OT § 32
6th Thursday Lent Vespers
And God spoke to Israel in a night vision, saying, Jacob, Jacob; and he said, What is it?
εἶπε δὲ ὁ Θεὸς τῷ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐν ὁράματι τῆς νυκτός, εἰπών· ᾿Ιακώβ, ᾿Ιακώβ, ὁ δὲ εἶπε· τί ἐστιν;
Рече́ же бг҃ъ ко і҆и҃лю въ видѣ́нїи но́щїю, гл҃ѧ: і҆а́кѡве, і҆а́кѡве. Ѻ҆́нъ же речѐ: что́ є҆сть;
And he says to him, I am the God of thy fathers; fear not to go down into Egypt, for I will make thee there a great nation.
ὁ δὲ λέγει αὐτῷ· ἐγώ εἰμι ὁ Θεὸς τῶν πατέρων σου· μὴ φοβοῦ καταβῆναι εἰς Αἴγυπτον· εἰς γὰρ ἔθνος μέγα ποιήσω σε ἐκεῖ,
Ѻ҆́нъ же речѐ є҆мꙋ̀: а҆́зъ є҆́смь бг҃ъ ѻ҆тцє́въ твои́хъ, не ᲂу҆бо́йсѧ и҆зы́ти во є҆гѵ́петъ: въ ꙗ҆зы́къ бо ве́лїй сотворю́ тѧ та́мѡ:
It appears fitting indeed after these things, to contemplate and look into what God says to Israel himself through the vision and how he sends him to Egypt strengthening and encouraging him as if he were setting out to some struggles. For he says, "Fear not to descend into Egypt." This is to say, you shall contend "against principalities and powers and against the rulers of this world of this darkness"—which is figuratively called Egypt—fear not, be not afraid. But if also you wish to know the reason that you ought not fear, hear my promise: "For I will make a great nation of you there, and I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will recall you from there in the end." He therefore with whom God shall go down into the struggles is not afraid "to go down into Egypt." He is not afraid to approach the struggles of this world and the battles with resisting demons. For hear the apostle Paul saying, "I have labored more," he says, "than all those, yet not I, but the grace of God with me." But also when dissension had been stirred up against him in Jerusalem, and he performed a most brilliant struggle for the word and preaching of the Lord, the Lord stood by him and said the same things that now are said to Israel. "Fear not, Paul," Scripture says, "for as you have testified of me in Jerusalem, so must you bear witness also at Rome."
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 15.5And I will go down with thee into Egypt, and I will bring thee up at the end; and Joseph shall put his hands on thine eyes.
καὶ ἐγὼ καταβήσομαι μετὰ σοῦ εἰς Αἴγυπτον, καὶ ἐγὼ ἀναβιβάσω σε εἰς τέλος, καὶ ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἐπιβαλεῖ τὰς χεῖρας αὐτοῦ ἐπὶ τοὺς ὀφθαλμούς σου.
и҆ а҆́зъ сни́дꙋ съ тобо́ю во є҆гѵ́петъ, и҆ а҆́зъ возведꙋ́ тѧ до конца̀: и҆ і҆ѡ́сифъ возложи́тъ рꙋ́ки своѧ̑ на ѻ҆́чи твоѝ.
Our God himself also exhorts that people with his own prophecy and promises them advancement in the faith, the fruit of his gift, for he says to them, "Joseph shall put his hand on your eyes." It was not that the holy patriarch was troubled as to who should close his eyes, although in the clear understanding of it a natural love is also being expressed. For we often desire to embrace those whom we love. How much more, when we are about to depart from this body, do we take delight in the last touch of our beloved children and find consolation in such a provision for our journey. Yet in a mystical sense we may take it to mean that afterward the Jewish people are going to know their God. For this is a mystery, that the true Joseph places his hands over the eyes of another, so that he who before did not see may now see. Come to the Gospel, read how the blind man was healed, when Jesus put his hand on him and took away his blindness. Indeed, Christ does not put his hand on those who are going to die but on those who are going to live or, if on those who are going to die, rightly so, because we first die in order that we may live again. For we cannot see God unless we die to sin previously.
ON JOSEPH 14.83See how whatever the good man longed for the Lord promises him, and in fact much more. That is to say, in his generosity he exceeds our requests out of fidelity to his characteristic love. "Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt," he says. Because Jacob dreaded the length of the journey, accordingly he says, "Have no regard for the weakness of your old age—I will make you into a great nation there. I will accompany you and make everything easy for you." Notice the considerateness of the expression: "I will go down with you to Egypt." What could be more blessed than to have God as traveling companion? Then he spoke the consoling thought that the old man had particular need of: "Joseph's hands will close your eyes in death." That dearly beloved son of yours will personally prepare your body for burial, and his hands will close your eyes in death.So, quite happy and free from all concern, Jacob took to the road. Consider at this point, I ask you, with what cheerfulness the good man makes the journey, being so reassured by God's promise.
