Endnotes

1:1 God the Father made heaven and earth. “I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth” (Creed).

1:2 The Spirit of God is the Holy Spirit (BasilG; EphS). He proceeds from the Father, and is “the Lord and Giver of Life” (Creed). Since He is Lord, He is coequal with the Father, and is His Coworker in making heaven and earth.

1:3 God the Father spoke to His Word and Only-begotten Son, through whom He made the light (AthanG). Since the Son, too, is Lord, He is coequal with the Father, and is His Coworker in making heaven and earth.

The Holy Fathers teach that the Father made heaven and earth through the Son and in the Holy Spirit. Thus, the Holy Trinity made heaven and earth, and the Church sings, “We glorify the Father, we exalt the Son, and we worship the Holy Spirit – the indivisible Trinity who exists as One – the Light and Lights, the Life and Lives, who grants light and life to the ends of the world” (CanonAnd).

1:4–25 Since the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit made heaven and earth, They also made everything mentioned in these verses.

1:26–30 The Holy Trinity also made man. God the Father is speaking to God the Son (JohnChr), and He uses the personal pronouns Us and Our. These pronouns indicate three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, as noted in 1:1–3.

The word image is in the singular, and shows the three distinct Persons of the Holy Trinity are one in nature and undivided. For it does not Say, “Our images” (HilryP). Therefore, the Holy Trinity is one undivided nature in three distinct Persons.

Man is not one in nature with the Holy Trinity. But He was made in the image and likeness of the Holy Trinity; and he was made male and female. Therefore, the dignity of each man and each woman is this image and likeness.

1:31 Everything God made, including man, is very good, because God is good. Nothing He made is therefore evil in itself. So then, human nature is good in itself. But sin is a free choice of man's will, and it is contrary both to God's nature and human nature.

2:1–3 God finished the making of heaven and earth for man's sake. He rested from His creative activity on the seventh day to show His love and providential care for man, and to invite man to enjoy this Sabbath-rest. For as Jesus said, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27).

Man failed to keep this Sabbath-rest. But Jesus fulfilled it for man by resting in the tomb on Great and Holy Saturday, after He said on the cross, “It is finished” (Jn 19:30). For He destroyed sin and death, and rose again on the first day of the week. Through His saving work on man's behalf, He is man's Sabbath-rest, and He now invites all to find rest in Himself (Mt 11:28–30).

2:4 Here the Book of Genesis refers to itself by name.

2:7 God formed Adam's body out of dust from the ground. The breath of life is the grace of the Holy Spirit, the Giver of Life (the Creed). God breathed the breath of life into man's body, and he became a living soul. Therefore, Adam was a living soul because he possessed a body, a soul, and the grace of the Holy Spirit.

After He rose from the dead, Jesus breathed on His disciples, and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). For man failed to keep the grace of the Spirit, but through His Resurrection Jesus supplies His disciples abundantly with the life-giving grace of the Spirit. A disciplés responsibility is to live by this grace.

2:8–17 God gave man a place and a law (AthanG). The place was Paradise, and the law was the commandment given in 2:16, 17. Man was to obey this commandment through the grace of God the Word. If he was obedient, he would enjoy the blessings of Paradise. But if he were to disobey the commandment, he would die and his body would decay in the grave (“die by death,” AthanG).

2:18–25 God, not man, established the law of marriage; therefore, marriage is holy. In the marriage union, the husband and wife become one flesh (v. 24), which St. Paul calls “a great mystery” (Eph 5:32). This mystery is so great and wonderful that a man will leave his father and mother with their blessing, and be joined to a woman in marriage. In this joining, he will be devoted to her with sacrificial love and devotion, and she to him.

This great mystery points to the greater mystery: the marriage of Christ and His Bride, the Church (Eph 5:22–33). For He left His Father and became Man to seek a Bride. He loved His Bride and gave Himself for her. And in his divine vision of the new heaven and earth, the apostle John saw this Bride, the “New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband” (Rev 21:1, 2).

3:1–7 The serpent is the devil (2Co 11:3; Rev 12:9), and he tempted Eve. He contradicted God's commandment (2:16, 17) by denying death and decay in the grave as the penalty for disobedience (you shall not die by death). He also tempted Eve with the promise of deification (you will be like gods, knowing good and evil). But deification comes through obedience to God, not through disobedience. Nevertheless, Eve was deceived, and thus disobeyed God. She, in turn, gave the fruit to her husband, and he ate. In his disobedience, he willed contrary to the will of God, and thus ate. His free will was the first thing to suffer in the Fall, and thus is the first thing that needs healing in man (JohnDm).

3:8 Adam and Eve now had a fallen will and tried to hide from God. Fallen man now has a fallen will, thus he has a tendency to run away from God. But the grace of Christ heals the will of those who return to Him through repentance, so they might freely pursue God and do His will.

3:15 The woman's seed is first Christ, and second His Church (Gal 3:16, 26). The serpent's seed are those who reject Christ and follow the devil (1Jn 3:8–10). Christ destroyed the devil through the cross (bruise your head).

3:17–20 Adam's disobedience cursed the ground and placed mankind under toil and labor until his end in death and decay in the grave (return to the ground). For death and decay in the grave entered the world through him (Rom 5:12).

3:24 Because of Adam, man is born outside Paradise. The tree of life prefigures Christ, through whom man regains Paradise.

4:1, 2 Cain and Abel came into existence through God and through Adam and Eve. Each came into existence at the moment of conception (she conceived) and was born nine months later. God brings every human being into existence in the womb of the mother at the moment of conception. His creative activity is simultaneous with conception.

4:3, 4 Both Cain and Abel worshiped the Lord and brought sacrifices to Him. The Lord accepted Abel and his gifts, because Abel had a good and discerning heart. He discerned through faith the Lord's coming Incarnation and His sacrifice as a lamb for the salvation of the world. (See also Mt 23:35; Lk 11:51; Heb 11:4; 12:24).

4:5 The Lord rejected Cain and his gifts. Why? The inward state of his heart was not right with God. As 1Jn 3:12 says of him, “who was of the wicked one.” His passions are described in Jude 11 as “the way of Cain.”

4:6 Cain's way was characterized by his sinful passions that dominated him. One of these was extreme sorrow, made manifest in his fallen countenance. His arrogant worship was rejected, and he fell into the opposite condition of extreme sorrow. Whereas godly sorrow leads one to humility and repentance, extreme sorrow nullifies both.

4:7 Because the Lord loved Cain, He sought to bring him to repentance (did you not sin). He commended him for having the right worship (brought it rightly), but reproved him for not having a right heart (did not divide it rightly). He commanded him to still his heart (be still) through repentance, for it was filled with turbulence because of the passions. He also commanded him to be his brother's keeper, as this is what is meant by the words recourse and rule. As the eldest, he was responsible for Abel's welfare. As Cain's parents looked out for his welfare, he too should show the same love to his younger brother.

4:8 However, Cain refused to deal with his passions through repentance, and his anger led to hate and murder.

4:9 Cain rejected the notion that he was his brother's keeper and thus responsible for his welfare.

4:13 Cain used his guilt as an excuse to avoid repentance, for he did not believe in the grace of God. He willfully allowed his passions to blind his heart.

4:16 The name Nod means “one who wanders away from God.” Such was Cain's state.

4:25 The name Seth signifies that God compensated Adam and Eve by raising up Seth in the place of Abel – out of death comes life. As such, Seth is a type of Christ's Resurrection, which overcomes the way of Cain and compensates the faithful for the ills they have undergone. Christ's genealogy is traced through Seth to Adam, showing that the true God became incarnate as true Man in order to compensate all who call upon His Name (Lk 3:38).

4:26 In contrast to Cain's offspring, Seth's offspring, Enosh, hoped in the Lord and called on His name. For this is the way of salvation. “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved” (Joel 2:32; Rom 10:13).

5:1, 2 Here, the Book of Genesis refers to itself a second time. In 2:4 it calls itself “the book of the genesis of heaven and earth.” Here it is the book of the genesis of mankind. Creation has a beginning of existence and an end. This does not mean creation in itself will come to an end. Rather, its beginning points to its end purpose – the Incarnation of God the Word. Man's very existence foreshadows His coming in the flesh to draw to the Father all who will come.

5:3 Seth was begotten from Adam and Eve. This threefold relationship illustrates, to a certain extent, the Holy Trinity. Adam had no human father. He was begotten by no one. Thus, he was unbegotten. Seth was begotten from Adam. Eve was neither unbegotten nor begotten. Instead she proceeded from Adam (2:21). Therefore, Eve and Seth were related to the unbegotten Adam, but each in a unique manner – Eve proceeded from Adam, but Seth was begotten from him. Each person had his or her own distinct and unique properties – unbegotten, begotten, and proceeding – but all three possessed the same human nature.

Similarly, the manner in which these three existed images the Holy Trinity. God the Father is Unbegotten; God the Son is Begotten from the Father; and God the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father. These distinct and unique properties – unbegotten, begotten, and proceeding – distinguish each of the individual Persons of the Holy Trinity from each other; yet, They are one in nature (JohnDm).

5:4–28 This passage focuses on the genealogy of Christ (Lk 3:23–38) and the reality of death and decay in the grave – the debt man owed to the broken commandment in the Garden of Eden. The Word became flesh to abolish death and decay through His death and Resurrection, and to release man from the debt he owed (AthanG).

5:29–32 Noah is born into incarnational history, and he is a key ancestor in Christ's genealogy (Lk 3:36), for the next several chapters focus on him and his family.

Lamech named his son Noah, and as 5:29 points out, this name means “to give rest.” For he would give them rest from our work and the toil of our hands, because of the ground the Lord God cursed. In this meaning, Noah is a type of Christ, who said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28).

6:3 In his disobedience and expulsion from Paradise, man lost the grace of the Holy Spirit (My Spirit shall not remain). Nevertheless, His grace was always available to man, but man continually refused it (for they are flesh). So God gave them a grace period of one hundred and twenty years to come to repentance.

6:5 Without the grace of the Holy Spirit, man is easily overcome by the devil, for his willpower alone is incapable of resisting the devil's temptations. Furthermore, his will was weakened through his disobedience and expulsion from Paradise. But he willfully refused God's helping grace (every intent... was only evil continually).

6:6 So God was grieved over man's condition. Murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, and every manner of sin were rampant everywhere. The human race was in danger of disappearing from the face of the earth (AthanG).

6:7 God was grieved over these people He created, and swore to blot them out... from the face of the earth. Yet He gave them a grace period of one hundred and twenty years to respond to the grace of the Holy Spirit. Their refusal brought judgment upon themselves, for they had no excuses for not responding to the grace of God.

6:8 But Noah was different from the rest, for he discovered the grace of the Holy Spirit. Because of this discovery, God would preserve a remnant, through which God the Word would become Man. For He would become Man through Noah's “genealogy” (vv. 9, 10; Lk 3:36).

6:9 Noah was a righteous man because he found the grace of the Holy Spirit, through which man becomes righteous. He was perfect because through the grace of the Holy Spirit he obeyed everything God told him to do (6:22). His righteous living was well-pleasing to God.

6:11–13 The earth was corrupt... and filled with unrighteousness because of man's willful refusal to become righteous through the grace of the Holy Spirit (corrupted their way on the earth). Their unrighteousness was their own fault (through them), for they had every opportunity to come to repentance.

6:14–21 The ark was a type of the Mother of God with Christ and the Church in her womb (Akath). The floodwaters were a type of baptism, in which we are saved (1Pt 3:18–22).

7:1 The Lord God made Noah righteous through faith, by which he pleased God (Heb 11:6, 7). Through the grace of the Holy Spirit he obeyed everything God commanded him to do. So he and his family entered the ark, which typified salvation.

7:2–15 Noah's faith also saved the animals. The whole creation will be saved through the children of God (Rom 8:18–22).

7:16–24 The Lord God closed the door of the ark, for He is the Judge and determines who is in and who is out. The people on the outside were going about their usual manner of life – buying, selling, eating, drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage – but they were indifferent to God and His grace. The Flood caught them unawares, but it was too late for them to respond. So it will be in the Day of Judgment (Mt 24:37–39; Lk 17:26, 27; 2Pt 2:4, 5).

8:1 God remembered Noah and saved him from the floodwaters, for He made a wind that caused the waters to subside. Noah was saved because God remembered him. This remembrance is salvation. Many Scriptures speak of God remembering man in salvation. For example, Ps 24:6, 7: “Remember Your compassion, O Lord, / And Your mercy, for they are from of old. / Do not remember the sins of my youth, nor of my ignorance; / But remember me according to Your mercy, / Because of Your loving-kindness, O Lord.” The thief on the cross said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.” And Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise” (Lk 23:42–43).

8:10, 11 The dove foreshadowed the Holy Spirit (Mt 3:16), who caused the Holy Virgin to conceive Christ in her womb, and the olive leaf speaks of the Virgin herself (Lk 1:35; Akath). The olive leaf was also a token of man's reconciliation to God and foreshadowed the fulfillment of grace in the Holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of the Church (Service of Baptism).

8:20 “God remembered Noah” (8:1), but Noah also remembered God. Remembrance in salvation is a two-way street. As the Psalmist said, “I remembered Your name in the night, O Lord, / And I kept Your law” (Ps 118:55). This Noah did, and he built an altar to God.

8:21 Noah's sacrifices were a sweet aroma to the Lord God. The Church, likewise, has an altar on which she offers the sweet aroma of praise and thanksgiving to the Lord (Heb 13:10, 15).

8:22 The earth will remain with its regular cycles until the new heaven and the new earth come (Rev 21:1).

9:1 God not only “remembered” Noah (8:1), He also blessed him. Remembrance is salvation and so is blessing. Many Scriptures speak to this. For example, the Psalmist said, “He shall receive blessing from the Lord, / And mercy from the God of his salvation” (Ps 23:5).

9:8–16 Noah's seed is Christ (Lk 3:23, 36), and the everlasting covenant (v. 16) is the new covenant God established in Him. God's rainbow in the clouds is His sign of the covenant.

9:26 Not only did the Lord God bless Noah (9:1), but Noah blessed Him. Many Scriptures speak to this. For example, the Psalmist said, “For my foot stands in uprightness; / In the churches I will bless You, O Lord” (Ps 25:12; Vesting Service). Noah blessed God because of Shem, through whom Christ would come to save the world (Lk 3:36).

10:1 This chapter continues Christ's genealogy through Shem after the flood.

10:21–31 Christ's genealogy is traced from Shem down to Peleg (Lk 3:35, 36). His name means division, for in his days the earth was divided (v. 25). This division is described in the history of 11:1–9.

11:6 Mankind was united as one race and one language. But this unity existed without the Holy Trinity, for man's true unity is union and communion with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Church is “the race of Christians” (Kairon Service), “a holy nation” (1Pt 2:9), and glorifies God “with... one mouth” (Rom 15:6). In the Great Litany, the Church prays “for the union of all men,” a union based in the Holy Trinity.

11:7 The pronoun Us refers to the Holy Trinity. The words go down are a figure of speech, for the Trinity is everywhere present and fills all things. The words “came down to see” (v. 5) are also a figure of speech, for the Trinity is not ignorant of anything. God condescends to our weakness that we might understand something about Him and His works.

11:8 The Lord divided this false unity for the sake of man's salvation, that man might seek and find Him (Acts 17:26–28). For they sought to build their unity by making a name for themselves (v. 4). They cared nothing for the name of the Lord God, by which man is saved.

11:10–31 The genealogy of Shem carries Christ's genealogy down to Abraham, for the true unity of the human race is Christ Himself.

12:1–7 “The Holy Spirit spoke through the prophets” (Creed). He spoke through the prophet Moses, who wrote this Scripture. Thus, St. Paul said, “And the Scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, preached the gospel to Abraham beforehand, saying, ‘In you all the nations shall be blessed’” (Gal 3:8). Thus the Holy Spirit preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham.

The Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write in v. 1 that the Lord said to Abram this scripture. Who is this Lord? He is God the Father, as St. Paul indicated in Gal 3:8: “God would justify the Gentiles by faith.” Thus, the Father preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham.

In v. 7, the Holy Spirit inspired Moses to write that the Lord appeared to Abraham and spoke to him. Who is this Lord who appeared? The Holy Spirit identified Him in 15:1 as the Word of the Lord whom Abraham saw in a vision, and He identified Him as the Angel of the Lord in 16:7, 9, 10, 11, and 13. This Word is the Son of God (AthanG) and the Angel is also the Son of God, for He was no created angel (HilryP). “He is called Angel because He alone reveals the Father” (AthanG). Thus, the Son also preached the gospel beforehand to Abraham, for the Father always speaks through His Word.

Therefore, where one Person of the Trinity is present and working, the other two Persons are also present in one and the same working for the salvation of man. The Father works through the Son and in the Spirit.

12:8 Abraham is the father of all the faithful (Rom 4:11). Since he built an altar of worship, therefore an altar is part of his faith. Bethel means “house of God,” which foreshadows the Church as the house of God. The altar is central to worship. At the altar, the Church calls on the name of the Lord, as did Abraham.

12:17 The Lord protected Sarah's virtue, and also the Incarnation. For Abraham and Sarah begot Isaac, through whom the promise in Christ was made (Rom 9:7).

13:1–5 Canaan, not Egypt, was the land of promise. While in Egypt, Abraham never lost his focus on God's promise in the gospel of salvation, for he returned to Bethel, the house ofGod, and called on the name of the Lord (v. 4). Similarly, those who possess Abraham's faith keep their focus on this same gospel.

13:6–9 Abraham was a peacemaker, and “Blessed are the peacemakers, / For they shall be called sons of God” (Mt 5:9). He was looking for his eternal inheritance in “the world to come” (Creed; see also Heb 11:9–11). Although he was very rich, he was a man of virtue. For in his heart he was detached from his wealth and also from the love of land. Thus he overcame strife (v. 7) and made peace with Lot. Therefore, virtue characterized the faith of Abraham. It will also characterize his spiritual children.

13:10–13 Lot, on the other hand, was attached to the beauty of the landscape. It looked like the Garden of Eden. Unlike Abraham, he walked by sight, and not by faith (2Co 5:7). Thus, he chose wrongfully, not because of the beauty itself, but because of his immature faith. His poor judgment landed him with the people of Sodom. They were exceedingly wicked and sinful before God (v. 13) – beautiful scenery but an extremely depraved environment. Their godless behavior oppressed and tormented his righteous soul every day (2Pt 2:7, 8).

13:14–18 Lot “pitched his tent” in Sodom (v. 12), but Abraham built an altar (v. 18) – a notable difference in the two men. One trapped himself in the environment of this fallen world; the other focused himself on the Lord. However, the Lord would eventually deliver righteous Lot from Sodom (2Pt 2:9).

14:14 The 318 bishops of the Orthodox Church at the Council of Nicea were likened to these trained servants of Abraham. As Abraham's servants overcame insurmountable odds, so the bishops, the trained servants of the Church, defeated the arguments of the many heretics who denied that the Son of God is coeternal and one in essence with the Father. These servants defended Abraham's faith, handed down in the Church.

14:18 Melchizedek brought out bread and wine to Abraham. His priesthood typified the High Priesthood of Christ, who gives His precious body and blood to the faithful in the bread and wine of the Eucharist (CypC).

Christ's priesthood is called “the order of Melchizedek” (Ps 109:4; Heb 5:6), and it is superior to the order of Aaron in the Mosaic Law (Heb 7:11). The Book of Hebrews gives numerous reasons for this superiority.

14:19, 20 Two of the many reasons for the superiority of the order of Melchizedek are: (1) Melchizedek blessed Abraham. Aaron was a descendant of Abraham through Levi. Thus, in blessing Abraham, Melchizedek also blessed Levi and Aaron. It is always the greater who blesses the lesser. (2) Abraham paid a tithe to Melchizedek, and in this act, so did Levi and Aaron (Heb 7). Therefore, salvation comes through the superior order.

14:21–24 Abraham showed his complete detachment from earthly wealth, because (1) he knew that God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth (v. 22) had given him everything he possessed, and (2) he loved God supremely, and not the wealth God gave him. He also loved his neighbor as himself, for he saw to the needs of Aner, Eshcol, and Mamre. Thus, Abraham was, so to speak, heaven-bound. The king of Sodom, on the other hand, was earthbound. Faithful people follow Abraham's example.

15:1–3 The Word of the Lord is the Word of the Father (AthanG). He is also the Son of God. Abraham saw God the Word in a vision. Thus, he saw Him before He became incarnate, as did the other Old Testament prophets. Abraham was fearful the promise God had given him in 12:1 would not be fulfilled, for he had no heir.

15:4 The Voice of the Lord is also the Word of the Father. He reassures Abraham that his heir will come from your own body. This refers to the birth of Isaac, based on God's promise. For man is saved by this promise through faith in Christ (Rom 4:17–25; 9:7, 8).

15:5 The seed is first Christ, then His Church (Gal 3:16; Rom 4:16). The stars are a type of all the members of His body (Php 2:15). Their number is countless, and consists of both Jews and Gentiles (Eph 2:11–16).

15:6 Abraham believed the promise in 12:1, and he continued to believe it in 15:5. For Abraham's faith was living and growing – something dynamic. He was made righteous by this faith. So are both Jews and Gentiles. Righteousness is the gift of God through Jesus Christ (Rom 5:17).

15:7 God the Word said to Abraham, “I am the God who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to inherit it.” Thus, He identifies Himself as God. The Creed calls Him “True God of True God.” For He is the Only-begotten of the Father, through whom the Father speaks and reveals Himself.

15:8 Abraham calls the Word his own Master and Lord, and thus recognizes His divinity. The Church does the same thing.

16:1 In Gal 4:21–31, St. Paul uses Hagar and Sarah as an allegory, representing two covenants. Hagar and Ishmael represent the old covenant of the Law, which “gives birth to bondage.” Sarah and Isaac represent the new covenant, which gives birth to freedom. The Jerusalem below is made up of those under the bondage of the Law, but the Jerusalem above is the Church, those under the freedom of God's grace.

16:7 The Lord is the Father, and the Angel is His Son (HilryP). And the prophet Isaiah calls Him “the Angel of Great Counsel” (Is 9:5). “The Son is called Angel because He alone reveals the Father” (AthanG).

16:8 The Lord asked Hagar questions, not because He was ignorant, but for Hagar's sake and for ours. After He became Man, He also asked questions in the four Gospels, not because He was ignorant, but for the sake of the immediate listeners and of the faithful. For He is God in the flesh, and therefore, never ignorant of anything (JohnDm).

16:9 Since He is God, the Angel commanded Hagar. She obeyed (v. 15). This Angel is the Word of God.

16:10 This statement by the Angel could not have been made by a created angel, for only God can say, “I will surely multiply your seed exceedingly, that it may not be counted because of its multitude.” No created angel can do this. The Angel is God the Son.

16:11 The Angel then spoke to Hagar concerning the Father and said, “The Lord has taken notice of your humiliation.”

16:13 Hagar called the Angel who appeared to her both Lord and God. The Church knows Him as the Only-begotten of the Father (Jn 1). As the Father's Only-begotten, He is “true God of true God” (Creed).

One meaning of the name God is, You are the God who sees me. The Only-begotten sees everything. So do God the Father and God the Holy Spirit.

17:1 Thirteen years after the birth of Ishmael (16:16), the Lord appeared to Abram again and identified Himself as God, for He said to him, “I am your God.” This appearance is another of the personal appearances of the Son of God to Abraham.

17:2–4 The covenant is that established “in Christ” (Gal 3:17). God established it before the Mosaic covenant. Therefore, the Law of Moses, which came later, could not cancel it. Abraham's faith is multiplied exceedingly in the Church. For he is the father of many nations (see also Rom 4:16, 17).

17:5 Abram's name (meaning “exalted father”) was changed to Abraham (“father of many”). This very name change proves the gospel of salvation is for many nations, the Gentiles as well as the Jews.

17:7 The God of the everlasting covenant is the Holy Trinity, for the Son is God of God, the Only-begotten of the Father. The Holy Spirit is also God of God, for He “proceeds from the Father” (Creed).

17:10–14 The rite of circumcision was not the covenant itself. It was a sign of the covenant (v. 11). It was a temporary sign, because it applied only to Abraham's genealogy (v. 12), that is, to Abraham's physical lineage, and also to those born in his house or bought with his money. Thus, the rite did not apply to the “many nations,” or Gentiles, to be made righteous by faith in the gospel (v. 3; see also Rom 4:9–17). Christ Himself fulfilled this rite and brought it to an end when He was circumcised on the eighth day after His birth from the Virgin (Lk 2:21).

17:19–21 God's covenant with Abraham was established in Isaac, because his birth was based on the promise of God (Rom 9). It was not based on physical lineage, for Abraham and Sarah were past the age of childbearing at the time. Therefore, salvation is based on the promise of the Word of God, and not on Abraham's physical descendants, such as the Ishmaelites or the Jews, or on any of the other physical offspring of Abraham, such as the Midianites (25:1, 2).

18:1–3 The Holy Spirit says through the prophet Moses that God appeared to Abraham. This is another personal appearance of the Son of God to him. He saw three men standing before him, but he worshiped only one of them as Lord, for He is Lord and God. The other two are called “angels” (19:1). The Son of God is the Lord of all the angels.

18:4–8 The hospitality of Abraham was a virtue that should be shared by his spiritual children.

18:9 The Lord was not ignorant of Sarah's location. He asked the question for Abraham's sake and for that of those who read the Scriptures. He also asked questions for the same reason after He became incarnate, for example, concerning the location of Lazarus's grave (Jn 11:34).

18:14 The Lord speaks of God the Father, who does not will everything He can do, but He can do everything He wills. For nothing is impossible with Him. Likewise, nothing is impossible with His Son, for the Father works all things through the Son. As St. Athanasius the Great said, “He is the Will of the Father.” Therefore, the Son would strengthen Abraham and Sarah, and Sarah would conceive to bear Isaac, the child of promise.

18:17–19 The Lord possesses foreknowledge (for I know). Abraham and his spiritual children would be characterized by righteousness and judgment, because they know the Lord and keep His ways. Righ-teousness and judgment are the gifts of the Lord to the faithful. These are two of the four general virtues of wisdom that produce all the other virtues (see the notes at Pr 1:2b–5).

18:22 One of the three men was the Lord, and Abraham remained before Him. The other two men, who were the Lord's angels, went toward Sodom (see also 19:1).

18:23–32 Abraham interceded for the righteous in Sodom, but actually the city was so morally depraved that Lot was the only righteous person in the entire place. Abraham's intercession delivered him. The Lord delivered Lot, but He allowed Abraham to participate in the work.

18:33 Abraham returned to his home, but the Lord went on to Sodom.

19:1 The Holy Spirit through the prophet Moses calls two of the three men angels. When they arrived in Sodom, they met Lot at the city gate.

19:2 Lot paid the angels due respect by calling them lords, but he did not worship them, for they were created beings.

19:13 The third man was the Lord, the Son of God, and he sent the other two to Sodom to destroy it.

19:16 He also came to Sodom after He finished talking to Abraham. By His mercy (the Lord being merciful), His two angels seized the hands of Lot, his wife, and two daughters and brought them outside the city.

19:18 Lot spoke to all three men, but prayed to the Lord in particular.

19:21 The Lord granted his request (I have acquiesced to you) to escape to a small city, called Zoar. The Son is the Will of the Father; thus He said, “I will not overthrow this city.” The Son is also the Word, Wisdom, and Power of the Father (Jn 1:1–3 and 1Co 1:24).

19:22 The Lord can do anything He wills to do. But He would not will to destroysodom before Lot arrived in Zoar.

19:24 The Lord rained brimstone and fire... from the Lord out of heaven, that is, the Son rained brimstone and fire from the Father (AthanG, BasilG, AmbM, and HilryP). Both have the name “Lord” because of Their equality and oneness of lordship. For in Their essence, the Two are One and undivided (Creed). The Holy Spirit, who spoke this Scripture through the prophet Moses, is also one in lordship with the Father and the Son, for as the Creed says, “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord... who proceeds from the Father.”

The destruction of Sodom and the adjoining city of Gomorrah is a warning to the ungodly concerning the Day of Judgment (2Pt 2:6, 9; Jude 7).

19:22–24 During Great Lent, the Church sings, “O my soul, flee like Lot to the mountain, and take refuge in Zoar before it is too late. Flee from the flames, my soul, flee from the burning heat of Sodom, flee from destruction by the fire of God.”

19:26 In Lk 17:28–33, the Lord commanded us to remember Lot's wife, for she lost her life because she turned back in disobedience to the Lord.

20:1 Abraham was a sojourner because he waited for “the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb 11:10). The Creed calls this city “the world to come.” Abraham believed he would be raised from the dead to dwell in his true city.

20:2 The city of Gerar was not Abraham's true city, for it was given to idolatry. The Gerarites worshiped the god Dagon (3Kg 5:2) and the goddess Ashtaroth (3Kg 31:10). But when the Son of God became incarnate, and the word of the gospel went out to Gerar, idolatry in that place was destroyed. A church and a monastery were established there. One of its bishops, Marcian, attended the Fourth Ecumenical Council of Chalcedon in AD 451. Truly, the city embraced the faith of Abraham.

21:1 The Son of God visited Sarah and fulfilled the promise He had given in 18:10 (HilryP). Abraham and Sarah would have a son in their old age.

21:2 Thus, Sarah conceived, based on the word of promise. She did not conceive based on the power of the flesh, for both she and Abraham were past the time of childbearing. Therefore, it is not the children of the flesh – that is, Abraham's offspring through procreation – who are the children of God. Rather, the children of this promise are counted as Abraham's seed (Rom 9:8). These children are those who embrace Abraham's faith through the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 3:16).

21:10 Hagar was cast out to show that it is not Abraham's children according to procreation who are God's children. For example, Abraham's children according to the flesh are such peoples as the Jews, the Ishmaelites, the Edomites, and the Midianites. But none of these are the children of God because of their fleshly relationship. Rather, God's children are any and all who embrace Abraham's faith through the Lord Jesus Christ (Gal 4:22–31).

21:17 The Angel of God is the Son of God. He told Hagar that God, that is, God the Father, had heard Ishmael's crying. “The Son is called Angel because He alone reveals the Father” (AthanG).

21:18 The Angel told Hagar He Himself (I will make) would make a great nation of Ishmael. Therefore, this Angel is God (see also vv. 19, 20), for God alone could do such a thing. This Angel is not a created angel, but the Son of God Himself. And why would He make a great nation of Ishmael? Because after His Incarnation, Ishmael's descendants would embrace Abraham's faith based on the word of promise.

22:1 God the Word tested Abraham (AthanG).

22:2 The Word is the Son of God, and by calling Isaac Abraham's beloved son, He is teaching Abraham concerning His eternal birth from God the Father (AthanG). For He is “the Only-begotten from the Father” (Creed). He is also teaching Abraham that He Himself would be offered up as a whole burnt offering for the world's salvation, and be raised from the dead.

22:3 Abraham's faith was tested, and he obeyed the Son of God. Such faith and obedience made Abraham righteous and a friend of God (Jam 2:22–23).

22:12 Abraham received Isaac back alive. This prefigured the Resurrection of Christ and the future resurrection from the dead, in which Abraham believed (Heb 11:19).

22:14, 15 The Angel of the Lord is the Son of God, and He appeared to Abraham. The Lord is God the Father.

22:16 Abraham and Abimelech counseled together and swore by the greater, namely, by the name of God (21:23, 24). The seven ewe lambs confirmed the oath, and Abraham named the place the Well of Oath. So they were reconciled. However, God cannot swear by anyone greater; therefore, He swore by Himself. He confirmed the oath by His Lamb, the Son of God, through whom God's eternal covenant is established (Heb 6:13–20). The Well of Oath foreshadows the reconciliation of man to God through Jesus Christ.

22:17 Abraham's seed would be as the stars of heaven and as the sand on the seashore. These are Abraham's seed based on the word of promise. This seed is Christ and His Church begotten from Him (Gal 3:16). It does not refer to Israel according to the flesh. It refers to both Jews and Gentiles who are the children of the promise.

23:1 The days of Sarah's life were numbered. She knew this because she was a woman of faith. She did not know when she would die, but knew she would. For she saw herself as a sojourner and stranger passing through this life to the world to come (Heb 11:11–16).

23:4 Abraham describes himself as a sojourner and a stranger living in this present world. As a sojourner, he was passing through this world to the one to come (Heb 11:8– 10). As a stranger, he saw himself as a foreigner in this world, which was not his true home.

23:8 Abraham calls Sarah my dead. He does not say “my corpse,” as though Sarah's dead body no longer had meaning and value. For he buried Sarah believing her body would be raised from the dead.

23:19 Abraham buried Sarah his wife. He buried a person, for a person consists of both body and soul. It requires both natures to be a person, and at death one does not cease to be a person. Therefore, Sarah's dead body was her dead body. It was part of her person, awaiting the resurrection from the dead. In the resurrection her soul would be reunited with her body, which would then become immortal.

24:3 Abraham believed in one God, whom he called the Lord, the God of heaven and the God of the earth. This Lord is God the Father, as the Creed says: “I believe in one God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth.”

24:7 The Lord's Angel is the Son of God. The word angel also means messenger. In this meaning it is also akin to the term word. The Son of God is called both Angel and Word, for “He alone reveals the Father” (AthanG). Both names emphasize that the Son is the Will of God the Father. Thus, God spoke to Abraham through His Will, and told him to leave his father's house for the land of promise. The words He will send His Angel before you were prophesied by Abraham to his servant. He spoke these words by the Holy Spirit, as the Creed says: “I believe in the Holy Spirit... who spoke by the prophets.”

24:8 Neither the Lord nor Abraham would force the woman to follow Abraham's servant to become Isaac's wife. Both honored free will.

24:12 Abraham's servant also embraced Abraham's faith. He, too, was a child of God according to the word of promise. He also knew the mercy of God.

24:14 The Lord appointed Rebekah to be Isaac's wife. However, this appointment was based on His foreknowledge, for He knew beforehand how she would respond. Her free will was not forced. Similarly, election to salvation is based in the same foreknowledge. As St. Paul said, “whom He foreknew, He also predestined” (Rom 8:29).

24:27 Abraham's servant knew how to pray, for he began, “Blessed is...” This is the way the services of the Church begin. In his prayer he recognized the Lord's righteousness and truth. The Lord makes people righteous through Abraham's faith, and this faith is based in the truth. The Church is “the pillar and ground of the truth” (1Ti 3:15).

24:58 Rebekah went with Abraham's servant of her own free will. She freely submitted her will to the Lord's will.

24:62, 63 At the Well of the Vision, the Son of God appeared to Hagar (16:7–14). Isaac was meditating on this vision.

25:1–4 The children of God are not Abraham's children according to the flesh. If this were so, the six children of Abraham by Keturah would be the children of God. So also would be the Jews, the Ishmaelites, and the Edomites, by right of birth. For the Jews came from Jacob, whose name was changed to Israel. The Ishmaelites sprang from Hagar, Abraham's concubine. The Edomites were the offspring of Esau, Jacob's twin brother. But the children of God are any and all who embrace the faith of Abraham through the word of promise.

25:5–7 Abraham sent all the children of Keturah away from Isaac, who was born according to the word of promise. He sent them away to emphasize that the children of God are born according to this word.

25:7, 8 Abraham died in a good old age, old and full of days; that is, he died full of faith and blessing from God. He was added to his people, that is, to the children of God. These children are awaiting the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come (Creed).

25:11 Isaac dwelt at the Well of the Vision, where the Son of God appeared to Hagar (16:7–14). He knew the Son of God.

25:19 Christ came through the genealogy of Isaac (Mt 1:2).

25:23 This prophecy shows that God's purpose in salvation stands on the basis of His calling, and not on the basis of works, either good or bad (Rom 9:11). For God foreknew which of the two sons would believe the word of promise given to Abraham. Jacob embraced the faith of Abraham, whereas Esau rejected it. Both were called, but Jacob alone responded to the call through faith. The Jews came from Jacob, and those who respond to God's calling, as did Jacob, are the children of God. For the Jews who do not embrace Abraham's faith are like Esau.

25:27–33 Esau was the older son, so the right of the firstborn was his. This right taught the firstborn to embrace Abraham's faith. But he despised this faith, because of his fear of death (v. 32). He despised the very faith that could save him from death (Heb 12:16, 17).

26:2 The Word, who is the Son of God, appeared to Isaac and told him not to go down to Egypt, but to live in the land promised to Abraham. For Egypt was a type of the fallen world, whereas the land promised to Abraham was a type of the world to come. It reminded Isaac to keep his focus on Abraham's faith.

26:3 The Word also told Isaac to sojourn in this land. A sojourner is one who sees the world to come as the land of promise (Creed). The land of Canaan was only a land in which to sojourn. Like his father, Abraham, he saw the world to come as his true inheritance. “By faith he [Abraham] dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God” (Heb 11:9, 10).

26:4 The phrase your seed includes both Jews and Gentiles (all the nations) who embrace the promise given to Abraham. The phrase “in your seed” is a reference to Christ (Gal 3:16). For both Jews and Gentiles who believe are joined together as one body in Christ, that is, in Christ and His Church.

26:5 All who believe are blessed with Abraham, because he obeyed the voice of God the Son and kept what He commanded him to do. The faithful are those who obey the voice of the Son of God (Jn 10).

26:20–22 The names of the two wells, Injustice and Enmity, show the opposition between righteousness and unrighteousness. Isaac was righteous through faith, but the herdsmen of Gerar were representatives of this fallen world. Isaac was a man of peace, but they were men of war, who fought against the righteous man. The well called Room shows that the Lord makes room for the righteous in this world, in order to increase their number. These will inherit the land of promise to come.

26:24 God the Son appeared to Isaac at the Well of Oath and swore to him concerning the promise made to Abraham. This swearing emphasized the unchangeableness of the Lord's will and purpose (Heb 6:17, 18). The Lord will fulfill His purpose in the world to come and give it to the heirs of promise. Isaac laid hold of this oath and the hope it gave him (Heb 6:19, 20).

26:25 Isaac worshiped the Son of God at the altar he built. At the altar, the Church worships the Son, and together with Him, the Father and the Spirit.

26:34, 35 The wives of Esau represent those who contend with Christ and His Church.

27:2 Isaac did not know the day he would die, nor does any man. But he was a man of faith, and he looked to the day he would die. He faced this reality by faith and prepared himself for it.

27:7 The Lord is present everywhere and fills all things. Thus, Isaac would give the blessing of the firstborn in His presence. The blessing of the firstborn gave the eldest son a double portion of his father's inheritance. He would also become the ruler and head over his brethren upon his father's death, and be responsible for the welfare and administration of the family. All this foreshadowed the Lord's Incarnation as the Firstborn of the Father and the ruler and head over the Church. Through His Incarnation, He would secure the Church's eternal inheritance (Rom 4:13; 8:29; Gal 3:3, 18, 29; 4:7; Eph 1:11, 14, 18; 3:6; Col 1:12, 15, 18; 3:24; Tts 3:7; Heb 1:2, 4, 6; 6:17; 9:15; 11:7–9; Jam 2:5; 1Pt 1:4; 3:7; 12:23; Rev 1:5).

27:34 The blessing of the firstborn was denied Esau because he despised the faith of Abraham. Because of this, he could find no place of repentance in order to inherit the blessing of the firstborn son (Heb 12:16, 17). Likewise, in the Day of Judgment, people who in this life reject the offer of the future inheritance will be unable to find repentance in that day.

28:4 The blessing of Abraham was given to Jacob, as noted in v. 3. The seed is first Christ, then His Offspring, the Church (Gal 3). The land is a type of the world to come, which will be this present world redeemed (Rom 8). This present world is the land of your sojourning. In the world to come, it will be the permanent home of those who inherit it.

28:12 The ladder that reached to heaven speaks of the Mother of God and of the Son of God born of her. The icon in the apse of the church is called the Platytera, which means wide, broad, spacious. It reveals Christ in her womb, and she connects heaven and earth through Him for our salvation.

28:17 The house of God speaks of the Church, and the gate of heaven is the Mother of God (Kairon and Akathist Services). Because the Son was conceived in her womb, she opened the gate of heaven to those who embrace the faith of Abraham.

28:18 The stone is Christ, the foundation stone of the Church (Mt 21:42–44; Mk 12:10; Lk 20:17, 18; Acts 4:11; Rom 9:32, 33; 1Co 3:10, 11; 1Pt 2:4–8). The oil signifies Christ, whose human nature was anointed by the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:18; 3:16; Heb 1:9).

28:22 God's house speaks of the Church. Jacob gave a tithe of all God gave him. A tithe is ten percent given to the Church.

29:14 Laban called Jacob my bone and my flesh, for they were blood relatives. In contrast to this, the Church is not based on blood relationships. It is based on the life-giving flesh of Christ, by which those who embrace Him in faith become “members of His body, of His flesh and of His bones” (Eph 5:30). The members of His body are closer in relationship than blood relations.

29:15 Laban called Jacob my brother. Technically, Jacob was Laban's nephew. Therefore, the title brother does not necessarily mean a son of the same father or mother. In Mt 13:55 and Mk 3:31, Jesus is said to have brothers. These are not sons of Mary His mother. They are simply close relatives. The Church calls Mary Ever-virgin. This belief is a dogma of the Church, for she bore only one Son, the Lord Jesus Christ.

29:27 One week in this case equals seven years. Thus, each week in Daniel's prophecy equals seven years (Daniel 9), to the coming of Christ in the Incarnation.

29:34, 35 Levi was the forefather of the levitical priesthood, also known as the order of Aaron, for Aaron came from Levi (Heb 7:11). But the Christ could not be part of this order, because He would descend from Judah (Heb 7:14). However, the prophecy said Christ would be the High Priest of the order of Melchizedek (Ps 109:4). Thus, both orders cannot coexist as the way to be perfected. The order of Aaron became obsolete because Levi and his offspring are still dead, whereas Christ is alive from the dead. Therefore, Jews are not made children of God through the order of Aaron. Both Jews and Gentiles become the children of God only through the order of Melchizedek, in the one body of Christ, the Church, which is also called “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16).

30:6 The names of the sons of Jacob reveal things concerning the Incarnation of the Son of God. For example, Rachel speaks of Dan's birth in relation to God as Judge; Christ “shall come to judge the living and the dead” (Creed). Also, Reuben's birth relates to humiliation (29:32); the Son humbled Himself to become Man for man's salvation (Php 2:7). Simeon's birth emphasizes hatred (29:33); Christ was hated without cause (Jn 15:25), and sometimes, so is the Church (Jn 15:18). Levís birth speaks of union, for “on my side” speaks of union (29:34). Christ unites His Church to Himself in baptism (Rom 6:5). Judah's birth relates to thanksgiving (29:35); Christ established the Eucharist, which means Thanksgiving.

30:8 Naphtalís birth emphasizes victory; Christ prevailed over death by triumphing over it through the cross (Col 2:14, 15).

30:11 Gad's name speaks of good fortune, or prosperity. Christ's Incarnation is man's true prosperity and health (3Jn 2, 3).

30:13 Asher relates to blessing. Christ's Incarnation blesses His own with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places (Eph 1:3).

30:18 Issachar's name speaks of wages or reward. Christ will bring His reward, to give each one according to his works (Rev 22:12).

30:20 Zebulun's name emphasizes endowment. Zebulun is a haven for ships ( 49:13). Christ is our endowment as a haven from the stormy sea of life.

30:23, 24 Joseph's name relates to the bearing of reproach, and he bore the reproach of his brothers when they sold him into Egypt. Christ bore our reproach (Rom 15:3).

30:33 Jacob was made righteous by faith, as were his father Isaac and grandfather Abraham. This righ-teousness is a gift of God's grace, one of the four general virtues of Wisdom (see notes on Pr 1:2b–5). Jacob lived out this righteousness in his behavior toward his uncle Laban.

31:3 The Lord is the Word and Son of God. He told Jacob to return to the land of his father, for this land was a type of the world to come. Laban's country was not Jacob's permanent residence (Heb 11:14–16, 21).

31:11 The Word is also called the Angel of God, because it is He alone who reveals the Father, and also because when the Son is beheld, so is the Father, for He is the Father's Radiance; therefore, the Father and the Son are one (AthanG).

31:13 In verse 11, the name “God” refers to the Father. But in this verse, the Angel is called the God who appeared. Thus, the Son is “true God of true God” (Creed).

