OT § 53
Synaxis Michael
Chapter 6
And the hand of Madiam prevailed against Israel: and the children of Israel made for themselves because of Madiam the caves in the mountains, and the dens, and the holes in the rocks.
καὶ ἴσχυσε χεὶρ Μαδιὰμ ἐπὶ ᾿Ισραήλ· καὶ ἐποίησαν ἑαυτοῖς οἱ υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ ἀπὸ προσώπου Μαδιὰμ τὰς τρυμαλιὰς τὰς ἐν τοῖς ὄρεσι καὶ τὰ σπήλαια καὶ τὰ κρεμαστά.
И҆ ᲂу҆крѣпи́сѧ рꙋка̀ мадїа́млѧ на і҆и҃лѧ: и҆ сотвори́ша себѣ̀ сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы ѿ лица̀ мадїа́млѧ ѡ҆гра̑ды въ гора́хъ и҆ въ пеще́рахъ и҆ въ тверды́нехъ.
And the children of Israel cried to the Lord because of Madiam.
καὶ ἐβόησαν υἱοὶ ᾿Ισραὴλ πρὸς Κύριον ἀπὸ προσώπου Μαδιάμ.
И҆ возопи́ша сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы ко гдⷭ҇ꙋ: и҆ бы́сть є҆гда̀ возопи́ша сы́нове і҆и҃лєвы ко гдⷭ҇ꙋ мадїа́ма ра́ди,
And the angel of the Lord appeared to him and said to him, The Lord [is] with thee, thou mighty in strength.
καὶ ὤφθη αὐτῷ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτόν· Κύριος μετὰ σοῦ, ἰσχυρὸς τῶν δυνάμεων.
И҆ ꙗ҆ви́сѧ є҆мꙋ̀ а҆́гг҃лъ гдⷭ҇ень и҆ речѐ къ немꙋ̀: гдⷭ҇ь съ тобо́ю, си́льный крѣ́постїю.
And Gedeon said to him, [Be gracious] with me, my Lord: but if the Lord is with us, why have these evils found us? and where are all his miracles, which our fathers have related to us, saying, Did not the Lord bring us up out of Egypt? and now he has cast us out, and given us into the hand of Madiam.
καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν Γεδεών· ἐν ἐμοί, Κύριέ μου, καὶ εἰ ἔστι Κύριος μεθ᾿ ἡμῶν, εἰς τί εὗρεν ἡμᾶς τὰ κακὰ ταῦτα; καὶ ποῦ ἐστι πάντα τὰ θαυμάσια αὐτοῦ, ἃ διηγήσαντο ἡμῖν οἱ πατέρες ἡμῶν λέγοντες, μὴ οὐχὶ ἐξ Αἰγύπτου ἀνήγαγεν ἡμᾶς Κύριος; καὶ νῦν ἐξέρριψεν ἡμᾶς καὶ ἔδωκεν ἡμᾶς ἐν χειρὶ Μαδιάμ.
И҆ речѐ къ немꙋ̀ гедеѡ́нъ: во мнѣ̀, гдⷭ҇и мо́й: и҆ а҆́ще є҆́сть гдⷭ҇ь съ на́ми, и҆ вскꙋ́ю ѡ҆брѣто́ша ны̀ всѧ̑ ѕла̑ѧ сїѧ̑; и҆ гдѣ̀ сꙋ́ть всѧ̑ чꙋдеса̀ є҆гѡ̀, є҆ли̑ка повѣ́даша на́мъ ѻ҆тцы̀ на́ши, глаго́люще: не и҆з̾ є҆гѵ́пта ли и҆зведѐ на́съ гдⷭ҇ь; и҆ нн҃ѣ ѿве́рже на́съ гдⷭ҇ь и҆ предадѐ на́съ въ рꙋ́кꙋ мадїа́млю.
And the angel of the Lord turned to him, and said, Go in this thy strength, and thou shalt save Israel out of the hand of Madiam: behold, I have sent thee.
καὶ ἐπέστρεψε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ εἶπε· πορεύου ἐν τῇ ἰσχύϊ σου ταύτῃ καὶ σώσεις τὸν ᾿Ισραὴλ ἐκ χειρὸς Μαδιάμ· ἰδοὺ ἐξαπέστειλά σε.
И҆ воззрѣ̀ на него̀ а҆́гг҃лъ гдⷭ҇ень и҆ речѐ є҆мꙋ̀: и҆дѝ въ крѣ́пости твое́й се́й, и҆ спасе́ши і҆и҃лѧ ѿ рꙋкѝ мадїа́мли: и҆ сѐ, посла́хъ тѧ̀.
And Gedeon said to him, [Be gracious] with me, my Lord: whereby shall I save Israel? behold, my thousand is weakened in Manasse, and I am the least in my father’s house.
καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν Γεδεών· ἐν ἐμοί, Κύριέ μου, ἐν τίνι σώσω τὸν ᾿Ισραήλ; ἰδοὺ ἡ χιλιάς μου ἠσθένησεν ἐν Μανασσῇ, καὶ ἐγώ εἰμι μικρότερος ἐν οἴκῳ τοῦ πατρός μου.
И҆ речѐ къ немꙋ̀ гедеѡ́нъ: во мнѣ̀, гдⷭ҇и, въ чесо́мъ спасꙋ̀ і҆и҃лѧ; сѐ, ты́сѧща моѧ̀ хꙋ́ждша въ манассі́и, и҆ а҆́зъ є҆́смь мні́й въ домꙋ̀ ѻ҆тца̀ моегѡ̀.
And the angel of the Lord said to him, The Lord shall be with thee, and thou shalt smite Madiam as one man.
καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου· Κύριος ἔσται μετὰ σοῦ, καὶ πατάξεις τὴν Μαδιὰμ ὡσεὶ ἄνδρα ἕνα.
И҆ речѐ къ немꙋ̀ гдⷭ҇ь: поне́же а҆́зъ бꙋ́дꙋ съ тобо́ю, и҆ и҆збїе́ши мадїа́ма ꙗ҆́кѡ мꙋ́жа є҆ди́наго.
And Gedeon said to him, If now I have found mercy in thine eyes, and thou wilt do this day for me all that thou hast spoken of with me,
καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν Γεδεών· εἰ δὴ εὗρον ἔλεος ἐν ὀφθαλμοῖς σου καὶ ποιήσεις μοι σήμερον πᾶν ὅ,τι ἐλάλησας μετ᾿ ἐμοῦ,
И҆ речѐ къ немꙋ̀ гедеѡ́нъ: и҆ а҆́ще ѡ҆брѣто́хъ благода́ть пред̾ ѻ҆чи́ма твои́ма, и҆ да сотвори́ши мнѣ̀ дне́сь зна́менїе, ꙗ҆́кѡ ты̀ глаго́леши со мно́ю:
depart not hence until I come to thee, and I will bring forth an offering and offer it before thee: and he said, I will remain until thou return.
μὴ χωρισθῇς ἐντεῦθεν ἕως τοῦ ἐλθεῖν με πρός σε, καὶ ἐξοίσω τὴν θυσίαν καὶ θύσω ἐνώπιόν σου. καὶ εἶπεν· ἐγώ εἰμι, καθήσομαι ἕως τοῦ ἐπιστρέψαι σε.
не ѿидѝ ѿсю́дꙋ, до́ндеже прїитѝ мнѣ̀ къ тебѣ̀, и҆ принесꙋ̀ же́ртвꙋ мою̀, и҆ пожрꙋ̀ пред̾ тобо́ю. И҆ речѐ: а҆́зъ є҆́смь, преме́длю, до́ндеже ѡ҆брати́шисѧ ты̀.
And Gedeon went in, and prepared a kid of the goats, and an ephah of fine flour unleavened; and he put the flesh in the basket, and poured the broth into the pot, and brought them forth to him under the turpentine tree, and drew nigh.
καὶ Γεδεὼν εἰσῆλθε καὶ ἐποίησεν ἔριφον αἰγῶν καὶ οἰφὶ ἀλεύρου ἄζυμα καὶ τὰ κρέα ἔθηκεν ἐν τῷ κοφίνῳ καὶ τὸν ζωμὸν ἔβαλεν ἐν τῇ χύτρᾳ καὶ ἐξήνεγκεν αὐτὰ πρὸς αὐτὸν ὑπὸ τὴν τερέμινθον καὶ προσήγγισε.
И҆ гедеѡ́нъ вни́де, и҆ сотворѝ ко́злище ѿ ко́зъ, и҆ че́тверть і҆фі̀ мꙋкѝ ѡ҆прѣсно́кѡвъ, и҆ мѧса̀ вложѝ въ ко́шницꙋ, и҆ ю҆хꙋ̀ влїѧ̀ въ горне́цъ: и҆ и҆знесѐ къ немꙋ̀ под̾ дꙋ́бъ, и҆ поклони́сѧ.
And Gideon, moved by that message, when he heard that, though thousands of the people failed, God would deliver His own from their enemies by means of one man, offered a kid, and according to the word of the Angel, laid its flesh and the unleavened cakes upon the rock, and poured the broth upon them. And as soon as the Angel touched them with the end of the staff which he bore, fire burst forth out of the rock, and so the sacrifice which he was offering was consumed. By which it seems clear that that rock was a figure of the Body of Christ, for it is written: "They drank of that rock that followed them, and that rock was Christ." Which certainly refers not to His Godhead, but to His Flesh, which watered the hearts of the thirsting people with the perpetual stream of His Blood.