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 65.6-7But I think a still greater mystery lies hidden in this passage. For this statement disturbs me: "I will make a great nation of you, and I will go down with you into Egypt, and I will recall you from there in the end." Who is it who is made "into a great nation" in Egypt and is recalled "in the end"? To the extent that it pertains to that Jacob of whom one supposes it to be said, it will not appear true. For he was not recalled from Egypt "in the end," since he died in Egypt. But it will be absurd if someone says Jacob was recalled by God in that his body was carried back. But if it is accepted, it will not be true that "God is not the God of the dead but of the living." It is not proper, therefore, that these words be understood of a dead body but that they apply to the living and vigorous.Let us consider therefore whether there may be depicted in this statement a figure of the Lord who descends into this world and is made "into a great nation," that is, the church of the Gentiles, and after all things were completed, returned to the Father. Or, whether it is a figure of "the first-formed man" who descends to the struggles of this world after he was cast out of the delights of paradise. The struggle with the serpent was set before him when it is said, "You shall watch for his head, and he shall watch for your heel," and again, when it is said to the woman, "I will put enmity between you and him, and between your seed and his seed." Nevertheless God does not desert those placed in this struggle but is always with them. He is pleased with Abel; he reproaches Cain; he is present with Enoch, when he is invoked. He commands Noah to construct an ark of salvation in the flood; he leads Abraham "from the house of his father" and "from his kinsmen"; he blesses Isaac and Jacob; he leads the sons of Israel out of Egypt. He writes the law of the letter through Moses. He completes what was lacking through the prophets. This is what it means to be with them in Egypt. But regarding the statement "I will recall you from there in the end," I think this means, as we said above, that at the end of the ages his only-begotten Son descended even into the nether regions for the salvation of the world and recalled "the first-formed man" from there. For what he said to the thief, "This day you shall be with me in paradise," understand not to have been said to him alone but also to all the saints for whom he had descended into the nether regions. In this man, therefore, more truly than in Jacob the words "I will recall you from there in the end" will be fulfilled.
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 15.5But each of us also, in the same manner and in the same way, enters Egypt and struggles and, if he is worthy that God should always remain with him, he will make him "into a great nation." For the number of virtues and the multitude of righteousness in which all the saints are said to be multiplied and to increase is a great nation.That which is said is also fulfilled in the saint: "I will recall you from there in the end." For the end is considered to be the perfection of things and the consummation of virtues. Indeed, for this reason also another saint said, "Recall me not in the midst of my days." And again the Scripture bestows testimony on the great patriarch Abraham since "Abraham died full of days." This statement, therefore, "I will recall you from there in the end," is as if he had said, Since "you have fought a good fight, you have kept the faith, you have finished the course," I will now recall you from this world to the future blessing, to the perfection of eternal life, to "the crown of justice which the Lord will give in the end of the ages to all who love him."
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 15.6But let us see how also the statement after that should be understood: "And Joseph shall put his hands upon your eyes." I think many mysteries indeed of secret understanding are hidden within the veil of this statement. It belongs to another time to approach and touch upon these mysteries. Now, meanwhile, it will not appear to be said without reason, since it has appeared also to some of our predecessors that a certain prophecy seemed to be designated in this statement. Since indeed that Jeroboam who made two golden calves that he might seduce the people to worship them was from the tribe of Joseph, by this he blinded and closed the eyes of Israel, as if his hands were placed on them, lest they see their impiety, of which it is said, "Because of the impiety of Jacob are all these things, and because of the sin of the house of Israel. But what is the impiety of Jacob? Is it not Samaria?"32But if someone perhaps asserts that those things that are said by God about a future form of piety ought not be turned to a censurable function, we will say that just as the true Joseph, our Lord and Savior, put his physical hand on the eyes of the blind man and restored his sight that he had lost, so also he put his spiritual hands on the eyes of the law, which had been blinded by the corporeal understanding of the scribes and Pharisees. He restored sight to them, that to these to whom the Lord has opened the Scriptures spiritual vision and understanding might appear in the law. And would that the Lord Jesus might put "his hands on" our "eyes" too, that we too might begin to look not at those things "which are seen but at the things which are not seen." And would that he might open for us those eyes which contemplate not present things but future, and might reveal to us the aspect of the heart by which God is seen in spirit, through the Lord Jesus Christ himself, to whom belongs "glory and power forever and ever. Amen."