31:24 The Son of God came to Laban in a dream, and warned him to do Jacob no harm.

31:29 Laban calls the Word the God of Jacob's father, that is, the God of Isaac. Laban's problem was his unbelief, for he did not believe in the very One who appeared to him in a dream.

31:42 Jacob believed in the Son of God and thanked Him for rebuking Laban for his injustice. Laban was a liar and a cheat, for he had changed Jacob's wages ten times (v. 7). In all this, Jacob, so to speak, had stepped aside and allowed the Lord to fight his battles over the twenty-year period (v. 38).

31:45 The stone set up as a pillar was a type of the Incarnate Son, for He is the foundation stone and pillar of the Church (1Co 3:11).

31:46 These stones are types of the living stones in the Church (1Pt 2:4, 5).

31:48, 49 The pillar and the stones were called This-Heap-Witnesses and The Vision. This vision was the vision of God the Word who appeared to both Laban and Jacob (vv. 11, 24). The pillar and stones foreshadow the Incarnation and the Church.

32:12 Your seed is a reference to Christ (Gal 3:16), and together with Him, the Church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles. It is not a reference to the Jews based on physical lineage.

32:24 The man who wrestled with Jacob was the Son of God, who appeared to him as a weak man (AthanG and HilryP). When He became incarnate, He assumed the weakness of human flesh for man's salvation.

32:28 Jacob's name was changed to Israel, which means “God prevails.” In this meaning, Jacob was a type of the Son of God, who became Man and prevailed as God and Man for man's salvation.

32:30, 31 The Form of God was the Son and Word of God, who revealed Himself to Jacob (AthanG and HilryP). He is the Radiance of the Father who reveals the Father in Himself, for as He said, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (Jn 14:9). The rising and radiating of the sun on Jacob illustrated this relation of the Son to the Father.

33:5 Gen 33:5, 9, 11: Jacob acknowledged that God gave him all his possessions. For he was a man of faith who looked to the world to come (Heb 11:13–15, 21). Esau, on the other hand, did not glorify God for the possessions God gave him, for he was an unbeliever.

33:19, 20 Jacob bought a small piece of land, set up an altar, and called on the true God. The Church does the same.

34:2 Shechem was a ruler of the land, but not a ruler of his passions. His lack of self-control would cost him his own life and the lives of his countrymen.

34:8 The passionate love Shechem had for Dinah was not true love. It was a sinful passion – its true name.

34:31 The sons of Jacob repaid evil for evil, for they, so to speak, took the law into their own hands. Furthermore, the punishment did not fit the crime. They turned out to be worse sinners than Shechem.

35:1 God speaks, and it is God of whom He speaks. Two distinct Persons own the same name, God. For the Father who is true God speaks of His Son who is also true God, for the Son is begotten from the Father as true God (Creed). Thus, the God who appeared to Jacob at Bethel was the Son, who is true God of true God (HilryP).

35:9 The God who appeared to Jacob again is true God of true God, that is, the Son of the Father. In Him the Father is revealed, for He alone reveals the Father (AthanG).

35:11 The God who appeared to Jacob also calls Himself Jacob's God, for He is true God of true God, the Only-begotten of the Father. It was He who changed Jacob's name to Israel.

35:13 The Only-begotten appeared to Jacob temporarily as a man, then ascended from him. After He became incarnate in the Mother of God, He ascended to the Father.

37:3, 4 Israel's love was partial, for he loved Joseph more than his other sons. Such love divided his family and opened the door to hatred. Thus Jacob was not yet perfected in love, for perfect love is impartial. But Christ loves all equally, and died for all.

37:8 Joseph's brothers were blinded by their hatred for him, and therefore, could not understand the things of God.

37:26, 27 Joseph's brothers were motivated by the love of money and possessions, for they did not know the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

37:28 Joseph's brothers cast him into a pit (v. 24), then lifted him out and sold him as a slave into Egypt. However, he ultimately became the lord of all Egypt. Similarly, Jesus was betrayed for thirty pieces of silver, was killed and buried in His grave. But He rose again, and became the Lord of all (Acts 2:36; 10:36).

38:24 Those who reported to Judah viewed fornication and adultery as one and the same sin. For some say fornication is sin committed by single people, whereas adultery is committed by married people. Both fornication and adultery, however, are one and the same sin.

39:9 Joseph viewed adultery and/or fornication as great wickedness and sin against God. But people who treat such sin lightly simply do not know God.

39:20 Joseph's holiness cost him his freedom. “Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution” (2Ti 3:12).

39:21 Joseph suffered for righteousness' sake; therefore, the Lord was with him. Truly, he was a blessed man (Mt 5:10).

39:23 Joseph's authority speaks of his human will, and the Lord was with him speaks of God's will. This shows that Joseph's will was in submission to the will of God. Both wills, therefore, worked in synergy.

40:8 Joseph glorified God and not himself. This is humility in the truest sense.

40:23 Since the cupbearer forgot Joseph, he also forgot the true God who delivered him from prison. His position as the king's favorite caused him to forget, for he loved the praise of men more than the praise of God.

41:13 Joseph was a true prophet, and the Holy Spirit prophesied through him (Creed). His short-term prophecies came to pass in a matter of three days (40:12, 18). This proved that his long-term prophecies concerning Jacob and his family would also come to pass (ch. 37). All God's prophets are judged on this basis: if their short-term prophecies come to pass, then their long-term ones are to be believed. Otherwise, they are false prophets.

41:37 Although Pharaoh was an idolater, he recognized the Spirit of God speaking in the prophet Joseph (Creed).

41:52 Joseph calls Egypt the land of my humiliation. Such is this fallen world to those who look for their inheritance in the world to come (Heb 11:13–16, 22; Creed).

42:1 Jacob's sons were lazy, and lazy people are unruly (2Th 3:6–12). Such people lack reverence, lack self-control in speech, and are quick to abuse others (JohnCas). These sinful passions characterized Jacob's sons when they sold Joseph into Egypt.

42:9 Joseph was a true prophet, for the Holy Spirit spoke by him. Thus, his prophecies concerning Jacob and his sons came to pass. His long-term prophecy concerning the general resurrection will also come to pass (50:25; Heb 11:22). Therefore, his prophecies are trustworthy.

42:18 Joseph feared God. “The fear of God is the beginning of wisdom, and those who practice it have a good understanding” (Pr 1:7). Joseph's fear and good understanding enabled him to love his brothers and to forgive them for their abuse of him.

42:22 Joseph's brothers did not fear God; therefore, they would not listen to wise counsel when they sinned against him. So they ended up with a guilty conscience (AthanG).

43:14 Jacob knew the grace of God, which enabled him to accept whatever the outcome would be in the case of Simeon and Benjamin. St. Paul also said, “By the grace of God I am what I am” (1Co 15:10). And St. Athanasius the Great said that man fell into death because he abandoned the grace of God the Word.

43:18 Their guilty consciences regarding their previous abuse of Joseph also led them into vain imaginations in this circumstance. Their imaginings, so to speak, ran wild, causing them great anxiety.

43:23 In spite of their guilty consciences, the grace of God was abundant toward them and delivered them from anxiety. Both God and Joseph loved them, for both cared about them.

43:28 Joseph honored his father Jacob by blessing him in God, which also showed he knew God's grace. In honoring Jacob he honored God.

43:34 God's grace in people leads to great joy in their midst.

45:1 Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Jesus makes Himself known to His own brethren (Jn 10:4, 14; Heb 2:11).

45:5 Joseph's brothers sold him into Egypt, but God sent him there. The brothers sold him for profit, but God sent him to save lives. God overcame their sinful purpose with His saving purpose. Christ died for our sins, and thus overcame all injustices for man's salvation.

45:9 God made Joseph lord of all Egypt, but He made Jesus Lord of all the world (Acts 2:36; 10:36).

45:1–16 This passage, coupled with 43:26–31, is read during Wednesday Vespers in the sixth week of Great Lent.

45:27 Jacob's spirit revived when he realized Joseph was alive; our spirit revives when we realize Jesus is risen from the dead.

46:1 The Well of Oath foreshadowed the reconciliation of man to God through the Word of God, the Lord Jesus Christ (see note at 22:16).

46:2 God spoke to Israel in and through His Word and Son, for He alone reveals the Father (AthanG). Therefore, Israel's vision was a personal appearance of the Son of God to him. The Son is also called the Angel of God. As He spoke to Abraham and said, “Abraham! Abraham!” (22:11), so now He speaks to Jacob, saying, “Jacob, Jacob!” Therefore, Jacob went to Egypt by divine revelation from the Father through the Son.

46:30 Israel could die in peace because Joseph was alive. Even so, we can die in peace because Jesus is risen from the dead, and we believe in Him.

47:9 Jacob described himself and his fathers, Abraham and Isaac, as sojourners, for he embraced Abraham's faith and thus “looked for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed; Heb 11:13–16, 21). And although he had suffered much in his life, he saw this as nothing compared to the glory to be revealed (Rom 8:18).

47:29 Jacob sees grace as synonymous with mercy and as coupled with truth. The apostle John said that the Word of God who became flesh is “full of grace and truth” (Jn 1:14).

47:30 Jacob wished to be buried with his fathers because he looked to the inheritance of the world to come.

48:3 The God who appeared to Jacob at Luz was the Son and Word of God, also called the Angel of God. It was He who blessed Jacob, for no created angel could do this (AthanG).

48:4 God the Word speaks of His Incarnation, by which the Church (a gathering of nations) would be established. He would give His Church the world to come (this land as an everlasting possession). Jacob's seed would be Christ, and with Him, His Church (Gal 3).

48:5 Ephraim and Manasseh were born to Joseph as his natural sons, born from his nature. So too, the Son and Word is the natural Son and Word of the Father, born from His nature (AthanG).

48:8 Joseph recognized his sons as gifts from God, for they belonged to God more than to him.

48:15, 16 The Holy Spirit spoke by the prophet Jacob (Creed), who identified the Angel as God. He is the Son and Word of God. For no created angel could redeem Jacob from all evil (AthanG). Therefore, the Holy Trinity is revealed to a certain extent in the Old Testament, and fully in the New.

48:21 The Holy Spirit spoke by Jacob and predicted that God would bring Joseph back to Canaan. Joseph's bones were later taken to Canaan, prefiguring the resurrection from the dead (Heb 11:22).

49:1 The Holy Spirit prophesies by Jacob concerning the last days (Creed). These last days are those between the two comings of Christ, and all these prophecies refer to these last days.

49:3 Reuben is called the firstborn and the beginning of Jacob's children; therefore, he was Jacob's natural son, as were all his brothers. But he was not a work of Jacob's, as for example, when he took care of his sheep. So too, the Son and Word of God is begotten from the nature of the Father; therefore, He is not a work of the Father (AthanG).

49:7 Simeon and Levi, as well as their brother, Reuben (v. 3), were hardened in their self-will. For their injustice was chosen freely (v. 5). Therefore, sin is a matter of will and choice. It is not a matter of nature, for they were good by nature, but evil by choice. The same is true of all who sin.

49:8–12 This prophecy relates to Christ in numerous ways, two of which are as follows: He would rise from the dead (who shall rouse Him, v. 9), and He would be the Lawgiver (v. 10). For every law of God the Father given to man, including the Mosaic Law, is given in and through Him.

49:14, 15 Issachar rested between the inheritances of both the Old and New Testaments, and he farmed them by hard work (AthanG).

50:21 Joseph spoke to the heart of his brothers, for the heart has spiritual eyes to see the things of God (Eph 1:18). If their eyes were clear, they would be able to see God's forgiveness expressed through Joseph (v. 17), and that He worked their evil for good, in order to save many people alive (v. 20). They would also be thankful to God for providing for their welfare (v. 21). Truly, God is good!

50:24, 25 The Holy Spirit spoke two prophecies by the prophet Joseph (Creed): the Exodus of Israel from Egypt and the resurrection from the dead. For the burial of his bones in Canaan prefigures “the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed).

50:26 The life that began in Paradise (2:8) ended in a coffin in Egypt. For Adam's sin brought mortality and death into the world. But Christ came, trampled down death by death, and opened the gates of heaven to us.

1:6 Death continued to reign. Joseph and all his generation died. Nevertheless, the appearances of the Son of God to the prophets and the Holy Spirit speaking through them – especially in relation to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob – laid the beginnings of His future plan for the overthrow of death. These beginnings will continue as the Son reveals Himself to Moses and the Holy Spirit speaks through him.

1:10 The deceitfulness of Pharaoh ties this story to two others. First to the account of the serpent, who was “more cunning than all the wild animals the Lord God made on the earth” (Gn 3:1); and second, to a later pharaoh's attempt to outwit Moses. This early verse of Exodus introduces a major motif of this book, namely, the matching of wits – the wisdom of the serpent again encounters the wisdom of God. Similarly, when the Son of God became incarnate, He easily outwitted the devil and destroyed him and death through His Cross (Col 2:15; Heb 2:14, 15).

1:12 The Egyptians severely humbled the children of Israel, but the more they persecuted them, the more their numbers multiplied. For the Lord preserved Israel so that He might become incarnate through them for man's salvation. When He became Man, He suffered the extreme humiliation of the Cross; nevertheless, through the Cross His Church grew and multiplied in great numbers.

1:15 Shiphrah and Puah outmaneuvered Pharaoh, for they feared God, who gave them wisdom. And whereas the enemy outsmarted Eve at the beginning of Genesis, these women at the beginning of Exodus outwit the enemy. God's plan for the Incarnation cannot be stopped.

2:2 Moses' parents were Amram and Jochebed (6:20; Nm 26:59). They hid Moses for three months because they embraced the faith of Abraham (Heb 11:8–15; 23). Thus, they were not afraid of the king's commandment.

2:4 Miriam, Moses' sister, was watching from a distance to learn what would become of Moses. She, too, was a woman of God whose faith led to learning. She would learn through observing the divine providence in the situation (Acts 7:20). And we can learn how easy it is for the Lord to keep incarnational history in motion in the midst of great opposition.

2:9 Jochebed may be the only woman in history to be paid for nursing her own child.

2:11 Moses went out to see his brethren because he refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter. Why? Because of his faith, for he chose the Lord and holiness over the riches of Egypt and the passing pleasures of sin. He had his eyes on the world to come (Heb 11:24–26).

2:12 Moses was forty years old at this time, and he knew he was Israel's deliverer. Thus, he defended an Israelite and killed the Egyptian. He supposed the Israelites would understand his calling from God, but they did not (Acts 7:23–28). That generation never would.

2:15 This is another instance of divine providence preserving Moses' life. He fled to Midian, where he lived for forty years (Acts 7:29, 30).

2:22 Moses named this son Gershom, which name relates to sojourning in a foreign land. As a man of God, he looked to the reward (Heb 11:26), which is the world to come. For this world is a foreign land to people of faith.

2:24 God remembered His covenant, for His remembrance is salvation. This covenant is the New Testament in Christ. It is called the covenant of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to instruct the Jews and all mankind that salvation comes through faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

3:2 God the Word revealed Himself to Moses in the burning bush to forecast His coming Incarnation (JohnDm, AthanG, JohnChr, GrgTheo, AmbM). He is called the Angel of the Lord because He is the Angel or Messenger of the Father who reveals the Father's will. For He is the Will of the Father (AthanG). He is the Only-begotten God because He is begotten from the Unbegotten Father before all time and ages (GrgNy). Isaiah the prophet called the Son “the Angel of Great Counsel” (Is 9:5).

The bush was on fire but was not consumed, for the Son of God became Man to save man and not to consume him. He became Man in the womb of the Mother of God, for the bush itself typifies her.

3:3 Moses was shown this great sight of the Lord's coming Incarnation because he was detached from the fleeting pleasures of this world (JohnDm, AmbM). For he was looking to the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come (Creed).

3:4 The Angel is called Lord and God, for He is the Speaker. Since He is begotten from the Father before all time and ages, He is therefore the Only-Begotten God.

3:5 Moses was to remove his sandals. This indicates that nothing dead is to stand between God and man, for He is the God of the living (AmbM).

3:6 The Angel also called Himself the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. For the Son is true God of true God, and He reveals the Father in Himself. He who sees the Son also sees the Father. He who sees the Only-begotten God also sees the Unbegotten Father.

3:7 The Lord loves His people and knows their pain and suffering, and His Incarnation is the remedy for all their sorrows.

3:14 The name I AM the Existing One is the name for the Essence of God, which is one and undivided (AthanG, JohnDm). This Essence is like a boundless sea, containing all things yet not contained by anything. The Son is eternally begotten from the Essence of the Father. When Jesus said He was the Existing One, the Jews who were listening took up stones to stone Him, for they knew this passage in Exodus (Jn 8:57–59). He is acknowledged as the Existing One in every Vespers service of the Church.

4:2, 3 The rod was Moses' staff as a shepherd. It was a type of the Cross (Jn 3:14), which is the antidote to the serpent's bite. The devil poisoned man with sin and death, but the Lord destroyed all three enemies by His Cross.

4:7, 8 Leprosy was a type of sin and death. The Cross heals man of his leprosy.

4:14 God is dispassionate; therefore, He does not possess passion in His nature. He is said to be very angry by way of analogy with man's anger. In this sense, the Lord was displeased with Moses, but He Himself is without such passion.

4:17 The Son of God worked miracles through the instrument of Moses' staff. Having become incarnate, He now works miracles through the Cross.

4:21 It is customary for Holy Scripture to call God's permission His action (JohnDm). Therefore, when the Lord said to Moses, I will harden his heart, this hardness was by way of divine permission. For Pharaoh hardened his own heart through his free choice.

4:22 The Lord calls Israel His firstborn son. The use of the term firstborn in this verse, therefore, cannot imply other offspring born afterward. Similarly, Jesus is called the “firstborn” of the Virgin Mary (Mt 1:25). Therefore, no one can claim this necessarily implies she had other children, for in truth He was her only offspring.

4:30, 31 The people believed, rejoiced, and worshiped because they saw the signs, but did they love the Lord? No, for later on these same people would die in the wilderness because of their unbelief. Similarly, when Jesus did signs before the people, they believed; however, He would not commit Himself to them, for they did not love Him (Jn 2:23–25). Moreover, people who ask for signs are tempters, for those who love Christ have no need for signs (JohnChr).

5:2 Pharaoh asked perhaps the most important question in human history: “Who is the Lord?” But in his arrogance he boldly said, “I do not know the Lord.” His ignorance stemmed from his arrogance, for he was his own lord. Shortly, he would know Him to be the Lord of all the earth, but he would still refuse to obey Him.

5:21 A short time before, the clerks had believed, rejoiced, and worshiped the Lord along with the people when they saw the signs. But now they were unwilling to suffer for His sake, although believing and suffering belong together as a privilege (Php 1:29). For suffering on the Lord's behalf results in eternal glory (2Co 4:17). But they condemned Moses. So although they gave mental assent to belief in the Lord, they actually had no heart for Him.

5:22, 23 Moses asked the Lord, “Why have You brought trouble on this people?” The answer is, “To test their faith” (see Jam 1:2–4), for such testing produces patience in those who pass the test. And Moses, along with the people, needed such patience.

6:2, 3 The Son of the Father appeared to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as their God. He told Jacob, for example, that He was the Lord (Gn 28:13), but He did not show him the power He had over all the earth. Now He was about to reveal His almighty power in relation to the Egyptians, for He is the Wisdom and Power of the Father (1Co 1:24). After He became incarnate, and in many places of the New Testament, He is now called the Lord Jesus Christ.

6:4 The land of Canaan is called the land of their [Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob's] sojourn, in which they were strangers. They did not see Canaan as their permanent home, for they “waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God,” and “they desired a better, that is, a heavenly country” (Heb 11:10, 16). The Jews who embraced this faith had the same vision, as do the Gentiles who do the same. For Canaan was a type of the world to come. But the Jews who came out of Egypt and did not embrace this faith saw the Canaan of this world as their true home, a false vision on their part.

6:7 The Son of the Father is speaking, and the Jews were to know that He was the Lord their God, together with His Father and the Holy Spirit. When He became incarnate, He revealed the Father and the Holy Spirit to the Jews in full measure.

6:9 The children of Israel had a heart problem – they were willing to believe, but not to suffer for the Lord's sake. Therefore, they were fainthearted and disobedient because of their cruel bondage.

7:1 The Lord made Moses a god to Pharaoh, but it is one thing to be made a god and another to be God (HilryP). The Scripture uses the name god in three ways: (1) gods in name only, as are Moses and the saints; (2) false gods, as are the demons and idols; and (3) the true God, as is the Father (AmbM). Moses was god in name only, but not in nature. But the Son is True God of True God (Creed), because He is God both in name and in nature. For before all time and ages, He is begotten from God to be God. He is begotten, not made (Creed).

7:5 The Egyptians would learn that the Lord is the Lord of all, not only of the Hebrews.

7:9 Thus, signs are for unbelievers (1Co 14:22).

7:23 Pharaoh's heart was not moved by the signs toward faith in the Lord. He was too arrogant to humble himself.

8:4 In 5:2, Pharaoh refuses to acknowledge the Lord, saying, “Who is He, that I should obey His voice?” But now he asks for intercessory prayer to the Lord on his behalf and that of his people. However, he still worships the gods of Egypt; the Lord is only another god to add to his list.

8:6 The Lord is the Lord of all, and Pharaoh needed to realize this. He is not one among others.

8:11 Pharaoh still refused to forsake his idols and believe in the Lord. So he hardened his heart (see note at 4:21).

8:15 The finger of God is the Holy Spirit (Mt 12:28; Lk 11:20). The operation of the Spirit brought the lice upon Egypt, for the Father works through the Son and in the Spirit.

8:18 Egypt's gods were lords of Egypt, but the Lord is the Lord of all the earth. Therefore, the gods of Egypt were not lords in any sense, but Pharaoh was too arrogant to acknowledge the true Lord. After the Lord became incarnate, His parents took Him to Egypt, where as a baby He destroyed the idols of Egypt and brought the nation to Himself (Is 19:1, 18–22).

8:28 Pharaoh hardened his own heart through free choice (see also note at 4:21).

9:14–16 The Lord of all the earth used Pharaoh to declare His mighty power throughout the earth, for He shows compassion to whom He will, and He shows mercy to whom He will (Rom 9:17, 18). We should never inquire into why God does what He does, nor even raise any questions about it. Our response should be obedience to Him (JohnChr).

9:17 Pharaoh's problem was self-exaltation, which opposes faith in the Lord.

9:20, 21 Some among Pharaoh's servants believed in the Lord, for faith produces fear of the Lord. But some did not believe the Lord's word. Thus, some exercised their free will to believe and some did not. However, all had the opportunity to know the Lord through faith, for He desires that all be saved.

10:1 Ex 10:1, 20, 27: Both Pharaoh and his servants hardened their hearts (see note at 4:21).

10:2 Future generations are instructed by the Lord's works as to how easy it is for the Lord to do what He does. Recounting His works helps these generations know the true Lord of all.

10:3 Humility is to know the Lord and to humble oneself before Him. Pharaoh refused to humble himself through his own free choice. Humility is the beginning and end of salvation (JohnChr).

10:16, 17 Pharaoh's confession was not from his heart, for it was motivated by self-interest. He wanted death removed from him, but he still refused to glorify the Lord.

10:21 The soul also feels the darkness caused by unbelief.

11:3 The Lord gave Israel grace in the sight of the Egyptians, for as the Only-begotten of the Father, He is full of grace and truth (Jn 1:14). And as Moses became great in their sight, similarly, the Incarnate Son became great in their sight when He established His Church throughout that land.

12:2 The Law of Moses commanded that Pascha (or Passover) be celebrated in the beginning of months... the first month of the year. But the Lord came down “at the end of the ages” (Heb 9:26), and He is “the end of the law” (Rom 10:4); therefore, He established a different day (AthanG).

12:3 The Lord's commandment through Moses was the type, for a lamb was commanded to be sacrificed. But the incarnate Lord did not command any such thing, for He became the command itself by offering Himself as the Sacrifice to the Father (JohnChr).

12:7 The two doorposts speak of our heart and its vision and action with regard to the New Covenant made in Christ's Blood, that we might be crucified with Him and rise up to be glorified and reign with Him, both now and at His Second Coming (GrgTheo).

12:10–46 Not a bone of Christ's Body was broken (Jn 19:33, 36), which fulfilled this commandment concerning Pascha (see also Nm 9:12). We see the strong connection between the type and the reality (JohnChr).

12:11 The haste in eating the Lord's Pascha speaks of sojourning. Likewise, we are to eat the Lord's Eucharist as sojourners (JohnChr), for we “look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed). Originally, Passover was called “the Lord's Pascha,” but later it was called “the Jews' Pascha” (see Jn 6:4), because they denied the Lord who fulfilled the type (AthanG).

12:13 Death would not touch Israel because of the blood. Christ's Blood destroyed death and delivers His Church from the same (Heb 2:14, 15). The firstborn were preserved by God from being touched by the destroyer to show that we who were made alive in Christ no longer die in Adam (BasilG).

12:14 This eternal memorial is fulfilled in Christ, who said the Eucharist is to be eaten “in remembrance of Me” (1Co 11:24, 25; JohnChr).

12:16 Servile work: the things necessary to life done during the course of the Feast of Unleavened Bread. But now we are to keep the feast our whole life long: “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1Co 5:8). For this is necessary to life (JohnChr).

12:22 The hyssop speaks of Christ's garments that were whiter than snow in the Resurrection, and of the purity bestowed by the remission of sins in baptism (AmbM). See also Ps 50:9.

12:23 Ex 12:23, 26, 27: Christ's Paschal sacrifice saves us from death, for He trampled down death by His death and bestowed life on those in the grave. In the eucharistic cup, His precious Blood saves us from death.

12:30 A great cry arose throughout Egypt because they had no hope beyond this life and were without God in this world (Eph 2:12).

12:33 The Egyptians lived under the fear of death (Heb 2:15).

12:38–48 A mixed multitude of Gentiles also went with Israel because they believed. But those who wished to partake of Pascha had to be circumcised. Similarly, baptism is the door to the Eucharist.

13:1 The sanctification of the firstborn foreshadows the Incarnation of the Son of God. For He is the Firstborn of the Mother of God (Mt 1:25; Lk 2:7). The Church of the Firstborn are His brethren, whose names are registered in heaven (Heb 2:11, 17; 12:23).

13:22 The pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night speak of baptism, the sacrament of illumination or enlightenment (1Co 10:1, 2). The cloud itself is a foreshadowing of the Holy Spirit, who in baptism cools the flame of the sinful passions (BasilG). As one walks in his baptism, the Holy Spirit enlightens him on the pathway to the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come.

14:15 Moses cried out to the Lord with inward tears in the silence of his heart, and the Lord answered him (GrgTheo; JohnChr; GrgNy).

14:19–24 The Angel of God the Father is the Lord, who looked down through the pillar of fire and cloud. He is the Only-begotten God, because He is begotten from the Unbegotten Father before all time and ages (GrgNy). Thus, the Son of God troubled the army of the Egyptians.

14:21 Moses accomplished what he did through prayer and as a servant of Christ, but Christ Himself walked on the Sea of Galilee by His own absolute power (Mt 14:25). Job 9:8 prophesied of Christ, “who walks on the sea as on firm ground” (JohnChr).

14:22 Based on their own nature, the waters of the sea could not form walls on either side of Israel as they walked through. But through the prophetic office of Moses, the seás nature was changed. This shows that the power of blessing is greater than that of nature, for Israel was blessed with deliverance. Similarly, the power of blessing is greater than nature when the bread and wine of the Eucharist become in a mystery the Body and Blood of Christ (AmbM).

14:27, 28 Pharaoh and his servants are types of the devil and his angels, whom the Lord destroyed on the Cross and in the waters of baptism (BasilG; GrgNy).

15:1 The Egyptians were thrown into the sea. Their opposition to Israel was instigated by the devil (AthanG).

15:2 The verb translated became means “to make.” Thus, in what sense was the Lord made? In the sense of His Incarnation (AmbM). For He “became flesh” (Jn 1:14) to become man's helper and shield in salvation. This prophecy also acknowledges the Incarnate Lord as God (my God and my father's God).

15:6–12 The right hand of God is the Son of the Father (BasilG; AmbM). As the hand is one in essence with its body, similarly, the Son is one in essence with the Father.

15:8–10 The Spirit is the Holy Spirit (AmbM).

15:16 The Lord gave the enemy a spirit of fear, in contrast to the spirit “of power and of love and of a sound mind” that He gives the faithful (2Ti 1:7; JohnChr).

15:21 Miriam was a type of the Mother of God (GrgNy) and of the Church (AmbM). The Mother of God leads the Church in songs of praise to the Lord.

15:22–1 These verses are read during the Feast of the Precious and Life-giving Cross.

15:23 The waters of Marah were called Bitterness, which describes man's condition apart from the grace of Christ.

15:25 The tree cast into the waters made them fit for the people to drink. This tree speaks of the Cross of Christ and baptism (AmbM). For the Cross is baptism, and baptism is the Cross. The Cross is in the baptismal water, and the baptismal water is in the Cross. This is why baptism saves man (1Pt 3:21).

15:26 God heals those who hear His voice and obey Him.

15:27 Israel camped by twelve fountains of water and seventy palm trees. Similarly, the Twelve Apostles of Christ were twelve fountains of spiritual water, which quenches the thirst of those who seek the true God. Also, Christ sent forth the Seventy to provide heavenly shade from desert heat.

16:2–8 The entire congregation complained against the godly leadership, but they were actually complaining against God. This sin arose from the sins of gluttony and unbelief. These sins led them into rebellion against the Lord and His appointed leadership, and their complaining ultimately caused their destruction in the desert (Heb 3:7–11). Similarly, the Church suffers when its members complain (1Co 10:10).

16:3 The Egyptians were gluttons (pots of meat), and the Hebrews followed their example (JohnChr). They refused to renounce this sin (JohnCas). The New Testament also warns against the sin of gluttony (Php 3:19).

16:4 The Lord rained bread out of heaven for them. It was a type of Christ, “the bread of life” (Jn 6:48–51). In the Church, He gives Himself and His life to the Church in the Eucharist (Jn 6:53–58).

16:13, 14 Israel saw the quail and the manna with their physical eyes, but these things were limited to this present life. The future life in the world to come is seen by those who walk in the Spirit (1Co 2:9, 10; AmbM).

16:18 Each one gathered what he needed. This shows the need for moderation in relation to the body (GrgNy).

16:20 Some of them left the manna over until the next morning because they were covetous. The leftovers bred worms and stank. Covetousness is a foul-smelling sin (JohnChr).

16:29 Every man was to remain in his house on the Sabbath. Yet the Jewish leaders left their houses, contrary to the Law of Moses, to plot against Jesus (Mt 27:62–66; JohnChr). They broke the Law to plot against the Lawgiver.

16:33 Manna was a type of Christ as the Bread of Life, and the golden pot a type of the Mother of God. For Christ became the Bread of Life in her holy womb for the salvation of the world.

17:6 The rock was a type of the Son of God (1Co 10:4; AmbM). He stood on the rock in Horeb and caused it to pour forth water. Rocks do not pour forth water by nature, but in a mystery this rock did. It remained a rock but simultaneously became a fountain. Similarly, bread and wine are not by nature the Body and Blood of Christ, but in a mystery they become so. They remain bread and wine, but simultaneously are Christ's Body and Blood.

17:11 Although Moses was silent, he was crying out to God, and although he was at ease, he was triumphing (AmbM; GrgTheo). His body was still, but he was actively engaged in spiritual warfare. Triumph in spiritual warfare comes through stillness in prayer and through the victory of the Cross.

17:12 Moses' hands were outstretched by Aaron and Hur, which was a type of the Cross. However, Christ alone outstretched His hands in triumph over the enemy (JohnChr; GrgTheo).

18:3, 4 The names of Moses' two sons summarize two aspects of salvation. One aspect is deliverance from Pharaoh and the Egyptians, who were a type of sin, death, and the devil. Another aspect is sojourning in a foreign land: this world was not Moses' true home, for he looked to the reward of the world to come (Heb 11:26).

18:14 Although Moses had done mighty works in God, he was still only a man and needed wise counsel. Similarly, wise leaders in the Church seek the godly counsel of others, for they are not dictators. Rather, they are counselors who seek the wise counsel of others (JohnChr).

19:4 The Son of God brought Israel to Himself from Egyptian bondage. This prefigures His Incarnation, by which He brings the Church to Himself as the Great High Priest (AmbM).

19:6 The children of Israel were to be a holy nation and a royal priesthood. These things were fulfilled in the Church (1Pt 2:4–10).

19:8 They said they would obey but did not, “for not the hearers of the law are just in the sight of God, but the doers of the law will be justified” (Rom 2:13; JohnChr).

19:14, 15 The washing of clothes and refraining from wives speak of spiritual seed conceived through the love and fear of God in the spiritual womb, travailing and bringing forth the spirit of salvation (JohnDm).

19:17 Ex 19:17, 20, 21: Moses brought out the people to meet with God, that is, with God the Son. He is the Lord who came down on Mt. Sinai, and He is God, for it was He who spoke to Moses on the mountain (HilryP).

19:19 The Jews acknowledged that God spoke to Moses, but said concerning Jesus they did not know where He was from (Jn 9:29). Yet it was He who spoke to Moses on Mt. Sinai.

20:1 All these words refers to the Ten Commandments. But what need was there for these to be written? For God implanted all His laws in man's nature when He created him. It was necessary because of free will and man's corruption through sin (JohnCas; see also Rom 2:14, 15). However, the written law is a lower standard than the law of nature (JohnChr), for these commandments in the Old Testament condescend to man's weakness and thus refer only to keeping the body pure. But in the New Testament, the law of Christ elevates man to be pure in both body and soul.

20:2 It is not enough to be brought out of Egypt, out of the house of bondage into freedom. Far greater than this, Christ gave Himself for us to free us from our sins and to lead us into the true freedom of the children of God (Rom 8:21; AmbM).

20:3 The Lord our God is the true Son of the true Father; thus we do not worship any false god (GrgNy). However, false gods do not exist in themselves, for this commandment refers to the future, and what is in the future does not yet exist (AthanG). But the Son is true God of true God; therefore, He exists eternally with the Father and the Holy Spirit. We worship the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, our one God.

20:4–23 An idol, or image, depicts some god as having a form or shape, but the true God has no form or shape. Why therefore did Israel use images in their worship? Because all these foreshadowed the Incarnation of the Son of God, whom we worship both as God and Man. Also, icons used in Church worship do not depict the divine nature. They draw attention to the Incarnation.

20:5 God is without passion, but He condescends to call Himself a jealous God to show the intensity of His love for man. Therefore, let us love Him with intensity, for this is very pleasing to Him (JohnChr).

20:12 God offers no rewards in the prohibitions of the Ten Commandments. God's promise of reward is offered to those who keep the positive ones. For example, to honor onés father and mother is the first commandment in the Ten to promise a reward, namely, a long and spiritually prosperous life on earth (Eph 6:1, 2; JohnChr).

20:13, 14 All sinful passions are evil, but murder is listed before adultery because it is worse than lust (JohnChr).

20:17 Evil desire is an ancient vice, especially the love of money, and this commandment was given to check it (AmbM).

20:19 Moses was a mediator between God and the people, and they believed him. In this sense, he was a type of Christ, the Mediator between God and man (1Ti 2:5; BasilG).

20:21 The Son of God humbled Himself to allow Moses to see and talk with Him (GrgTheo), and He humbled Himself to the extreme by becoming Man to be crucified for us. He, the Father, and the Holy Spirit dwell in the thick darkness, that is, They cannot be comprehended in Their nature or essence. We cannot know God in His essence; we can only know Him through the revelation of the Son.

20:24–26 Man is not to worship before idols. Israel worshiped the true God at an altar. The Church also worships the true God at an altar (Heb 13:10).

20:24–26 Man is not to worship before idols. Israel worshiped the true God at an altar. The Church also worships the true God at an altar (Heb 13:10).

21:5, 6 The Law honored free will, for the permanent relationship of servant to master was based on it. Similarly, our service to the Lord Jesus Christ is based on free will.

21:13 The Word of the Father appointed cities of refuge, and when He became incarnate, He also commanded, “When they persecute you in this city, flee into another” (Mt 10:23; AthanG).

21:16 The Law imposed the death penalty for cursing onés father or mother. Similarly, the heretics curse the Holy Fathers and the teachings of the Church. They constantly change their own teachings, because they cannot find Christ, the Wisdom of God (AthanG).

21:24 The Law allowed vengeance to be taken on onés enemy, but the saints in the Old Testament did not fulfill this law. They went beyond it and suffered all kinds of deprivation from their enemies (Heb 11:37, 38). The law of Christ would have our patience proved by the injuries and blows offered to us being redoubled, and bids us be ready to endure twice as much damage (Mt 5:38, 39; JohnCas).

22:20 The children of Israel were to be a holy people in their behavior toward one another. Holiness in personal relationships was to be motivated by one commandment: “You shall love your neighbor as yourself,” and this applied to both fellow Israelites and resident aliens (Lv 19:18, 34). All the ordinances given Israel regarding neighbors are summed up in this one commandment (Rom 13:9).

23:1 One should never accept a report that belittles someone without investigating its validity, for the Holy Spirit warns against circulating a false report (BasilG).

23:2 The majority are not always right. Sometimes they pervert justice.

23:3 If a poor man is not to be shown partiality, much less the rich. This holds true not only for judges in the courts but also for all men, for justice is to be kept pure (JohnChr).

23:4, 5 If we are to return an enemy's domestic animal that is straying, how much more are we to return his soul and that of our friends to God (JohnChr).

23:10–12 Love of God and neighbor also includes love of creation, for the land needs rest. And this benefits both the poor and the wild animals. Then too, man is refreshed, for the Sabbath is made for man and creation, and not man and creation for the Sabbath.

23:15 When you appear before God, do not appear before Him empty-handed. This applies to almsgiving, for when you enter before God to implore mercy, you must first show mercy. Make God your debtor, then offer your prayers. Lend to Him, then ask for a return, and you will receive it with interest (JohnChr).

23:20 This is the Angel who said to Moses, “I AM the Existing One” (3:14). He is the Only-begotten God, because He is begotten from the Unbegotten Father before all time and ages. He is called Angel to distinguish Him from the Father. The word angel means messenger, and this Angel reveals the will of the Father to man. Moses believed in the Holy Trinity (GrgNy). Thus, “My” refers to the Father, and “Angel” refers to the Son.

23:21 This Angel has the authority to forgive sins, for the Father's name is in Him. The Father's name is the Lord; therefore, the Son is also called by this name (AmbM). When He became incarnate, He also forgave sins. But the Jews challenged His authority in vain, because they did not believe He was the Son of God (Mt 9:1–7).

23:22 Israel was to be a royal priesthood and a holy nation based on obedience to the Lord. The Lord speaking to Israel was the Word, and when He became Incarnate, the nation disobeyed Him. Therefore, He took the kingdom away from Israel and gave it to a nation bearing the fruits of it (Mt 21:43). This nation consists of the obedient in the Church, both Jews and Gentiles (1Pt 2:9, 10).

23:23 Again, My Angel is the Son of the Father. He led Israel into the land of promise (JohnCas). He also became incarnate to lead us into the world to come. Moses believed in the Holy Trinity and in the Incarnation.

23:25 The Word commanded them to serve the Lord their God, who is the Father. The Word incarnate now draws all who obey Him into the service of His Father.

23:26 The Lord promises to fulfill the number of our days if we truly serve Him. Those who do so will not die before their service is completed. Abraham was an example of this (Gn 25:8), and the Psalmist prays, “Take me not away in the midst of my days” (Ps 101:25; AthanG).

24:1, 2 Moses alone could draw near to God because he had the unquenchable grace of the Spirit. St. Paul also said, “Do not quench the Spirit” (1Th 5:19), for so shall we be partakers of Christ if we hold fast to the end the Spirit given to us at the beginning. By quenching the Spirit, he did not mean the Spirit is placed in the power of men and is able to suffer anything from them. Rather, evil and unthankful people are such who wish to quench Him (AthanG).

24:3 The people said they would do all the Lord's words, but saying is one thing and doing another. So the Apostle John said we are to love “in deed and in truth” (1Jn 3:18).

24:4–8 Moses' activity prefigured four things involved in worship: Scripture, the altar, the Church (the twelve stones), and the Blood of Christ (Heb 9:19–24).

24:12–18 These verses are read as the first reading during the Feast of the Holy Transfiguration.

24:15 Joshua, too, was covered by the sacred cloud, for he had the grace of the Spirit (AmbM).

24:18 Moses broke the law regarding the Sabbath, which requires rest but not fasting. Yet he was guiltless in spite of journeying on the mountain and fasting for forty days and nights. He directed his whole desire toward God, and his anger against the enemies of God. This foreshadowed grace, in which the Sabbath Day would be fulfilled. Under grace, we no longer serve God one day a week, but we are to direct our whole desire toward God and our anger toward the devil throughout our life. We also cause our bodies to cease from sin and urge them forward to assist our obedience to the divine precepts (JohnDm).

25:1 The Law of Moses honored free will.

25:9 The use of icons in the Church is not idol worship. For God commanded Israel to use icons in their worship. These icons were the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings. The honor given the icons in the Church passes over to the prototype (JohnDm; BasilG).

25:10 The first thing made for the tabernacle was the ark of testimony, because it foreshadows the Mother of God with Christ in her womb (Akathist). Christ in her womb is typified by the contents eventually placed in the ark: the pot of manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the Ten Commandments (Heb 9:4). For He is the heavenly manna, His death and Resurrection are life-giving, and He is the Lawgiver and the fulfiller of the Law He gave.

25:18 The holy angels are members of the Church.

25:22 God does not make Himself known in His essence, for no creature can know this. God makes Himself known in intimate communion (BasilG).

25:40 The pattern shown Moses on the mountain speaks of true worship in the heavenly holy of holies (Heb 8:5). The pattern speaks of Christ, the Mother of God, and the Church.

26:31 The veil was a type of the life-giving flesh of Christ (Heb 10:20; Jn 6:51). In a mystery, the bread and wine of the Eucharist become the Body and Blood of Christ, which give life to the faithful.

28:17–20 The twelve stones speak of twelve names of Christ by which our holy faith is built up. They reveal His oneness of essence with the Father and the fact that He is undivided from Him. He is called God and Word (Jn 1:1), Son and Only-begotten (Jn 1:18), Brightness and Impress (Heb 1:3), Mirror (Jn 14:9) and Image (Col 1:15), Wisdom and Power (1Co 1:24), and Truth and Life (Jn 14:6; AmbM).

29:5 Aaron was not born a high priest, but when God willed, he became one. And when God willed, the Word became flesh, and as High Priest He offered Himself to the Father to cleanse us from all sin by His precious Blood (AthanG).

29:14 The flesh of the sin offering was burned outside the camp. Similarly, no one placed amid the evil of this world can lay aside sin, nor is his blood acceptable to God, unless he put away the defilement of the body (AmbM).

30:10 The Law of Moses was a type and shadow of the New Covenant made in Christ. For example, the high priest could only go into the holy of holies once a year with the blood of atonement. By this the Holy Spirit was indicating that the way into the heavenly holy of holies was not yet manifested. For external gifts and sacrifices under the Law could not cleanse and perfect the conscience of the worshipers. But Christ our Great High Priest entered the holy of holies once for all, and His precious blood cleanses and perfects the conscience of the worshipers. The blessing of a cleansed conscience is unspeakable joy, and in the Eucharist the faithful enter the heavenly holy of holies to partake of this cleansing and perfection (Heb 9).

31:3 The divine Spirit is the Holy Spirit (BasilG; GrgTheo; CyrJer).

31:15 The penalty for breaking the Sabbath was death. Yet the Jewish leaders did not rest on the Sabbath (Mt 27:62–66), but were running around and seeking to keep Christ in the tomb (AthanG).

31:18 The finger of God is the Holy Spirit (Mt 12:28; Lk 11:20).

32:1–6 These words were written to warn everyone to beware of spiritual arrogance, for anyone can fall into sin if he fails to guard against temptation (1Co 10:6–12).

32:10–32 Moses performed many great wonders and signs, but nothing made him as great as the love he showed in these statements. For he looked to the interest of his neighbors. He distinguished between God's work and the devil's work, for he loved them as God's handiwork while hating their evil behavior. He did not despise them, but only their sin. He chose rather to perish with them than to be saved without them. He would rather perish with them than have the honor of a great nation (JohnChr).

32:34 My Angel is the Only-begotten God and Son of the Father. He is called “Angel” (or “Messenger”) because He reveals the Father's will to man (GrgNy). For He is the Will of the Father (AthanG).

33:3 Ex 33:3, 12–17: My Angel is the Son of the Father, and He sent Him to lead Israel to the promised land (GrgNy). “Angel” means “messenger,” for the Son is the Will and Word of the Father (AthanG). He is the Angel who appeared to Moses in Exodus 3 and said, “I AM the Existing One” (3:2, 14). The Father also sent Him to become incarnate for the salvation of the world (1Jn 4:14).

33:7 Moses pitched the tabernacle outside the camp, far from the camp. Everyone who sought the Lord went outside the camp. When the Lord became incarnate, He suffered on the Cross outside Jerusalem. Those who wish to find Him must leave the earthly Jerusalem to find Him in the heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 13:12–14; AmbM).

33:19 The Lord has mercy and compassion on whom He wills, because He alone knows the secrets of the heart and who is worthy and who is not (JohnChr).

33:20 No man can see the essence of the Father (“My face”), either in this world or in the one to come (JohnChr; GrgNy). The Apostle John also said the same thing: “No one has seen God at any time” (Jn 1:18). But the Son is one in essence with the Father, and therefore fully sees and knows the Father's essence (AthanG; JohnChr).

33:21 A place refers to the Holy Spirit, for He is often called the place of those being sanctified. Moses as well gained some knowledge of God by the Spirit (BasilG).

33:22 The Son of the Father is the rock and the hand. The rock reveals the mystery of the Incarnation (1Co 10:4; AmbM). The hand reveals the oneness in essence of the Son with the Father. For as the hand is one in essence with the body, similarly, the Son is one in essence with the Father (AthanG). Therefore, He reveals the Father and makes Him known to man.

33:23 My back refers to the glory of God, for man can see His glory if his heart is pure. For Moses saw His glory to the extent he was capable, as is the case with any man. This glory is also called His energy. Man can know God in His energy, but not in His essence.

34:5 The Lord who descended in the cloud is the Only-begotten Lord, and He called upon the name of the Lord, who is the Father. Thus, the Son speaks of the Father.

34:6, 7 The Lord proclaimed the Lord, that is, the Son and Word proclaimed the Father and revealed things concerning Him. For example, the Father is true, that is, he is the True God. The Son and Word is “True God of True God” (Creed).

34:9–11 Moses requested that the Lord Himself lead Israel to the promised land, and his prayer was answered. The Lord is the Angel of the Father, mentioned in previous chapters. “Angel” means “messenger,” for the Son is the Word of the Father. He interpreted the Father's will through Moses to Israel.

34:14 The Word calls His Father a jealous God. He does not mean the Father has passion in His nature. He uses “jealous” by way of analogy with human nature. For example, as a loving father is intolerant toward bad things happening to his children, so the loving Father is intolerant of the evil things that happen to His children when they go astray to worship other gods.

34:29–35 The glory of the Law that shone on Moses' face was to point the Jews to Christ. But their hearts were hard; therefore, they were unable to look upon this glory. The Law was not the problem. The problem was their hardness of heart, which prevented them from seeing Christ in the Law. When, therefore, either a Jew or Gentile now turns to Christ, he sees His glory not only in the Law, but also in the New Covenant (2Co 3; JohnChr).

35:5 Ex 35:5, 21, 22, 26, 29: The offering was to be made from a willing heart, for the Law did not force anyone to serve the Lord. The same is true under grace in the New Testament, for the Lord never forces anyone against his will.

35:31–35 The Holy Spirit filled Bezalel and Aholiab with the effects or gifts of His energies: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, skill, and the ability to teach. By the Holy Spirit they were able to build the tabernacle of testimony. By the Holy Spirit's variety of gifts in the New Testament, the Church as the Body of Christ is being built (1Co 12).

36:2, 3 Great things were accomplished when the children of Israel freely submitted their will to the will of God. Two wills worked in synergy to build the tabernacle – the human will of the people freely willing the same thing as the divine will. Great things are also accomplished in the Church when both wills work in synergy (Php 2:13).

36:6, 7 When the will of the people works freely in synergy with the will of God, the offerings exceed the needs. God loves this kind of giving (2Co 9:7).

38:1 The ark was a type of the Mother of God (Akathist). Inside the ark would be placed the jar of manna, a type of Christ as the Bread of Life. Also within would be Aaron's rod that budded, a type of the Life-giving Cross, and the Ten Commandments, which spoke of Christ as the Lawgiver. Christ was conceived in the Virgin's womb to give life to the world.

38:5 The mercy seat was a type of the Cross and the shed blood of Christ by which He makes people righteous (Rom 3:25). Those cleansed by His precious blood are made righteous immediately. The unbelieving Jews, however, hoped to obtain righteousness by keeping the commandments of the Law, but this was an impossibility. They failed to see what the mercy seat was teaching them, namely, that Christ is the mercy seat for their sins and “the end of the law for righteousness” (Rom 10:4).

38:6 The cherubim were icons or images of two angels. These were not idols, yet they were part of Israel's worship. Similarly, icons used in the Church are not idols. These are venerated, and the honor paid to them passes to the ones they image.

38:11, 12 Worship in Israel was liturgical. Liturgy means “the work of the people.” Israel's worship included four orders: the high priest, the priests, the Levites, and Israel in general. Similarly, Church worship is liturgical and includes four orders: the bishop (high priest), the priests, the deacons (Levites), and the laity. These orders are essential to liturgical worship.

38:13 The lampstand was a type of Christ as the Light of the world (Jn 8:12).

39:23 In six months, what was required for the liturgical worship was completed and brought to Moses (vv. 13–22). Moses blessed them to show the end of willing obedience to the Lord is blessing.

40:1–38 Here the Lord directs Moses to set up the tabernacle for liturgical worship on thefirst day of the first month – one year after Israel came out of Egypt (v. 15). Now the Lord manifested His presence in a cloud by day and in fire by night. The tabernacle was filled with the Lord's glory (vv. 28–32). Both these items speak of type and prophecy. For the physical manifestations of cloud and fire typify His human nature. The glory typifies His divine nature – both of which are united in His one Person. And the Lord – the source of the glory – is the Father. Thus when He became incarnate, the Cloud and the Fire “tabernacled” or dwelt among us (Jn 1:14). And just as some Israelites in the Old Testament could see the cloud and the fire – but not the glory within it – so too, some saw Jesus in the flesh, but did not see the glory of His divinity. They failed to see Him as the very Lord God who spoke to Moses and directed him in establishing the tabernacle of Testimony.

At His conception, the Son of God (“the Power”) “overshadowed” the Virgin Mary and became a Man in her womb (Lk 1:35). When He overshadowed the tabernacle, this became a type of His overshadowing Mary at His conception. And as He led Israel by the cloud and the fire (vv. 30–32), the Incarnate Lord now leads His Church. For the Church hears His voice and follows Him, as Israel did when they heard His voice speaking in and through Moses.

40:28 The tabernacle was a type of the Mother of God, and the cloud was the presence of the Holy Trinity. When God the Word was conceived in her womb, the Holy Spirit came upon her, and the Power of the Highest overshadowed her (Lk 1:35). The Power was the Son and the Highest was the Father. The Son became incarnate, but all three Persons were actively involved.

1:2 The statement, If a man among you should offer gifts to the Lord, emphasizes the freewill characteristic of any offering. God never forces anyone to worship Him.

Offering animal sacrifices to the Lord was not new and was well known in antiquity. Both Abel and Abraham offered animal sacrifices to the Lord (Gn 4; 22). What are newly introduced are (1) the specific instructions about the sacrifices, (2) the enumeration of them, and (3) laws governing where, how, and by whom they were to be offered.

God gave these instructions for the benefit of both Israel and those under the new covenant, for their purpose was to lead mankind to Christ. St. Paul says, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor” (Gal 3:24, 25).

Only domesticated animals could be offered to God – animals dependent on the people, who in turn depended on them. These sacrificial animals were a type of Christ, “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29).

1:3 All such animals were to be without blemish to be acceptable to God. These unblemished animals were types of Christ: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14).

1:4 In the Levitical liturgy of worship, the people participated in the worship. They were not passive observers who watched while the priests did all the work, for the word liturgy means the work of the people. Both priest and people were actively involved. Similarly, in the new covenant liturgy of worship, both laity and clergy actively participate in the worship.

Here, the worshiper placed his hand on the head of the animal and killed it, and in so doing was united with the offering; for the animal's death became the death of the offerer. Similarly, in baptism, the worshiper is united with Christ, for Christ's death becomes in the mystery of baptism the very death, burial, and resurrection of the one baptized (Rom 6:3, 4).

In the Levitical liturgy of worship, the burnt offering was accepted as an atonement on behalf of the worshiper. Atonement is reconciliation to God. Similarly, in the new covenant liturgy of worship, Christ's offering of Himself is accepted as the worshiper's means of reconciliation to God (Rom 5:10, 11; 2Co 5:18).

1:5 Aaron, the high priest, and his sons were types of the new covenant clergy. Under the new covenant, Jesus Christ is the Great High Priest. As High Priest, He is both the one who offers and the one who is offered as the sacrifice. Prior to the Great Entrance in the Divine Liturgy, the priest prays, “For Thou art He who offers and is offered.” Without Him to offer, no offering can be made. Apart from Him, no sacrifice is acceptable to God. This relationship will be seen often throughout Leviticus, and much will be gained by careful observation of Israel's Old Testament service of worship.

A life was given to God and that life was in the blood of the animal offered. It was acceptable to God as atonement for the offerer. Its fulfillment is made known in Heb 9:11–22. Verse 14 clearly shows the role of the blood of Christ in giving people access to the Holy Trinity: “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?”

1:9 The whole burnt offering was totally consumed on the altar – an unmistakable picture of complete commitment to God. The Church displays this spirit of commitment in its responsive prayers: “Let us commend ourselves and each other and all our life unto Christ our God.”

The burnt offering was a sweet aroma to the Father. This aroma speaks of the love of Christ in giving Himself as an offering and sacrifice for us, for no aroma is sweeter to the Father than this. When we walk in this love, we, too, are a sweet aroma to Him (Eph 5:2).

2:1 Offerings were gifts in order to gain the grace of the one to whom the gift was offered (Gn 32:13–21). So it was imperative that the offering be acceptable to the one receiving it. Likewise in Leviticus, gifts acceptable to God were carefully prescribed to Israel.

The grain offering of cultivated wheat milled into fine flour was offered as the fruit of the peoplés labor. As the animals offered were not wild but domestic, so wild grains were not offered. The grain offering pictures Christ as the totally acceptable grain offering to God – He who offers all His works as an acceptable offering to the Father. In Jn 12:24, He says of Himself, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” Jesus Himself is the grain of wheat that died and rose again as man's true spiritual food – the living bread that came down out of heaven to give life to the world (Jn 6:41–51).

The grain offering also pictures the faithful of the Church who offer to God for His blessing the works of their hands as co-laborers with Him. As St. Paul wrote, “We are God's fellow workers” (1Co 3:9).

Oil added to the flour typifies the work of the Holy Spirit. Christ offered Himself to the Father through the Holy Spirit (Heb 9:14). The Holy Spirit also helps us co-labor with God that our labors might be acceptable to Him (Acts 1:8; Eph 5:18).

Frankincense was also added to the various grain offerings. It typified the prayers of the Church. In Vespers, the Church sings, “Let my prayer arise in Your sight as incense.” Co-laboring with God must be accompanied by prayer.

2:2 The priest placed the grain offering on the altar as a memorial. This memorial speaks of Christ when He established the Eucharist on Great and Holy Thursday. He said, “Do this in remembrance of Me” (Lk 22:19). Remembrance of Him is more than the memory of Christ's death on the cross in history. It also includes the sprinkling of His precious blood in heaven when He ascended on high (Heb 9:23, 24). Thus, in partaking of His body and blood in the Eucharist, the Church eats and drinks eternal life, for His flesh is life-giving.

2:4, 5 The grain offering baked in the oven was to be without either leaven or honey (v. 11). As used here, leaven and honey typify sin and its corruption. Thus, concerning leaven, St. Paul writes, “Therefore let us keep the feast, not with old leaven, nor with the leaven of malice and wickedness, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth” (1Co 5:8). Christ was without sin (Jn 8:46; Heb 7:26–28), and we are to cleanse ourselves from all sin; for sin has no place in the Christian way of life.

2:13 Salt, a symbol of an indissoluble covenant, was added to this offering. The oil symbolized the Holy Spirit, and incense was a symbol of prayer. Further, “In Leviticus, every gift, unless it is seasoned with salt, is forbidden to be offered as an oblation to the Lord God. Now the whole spiritual meditation of the Scriptures is given to us as salt which stings in order to benefit, and which disinfects, without which it is impossible for a soul, by means of reason, to be brought to the Almighty; for ‘ye are the salt of the earth,’ said the Lord to the apostles” (Meth).

3:1 The peace offering was not new, but the laws governing it were new – the how, by whom and where it was to be offered. Gn 31:54 provides background for the peace offering: “Then Jacob offered a sacrifice on the mountain, and called his brethren; and they ate bread and drank and stayed all night on the mountain.” They dined together in peace. Lv 7:11–34; 19:5–8; 22:21–25 also provide more details concerning the peace offering. Christ Himself is our peace offering (Eph 2:14; Col 1:20), and through Him we are reconciled to God and one another in peace. Through Him we also offer our entire self – body and soul – to God, with whom we find peace (Rom 5:1, 10).

3:3–5 Portions of the animal were offered as a burnt offering to God, but in the new covenant we are to offer all the members of our body to Him in the service of righteousness and holiness (Rom 6:19; 12:1; GrgTheo; Nic).

3:8 The sacrificial animal was to be killed before the doors of the tabernacle of testimony. The blood was then sprinkled all around on the altar. Both statements show the close connection between the altar and the tabernacle of testimony. The altar speaks of the cross, and the tabernacle speaks of heaven. Thus, the cross is connected to heaven, for after Jesus ascended to the Father, He sprinkled His blood on the heavenly altar (Heb 9:11–24).

The Church worships in heaven, for worship is heaven on earth. Thus, the bread and wine of the Eucharist become in a mystery the body and blood of Christ, His very blood sprinkled on the heavenly altar.

3:16 Anyone eating the fat portions of the offered animal was cut off from his people. The fat was considered the best, and the best was to be reserved for the Lord alone. As to the blood, it was never to be eaten. God's response is strong: “I will set My face against that soul who eats blood and will utterly destroy him from among his people” (17:10). Not only is the life of the flesh in the blood, but the blood has been given by God to make atonement for the soul (17:11; see notes on 17:11).

4:2 The sin offering only covered sins committed involuntarily, that is, sins committed in ignorance of the Law (v. 13). In the Law of Moses, no provision was made for willful sins, which are called sins of arrogance: “But the soul who may do something with a hand of arrogance, whether he is native-born or a resident alien, that one is provoking God; and he shall be utterly destroyed from among His people” (Nm 15:30). Willful sins were sins committed with knowledge of the Law. But in Christ all sins are remitted – voluntary sins, involuntary sins, and sins in thought, word, and deed – if there is appropriate repentance.

4:3 A Levitical priest is called the anointed priest. Anointed is the word from which the name Christ is derived. “Moses was the first to make known the name Christ as being especially august and glorious. When he delivered types and symbols of heavenly things, and mysterious images, in accordance with the oracle which said to him, ‘Look that you make all things according to the pattern shown you in the mount,’ he consecrated a man high priest of God, in so far as that was possible, and him he called Christ. And thus to this dignity of the high priesthood, which in his opinion surpassed the most honorable position among men, he attached for the sake of honor and glory the name of Christ” (Eusb).

The involuntary sin of some individual may have been detrimental not only to himself but also to others. This was especially true of a priest who sinned. “Wishing to show that sins receive more serious punishment by far when they occur in the case of the priest than in the case of the laity, Moses enjoins as great a sacrifice to be offered for the priest as for the whole people, and this amounts to a proof on his part, that the wounds of the priesthood need more assistance, that is, as great as those of all the people together” (JohnChr). The sins of the priesthood under the new covenant also carry as much guilt as those of the entire Church. The priesthood therefore has the awesome responsibility of living a holy life.

4:6–17 The blood was also treated differently in the variations of the sin offering – those for the anointed priest, the whole congregation, etc. In the case of the priest and the whole congregation, the blood was sprinkled (1) before the veil in the Holy Place, (2) on the horns of the altar of incense, and (3) at the altar of burnt offering. We see this type fulfilled in Jesus, who went into the very heavenly holy of holies with His own blood, and presents it before God continually (Heb 8:1–6; 9:11–13). No one can get closer to God than that.

4:12–21 The sin offering for the priest and all the people had to be burned outside the camp. When any blood was taken into the holy place, the remains of the animal of the sin offering had to be completely burned outside the camp. Regarding Jesus, this point is precisely made in Hebrews: “For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Heb 13:11, 12). Jesus said, “For if you believed Moses, you would believe Me; for he wrote about Me” (Jn 5:46). Thus, according to His own words, the sin offering in Leviticus is about Himself.

4:13–21 There is such a thing as corporate sin. Here, the whole congregation of Israel sins (see also Nm 15:22–26). This typified the Church in the new covenant. Why? Because God holds his people accountable – individually and corporately – and even if unknown, sin will still have consequences. When sin becomes known, there must be an offering, because the people of God have a responsibility to represent God to the world. Thus, their failure is a disaster to the world around them. Paul says of Israel, “For ‘the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles because of you’” (Rom 2:24).

4:22–26 There was a distinction of accountability between a private individual's sin and the sin of the political leader or ruler. And though there may be no awareness of sins committed, consequences remain, and ignorance is not an legitimate excuse. Therefore, it is good to pray for “the president and all civil authorities,” a prayer said in most all our church services, for at the day of judgment, they will be accountable before God for their sins and the consequences of them for those they governed. This is equally true for all nations, even for a democracy. As St. Paul indicates, rulers are appointed by God, not by the people: “Let every soul be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are appointed by God. Therefore whoever resists the authority resists the ordinance of God” (Rom 13:1, 2).

4:27–35 Though the common people are less accountable before God for their sins, more is said about their individual offerings than those of priest, the entire congregation together, or a ruler. The sin offerings of the individuals make up the greater part of all sin offerings made. Thus, provision must be made for all, even the poorest (see also Nm 15:27–29).

The type here reveals Christ the sinless One as being the offering for sin: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2Co 5:21). He is accessible to all as an offering – to priest, congregation, ruler, or any individual. Onés station in life or wealth is no issue.

5:2, 3 Under the Law of Moses, to touch any unclean thing – the carcass of an unclean animal, or an animal killed by a wild animal, or unclean carcasses of creeping things, or the unclean carcasses of cattle, or any human uncleanness – was sin. This uncleanness was a type of uncleanness relating to both soul and body. Rom 1:23–32; Gal 5:18–21; Eph 5:3–5 list examples of such uncleanness.

Under the new covenant, to live an unclean life in body and soul is contrary to the teachings of Christ (Eph 4:19, 20). Therefore, we must not touch what is unclean, but if we do, we must cleanse ourselves to be acceptable to the Father (2Co 6:17–7:1).

5:6 Involuntary sin committed contrary to the Mosaic Law – such as failing to give testimony regarding an oath heard (v. 1), any uncleanness (vv. 2, 3), sinning with the tongue (v. 4) – required confession, which includes knowledge of the sin and genuine repentance. Under the new covenant, any sin of thought, word, or deed, whether voluntary or involuntary, is to be confessed to God, and He is faithful and righteous to forgive and cleanse the confessor. If we genuinely confess our known sins, He even forgives and cleanses the unknown ones as we walk in the light (1Jn 1:7–9).

The priest would make atonement for the sinner, that is, reconcile him with God. This speaks of Christ, our Great High Priest, who is now in the heavenly holy of holies reconciling the repentant sinner through His precious blood. He cleanses and remits the sins of the repentant.

5:11 Under the Law of Moses, poverty was no hindrance to attaining the remission of sins. Under the new covenant, Christ became poor for our sakes, for poverty cannot keep a person from Him and His salvation (2Co 8:9). But love of riches does (Mt 6:24).

5:15 Lev 5:15, 21, 25: The sin offering and the trespass offering were similar in that both were offered for transgressing the Lord's commandments. They were distinct in that the trespass offering also included offerings for transgressions committed against onés neighbor. But no special provisions were made for the poor in their transgressions against a neighbor, as was the case with the sin offering. Everyone, whether rich or poor, was on equal footing in this regard. The poor had no more excuse for infringing on the rights of others than the rich.

In this modern era, some believe the poor have the right to steal from the rich, but poverty is no justification for sinning against a neighbor. Nor do the rich have any excuse for transgressions. But God's law is fulfilled through love of neighbor, whether they are rich or poor.

5:24–26 Full restoration was to be made, with one-fifth more added to it. This restoration evidenced at least two things on the part of the offender. It showed genuine repentance toward God and love toward neighbor. With these two things in place, the trespass offering was then brought and the sin atoned for.

Zacchaeus made full restitution to his neighbors, which showed genuine repentance and love on his part. Thus, the Lord said of him, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Lk 19:9). Jesus also, for His part, made full restitution for sins and trespasses plus one-fifth more, through the cross.

6:9 The fire on the bronze altar was to burn continually. The priests were to be sure the fire never went out. Here it was a type of the perpetual offering of Christ in heaven. For Israel, it was the sign of uninterrupted worship of God, based on an animal offered for a burnt offering. In the new covenant, it is the same – the same open door for uninterrupted worship of God and fellowship with Him – but now based on the sacrifice of Christ for our sins as its fulfilled foundation.

6:12–16 The grain offering to be baked is offered as integral to the burnt offering (see ch. 2). The daily morning and evening offerings – both the burnt and grain offerings – were offered together. This action was a type of the work of our hands being offered and made acceptable to God because of the burnt-offering offered with it. God accepts our works, done in the name of the Holy Spirit and because of the work of Christ – but never apart or disunited from His offering of Himself to God as our “burnt offering.”

6:16 The people brought their gifts to God through the priest. The priest often received a portion of what was given by the people to God – in this case the grain offering. The priest did not directly receive from the people what was theirs. He received back something prescribed by God of what had been given to God. Even when the priest eats of the offering, he partakes of something belonging to God.

In the new covenant, this is true of the clergy and of all the people of the Church – themselves members of the royal priesthood – when they partake of the food of God, the eucharistic feast. The bread and the wine are given to God and given back to the people as the body and blood of Christ.

6:17–23 Instructions were given regarding specific parts of the sin offering. These were important (1) as types of aspects of our eucharistic worship, and (2) as types of the sanctity with which the eucharistic gifts themselves are treated. At the Divine Liturgy the celebrant proclaims, “The holy things for the holy.” It is the eucharistic gifts – the body and blood of Christ – to which he is referring. In response, the people proclaim, “One is holy, One is the Lord Jesus Christ, to the glory of God the Father. Amen.” He is the ultimate holy sacrifice, and all of this is pictured in Leviticus.

How meticulous was the care for holy things – so important if we are to keep a clear sense of the holy. In the offering of Christ in the Divine Liturgy, detailed care is taken with every part of the body of Christ, with every drop of the blood of Christ. If the animal offered in the sin offering of the Old Testament was considered so holy, how much more the offering of the Lord Jesus Christ.

6:18 Touching what is holy affects our holiness – our very sanctification. Here we see a profound biblical concept whereby contact with what is holy offers holiness – and to the unworthy, possible condemnation.

This issue deeply affects our understanding of how one is affected by the holy Eucharist, holy icons, holy water, holy oil, holy bread, and all things holy in the life of the Church. Our participation in these things is not merely a remembrance of an historical event, but in spirit and in truth, God works through them to effect a healing within us – a reconciliation to Him and to our neighbor.

7:12, 13 In thankfulness of heart and spirit, we offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving – one made worthy because Jesus is our acceptable offering of thanks to God. The word Eucharist means Thanksgiving. In the Divine Liturgy we sing, “A mercy of peace, a sacrifice of praise.”

7:15 The flesh of the peace offering of thanksgiving was to be eaten by the priest. This typified eucharistic Communion, in which the worshiper participates in the sacrifice, the sacrifice being Christ Himself. He invites us to eat of Himself: “Take, eat, this is My body broken for you.”

7:16–18 No flesh of the peace offering was allowed to remain beyond the third day. To prevent corruption, anything left was totally burned with fire. But in Jesus there is no fear of corruption, for He is the living bread. Thus, having leaven in the bread of the Eucharist is no longer feared.

7:19–22 Cleansing was an essential condition for eating the sacrifice. In the new covenant, the blood of Christ in the Eucharist cleanses those who walk in the light with God: “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1Jn 1:7).

7:29, 30 The offerer himself was to offer up the gift from the peace offering. In the new covenant, Christ Himself is both the offerer and the gift offered on behalf of the Church. He also accepts the gift of Himself and distributes it to the faithful in the Eucharist: “For Thou Thyself art He who offers and is offered, who accepts and is distributed” (Prayer of the Cherubic Hymn).

8:2 Aaron did not take this honor to himself to be the high priest, but was called by God (Heb 5:4). “So also Christ did not glorify Himself to become High Priest, but... [was] called by God as High Priest ‘according to the order of Melchizedek’” (Heb 5:5, 10).

8:6 Moses washed Aaron the high priest with water to prepare him for the high priesthood. This washing was a type of baptism. However, Jesus was not baptized because He needed it, but “to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt 3:15), for He fulfilled the righteousness required by the Mosaic Law. Therefore, He was baptized for our sake, “that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2Co 5:21).

8:7–9 Vestments were made for Aaron “for honor and glory” (Ex 28:2). For they were patterned after the Great High Priest in His heavenly honor and glory (Ex 25:40; Heb 8:5). Similarly, vestments are essential to worship under the new covenant, for they speak of the Great High Priest in His glory. This is why the vestments of the priest are so grand and beautiful, for they refer to our Great High Priest ministering on our behalf at the heavenly altar.

8:12 Moses anointed the head of Aaron with oil to sanctify him for the high priesthood. This oil typified the Holy Spirit under the new covenant. However, Jesus did not need the anointing of the Holy Spirit to qualify Him as the Great High Priest, for He Himself anoints others with the Holy Spirit. Then why was He anointed with the Holy Spirit at His baptism (Mt 3:16)? First, to identify the Holy Spirit as One of the Holy Trinity, and second, for our sakes, that He might anoint us with the Holy Spirit when we are baptized.

8:14 Lev 8:14, 18, 22: Aaron and his sons laid their hands on the heads of these offerings. This typified Christ, the Great High Priest, who both offered and was offered for our reconciliation with God (Heb 10:12). For since He is God, He offered Himself. He was also offered by the Father (Heb 9:28) and by the Holy Spirit (Heb 9:14). Therefore, although Christ alone was the sacrifice, the Holy Trinity was involved in the reconciliation of man.

8:15 Lev 8:15, 19, 23, 24: The blood of the sacrifices was connected with the altar of whole burnt offering and the priests themselves. This typified the Great High Priest, who took His own blood into the heavenly sanctuary to sanctify it for our salvation (Heb 9:23, 24).

8:26 The unleavened bread speaks of Christ as our sinless sacrifice (Heb 7:26). But since He is sinless, in what sense was He made sin for us (2Co 5:21), made a curse (Gal 3:13), forsaken by the Father (Mt 27:46), and made subject to Him (1Co 15:28)? By appropriation and in a relative sense. “For neither as God nor as Man was He ever forsaken by the Father; neither was He made sin or a curse, nor did He need to be subject to the Father. For as God He is equal to the Father and in no way at variance with Him or subject to Him, while as Man He was never at any time so deaf to His Begetter that He should stand in need of subjection. So it was in appropriating our appearance and classing Himself with us that He said these things. For it was we who were subject to sin and curse, because we were disobedient and unhearing and thus forsaken” (JohnDm).

8:30 The anointing oil and the blood were sprinkled on the vestments of Aaron and his sons. This typified the connection between the blood of the Incarnate Son and the Holy Spirit. The entire work of the Holy Spirit is accomplished in and through the Incarnation, for He never bypasses the Incarnation in His workings. Moreover, both the works of Christ in His Incarnation and the works of the Holy Spirit are in the sacraments of the Church. This is why the sacraments save us.

9:2–21 Four offerings were prescribed by the Lord to initiate the tabernacle service: a sin offering, a whole burnt offering, a grain offering, and a peace offering, all in that order. The sin offering speaks of reconciliation with God (Rom 5:10); the whole burnt offering, of the full surrender of a life to God (Rom 12:1, 2); the grain offering, of the works of our hands (Jn 14:12); and the peace offering, of intimate communion with God in which we eat and drink the body and blood of Christ (Jn 6:53–58).

9:16 Worship in the old covenant was to be done according to the prescribed manner. No creativity whatsoever with regard to sacrifice was allowed. Nothing was to be done haphazardly. Quite to the contrary, creativity was prohibited and even punished, as seen in the next chapter. God, not man, set the rules for worship. Communion with God was approached on His terms, not man's. Thus, a priesthood was initiated in Israel, and only those ordained were to officiate at an altar, and not just any willing and able Israelite.

So too in the new covenant. The worship is to be accomplished “decently and in order” (1Co 14:40). Priests (clergy) are to be ordained to officiate at the altar. But amazingly, we live in a day when many professing Christians, claiming to be guided by the Bible, spurn order, even mock it, as though it were ungodly. They even call an order of worship dead. Spontaneity and creativity are exalted as if they were truly life. However, there is no biblical basis for such worship, for this kind of worship is dead in the eyes of the true God.

9:22 Aaron blessed the people using his hand. Priests in the new covenant also bless the people with their hand, using a motion in the form of the cross, for they bless them in Christ's name.

9:23, 24 The glory of the Lord appeared to all the people, and fire came out from the Lord. Therefore, liturgical worship was not a dead worship, for the Lord's glory and fire were seen. Neither is liturgical worship in the new covenant dead. Only people are dead, if they are in sin. But if they are alive in Christ, liturgical worship as prescribed by the Church fills them with the Lord's glory and fire.

10:1, 2 Nadab and Abihu died because they offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them. Offerings not prescribed by the Lord are considered by Him to be worthy of death.

“Wherefore it is incumbent to obey the priests who are in the Church, those who, as I have shown, possess the succession of the episcopate, have received the certain gift of truth, according to the good pleasure of the Father. But it is also incumbent to hold in suspicion others who depart from the primitive succession, and assemble themselves together in any place whatsoever, looking upon them either as heretics of perverse minds, or as schismatics puffed up and self-pleasing, or again as hypocrites, acting thus for the sake of lucre and vainglory. For all these have fallen from the truth. And the heretics, indeed, who bring strange fire to the altar of God – namely, strange doctrines – shall be burned up by the fire from heaven, as were Nadab and Abihu” (Iren).

11:2–4 Lev 11:2–4, 47: At least two issues relate to the animals: the nature of animals and eating only clean animals. The nature of all animals is good in itself because the Creator is good. He did not create anything evil in itself. This also applies to man, whose nature is good in itself. As Gn 1:31 says, “Then God saw everything He made, and indeed, it was very good.”

The Lawgiver said that foods going into the stomach cannot defile a man; rather, the evil proceeding from his heart defiles him (Mk 7:15–23). He said this when the Law of Moses was still in effect. Why then did He declare through Moses that certain animals were clean and others were unclean, and only the clean ones were to be eaten? Whatever various answers may be given, one seems to stand out as especially important: the eating of clean animals forecasts the cleansing of both Jews and Gentiles in baptism to form them into one body, the Church.

Peter's vision in Acts 10:9–16 indicates the inclusion of Gentiles into the Church through baptism: “The earth, then, this is what the linen sheet denotes, and the wild animals in it are those among the Gentiles, and the command: ‘Kill and eat,’ denotes that Peter must go to them also; and the linen sheet being let down three times denotes baptism” (JohnChr).

12:1–3 Marriage, conception, and birth are honorable in every way: “Marriage is honorable among all, and the bed undefiled” (Heb 13:4). Since these things are true, in what sense do conception and birth relate to uncleanness in the Mosaic Law?

They were symbolic of the meaning of baptism. The water of baptism is the womb into which the old life of sins is buried, as indicated by the seven days (v. 2). The eighth day (v. 3) speaks of the renewal of man's nature in baptism by the Holy Spirit into the world to come. Circumcision on this day is typical of the cutting away of sins by the circumcision of Christ, effected in baptism (Col 2:11, 12).

13:2 Leprosy was the primary type, or symbol, of sin in the Old Testament. Sin does to the soul what leprosy does to the body. As leprosy defiles the body, so similarly, sin defiles the conscience with dead works.

13:3 A person with leprosy was pronounced unclean. Similarly, all sin is unclean in the eyes of God. “God did not call us to uncleanness, but to holiness” (1Th 4:7).

13:9, 10 A person with a leprous infection was brought to the priest for examination. This examination could only determine whether or not he had the disease of leprosy; the priest could not effect a cure. Christ, our Great High Priest, not only examines our uncleanness, but also provides the cure: “There is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account” (Heb 4:13), and, “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?” (Heb 9:14).

13:46 Leprosy forced the leper into a way of life outside the camp. This way became a camp to itself. Similarly, the fallen world is a camp to itself, with its own way of life. This way of life is described as the “old man” (Rom 6:6). This old man was crucified with Christ in baptism, and the one baptized is raised up with Christ to walk in newness of life (Rom 6:3, 4). “Newness of life” is described in Eph 4:24 as “the new man which was created according to God, in true righteousness and holiness.”

13:52 Just a little spot of contamination on a garment necessarily caused the whole of the garment to be destroyed. Radical action had to be taken with respect to leprosy. The same is to be said of anything contaminated by sin. Jude, the Lord's brother, writes, “And on some have compassion, making a distinction; but others save with fear, pulling them out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh” (Jude 22, 23). He seems to have the matter of leprosy in mind, but applies it to sin and its contagion.

14:3 The person desiring cleansing from his leprosy cannot come to the priest. The priest must go outside the camp to the one so diseased and sick. So too, Christ went outside the camp for us: “Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate” (Heb 13:12).

14:6, 7 This was to be done for the one to be cleansed of leprosy. Leprosy may be what King David had in mind when he prayed, “Sprinkle me with hyssop, and I will be cleansed.” David was praying for purification from his sin. Perhaps he understood leprosy as a type of sin, as one possible explanation of the reference to the hyssop in Ps 50.

14:10 The cleansing of the leper – his restoration to fellowship with God and the people – was completed on the eighth day. On that day for the cleansed leper, many of the offerings previously prescribed in Leviticus were offered. Here again is a type of Christ – our perfect offering – who bore our infirmities and was raised from the dead on the eighth day. For the leper, Christ is the fulfillment of all that was done and offered on that day. Christ is the one who cleanses all mankind – if man is willing – from the leprosy of sin and all its effects.

14:48 Note that nonliving matter could be redeemed, for atonement could be made for it. Consider again the power of Christ's victory over sin: “the creation itself also will be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God” (Rom 8:21).

14:54–57 This summarizes chapters 13 and 14. Note here the critical issue in separating what was infected – person or object – from the rest of the people. Obviously this had to do with protecting the people from the disease.

Leprosy as a type of sin – and its noted consequences – must not escape us. There is good cause for being separated from those who live in willful sin: “A little leaven leavens the whole lump” (1Co 5:6). Clearly, if one chooses to get really close to sin, to tolerate or ignore it, and acts as if it isn't there, one may “catch” it. Though leprosy is not the most contagious of diseases, what a disease with which to gamble!

15:13 Lev 15:13, 14, 28, 29: Cleansing from emissions seven days after the cessation of the discharge came with the washing with water. On the eighth day, an offering was brought to the Lord. Here again was a type of the washing of water in baptism and the offering of Christ – raised from the dead on the eighth day. In Christ, there is cleansing. And in Christ, the curse of death is overcome. On the eighth day, He trampled down death by death, upon those in the tombs bestowing life.

15:25–30 In light of this passage, consider the account of the woman with the issue of blood, who, though unclean – but because of her faith in Christ – dared to touch the Lord as He allowed it (Mk 5:25–34).

15:31 The tabernacle was the abode of God. No impurity would be tolerated there. Similarly, we are cleansed of sin's impurity by the blood of Christ so as to worship God in the heavenly holy of holies.

16:1 The Day of Atonement was inaugurated, as the text says, after the deaths of the priests Nadab and Abihu (ch. 10). After the sin of these two sons of Aaron, the people had a great need to see God's provision for forgiveness displayed before them.

16:2 This description seems to be the reason Nadab and Abihu died.

16:3 Here begins the description of the annual Day of Atonement, the single most important day in the calendar of ancient Israel. Virtually every detail of this day was a type of the work of Christ and His atonement for our sins. It is rewarding to give careful attention to the specific details of this day.

16:4 Aaron was to thoroughly wash himself in water. Here was not only a type of baptism in general, but also of the baptism of Christ by John the Baptist in the Jordan River. Jesus said to John the Baptist, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness” (Mt 3:15). The true High Priest was preparing to go into the holy of holies for the sins of the whole world. He only is without sin, so it was not for His own sins that He was baptized, but for the uncleanness of the people for whom He would suffer.

16:5 Five animals were offered on this day, a bull for a sin offering for himself, a ram for a burnt offering, two male goats as a sin offering, and a ram for a burnt offering. Each animal offered provided types of the work of Christ.

16:6 An offering must be made for the priest and his household before he could carry out his duties of the day. So too, the clergy of the Church should never assume they do not need cleansing, for they too – and their households – sin as do others. The role of the clergy is unique, but they are still sinners in need of a sacrifice. It is not only the people who confess themselves to be chief of sinners at every Divine Liturgy – the clergy do as well.

16:8 Both goats together are one sin offering. Aaron cast lots over the two goats. The one on which the lot fell was for the Lord, and was to be slain. The other would be the scapegoat, to be let go into the wilderness. It takes both goats to make clear as one picture what was happening.

Theodoret writes regarding these two goats, “I will however mention the sacrifice in which two goats were offered, the one being slain, and the other let go. In these two goats there is an anticipative image of the two natures of the Savior; in the one let go, of the impassible Godhead, and in the one slain, of the passible manhood.”

16:16 Blood from the young bull was sprinkled seven times on the east side of the mercy seat – the symbol of completion. This was to cleanse the holy of holies – to make atonement for the holy of holies itself, because of the impurities of the sons of Israel. Similarly, Christ sprinkled His own blood in the heavenly holy of holies so we might enter there in worship (Heb 9:23, 24).

16:21 The high priest laid his hands on the head of the live goat. In doing so, he laid the sins and transgressions of the sons of Israel on the head of that goat. The goat, an innocent victim, bore on itself all the iniquities of the people. The goat, taken by a designated person, was then sent off into the wilderness.

The picture is clear. As the goat goes into the wilderness, so do the sins and transgressions of the people – never to be seen again. This reminds us of the Psalmist's words, “As far as the east is from the west, / So He removes our transgressions from us” (Ps 102:12). This marvelous reality is part of the foundation of what the Orthodox priest says in the Sacrament of Confession: “And now, having no further care for the sins you have confessed, go in peace.”

16:27 The bull of the sin offering and the goat, the blood of which was taken into the holy of holies, both were taken outside the camp and burned. Another type of Christ: “For the bodies of those animals, whose blood is brought into the sanctuary by the high priest for sin, are burned outside the camp. Therefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered outside the gate. Therefore let us go forth to Him, outside the camp, bearing His reproach” (Heb 13:11–13).

16:33 The atonement granted this day to the people of Israel could picture only in a limited way – as is true of all types – what Christ would do in His suffering and death. This old covenant offering could not make the conscience of the worshiper perfect (Heb 9:8, 9), though it did cleanse from all sin.

But our Great High Priest, Jesus Christ, entered the heavenly holy of holies, where He sprinkled His sacrificial blood to deal fully with our sins. Today is the Day of Atonement. Today is the eighth day – the day after which there are no more days. In the old covenant, the high priest went into the holy of holies once every year, and necessarily came back out immediately. Not so of Christ. He went into the heavenly holy of holies with His own blood to atone for our sins, and thus to reconcile us with God.

17:1–8 Why this strict law regarding the slaying of domestic animals? It was to prevent Israel from succumbing to the idolatry of the peoples around them – to keep them holy and separate from idolatry. It was quite common among ancient people to offer animal sacrifices to their idols. But Israel was a nation set apart for God alone. Her people were to be a holy people living in fellowship with the true and living God. Idolatry, more quickly than any other cause, would turn them away from God. There was and is but one true God, and He revealed Himself to Israel and gave them instruction regarding their relationship to Him.

Here also is a type of the uniqueness of Christ. At Matins, Orthodox Christians sing, “God is the Lord and has revealed Himself to us. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” That revelation is Christ Himself. He alone is the atonement for our sins, reconciling us to God. He alone is the Savior. Israel was a type of the Church – the new people of God – and this type expresses how the Church is to be separate from the world.

17:7 Israel had a history of habitually straying into the worship of idols, often labeled by the prophets as spiritual fornication, showing their unfaithfulness to God.

Here is a type of the faithfulness Christians are to have to Christ. The Church is the Bride of Christ. Jesus is the Groom – so noted on Great and Holy Thursday – to whom the Church sings, “The Groom of the Church is fastened with nails...” To turn from the Groom to seek union or communion with anyone or anything else is spiritual fornication.

17:8–9 Any Israelite who refused to bring his sacrifice to the tabernacle of testimony to offer it there would bring about his own destruction. Likewise, anyone who refuses to worship the Word made flesh – for He tabernacled in the flesh – destroys himself. For we worship His holy body (AthanG).

17:11 Because of the supreme importance of blood in atonement for sin, it was imperative that blood be treated with unique respect. According to this passage, the life was in the blood. If blood was shed, a life was given, and the sacrifice was genuine. Not that blood has inherent power to forgive. Rather the blood, with its inherent life, is God's gift to mankind to make atonement for sin. The necessity for atonement was the sacrifice of the innocent life of an animal.

But what was important – lest Israel should become careless about atonement – was not only the blood of the innocent animals sacrificed, but that all animal blood be regarded with respect. All life was sacred and to be respected.

Of course, this understanding concerning blood in the old covenant was but a type of the blood of Christ, which initiated the new covenant. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus said, “This cup is the new covenant in My blood, which is shed for you” (Lk 22:20). St. Paul says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph 1:7). Also St. John says, “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin” (1Jn 1:7).

17:13–14 Game animals were another story. They could be killed and eaten anywhere, but still the blood was not to be eaten.

18:1–3 Israel was commanded not to live according to the way of life of Egypt and Canaan, nor to walk in their ordinances. The way of life in Egypt and Canaan was fallen, characterized by sinful passions, especially idolatry. The Scriptures describe this way of life as the “old man” (Rom 6:6), and for the Church, this way of life was crucified with Christ in baptism.

Nor was Israel to walk in their ordinances, for many of these were unjust and ungodly. Examples of these are given in vv. 19–30, for instance the perversion of homosexuality (v. 22) and sodomy (v. 23). In our modern era, laws are being passed favoring homosexuality and abortion. But laws of this kind are an abomination to God (v. 30).

18:4 Israel was to walk in the ordinances of the Mosaic Law. The Church, on the other hand, is to walk in the Law of Christ, a higher standard than the Mosaic (Rom 8:1–4).

18:5 Israel was to keep all the ordinances of the Law of Moses. In so doing they would attain to righ-teousness, but if they should offend in one point, they would be guilty of breaking the whole of it (Jam 2:10). There was no other way of attaining righteousness under this Law than by fulfilling the whole of it. However, they failed to attain the righteousness required by the Law (Rom 9:31), for such an attainment was an impossibility (Acts 15:10). Their failure required atonement for sins and reconciliation with God.

Christ atoned for their sins and those of the entire world. Through His death and Resurrection He made possible the attainment of righteousness by faith in Him. “Moses showed us the righteousness required by the Law, what kind it is. So what kind is it and in what does it consist? ‘The man who does these things shall live by them,’ Moses said. There was no other way of becoming righteous in the Law except by fulfilling the whole of it. But this was not possible for anyone, and therefore this righteousness failed them.... For that required the fulfillment of all things (for when you do all, then you shall live); but the righteousness of faith does not say this, but what does it say? ‘If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus, and believe in your heart God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved, for with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation’ (Rom 10:9, 10).... There is no long journey to go on, no seas to sail over, no mountains to pass, to get saved. But if you be not minded to cross so much as the threshold, you may even while you sit at home be saved. For ‘in your mouth and in your heart’ is the source of salvation” (JohnChr).