Even at that time was it declared in a mystery that the Lord Jesus in His Flesh would, when crucified, do away the sins of the whole world, and not only the deeds of the body, but the desires of the soul. For the flesh of the kid refers to sins of deed, the broth to the enticements of desire as it is written: "For the people lusted an evil lust, and said, Who shall give us flesh to eat?" That the Angel then stretched forth his staff, and touched the rock, from which fire went out, shows that the Flesh of the Lord, being filled with the Divine Spirit, would burn away all the sins of human frailty. Wherefore, also, the Lord says: "I am come to send fire upon the earth."
On the Holy Spirit, Book 1"But I say unto you, that whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her, hath committed adultery with her already in his heart." "The humour," therefore, "is wiped off," when sin is not only severed from the deed, but also from the thought. It is hence that Jerubbaal saw the Angel when he was winnowing corn from the chaff, at whose bidding he forthwith dressed a kid and set it upon a rock, and poured over it the broth of the flesh, which the Angel touched with a rod, and thereupon fire coming out of the rock consumed it. For what else is it to beat corn with a rod, but to separate the grains of virtues from the chaff of vices, with an upright judgment? But to those that are thus employed the Angel presents himself, in that the Lord is more ready to communicate interior truths in proportion as men are more earnest in ridding themselves of external things. And he orders a kid to be killed, i.e. every appetite of the flesh to be sacrificed, and the flesh to be set upon a rock, and the broth thereof to be poured upon it. Whom else does the "rock" represent, saving Him, of Whom it is said by Paul, "And that rock was Christ"? We "set flesh then upon the rock," when in imitation of Christ we crucify our body. He too pours the juice of the flesh over it, who, in following the conversation of Christ, empties himself even of the mere thoughts of the flesh themselves. For "the broth" of the dissolved flesh is in a manner "poured upon the rock," when the mind is emptied of the flow of carnal thoughts too. Yet the Angel directly touches it with a rod, in that the might of God's succour never leaves our striving forsaken. And fire issues from the rock, and consumes the broth and the flesh, in that the Spirit, breathed upon us by the Redeemer, lights up the heart with so fierce a flame of compunction, that it consumes every thing in it that is unlawful either in deed or in thought.
Morals on the Book of Job 3.30.59And the angel of God said to him, Take the flesh and the unleavened cakes, and put them on that rock, and pour out the broth close by: and he did so.
καὶ εἶπε πρὸς αὐτὸν ὁ ἄγγελος τοῦ Θεοῦ· λαβὲ τὰ κρέα καὶ τὰ ἄζυμα καὶ θὲς πρὸς τὴν πέτραν ἐκείνην καὶ τὸν ζωμὸν ἐχόμενα ἔκχεε· καὶ ἐποίησεν οὕτως.
И҆ речѐ къ немꙋ̀ а҆́гг҃лъ гдⷭ҇ень: возмѝ мѧса̀ и҆ хлѣ́бы прѣ̑сныѧ, и҆ положѝ ᲂу҆ ка́мене ѻ҆́нагѡ, и҆ ю҆хꙋ̀ бли́з̾ и҆злі́й. И҆ сотворѝ та́кѡ.
And the angel of the Lord stretched out the end of the rod that was in his hand, and touched the flesh and the unleavened bread; and fire came up out of the rock, and consumed the flesh and the unleavened bread, and the angel of the Lord vanished from his sight.
καὶ ἐξέτεινεν ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου τὸ ἄκρον τῆς ράβδου τῆς ἐν τῇ χειρὶ αὐτοῦ καὶ ἥψατο τῶν κρεῶν καὶ τῶν ἀζύμων, καὶ ἀνέβη πῦρ ἐκ τῆς πέτρας καὶ κατέφαγε τὰ κρέα καὶ τοὺς ἀζύμους· καὶ ὁ ἄγγελος Κυρίου ἐπορεύθη ἀπ᾿ ὀφθαλμῶν αὐτοῦ.
И҆ прострѐ а҆́гг҃лъ гдⷭ҇ень коне́цъ жезла̀, и҆́же въ рꙋцѣ̀ є҆гѡ̀, и҆ прикоснꙋ́сѧ мѧсѡ́мъ и҆ хлѣ́бѡмъ прѣ̑снымъ: и҆ возгорѣ́сѧ ѻ҆́гнь и҆з̾ ка́мене, и҆ поѧдѐ мѧса̀ и҆ ѡ҆прѣсно́ки: и҆ а҆́гг҃лъ гдⷭ҇ень ѿи́де ѿ ѻ҆че́й є҆гѡ̀.
And Gedeon saw that he was an angel of the Lord; and Gedeon said, Ah, ah, Lord my God! for I have seen the angel of the Lord face to face.