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 15.7And Jacob rose up from the well of the oath; and the sons of Israel took up their father, and the baggage, and their wives on the wagons, which Joseph sent to take them.
ἀνέστη δὲ ᾿Ιακὼβ ἀπὸ τοῦ φρέατος τοῦ ὅρκου, καὶ ἀνέλαβον οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ τὸν πατέρα αὐτῶν καὶ τὴν ἀποσκευὴν καὶ τὰς γυναῖκας αὐτῶν ἐπὶ τὰς ἁμάξας ἃς ἀπέστειλεν ᾿Ιωσὴφ ἆραι αὐτόν,
Воста́ же і҆а́кѡвъ ѿ кла́дѧзѧ клѧ́твеннагѡ, и҆ взѧ́ша сы́нове і҆и҃лѧ ѻ҆тца̀ своего̀, и҆ стѧжа́нїе, и҆ жєны̀ своѧ̑ на колесни̑цы, ꙗ҆̀же посла̀ і҆ѡ́сифъ, взѧ́ти є҆го̀:
And they took up their goods, and all their property, which they had gotten in the land of Chanaan; they came into the land of Egypt, Jacob, and all his seed with him.
καὶ ἀναλαβόντες τὰ ὑπάρχοντα αὐτῶν καὶ πᾶσαν τὴν κτῆσιν, ἣν ἐκτήσαντο ἐν γῇ Χαναάν, εἰσῆλθον εἰς Αἴγυπτον, ᾿Ιακὼβ καὶ πᾶν τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ,
и҆ взе́мше и҆мѣ̑нїѧ своѧ̑ и҆ всѐ стѧжа́нїе, є҆́же стѧжа́ша въ землѝ ханаа́нстѣй, внидо́ша во є҆гѵ́петъ і҆а́кѡвъ и҆ всѐ сѣ́мѧ є҆гѡ̀ съ ни́мъ:
The sons, and the sons of his sons with him; [his] daughters, and the daughters of his daughters; and he brought all his seed into Egypt.
υἱοὶ καὶ υἱοὶ τῶν υἱῶν αὐτοῦ μετ᾿ αὐτοῦ, θυγατέρες καὶ θυγατέρες τῶν θυγατέρων αὐτοῦ· καὶ πᾶν τὸ σπέρμα αὐτοῦ ἤγαγεν εἰς Αἴγυπτον.
сы́нове и҆ сы́нове сынѡ́въ є҆гѡ̀ съ ни́мъ, дщє́ри и҆ дщє́ри дще́рей є҆гѡ̀, и҆ всѐ сѣ́мѧ своѐ введѐ во є҆гѵ́петъ.
AND Israel departed, he and all that he had, and came to the well of the oath; and he offered sacrifice to the God of his father Isaac.
ΑΠΑΡΑΣ δὲ ᾿Ισραήλ, αὐτὸς καὶ πάντα τὰ αὐτοῦ, ἦλθεν ἐπὶ τὸ φρέαρ τοῦ ὅρκου καὶ ἔθυσε θυσίαν τῷ Θεῷ τοῦ πατρὸς αὐτοῦ ᾿Ισαάκ.
Воста́въ же і҆и҃ль са́мъ и҆ всѧ̑ сꙋ̑щаѧ є҆гѡ̀, прїи́де ко кла́дѧзю клѧ́твенномꙋ и҆ пожрѐ же́ртвꙋ бг҃ꙋ ѻ҆тца̀ своегѡ̀ і҆саа́ка.
It is appropriate, for that person rises up who is hastening to Christ. Faith precedes devotion. First Jacob rose up; later he sacrificed. The man who has searched out the knowledge of God offers a good sacrifice. Now "at night in a vision God spoke to Israel, saying, 'Jacob, Jacob.' He said, 'What is it?' God said, 'I am the God of your fathers, do not fear, go down into Egypt; for there I will make you into a great people, and I will lead you forever.' "
ON JOSEPH 14.81-82On hearing this, let us learn in whatever we do, whether embarking on some project or beginning a journey, first of all to offer a sacrifice to the Lord in prayer and, by calling on his help to address the matter in hand, thus also imitate these good people's godliness. "He offered a sacrifice to the God of his father, Isaac," the text says, for you to learn that Jacob followed in his father's footsteps and thus demonstrated the reverence for divine things that Isaac had. Because he took the initiative in showing his own right attitude in thanksgiving, at once he felt the influence of grace from on high. I mean, because he had in view the length of the journey and kept in mind his advanced age, Jacob was afraid that death might come upon him before the meeting and rob him of the sight of his son; so he offered prayers to God to grant him life enough to enable him to enjoy this final satisfaction.
HOMILIES ON GENESIS 65.5