18:6–18 As with most of Leviticus, there are two levels of interpretation to this passage. First, there is the immediate meaning for the people of Israel. Second, there is the type presented in the matter at hand, to be fulfilled later. First then, there were the laws regarding unlawful sexual intercourse (uncover nakedness). The immediate meaning relates to family integrity – the thread on which family members are strung, as jewels, in the relationship of husband and wife as “one flesh” (Gn. 1:24). The laws set forth here were not arbitrary. They clearly reflected the essential created character of marriage and family relationships.

Secondly, at least two types are made clear in looking toward the new covenant. One is that Israel is understood as the wife of God and thus as a type of the Church – as the bride of Christ. The second is that the earthly husband and wife were also a type of Christ and the Church. The relationship between Christ and his people is a substantial union – a union of our human nature with His resurrected and glorified human nature. This is not merely a moral union, a kind of pleasant fellowship with Christ. Baptism into Christ produces a dynamic union of substance with Him. This relationship must be guarded and nurtured with the utmost care. The union must not be corrupted by adding to it that which is foreign. One cannot have a commitment to union with both God and the world and its attachments, as Christ said: “You cannot serve God and mammon” (Mt 6:24). Nothing should be introduced into the relationship of oneness that would in any way profane it or make it common.

19:1–3 The repeated formula, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy, is of vital importance. First, this is the point of this whole Law. That God is holy does not mean He is a rule-keeper or enforcer. There is no legalism with God. Israel was to be what He is. His people were to be holy as He is. Rule-keeping was not the end in view; being like God was.

This is also the goal of the new covenant. However, in the new covenant things are seen more clearly, because Jesus Christ is the supreme definition of holiness. This huge difference in the understanding of the Law was the source of great conflict between the scribes and Pharisees and Jesus. He was holy. They were rule-keepers who had lost the Rule-giver, and thereby lost their holiness.

The expression, “I am the Lord,” “I am the Lord your God,” or “I am the Lord their God,” appears approximately fifty times in Leviticus. The “I Am” is of critical importance. It is the absolute foundation of the covenant treaty formula used here. Everything in the relationship between God and Israel depended on it. It identified the old covenant Maker. The “I Am” identified Him uniquely as God. At the burning bush, the Lord introduced Himself to Moses as the “I Am” (Ex 3:6, 14).

In Jn 8:58, the identity of the Speaker in Leviticus is made known to be Jesus, who says to the Jews, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.” He is the Son and Word of God, one of the three Persons of the All-Holy Trinity.

19:18 The exhortation, you shall love your neighbor as yourself, here makes its first appearance in the Bible and its only appearance in the Old Testament. It is a summary of what was required in the Law of Moses.

In the time of Jesus, the religious Jews understood this statement to be crucial to understanding the Law. Lk 10:25–37 shows this. A lawyer questioned Jesus about the means of acquiring eternal life. Jesus asked him what was his reading of the Law. The lawyer replied, “‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your strength, and with all your mind,’ and ‘your neighbor as yourself’” (v. 27). The lawyer further asked, “Who is my neighbor?” Jesus answered with the parable of the Good Samaritan, giving us an understanding of this passage in Leviticus.

20:1–23 The material in this chapter deals with penalties for sins approved by the Canaanites but which God considered abominable – human sacrifice, psychic practices, cursing of parents, unlawful sexual relationships, as well as other matters. Verse 23 gives us the key to understanding this: You shall not walk in the ordinances of the nations I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them.

20:2–5 Idolatry was the single greatest danger to the people of God. The first of the Ten Commandments is, “You shall have no other gods before Me.” Idolatry was often the downfall of Israel.

20:3–7 God's holy things must not be profaned, for this profanes His name. With this in mind, we pray in the Lord's Prayer, “Hallowed by Thy name.” St. Cyprian writes, “After this, we say: ‘Hallowed be Thy name,’ not that we wish for God to be hallowed by our prayers, but to beseech Him that His name be hallowed in us. But by whom is God sanctified, since He Himself sanctifies? Well, because He says: ‘Be ye holy, even as I am holy,’ we ask and entreat, that we who were sanctified in baptism may continue in that which we have begun to be.”

20:9 Lev 20:9, 11, 12, 16, 17, 19, 27: The Law of Moses taught that man is only guilty before God by free choice, but not by nature. For man is good by nature; otherwise, we would be imputing guilt to God (Gn 1:31). Thus, man does not possess a sinful nature, for all sins are committed by personal choice. No one can claim he sins out of necessity. All sins therefore are contrary both to God and to nature. The Law also refuted the false notion that man is guilty before God because of Adam's sin. Adam was guilty of his own transgression, as is true of any and all.

20:24 The heart of the issue in all of these laws was the sanctification of the people of God, in distinction to those around them. Why? Because God is the Lord their God, their King. Israel was to be a theocratic kingdom – one ruled over by a gracious and loving God who knew perfectly what was best for His subjects. This is why Israel was to be so separate from all the kingdoms around her and why idolatry was punishable by death, for it was high treason against the kingdom of God.

20:25–26 The violations of God's law here were (a) against God, (b) against the nation – the theocracy, and (c) against the units that made up the theocracy, namely the family, which included marriage. The nation and the family were God-given, for people to live by and in. If they should turn from God's ways, the inhabitants would suffer greatly. These laws are contrary to the current direction of ideas and legislation regarding the family.

21:1 Jesus Christ holds the offices of prophet, priest, and king, at the same time and forever. The Old Testament is filled with types of Christ with respect to these three aspects of His ministry. In this chapter sundry rules for the Aaronic priesthood are given, along with instructions for the high priesthood. Types of Christ abound throughout, and the priest was a type of Him. Therefore, a higher standard was set for him than for the laity.

21:1–3 The defilement referred to here was the ceremonial defilement of a person resulting from contact with a dead body. The priest was permitted to touch the dead bodies only of certain of his immediate kin. The priest, as a type of Christ, must not be unduly affected by death, since Christ is the One who overcame death. Jesus wept at Lazarus' tomb, but He is the One who overcame the death of Lazarus and who overcame death for all in His Resurrection.

21:14 The high priest was allowed to marry only a virgin, and she had to be from his own people – an Israelite woman. He serves as a significant type of Christ, who is the Groom of the Church. The Church is forever His virgin bride. Christ and the Church form the perfect marriage; thus the types in the Old Testament foreshadow that perfection.

21:17 To serve in the priesthood, one had to be free of physical defects. This was a type of the ultimate offerer, the sinless and spotless Jesus, who Himself is the sinless and spotless offering. Thus, the animal to be offered was to be without spot or blemish. The physical was a type and symbol of the spiritual, and both are important. And lest it be considered cruel or unfair that the deformed were not allowed to offer the gifts of his God, to serve at the altar, let it be understood, quite to the contrary, that hope is given here for all. The priesthood in the Church in the age to come will be open to all in Christ. No one will be deformed, for any deformed in this life will be made completely whole in the world to come. All will participate in the priesthood forever. “To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood, and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (Rev 1:5, 6).

22:1–16 Rules regarding the priests eating certain portions of some of the offerings may appear stringent to the casual reader. However, when the sacrifices mentioned here are recognized as types of Christ, the One who is the perfect sacrifice and makes Himself available to be eaten, these rules make perfect sense.

They offer significant insight into the work of Christ. Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink His blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats My flesh and drinks My blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day. For My flesh is food indeed, and My blood is drink indeed. He who eats My flesh and drinks My blood abides in Me, and I in him” (Jn 6:53–56). This eating of the sacrifice is not to be done casually or carelessly. Christ is the life and salvation of the world. He is not to be partaken of in any profane manner.

22:17–33 More rules are given for the sacrifice. At every Divine Liturgy in the Church, the priest prays a prayer that includes the following words regarding Christ: “For You Yourself are He who offers and is offered, who accepts and is distributed, O Christ our God.” Jesus is not only the perfect priest – as the One who offers – but He is also the perfect sacrifice. Thus, the rules in Leviticus for qualifications of either priests or animals offered to God are important as types of Christ.

The animals offered were types of Christ as the once-for-all perfect sacrifice. John the Baptist spoke of Jesus as “the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (Jn 1:29). In these Levitical regulations, the people are being tutored ultimately to recognize the Messiah – the Christ – when He would come to be both the offerer and the offered. The rules also speak to the perfection of the sacrifice of Christ. He would be perfect and holy – separated to God alone.

23:1–4 The account that follows is not the entire Jewish calendar. These are the “fixed feasts,” where a convocation – a coming together of the people – was required. They focused attention on the Lord by means of the sanctification of time and life. Ex 31:13 says in this regard, “You shall direct the children of Israel, saying, ‘See to it that you keep My Sabbaths, for it is a sign between Me and you throughout your generations, that you may know I am the Lord who sanctifies you.’”

23:5 Pascha (or Passover) sanctified Israel's time and life as a sign pointing them to the coming Incarnation of the Lord. In this feast they were to remember Him and what He did for them in delivering them from Egyptian bondage. But more importantly, it pointed them to His coming in the flesh. They were to know Him in the blood of a slain lamb, a sign pointing to Him as the Lamb of God. Yet when He became incarnate as this Lamb, they did not recognize their own Lord who had delivered them from Egypt (Jn 1:11).

Pascha also sanctifies the time and life of the Church each year, but not as a sign. For the Church is sanctified by the fulfillment of the sign. Great Lent, Holy Week, and Easter define this fulfillment, as the Church is sanctified by the death and Resurrection of Christ. Thus, spiritual life is deepened, and God's people come to know the Incarnate Lord more intimately.

23:15–21 The Feast of Pentecost also sanctified the time and life of Israel as a sign pointing to the coming of the Holy Spirit and the harvesting of the Church. It was precisely seven full Sabbaths (forty-nine days) plus one day after Pascha, and marked the completion of the grain harvest. Here, the offering was not a sheaf of grain, but rather baked loaves, signifying the Church.

Thus, Pentecost also sanctifies the time and life of the Church each year, but not as a sign. For Christ is the sheaf, the firstfruit. The loaves are the many from the harvest, those from Christ and in Christ – in the Church. In Jn 12:24 Jesus said, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” This grain is the Church, harvested by the Holy Spirit. Hence, the ancient Feast of Pentecost prophetically prefigures the birth of the Church through Christ and the Holy Spirit.

At the same time, it also signifies the beginning of the end of the age. On the Day of Pentecost, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, the apostle Peter quoted the prophet Joel to explain what was taking place, “‘It shall come to pass in the last days, says God, /That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh’” (Acts 2:17). The gifts of the Spirit for the age of God's kingdom are given to the people of God while still living in this age, as a foretaste of the world to come.

23:39 There was a feast on the eighth day after Tabernacles began. It was the end date – the leave-taking of the Feast of Tabernacles. It completed the feasts of the seventh month as well. This final day was the consummation, or great high point, of the feast. It was the eighth day – the first day of the season of rest. The day itself was to be a day of complete rest; no work whatever was to be done. The planting, the cultivating, and the harvesting had all been accomplished. Now it was time to rest.

That eighth day was a type of the new creation – the day that never ends – the day “when all our labors and trials are over.” It is the day of the establishment of the eternal kingdom of God in its fullness. All is completed. All is renewed. All is at rest. The true New World has begun. It is the fulfillment of the work of Christ for us.

24:1–4 The pure oil was for the golden lampstand that stood in the holy place along with the table of the presence and the altar of incense. Only the priests were to be in the holy place to perform their duties by the light of this lampstand. The pure oil for the lampstand, however, was to be brought by the people. Thus, they and the priests were involved with this light.

Christ is the Light of the world, for He enlightens all. Twice Jesus said He was the light of the world – in Jn 8:12 and 9:5 – but He also told His followers they, too, were the light of the world (Mt 5:13).

24:10–15 In the heat of passion, this man reviled and denounced the Lord. “Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks” (Mt 12:34). He reviled the Lord God of Israel and died as the penalty. We must take this situation carefully and seriously to heart. The Lord God of Israel, the Lord Jesus Christ, has a name above every name (Php 2:9, 10). Reviling Him will lead one to much more than physical death. It will lead him to eternal death. Nevertheless, our age is witnessing more and more of this reviling of Jesus as Lord.

25:1 The land was to be left at rest every seventh year. Crops were not to be sown or cultivated. This was a reminder that “man shall not live by bread alone” (Dt 8:3; Mt 4:4).

The person who, without rest, pursues the temporal bread of this life will not pursue the eternal Bread of Life as he or she ought. Jesus taught us to pray, “Give us this day our daily bread,” so as to remember that our toil alone does not give us bread. Only with the blessing of God do we partake of daily bread and the Bread of Life, which is eaten in the Eucharist. The land needs rest and man needs rest that he might pursue the true Bread.

25:8 The property a Jew possessed was not his own. It was God's land, given to the individual only as a stewardship (see 25:23). And to preserve this spirit, every fiftieth year the land reverted back to its original owners – rural houses returned to their original families, and people were freed from bondage into which for one reason or another they had come. In this way, no one family could amass great and permanent fortunes in the land, to be passed down from century to century. Everything and everyone belonged to God. The Year of Remission occurred after every seventh sabbatical year, or every fifty years.

The Year of Remission foreshadowed the ultimate fullness of God's kingdom. It was actually the eighth year after the seventh of the sevens, making it the first year of the new cycle. It looked forward to that ultimate “eighth year” after which there is no first again.

Here is the rich foreshadowing of the kingdom of God, wherein all are freed and there is no more bondage. No longer are there any poor or disenfranchised. All are free in Christ. Everyone and all things are at rest. “There remains therefore a rest for the people of God” (Heb 4:9). Some blessings of the coming kingdom are experienced in this age, but all these blessings will be available in the world to come, wherein all things are restored unto the ages of ages (Acts 3:19–21).

25:9 The Year of Remission began on the Day of Atonement when the priest came out of the holy of holies, having sprinkled the blood of the sin offering before the Lord. What a remarkable picture! Restoration and freedom began when atonement was made and the priest came out.

When Jesus our Great High Priest comes forth from the heavenly holy of holies and the last trumpet shall sound at His glorious second coming, then His own will have eternal restoration and freedom from any bondage. Even the earth and all creation shall be renewed. Rev 21:1, 5 says, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away. Also there was no more sea.... Then He who sat on the throne said, ‘Behold, I make all things new.’ And He said to me, ‘Write, for these words are true and faithful.’”

26:3 The Law of Moses could only promise blessings pertaining to the comforts of this present life. But the Law of Christ promises in the midst of sufferings on His behalf the blessings of eternal life in the kingdom of God (JohnCas).

27:1 The subject matter of this chapter is quite different from the rest of the book. It deals with voluntary vows made to God not called for in the Law. However, such vows were not prohibited. One could choose to make vows, and if he did, there were terms and conditions governing them.

There is likely little typological value in these vows. Further, no vows are called for in the new covenant. However, some choose to make vows to God. These are not forbidden, though it is important we not imagine that we curry grace with God by making them. Perhaps above all, we must be aware that if we should make a vow to God, we must follow through in keeping it: “When you make a vow to God, do not delay to pay it; / For He has no pleasure in fools. / Pay what you have vowed. / Better not to vow than to vow and not pay” (Ecc 5:4, 5).

1:1 The Lord who conversed with Moses in the tabernacle was the Word and Son of God, for He was the Lawgiver. Moses, in turn, gave His laws to Israel. The tabernacle was a type of the flesh the Son assumed in the womb of the Mother of God when He became incarnate (Jn 1:14). After His Incarnation, He also conversed with Moses on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt 17:4). This conversation on the Mount calls to mind the talks between the two in the tabernacle. Although the Jews claimed He taught and worked contrary to the Law (Jn 8:5, 6; 9:29), the presence of Moses with Him on the Mount refutes this charge.

1:2–3 The Lord commanded a census to be taken in Israel to draft an army for war. This census shows the militant nature of Israel in warfare. Israel was a type of the Church, “the Israel of God” (Gal 6:16; see Rom 2:28, 29), and the Church is also militant. However, the warfare of the Church is spiritual and evangelistic in nature (Eph 6:10–20). The spiritual enemies are the sinful passions, death, and the devil. Evangelism is to bring as many as will come into the kingdom of God and is to continue up to the end, when the kingdom will be fully established (Mt 24:14).

1:47–49 The ministry of the Levites also shows the militant nature of Israel in worship, for they were Israel's “clergy.” All other Israelites were “laity.” However, both were to be militant in worship, for no one was excused from worshiping the true God. The Levites had their assigned responsibilities in the worship, as did the people. The various responsibilities of both are described in Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy.

The Church also has ordained clergy, and both clergy and laity are to be militant in worship, for no one is excused from worshiping the true God. The clergy have their assigned duties, and the laity as well. The various responsibilities of both are described throughout the Holy Tradition of the Church.

1:50 The Levites were ordained to minister liturgically, for divine worship is liturgical in nature; this liturgical nature is mentioned about forty-five times throughout Numbers. The word liturgy means “the work of the people.” In Israel, this included the Levites and the twelve tribes, that is, all “the children of Israel” (v. 49), with the Levites having their special liturgical service in the tabernacle.

The worship of the Church is also liturgical in nature and includes both clergy and laity. The apostles were ministering liturgically in Acts 13:2 when the Holy Spirit spoke to them. The same word is used here as in the Book of Numbers. This same word is also used numerous times in Hebrews to describe the liturgical worship of the Church as the fulfillment of Israel's liturgical worship (Heb 1:7, 14; 8:2, 6; 9:21; 10:11).

1:53 The Lord was present in the midst of Israel's liturgical worship, as He is in the Divine Liturgy of His Holy Church. Spontaneity in worship has no biblical precedent.

2:2 The twelve tribes camped around the four sides of the tabernacle, facing it, in groups of three tribes; the Levites camped around the tabernacle proper (v. 17), for they were its caretakers and guards. So the Lord and His worship were to be the central focus of every Israelités life. The Son of God became incarnate and is the central focus of the Church. Thus, at the end of the Great Litany, the Church prays, “Let us commend ourselves and each other and all our life unto Christ our God.”

2:3 The tribe of Judah camped on the east side of the tabernacle, and Christ would come from that tribe (Heb 7:14). The word east is a synonym of the word orient, from which the word orientation is derived. The prophet Zechariah prophesied that Christ would be called “the East” or “the Orient” (Zec 3:9). The prophet Malachi said He would rise up from the east, and thus, calls Him “the Sun of Righteousness” (Mal 4:2). Therefore, every Israelite was to orient his life around Christ, the Orient.

Likewise, every Church member is to orient his life around Christ; otherwise, he will become “disoriented.” The Church whenever possible worships toward the east, “looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith” (Heb 12:2).

3:6–9 The tribe of Levi was presented to Aaron and his sons to minister liturgically with them. The service of the priests and the Levites was on behalf of the children of Israel. Aaron's sons were priests, but Aaron himself was the high priest. The other Levites assisted in the liturgical worship.

The liturgical service of the priests and Levites was a type of liturgical service in the Church. The high priest was a type of Christ, our Great High Priest and “the Shepherd and Overseer [Bishop] of our souls” (1Pt 2:25). The bishops are living icons of Christ, the high priests of the Church. Similarly, the priests in the Church are also icons of Christ and serve liturgically with the bishop under whom they are assigned as his spiritual sons.

The Levites served liturgically with Aaron and his sons, as their assistants. They were types of the deacons, who assist the bishop in the liturgical worship; and when the bishop is not present, they assist the priest.

3:11–13 Num 3:11–13, 40–51: The Lord ransomed the firstborn sons of Israel in Egypt with the blood of a lamb; therefore, the firstborn sons belonged to Him. Fourteen months later in the Wilderness of Sinai (1:1), He accepted the males in the tribe of Levi (a month old and above – 22,000 in number) as a ransom payment for the firstborn of the twelve tribes. Thus an exchange took place in which the Levites became the Lord's liturgical ministers of the tabernacle. However, the census among the firstborn of the twelve tribes revealed the number of Israel's firstborn sons to be 22,373. Therefore, a ransom payment was owed to the Lord for this excess number of 373 of Israel's firstborn males. These males were required to ransom themselves by paying the Levites a redemption tax which totaled 1365 shekels (v. 50). This redemption tax became a tradition in Israel. The firstborn males were required to pay this tax in their hometowns.

Jesus' hometown in His adulthood was Capernaum. So on one occasion in Capernaum, Peter was asked if his teacher paid this tax (Mt 17:24–27). Peter replied, “Yes.” However, Jesus had no obligation to pay the tax because He is the Son of the King, the heavenly Father, and Jesus, too, is King. Kings exact tax payments from their subjects, not from their sons. Nevertheless, to avoid offense, Jesus told Peter to catch a fish, and it would have money in its mouth to pay the tax – not only for Himself, but also for Peter. For Peter, too, was a firstborn son. So this tax payment from the mouth of the fish demonstrated Jesus to be the Lord and King over creation and the eternal Son of the heavenly King, the Father (JohnChr). This also demonstrated it was the Son of God, the King Himself, who ordered the redemption tax to be paid when Israel was in the Wilderness of Sinai.

4:1 Num 4:1, 16, 29: Gershom, Kohath, and Merari were the sons of Levi (Ex 6:16). Their lineage, in turn, would be assigned as the liturgical ministers of the tabernacle. The Scripture refers to the tabernacle and its liturgical service of worship by various words, all of which show the temporal nature of this worship. These Scripture passages are as follows:

Ex 25:40 (also quoted in Heb 8:5): “See to it that you make [all things] according to the pattern shown you on the mountain.” Heb 8:5: “[The priests] serve the copy and shadow of the heavenly things.” Heb 9:23: “Therefore it was necessary that the copies of the things in the heavens should be purified with these.” Heb 9:9: “It was symbolic for the present time in which both gifts and sacrifices are offered.” Heb 9:24: “For Christ has not entered the holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us.” Heb 10:1: “For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come...” Heb 11:19: “... from which [Abraham] also received [Isaac] in a figurative sense.”

The various words therefore are “pattern,” “copy,” “shadow,” “figure,” and “symbol,” all of which carry the same meaning, namely, one level of reality that represents and is fulfilled in another and greater level. Therefore, the Old Testament liturgical service of worship was temporal in nature, and is fulfilled in the greater reality of the Church's liturgical worship. Liturgical worship in the Church is called “heaven on earth,” for it fulfills the types.

4:5 The overshadowing veil was a type of the life-giving flesh of Christ (Heb 10:20). For Christ is God in the flesh; therefore, His holy body and blood give eternal life to those joined in union and communion with Him. In the Divine Liturgy, the Church offers up the bread and wine of the offertory to Him, and He gives these back to the Church as His precious body and blood.

4:7 The table of presentation was located in the holy place of the tabernacle. Among its furnishings were the bowls for pouring the drink-offerings of wine (see 15:5, 7, 10) and the perpetual loaves of bread.

The bread and the wine on the table of presentation were types of Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist. (A type is one level of reality that represents and is fulfilled in another and greater level, which is called the antitype.) Thus, the bread and wine on the table of presentation represented and are fulfilled in Christ's body and blood in the Eucharist.

5:2–4 Leprosy was a type of sin. Jesus went out of the camp and became a leper on our behalf. He Himself was not a leper, for He knew no sin, but He took pity on us lepers and became a disgrace for our sakes.

5:7 Confession of wrongs to a neighbor must be accompanied by restitution. Zacchaeus went beyond this law and made restitution fourfold, plus he gave half his goods to the poor. Thus, he “bore fruits worthy of repentance” (Mt 3:8). So Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house” (Lk 19:9).

6:2 An extraordinary vow was a vow not required by the Law of Moses. It was strictly voluntary, and when such a vow was made, the one making it was held accountable to fulfill it (Ps 49:14; Ecc 5:4).

6:22–26 These verses describe the blessings by the priests upon the people: the purpose is to put the Lord's name on them. The blessing itself is contained in vv. 24–26. Bishops and priests in the Church also put the Lord's name on people when they bless them with their hands in the form of the cross.

7:2–5 Num 7:2–5, 84: The twelve rulers brought gifts, including sacrificial animals, to the Lord for the dedication of the altar of whole burnt offering. These gifts would be used in the liturgical service of the Levites in the tabernacle. In the new covenant liturgical service of worship, we are to offer our whole lives as whole burnt offerings to God. Rom 12:1, 2 describes this offering: “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God.”

8:6 Num 8:6, 7, 19: In the liturgical service of worship, the children of Israel could not draw near the holy things, for their bodies were not purified by the water of purification, as were the Levites. Under the new covenant, the Levites are the clergy of the Church who officiate at the altar. However, in the liturgical service of worship, both clergy and laity draw near the heavenly holy of holies by the blood of Jesus. The conditions for entering the heavenly holy of holies are “a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22).

9:3 Pascha, or Passover, was to be kept according to its rule and practice. Its “rule and practice” refers to its liturgical order of service and worship. This was spelled out very carefully in the Law of Moses. In the Church, the rule and practice of Pascha is also carefully spelled out in Holy Tradition as the Church moves through its liturgical order of service and worship in Great Lent, Holy Week, and the Easter season.

9:6–9 The Law of Moses could not cover every situation that might arise regarding Pascha. For this law did not exist in a vacuum to itself. Rather, it was ever united to the Lawgiver, the Son of God, who speaks to His people. Similarly, the Holy Tradition of the Church cannot cover every situation that might arise. The Good Shepherd speaks to His Church, and those who have ears to hear follow Him (Jn 10:27).

9:21 When the cloud ascended from the tabernacle, Israel would break camp and move toward the promised land. Therefore, their liturgical worship was to be dynamic and not static. They had an objective to achieve. Psalms 120–133 are called “Odes of Ascent.” These odes reveal aspects of the dynamic and living nature of liturgical worship.

Similarly, the Lord ascended into heaven to teach the Church the dynamic and living nature of worship. For liturgical worship is like an ascent in which the worshipers draw near and enter the heavenly holy of holies. The final objective is “the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed).

10:10 The Son of God is the I Am, the Lord God of Israel (Jn 8:58; Ex 3:14). He is one of the three Persons of the Holy Trinity.

10:29 Moses informed his brother-in-law of the purpose for breaking camp. It was to head for the place the Lord spoke of. This place was Canaan, the land of promise. For the Church, the land of promise is the kingdom of God, the fullness of which will be realized in the world to come. As the Church passes through this present world, she partakes of the kingdom to the extent of the grace she experiences and expresses. In this sense, the Church is God's kingdom in this world, and she will be His kingdom in the fullest sense in the new world.

10:33–36 Rise up, O Lord was a foreshadowing of Christ's Resurrection, and return, O Lord, of His second coming.

11:1–3 This place was called Burning (v. 3) because the Lord hates grumbling, which is an expression of ingratitude. This was written to admonish us not to grumble, complain, and murmur about things we may not like (1Co 10:10, 11). Grumbling is one of the sins that undermines spiritual stability: “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall” (1Co 10:12). We are to do all things without grumbling; otherwise, our lights will not shine in the midst of the fallen world (Php 2:14, 15).

11:4–34 This place was called Graves of Lust (v. 34) because the desires of the people were out of control (hungered exceedingly, v. 4). Thus, many of them died.

In itself, desire is a blameless passion. But if it is not controlled, it can go astray and become a sinful passion – for example, gluttony. Now the children of Israel and the Gentiles who came with them out of Egypt were grumbling about food, which, in turn, caused them to lose control of their desires. This resulted in gluttony (v. 32). Their belly became their god (Php 3:19). Grumbling and gluttony are an evil combination.

11:16 Num 11:16, 17, 24–29: This passage is read at Vespers of the Feast of Pentecost.

11:17 Num 11:17, 25, 26, 29: The Spirit is the Holy Spirit, one of the three Persons in the Holy Trinity. Therefore, Moses believed in the Trinity, and those who claim him as a forefather should also embrace his faith.

12:5–7 The Lord who descended is the Son of God. He is over the house, whereas Moses was a faithful servant within His house (v. 7; Heb 3:1–6).

12:10 Miriam's contentious and bitter spirit caused her to become leprous. Leprosy was a type of sin, and sins, such as a contentious spirit, eat away at the soul.

13:1–3 The pre-incarnate Lord spoke to Moses and commanded that twelve spies, one leader from each tribe, be sent to spy out the land of Canaan, for the Word was the Commander and Moses the obedient servant. The Lord promised to give them this land, for the world belongs to Him and He gives it to whom He wills, when He wills, for as long as He wills. He is the sovereign Lord of all.

13:4–16 The names of twelve men are given, two of whom were Caleb (v. 6) and Hoshea (v. 8), whose name Moses changed to Joshua (v. 16). Caleb's name means “bold,” or “confident,” and Joshuás, “savior.” Both names together signify two aspects of faith – confident faith and saving faith. Both men knew the Lord, and their faith in Him was of both aspects.

13:17–25 The twelve men spied out the land for forty days (v. 25), all the way up to Rehob, near the Valley of Hamath (v. 21). In their journey, Hebron (v. 22) is singled out for notice. Here, in the Valley of Eshcol, the spies cut a cluster of grapes and named the place Valley of Eshcol – or “Cluster.” This cluster confirmed the Lord's word that the promised land was one of milk and honey.

This cluster of grapes was a type of the Mother of God, for God the Word derived His body and blood from her. Moreover, in the Eucharist, the wine of the grapes becomes, in a mystery, His body and blood. The Church's participation in this mystery is a foretaste of the land of promise – the world to come, the eternal kingdom of God.

13:26–33 The spies returned to Israel and showed them the fruit of a land flowing with milk and honey (vv. 26, 27). But there was a barrier – there were well-armed and strategically prepared people in the land: the Amalekites, the Hittites, the Jebusites, the Amorites, and the Canaanites, along with the descendants of Anak, who were giants (vv. 28, 29, 33). This problem overcame the seeing-is-believing kind of faith, as ten out of the twelve spies gave a bad-news report (vv. 30, 31). Yes, the land flowed with milk and honey, but using only human reason, they concluded that victory against such obstacles was impossible. Thus, their faulty reasoning and unnatural fear destroyed what little faith they possessed. But Joshua and Caleb possessed a bold and saving faith in the Lord, for their faith was beyond the seeing-is-believing kind. They saw Him who is invisible.

The various tribes of Gentiles listed here are types of the sinful passions, which at times seem impossible to overcome. But those possessing a boldly confident and saving faith will be zealous like Joshua and Caleb, knowing the Lord Jesus Christ is able to help them overcome their temptations and sins. Such faith propels them toward the land of promise – the world to come.

14:1–4 Unbelief produced vices in the congregation. They were depressed and melancholy (cried and wept that night, v. 1). They rebelled against their godly leadership (against Moses and Aaron, v. 2). They were cowards (fall in war, v. 3). Their thinking was irrational (wives and children shall be plundered; return to Egypt, v. 3). They made an irrational choice (select a ruler and return to Egypt, v. 4). Unbelief toward the Lord produces many vices – especially irrational choices, for unbelief is contrary to a rational mind.

14:6–9 But Joshua and Caleb were strong in faith, which produced virtues in them. They desired the land of promise (extremely good land, v. 7). They believed the Lord was with them in the fight (bring us into this land, v. 8). They stood against unbelief (do not apostatize, v. 9). They were willing to be martyrs (stone them with stones, v. 10). The Son of God stood with them (appeared in the cloud, v. 10).

14:11 The Lord asked two questions to show us His opposition to unbelief. Even the miracles He performed could not bring the people to faith. Neither did the miracles He performed after His Incarnation win them over (Jn 10:38). Nevertheless, out of His love for them, He gave them every opportunity to believe. Unbelief is a deep-seated evil.

14:12 Unbelief leads to death and self-destruction. For there is no remedy for unbelief. It ultimately led them to the loss of God's kingdom (Mt 21:43), as it does for all (Rom 11:22).

14:13–20 Moses' major concern was the Lord's name, for he loved Him with all his heart. He also loved his neighbor as himself, for he was also concerned for the people. The Lord revealed Moses' virtues as an example of true faith for all to see.

14:21 The earth will be part of the world to come, for it shall be filled with the glory of the Lord.

14:22–38 Just as unbelief kept the children of Israel from the land of promise, so it will keep us from the promise of the world to come if we fail to live by faith (Heb 3; 4).

14:39–45 Their confession of sin was empty, for they did not amend their ways. Their confession did not lead to obedience, for unbelief ruled them (you transgress the word of the Lord, v. 41).

15:1, 2 The Lord's word would not fail, for Israel would inherit the land of promise, but without the unbelievers. Even their unbelief could not nullify the promises of God (Rom 3:3, 4).

15:3–16 Once in the land of promise, Israel was to offer two additional sacrifices together with their whole burnt offerings (vv. 3–12). One was to consist of fine flour mixed with oil, and the other of wine as a drink offering.

The fine flour was a type of the bread in the Eucharist. And fine speaks of Christ's body as being pure. The fine flour, when mingled with oil, was a type of the Holy Spirit, who is called down at the epiclesis in the Divine Liturgy. The wine of the drink offering was a type of the blood of Christ in the Eucharist. These types were fulfilled by the Lord on Great and Holy Thursday when He established the Eucharist with His disciples.

In Israel, the same sacrificial laws governing the native-born Jews also applied to the resident aliens, who were Gentiles (vv. 13–16). This reveals the Eucharist in the new covenant would be both for Jews and Gentiles.

16:1, 2 Korah rose up before Moses. Scripture calls this “the rebellion of Korah” (Jude 11). He was a Levite, and therefore a member of the “clergy.” He also influenced two hundred fifty “laity,” who were rulers of the congregation, chosen members of the council and men of note. This was no small-time rebellion.

16:3–4 The rebels accused Moses and Aaron of self-exaltation, the very sin of which they themselves were guilty. Self-exaltation is vainglory, the root of all sins. Moses, on the other hand, fell on his face, for he was the most humble man in all the earth.

It is fine to be praised by another, but not by oneself: “Let your neighbor praise you, and not your own mouth, / A stranger, and not your own lips” (Pr 27:2). However, one is tested when praised by others: “But a man is tested by the mouth of those who praise him” (Pr 27:22). Korah, however, failed this test, for he “loved the praise of men more than the praise of God” (Jn 12:43).

16:22–24 Moses raised a crucial question before the Lord: “If one man sinned, will the Lord's anger be on all the congregation?” The Lord's answer was clear: “Withdraw from around Korah's company.” In other words, the Lord's answer was, “No.” Furthermore, Korah's sons were not guilty because of their father's sin, for they did not perish with him (26:11).

Moses' question, the Lord's answer, and the longevity of Korah's sons refute the false doctrine of original sin. This evil doctrine teaches that Adam's offspring (all mankind) are guilty before God because of their father's transgression. This teaching is false, because each man is guilty before God for his own transgressions.

17:2 Strange fire was unauthorized worship. Korah was a Levite but not a priest, and only priests of the Aaronic priesthood were authorized to offer worship on behalf of Israel. Nor were the two hundred fifty “laity” so authorized.

The priests and bishops of the Melchizedek priesthood in the Church are the only ones authorized to offer up the holy gifts in the Divine Liturgy on behalf of the Church. These holy gifts become the body and blood of Christ in a mystery.

17:3–5 The two hundred fifty copper censers were beaten into plates and sanctified by the altar of whole burnt offering to which they were attached. They were fastened there as a sign and a memorial for the children of Israel. A sign is a visible seal of some truth revealed in a memorial. In this case, the copper plates fastened to the altar were the sign, and the memorial was the truth revealed in the sign. Thus, the memorial in this sign was that no outsider who is not of Aaron's seed should put incense before the Lord and be like Korah and his insurrection.

Israel had a short memory, for the next day after the copper plates were fastened to the altar, they rebelled again (v. 6).

17:6–15 The high priest Aaron took his censer, put hot coals in it, threw incense on the coals, then censed the people. This action made atonement for them, and the plague ceased. Christ our Great High Priest offered His life-giving body on the cross (the hot coals from the altar). The smoke of incense ascends, and Christ the Great High Priest ascended into the heavenly holy of holies, and sprinkled the life-giving blood of His cross on the heavenly altar.

17:16–26 The Lord gave Israel another sign (v. 25) to cure their rebellion. Aaron's rod sprouted and put forth buds, and had produced blossoms and yielded ripe almonds (v. 23). These buds, blossoms, and almonds speak of life and fruits. The life-giving rod was a type of the life-giving cross.

19:1, 2 The Son of God, the Lord, spoke both to Moses and Aaron. He spoke of the injunction of the law, whatever the Lord ordered. Therefore, the Son of God and His law must always be seen as being connected. They should never be thought of as disconnected, which is legalism, the disconnection between the law and the Lawgiver.

19:9–17 The ashes of the burnt offering of purification were placed in a vessel, and running water was poured over them. Thus, the ashes and the water were mixed together, and this became water of purification, a type of the Sacrament of Baptism.

20:1–5 The Desert of Sin was characterized as a place where nothing is sown, neither figs nor vines nor pomegranates; nor is there any water to drink (v. 5). The people had the opportunity to respond in one of two ways: be thankful or be frustrated. They chose frustration.

20:11–12 Moses struck the rock in unbelief, and this action would keep him from leading Israel into the land of promise. It is unbelief to disobey the Lord's direction, for He told Moses to take the rod and speak to the rock (v. 8). However, he struck the rock twice. So he violated the type.

This rock represented the spiritual Rock, Christ Himself, for it was He who ordered Moses to speak to the rock (1Co 10:4). After His Incarnation, He would be smitten once, not twice, for the sins of the world (Rom 6:10). From His life-giving cross would come the waters of life, “springing up into everlasting life” (Jn 4:14).

20:13 This event in vv. 1–12 was called the Water of Contention for two reasons: first, because of Israel's scoffing, and second, because the Lord was sanctified among them. In spite of Israel's scoffing, Christ in His power gave them water to drink.

20:16 His Angel is the Word and Son of God, for it was He who brought Israel up out of Egypt with His almighty power.

20:28 Aaron's death revealed the weakness and temporary nature of the Aaronic priesthood, for it could not overcome death. But Christ destroyed death by His death; therefore, His priesthood continues unto ages of ages (Heb 7:23–25).

21:9 The people who looked on the copper serpent on the signal pole lived. They lived because the motionless copper serpent signaled that the power of the venom in them was now dead.

The serpent bit Adam in the Garden of Eden, and his venom eventually caused him to die physically and decay in the grave: “So all the days Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years, and he died” (Gn 5:5). Death also came into the world through him (Rom 5:12).

When Christ hung motionless on the cross (Jn 3:14), His dead body signaled the end of death's reign over man's body, for “He trampled down death by His death, upon those in the tombs bestowing life” (sung by the Church at Easter). The copper serpent “saved those who looked upon it, not because it lived, but because it was killed, and killed with it the powers that were subject to it, being destroyed as it deserved. And what is the fitting epitaph for it from us? ‘O death, where is your sting? O grave, where is your victory’ (1Co 15:55). You are overthrown by the cross; you are slain by Him who is the Giver of life; you are without breath, dead, without motion, even though you keep the form of a serpent lifted up on high on a pole” (GrgTheo).

22:22–38 The Angel is the Word and Son of God. He warned Balaam to speak only what He told him to speak: “Only the word I may speak to you, this you must be careful to speak” (v. 35). Later, Balaam told Balak he could only speak whatever word God may put in my mouth, this I must speak (v. 38). Thus, Balaam called the Angel “God.”

22:22–27 The donkey knew his Master and Creator, for she saw Him. However, Balaam could not see Him because of his darkened heart. Likewise, when this Angel, who is the Word, became flesh, neither Israel nor the world at large knew Him (Jn 1:10, 11), but the donkey and the ox knew Him at His birth in the cave.

In the Christmas icon, the donkey stands nearest Christ in the cave, and next to it the ox, for they knew their Master and Creator, but Israel did not know Him, as Isaiah prophesied (Is 1:3, 4).

23:5 God the Word put a word in Balaam's mouth, just as He said He would in 22:35.

23:7 The Spirit is the Holy Spirit, and God is God the Father. The Holy Spirit spoke by the prophet Balaam (“the Holy Spirit... who spoke by the prophets” – Creed). Therefore, the Holy Trinity is revealed in vv. 5 and 7, for where One of the Persons is present, present also are the other Two.

23:10 Speaking by the Spirit of God, Balaam could wish the greatest possible good for himself, namely, for his soul to die with the souls of the righteous, for in this wish there is no fear of death. For he who dies in Christ is made a partaker of His righteousness in baptism. (AmbM)

24:2 Num 24:2, 3, 5–9, 17, 18: This passage is read at Vespers of the Feast of the Nativity of the Lord.

24:7 The Man is the Word become flesh (Jn 1:14). He is true Man and true God. He became Man to bring man into His kingdom, if they willingly follow Him there.

24:9 In His burial, this Man was like a lion resting in a cave. Those who bless this Man are blessed, but those who curse Him bring a curse on themselves.

24:17 Christ is the Star (Mt 2:2) and the Man who rose from the dead (rise out of Jacob and out of Israel). The three wise men of the East knew this prophecy, and when they saw His star, they followed it to the cave where He was born.

24:25 Balaam taught Balak “to put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols” (Rev 2:14; see Nm 31:16). Soon afterward, the Israelites killed Balaam with the sword when they killed the kings of Midian (31:8; Jos 13:22).

25:1, 2 Balaam counseled Israel through Balak to commit fornication and to worship idols (31:16; Rev 2:14). For he perceived the weakness in the souls of the Israelites. What was that weakness? Their souls were subject to their desires, rather than the opposite. For when desires control the soul, it easily falls into fornication and idolatry (JohnCas).

25:7–8 The spear speaks of baptism, which kills corrupt desires in those who walk in their newness of life. “When we are aware of the devil's attacks, we should repeat to ourselves the apostolic words: ‘As many of us as were baptized into Christ were baptized into His death’ (Rom 6:3). Now if we have been conformed to His death, sin henceforth in us is surely a corpse, pierced through by the spear of baptism, as that fornicator was thrust through by the zealous Phinehas” (GrgNy).

26:64–65 The first census of the men of war was 603,550 (1:46). From this massive number, only two survived to enter the land of promise! Why? Because they always went astray in their heart and did not know the Lord's ways (Ps 94:10; Heb 3:10). Their hearts were blinded by rebellion against the Lord, who said of them, “They shall surely die in the desert.” Therefore, we, too, are admonished, “Beware, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief in departing from the living God” (Heb 3:12). This evil heart of unbelief is equated with the sin of rebellion, which is inexcusable.

27:5–7 The daughters of Zelophehad would have their share in the inheritance when Israel entered the land of promise. Therefore, Christ saw these faithful women as coequal with the men. They were not, so to speak, “second-class citizens” in His sight. Equality in Christ also holds true in the Church, for both men and women are “heirs together of the grace of life” (1Pt 3:7).

27:12 Moses would see the land of promise, but he could not possess it. But this was no great loss to him compared to his true vision. For he saw “the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed; see Heb 11:26). He waited eagerly to possess this inheritance.

27:14 Moses' failure to sanctify the Lord at the Water of Contention did not disqualify him from his true inheritance. In spite of his sin, he was the most humble man on the earth, and humility is “the beginning and the end of salvation” (JohnChr).

27:16 Moses acknowledged Christ as the God of the spirits of all flesh, and therefore, so are the Father and the Holy Spirit. For the three Persons are one in essence and undivided.

27:17 Joshua was the new shepherd of Israel. Both he and Moses were types of Christ, “the great Shepherd of the sheep” (Heb 13:20). For as they were over the house of Israel, so He is over the Church. However, there are multitudes without this Shepherd; therefore, He commanded us to pray that He “send out laborers into the harvest” (Mt 9:36–38).

27:18 The Spirit is the Holy Spirit. Truly, Moses believed the one God to be the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

28:1–39 The Son of God spoke to Moses, and the things He spoke on this occasion cover chs. 28 and 29. These two chapters form a comprehensive, complete, and well-ordered arrangement of Israel's liturgical worship in any given calendar year. These liturgics, given in various places in Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers, are here brought together as one unified whole. And once Israel completed their conquest of Canaan, these could be put into effect.

Israel's liturgical worship existed for the sanctification of the time and life of every Israelite. It sanctified time and life, because it was arranged around the number seven. Its beginning point and center was in the seventh day of the week – the Sabbath day. And the number seven was regulated according to the divisions of time established at Creation (Gn 1–11) – into days, weeks, months, years, and periods of years.

Thus, the liturgical worship ascended from (1) the daily offerings (Ex 29:38–42; Nm 28:3–8), to (2) the weekly offerings (Ex 20:8–11; Lv 23:3; Nm 28:9, 10), to (3) the monthly offerings (Nm 28:11–15), to (4) the yearly offerings (Ex 12:1–20; 23:15, 16; 34:22; Lv 16:1–34; 23:1–44; Nm 28:16–29:38), to (5) the sabbatical year (Ex 23:10, 11; Lv 25:1–7), and eventually to (6) the Year of Remission (Lv 25:8–55; 27:17–25).

Israel's liturgical worship was designed to sanctify time and all life. This sanctification would make the offerings to be a sweet aroma to the Lord (28:2). For the Lord was well-pleased when the Israelites were sanctified to the extent possible under Old Testament worship.

28:2 When Israel offered what the Lord commanded, they were only returning to Him what was His in the first place. The same is true of our offerings in the Church. “When we make a return we give nothing of our own, but those things which we have before received from Christ, this being especially of His grace, that He should require, as from us, His own gifts. He bears witness to this in Numbers when He says: ‘My gifts, My presents, My burnt offerings, you shall take care to offer Me as a sweet aroma in my feasts.’ That is, those things you give Me are yours, as having received them from Me, but they are the gifts of God. Let us offer to the Lord every virtue, and that true holiness which is in Him, and in piety let us keep the feast to Him with those things He hallowed for us” (AthanG).

30:1 Moses' greatness lay in the fact that he passed on to Israel everything the Son of God – the Lord – commanded. For He was “over His own house,” whereas Moses was His faithful servant “in all His house” (Heb 3:5, 6). We also are in His house, “if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end” (Heb 3:6).

31:8–16 Balaam had prophesied in the Lord's name (chs. 22–24), but he caused Israel to worship idols and commit fornication (25:1–3; Rev 2:14). He became a false prophet and in the end was killed for his actions, because he despised the Lord's word and taught Israel to do the same. He replaced love for the true God with love for money. His false love then led him to worship Baal and to commit fornication. As St. Paul said, “The love of money is a root of all kinds of evil” (1Ti 6:10). Money in itself is not the root of all evil. The love of money is, for as the Lord said, “You cannot serve God and mammon [riches]” (Mt 6:24). The love of money is idolatry (Col 3:5).

Today, “many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1Jn 4:1). They “run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit” (Jude 11). “They have forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness” (2Pt 2:15). Like Balaam, they have “eyes full of adultery and that cannot cease from sin, enticing unstable souls. They have a heart trained in covetous practices, and are accursed children” (2Pt 2:14). They “secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Lord who bought them, and bring on themselves swift destruction” (2Pt 2:1).

31:21–24 The Midianites were corrupted by the love of money, idolatry, and fornication; therefore, everything taken from them had to be purified either by fire or water. Fire speaks of the Holy Spirit, and the water of purification foreshadows the waters of baptism. For in the baptismal waters, the Holy Spirit cleanses us with His fire, and we are born anew in union with Christ in His death, burial, and Resurrection. The old man of covetousness, idolatry, and fornication is crucified with Christ, and the new man is renewed to live in virtue and holiness (Rom 6:3–5; Jn 3:3–5; Mt 3:11).

32:5–7 The armies of Israel secured the lands east of the Jordan, which were suitable for cattle. The sons of Reuben and Gad requested these lands as their inheritance, without the necessity of crossing the Jordan to help their brothers fight for theirs. So they appealed to Moses as the arbitrator and judge. But Moses called these sons “a body of sinful men” (v. 14). They coveted what they saw at the expense of their brothers. This covetous spirit eventually led them into idolatry and into captivity in Assyria (1Ch 5:25, 26).

A man from the crowd asked Jesus to make his brother divide the inheritance with him, but Jesus declined, because He did not come to be a judge or arbitrator like Moses. Then He went on to say to this man, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for onés life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Lk 12:15). Jesus came to save the world, but we cannot be saved if we are covetous.

33:1 A stage was a particular place Israel camped during their forty-year journey from Egypt through the wilderness to Canaan. Thirty-eight stages are mentioned in this chapter. At the thirty-eighth stage, they “camped west of Moab by the Jordan opposite Jericho” (v. 48). From this location, they would soon cross over the Jordan for their conquest of Canaan, the land of promise. Life is a journey from this fallen world (Egypt and the wilderness) to the kingdom of God (the land of promise).

33:2 The Lord led Israel the entire way in their journey. He tested them with harsh experiences “to know what was in their heart” (Dt 8:2, 15; see also 29:4; 32:12, 16; Ps 76:21; 77:14, 52, 53; 106:7).

God's people are tested with harsh experiences, which bring out what is in the heart. These tests reveal whether we truly love God or not. If we pass them, they help prepare us for entrance into the kingdom of God (1Pt 1:3–7).

33:8 Many things that happened to Israel serve as types for us and for our instruction and learning (Rom 15:4; 1Co 10:6, 11). For example, Israel's passage through the Red Sea was a type of baptism (1Co 10:1, 2).

33:14 Israel was tested at Rephidim, but they abused Moses and tempted the Lord (Ex 17:1–7). They failed this test, which proved they did not love God. Someone may say, “I love God,” but testing will prove whether or not his statement is true.

34:6 The Great Sea is the Mediterranean Sea.

35:1–8 The tribe of Levi was to be supported by the twelve tribes. These gifts enumerated here would teach love to the twelve, for Levi served them in the liturgical service of the tabernacle. Therefore, it was only fitting the twelve should show loving support to Levi with money and possessions. On the other hand, their love would teach the Levites lowliness of mind, so their liturgical service might not puff up the Levites with arrogance, as being above “the laity.”

Likewise, in the New Testament, “the Lord commanded that those who preach the gospel should live from the gospel” (1Co 9:14). The case regarding the Levites laid a foundation for this. For since the dignity of a teacher sometimes elates him, the necessity of requiring monetary aid from those to whom he ministers helps keep him humble. On the other hand, those who show this love to their teacher also learn to love others as well. Humility, love, and gentleness are engendered on both sides (JohnChr).

1:1 The statement, these are the words, refers to the words Moses spoke in Exodus, Leviticus, and Numbers. They were spoken in the desert during the thirty-nine–year period after Israel left Egypt.

1:3 In the eleventh month of the fortieth year, Moses spoke the contents of Deuteronomy, “beyond the Jordan in the land of Moab” (v. 5). He spoke the words the Lord gave him to speak. The Lord is the Son of God, “who built the house” (Heb 3:3). Moses was “faithful in all His house as a servant,” but the Son is “over His own house” (Heb 3:5, 6).

1:5 In Deuteronomy, Moses began to explain the Law he had already given in the previous three books. The word Deuteronomy means “a second law.” The book contains no new set of laws. It is called “a second law” because it especially emphasizes the spirit of the Law, so as to stress the importance of Israel's obedience and thankfulness to God from the heart.

1:13 The chosen leaders were to be wise, understanding, and knowledgeable. These three traits should also characterize leaders in the Church: “Remember those who rule over you, who have spoken the word of God to you, whose faith follow, considering the outcome of their conduct” (Heb 13:7).

1:16–17 These leaders were to judge righteously by being impartial in their judgments. They were not to be partial to the first testimony they might hear. Impartial judgment means hearing all sides before judging the case. Judgment should be made with “wisdom, understanding, and knowledge” (v. 13); otherwise, the judgment made would be prejudiced.

St. Basil the Great made reference to v. 17 in writing to a certain bishop who had formed a prejudiced judgment against him: “But truly, you have suffered the fate of all who fail to inquire into the nature of the circumstances and into the truth. You showed partiality by forgetting the exhortation: ‘You shall not show partiality in judgment.’”

1:26–28 Israel disobeyed the Lord's word because they revolted in their heart and murmured in their tents. The Law was not the problem, nor the cause of their rebellion. An unbelieving heart was the cause (Heb 3:7–11, 19). They judged by outward appearance (we saw the sons of giants there), rather than by faith in the Lord and His word. “For we walk by faith, not by sight” (2Co 5:7).

1:29–33 Their unbelieving heart was not to be cowardly (terrified or afraid). The fear of God produces courage, but the generation that came out of Egypt feared what they saw – taller and physically stronger people, large fortified cities, and even sons of giants (v. 28). Yet the Lord provided abundant evidence to encourage their faith, such as leading them with the fire by night and the cloud by day (v. 33).

The fire and the cloud foreshadowed the Incarnation of the Son. For the cloud speaks of the Mother of God, and the fire of the Son conceived in her womb. The Church believes in the Incarnate Son and in His holy Mother. This faith is the rock on which the Church stands, and against which “the gates of Hades shall not prevail” (Mt 16:18).

1:41–45 The generation that came out of Egypt did not believe the Lord when He said to go up and take the land, nor did they believe Him when He said not to go up. They rejected enlightened faith, but accepted blind faith. Such is the deceitfulness of unbelief.

2:4 Esau was the twin brother of Jacob. Both were sons of Isaac, the son of Abraham. Therefore, the sons of Esau were called Israel's brethren. They were brethren according to the flesh.

Being brethren according to the flesh qualified neither the sons of Israel (Jacob) nor the sons of Esau to be the children of God. “For they are not all Israel who are of Israel, nor are they all children because they are the seed of Abraham” (Rom 9:6, 7). Both Jacob and Esau were the seed of Abraham according to the flesh. But this did not mean they were the children of God.

On what basis are people the children of God? The basis is “the word of promise” (Rom 9:9). The promise was the word of faith given Abraham concerning the birth of Isaac, which word he believed, for he was strong in faith, giving glory to God (Rom 4). But those among the children of Israel or the children of Esau who rejected this faith would not be the children of God.

2:7 The generation that died in the desert had no excuse for not believing the Lord, nor did the new generation about to enter the land of promise. For the Lord blessed them over the forty-year period in spite of their unbelief. They lacked nothing.

God's gracious promise in the Gospel of Christ either saves people or makes them hard and stubborn. Yet this hardness and stubbornness is of their own free will, for He never forces anyone to respond in faith. But He does make them the offer of peace.

3:28 The name Joshua in the Hebrew language of the Old Testament was translated into the Greek language as Jesus. This was true in the Greek Old Testament as well as in the New. This name means, “The Lord is salvation.”

Thus, the Jesus or Joshua of the Old Testament was a type of Jesus in the New. He was a type of Jesus in that he will cause them to inherit the land of Canaan. But Joshua was unable to give Israel rest in their souls (Heb 4:8). However, the Lord Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light” (Mt 11:28–30). Therefore, the Lord Jesus is salvation.

4:2 This statement by Moses is a commandment regarding God's commandments – a warning not to add to or take from them. This commandment is a warning against the traditions of men. In themselves, traditions are good, but the traditions of men are those that contradict and nullify the teachings of Scripture. Isaiah prophesied about the Jews of Jesus' day, who would “teach as doctrines the commandments of men” (Is 29:13; Mt 15:1–9). Jesus called these “the tradition of men” (Mk 7:8). But the traditions handed down in the Church by Christ and the apostles are to be kept and honored (1Co 11:2; 2Th 2:15; 3:6).

4:5 God's commandments in the Old Testament were to be taught and acted upon. Moses acted upon them, then taught them to others. This is the proper order: first keep them, then teach them. Those taught are then responsible to do them, for learning but not doing contradicts the teachings themselves. The same order holds in the New Testament commandments. For in the Sermon on the Mount, the Lord said that whoever “does and teaches” His commandments “shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:19). Therefore, “does and teaches” is the proper order.

4:6 He who “does and teaches” has wisdom and understanding, which will convert the Gentiles to the true God. To teach but not do would be hypocrisy in their sight, and rightly so.

4:7 God was near to Israel, which is proper to say in the relationship between the Creator and the creatures to whom He is near. But such a statement could never be made regarding the Son in relation to the Father. God is never said to be “near Him,” for as He said to the apostle Philip, “I am in the Father, and the Father in Me” (Jn 14:10). He is “in,” not “near to.” Therefore, the Son is not a creature (AthanG). Rather, he is “God of God” and “one in essence with the Father” (Creed). Both His words and His works proved this (Jn 14:11).

4:9 The children of Israel were to diligently guard their soul, lest their hearts should depart from the Lord's commandments. The generation that came out of Egypt let down their guard and fell into unbelief. Consequently, they died in the desert.

The Scripture says, “Today, if you will hear His voice, do not harden your hearts” (Heb 4:7). The word “today” indicates that as long as we are alive, we have the hope of recovering from our fall (JohnChr).

4:12 Deut 4:12, 15–18: The divine nature has no form; only creatures have form. Therefore, no form was to be made by Israel as representing God's essence. To worship any form that supposedly depicted God's nature would be idolatry. But the nations that surrounded Israel worshiped forms as though they were God.

The Lord did instruct Israel to use certain forms in worship; however, these forms, such as those in the tabernacle, were not objects of worship. They did not depict the divine nature in any sense. Rather, they were honored as holy because they foreshadowed the Incarnation and the Church. Similarly, the Church uses images or icons in worship, but neither do these depict the divine nature. They are not objects of worship. Rather, they speak of the Incarnation and the angels and saints. The honor paid to these images passes to the ones honored.

4:13 The Ten Commandments were written on stone tablets. But now the Holy Spirit writes His commandments on the tablets of our hearts (2Co 3:1–3).

4:19 Nor was Israel to worship the forms in the heavens, such as the sun, the moon, and the stars. For the Lord assigned these to all the nations under heaven for their well-being. These things reveal the glory of God and “His eternal power and Godhead” (Rom 1:20). But the nations turned them into objects of worship, and thus fell away from the truth into all kinds of sin and corruption.

4:24 One meaning of the name God is “burning” (GrgTheo; JohnDm). Thus, He is called a consuming fire (see also Heb 12:29), and He burns up sin and corruption in the repentant. He cleanses them with His purifying fire (AthanG). He also gives them His water of life, which quenches their thirst that once burned with sins, but now yearns for Him and His kingdom (AmbM).

4:26 The witnesses in heaven are the holy angels (AthanG; JohnChr; GrgTheo).

4:35 There is only one God, because there is only one divine essence or nature, which is undivided. For God is a name indicating the divine essence (GrgTheo; JohnDm; AthanG). This undivided essence exists in three Persons – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Moses believed this, and so does the Church.

4:39 Since God is in heaven above and on the earth beneath, that is, in all creation, no other god could possibly exist. For He is everywhere present and fills all things. There is no room for another, because He is uncircumscribed. The true God exists outside creation, for nothing can contain Him; rather, He contains all things in Himself, and is present everywhere.

5:5 The Son of God on Mt. Sinai was “a consuming fire” (4:24; Heb 12:29). His divine fire purified Moses from all materialistic attachments; therefore, he was able to go up on the mountain in the midst of this fire. The children of Israel had no access to Him because they were materialistic; that is, they were attached to the physical objects of this world. But when the Son of God became incarnate, all Israelites had easy access to Him. He even ate and drank with sinners (Mt 9:10–13), for He was their friend (Mt 11:19). This contrast between Mt. Sinai and the Incarnation is described in Heb 12:18–29.

5:6–9 The divine names Lord and God relate to I Am, because this, too, is a divine name: “I AM the Existing One” (Ex 3:14). He is the eternal God, without beginning or end, the Only-begotten of the Father; “true God of true God” (Creed). Thus, Jesus said to the Jews, “Before Abraham was, I AM” (Jn 8:58).

5:9 The statement, repaying the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me, is not universal in application, but is spoken about certain ones who came out of Egypt. For after they saw the Lord's signs and wonders in Egypt, they committed worse sins than their forefathers who saw none of these things (JohnChr).

5:12 The Law of Moses was given to the children of Israel to check their rebellious spirit and to threaten them with divine vengeance if they persisted: “knowing this: that the law is not made for a righteous person, but for the lawless” (1Ti 1:9). But it was also given to lead them to Christ, “the end of the law” (Rom 10:4; Gal 3:24).

5:29 The Law was not the problem; Moses was not the problem. For he had a heart to fear the Lord and to guard His commandments. The problem among the children of Israel was a heart problem. Their heart was attached to this world, rather than to the Lord. This same problem persists in many today, but the door to the kingdom remains open to those who are willing to be detached from materialism and turn their hearts to Him (2Co 3:16).

6:4 “By Moses saying ‘one Lord’, we understand the simple, blessed and incomprehensible essence of God” (AthanG). Moses is not saying the one Lord is one solitary person (HilryP). Rather, he is saying He is one undivided essence or nature. For person and nature are not the same thing (JohnDm). The divine nature exists undividedly in three distinct Persons: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Son is begotten before all time and ages from the essence of the Father, but His begetting does not divide the Father's essence. The Holy Spirit proceeds before all time and ages from the Father, but His procession does not divide the Father's essence. The Persons are distinct or different, but the essence is one and undivided. Therefore, we believe in the Holy Trinity, our one God and Lord.

6:12 Israel's attachment to this world often led them to forget the one true God and to go after other gods. We, too, need to guard our hearts, lest we do the same thing.

6:14 These different gods do not exist, although they are called gods (AthanG).

6:16 The Temptation refers to the incident in Ex 17 (see notes in that chapter).

6:23 The Lord brought them out of Egypt that He might bring them in to the land of promise. Similarly, He brings us out of our attachments to this world and into attachment to the kingdom of God.

7:1–3 The Lord would bring Israel into the land of promise by grace, which was His role in the covenant. Israel's role, in part, was to make no covenant with them (v. 2), nor to intermarry with them. It was within their power not to do these things. Therefore, God's grace does not cancel out free will. “And by this testimony we can clearly see what we ought to ascribe to free will, and what to the design and daily assistance of the Lord, that it belongs to divine grace to give us opportunities of salvation and prosperous undertakings and victory; but that it is ours to follow up the blessings God gives us with either earnestness or indifference” (JohnCas).

7:7–8 Since they were chosen because of God's love for them and His oath to their fathers, it is obvious they were not chosen because of their own deeds, but by the grace of God. Therefore, they had no basis for boasting in themselves, nor do we (Rom 4:1–8). (JohnChr)

7:8 “The Lord's ‘mighty hand’ is the Son” (AthanG). As the hand is of the same essence as its body, similarly the Son is the same in essence with the Father. Furthermore, as the Holy Fathers teach, things having the same might also have the same essence. Thus, since the Son's might is the same as the Father's, They are one in essence.

7:21–24 The nations speak of the sinful passions and how we are to war against them. We are to take them on one at a time by the grace of God, until we have gained the victory over all of them. “But when the main purpose of our heart has singled out one passion as the special object of its attack, we shall pray about it more earnestly, and with special anxiety and fervor shall entreat that we may be more especially on our guard against it and so succeed in gaining a speedy victory. For Moses himself in this passage teaches us that we should follow this plan in our conflicts and not trust in our own power” (JohnCas).

8:1 Under the Law of Moses, every commandment was to be kept if the people were to live and prosper in the land of promise. Great care was to be exercised in keeping them. How much more is this true under the Law of Christ in the New Testament. We are responsible through His grace to keep all His commandments.

8:2–5 The Lord dealt harshly with Israel in the desert as a test, for testing under pressure has a way of revealing what is in the heart. The test in each case reveals obedience or disobedience to His commandments. This revelation was not for the Lord's acquisition of knowledge, for He knows all things before they take place. Instead, it would let each of them know the condition of his own heart. All chastening is for our benefit, that we might partake of the Lord's holiness (Heb 12:5–11).

8:3 The Lord allowed them to go hungry in the desert and fed them with simple food: manna, of which they grew sick. Nevertheless, the Lord was teaching them the road of virtue, namely, that man's primary food is the word of God, and obedience to that word. But they failed to learn this lesson, and many of them died in the desert.

8:4 The clothes on their backs and the shoes on their feet never wore out during those forty years in the desert. This foreshadows the resurrection from the dead (AmbM). It also foreshadows “the life of the world to come” (Creed).

8:15 The biting serpent and scorpion speak of the devil and his angels, whom we are not to fear (JohnChr). For the Lord Jesus Christ, the Rock of living water, is with us (1Co 10:4).

8:17–18 We should never think that our free will and energy gained us victory over the spiritual enemy, for victory is only by the grace of God (JohnCas).

9:1–3 The sons of Anak were giants, and their physical stature speaks of the sinful passions that seek to wreak havoc in both soul and body. By the Lord's consuming fire we are able to overcome them. “For a servant of the Lord should be diligent and careful, yes, moreover, burning like a flame, so when by a zealous and burning spirit, he destroys all fleshly sin, he may be able to draw near to God, who, according to the expression of the saints, is called ‘a consuming fire’” (AthanG).

9:4–6 A stiff-necked people (v. 6) are those who claim their victories over the enemy were based on their own righteousness and upright heart. “To those who have their eyes opened and their ears ready to pay attention, does this not plainly say, ‘When your struggle with fleshly faults goes well for you, and you see you are free from the filth of them, and from the fashions of this world, do not be puffed up by the success of the conflict and victory and ascribe it to your own power and wisdom, nor fancy you gained the victory over spiritual wickedness and fleshly sins through your own exertions and energy, and free will’? For there is no doubt in all this you could not possibly have succeeded, unless you were fortified and protected by the help of the Lord” (JohnCas).

10:12–15 “God needs nothing we have to give Him, and this especially proves sincere love, when one who needs nothing and is not in any necessity, does everything for the sake of being loved by us. So when He bids you to love Him, He then most of all shows He loves you. For nothing secures our salvation more than loving Him” (JohnChr).

10:20 To serve the Lord means to worship Him. But how can we worship the Father if we, so to speak, sever the Son and the Holy Spirit from Him? “Well, how will you worship Him only, tell me, when you have severed Him from His intimate union with His own Only-begotten and His own Spirit? This worship is simply Jewish” (BasilG).

11:8–9 The reward for keeping all the Lord's commandments under the Law of Moses was prosperity in the land of Canaan. The Law was not given for the attainment of righteousness before God. The Law could not impart eternal life (Gal 3:21). It was merely a tutor or guardian until the coming of Christ, the Giver of Life, through whom we are made righteous before God (Gal 3:22–25). This righteousness is imparted in baptism (Gal 3:26–29).

12:11–12 After the Jews settled in their land, they were to go to the city chosen by God to offer their sacrifices; they were not to offer their sacrifices anywhere else. But after the coming of Christ, they were unable to do this, for Jerusalem was destroyed along with the temple. This destruction was proof enough that the Law had come to an end, for it was only a shadow of the kingdom to come (AthanG).

12:13–14 The whole burnt offering was a type of “the sacrifice of praise to God... giving thanks to His name” (Heb 13:15). “Now what is a spiritual whole burnt offering? It is ‘the sacrifice of praise.’ In what place do we offer it? In the Holy Spirit. Where have we learned this? From the Lord Himself in the words, ‘The true worshipers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth.’ This place Jacob saw, and said: ‘The Lord is in this place.’ It follows that the Spirit is truly the place of the saints, and the saint is the proper place for the Spirit, offering himself as he does for the indwelling of God, and is called God's temple” (BasilG).

13:1–4 The truth does not allow room for human tradition to change it, either by addition or by subtraction. False prophets arise among the people of God, and the Lord permits this in order to allow our free will to operate and to show our love for God (JohnCas). For we are not robots in which the grace of God operates against the devil apart from synergy on our part.

14:1 The Scriptures speak of children in a twofold sense: one in which children are chosen to be children, as in this verse; and the other, in which children are the natural offspring of their parents, such as Isaac of Abraham, Jacob of Isaac, and the twelve patriarchs of Jacob. Which of these two senses relates to the Son of God? The second, for He is the natural Offspring of His Father, and therefore one in essence with Him (AthanG).

14:2 When men choose something for themselves, they choose the best. Similarly, God chooses the holy, for He first makes us holy; then we are to continue to be holy in our manner of life. For one is not saved by faith alone, but by faith plus a holy manner of life (JohnChr). Thus, we must add virtue to our faith (2Pt 1:5–11).

15:1–11 A remission of debts was to be granted to poor brothers in the land every seven years. Debts were to be dismissed and, so to speak, blotted out of the books. The Lord accepted this remission as an act toward Himself (for the Lord your God, v. 2), for He loves the poor. When He became incarnate, He was very poor, for He had “nowhere to lay His head” (Mt 8:20). By this He taught us not to be attached to money and possessions, and to show our love for the poor.

16:1 The month of new corn was a type of becoming new creatures in Christ (2Co 5:17), bearing the good fruits of virtue by casting away all hypocrisy, deceit, and arrogance, and putting on love for God and neighbor through the Holy Spirit (AthanG).

16:8 The seventh and final day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread was a Sabbath on which Israel was to do no work... except what must be done for life. Therefore, the Sabbath was not a total cessation of all work; work essential to life might be done.

Jesus cured a paralytic on the Sabbath, and this cure was obviously essential to his life. Yet the Jews accused Him of breaking the Sabbath, and even tried to kill Him (Jn 5:16). But these same Jews would take care of their animals on the Sabbath, even if one should fall into a ditch. So Jesus asked them, “Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Mt 12:11, 12). Furthermore, He also said, “The Son of Man is Lord even of the Sabbath” (Mt 12:8), and “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27).

16:10 On the Day of Pentecost, the bread of the firstfruits was offered before the Lord. This was a type of the preaching of the apostles to the Jews in the Book of Acts, when three thousand believed in the Lord. Thus, these Jews were consecrated to the Lord as the firstfruits of the Resurrection (JohnCas).

17:1 No animal was to be sacrificed having any blemish or defect, for that is an abomination to the Lord your God. These animals were a type of Christ, who “without blemish and without spot” redeemed us by His precious blood (1Pt 1:19). His precious blood applied to our hearts enables us to be offered to God “without blemish” (Eph 5:27). Through His precious blood we are able to live a holy life, but anyone who excuses sinful behavior or advocates such a lifestyle for others “is an abomination to the Lord.”

17:7–12 The statement, “You shall put away their evil from among you,” is quoted by St. Paul in 1Co 5:13 in relation to church discipline. This shows the close kinship between the old and new covenants, and one and the same Lord and Lawgiver (JohnChr). The punishments were different, but the objective was the same, namely, a holy people to the Lord.

18:15–16 The words of the people, “Let us not hear again the voice of the Lord our God, nor let us see this great fire any more, lest we die,” were spoken to Moses in Ex 20:19 at the giving of the Ten Commandments from Mt. Sinai. But Moses said nothing at this time about the coming of a Prophet like himself. Rather, his response to the people at that time was, “Be of good courage, for God is come to test you, that His fear may be among you, so you may not sin” (Ex 20:20). Thus, it was first necessary for them to be tested, so as to fear the Lord and not sin, for they were too dull of hearing to hear about another Prophet to come. However, they failed the test and died in the desert, because they would not obey the prophet Moses.

18:17 Forty years later Moses spoke to them of the prophecy concerning the Prophet to come. For at Mt. Sinai the Lord also spoke to him the words recorded in vv. 18–22. The new generation was now ready to hear this prophecy.

18:18 The Prophet to come would be like Moses, in that Moses' short-term prophecies came to pass; therefore, his long-term ones were to be believed. This was the mark of a true prophet (vv. 21, 22), and the same would be true of the Prophet to come.

The Prophet to come would speak all the Father commanded Him. This indicates He is the Word made flesh (Jn 1:14), for no other prophet, including Moses, would ever speak in such a manner. They were mere men, whereas the Prophet to come would be God in the flesh. Thus, the prophet Isaiah prophesied concerning this Prophet that the people would be “taught by God,” that is, by God in the flesh (Is 54:13; Jn 6:45).

18:19 The Prophet to come would speak in the Father's name, for no other prophet could speak in such a manner. Why? Because no other prophet could call the Father “My Father” (Jn 5:43; 10:25). Everyone else must address the Father as “Our Father” (Lord's Prayer), for the Son is the Father's Only-begotten. He is God of God and one in essence with the Father (Creed).

Therefore, the Father says He would judge anyone refusing to listen to His Prophet (I will require it of him). St. Peter interprets the words “will require” as meaning “utterly destroy” (Acts 3:22, 23). St. John Chrysostom also interprets “utterly destroy” as meaning the putting away of the Law of Moses: “Do you see how the Law itself showed how it is done away in Christ? For this Prophet, that is, Christ according to the flesh, whom Moses commanded them to hear, made to cease both Sabbath and circumcision and all other things.”

When Jesus multiplied the five loaves and the two fish to feed the five thousand men, the people said afterward, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world” (Jn 6:14). A few minutes later these same people “complained about Him” (Jn 6:41) because of what He taught, and consequently deserted Him (Jn 6:66).

19:15–19 Based on this law, the false witnesses against Jesus should have been put to death, for they wanted Him to die (Mt 26:59–66).

20:8 This word concerning the fearful and fainthearted is spoken in a mystery concerning those to come under the new covenant, namely, that one cannot fight the Lord's battles with a double heart. For as Jam 1:8 says, “a double-minded man [is] unstable in all his ways.” One cannot, so to speak, have one foot in the world and one in the kingdom of God. “No one can serve two masters,” that is, “God and mammon” (Mt 6:24).

21:15 In the statement, the firstborn son is of her, the verb is literally means “come into existence.” In the fourth century, the heretics applied this verb to the Son of God, for they claimed He had a beginning of existence. But the birth of this son would be from parents who had a beginning of existence; therefore, their offspring would have a beginning. However, the Son of God is the Offspring of the Father, and He is without beginning; therefore, His Son, too, is without beginning. These heretics therefore condemned themselves by their false application of the verb in this verse (AthanG).

21:22–23 Under the Mosaic Law, there were two kinds of curses. One was the curse of capital punishment by hanging, and the other of being cursed for transgressing the Law (26:26).

The first applied to Christ when He redeemed us by hanging on the cross. St. Paul quoted v. 23 when he said, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree’)” (Gal 3:13). He was the Innocent One who took the place of us, who were the guilty.

However, the second curse in no way applies to Christ, for He never sinned, as St. Peter also said of Him by quoting Is 53:9: “Who committed no sin, / Nor was deceit found in His mouth” (1Pt 2:22). (JohnChr)

22:1–4 If a brother's young bull or donkey fallen on the road was to be helped, how much more should a man's soul be helped on the road to eternal life (JohnChr).

22:5 The dignity and distinction between male and female were not to be obscured, for in the beginning man was created male and female, and God blessed both (Gn 1:26, 27). To be male is not better than to be female, or vice versa, for God pronounced both “very good” (Gn 1:31). Therefore, a man should not try to be a woman, nor a woman a man.

22:6, 7 The dignity and protection of motherhood, even among birds, was to be maintained. As then, so now as well.

22:8 When a man builds a house, love of neighbor must be in his mind. For love of neighbor is the summary of the Law (Lv 19:18; Rom 13:9). Under the Law one was to love his neighbor “as himself.” Under Grace one is to love his neighbor more than himself, for Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another” (Jn 13:34). Jesus loved mankind more than Himself, and He even died for His enemies (Rom 5:6–8).

22:9–11 Each distinct thing God created has its own dignity, for God declared everything He made to be “very good” (Gn 1:31).

22:12 The commandment concerning tassels was first given in Nm 15:37–41. These were constant reminders to keep all the Lord's commandments. For the Israelites, as is true of all men, had a tendency to follow their own mind and will, rather than the will of God (Nm 15:39). The fault was not with the Law of Moses but with their own tendencies.

22:13–28 These laws were designed to protect both virginity and marriage, for both are “very good” in the eyes of God, for He created both (Gn 1:31).

23:4 The Ammonite and the Moabite speak of those heretics who employ subtle and deceitful arguments against the Blessed and Holy Trinity. For they pry into the Son's incomprehensible generation from the Father, and the Holy Spirit's incomprehensible procession from the Father. They try to explain the unexplainable, and twist the truth with their sophistry (GrgTheo).

23:7 There is no peaceful coexistence or good wishes for heretics or heresy.

23:20–21 Charging interest (usury) was a subtle form of greed, for it used the pretense of relieving a need to gain a profit. This was a subtle device to extort money from a poor brother in the name of doing him good. It relieved poverty to make a gain from poverty. It used another's need as an occasion to become wealthy (JohnChr).

24:1–4 These laws regarding divorce were given to protect the wife from being murdered by the husband, for hate leads to murder; and hardhearted husbands in Israel would kill the wives they hated. Another reason the laws were given was to prevent wife-swapping, which would have destroyed the sanctity of marriage. Therefore, divorce was allowed by the Lawgiver to prevent greater evils from occurring. For hardhearted husbands would not hesitate to murder and commit other atrocities if they thought it was to their advantage (JohnChr).

24:16 Parents could not be punished because of their children's sins, nor vice versa. The prophet Ezekiel also confirmed this: “The word of the Lord came to me, saying, Son of man, what is the meaning of this proverb among the sons of Israel, which says: The fathers have eaten sour grapes, and the children's teeth are set on edge? As I live, says the Lord, you shall no longer use this proverb in Israel. Behold, all souls are Mine; the soul of the father as well as the soul of the son is Mine; the soul who sins shall die” (Ezk 18:1–4). Therefore, each one is accountable for his own sins.

What then is the meaning of 5:9, “repaying the sins of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generation of those who hate Me”? This was not meant as a universal saying. It only referred to the children of those who sinned in Egypt, and who committed the same sins as their fathers. Anyone who reads the Scriptures regarding Israel's deliverance from Egypt will find this to be true (JohnChr).

This understanding also refutes the doctrine of original sin, which claims that all mankind is guilty before God for Adam's sin. Adam was guilty for his own transgression. His transgression brought physical death upon all mankind, but not guilt before God (Rom 5:12). Each individual is accountable before God for his own sins.

25:4 The mystery hidden in this statement refers to teachers in the Church (1Ti 5:18; Lk 10:7). Those who labor like an ox in the field are worthy of receiving wages to meet their needs, for the ox worked very hard under great toil and stress. As St. John Chrysostom said concerning teachers in the Church, “Unless he is as the ox treading out the corn, and bearing the yoke, in spite of heat and thorns, and does not cease his labors until he carries the corn into the granary, he is not worthy.”

25:5–6 This law explains how Joseph (the foster father of Jesus) could have two fathers, as recorded in the two genealogies of Jesus. In Lukés record of the genealogy, Joseph's father was Heli (Lk 3:23). Heli was his legal father, for he died childless. Jacob, his brother by the same mother, raised up seed for him. This seed was Joseph, according to Matthew's genealogy (Mt 1:16). Thus, Jacob was Joseph's natural father (JohnDm).

25:17–19 Remember Amalek. Do not forget. For he is a coward who does not fear God, and he attacks from behind when you are tired and weary. He is the devil. But overcome him with the sign of the cross, and you will enjoy rest in the Lord Jesus Christ, through whom you will overcome this enemy, even in your weakest moments.

26:16–19 Israel promised to keep the Law of Moses with all their heart and with all their soul. This was a genuine possibility from the standpoint of the Law itself, but it was an impossibility when considering their heart and soul. They simply did not have the heart to follow through, for man's willpower alone could not fulfill the Law's requirements. Therefore, the fault for not keeping it made them guilty. Furthermore, the Law itself had an inherent weakness. It could not give them divine power to help their willpower fulfill it. So the Law pointed them to Christ as the solution to their dilemma, for He is “the end of the Law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4). Those under the Law who believed in this “end” would be made complete by His Incarnation (Heb 11:39, 40).

27:5–8 Aspects of true worship are foreshadowed in these verses. Worship involves an altar (see Heb 13:10). There is no artificiality in genuine worship (whole stones), and silence is part of it (shall not use an iron tool – GrgTheo). In true worship, onés whole life should be committed to God (whole burnt offerings). In the Eucharist (peace offerings), we eat and drink Christ's precious body and blood, and are filled with joy before the Lord.

27:26 Under the Law, cursed is every man who does not abide in all the words of this law to do them. But under grace and truth (Jn 1:17), “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Mt 11:28), and, “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us” (Gal 3:13). (JohnChr)

No one has ever continued in or kept the whole Law of Moses; therefore, we come under the guilt imposed by this curse. But Christ never transgressed the Law, and therefore could not come under such a curse. So He exchanged our curse for the one in 21:23. Since He was crucified on the cross, the curse of being hanged on a tree freed us from our curse for transgressing the Law. An innocent Man's death delivered us from the curse, for by dying He delivered us who were dying (JohnChr).

28:1–13 Every blessing promised to the obedient in vv. 3–13 relates to life in this present world, for the Law of Moses could not promise eternal life to anyone obeying it. The best it could offer was physical blessings in the land of Canaan. But it could not make one immortal, or righteous, or a child of God, or heir of the kingdom of God in the world to come. For these are spiritual blessings in Christ, as St. Paul said in Eph 1:3: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ” (JohnChr).

28:47 The Law of Moses cannot be blamed for Israel's failure to serve the Lord. The failure was traceable to the heart of those who did not obey Him with joy and a good heart. Nor were these thankful for the abundance of everything. However, under the new covenant, the faithful serve Him with thanksgiving, even in the midst of suffering and persecution, “giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ” (Eph 5:20).

28:58 The beginning of faith is to fear the Lord (IsaacS).

28:66 This is a prophecy concerning the Crucifixion. On the cross, the Lord hung before the eyes of Israel, yet the nation did not believe in Him. They did not believe in their Life, for the cross is life-giving (AthanG). Whereas the Law of Moses cannot give eternal life, the cross does to those who believe. For Christ is God in the flesh; therefore, His death in the flesh gives eternal life to those who obey Him.

29:1–3 The children of Israel saw with their physical eyes the Lord's signs and great wonders He did for them in Egypt. However, they could not see them with the eyes and ears of their heart. Why then did He not give them such eyes and ears? Because they were unwilling to receive illumination. He was willing, but they were not. He would not commit Himself to them, because they would not commit themselves to Him.

29:4 Their clothes and shoes did not wear out during the forty-year period in the desert. This was a type of “the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed; AmbM).

29:17–18 Gall and bitterness is likened to a root that springs up and defiles others. It begins when one flatters himself in the deceptions (wanderings) of his own heart. Bitterness of spirit results, and this causes one to “fall short of the grace of God” (Heb 12:15).

29:28 We gladly own whatever things the Lord is pleased to reveal to us in the Holy Scriptures. But we avoid prying into the secret things of the Lord, for this leads to heresies that destroy the soul. Questions are sometimes asked, “How can these things be? How is the Son begotten from the Father before all time and ages? How can the Holy Spirit proceed from the Father? What is the essence of God?” These and other questions of this kind are secrets only known by the Holy Trinity. Therefore, the Creed begins with, “I believe.”

30:11 This commandment is the commandment regarding the attainment of righteousness before God through faith. In vv. 11–14, Moses tells us how to become righteous in the eyes of God through faith. To do so is not too burdensome. But the multitude of commandments in the Law of Moses were “too burdensome” for the people to be able to become righteous in God's sight. As St. Peter said, “neither our fathers nor we were able to bear” them (Acts 15:10).

30:11–13 Far off means in heaven or beyond the sea. By describing “far off” in this manner, Moses shows how we attain righteousness before God through faith. We attain it by casting out the questions, “Who will ascend into heaven for us?” and “Who will go over the sea for us?” These questions are another way of asking, “How can these things be?” as Nicodemus asked Jesus (Jn 3:9). These questions raise supposed impossibilities based on human reasoning, but “the things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Lk 18:27), and, “Is anything impossible with God?” (Gn 18:14). How then are these questions based on human reasoning cast out? Moses gives the answer in v. 14.

30:14 The word is the word concerning the attainment of righteousness before God. It is the word that casts out human reasoning and the supposed impossibilities raised by it. This word is so very near a person that it is in onés very mouth, heart, and hands. One does not need to ascend to heaven to find it, nor cross the sea. It is God's word sown in a believing heart, confessed with the mouth, and worked out with the hands. It is righteousness through faith. It is the faith of Abraham, who cast out all human reasoning and the impossibilities raised by it, and left all to the power and glory of God (Rom 4:19–22).

In Rom 10:6–8, St. Paul refers to vv. 11–14, saying Moses commandment speaks of “the righteousness of faith” and “the word of faith.” He also shows it was the Lord Jesus Christ who made this faith possible (Rom 10:9, 10). “What does the phrase mean, ‘The word is near you’? It means, ‘It is easy.’ For in your heart and on your tongue is your salvation. There is no long journey to go on, no seas to sail over, no mountains to climb, to get saved. But if you have such a heart, you may even be saved while you sit at home. For ‘in your mouth and heart’ is the source of salvation. On another score, Paul also makes the word of faith easy, and says, ‘God raised Him from the dead.’ For just reflect upon the worthiness of the Worker, and you will no longer see any difficulty in the thing” (JohnChr).

31:6–8 These words inspired the words in Heb 13:5, 6, “Let your conduct be without covetousness; be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said, ‘I will never leave you nor forsake you.’ So we may boldly say: ‘The LORD is my helper; I will not fear. What can man do to me?’” The Lord will never forsake His people – a faithful and bold promise. Faithfulness and boldness on our part to believe Him will bring about contentment in us, and will deliver us from covetousness and the fear of man.

31:16–17 Why does the Lord say, “I will forsake them,” when He said in vv. 6–8 that He would not forsake them? Because it is customary in Scripture to call God's permission His action. He permits people to forsake Him because man has free will, and virtue is not forced (JohnDm).

32:4 God is faithful because He is trustworthy; we are faithful because we believe and obey Him (AthanG).

32:5 Blameworthy children are not His because they are God's children in name only. True children are blameless, because they are His children in substance as well as in name.

32:6–18 When the Scriptures wish to signify a son, it uses the term beget, rather than the terms make and create (AthanG). God the Father made man by bringing him from nonexistence into existence, but He begets him as a son by adoption. He adopts him through His Only-begotten Son and His Life-giving Spirit (Jn 1:12–14; Rom 8:14–16; Jam 1:18). But Moses warns God's children not to abandon the God who begot them, nor to forget the God who nourished them.

32:7 We remember the days of old and consider the years of many generations when we search the Scriptures tirelessly. Let us ask God the Father their meaning, and also the Holy Fathers of the Church (your elders). “Wherefore, let us knock at that very fair garden of the Scriptures, so fragrant and sweet and blooming, with its varied sounds of spiritual and divinely-inspired birds ringing all round our ears, laying hold of our hearts, comforting the mourner, pacifying the angry and filling him with joy everlasting, bearing us up to the Only-begotten Son and bringing us through Him to the Father of Lights. But let us not knock carelessly at the door of the Scriptures but rather zealously and constantly, lest knocking we grow weary. For thus it will be opened to us. If we read once or twice and do not understand what we read, let us not grow weary, but let us persist, let us talk much, let us inquire. ‘For ask your Father and He will tell you, and your elders and they will tell you.’ Let us draw from the fountain of the garden continual and pure waters springing up to eternal life. Here let us be in luxury, let us revel to the full, for the Scriptures possess inexhaustible grace. But if we are able to pluck anything profitable from outside sources, there is nothing to forbid that” (JohnDm).

32:12 Moses does not use the word alone to divide the Son and the Spirit from the Father. Rather, this word is said in relation to any foreign god with them, for the division is between the Lord and false gods (BasilG).

32:13 The rock speaks of Christ, and the oil of the Holy Spirit, and the honey of the spiritual food, for Christ gives us His Holy Spirit (1Co 10:3, 4; Rom 8:9).

32:17 To worship anything but the true God – the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit – is to worship demons (BasilG).

32:20 Sons in whom is no faith are children in name only, but true sons are children both in name and in substance. “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen” (Heb 11:1).

32:21 This is a prophecy concerning the Gentiles who would become God's children through faith in Christ, thus provoking the Jews to jealousy (Rom 10:19). The Speaker in this prophecy (vv. 20, 21) is the Word and Son of God (AthanG; HilryP).

32:30 This is a prophecy concerning warfare against heresy. Thus, how could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight? By using David's simple sling against Goliath's boastful arguments of logic. It is no detriment to use our simple and plain statements of truth against the falsehood of logicians. For the truth exhibits Goliath as a headless trunk. It is the task of truth not only to cut off the head of false logic, but also to show that it is indeed cut off (GrgNy).

