約伯倫理 第 508 章

Verse 22. — Who revealeth deep things out of darkness, and bringeth up to light the shadow of death. Christ revealed hidden things, and changed the shadow of death into light. For when certain mystical things are recognized by believers out of the hidden words of the prophets, what else than deep things out of darkness are revealed? Hence Truth itself, speaking to the disciples in parables, says: What I tell you in darkness, speak ye in the light (Matth. x, 27). For when we loose by explanation the mystical knots of allegories, we say in the light what we heard in darkness. But the shadow of death was the hardness of the law, which decreed that everyone who sinned should be punished with the death of the body.

But after our Redeemer tempered the harshness of the legal sanction by his meekness, and no longer appointed the death of the flesh to be inflicted for guilt, but showed how greatly the death of the spirit is to be feared, he doubtless brought forth the shadow of death into light. For this death, in which the flesh is separated from the soul, is the shadow of that death in which the soul is separated from God. The shadow of death, then, is brought forth into light, when, the death of the spirit being understood, the death of the flesh is little feared. Yet this may also be understood otherwise. For not undeservedly are those called princes who by the great judgment of counsel always have the rule over their own thoughts, and by the power of wisdom repress all foolish motions.

But it often happens that in secret the mind is lifted up from that very wisdom of its own into the arrogance of elation, and falls under those vices over which it rejoiced to have been victor. Rightly, then, is it said: He poureth out contempt upon princes. But because sometimes those who seem to lie in vices run to the laments of penance, and raise themselves against the faults to which they lay subject, it is fitly subjoined: And relieving those who had been oppressed. For some, illumined by a supernal gift, behold in how great foulness of their sins they lie, wash the stains of their deeds with tears, and afterward press down beneath themselves the motions of their flesh, by which before they were pressed down. By the great dispensation of God all things here are held uncertain.

For assuredly this is brought about by the great dispensation of almighty God, that in this life all things should be held uncertain, and that no one should be proud from the chastity he possesses, because he poureth out contempt upon princes; that no one should despair from the depression of his vices, because he relieveth those who had been oppressed. And since, when these things are done, out of the hidden counsels of God an open sentence is brought forth upon each one, rightly it is subjoined: And he revealeth deep things out of darkness. God in his hidden judgments sees all things yet is not seen. For the Lord revealeth deep things out of darkness when he makes known an open sentence out of his hidden counsels, so that he may show concerning each one what he thinks.

For because the Creator now beholds all things, while He Himself is not seen in His counsels, it is rightly said of Him through the Psalmist: 'He made darkness His hiding-place' (Ps. 17:12). But He comes forth, as it were, from that darkness into the light when He shows what judgement He forms concerning the deeds of each man. And because, when he who was weighed down by the burden of his own sins is led back to the state of uprightness, he first looks upon that very death in which he was wont to fail and which he knew not how to consider, it is rightly added: 'And He brings forth into the light the shadow of death' (Job 12:22). For the shadow of death is a depraved deed, which is drawn, as it were, from the very lineaments of the body, that is, from the imitation of the ancient enemy. Of whom it is likewise said under a certain signification: 'And his name was Death' (Rev. 6:8).

And very often his malignant thought lies hidden from the minds of men, and by the very fact that it is unknown it prevails the more. The shadow of death, then, is brought forth into the light when the malignant working of the ancient enemy is laid open to the minds of the saints, that it may be destroyed. There follows: Verse 23: 'Who multiplies the nations and destroys them, and restores again those that were overthrown.' 29. By the hidden judgements of God some fall, others rise again. — It can perhaps be understood that the Lord multiplies and destroys the nations because men are born who daily are about to die; and He restores again those overthrown, because those who have died shall rise again. Yet we take it better if we perceive how this is wrought within their mind.

For He multiplies the nations and destroys them, because He both extends them through the fruitfulness of offspring, and yet leaves them in their own unbelief. But He restores again those that were overthrown, because those whom He had left in the ruin of unbelief He at length leads back to the state of faith. And when these had been restored to integrity of mind, that ancient people, which seemed to be faithful to God, was reproved and cast off in heart, so that, deceived by its own perfidy, it should afterwards rise up against Him whom it had before proclaimed. There follows: