waters of trial were set apart for destruction; and others who murmured against the Lord perished by fiendish snakes; and likewise they all, because they strove against going into the land of promise, came to an end and were destroyed in the wilderness. To these offences, then, these punishments were united, and together with each act of wickedness a punishment straightway sprang up by its side, so that evil deeds might be suppressed by stripes, and sins by vengeance, and so that the people might be like a child who feareth the teacher who giveth him instruction, and that it might tremble before the Judge who would beat them like a wrongdoing slave.

Now this is the first lust which conquered the world, and because of it the first transgression of the law took place. And because the priests lusted and drank wine, and were confused in the place of propitiation, the fire consumed their bodies.