32:39 This statement could be made not only by the Father, but also by the Son or the Holy Spirit. Each could say, “There is no God besides Me.” For the statement is made in contrast to false gods (AthanG; BasilG; HilryP). It is not a contrast between the Persons of the Holy Trinity, our one God.

32:43 This prophecy is quoted in Rom 15:10 and Heb 6:2, to show that both men and angels are to worship God Incarnate, the Son of God, for He is their Maker. Moses also worships Him.

32:49–50 Moses had no fear of death, but rejoiced to depart to be with the Lord (AthanG).

33:2 The Lord who appeared to Israel was the Son of God. He revealed Himself many times to the prophets throughout the Old Testament. Angels sometimes appeared with Him, as did the two angels in Gn 19:1.

33:3–4 The Son of God was the Lawgiver who gave Moses His words, and Moses, in turn, gave them to Israel.

33:5 The Ruler is the Lord Jesus Christ.

33:7 The voice of Judah is the Lord Jesus Christ, who visited His people.

33:9 Commitment to the Lord takes precedence over commitment to family (Mt 10:37–39; JohnChr; AmbM).

33:16 The One revealed in the Bush was the Son of God. In this revelation, He foreshadowed His coming Incarnation (JohnDm; HilryP; JohnChr; AthanG).

33:26 The God of the Beloved is the Lord Jesus Christ, and “the Beloved” is His Church.

33:29 A people saved by the Lord are those who call upon His name (Rom 10:12, 13). His name is the Lord Jesus Christ.

34:4 The Lord swore to give the land Moses saw to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob as an inheritance. Yet they never received it, nor did Moses. Therefore, what is this land, and when will they receive it, and who is the seed? The seed is Christ and those who believe in Him (Gal 3:16). The land is “the world to come” (Creed; Rom 4:13). They, and those of like faith, will receive this world at “the resurrection of the dead” (Creed; Heb 11). The world to come is this present creation redeemed along with the children of God (Rom 8:21, 22).

34:9 The Spirit of understanding is the Holy Spirit, one of the Persons of the Holy Trinity.

34:10 There was no prophet in Israel like Moses, until the coming of Christ, the Prophet. He was like Moses, but Moses was not like Him, for Christ is God in the flesh. The Lord who sent Moses was the Son of God, who is the I AM (Ex 3). He sent Moses to Egypt to deliver Israel.

1:1 The name Joshua, which means, “the Lord is salvation,” is Yeshua in Hebrew, Iesous in Greek, and Jesus in English.

Joshuás original name was Hoshea, but Moses changed his name to Joshua (Nm 13:16). This name change was prophetic, for it made Joshua a type of Jesus Christ.

1:2 Moses, the lawgiver, could not bring Israel into the promised land, which shows that the Law of Moses cannot save the people. But Joshua brought them in, and in this he was a type of Jesus Christ, who brings His own into heaven through grace (JohnChr).

1:3–5 The enemy will be trampled under Joshuás feet. In a similar way, Christ will trample down sin, death, and the devil by His death and Resurrection.

1:6 The Lord who spoke to Joshua was the Son and Word of God. He told Joshua to be strong and courageous in the face of war and death. Therefore, when the Word became incarnate, how could He Himself fear death when He stood before Herod and Pilate? How could He who said, “Do not be afraid of those who kill the body” (Lk 12:4), and who said to Abraham, “Do not fear” (Gn 14:1; 26:24), fear the terror of death? No, He did not fear death, but destroyed it by His cross (AthanG).

1:10–11 As the scribes prepare the people to enter Canaan, St. John the Forerunner will precede Christ, declaring to the people, “Prepare the way of the LORD” (Is 40:3–5; Lk 3:4).

1:11 Christ will be three days in the tomb, thus opening the way to paradise, that the faithful might cross the sanctified waters of baptism and possess their inheritance of eternal life.

1:12–18 Two-and-a-half tribes will eventually return to settle on the east side of the Jordan, an area called Gilead (22:9). The faithful among them will become witnesses of the truth (22:34) to the Gentiles until Christ is revealed. All the faithful of the Church are called to be witnesses of the true faith in a foreign land.

2:1 Joshua spied out the land, which represents dispassion or purity of heart. To achieve this purity, one first leaves Egypt, which stands for the actual committing of sin. Then he crosses the Red Sea, which indicates detachment from material things. Thirdly, he dwells in the desert, which lies between the impulse to sin and the outward fulfillment of these impulses. Only then can he spy out the promised land of dispassion and then enter it to partake of the milk and honey (Ex 3:8), which refer to the spiritual riches of God's kingdom (ElPres).

2:3 The Holy Fathers agree that Rahab was a type of the Church, for by her hospitality and faith she secured salvation for herself and her family. She is also an ancestor of Christ (Mt 1:5).

2:11 Although Rahab was a prostitute, she was saved through repentance, which is how anyone gains salvation (CyrJer).

2:12–13 God's previous judgments on His enemies inspire fear in Rahab and her family, but theirs was a fear that produced repentance and faith, not hardened hearts. Jericho faced God's impending judgment, yet Rahab and her household were the only ones in Jericho who asked the Lord to be merciful.

2:13 Christ destroyed death by His death, to deliver mankind from death.

2:18 The scarlet cord was a type of the Lord's Passion, of His mystical blood which would redeem the world. Rahab understood something of this mystery; therefore, her repentance and faith saved her (AmbM).

3:1 Joshua began to rule in Israel when he crossed the Jordan River. Similarly, Jesus Christ began to preach the Gospel after He was baptized, for crossing the Jordan was a type of His Baptism, and thus of ours as well (CyrJer).

3:3 The ark of the covenant was a box overlaid with gold on all sides. On top of the ark was the mercy seat, overshadowed by the cherubim of glory. Inside the ark were the golden pot with the manna, Aaron's rod that budded, and the tablet of the Ten Commandments (see also Heb 9:4, 5). The ark was a type of the Ever-virgin Mary with Christ conceived in her holy womb. The articles inside the ark speak of Christ. Thus, God the Son became incarnate in Mary for our salvation, and therefore she is the Mother of God (the Theotokos).

3:16 The waters stopped flowing because the Lord changed the laws of nature to allow Israel to cross the Jordan. This crossing was a type of the sacraments, or mysteries, of the Church. For in the sacraments, the laws of nature are overcome to allow the faithful to partake of the Lord's salvation. In baptism, for instance, the water in the baptismal font becomes in a mystery the very Baptism of Christ, by which we attain the forgiveness of sins. Also, in the Eucharist, the bread and wine become in a mystery the very body and blood of Christ. In both cases, the laws of nature are overcome so as to bring about our salvation.

3:1–17 This passage is a picture of God's plan of salvation for the world. The ark prefigures Christ's conception in the holy womb of the Ever-virgin Mary. The feet of the priests in the water (v. 13) prefigure Christ's feet in the very same river at His Baptism (Mt 3:13), which will drive the powers of darkness out of creation (v. 10). Since Christ's Baptism is also our baptism, we are united to Him in the sanctified waters, and through Him are delivered from the powers of darkness (see also Acts 2:38; 26:18).

4:1–10 The twelve stones prefigure the twelve apostles of Christ (GrgNy). The Lord gave them the authority to baptize all nations in the name of the Holy Trinity (Mt 28:18–20).

4:14 The nation of Israel feared Joshua as long as he lived in her midst. Since they feared the type, how much more should we fear the One who fulfilled the type, namely, Jesus our Lord and God. Joshua eventually died, but the risen Lord lives among us forever.

4:19–24 The crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan by the children of Israel foreshadowed holy baptism, and the twelve stones speak of the twelve apostles of Christ. Christ's teachings are handed down in the Church through these apostles, to whom Christ gave the authority to baptize all nations. This apostolic teaching is the true faith, also known as the Orthodox faith.

5:2–8 Circumcision was given first to Abraham after he was declared righteous before God through faith in the promise of the Gospel (Gn 17:9–14). This was a sign for the Gentiles among whom he lived concerning the Gospel, which separated him and his household from them. The children born during Israel's sojourn in the desert had no need to be circumcised, because Israel did not live among the Gentiles during this time. But now Israel was again living among the Gentiles; therefore, Joshua instituted a second law of circumcision (JohnDm).

Circumcision was also a type of baptism. For as circumcision cut off a useless member of the body, so baptism cuts off sinful desires and pleasures from onés life through the cross. We also sign ourselves with the cross to express our faith; however, we do this not to separate ourselves from the unbelievers among whom we live, but to separate ourselves from an unholy manner of life. We thus direct our lives with holy desires and faithfulness (JohnDm).

Furthermore, Christ was circumcised to fulfill the Law of Moses; therefore, circumcision is now contrary to baptism, because it was done away in Christ. Moreover, when Jesus was baptized and the Holy Spirit descended on Him, the kingdom of God and the law of Christ were proclaimed from that time. Now we live a holy life through Him and before the world in which we live (JohnDm).

5:9 The disgrace of Egypt was the unholy life of sinful desires and pleasures the Egyptians lived, and the influence this life had on the Israelites who disobeyed the Lord.

5:10–12 Manna was a type of Christ as the bread of life. So was the unleavened and new wheat. We now eat this bread of life in the mystery of the Eucharist. This life is the divine life of God, which sets on fire those who partake of the bread in a proper manner. Those who do so leave the Eucharist breathing the fire of divine life, which is terrible to the devil and his angels (JohnChr).

5:13–15 The chief captain, whom tradition holds to be the Archangel Michael, will lead them to complete victory so they might possess the land. Joshuás vision surpasses that of Moses (Ex 3:1–10), who saw a burning bush on Mount Horeb yet hid his face, for he was afraid to look upon God. Here, in the Promised Land, Joshua actually sees the form of a man. Both of these visions will be fulfilled in the Man, Christ Jesus.

6:5–6 Israel, which prefigures the Church, has been made ready. Now the people must act in faith and obedience. The Lord Himself will bring down the walls, which speak of sin and death. He will destroy the enemies and lead the faithful to safely inhabit a world once held captive by darkness.

6:7–14 The priests with their sacred trumpets can be seen as representing the Old Testament prophets, who foretell the coming of Christ in Holy Scripture while the rest of the world waits in silence. They are Israel's spiritual leaders, called to uphold the law and bear witness to God's covenant promises until Christ appears.

6:14 Israel walked around the walls of Jericho for seven straight days. One of these had to be the Sabbath Day. Thus, the Israelites broke the Sabbath but were guiltless, for they obeyed Joshua (or Jesus) in doing a good thing. But when Jesus (the true Joshua) healed on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused Him of breaking the Sabbath and wanted to kill Him. Then He said to them, “It is lawful to do good on the Sabbath” (Mt 12:12).

6:22 Rahab the harlot was counted as righteous before God for one reason: namely, her hospitality, a demonstration of her genuine faith. But she received no praise for the rest of her behavior. Similarly, the publican was counted as righteous because of his humility, though he received no testimony for anything else. Therefore, one should not fall into despair over failures and shortcomings before God, but demonstrate in some way a genuine repentance and faith (GrgTheo).

6:24 Joshua, a type of Jesus Christ, saved Rahab the harlot because of her hospitality, which demonstrated a genuine faith. But the true Jesus said to the chief priests and elders who opposed Him, “tax collectors and harlots enter the kingdom of God before you” (Mt 21:31). (CyrJer)

7:1–26 Like an infectious disease, the sin of Achan affected the entire community with death. It breached the walls of heavenly grace that surrounded the people at Jericho. But in a more sweeping way, Adam's transgression breached the grace of God and plunged the entire world into mortality (Rom 5:12).

7:6–15 Joshua and the elders intercede before the Lord on behalf of all the people, thus reversing their defeat. Similarly, Christ's humility and intercession will reverse the process of sin and death, but the people must respond by working with Him to purge evil from their midst.

7:14–18 Step by step, God reveals the source of sin. God's love is like a fire that consumes sin until only what is good remains. But without repentance, nothing good will remain.

7:20–21 To follow a man like Achan and to believe he made a right choice would be like using a blind man as a judge of color, or a deaf man as a music critic. For those whose spiritual discernment is crippled are truly blind or deaf, since they lack the basic ability to distinguish between the important and the trivial. Achan buried his spiritual discernment under the attraction of material things (a beautiful, multicolored garment, two hundred shekels of silver, and a wedge of fifty shekels of gold), thus yielding to whatever happened to catch his fancy (Neilos). Achan's confession was not repentance. He only confessed because he got caught.

7:21 The love of money is an ancient vice, and in Ex 20:17, a law was given to check it: “You shall not covet” (AmbM).

7:24–26 Achan's death by stoning applies to all who will not heed Christ's words concerning Himself: “And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” (Mt 21:44).

8:17–20 The Lord who spoke to Joshua was the Son of God (AmbM). Joshuás spear was a type of the cross, that weapon of peace through which Christ and His Church win in battle.

8:21–28 We should remember that all the inhabitants of Ai, and in fact all the inhabitants of the cities conquered by Joshua, were killed because none of them asked for mercy or desired to be saved. God always provides both the warning and the opportunity, but He will not force people to seek salvation.

9:3–8 Joshua and the people reaffirm their covenant with the Lord according to Moses' instructions (see Dt 27:1–8). Everything in this passage points to Christ, who will unite all people, both resident aliens and those born among them (v. 6), Jew and Gentile, sinner and saint.

9:5 The term second law is noteworthy, because Deuteronomy is not an additional law to the Law of Moses. Rather, it emphasizes the spiritual side of his law. In this sense, Christ is the “second” Law, for He will not only come after the “first” Law of Moses, He will also fulfill it (Mt 5:17).

9:9–21 Although Joshua made a mistake by not inquiring of the Lord before he made the covenant with the Gibeonites, nevertheless, his virtuous character is shown by his innocence in believing them (AmbM).

9:9–33 The Gibeonites are descendants of Noah's son, Canaan, about whom he prophesied in Gn 9:25, “Cursed be Canaan; / A servant of servants shall he be to his brothers” (JohnChr). These Canaanites prefigure the sinners and outcasts who will humble themselves before Christ and receive salvation. The torn and patched condition (v. 11) of the Gibeonites' belongings describes the state of the soul that seeks salvation in God.

10:6–10 The people of Gibeon sent word, and Joshua mustered all his men of war to rescue them and rout the enemy. So it is with all those who are held fast in the hands of the Lord. In the words of the Lord Jesus Himself, “And I shall give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand” (Jn 10:28).

10:11 Because the Gibeonites humbled themselves before the Lord, His judgment against their fleeing oppressors is even more fierce than it was against Jericho and Ai. The hailstones... from heaven speak of the Last Judgment.

10:12–13 The Word and Son of God caused the sun to stand still. He it was also who rebuked the sea, and on the cross caused the sun to be darkened (AthanG). So this passage would be fulfilled and even surpassed on the day of Christ's Crucifixion. On that day, He would show His Lordship over creation (Lk 23:45) as He stretched out His all-pure hands upon the cross, trampling down His enemies and bringing “salvation in the midst of the earth” (Ps 73:12).

10:14 According to Ecc 1:5, “The sun rises, and the sun goes down.” Likewise, Christ, the Sun of Righteousness, appears sometimes as risen and sometimes as set. This depends on onés manner of life and spiritual status in the pursuit of virtue and search for spiritual knowledge. Blessed is a man like Joshua who keeps the true Sun from setting in himself throughout the whole day of this present life, not allowing this Sun to be blotted out by the dusk of sin and ignorance. By doing this, he will be able to defeat the deceitful demons who rise up against him (MaxCon).

11:6–9 The kings who warred against Israel represent the sinful passions that war against us. But the Lord Jesus Christ encourages us, as He did Joshua, “Fear not before their presence.” He also said, “I will... put them to flight.” Joshua and his army also warred against the kings in Canaan. Therefore, the Lord fights, and we fight against our passions. This spiritual war is called asceticism. Its purpose is to subdue the passions so that the God-endowed virtues within the soul may express themselves in a natural way.

11:20 As it was with Pharaoh in Moses' day, so it is with the kings in Joshuás day. Over time, their hearts had become so hardened by sinful passions they no longer had the possibility of repentance. Israel waited four hundred years from the time God promised the land to Abraham until they were able to possess it, because the sins of the Amorites were not yet complete (Gn 15:16). Even to this day, God in His longsuffering is withholding judgment on the earth until all mankind has had every opportunity to repent and believe in Jesus Christ.

11:23 The land of Canaan was a type of God's kingdom in the world to come, when the land will rest from war. But until then, one needs to guard his heart against his passions and “wage the good warfare, having faith and a good conscience” (1Ti 1:18, 19).

12:1 The kings of the land represent not only the sinful passions, but also the devil and his angels, who are the authors of these passions. These angels are called “principalities,” “powers,” “rulers of the darkness,” and “spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12). But Christ the Conqueror, together with the faithful and the heavenly hosts, will prevail over them all. By the grace of Christ, those who put to death these kings will inherit the land of God's kingdom in the world to come. “He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son” (Rev 21:7).

13:1–7 Some of these cities will not come into Israel's possession until much later, and some will never become part of Israel's earthly kingdom. Yet again, this passage points to events far in the future, when Christ will be given the ends of the earth as His inheritance (Ps 2:8).

14:7–10 Caleb and Joshua preferred virtue rather than safety, but the other ten spies preferred safety to virtue (AmbM). The Lord Jesus Christ preferred our salvation rather than His own life, for He gladly gave Himself for us. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed to the Father and said, “Let this cup pass from Me” (Mt 26:39). By this request He showed He was fully Man, for He possessed the God-endowed desire for self-preservation in His human nature. But He also said, “Nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will.” In this He revealed the submission of His human will to His divine will within His one Person. Thus, His divine will was a higher law than the law of safety within His human will; therefore, He voluntarily and joyfully gave His human life for our sakes. The holy martyrs also preferred the divine will to their own safety.

15:13–19 The sons of Anak (v. 14) were known as Anakim, and they were giants in size (Dt 2:10, 11). Othniel was the nephew of Caleb and also had his spirit. Thus, he subdued the Anakim. He would also be the first to deliver Israel in the time of the Judges (Jdg 3:9), and therefore was a type of Christ. Achsah, his wife, was Caleb's daughter, and Caleb gave her the upper and lower springs of water (v. 19; see also Jdg 1:13–15). She was a type of the Church with its springs of water, the divine life of Christ. Therefore, through Christ and His life in the Church, one is able to fight against the giants of the passions and to live a God-honoring manner of life.

16:10 The Lord commanded Israel through Moses to utterly destroy all the inhabitants of the land and to show them no mercy (Dt 7:1, 2; Jos 9:24). But the tribe of Ephraim did not fully obey this command; therefore, the Canaanites dwell among Ephraim to this day. Similarly, when we show mercy to some of our sinful passions and allow them to operate within us, they eventually corrupt our obedience to Christ, as the Canaanites corrupted Ephraim. We are to show no mercy to these passions, but are to put them “to death” (Col 3:5).

17:14–18 Note how the tribe of Joseph refers to itself first in the plural (us) and then in the singular (I, me). Israel is one in belief, purpose, and worship, yet it is divided into twelve tribes, each of which receives its own inheritance. So the Church is one body, the body of Christ (Eph 1:22, 23); yet it is composed of a great many people of every nation, tongue, and tribe (Rev 5:9; 14:6).

18:1 Josh 18:1, 9, 10: Israel set up the tabernacle in Shiloh, where it remained for about four hundred years. Thus, Shiloh, located about twenty-five miles north of Jerusalem, was the capital of the nation during this time. The name Shiloh means “peace”; therefore, it was an appropriate place for the tabernacle, both of which speak of Christ the Lord. Joshua gained wisdom from Him (before the Lord, v. 10) that he might know how to divide the remaining land among seven tribes in a peaceable manner. We, too, need His peace to rule in our hearts so as to know how to live peaceably and wisely (Col 3:15).

19:9 Judah's share was too much for them; therefore, they shared their inheritance with the children of Simeon. So we must learn to share our abundance with those who need it. Similarly, we should not “forget to do good and to share, for with such sacrifices God is well pleased” (Heb 13:16).

20:1–6 Cities of refuge were established to protect slayers who killed someone involuntarily (v. 3). They were protected from the avenger of blood until a judgment could be rendered in each case. This system of protection demonstrated the love and forbearance of God (Rom 2:4), who does not punish before judgment is rendered as to innocence or guilt. Thus, He provided a place of refuge. God also set forth Christ as a city of refuge where one is protected until he is proven innocent or guilty at the Day of Judgment, when He “will render to each one according to his deeds” (Rom 2:6).

21:46 Joshua put the stone knives (with which he had circumcised the sons of Israel born during the days of Israel's wanderings in the desert) in the town he built, Timnath Serah. The name of this town means “image of the sun.” Christ is the Sun of Righteousness, and we are to be “conformed to [His] image” (Rom 8:29; 2Co 3:18). The stone knives speak of holy baptism, by which “the sins of the flesh” are cut away (Col 2:11, 12).

22:1–9 The two-and-a-half tribes who go back to dwell on the east side of the Jordan are like the apostles, who will spread out to other lands after Pentecost and bring the gospel to the nations. Be very careful to do the commandments (v. 5) is a timeless admonition to all believers everywhere.

22:10–29 The misunderstanding between the tribes is not unlike the trouble that will arise between Christians over the keeping of Jewish law and the conversion of Gentile believers (see Acts 11:2; 15:1; Gal 2:12).

22:30–34 Because the leaders and the people listened and acted wisely, the altar by the Jordan, which had threatened to divide Israel, will now be a witness (v. 34) to their unity before all.

23:1–16 Consider the ways in which Joshuás address is fulfilled in Christ's high priestly prayer in Jn 17. For example: Joshua says, “I am old” (v. 2); Christ prays, “the hour has come” (Jn 17:1). Joshua says, “you shall inherit their land... therefore... love the Lord” (vv. 5, 11); Christ prays, “this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (Jn 17:3). Joshua says, “I am going... not one word has failed” (v. 14); Christ prays, “I have finished the work... none of them is lost” (Jn 17:4, 12).

24:1–15 Note the emphasis the Lord, through Joshua, is placing on being led out (v. 3) from among the idolatry and oppression on the other side of the river (v. 2), and on crossing over the Jordan (v. 11) to salvation. In other words, God is saying, “I have delivered you (v. 10) and given you a great inheritance so that you might worship Me in righteousness (v. 14). Your part has been, and is now, to follow Me. If you don't, you will destroy yourselves.” The Incarnate Christ will preach this same message, only He will tell the whole world.

24:14–15 God always intended for man to serve Him and to love Him freely; for accepting the salvation that is freely offered is the most natural thing for human beings, made in His image, to do. Joshua, having long ago chosen holiness, now declares the same for his house.

24:16–22 The people, immature and prone to idolatry, must continually be reminded to choose between serving the Lord or other gods. Here they declare they have chosen God; but they will soon turn away (v. 36). Joshua warns them that their hypocrisy is worse than not worshiping Him at all, for all blessings come from God, and refusing to accept them will be the very cause of their suffering.

24:23 To make your heart straight toward the Lord God of Israel means to return the soul to its natural state, as it was when the Lord made it. John the Baptist meant the same thing when he said, “Make His paths straight” (Mt 3:3). For if we abide as we have been made, we are in a state of virtue. When God made our soul, it was beautiful and exceedingly honest, but if we turn aside from our natural state to morally depraved thoughts, we shall be living in vice. Therefore, let us willingly return to the virtue endowed by God within our nature, for we have no need to leave our homes or cross the sea for the sake of God's kingdom, to find virtue outside ourselves. All we need is a willing heart, for the moral integrity of the soul consists in its spiritual part being in its natural state as it was created. If this is the case, the Lord will recognize His work as being the same as when He made it (AntEg).

24:25–27 The large stone is a type of Christ, who will be an everlasting witness of the covenant made between God and man under the tree, that is, the cross.

24:1–27 Joshua reminds the people of the Lord's faithfulness to Israel since Abraham (v. 3) and challenges their faith. Just as Israel's entire history to this point has led up to the covenant about to be established by Joshua (vv. 25–27), so Israel's history from that point forward will lead up to the new covenant that Christ will establish with His Church.

24:29 The Book of Joshua looks ahead to Christ's victory over His enemies and the salvation of the world.

24:33 The bones of Joseph (Gn 50:24, 25; Ex 13:19) are buried... at Shechem. Thus, God's covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Joseph comes full circle and begins anew with the covenant established by Joshua (v. 25). All the Old Testament covenants, of course, will be completely fulfilled in Christ and His Church.

1:1, 2 Once Joshua died (recorded both in Jos 24:30–32 and Jdg 2:7–9), the question became, “Who will lead Israel in the fight against the Canaanites?” This represents the transition from the people under Joshua generally obeying God and experiencing victory to their lapsing into idolatry and disobedience under the judges. Judah is a reference to the tribe.

1:7 What I have done gives pause to remind us of the Last Judgment. Those who abuse others bring judgment on themselves.

1:11–15 As Othniel conquered the City of Letters (or Books) to win Achsah as his wife, so Christ the Incarnate Word will come to conquer the mind and heart of mankind with His Gospel to win His Bride, the Church.

1:21 Note the disobedience of Benjamin in contrast with the obedience of Judah and Simeon. If we do not secure victory over the enemies of sin and darkness in our lives, like the Jebusites they will remain to trouble us.

1:22–26 Bethel means “house of God.” Luz means “light,” and represents the light of Christ, which will spread to the Gentiles (Is 9:2).

1:27–36 This passage is a preview of much of the Book of Judges: the chronicle of a job half done. The tribes of Israel would enter into battle against their enemies, but not drive them out completely (v. 28).

2:1–22 Gilgal (v. 1) signifies God's covenant with Israel (see Jos 5:2–9). Just as He left the foreigners in the land of promise “that He might test Israel” (3:1), so God allows sin, suffering, and death to continue for a time in the world that He might test, strengthen, and draw the repentant soul to Himself. And as He raised up judges (v. 16) to deliver Israel, so He provides salvation in Christ for all who turn to Him. Those who continue in sin and would not listen (v. 17) fall into the hands of the enemy, but God delivers the faithful out of hardship (see note on 3Kg 22:23). This pattern will repeat itself: (1) God disciplines Israel for idolatry and disobedience; (2) Israel cries out in repentance for God's help; (3) God provides another judge for deliverance.

3:1–6 A list of enemy nations that remained in Canaan. Note that Israel intermarried with them and ultimately served their gods (v. 6).

3:7 They forgot the Lord: Without constant remembrance of the Lord in all thoughts, words, and deeds, man allows himself to become most vulnerable to the deceptions and accusations of the enemy. Of the Eucharist, Jesus said to do this “in remembrance of Me” (1Co 11:25).

3:9 The word savior is a synonym for “judge.”

3:10–11 The Spirit of the Lord strengthens Othniel, and there is peace for forty years. Similarly, Christ strengthens His Church and His people through baptism, sealed by the Holy Spirit. Those who look to the Lord God will gain victory over this fallen world.

3:12–13 Moab is east of the Jordan near the Dead Sea. Ammon and Amalek were neighboring tribes, historically at odds with Israel. The City of Palms is Jericho.

3:20 The upper summer chamber is a well-ventilated room on the flat roof.

4:1–3 Israel did evil, was oppressed, and cried out to the Lord. Sin brings all men under the heavy yoke of oppression and hardship – but this can also result in repentance. After twenty years Israel finally cried out to God for relief.

4:4 St. Ambrose comments on the story of Deborah, Barak, and Jael: “And so according to history, that the minds of women might be stirred up, a woman became: a judge, a woman who set all in order; a woman who prophesied; a woman who triumphed; and joining in battle array, taught men to war under a woman's counsel. But in a mystery, it is the battle of faith and the victory of the Church.” Deborah is one of three prophetesses mentioned in the Old Testament, the other two being Miriam (Ex 15:20) and Huldah (2Kg 22:14).

4:9 Deborah prophesied victory, but warned Barak not to take credit, for the Lord will sell Sisera into the hand of a woman.

5:1–31 As was often the custom after Israel's victories, a song or psalm (v. 3) was sung, recalling the details of the conflict. This is the lengthiest and most elaborate of the Old Testament victory songs, but perhaps the most famous is Moses' song in Ex 15:1–18 celebrating deliverance from Egypt.

5:7 Just as Deborah was a mother... in Israel, so Mary, Mother of God, is also mother of the Church. They both sang songs of praise to the Lord (see Lk 1:46–55).

5:9 A great tribute to the leaders and the volunteers who freely sacrifice in service to Israel. In the Divine Liturgy we likewise give thanks to God “for those who serve and those who sing.” For the people of God, the leaders and the laity, are called to work together, never independently.

5:28 A touching look at the mother of a fallen warrior – in this case an enemy of God's people.

5:31 One of a multitude of biblical passages contrasting the destiny of the enemies of the Lord will those desiring Him.

6:1, 2 The Midianites are nomadic people who oppressed Israel for seven years.

6:3–8 Israel cried out to the Lord (v. 6) after seven years of ongoing invasion of the Midianites, particularly at the time of harvest (v. 4). The Lord sent them a prophet (v. 8), reminding them of His covenant with Israel (Ex 20:1).

6:11 St. Ambrose sees the terebinth tree as a type of the cross, the winepress as the Church, the wheat as the saints. He writes, “For these elect, as though trained with the rod of truth (Rev 19:15), laying aside the old man together with his deeds, are gathered in the Church as in a winepress... for from her wells forth the juice of the heavenly vine.” Gideon prefigures Christ as a deliverer of those in bondage.

6:15 I am the smallest: Gideon's humility reflects the Christlike character of those who love God (5:31), for His “strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Co 12:9).

6:18 I am tells us this is the One who spoke to Moses (Ex 20:2). I will wait echoes words recorded by the prophet Isaiah (Is 30:18).

6:19–27 St. Ambrose writes that Gideon's sacrifices foreshadow the Incarnation. “The meat of the kid refers to sins of deed, the broth to the enticements of desire.... 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.”

6:25–26 St. Ambrose writes that by sacrificing the two bulls, Gideon “showed that after the coming of the Lord all Gentile sacrifices should be done away, and that only the sacrifice of the Lord's Passion should be offered for the redemption of the people. For that second bull was, in a type, Christ, in whom, as Isaiah said, dwelt the fullness of the seven gifts of the Spirit.”

6:32 Jerubbaal means “May Baal plead.” This was Gideon's new nickname, but he did not give honor to Baal (see 7:1).

6:36–38 The hymns of the Orthodox Church reveal the dewy fleece as symbolic of Mary conceiving the Son of God in her womb. On the Feast of the Annunciation we sing, “He shall come down as rain upon the fleece.” In the first Nativity Canon we hear, “As dew upon the fleece, You have descended into the womb of the Virgin, O Christ.”

The word translated fleece usually means “clippings of grass”; here, it is clippings of wool. Gideon put out the fleece, asking God to send dew on the fleece only, not on the ground. Why? So Gideon would know it was God's intention to save Israel by my hand (v. 37). Thus, there is meaning beyond the miracle itself: the dew is the Son of God; the fleece is Mary; the result is the Incarnation, through which Israel – and all men – can be saved.

7:2–8 Gideon originally gathered about 32,000 volunteers (v. 3) to encamp opposite the Midianites and the Amalekites. But the Lord knows men's hearts. In victory, He did not want Israel to credit themselves. God demonstrates His commitment to victory for our sake, while also making clear that His strength does not lie in numbers – a total of only three hundred men (v. 7) in three units – but in His own power.

7:15 Gideon worshiped before the promise had been fulfilled, and prepared himself to act in obedience to the Lord without first needing a sign from Him.

7:24–25 Earlier in Judges, God's army was satisfied with partial victories (1:27–34) and paid the consequences. Here and in the next chapter, Gideon makes sure the conquest is complete – a sure lesson for those who seek victory over sin.

8:1–3 The men of Ephraim had been excluded from the battle. Gideon showed the wisdom of not arguing in the face of their anger; instead he encouraged them tactfully, based on their own accomplishments (Rom 12:3–6).

8:4–9 The men of Succoth (v. 5) and Penuel (v. 8) refused to give bread to Gideon's men, questioning his victory over Midian. Their refusal to help God's servant was costly (see Mt 25:41–46).

8:10 The name Zebah means “slaughter, sacrifice,” a name given to create a sense of great fear. But here, it foreshadows his destiny. Before Gideon, the servant of the Lord, Zebah became the one slaughtered.

8:13–17 The men of Succoth (v. 5) and Penuel (v. 8) refused to give bread to Gideon's men, questioning his victory over Midian. Their refusal to help God's servant was costly (see Mt 25:41–46).

8:14 Gideon would not kill haphazardly. The covenant was broken and due punishment was to be exacted, but he killed only those directly involved.

8:16 There can be consequences if one chooses to break a covenant. Here the promised punishment is fulfilled.

8:23 Gideon refused their offer, though later his son Abimelech would try to keep his father's house in power.

8:27 Gideon's idea of making an ephod, a priestly vestment, and a memorial in his hometown, commemorating his victory, became a thorn. The lesson: it is unwise for God's people to unduly celebrate a victory over enemies.

9:1 Jerubbaal is Gideon (see note at 6:32).

9:1–5 Soon after Gideon died, the crafty Abimelech, his son by a concubine, with help from the men of Shechem, murdered seventy of his father's legitimate heirs. Only Jotham escaped.

9:7 Mount Gerizim, previously used for the offering of blessings (Dt 11:29), is now used by Jotham to pronounce a parable of warning and a curse to the people.

9:8 These words speak to the mockery of kingship not anointed by God.

9:25 These robberies kept the king from collecting taxes from traveling merchants.

9:26–57 The punishment of which Jotham warned fell on Abimelech (v. 56). Those who live apart from the guidance of God face ultimate destruction.

9:37 Elonmaonenim can be translated “terebinth tree of the diviners.”

9:46 Bethelberith means “the house of Berith,” a temple of a local deity (see also v. 50).

10:1–7 Tola saved (judged) Israel, and Jair helped sustain the forty-five years of peace Israel enjoyed. But Israel fell into idolatry and evil again, and the Lord, for their sake, delivered them into the hands of the Philistines, later to be invaded by the Ammonites (v. 7). The false gods Israel served included Ashtoreth of Sidon (3Kg 11:5, 33), Baal-peor and Chemosh of Moab (Nm 21:29; 25:3; 3Kg 11:7, 33), Melek (Molech, Milcom) of Ammon (Lv 18:21; 3Kg 11:5, 7, 33), and Dagon and Beelzebub, gods of the Philistines (16:23; 1Kg 5:2–7; 4Kg 1:2–3). Molech was particularly known as a god requiring human sacrifice (Lv 18:21; 20:2–5; 2Kg 23:10; Jer 32:35).

10:11–16 A powerful account of God extending not judgment but mercy to sinners. His soul was grieved (see Gn 6:6; Mk 14:34).

11:1–3 Not being the son of Gilead's wife or even a concubine, Jephthah is thrown out of his home as the son of another woman in violation of the law regarding the fatherless (Dt 10:18; 14:29; 16:11; 24:17).

11:10 Mizpah was the place where Jacob and Laban made a covenant (Gn 31:44–49). This shows the elders of Gilead took seriously Jephthah's appointment to lead them.

11:11–27 A debate between Jephthah's messengers and the sons of Ammon over a three-hundred-year-old land dispute (v. 25). It is not resolved (v. 27), and a war will result.

11:28 The Spirit of the Lord descended on Jephthah to do battle against Ammon, making him one of the few Old Testament heroes indwelt by the Holy Spirit.

11:38–39 Jephthah's daughter was an inspiration to the women of Israel, showing her zealous obedience to the Lord in life and in death.

12:1, 2 Again (see notes at 8:1–3) the men of Ephraim are bypassed in battle, this time against the sons of Ammon. Jephthah asks, “Where were you when we needed you against the Ammonites?” (see 10:9). Ephraim has no answer, and war ensues.

12:5–6 The men of Gilead give a language test to the Ephraimites, and they fail. The word stachys here is Greek for the Hebrew “shibboleth”; both mean “ear of corn.” It was the “sh” sound the Ephraimites could not pronounce.

13:1 Despite God's continued faithfulness, the sons of Israel still apostatize, a pattern repeated throughout the Book of Judges.

13:3 After forty years of bondage for Israel, God made known His plans through His Angel to deliver Israel by means of a special son born to a barren woman – as also happened with Sarah (Gn 16:1), Rebekah (Gn 25:21), Hannah (1Kg 1:2–28), and Elizabeth (Lk 1:7).

13:4–7 Nazirite is derived from the Hebrew nazir, “consecrated,” “dedicated.” The one making a Nazirite vow (see Nm 6:2; Am 2:11, 12; 1Kg 1:11; Lk 1:15) refrains from strong drink, eating unclean things, and cutting the hair.

13:5 Samson was a Nazirite unto God from the womb, as were the prophet Samuel (1Kg 1:11) and John the Baptist (Lk 1:15). Samson would begin to deliver Israel from the Philistines, a work carried further by Samuel, Saul, and King David.

13:25 Not only does the Angel of the Lord prophesy Samson's birth and calling, but the Spirit of the Lord attends his life.

14:1–5 Samson's desire to marry a woman of the Philistines bore ill fruit. The woman was more faithful to her own people than to him (see vv. 15–18).

14:5–9 St. Ephraim the Syrian writes that Christ, prefigured in Samson, also “tore the lion, an image of death... and caused to go forth from his bitterness the sweetness of life for men.”

14:18 As with many riddles, once the answer was given it was obvious (Ps 19:10; 118:103; Pr 30:30).

15:1–3 I will do mischief among them (v. 3) signals the beginning of the back-and-forth revenge in this chapter of “an eye for an eye” (see Ex 21:23–25). Samson finally prevails over the Philistines.

15:18–19 For all Samson's strength, he nearly died of thirst. Jesus said, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink” (Jn 7:37). Even the strong are utterly dependent on God, who by a miracle provided water.

16:2–3 Since the gate of the city was locked by night, the Gazites assumed all was well until dawn. Samson awoke at midnight, tore down the doors, and carried them to Hebron – a distance of over thirty miles.

16:4 Alsorech is the valley of Sorek. Delilah, though we are not told, presumably was a Philistine. Samson's love for her for a time proved stronger than his call from God to deliver Israel (13:5), and brought him down (16:15–17).

16:23–30 St. Irenaeus writes on this passage: “The lad who guided Samson by the hand (v. 26) typifies John the Baptist, who showed to the people the faith in Christ. And the house in which they were assembled signifies the world, in which dwell the various heathen and unbelieving nations, offering sacrifice to the idols. Moreover, the two pillars are the two covenants. Samson leaning himself upon the pillars indicates this: that the people, when instructed, recognized the mystery of Christ.”

16:25 The phrase let him play before us likely refers to their request that he do tricks only a strong man could do.

17:1–6 Through the mother of Micah we see that the overall importance of the tabernacle and the Law of God it upheld was almost forgotten at this point in time. This is confirmed by the words everyone did what was right in his own eyes (v. 6). The impression is reinforced by the mother having a carved and molten image or idol (v. 4), as well as by Micah, who stole from his own mother, anointing one of his own sons as priest and clothing him with an ephod (v. 5), believing his own home was a house of God.

17:7–13 The young Levite gives indication of the diminished state of the tribe of Levi. It was scattered, no longer centered in the tabernacle, and likely not keeping the rule of worship, including the sacrifices and offerings.

18:1, 2 The tribe of Dan was unsuccessful in controlling its inheritance. So five spies went out to search for a place to settle. The reference to no king indicates Dan no longer honored the Lord as their King. They went off on their own to take land, even if they had to steal it from other tribes of Israel.

18:3 The spies recognized the voice of the priest. Perhaps they knew the young Levite from Bethlehem (17:1) or recognized his dialect.

18:5 The use of the word God instead of Lord shows awareness of the covenant – and their violation of it.

18:6 Without the Lord's guiding Spirit, Micah's priest was an easy target, unaware of the looming dangers.

18:11 The six hundred men shows the military weakness of the family of Dan.

18:19–20 The priest was not forced or coerced. He was glad to be moving on to a larger assignment.

18:26 The thief Micah had been outdone by the greater thieves of Dan.

18:31 No longer obeying the covenant or having contact with God's people, they set up for themselves their own experimental worship.

19:1 The people of Israel had fallen far in these days when there was no king. There was sexual perversion (19:22–28). The commandments of the Law were forgotten or overlooked (17:6; 21:25). Their leadership was failing.

19:2 To “play the harlot” or take a concubine was an expression typically used to paint a prophetic picture of people following false gods, often Baal, whose followers often became involved in extreme sexual misconduct (Hos 4:1–6; Jer 3:1, 8; Ezk 16:41; 23:44).

19:4 The people of Israel, even in apostasy, still believed they had sacred obligations toward anyone they considered their guest.

19:11 This city of the Jebusites was not considered part and parcel of Israel, and yet a person from Israel might find safety here.

19:22–23 The sons of lawlessness in the Hebrew text is “sons of Belial,” which means “worthless men” (see 2Co 6:15, and Rom 1:26–27). This gruesome account is similar to that of Lot and the men of Sodom (Gn 19:1–4).

19:24–30 So vile were homosexual acts in this culture, the concubine was offered. The woman met an obscene death, a tragic breach of the covenant. The twelve pieces of her remains were likely sent, one each, to the twelve tribes of Israel.

20:1–3 The children of Israel came together as one man to stand before the Lord. They gathered at Mizpah, “a place of watching” (1Kg 7:5, 16; 10:17). The purpose of the gathering was to confront the wicked deed of rape and murder (19:25–28).

20:8–11 The verdict was by council, unanimous, and they carried out their decision in unity.

20:12–13 The Benjamites were offered the opportunity to turn over the sons of lawlessness in order to avoid war and to put away the evil from Israel (Dt 17:12), but they refused.

20:18 They traveled to Bethel (Gn 28:19–22) to inquire of God because the ark of the covenant had been moved there (v. 27).

20:26 This second defeat awakened the sons of Israel. All now came to the central sanctuary at Bethel to weep, worship God, and seek His mercy. They prayed, fasted, and wept because of their two costly losses at the hands of Benjamin.

20:28 The Lord repeats His earlier answer, but this upcoming third battle came with a promise of victory. Even so, “the battle was fierce” (v. 34). Despite God's promises of victory to us, Jesus warns, “in the world you will have tribulation” (Jn 16:33).

20:48 For about four months, Israel carried out against Benjamin the things God declared should be done to the Canaanites (Dt 7:2; 20:16–18) – for Benjamin had become like the Canaanites. It was prescribed punishment for violating the covenant and rejecting God's authority in Israel.

21:3 Even in the face of victory, the Israelites wept that one tribe should be missing, that is, Benjamin. Even toward their opponents in war, they retained that loyalty of covenant.

21:6, 7 With Israel's victory came their desire to have mercy and restore those who escaped to the Rock of Rimmon (20:47).

21:8–24 Those of Jabesh Gilead failed to answer the call against Benjamin, and the congregation directed Israel to strike them down. Only the virgins were spared as a way to restore the tribe. Further, the Benjamite men were allowed to take wives from among the daughters of Shiloh.

21:25 This daunting statement reveals that the problems in Israel still went unsolved.

1:1–5 Moab was an enemy of Israel, and the Jews were forbidden to have dealings with the Moabites (Dt 23:3–6). Even in time of famine, one is to trust in the Lord rather than flee to the enemy. Elimelech, whose name means “My God is King,” has forsaken God and left the covenant community. He exemplifies the faithless Jews, and he died without leaving offspring in Israel.

1:6 Naomi, representing the faithful Jews who will accept redemption in Christ, returned from the country of Moab to receive the Lord's bread (see Jn 6:48). The notion of arising from a state of sin and returning to a loving Father is echoed in Christ's parable of the Prodigal Son (Lk 15:11–32).

1:11 Naomís question, “Why do you desire to go with me?” is intended not to prevent them from following her to the Lord, but to challenge their sincerity (see Jn 6:26, 27).

1:12 Childbearing was seen as necessary to perpetuate onés life beyond death, and is symbolic of eternal life. Naomi had grown too old for childbearing.

1:14–15 Orpah had declared her intention to follow Naomi to the Lord (v. 10), but being confronted with the realities of that life, she returns to her people and her gods (see Jn 6:66). Her kiss is metaphorically a kiss of betrayal. By contrast, Ruth followed her, forsaking all she knew and accepting the Lord. In doing so, Ruth prefigures the Gentile Church and all who would be saved.