καὶ εἶδε Γεδεὼν ὅτι ἄγγελος Κυρίου οὗτός ἐστι, καὶ εἶπε Γεδεών· ἆ ἆ, Κύριέ μου Κύριε, ὅτι εἶδον τὸν ἄγγελον Κυρίου πρόσωπον πρὸς πρόσωπον.
И҆ ви́дѣ гедеѡ́нъ, ꙗ҆́кѡ а҆́гг҃лъ є҆́сть гдⷭ҇ень, и҆ речѐ гедеѡ́нъ: ᲂу҆вы̀ мнѣ̀, гдⷭ҇и, гдⷭ҇и, ꙗ҆́кѡ ви́дѣхъ а҆́гг҃ла гдⷭ҇нѧ лице́мъ къ лицꙋ̀.
And the Lord said to him, Peace be to thee, fear not, thou shalt not die.
καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ Κύριος· εἰρήνη σοι, μὴ φοβοῦ, οὐ μὴ ἀποθάνῃς.
И҆ речѐ є҆мꙋ̀ гдⷭ҇ь: ми́ръ тебѣ̀, не бо́йсѧ, не ᲂу҆́мреши.
And Gedeon built there an altar to the Lord, and called it The peace of the Lord, until this day, as it is still in Ephratha of the father of Esdri.
καὶ ᾠκοδόμησεν ἐκεῖ Γεδεὼν θυσιαστήριον τῷ Κυρίῳ καὶ ἐπεκάλεσεν αὐτῷ Εἰρήνη Κυρίου ἕως τῆς ἡμέρας ταύτης, ἔτι αὐτοῦ ὄντος ἐν ᾿Εφραθὰ πατρὸς τοῦ ᾿Εσδρί.
И҆ созда̀ та́мѡ гедеѡ́нъ же́ртвенникъ гдⷭ҇ꙋ, и҆ назва̀ є҆го̀ ми́ръ гдⷭ҇ень, да́же до днѐ сегѡ̀, є҆щѐ сꙋ́щꙋ є҆мꙋ̀ во є҆фра́ѳѣ ѻ҆тца̀ є҆зрі̀.
And an angel of the Lord came, and sat down under the fir tree, which was in Ephratha in the land of Joas father of Esdri; and Gedeon his son [was] threshing wheat in a wine-press in order to escape from the face of Madiam.
Καὶ ἦλθεν ἄγγελος Κυρίου καὶ ἐκάθισεν ὑπὸ τὴν τερέμινθον τὴν ἐν ᾿Εφραθὰ τὴν ᾿Ιωὰς πατρὸς τοῦ ᾿Εσδρί, καὶ Γεδεὼν ὁ υἱὸς αὐτοῦ ῥαβδίζων σῖτον ἐν ληνῷ εἰς ἐκφυγεῖν ἀπὸ προσώπου τοῦ Μαδιάμ.
И҆ прїи́де а҆́гг҃лъ гдⷭ҇ень, и҆ сѣ́де под̾ дꙋ́бомъ, и҆́же є҆́сть во є҆фра́ѳѣ, и҆́же бы́сть і҆ѡа́са ѻ҆тца̀ є҆зрі̀. И҆ гедеѡ́нъ сы́нъ є҆гѡ̀ млача́ше пшени́цꙋ на гꙋмнѣ̀ є҆гѡ̀, бѣжа́ти ѿ лица̀ мадїа́млѧ.
When Jerubbaal, as we read, was beating out wheat under an oak, he received a message from God in order that he might bring the people of God from the power of strangers into liberty. Nor is it a matter of wonder if he was chosen for grace, seeing that even then, being appointed under the shadow of the holy cross and of the adorable Wisdom in the predestined mystery of the future incarnation, he was bringing forth the visible grains of the fruitful corn from their hiding places and was [mystically] separating the elect of the saints from the refuse of the empty chaff. For these elect, as though trained with the rod of truth, laying aside the superfluities of the old man together with his deeds, are gathered in the church as in a winepress. For the church is the winepress of the eternal fountain, since from it wells forth the juice of the heavenly Vine.
On the Holy Spirit, Book 1.1When Gideon, the son of Joash, was beating the grain of wheat with a rod under an oak tree, he merited to hear an angel promise that he would deliver God's people from the power of their enemies. It is no wonder that he was chosen for a special grace, when by the predestined mystery of the future incarnation he was even then seated under the shade of the cross of holy and venerable wisdom. He was bringing the tangible grains of a fruitful field out of their concealment, separating choice holy men from the rubbish of useless chaff. Putting aside the superfluities of the old man and his actions by treating them with the rod of experienced truth, they are assembled in the church as in a winepress. The church is the winepress of the eternal fountain in which abounds the fruit of the heavenly vine.
SERMON 117.1