1:19 The separation between Jew and Gentile would one day be abolished in Jesus Christ (Eph 2:14). The unbreakable alliance of Naomi and Ruth as the two of them went until they came to Bethlehem prefigures that day.

1:20–21 Lamenting in Bethlehem over the loss of her children in Moab, Naomi prefigures Rachel, who would later lament over the loss of her children to Babylon (Jer 31:15) and over the children slain by Herod (Mt 2:16–18). See 4:11.

1:22 The beginning of barley harvest was in April. It would have occurred at about the time of the Passover, and thus of the crucifixion and Resurrection of Christ. Jesus Himself refers to the new covenant as a time of harvest (Mt 9:37, 38; Jn 4:35). Ruth is accepted at this time, showing that the Gentiles would be received into the Church.

2:1 Boaz prefigures Christ. Here he is introduced as a relative of both a faithless Jew (Elimelech) and, through marriage, a faithful one (Naomi). Boaz also had Gentile ancestry, for his mother was Rahab (Mt 1:5).

2:2 In humble acceptance of her position as foreigner, Ruth is willing to glean the Jews' leftover grain. The New Testament reminds all Gentile believers to imitate her humility (Rom 11:19–21; Eph 2:11, 12).

2:8–10 Like the Canaanite woman in Mt 15:21–28, Ruth acknowledges that she does not deserve Boaz's favor because she is a stranger. Like Christ, Boaz blesses her with his favor and protection.

2:14 Ruth is rewarded for her dedication by an invitation to eat with Boaz. This meal prefigures the eucharistic Supper.

2:15–16 In Christ, Gentiles are grafted to the tree of salvation (see Rom 11), and they share equally in the reception of grace. Here Boaz issues an order to his servants ensuring that Ruth, a Gentile, is given equal treatment and an equal share of grain. There is a significant difference between the Masoretic Text and the LXX in v. 16. The former has Boaz merely instruct his servants to let extra grain fall from their bundles, distorting the underlying meaning of his order.

2:20 Naomi blesses Boaz with words applicable to Christ.

2:22 A call to remain in the community of faith. To wander in another field is to go beyond the protection of Boaz and to be subject to all manner of danger (see vv. 8, 9).

3:3 As Ruth must wash and anoint herself and put on a new garment for her encounter with Boaz, believers are washed in baptism, anointed in chrismation, and clothed in the garment of salvation in their encounter with Christ.

3:4 Where Boaz lies down, Ruth will lie down with him, and Boaz will instruct her. Likewise, as Christ was buried, the believer is also buried with Him in baptism, and thus learns how to live (Rom 6:3–11).

3:9 Take your maidservant under your wing: Ruth declares her desire to be accepted as wife by Boaz, and prophesies the acceptance of the Gentiles by Christ.

3:10 Boaz blesses Ruth because she did not go after young men, which is to say she did not pursue the cares and fleeting security of this world.

3:12–13 The kinsman is Ruth's relative who is unwilling to redeem her (4:1–6). This unnamed man represents the Old Testament Law, which was incapable of redeeming mankind. Boaz will allow this kinsman the first opportunity to redeem Ruth; if he will not do it, Boaz himself will. For in Jewish tradition, the brother or closest relative marries his deceased brother's widow (Dt 25:5–10). In the same way, God Himself redeemed His people when the Law had failed.

3:15 The gift of barley is a sign of his promise to redeem Ruth. The number six indicates an incomplete action, which would be completed only when the promise was fulfilled. See 4:15.

4:3–6 Because of sin, the Law led to death and lacked the power to bestow life. This is illustrated when the unnamed relative is willing to accept the field from the dead man Elimelech, but he is not willing to take Ruth, the ancestor of Christ.

4:6 The unnamed kinsman unwittingly speaks the truth when he acknowledges that marrying Ruth would ruin his inheritance.

4:7–8 The passing of a sandal represented the transfer of responsibility. In the case of the unnamed close relative passing his sandal to Boaz, we see the passing of the Law and the advent of redemption in Christ.

4:11 As Naomi was like Rachel in her grief (1:20, 21), Ruth will be like Rachel in her building up of Israel. The praise of Boaz is reminiscent of the exaltation of the messianic groom in Psalm 44.

4:12–15 The seed which the Lord will give you from this young woman initially refers to their son Obed and to the prominent figure of King David. More importantly, it declares the coming of Christ, who is the true restorer of life.

4:15 The number seven indicates a complete action, and shows that Ruth fulfills in herself the promise of Boaz. See 3:15.

1:1 Elkanah means “God created.”

1:2 Hannah means “graciousness.” In the Old Testament, barrenness was a sign that God had withdrawn His blessing.

1:3 Since the time of Joshua, Shiloh had been the political and religious center for the people of Israel. The tabernacle and the ark of the covenant were kept there until David conquered Jerusalem, making that city the new place of Israel's worship.

1:7 Rather than containing the grief over her barrenness, Hannah expresses her heart to the Lord through fasting and tears.

1:9 The word temple is used rather than “tabernacle,” although this was the movable tabernacle built under the leadership of Moses. The word “temple” suggests a more permanent structure that people came to in order to worship God.

1:11 Lowly state is the same phrase the Virgin Mary prays in Lk 1:48. Hannah's promise to God is that her child would fulfill the Nazirite vow, which was a type of ancient ascetic vow found first in Nm 6. In every instance of this vow in Scripture, it is prescribed before birth – for Samson, Samuel, and probably John the Baptist (Lk 1:13–15).

1:13 St. Cyprian sees the praying Hannah as a type of the Church pouring her heart out in prayer silently and modestly, “within the very recesses of her heart... with manifest faith.”

1:16 Hannah defends herself to Eli against being a daughter of corruption. Drunkenness and sexual immorality were common hallmarks of pagan Canaanite worship.

1:17 The priest recognizes Hannah's humility and gives her his blessing.

1:18 This is a great display of Hannah's faith, in that she trusts in God's answer before receiving it.

1:20 Samuel means “the name is God (godly)” or “the descendant of God,” a name suggesting he was a child given from God.

1:22 Hannah is a type of Mary, as Samuel is a type of Christ, because as St. Cyprian states, “Samuel [was born] not according to the order of generation, but according to the mercy and promise of God.”

1:28 Hannah is not only fulfilling her promise, but her words are prophetic of Samuel's life of service to God.

2:1 The prayer of Hannah has become a beloved hymn of the Church and is one of the biblical odes. This prayer has been used in the Matins service, and is the basis for many of the Church's hymns. There are also many similarities between this prayer and the prayer of Mary in Lk 1:46–55. The word horn had become a symbol for strength, honor, and power.

2:3 We must boast in nothing, since nothing is our own (Cyprian).

2:5 Were made empty means literally “to be made less” or “inferior.” Those who were once full and satisfied are now beginning to be emptied. St. Augustine sees this whole verse as a prophecy of the decline of Israel and the rise of the Gentile Church.

2:6 This verse foreshadows the resurrection and is likely a picture of the Lord's own descent into Hades and His Resurrection. Aphrahat uses this passage among many to demonstrate that the belief in the resurrection existed even in the Old Testament.

2:9 It is God who ultimately fills the heart with prayer.

2:11 Samuel did not merely help Eli with the menial tasks of the tabernacle, but actually participated in the liturgical worship of God.

2:21 God blessed Hannah with five more children because of her faithfulness and obedience.

2:27–29 The prophet condemns Eli because he excuses the conduct of his sons (3:13). The prophet declares Eli has honored his sons more than he has honored God. Even pious parents can be passive in the raising of their children: a warning to all who desire godly offspring.

2:35 Lactantius states, “And since Christ was the builder of this great and eternal temple, He must also have an everlasting priesthood in it; and there can be no approach to the shrine of the temple, and to the sight of God, except through Him who built the temple.”

3:1 God's word had become very precious because of the absence of a clear, concise, and distinct vision from Him.

3:7 Samuel had not yet become a prophet, because this was the first time God had allowed Himself to be known by him.

3:13–14 God reveals to Samuel what he had already revealed to Eli through another man of God, confirming Samuel as a true prophet of the Lord.

3:18 Eli accepts God's judgment even though it means his destruction. Despite the judgment, Eli still did nothing to correct his sons' behavior.

3:19–20 Samuel was confirmed as God's prophet not merely because he heard God's voice, but because he was willing to proclaim God's word even when it was unpleasant or uncomfortable.

4:1 The word Philistines is not used only to describe Israel's enemies; it is also a more generic term designating “foreigner” or “Gentile.”

4:3–4 The people did not realize that their defeat came from the hand of God. But rather than discovering why God allowed them to be defeated and repenting of their unfaithfulness, they think that having the ark with them will ensure that God is with them.

4:7–10 The Philistines were afraid of the presence of the ark, but conducted themselves like men and handed Israel a stunning defeat.

4:18 The loss of the ark and his sons brought the loss of Elís own life.

5:2 Dagon was the chief god of the Canaanites and was referred to as the father of Baal in Canaanite mythology. Dagon was represented by a figure that had the torso and head of a man, but the body of a fish. The name Dagon is derived from a word meaning “little fish.” The house or temple is mentioned later in 1Mc 10:83, 84.

5:4 The destruction of their idol was a sign to the Philistines that the God of Israel could not be possessed and subjected to their pagan beliefs.

5:8 The Philistine government was a loose confederacy of five cities, each ruled by a type of warlord. Each city was considered a seat of power. The fives cities were Ashkelon, Ashdod, Ekron, Gath, and Gaza (6:17). They were sometimes referred to as the Philistine Pentapolis.

5:11 The Philistines had moved the ark to three of their five cities, hoping that eventually it would be subjected by a local deity.

6:1 God will not be manipulated by man. To attempt to do so brings curse rather than blessing.

6:2–12 The Philistines devised a test to see whether the God of Israel was truly the source of their tribulation. The cows should have naturally come home to their offspring rather than walking away toward the land of Israel. Yet God had promised to remain with His people, and He guided the ark back to Israel.

6:14 The peoplés natural response to the return of God's presence was to worship God with sacrifices. The focus of the worship was not on the ark, but on the presence of God that the ark contained. In the Church, the ark is understood typologically as the person of the Virgin Mary. Honoring the Theotokos as the Mother of God who bore the Savior of our souls draws the heart to worship Him, together with His Father and the Holy Spirit.

6:19 Once again, the people begin mishandling that which is holy by trying to investigate that which is improper to man.

7:2 The ark was not brought back to Shiloh, where it had been abused by the sons of Eli, but was taken to a new place, where the people of Israel kept their eye firmly fixed upon it so it might not depart again.

7:3 Throughout the period of the Judges and Kings, the problem of idolatry continued to plague Israel. Samuel was not asking for a partial commitment to God, but for the people to completely remove any trace of idolatry from their lives and serve God only.

7:6 Samuel's act of pouring water as an offering to the Lord is a type of baptism, and a symbol of the cleansing that people needed as they repented over their attitude toward God and His holy objects.

7:8 Samuel had proven himself a committed intercessor for the people, and they relied on him once again to pray on their behalf.

7:9–13 The Philistines are a type of sin and its dominion over those who do not follow the Lord with all their heart. When God's people are far from Him, sin reigns over them. Yet when they draw near to God and cry out for mercy and forgiveness, He delivers them from the enemy.

8:1–5 Unfortunately, Samuel did not learn a lesson from Eli in rearing his own children. Just as Elís children departed from the ways of God, so did Samuel's sons. It was the wickedness of these judges, Samuel's sons, that prompted the people to ask for a king to rule over them.

8:7 God tells Samuel that their rejection of him as judge is a rejection of God Himself; yet God will answer their cry for a king.

8:9–18 God is willing to give the people what they want, but He warns them of the dangers of a monarchy. These warnings which Samuel gave the people were fulfilled during the days of the good king, Solomon. Solomon taxed the people heavily so that he might build the temple.

9:9 The ministry of prophet includes the ability to see into the future, as well as to read the hearts of men.

10:1–10 Saul's anointing as king by Samuel is a type of the Sacrament of Chrismation. The anointing brought with it the descent of the Holy Spirit upon his life, giving Saul another heart (v. 9).

10:9 The Spirit of God always brings transformation wherever He is present.

11:11–15 Saul's initial act as king was to defend the defenseless against cruel oppressors. Even in this early battle he displays his military genius, and also the mercy he has on those who initially rejected his kingship. The people of Jabesh were forever indebted to him, and even after his slide into apostasy, they were the only people willing to care for his remains after his death.

12:1–5 Before Samuel begins exhorting the people, he seeks their support. The people proclaim his innocence in the face of his humility and willingness to repent for any wrongdoing. He then calls on the Lord and Saul, His anointed, as witnesses to his uprightness.

12:6–25 Samuel's sermon expounds on the grace and deliverance of God in the life of Israel. Though a king in Israel was a concession from God, Samuel encourages them that the monarchy will work if both they and the king continue in God's righteousness.

13:13 Hilary of Poitiers sees David's commendation by God as a man after His own heart as a glimpse into the prophetic ministry of David. Although David lived under the Mosaic Law, he prophetically grasped the fullness of the Gospel fulfilled ultimately in Christ.

15:11 Melito of Sardis calls the repentance of the Lord a “change of His procedure” with man. Tertullian views God's regret as a judgment against the character of Saul rather than as a self-incriminating repentance of wrongdoing. Augustine clarifies this even further by explaining that God's repentance does not negate His foreknowledge, but is a change in how man expects God to act. In this sense, God is always acting in ways contrary to man's expectations.

15:17–22John Cassian uses this example of Saul's undoing to promote the need for discernment and discretion in the spiritual life. Watchfulness over onés own soul protects against all manner of evil and undoing. Gregory the Great also uses this example of Saul as a warning against human pride.

15:22 Irenaeus points out that God did not command sacrifices for His own benefit, but for the benefit of man, in order to train him in righteousness and obedience.

15:24–26 Saul seems to repent, yet God does not accept his confession as He did that of David after David's sin. St. Augustine notes that mere outward confession of sin is not what God desires, but an inward change of heart. One only has to look at the lives of Saul and David to see that one truly repented and the other did not.

15:35 Jerome and John Cassian both note that godly men have wept over the sins of others. Jerome states, “Good men have always sorrowed for the sins of others. Samuel of old lamented for Saul because he neglected to treat the ulcers of pride with the balm of penitence.” Rather than rejoicing in the failures of others, godly sorrow is in order.

16:7 According to Cyprian, God's judgment will not be merely of outward appearances, but will penetrate much deeper into the heart of man: He sees the heart and mind of every person, and He will judge not only our deeds, but even our words and thoughts.

17:4 Goliath is over nine feet tall.

17:4–33 This familiar story reminds us of the courage in men's hearts when their faith is placed completely in God. Goliath taunts David, but David's faith becomes evident when he does not cower under the threats, but instead warns Goliath with the hand of God. The armor he rejected represents the strength of man; David chose the armor of God (see Eph 6:10–17).

18:6–12 David had been a comforting force in Saul's life; but now Saul sees him as a threat to his power. Saul seeks to kill David by sending him into battle against a thousand Philistines, but David's success threatens Saul all the more.

19:1–17 Saul, unable to kill David indirectly, commands his servants and even his own son Jonathan to murder him. His deceit continues as he lies to his own son about saving David's life.

19:18–24 Saul again tries to kill David after he flees to the presence of Samuel. Saul's messengers come to capture David, as does Saul himself, but they are overwhelmed by the presence of God among Samuel and the prophets. God's miraculous presence does not redeem Saul.

20:17 Jonathan expresses the greatest level of love one person can express for another. He is willing to die so David might live. Jesus displayed such love for all mankind, and calls for such love from His disciples (Jn 15:13).

21:1–6 Only the priests were allowed to eat the holy bread; the uneaten portions were offered as a sacrifice to God. Jesus refers to this story when confronting the Pharisees about their own legalistic attitude toward the Sabbath – which held firmly to the externals, yet rejected the inner mercy and compassion of the Law (see Mt 12:1–8). In this passage, the priest has compassion on David and his men, but out of holy fear he questions their righteousness and purity before he permits them to partake of this bread reserved for priests. The bread of the Presence was a prefiguration of the bread of the Eucharist, the body of Christ. Just as David was required to be holy, each Christian approaching Communion must be prepared through prayer, fasting, and confession. Indeed, the holy things are for the holy.

21:12–16 Although David knows he is anointed and will one day be king, he realizes it is not yet God's time and goes to extreme measures to stay anonymous.

22:20–23 Saul has just ordered the priests to be killed, and David gives refuge to the last survivor of the priestly massacre.

23:9 The ephod was a garment worn by the priests whenever they approached the altar in order to intercede with God. David trusted the priest to give him a sure answer from the Lord.

24:7–8 Saul had become a tyrannical leader, obsessed with killing the man of God David. Saul had threatened to kill his own son and had massacred over 300 priests. Despite Saul's sin, David still honored him as the Lord's anointed and spared him. A lesson hard to learn: throughout the history of the Church, there have been ungodly leaders, but true saints have taken up David's example, refusing to come against God's anointed. Instead, they trusted God to vindicate them.

24:17–23 In praising David's attitude of a servant, Gregory the Great notes he was more upright in servitude than when he came to his kingdom (v. 18). As a servant, he feared to smite his adversary. When he was king, through lasciviousness, he willfully put to death a devoted soldier (2Kg 11:17).

25:3 Nabal means “fool,” which describes his behavior. This passage shows the contrast between the wisdom of Abigail and the folly of Nabal.

25:22–34 John Cassian takes this story of David as an example of how compassion can overtake our own strong determination. David allowed compassion to alter his vengeful oath.

26:12 David again has an opportunity to kill Saul, but he refuses to lay a hand on the Lord's anointed (see note at 24:7, 8). God put the camp into a deep sleep so David could escape unharmed. Saul has one more chance to repent, yet he squanders this opportunity with mere words and no actions.

27:1 David's statements display his conviction that Saul will not repent, regardless of his remorseful posturing.

27:8–12 Although David was living in exile among the Philistines, he still defended and expanded the borders of his native land. Despite his circumstances, he never forgot his calling to uphold and protect the people of God, and he did not let outward events thwart this mission.

28:7–25 This passage created great controversy among the Fathers of the Church. In fact, at least three distinct interpretations can be found.

1. The woman called Samuel forth from the dead (Justin Martyr, Origen, Ambrose, and Augustine).

2. Whether it was Samuel or a demon, it appeared at God's bidding and not by some magic of the woman (Chrysostom, Theodoret).

3. The entity was a demon who deceived Saul and gave him a false prophecy (Tertullian, Hippolytus, Ephrem the Syrian, Evagrius, Basil, Jerome, Ambrosiaster, & Gregory of Nyssa).

The third interpretation seems to be held by the greatest number of Fathers, and Gregory of Nyssa wrote a specific treatise on the subject. He defends this view by citing the impassible chasm in the Lazarus parable (Lk 16:26). The apparition appeared only to the woman; she told Saul whom it resembled. The Greek word translated medium in this passage is literally the word for “ventriloquist.” Also, Saul had been plagued by evil spirits for years and was easily deceived by them.

29:9 Even an unbelieving Philistine was able to recognize the godly character of David.

30:7 Once again David trusts in the intercession of the priest before God, that he may follow God's will rather than his own. What a contrast between his use of the ephod and Saul's use of the medium! David approached God with humility through the means He had established. Saul sought to manipulate his future through the powers of darkness.

30:21–25 David displays his generosity and compassion for the weak by sharing the spoils with all the people – the strong and weak alike.

31:4–6 In this passage, the ultimate deception of the witch is made manifest. The prophecy given was that Saul and his sons would die. After seeing the death of his sons, Saul may have despaired, deceived by the words of the prophecy.

1:1–12 David learns of Saul's death after his return to Ziklag from defeating the Amalekites. Torn clothing and earth upon the head of the messenger are a sign of mourning. The man is an Amalekite who claims to have killed the wounded Saul at his request. He brings both Saul's crown and his bracelet (v. 10) to David. There were either two stories concerning the death of Saul, or else this man seeks David's favor by “confessing” to Saul's death (see 1Kg 31:1–6).

1:13–16 David turns upon the messenger, rebukes him for killing the Lord's anointed, and orders his execution.

1:17–27 The Lamentation, vv. 19–27, lauds both Saul and Jonathan.

2:1–3 David seems able to inquire directly of the Lord, as no mention is made of the ephod or other means of discernment, such as Urim and Thummim. The Lord instructs David to go to Hebron.

2:4 David is anointed by the elders of Judah as their king in Hebron. They also report Saul's burial.

2:5–7 David commends the burial of Saul as something right, inasmuch as he, too, was the Lord's anointed. He uses this as the opportunity to invite the people of Jabesh Gilead to accept his kingship over Judah.

2:8–10 However, a rival kingdom is established by Abner, Saul's commander-in-chief. Ishbosheth, Saul's son, reigns two years over Israel, but not over Judah.

2:11 David's reign over Judah is seven and one-half years.

2:12–32 A contest is staged between twelve Benjamites loyal to Abner and Ishbosheth, and twelve men loyal to David, led by Joab. This results in a blood feud.

3:1–5 War continues between the houses of David and Saul, though David's house grows continually stronger. Thus, also the emphasis on the number of sons begotten by him at Hebron and the listing of the wives who bore them, underscoring the political alliances that are growing.

3:6–21 After a dispute with Ishbosheth over the accusation of having taken Saul's concubine, Rizpah (Respha), Abner is indignant. He goes to seek a league with David. David agrees, on condition that his wife Michal be returned to him (v. 13; see 1Kg 25:44). The effect would be to restore his relationship to the house of Saul.

3:22–30 Joab returns from a raid to hear of the league between David and Abner. He is suspicious of Abner's motives: the blood feud has continued. He slays Abner exactly as Asahel was slain, stabbed in the loins. Since Joab has breached the peace proclaimed between Abner and the house of David, David declares that the blood of Abner will be a curse upon the house of Joab. Otherwise the word of the king would be worthless in future alliances.

3:31–39 The general mourning for Abner underscores David's guiltlessness in his death. A comparison is made to the death of Nabal, who had deserved his fate.

4:1–12 Hearing of the death of Abner, two of Saul's captains, Baanah and Rechab, slay Mephibosheth. But David is not impressed with their treachery, though they try to impress him with their deeds. He reminds them of what he did to the messenger who reported Saul's death. (Note: There are two men named Mephibosheth in this chapter. The one who is killed is Saul's son. The other is Jonathan's son (4:4), Saul's grandson.)

Once again, the constant theme of not touching the Lord's anointed is reasserted by David. It bolsters his position as king as well as showing respect for the house of Saul and the anointing the Lord gave him.

5:1–5 David is anointed king over all Israel. His kingship is now accepted by Israel as well as Judah. His total reign will be forty years: seven (and one-half) from Hebron over Judah, and thirty-three over Judah and Israel. He became king over Judah at age thirty.

5:6–10 David comes to take the stronghold of Jerusalem, a fortress so easy to defend that the lame and the blind withstand him. Hence, they are to be destroyed when the city is taken.

5:11–12 Hiram's building David's house is a sign of diplomatic recognition by the king of Tyre.

5:13–17 This list of wives and concubines further details the establishing of David's dynasty. A number have been taken from Jerusalem, thus further cementing his control. Note the naming of Solomon in this list, as well as Nathan, who is the ancestor of Christ in Lukés genealogy (see Lk 3:31). Matthew lists Solomon as Christ's ancestor (Mt 1:6).

5:18–20 The Philistines mount another attack against the Hebrews, this time with David as king over all Israel and Judah. David inquires of the Lord as to His battle strategy each time.

5:21–25 The Philistines leave their idols behind because of the rout. David's removal of them underscores the victory of God over the Philistines' gods. God instructs David to wait until He Himself has joined the battle. The victory is so extensive because David has obeyed God's commands in this matter.

6:1–5 The ark is now to be brought up to Jerusalem from Gibeon (see 1Ch 13:1–14). It has been in the care of Eleazar (see 1Kg 7:1). This will help unify Judah and Israel by establishing Jerusalem as the primary sanctuary.

6:6–11 Contact with the holy was fatal. When Uzzah placed his hand on the ark to steady it, he died. David is fearful lest the ark enter Jerusalem. Instead, it is placed in the house of Obed-Edom (Abedarra), a Philistine loyal to David, for three months. Obed-Edom means literally, “servant of Edom” (see 1Ch 3:13, 14). His house and all his possessions are blessed by the presence of the ark.

6:12–19 Having seen that the ark has brought blessing to the house of a Philistine, David is willing to have it enter Jerusalem after all (see 1Ch 15:25–29). Greeting the ark with dancing is perhaps an import from Canaanite practices. A tabernacle (“tent of meeting”) is pitched for the ark in Jerusalem. The distribution of the offering, and thus the blessing associated with it, is made from Dan to Beersheba (v. 19), the geographical boundaries of Israel at the height of David's rule.

6:20–23 David returns to bring the blessing into his home, only to be reproached by Michal, who is childless. Thus, there is no continuation of Saul's lineage by means of their marriage.

7:1–3 David has united the tribes under his kingship, established Jerusalem as his capital, and lives in a house paneled with cedar. The ark, though now brought up to the city, remains in the tabernacle he pitched for it, a tent. He seeks advice from Nathan the prophet, who instructs him to build a temple for the ark.

7:4–17 In a dream, God informs Nathan that David is not to build the temple. His descendant, Solomon, will build it. This serves to remind Nathan and David that God Himself is in charge and will issue the instructions. Indeed, God Himself will establish the throne and house and kingdom forever (see v. 23; Ps 88:28ff: Is 55:3).

7:18–29 Having received divine intervention, David speaks of God's love towards his house and his family, and is humbled by it. The house to be established forever will not be one established by human hands, the earthly temple, but the One established through David's seed. This is a prophecy of Christ, the Messiah of Israel.

8:1, 2 Having consolidated his power, David now exercises this strength against both the Philistines and Moab, the latter becoming a vassal-state. It was not uncommon for a portion of a conquered people to be executed, as David does with Moab, so as to exert his strength.

8:3–12 David expands his territory to the Euphrates, subjugating Hadadezer and ultimately drawing Syria into the fight. A garrison is stationed near Damascus, possibly to guarantee trading rights, so another state is secured. Toi, king of Hamath, an enemy of Hadadezer, seeks to secure his favor with David by gifts of metal vessels.

8:13–17 David made himself a name expanding his presence and his territory. This expansion is blessed and ordained by God, and David reigns over all Israel. Joab serves as commander of the armies and Jehoshaphat as the official recorder, the highest civil office. Zadok, first mentioned here, becomes head of the legitimate line of priests. The text should probably read “Abiathar, son of Ahimelech” (see 1Kg 22:20).

9:1–13 This chapter reflects the abiding love that David had for Jonathan. Mephibosheth is his sole survivor, but lame in both feet. He is brought to David's court, cared for by Ziba, Saul's servant, and fed at David's table, as though he were one of David's sons. David, a type of Christ, extends grace to one disabled, and invites him to dine – a picture of God's love extended to those crippled by sin, restoring them in the Eucharist.

10:1–5 The Ammonite king Nahash dies. Since Saul had defeated the Ammonites at Jabesh Gilead (see 1Kg 11:1–11), it was wise that David send his emissaries to his son Hanun, son of Nahash.

10:6–8 The Ammonites hire men from four Syrian principalities, the two mentioned previously in 8:3–7 as well as from Amalek and Istob, into a confederation against David.

10:9–14 Joab's successful strategy is to divide his forces into two and attack with both simultaneously.

10:15–19 The resulting victory for David leaves the Syrians afraid to help the Ammonites in the future.

11:1 This prologue sets the stage for the story of David's adultery with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah the Hittite. The king should be leading the armies and commanders into battle, but David has stayed behind.

11:2–5 The roofs of the houses were typically flat and allowed a cool place to relax in the evening. David spies Bathsheba bathing atop her house and is smitten by her beauty. He has her brought to him for the express purpose of adultery. Bathsheba conceives and sends David word of her pregnancy.

11:6–13 David calls for Uriah, Bathshebás husband, to be brought home from battle so that he will have intercourse with his wife, hoping to cover his own sin in this fashion. Uriah, however, refuses to have intercourse with Bathsheba, as soldiers in battle were prohibited from doing so (see Lv 15:18; 1Kg 21:5) “To wash onés feet” is a comprehensive euphemism, but intercourse is implied.

11:14–21 His first plan having failed, David arranges for Uriah to be sent forth to the front lines for battle and then to retreat from behind him, virtually ensuring his death. David's second plan to conceal his adultery has succeeded through Uriah's murder on the battlefield.

11:22–25 Joab sends a messenger to tell David his progress in battle. Fearing David's anger, Joab instructs the man to hold back the fact that Uriah has been killed until the end of the report. Joab is correct in his suspicions.

11:26–27 Hearing of the death of her husband, Bathsheba mourns. Following the mourning period, David takes her as his wife and she gives birth to a son. It is clear David's actions were evil in God's sight.

12:1–6 It is the Lord Himself who sends Nathan the prophet to rebuke David for his sins of adultery and murder. David listens to Nathan's parable and then pronounces the sentence on his own head.

12:7–14 Nathan then prophesies to David, you are the man in the parable. There will be a twofold punishment: warfare from without all the rest of David's days, and rebellion from within. Additionally, the child born to Bathsheba will die.

12:15–23 The child falls ill and dies after seven days. During the illness, David fasts and lies upon the ground, entreating God to spare the child (v. 22). Once the child dies, David washes and clothes himself properly and goes into the house of the Lord to worship. David has confounded the elders of Israel by reversing the usual customs of mourning. Out of his contrition for these sins comes David's greatest psalm of repentance, Ps 50, which is recited daily in Orthodox devotional practice.

12:24–25 David comforts Bathsheba, who then conceives another child, Solomon, also called Jedidiah, “beloved of Yahweh.” This name is used only here.

12:26–28 Joab has taken the capital city of the Ammonites, Rabbah (modern Amman, Jordan). But it is a token capture. David is invited to go forth and take it in person, and does so. He takes the crown of Melchol, the Ammonite god, as part of the spoils, and puts the Ammonites under forced labor.

13:1 Nathan's prophecy of strife and struggle in David's house (12:10) begins to unfold with incest, fratricide, and rebellion. David's family and the kingdom will be afflicted for the rest of his days – and beyond – because of his sins of adultery and murder. The unholy conduct of leaders, as well as of parents, produces unholiness in the nation or the family. The sins of a father or mother can thus be visited upon their descendants. For those in spiritual leadership, this can be the case for their spiritual children (see 1Ti 3; Rev 2:18ff).

13:1–6 God's punishment of David for his sins (12:7) now begins to unfold. David's son Amnon falls in love with his half-sister Tamar. She is the full sister of Absalom. Jonadab, their cousin, advises Amnon to pretend to be ill in order to have Tamar come and cook for him.

13:7–14 Tamar refuses Amnon's advances, although she suggests that marriage would be possible, should he ask the king. Instead, he rapes her.

13:15 Completely revolted by his own deeds, Amnon sends Tamar away.

13:18–19 The variegated robe was worn by virgins. It is the same type of robe as described in Ps 44:13, 14, a psalm typifying the Virgin Mary. Tamar observes the mourning tradition for the loss of her virginity by placing ashes on her head and rending the garment. Absalom cautions her to remain quiet as he shelters her in his house.

13:21–29 Although David is grieved by his son's action, he does nothing. Amnon is the heir. Absalom bides his time, seeking to avenge his sister's rape. His vengeance takes place after two years at sheep-shearing (see 1Kg 25:2–4). Amnon is killed and all his brethren flee.

13:30–33 The first reports to David have him believing that Absalom has killed all of his sons. Interestingly, it is Jonadab, the cousin who had helped Amnon in his plot to seduce Tamar, who tells the king that only Amnon is dead.

13:34–36 Absalom flees with a band of men, while the sons of David return to Jerusalem and a general mourning takes place for Amnon.

13:37–39 Geshur is the home of Absalom's mother. He stays there three years until the king's grief over Amnon has abated.

14:1–3 Joab is aware the king has softened in his heart toward Absalom. He sends a woman of Tekoa to act the part of a widow before David to effect a reconciliation between the king and his son.

14:4–17 The woman's story of a blood feud between her sons parallels David's (see Nm 35:19–21 re the law of blood revenge). She presses the king to absolve this blood feud, which he does, indicative of the king's power as judge.

14:18–20 David is suspicious that Joab is somehow involved in her telling the tale.

14:21–24 Absalom is recalled from his exile by David through Joab, but not allowed to live in the palace or see the king's face.

14:25–27 Absalom is described as handsome, with a full head of long hair, which he had cut every year. Absalom's daughter, Tamar, is named here, unusual in Hebrew genealogies, because she will marry Rehoboam, her cousin, the son of Solomon and future king.

14:28–33 Absalom resents his restrictions, unable to obtain an audience with his father the king after two years. Joab even refuses to come at his request until Absalom has Joab's barley field set on fire to force his presence. At last, Absalom is called to his father's court, where he does obeisance to him and is kissed by the king, a sign of reconciliation.

15:1–6 Absalom plays on the disaffection of those seeking judgment from the king who could get no audience. The implication is that David has begun to neglect his duties as judge.

15:7–12 After four years (the LXX has “forty”), Absalom is ready for open revolt. He uses the excuse of having made a vow that needs to be fulfilled and goes to Hebron. The paying or fulfilling of vows was looked upon as a sacred obligation. Thus, David does not stand in his son's way. The irony is, Absalom claims that this vow had been made in hope of his restoration to Jerusalem.

15:13–16 The messenger's news, although perhaps exaggerated, disturbs David enough to cause him to flee the city. The departure is described in great detail. Ten concubines (v. 16) are left behind (see 16:21).

15:18 A review of the foreign troops loyal to David (see 8:18; 1Kg 30:14).

15:19–14 A chronicle of personal encounters with David, indicating those on whom he could still depend for support. The notable exception will be Shimei, 16:5–8.

15:19–23 David's despair is obvious. He tells Ittai to return and remain with the king, Absalom. He has only recently been joined to Israel. Ittai confesses his loyalty to David. The Brook Kidron is only a short way from the city (v. 23).

15:24–29 Zadok and the Levites are following the king with the ark. David sends them back for two reasons: The ark is not to leave Jerusalem, and they are to act as spies for David.

15:30–37 David is distraught at the defection of Ahithophel. He hears this news as he weeps and prays on the Mount of Olives, seeking God's will. Compare this with Christ weeping on the Mount of Olives, knowing full well God's will, as His betrayer approaches (Mk 14:32–35).

16:1–4 Ziba, Mephibosheth's servant (see 9:1ff), comes to meet David with a large quantity of food for him. Upon learning that his master has remained in the city in the hope that the uprising will restore the kingdom of his father, Jonathan, David responds by giving Ziba all of Mephibosheth's property.

16:5–14 As David continues in retreat, Shimei of the house of Saul comes out cursing the king and throwing stones at him for Saul's death. For Shimei, the revolt is happening because David has reigned in the place of Saul. David refuses to let his men take action, seeing God working in Shimeís rebuke that he might benefit from it. He reflects that as his own son has rebelled against him, how much more might one of the tribe of Benjamin, Saul's tribe.

16:15–19 Hushai has returned to Jerusalem offering Absalom feigned obeisance, according to David's plan. When Absalom questions him, Hushai replies that this is only right because the Lord, this people, and all Israel have chosen him king.

16:20–23 Ahithophel counsels Absalom to have intercourse with the ten concubines his father has left behind as a symbol of his conquest.

17:1–4 Ahithophel's next plan involves a sneak attack on the weary, retreating David with the intent to kill only him and return the rest of the people back to Jerusalem.

17:5–14 Hushai is able to counter this plan, arguing that David is a great warrior, who perhaps even now lies in wait to attack Absalom's implicitly inferior forces. Rather, Absalom should seek as many men as possible to take with him. Hushai assures him that all of Israel, from Dan to Beersheba, is with him. The effect of this maneuver will be to allow David time. Absalom heeds Hushaís advice.

17:15–22 Hushai reports to Zadok and Abiathar what has transpired. The detail of the sequence of events of the maid and the messengers suggests an eyewitness account. David is forewarned and able to escape.

17:23 Ahithophel's suicide, a rarity in the Old Testament, is a strategic loss for Absalom.

17:24–29 David goes to Mahanaim, once the home of Ishbosheth, and is welcomed by Israelites and non-Israelites alike. Absalom leaves for Gilead.

18:1–5 David divides his forces into three companies, commanded by Joab, Abishai, and Ittai. The king heeds their request that he not go into battle with them, and he commands them to spare Absalom's life.

18:6–8 The thicket of Ephraim is described as a rough, boulder-strewn woods, thick with trees.

18:9–18 Despite the king's order (v. 5), Joab takes it into his own hands to kill Absalom as he is suspended in the boughs of a great oak tree.

18:19–23 Ahimaaz wishes to run and tell David, but Joab discourages him from bringing bad news to the king. Instead, he sends Hushai, the foreigner and friend of the king. Unable to restrain Ahimaaz further, Joab relents and Ahimaaz outruns Hushai.

18:28–30 Ahimaaz tells the king only about the battle victory.

18:31–33 Hushai is left to tell the king of Absalom's death.

19:1 David's lament is the most poignant in all the Old Testament writings: Would God I had died for you, Absalom my son, my son! It reveals David's deep love for his son in spite of his treachery and rebellion.

19:3–9 David's grief for his son delays his return to the city, though the people begin returning on their own. Joab is politically and militarily astute. He implores David to return for the sake of his kingship. David sits in the gate, but Israel has fled to its tents. The tension between Judah and Israel is quite evident once more.

19:10–15 Israel evidences a willingness to have David as king once more, though they have been in rebellion. By giving Amasa the post of commander of the army, David seeks not only to cement an alliance with the northern tribes but to repay Joab for his killing of Absalom. This is the post Amasa held under Absalom.

19:16–23 Shimei rushes to curry favor with the king (see 16:5–14), helping ferry the king's household across the River Jordan along with Ziba. He begs for the king's forgiveness, and the king seems to forgive him. David admits he is not sure if he is king again over Israel.

19:25–30 Mephibosheth comes to see David once he has returned to Jerusalem. He is unwashed and unshaven, as though in mourning. When David asks him why he did not flee with him, Mephibosheth says that his servant, Ziba, had deceived him (see 16:1–4). Who was lying? David seems to give Mephibosheth the benefit of the doubt. Ziba had certainly sought to benefit from having taken possession of Saul's property.

19:32–38 Barzillai of Gilead, eighty years old, has previously supported David in Mahanaim (see 17:27–29) and is a representative of the tribes across Jordan. David offers to care for him in Jerusalem in return for his aid. Barzillai prefers to return to his city, by the tomb of his father and mother, but asks that David care for his servant (possibly his son) Chimham.

19:41–43 Tension between Judah and Israel mounts. The accusation, “We have ten shares in the king; therefore we are first over you,” reflects the fact Judah was a latecomer to the confederacy, as well as that the northern tribes were more numerous. At this point, Judah prevails.

20:1, 2 Every man to your tents, O Israel (see 3Kg 12:16) is the rallying cry of the northern tribes at various times in Israel's history, reflecting the independence of nomadic life. There is not merely animosity between Benjamin and Judah, the houses of Saul and David, but between Judah and all the northern tribes.

20:3 David takes care not to have his concubines defiled again, nor does he resort to them himself (see 16:21–22).

20:4–10 David summons Amasa, the new commander, to muster troops of Judah within three days. But Amasa delays, and this concerns David, lest Sheba do more harm than Absalom.

20:11–13 Joab resumes leadership of David's cause.

20:14–22 The search for Sheba leads them to a walled city, Abel and Beth Maachah. Siege is laid against it, meaning it would be destroyed along with its inhabitants. A wise woman entreats Joab to spare the city, a mother city, implying that villages were dependent on it. The siege is lifted and Joab returns to Jerusalem.

20:23–26 Officials in David's court (see commentary on 8:13–17). Adoram is also Adoniram, under Solomon (see 3Kg 4:6). Ira, possibly the Ithrite of 23:38, serves as David's private or personal priest.

21:1 There follow several accounts which are appendices, set at various times during David's reign. Together they comprise chapters 21–24.

21:1–14 The three-year famine is interpreted as God's punishment, for Saul had violated an oath made to those in Gibeon. However, Saul's actions (vv. 1–3) are unknown otherwise. The famine would have happened during the early part of David's reign. To eliminate the blood-guilt, David allows for seven of Saul's descendants to be hanged. He spares Jonathan's son, Mephibosheth, instead delivering two of Saul's sons (one also named Mephibosheth) and five of his grandsons, sons of Michal.

21:15–22 Again, this is set in the early years of David's kingship, when he was still at war, perhaps either 5:18–21 or 5:22–26. Regarding giants, see Gn 14:5. The lamp of Israel (v. 17) refers to the royal lineage (see 14:7).

22:1–5 Except for minor differences, this chapter is identical to Ps 17.

23:1–7 The theme is common to wisdom literature: the righteous prosper and the ungodly perish. God has made an everlasting covenant (v. 5) with David (see ch. 7).

23:8–12 These three men form a special band (see 1Ch 11:11–14).

23:13–17 The three here are perhaps the same as in vv. 8–12.

23:18–39 The thirty is a round number (v. 24). The text says there are thirty-seven (v. 39).

24:1–9 Despite the protestations of Joab, David decides to take a census of the people. According to the narrator, the Lord has incited David to do this. However, in 1Ch 21:1, it is Satan who has done this. Certainly, the Lord can use the devil to do His bidding. Joab might be concerned about using a census to levy taxes on the people.

24:10–17 Gad the prophet (see 1Kg 22:5; 1Ch 21:9ff; 2Ch 29:25) gives David a choice of one of three penalties for taking the census: (1) three years of famine; (2) three months of flight from enemies; (3) three days of death in the land. David chooses the third, and a plague afflicts Israel from Dan to Beersheba. At the point of the destruction of Jerusalem, God says enough! David beseeches the angel to afflict him and his father's house, but not his sheep, the flock of Israel.

24:18–25 Gad instructs David to set up an altar and offer sacrifice. The purchase of the threshing-floor of Orna the Jebusite and the oxen begins the offering of sacrifices in Jerusalem. This story is intended to reflect the origin of sacrifices there. Solomon later will use the threshing-floor as the site for his temple (see 1Ch 22:1; 2Ch 3:1).

David's court history is concluded in chapters 1 and 2 of 3 Kingdoms.

1:1 As to the historical timeline of the kings of Israel, this account picks up from 2Kg 20:22. King David was seventy years old here, shortly before his death (see 2Kg 5:4).

1:5 Adonijah, David's oldest living son, exalted himself to be king, but his father should have rebuked him. Jesus also exalted Himself as God and King, and as coequal with the Father (Jn 5:23; Mt 27:11), yet His Father did not rebuke Him (AthanG). Quite to the contrary, He said, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mt 3:17). Moreover, although Adonijah refused to humble himself before David, who was a type of Christ, we should humble ourselves before our God and King. If we do, He will “exalt us in due time” (1Pt 5:6).

1:11 3Kingd 1:11, 14, 22: Once again, Nathan the prophet speaks the truth to the house of David (see 2Kg 12:1–15). Sometimes “speaking the truth in love” (Eph 4:15) costs a friendship, but for Nathan it cemented a lifelong relationship with the king.

1:15–21 Bathsheba bowed to her husband the king. A beautiful insight into respect for authority. Rather than coming with demands, she simply reviewed what the king had sworn, underscoring the importance of his successor: the eyes of all Israel are on you (v. 20). Her request was granted.

1:49 The “reign” of Adonijah was short-lived. Not only did his guests head home, so did he (v. 53). Indeed, self-exaltation is short-lived, for “whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Mt 23:12).

2:3–4 The continual reign of kings in Israel was conditional on their obedience to the Law of Moses. Disobedience would eventually lead to the collapse of the kingly throne when a Jew would fail to sit on the throne. This failure occurred when Herod the Great sat on the throne, for he was not a Jew, but a Gentile from Edom (or Idumea). According to the prophecy of Gn 49:10, the presence of a Gentile king on the throne of Judah would indicate the presence of Christ in Judea. Indeed, “Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king” (Mt 2:1). The name “Shiloh” in the prophecy means “peace,” for Jesus Christ is the peace that unites and reconciles Jews and Gentiles in one body, the Church (Eph 2:14).

2:20 Bathshebás petition was not a small one, as she intimated; thus Solomon did not go back on his word to fulfill her request. It was not a small one because Christ the King was to come through Solomon, and not Adonijah (Mt 1:6). So this petition was a threat against the coming of the promised Messiah.

2:27 No prophecy of Scripture can fail to be fulfilled. 1Kg 2:31 prophesied the end of the priestly house of Eli. It came to an end about 150 years after that, for Abiathar was the last priest from Elís house. Therefore, we should pay close attention to prophecies yet to be fulfilled, especially concerning the Second Coming of Christ.

2:32 Joab took vengeance into his own hands when he killed Abner and Amasa (2Kg 3:27; 20:9, 10). By doing this, Joab destroyed himself, for the one who exacts his own vengeance becomes worse than the one on whom he takes vengeance (JohnChr). “‘Vengeance is Mine, I will repay,’ says the Lord” (Rom 12:19; see also Lv 19:18; Dt 32:35). The vengeance taken on Joab by Solomon was at the Lord's direction, but we should avoid taking our own vengeance at all costs.

2:36 Discernment is the crown of the virtues and a fruit of wisdom. Wisdom is Christ Himself, for He gave Solomon his wisdom (1Co 1:24).

2:46–49 David the prophet prophesied the death of Shimei; therefore, the vengeance taken on him by Solomon was also at the Lord's direction.

2:59 This is a prophecy regarding the eternal reign and rule of Christ over His kingdom, for the promise God gave David was established in the Son of David.

2:64 Thermae means “hot baths.”

3:1–3 This passage speaks prophetically to our times. Solomon loved the Lord, yet because there was no house built – no temple – the king and his subjects burned incense on the high places, that is, to false gods. Today, there are those who say they love Christ but stay outside the Church, and their destiny is to lapse into error.

3:4 The Lord who appeared to Solomon was the Son of God, for He is the Word of God the Father.

3:9–13 Solomon did not ask for long life, or riches, or the life of his enemies, for such things are of this world; therefore, God readily heard his prayer (JohnChr). Rather, he asked for virtues such as understanding and judgment, which belong to the crown of the virtues. These virtues enable one to “discern both good and evil” (Heb 5:13, 14).

3:27 Wisdom and justice go together, for there cannot be one without the other (AmbM).

5:11 The Mosaic Law commanded the sons of Israel not to marry foreign women (Ex 34:16; Dt 7:1–4). This commandment also prophesied the ultimate result of such marriages – namely, that these women would turn these sons to idolatry. Solomon transgressed the commandment by marrying the daughter of Pharaoh, and she, along with his many other foreign wives, ultimately turned his heart away from the Lord to serve other gods (ch. 11). Thus, disobedience to a seemingly minor commandment made him guilty of breaking the whole Law (Jam 2:10). Regardless of how wise a leader may be, all kingdoms in this world are only temporary, and will end because of some weakness in the leadership. Only the kingdom of Christ will endure forever.

5:29 It took three years to prepare the stones and the trees for building the temple. Similarly, the Lord spent three years preparing His apostles and people to form His Church.

6:2 The house was a type of the Church. The foundation stones speak of the twelve apostles, and Jesus Christ is the Chief Cornerstone (Eph 2:19, 20).

6:5 The completion of the house was according to every word and mandate of the king. Likewise, the completion of the Church is based on “every word that proceeds from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4). His people live by these words.

6:11 The temple was built with stones finished at the quarry. When they brought them to the temple site, they fit. Speaking of the Church, St. Paul writes, “the whole building, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord” (Eph 2:21). Similarly, “you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house” (1Pt 2:5). Christ Himself fashions these stones and brings them together.

6:19–21 The temple was made beautiful not as a show of riches, but because the Lord dwelled there (8:25; 9:3). St. Paul calls the Church “a dwelling place of God in the Spirit” (Eph 2:22).

6:22–36 Just as there were holy images in the temple, so in the churches from the earliest days, there were images or icons of Christ and His saints. We must not confuse the warning against idol worship (Ex 20:4, 5) with the presence of holy images in the Church and in the temple.

7:1, 2 As Hiram was filled with skill, wisdom, and understanding to offer his bronze work in the temple, so also the Holy Spirit gives His gifts to the Church for the “edifying of the body of Christ” (Eph 4:12).

8:1–11 The ark was a type of Mary, the Mother of God, and the tablets of the covenant within the ark were a type of Christ. For He was conceived in her holy womb by the Holy Spirit. In this conception, He took His life-giving flesh from her. His holy flesh is life-giving because He united it to His Divine Nature within His one Person. In baptism, we are united to His life-giving flesh in His death and Resurrection, and in the Eucharist we partake of His life-giving body and blood.

8:1 3Kingd 8:1, 3–7, 9–11: This passage is read on November 20 at Vespers for the Feast of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple.

8:20–52 The New Testament counterpart of Solomon's prayer is the prayer of our Lord Jesus Christ in Jn 17, before His Passion, presenting the Church to His Father.

8:25 Solomon asked, But will God indeed dwell with men on earth? He answered in the negative only in relation to temples made with hands. However, the positive answer relates to the Incarnation, for God the Son was made flesh for our salvation: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14).

8:39–41 Does God hear the prayer of those not of His people when they come and pray in the temple? The answer is clear here, as it is in Acts 10:2–4, when the Lord hears the prayers of the not-yet-baptized Cornelius.

8:56 As he blesses the people, Solomon borrows from the promise in Dt 31:6, which is also repeated in Heb 13:5: May He not leave us nor forsake us.

8:64 The temple, open for worship, found the people eating, drinking, and rejoicing before the Lord. After the day of Pentecost, the people were again “in the temple,” eating their food “with gladness and simplicity of heart” (Acts 2:46).

9:1–9 The Lord who appeared to Solomon was the Son and Word of God. This was His second appearance to him. (The first appearance was in 3:4–13.) In this second appearance, He gave Solomon a twofold message. First He gave an assurance: I have done for you everything in your prayer (v. 3). Everything the king asked for was given. But secondly came a warning: If you or your sons turn from Me (v. 6), I will cast from My sight this house (v. 7). While we come “boldly to the throne of grace” (Heb 4:16), we also confess, “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31). When we proclaim God's promises, we must also proclaim His warnings.

10:1–13 The coming of the queen of Sheba is a pinnacle for the children of Israel as the chosen people of God. This account illustrates perfectly what God had intended for Israel: to be a shining light among the nations, to draw all the surrounding heathen nations to itself for conversion, because of the manifestation of the righteousness and wisdom of God (see Gn 12:2; Ps 2:8). Sheba was a tribe of northern Arabs, descendants of Abraham (Gn 25:3), who had raided property owned by Job's son (Job 1:15). The queen challenged Solomon with hard questions and received satisfactory answers. She could see the Lord loved Israel, and she and Solomon exchanged numerous gifts.

10:23 All the stunning gold utensils and appointments described in this chapter were made possible from the outcome of the trading which Solomon carried on.

10:24 A tribute is a tax.

11:1–7 Solomon's downfall was his love for women. He had twice as many wives as concubines, many of them likely political marriages. God had clearly warned Israel not to intermarry with foreign women (Ex 34:16; Dt 7:1–4) for just the reason that defeated Solomon: he turned after their idols. At the height of his reign, he fell into evil in the sight of the Lord (v. 7).

11:10–12 In His displeasure, the Lord divided the kingdom, leaving Solomon with one tribe, Judah, later joined by Benjamin. These two tribes were commonly called the south or southern kingdom.

11:13 Two old enemies of Israel, Hadad of Edom and Rezon of Damascus, rose up against Solomon.

11:27–29 The prophet Ahijah tore his garment into twelve pieces for the twelve tribes of Israel. Jeroboam would receive ten (the northern kingdom). Rehoboam, Solomon's son and successor, would receive two (the southern kingdom).

11:30–31 Solomon's idolatry divided his kingdom because the worship of false gods destroys unity. However, the southern kingdom was left for the sake of the Incarnation, for David's true Son would reign forever over His own unified kingdom.

12:5–7 The elders advised Rehoboam to be a servant to the people, but he rejected their counsel (v. 12) and accepted that of the young men (v. 13). This acceptance divided his kingdom, for Rehoboam would rather be a dictator than a servant. However, when Jesus the King took the form of a servant (Php 2:7), He taught us that the one who governs must be as one who serves (Lk 22:26). Godly service unites, for genuine humility characterizes the kingdom of God.

12:14 The Holy Spirit, “who spoke by the prophets” (Creed), spoke by the prophet Ahijah.

12:20 The word of God is the Son and Word of the Father, who spoke to the man of God. The prophet Shemaiah calls Him “the Lord” in v. 22, for He is one in essence and coequal with the Father.

12:23 The numbers here contradict those given in 14:1. According to some scholars, this was likely due to the error of a copyist.

12:24 In 11:23, Jeroboam's mother was said to be “a widow,” but here she is said to be a prostitute. Apparently she was both.

12:30 The word of the Lord was with the prophet Ahijah. “The word” is the Son, and “the Lord” is the Father. Therefore, what is said by the prophet is from both the Father and the Son.

12:49 In 11:35, the Lord promised Jeroboam his kingdom would endure if he rejected idolatry and obeyed the Lord's commandments, as David had done. But Jeroboam deliberated and came to the wrong judgment. He feared the ten tribes would “return to the house of David” (v. 47). Deceived by his reasoning, he then rejected the Lord's promise and set up idolatrous worship. But unlike him, let us meditate and deliberate day and night in the Lord's commandments, and let us keep them so as to prosper (Ps 1).

13:6 Jeroboam humbled himself before the man of God and begged him to intercede before the Lord on his behalf. So the Lord honored his humility and restored his hand. Salvation begins and ends with humility (JohnChr), but Jeroboam's humility was short-lived; for he failed to worship the very Lord who showed him such mercy.

13:7–25 The man of God could not be enticed by the king's reward, because the Lord's commandment was clear that he was not to dine in that place, nor return the way he came. But the word of the old prophet clearly contradicted the Lord's commandment (v. 18). Deceived by this word, he followed the old prophet home (v. 19). His disobedience would cost him his life (vv. 22–25). This was an example of Heb 12:6: “For whom the Lord loves He chastens, and scourges every son whom He receives” (JohnCas). He was chastened so as not to “be condemned with the world” (1Co 11:32). However, Jeroboam, knowing all this, “did not turn from his evil way” (v. 32); thus he was condemned with the world.

14:1 The Lord chose to place His name in the city of Jerusalem (see also 8:14, 42; 11:33), where He first established His Church at Pentecost. The name He established there in the Church was that of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, the name into which we are baptized (Mt 28:18–20).

14:2–4 Rehoboam and other kings like him in Judah and in Israel built other places of worship because they did not respect the Lord's name, which He established in Jerusalem. They were disobedient conspirators. They did not know the true God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

14:10 Rehoboam and Jeroboam never knew peace, only war, for they did not know and obey the Author of peace, the Lord God of Israel.

15:3 David's heart was perfect toward the Lord his God because his heart was characterized by repentance when he sinned (Ps 50), and because he did everything the Lord commanded him (v. 5). However, Abijam's heart was not perfect toward the Lord his God because he was neither repentant toward Him nor obedient to Him.

15:28 The Lord who spoke by His servant Ahijah the Shilonite is the Holy Spirit.

16:7 3Kingd 16:7, 12, 42: The Lord who spoke by the prophets Jehu and Joshua is again the Holy Spirit.

16:24 Omri built Samaria, and eventually Gentiles inhabited the area and intermarried with the Jews. When Jesus lived in Palestine, Samaria was located between Judea and Galilee, but the Jews of Judea and Galilee would “have no dealings with Samaritans” (Jn 4:9). But Jesus did, for He revealed Himself as the Christ to the woman at the well (Jn 4:25, 26), and His story about the Good Samaritan is now very famous (Lk 10).

16:42 The Holy Spirit spoke by the prophet Joshua and warned against rebuilding the city of Jericho (Jos 6:16). Whoever would rebuild the city would lose his oldest and youngest sons. In Hiel's case, it was his sons Abiram and Segub. Thus we see Hiel's folly in disobeying the prophecy of Scripture (see also 2Pt 1:20, 21).

17:1 When prophets like Elijah prophesied, they did so in the Lord's name, for the Lord revealed the prophecy to them. However, when Jesus prophesied, He said, “I say to you,” for He Himself is the Lord who revealed Himself to the Old Testament prophets.

17:2–5 The word is the Word and Son of God. It was He who commanded the ravens, and it was He whom Elijah obeyed. It was He with whom Elijah and Moses appeared on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt 17:4).

17:10–11 Elijah was very poor, but he made others rich, “for it is better to be rich for others than for oneself” (AmbM). While Elijah became poor to make the widow rich, Jesus became poor for the sake of many (2Co 8:9).

17:12–13 The woman was threatened not only by poverty but by death itself, not only for herself but also for her son. But her faith in the Lord would overcome both (JohnChr).

17:14–16 The woman was greater in hospitality than Father Abraham. For he ran to his herd to fetch a calf and provided from his wealth. But this woman had nowhere to run to provide for the prophet (JohnChr). Neither the flour nor the oil ran out, because the Lord multiplied these things for the woman and her children. So too, when this same Lord multiplied the fish and the loaves, the multitude should have connected this with what He did for the widow (Mt 14; 15).

17:20 Elijah did not command the child to return from the dead. Rather, he cried out to the Lord to restore him. This same Lord also demonstrated His power over death after He became incarnate, especially when He trampled down death by His death and Resurrection (1Co 15:54, 55).

17:21 Elijah in a mystery stretched himself over the child three times, for the number three is a sacred number. It points to the Blessed and Holy Trinity and to the death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ. We are baptized in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and we are united to Christ in His death, burial and Resurrection.

18:1–12 The word is the Son of God, and the Spirit is the Holy Spirit. The Lord (v. 12) is the Father, for the Word is the Word of the Father, and the Spirit is the Spirit of the Father. Moreover, the Word is a Person, as indicated by the pronoun I, for the Word says, I will send rain on the earth; and this statement indicates the Word's divinity. Then too, “the Spirit” is a Person, which is indicated by the phrase, shall carry you.

18:2 So Elijah went, for he obeyed the Word and Son of God. Also after “the Word became flesh” (Jn 1:14), Elijah appeared with Him on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mt 17:3).

18:3–12 The beginning point of wisdom in any person is the fear of the Lord (Ps 110:10; Pr 1:7). Obadiah feared the Lord from his youth, and he learned to fear the Lord greatly. Thus, he was well experienced in the Lord, and he feared the Lord more than he feared Ahab and Jezebel, which is shown by his hiding a hundred of the Lord's prophets (v. 4).

18:7 Obadiah's fear of the Lord is also shown by his deep respect for the prophet Elijah. We, too, show this same respect when we venerate his icon and the icon of the Transfiguration. Many Orthodox churches are named after St. Elijah, also known as St. Elias.

18:12–14 Obadiah is not showing cowardice when he says, “But he will kill me.” For he risked his life when he hid the hundred prophets of the Lord. Rather, his statement shows we should not put ourselves in harm's way needlessly. This was also true of the Lord Jesus: “After these things Jesus walked in Galilee; for He did not want to walk in Judea, because the Jews sought to kill Him” (Jn 7:1).

18:15–16 Both Elijah and Obadiah were brave and courageous in the Lord. Elijah had no fear of appearing in the presence of Ahab, because he always stood in the presence of One greater than Ahab, namely, “the Lord of hosts.” “For he was always eager to make himself fit to appear before God with a pure heart, and to submit to His will, and His will alone” (AthanG). Obadiah as well had no fear of telling Ahab that Elijah wanted to see him. Their courage is one of the four general virtues that produce all the other virtues.

18:17–18 Elijah and Ahab obviously present two contradictory judgments. Which one was actually troubling Israel? It was time to settle things. For which is the true God in the eyes of Israel, the Lord or Baal? Was Elijah the true prophet, or were the 850 prophets of Baal? The answers would soon become evident (vv. 20–40).

18:19–20 The 450 prophets were called prophets of shame because of their anger and wrath. For their worship was filled with passion (v. 28). But Elijah was free from this shame. “Let us free ourselves of this demon [of wrath]. At its first beginning, let us quench it. Let us put the sign of the cross on our breast, as it were a curb. Wrath is a shameless dog, but let it learn to hear the law of Christ” (JohnChr).

18:21 The people were indecisive about the true God, and their double-mindedness was destroying their souls. Is the true God Baal or the Lord? Baal was the name of a presiding deity in a community of deities; therefore, the worship of Baal included that of many gods. But if the presiding deity were overcome, so would all the rest be. The people would soon discover anew that the Lord is the one true God.

18:30–39 Fire and water are obviously opposed to one another. So if the Lord makes them operate in harmony and friendly cooperation, He is clearly the true God. The water filled the furrow, then the fire fell from heaven. In all this, Elijah proclaimed Christian baptism. “Now in this, by that marvelous sacrifice, Elijah clearly proclaimed to us the sacramental rite of Baptism that would be instituted by Christ. For the fire was kindled by water, poured out three times upon the sacrifice. Thus, it is clearly shown that where the mystic water is, there is the kindling, warm, and fiery Spirit of God, who burns up impurity, and illuminates the faithful” (GrgNy).

19:4 Elijah was not attached to this transient life, for his vision was life in the world to come. “Holy men have often lamented their lengthy dwelling here” (AmbM). St. Paul also longed to depart to be with Christ (Php 1:21–24).

19:10 The children of Israel forsook the Lord because an angry and wrathful temper took hold of them, for God cannot be known in that kind of disposition. He can only be known in and through the virtues, such as gentleness.

19:11–12 The Holy Spirit (a great and powerful wind) manifests His grace in a variety of ways in prayer. In some He “rends the mountains” of sinful passions and “shatters the rocks” of hardened hearts. In others He is like “an earthquake,” which is an inward sense of jubilation or exultation. Yet again in others, He is a nonmaterial fire. Finally, in others He is “a gentle breeze,” which occurs when Christ comes to dwell in the heart, as St. Paul said in Eph 3:17 (GrgSinai).

19:13 The Son of God (a Voice) came to Elijah, who called Him “the Lord Almighty” (v. 14) and “the Lord” (v. 15) Elijah was obedient to Him (v. 19).

19:18 Although God's promises were made to the whole nation of Israel, only a remnant of seven thousand were saved in Elijah's day. St. Paul calls these “a remnant according to the election of grace” (Rom 11:2–5). The apostle also points out that election is based on foreknowledge (Rom 8:29; 11:2), for the Lord knows ahead of time those who are worthy. “By saying ‘election,’ Paul showed their approval, and by saying ‘grace,’ he showed the gift of God” (JohnChr).

20:3 Naboth was a man of discernment, righteousness, courage, and self-control; therefore, he rejected Ahab's request.

20:4 Ahab's spirit was disturbed because his desire to purchase Naboth's vineyard was frustrated. His frustrated desire produced anger and depression in him, and ultimately murder, for he lacked those virtues seen in Naboth.

20:20 Ahab sold himself to do evil, which he committed by his own free will, for he was not forced to sin by any necessity imposed on him by his human nature. Truly, like Ahab, we sell ourselves to commit sins by our own free choice, as St. Paul points out in Rom 7:14.

20:25 Nor did Ahab's wife Jezebel force Ahab to sin, although she led him astray. For Ahab followed his wifés advice because he willed it of his own free choice. In this choice, he was like Adam of old, who ate from the forbidden tree because he was deceived by Eve.

21:1–3 The son of Hadad the king of Syria was an icon of covetousness: Your silver and your gold are mine; your wives and your children are mine; therefore, the Lord was opposed to him. But only the Lord can deliver us from king covetousness (v. 13). Covetousness is one of the sinful passions that defiles a person (Mk 7:22, 23). In another place, Jesus warns, “Take heed and beware of covetousness, for onés life does not consist in the abundance of the things he possesses” (Lk 12:15).

21:23 The king of Syria was an icon of a heretic, for his servants convinced him, saying, The God of Israel is a god of the mountains, and not a god of the valleys. For they believed God was circumscribed, and therefore limited and contained within creation. To refute this reasoning, the Lord delivered Israel from the king (v. 28). Thus, the Lord is at war with heresy because it opposes the salvation of mankind. He circumscribes His creation, yet He is present within it, seeking to save the lost. For although He is uncontained by creation, He became incarnate to save it.

22:10 The king of Israel and the king of Judah were sitting on their thrones, but the Lord was also sitting on His throne, reigning over the affairs of men (v. 19). All the host of heaven were also around His throne. The Lord then sent “a deceiving spirit” (v. 22) to deceive Ahab through all his false prophets. But there was only one true prophet among them, Micaiah. Likewise, throughout Church history there have been many false prophets and a few true ones: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world” (1Jn 4:1). Since biblical times, the true prophets are the Holy Fathers of the Church, who have handed down the true teachings of the Holy Scriptures to us.

1:3–4 The prophet Elijah teaches us that God can step into the lives and condition of His people any time He pleases.

1:8 The outward appearance and spirit of Elijah are recognizable in John the Baptist, “the second Elijah” (Mt 3:4).

1:9–15 “Two princes and a hundred who were with them were burned, because they approached the mountain on which Elijah was sitting, who ascended in a chariot of fire to heaven.... Accordingly, beloved, the righteous shall be tried by the fire, like gold and silver and goodly stones, and the wicked shall be burned in the fire like straw and reed and stubble, and the fire shall have power upon them and they shall be burned” (AphP).

1:10 Elijah's word brought the consuming fire down from heaven, the same consuming fire made known in Nm 11:1 and spoken of by the apostles (Lk 9:54).

2:1 As Enoch (Gn 5:24) was translated to heaven without experiencing his own death, so too was Elijah – thus making known to us that God alone has the keys of life, death, and the grave.

2:6 The Jordan River is a type of baptism, a crossing over from this fallen world to our promised inheritance – life in the world to come. Christ fulfills this promise through His Incarnation and His baptism (Mk 1:9).

2:1–8 The name Gilgal speaks of faith and hope in God as opposed to faith in the fallen world. This is where Joshuás men, in obedience and love of God, were circumcised to cut themselves off from this earthly realm. Gilgal literally means “a rolling,” for the Lord had rolled away Israel's reproach in Egypt (Jos 5:9). Thus, Elijah leaves the place of rolling, Gilgal, and in zeal and faith enters into Bethel, the “house of God” – the heavenly realm.

2:8–14 Moses foreshadowed baptism when he parted the Red Sea (Ex 14:16–23). Joshua parted the River Jordan with the ark of the covenant (Jos 3:13–17), and so did Elijah and Elisha when they struck the River Jordan with Elijah's mantle. “O how great is the virtue of the Saints! Not only their words; not only their bodies, but even their very garments are always esteemed venerable by the whole creation. The sheepskin of this man divided the Jordan!” (JohnChr).

2:11 The manner of Elijah being separated from Elisha shows the power and authority of God. “Because Elijah restrained the desire of the body, he withheld rain from the adulterous; because he kept his body under control, he withheld dew from the whoremongers, who let their fountains be loosely poured out. Because the hidden fire of the lust of the body did not rule in him, to him the fire from on high was obedient. And since he subdued on the earth the lust of the flesh, he went up there where holiness dwells and is at peace” (EphS).

2:12 He saw Elijah no more: Like Elijah, Moses also disappeared, for “no one knows his grave to this day” (Dt 34:6). The ministries or offices of Moses and Elijah, representing the law and the prophets of God, are fulfilled in Christ (Mt 17:3).

2:13 “For Elijah left a sheepskin [mantle] to his disciple, but the Son of God ascending left to us His own flesh! Elijah indeed, cast off his mantle, before he went up; but Christ left it behind for our sakes; and yet retained it when He ascended. Let us not then be cast down. Let us not lament, nor fear the difficulty of the times, for He who did not refuse to pour out His blood for all, and has suffered us to partake of His flesh and of His blood again, what will He refuse to do for our safety?” (JohnChr).

2:15 The sons of the prophets show proper reverence in the presence of the holy prophet Elisha, a foreshadowing of apostolic succession.

2:19–22 As the Lord healed the waters of Jericho with salt, so the incarnate Christ brings renewal to all of creation.

2:23–25 Like Elisha before the youths, Christ will also be mocked (Lk 18:32). “For what is, ‘Go up!’? ‘Crucify Him! Crucify Him!’ For childhood is set before us to imitate humility, and... to beware of foolishness” (Aur).

3:18 What is impossible for us is easy for the Lord (Lk 1:37).

4:1–44 In this chapter, Elisha experiences the double portion of Elijah's spirit (2:9) in performing five miracles: multiplying the poor widow's oil (vv. 1–7); providing a son to the good Shunammite in her old age (vv. 8–17); raising the lifeless child to life (vv. 18–27); healing the death in the pottage (vv. 38–41); and feeding a hundred men with twenty small loaves (vv. 42–44).

4:1–7 This account demonstrates the wondrous acts of Christ's charity made manifest through those faithful to Him and in whom His goodness is magnified (see also Mt 14:20; 18:25).

4:11–17 This account of a miraculous birth to one who has found favor with God helps prepare the nation Israel for the coming miraculous birth of the Savior from one also favored by God (Lk 1:30). “For, because no one would easily have believed that a virgin could bear a child, barren women first did so, then such as were not only barren, but aged also... to prepare the way for belief in the Virgin's travail” (JohnChr).

4:29–31 Elishás staff, which failed to raise the child, is like the law. Neither of them, apart from the Word, can save mankind.

4:32–35 Here displayed is the power of fervent prayer from the heart of one who loves God and his neighbor (Mt 6:6). It is this same power that is given to Christ's apostles (Acts 20:10).

4:37 See Heb 11:35.

4:42–44 This is similar to Christ's miracle of the loaves of barley found in Jn 6:9–14.

5:1 Regarding Naaman the stranger (Gentile) from Syria, see Lk 4:27.

5:10–11 “Elisha did not so much as see Naaman for though he perceived that Naaman was offended at his not coming out and touching him – observing the strictness of the law – he abides at home, and sends Naaman to the River Jordan to wash. Whereas the Lord – to signify that He heals not as a servant but as absolute master – doth also touch (Mt 8:2, 3). For His hand did not take on the uncleanness of the leprosy, but instead the leprous body was rendered clean and renewed by His holy hand. For as we know, He came not to heal bodies only, but also to lead the soul unto self-control” (JohnChr).

5:14 “It was not for nothing that Naaman of old, when suffering from leprosy, was purified upon his being baptized, but [it served] as an indication to us. For as we are lepers in sin, we are made clean by means of the sacred water and the invocation of the Lord” (Iren).

5:15–19 See Jn 9, and compare Naaman's experience to that of the blind man.

5:1–27 “Yes, and yet again his disciple Elisha, when Naaman the Syrian, who was diseased with leprosy, had come to him as a suppliant, cleanses the sick man by washing him in the Jordan, clearly indicating what should come, both by the use of water generally, and by the dipping in the river in particular. For Jordan alone of rivers, receiving in itself the first-fruits of sanctification and benediction, conveyed in its channel to the whole world, as it were from some fount in the type afforded by itself, the grace of Baptism. These then are indications in deed and act of regeneration by Baptism” (GrgNy).

5:27 “Though he took not by violence, yet he did a wrong; for to get money by deceit is a wrong” (JohnChr).

6:1–7 The sons of the prophets were humble and impoverished, indicated by the borrowed ax.

6:4–7 St. John Chrysostom indicates the water was a type of baptismal water, the ax head a type of one who is baptized, and the stick, a type of the cross. We who were drowning like iron in sin and death rise to new life in baptism through the cross of Jesus Christ and begin a journey to heaven.

6:6 “This event is an indication of the fact that when the holy soul of Christ descended [to Hades], many souls ascended and were seen in their bodies. For just as the wood, the lighter body, was submerged in the water, so the iron, the heavier one, floated. Thus, when the Word of God became one with flesh, by a physical and hypostatic union, the heavy and terrestrial body, having been rendered immortal, was borne up into heaven by the divine nature, after the resurrection” (Iren).

6:8–23 The Syrian king believed wrongly that the power of his earthly kingdom could contain and control the prophet of God.

6:17 Through the intercession of the prophet (Heb 1:14), the eyes of his newly tested servant, whose faith was yet easily shaken, became opened to the divine presence surrounding him. In the Divine Liturgy, immediately before the Gospel, we pray, “Open the eyes of our mind to the understanding of Your Gospel teaching.” St. Ambrose writes that Elishás servant saw “numberless hosts of angels.”

7:1, 2 In the midst of man's unbelief, the Lord brings a promise of deliverance. Those who doubt God's power and authority will witness the fulfillment of the promise given, but will not participate in it. The prophecy comes to pass in 7:18–20.

7:15–16 The word of the Lord proves true and lasting, while the kingdoms of this fallen world pass away (Mt 24:35; 1Co 1:9; 1Th 5:24; 1Pt 1:25).

8:1–6 By following the warning of the Lord through Elisha, the Shunammite woman and her household were not only protected from danger, but their place was kept intact for seven years. This passage may not be in chronological order, for Gehazi had been stricken with leprosy earlier (5:27).

8:11 As did His prophets, the Lord Himself wept tears over the lost condition of His people (Lk 19:41).

8:12–19 Hazael freely wills to fulfill Elishás prophecy, because his heart is evil. But God will use this evil for good by oppressing Israel to curb their sins (v. 19), so they might not completely destroy themselves (13:22).

9:1–3 Jehu is made king over Israel to cleanse the land and prepare it for restoration. He will avenge God's prophets (v. 7) and righteous Naboth (v. 26), kill the evil kings of Judah and Israel (vv. 24, 27), fulfill Elijah's prophecy against Jezebel (vv. 30–37; see 3Kg 20:23) and Ahab (10:17; see 3Kg 20:21), and destroy Baal from Israel (10:28).

11:1–20 Jehosheba hides young Joash in the house of the Lord until he can take his place as the leader of his people (v. 12). So, too, Miriam hid Moses (Ex 2:3); Rahab hid the spies (Josh 2:4); and Joseph and Mary hid the Christ-Child in Egypt (Mt 2:13) until the proper time.

12:2–3 While under the guidance of the priest Jehoiada, who made a covenant with the Lord (11:17), Joash did what was right before God. And though persuaded not to remove the high places, he did order the repair of the house of the Lord and did so with trust and honor (v. 15; Mt 24:45).

13:5 A savior was given by the Lord to renew and recreate what was before (Lk 1:11), because Israel called out to Him.

13:21 There are those who struggle with the idea of keeping relics of saints, doubting they have any special significance. Here, the bones of a departed saint bring a dead man back to life. St. Cyril comments, “Is a dead man raised to life on touching the bones of Elisha, and is it not much easier for the Maker of mankind to be raised by the power of the Father? Well then, He truly rose, and after He had risen was seen again of the disciples... are you still incredulous in regard to His Resurrection?” (See also Jn 5:25, 28, 29.)

14:8 The idiom look one another in the face means going to battle, as shown by 14:11, 12.

14:26–27 Though Israel had turned from the Lord and become bitter, nonetheless He kept His promise to never blot them out. Similarly, the Lord has promised His Church, “I am with you always” (Mt 28:20).

15:1–5 Uzziah, contemporary of the prophet Isaiah (Is 6:1), was arrogant in his self-rule and brought upon himself the wrath of the Lord, who struck him with leprosy.

15:20 Menahem is an evil king who uses money as a means to keep the enemy from striking; but Israel's destruction is imminent. In contrast, the Lord Jesus Christ, the righteous King, gives Himself as a ransom to save mankind (Mt 20:28), thereby crushing the head of His enemy, Satan.

15:30 Through conspiracy and murder, Hoshea fulfilled his desire to become king over Israel (9:14; 11:1, 14; 12:21; 14:19; 15:10, 25). He was the last king to reign in Israel.

16:1–20 Ahaz the king of Judah would openly turn his back on both God and Israel in order to form an alliance with a known enemy of God and His people, the king of Assyria (v. 7). He took treasure from the house of the Lord (v. 8) and compromised its altar and its priest (vv. 14, 15).

17:1–23 Israel's destruction was at hand, with Assyria being the final enemy power. The kings and the people long ago had freely given themselves over to idolatry and sin (v. 17). The generations that passed from the first king of the divided Israel (3Kg 12:23–31) to Hoshea, the last (17:6), are a testimony to the long-suffering mercy of God, who held off judgment until this time. The Jews knew the pathway to the one true God, but secretly they forsook Him, choosing to walk apart from His statutes (v. 13), disobey Him (v. 14), and turn to idolatry (v. 6).

17:24–41 The Gentile nations – the Assyrians and others – though idolaters, still came to fear the Lord (v. 28).

18:1–8 Hezekiah is the first king since David to keep the Lord's commandments (v. 6), to restore right worship for the people, and to honor Him as True God. Even so, he was unable to prevent the captivity foretold to him in his later days (20:18), accepting it with trust in the Lord.

18:4 The spiritual reality of the bronze serpent made by Moses (Nm 21:9) is lost and its meaning worthless.

18:7 The Lord was with Hezekiah, for in faith He waited on the Lord and the promise of His Incarnation (Mt 1:22, 23).

18:13–19 This account is also recorded in Isaiah 36:1–39:8.

18:16 Hezekiah's priority is not the temple gold but the preservation of the remnant in Judah (19:4).

18:28–35 Rabshakeh's words are those of a false prophet and a blasphemer (see 19:6). He accuses King Hezekiah of the deceit he himself practices, and tempts the people with false promises that twist the promises of God. Well does Isaiah describe Assyriás role in the history of Israel (Is 10:5–14).

18:36 The command echoes Isaiah's prophecy, “He opened not His mouth” (Is 53:7).

19:1–7 Hezekiah is a humble man who calls on the Lord and seeks His direction by way of His prophets. The Lord turned back the immediate threat of the enemy (v. 7).

19:19 See Ps 82:18.

19:31 Isaiah's prophecy regarding the remnant will find its fulfillment and completion in the Incarnation of the Word of God and the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost (Acts 2).

20:1–6 The Lord overturns His words spoken to Hezekiah by Isaiah because of Hezekiah's prayers and heartfelt tears. “What can be clearer than this proof that out of consideration for mercy and goodness the Lord would rather break His word, and instead of the prearranged limit of death, extend the life of him who prayed, for fifteen years, rather than be found inexorable because of His unchangeable decree?” (JohnCas).

20:11 Here the Lord, to answer the prayer of Isaiah for the sake of Hezekiah, overcomes the laws of nature by turning back time (v. 11), as measured on the sun dial.

20:12–21 When the heart “is estranged from the business of self-examination, it does not even consider the losses it is suffering, or know how great they are. For neither did Hezekiah believe himself to be sinning when he showed his treasures to the strangers. When in heart we transgress, what we are doing within ourselves is hidden from men. Yet in the eyes of the Judge, we sin” (GrgGt).

21:1, 2 As long as Manasseh was “free” to live according to his passions, he remained in bondage to them. But when the Lord allowed him to be taken into captivity, he found repentance and was restored to his kingdom (2Ch 33:13). “Now if, considering the magnitude of his own iniquities, he had despaired of restoration and repentance, he would have missed all which he afterwards obtained. But as it was, looking to the boundlessness of God's tender mercy instead of the enormity of his transgressions, and having broken in sunder the bonds of the devil, he rose up and contended with him, and finished the good course” (Dion).

21:3 Here, all the host of heaven is not the saints and the angels to which this phrase usually refers. Rather, these are the fallen hosts, as is clear in 23:5.

22:1, 2 Josiah is a model for all who seek through repentance and obedience to God to be cleansed, renewed, and restored. By not turning aside to the right or to the left, Josiah stayed in the center of God's will, not attempting to test the outer limits of His love and grace.

22:11–13 When Josiah heard the words of the Book of Law, he immediately realized his kingdom had strayed from God, and took steps to bring reform. According to St. Paul, “the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ” (Gal 3:24), “for by the law is the knowledge of sin” (Rom 3:20).

23:1–3 How do we bring renewal to God's people? The King Josiah began by exposing them to the hearing and learning of God's word. He gathered to himself all the elders and all the people, for both the leaders and the laity must live by God's revelation.

23:4–9 A second step in renewal is to bring out of the temple... all the articles made for Baal. Following the Lord includes both hearing and obeying His word and intentionally rejecting darkness.

23:16–20 Josiah fulfills a prophecy spoken by a prophet of the Lord more than three hundred years earlier (3Kg 13:2, 3).

23:21–25 “Love faith. For by his devotion and faith Josiah won great love for himself from his enemies. For he celebrated the Lord's Passover... as no one had done it before him. As then in zeal, he was superior to those who went before him. So do you, my sons, show zeal for God. Let zeal for God search you through, and devour you, so that each one of you may say, ‘The zeal of Thine house hath eaten me up’” (AmbM).

23:26–37 Even though Josiah was Judah's most righteous king (v. 25), the kings who succeeded him lapsed back into evil. In Israel of old, as in the Church today, the work of renewal is never finished. True and lasting peace and righteousness will come only through the reign of Christ in His everlasting kingdom.

24:1 The Chaldeans are the people of the south of Babylon.

24:10–17 The totality of the siege of Jerusalem is remarkable. The king and his family and court are imprisoned (v. 12), the temple and the king's house are dismantled (v. 13), and the army is in captivity (v. 14).

24:18 Zedekiah, the new king of Judah, was more like a prince or regent, serving under his father.

25:1–7 The physical siege of Jerusalem is completed, and the king is blinded and removed to Babylon.

25:8–17 Once the city is captured, the temple, the house of the Lord, is cleaned out and laid bare. In Jerusalem every house was burned. The tall pillars of the temple were torn down. The capital (v. 17) is the top or dome of the pillar.

25:27–30 Even after the murder of Gedaliah (25:25), the book ends on a note of hope. Jehoiachin is freed from prison and given a measure of freedom as God's people remain in exile.

1:1–44 The first nine chapters of this book are genealogies. They run from Adam to Noah (1:1–4); Noah to Abraham (1:5–15); Abraham to Jacob or Israel (1:16–22); Israel to David (2:1–15); and from the sons of David through the sons of Solomon (3:1–24). Then follow the genealogies of the twelve tribes (4:1–8:40); of the remnant who will return to Jerusalem after the captivity (9:1–24); and of Saul (9:35–44). Genealogies are hidden treasures which should not be passed over, for they serve to remind us of two all-encompassing truths: (1) the reality of our inheritance from Adam: that we live, suffer, have children, and die. We cannot save ourselves (Rom 5:14), and need a Savior; and (2) that God created us in His image, He loves His creation, and He is endlessly interacting in history in order to restore creation to Himself.

1:1–4 In these verses Adam and Noah typify Christ, the “Beginning and the End” (Rev 22:13). Adam, the first man, brought death into the world; but Christ's death will destroy death (1Co 15:45–47). By faith Noah built the ark and saved his household from the flood (Heb 11:7); likewise Christ will build His Church, beginning with His twelve apostles, through which He will bring all who are baptized into new and eternal life.

1:10–15 Nimrod: See Gn 10:8–12. The genealogy from Shem to Abraham, like that from Adam to Noah (vv. 1–4), again points to Christ, “the First and the Last” (Rev 22:13). Like Christ, Shem, Noah's youngest, is first because of his humility (see Gn 9:24–27); and Abram, because of his faith, will become Abraham (v. 15), the “father of us all” (Rom 4:16).

2:3 The genealogy of Judah establishes King David's ancestry (v. 15). Christ's genealogy in the New Testament books of Matthew and Luke will complete David's royal lineage by showing Him to be both Son of God and Son of Man (see Mt 1:3–6; Lk 3:31–33).

3:1–9 Note that the sons of David born in Hebron (vv. 1–4) are listed separately from his sons born in Jerusalem (vv. 5–9). Since Abraham and Sarah lived and were buried there (Gn 25:10), Hebron can be seen as a type of the old covenant, Jerusalem a type of the new, heavenly city. Thus, just as David's long reign in Jerusalem surpassed his shorter reign in Hebron, and just as Solomon surpassed Absalom (2Kg 18:15–18), so Christ's eternal reign with His Church, the “city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb 12:22), will surpass the old covenant under Abraham.

3:10–24 The genealogy of the sons of Solomon. Note how the lineage is given in few words, compared to the listing of the kings of Edom (1:43–54), where each king “died,” and another “reigned in his place.” In spite of personal faults, Christ's royal ancestors point directly to Him.

4:1–23 The genealogy of Judah is the first given from the twelve tribes of Israel, as Jacob's promise was on Judah's head (Gn 49:8–12). Christ, the Son of God, will be born from Judah's line.

4:9, 10 The story of Jabez affirms the message hidden in the surrounding genealogies: God gives grace to the humble and humbles the proud (1Pt 5:5) in order to save man from pain (sin, suffering, and death).

5:1–24 Reuben, Gad, and the half-tribe of Manasseh inhabited Gilead (vv. 9, 10) on the east side of the Jordan (later called Decapolis). These will be among the first people to receive the gospel (Mt 4:25; Mk 5:20).

5:2 The phrase from him came a ruler confirms that the promise made to Judah by his father Jacob (Gn 49:8–10) came to pass in King David.

5:25–26 The faithful must be vigilant and continue to trust in God. It is when we think we can stand on our own through God's blessing in the past that the enemy is able to bring us down.

6:1–38 The priests who offer sacrifices are directly descended from Levi and Aaron through Eleazar. Aaron's other sons, Nadab and Abihu, died because of their sins (Lv 10:1–3; Ex 3:2); and Ithamar's line was cut off because of the sins of Elís sons (1Kg 3:10–14). Just as Judah's line is fulfilled in Christ the King, so the Levitical line is fulfilled in Christ, the “High Priest” (Heb 8:1).

6:16–33 Those descended from Levi but not through Aaron are listed. The prophet Samuel (v. 13) and the musicians (vv. 16, 17) are from this lineage (v. 13). This Old Testament picture continues in the Church today. The priests serve at the altar. But all the faithful together form a “royal priesthood” in service to the Church.

6:39–66 Just as the rest of the tribes must give part of their inheritance to the Levites, so the faithful today are called to give of themselves to the work of the Lord.

7:1–40 The genealogies of Issachar, Benjamin, Naphtali, Manasseh, and Asher include the numbers of men fit for battle, while the genealogy of Ephraim ends with Joshua (v. 27), the greatest warrior of all.

7:20–29 Ephraim receives new hope when his wife conceives after his other sons are tragically murdered. Ephraim, Joseph's second son, is seen as a type of the new covenant in Christ (see Gn 41:51–52). Note that Joshua, the Old Testament's powerful type of Christ, comes from Ephraim's line (v. 27).

8:1–40 A more detailed genealogy of Benjamin is given, probably because Saul comes from this line (v. 33).

9:1, 2 The phrase those to whom permission had been given almost certainly deals with those who returned after the exile (Neh 11). Thus, the genealogies of Israel from Adam until Ezrás time are completed, and the stage is set to start anew with an overview of the history of Judah, beginning with the death of Saul.

9:17–27 Just as the gatekeepers stood guard at the doors of the tabernacle, so we in the Church are called to guard the truth of our faith and to keep watch over the living temples of our souls.

10:1–13 The genealogy ends, and the history of Israel continues with a brief description of Saul's defeat and death at the hands of the Philistines. The Philistines think they have won the victory against Israel by displaying Saul's head in their idolatrous temple. Similarly, when Christ descends into hell, the devil will think he has won when in fact he has lost.

11:1–9 Recognizing David as the true deliverer and king, the people witness him anointed king. This event is described as being according to the word of the Lord, showing that they are at last choosing the better way.

11:4–9 These events foreshadow the establishment of the Church of Christ, which is “Mount Zion... the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb 12:22).

11:9, 10 David grew ever stronger because he was not alone: the Lord Almighty and his mighty men were with him.

11:15–19 In this account, David represents all mankind. The powers of darkness, represented by the Philistines, hold the world captive. David's longing is like the thirsty soul that cries out for God. As always, water symbolizes baptism from death into life through the “living water,” that is, the Holy Spirit whom Christ sends (Jn 7:37–39).

11:20–29 David's mighty warriors are earthly types of the angelic hosts, who lead the battle against the powers of darkness (Dan 4:35).

12:1 David's soldiers, helpers in the war, symbolize the Church in battle, a force against which the gates of hell “shall not prevail” (Mt 16:18; see also Eph 6:10–18).

12:39 Israel had a loyal heart to make David king. The same is true among the faithful in the Church, as the apostle Paul writes, “having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind” (Php 2:2).

12:41 Issachar, Zebulun, and Naphtali refer to the areas where the light of Christ is revealed to those “who walked in darkness” (Is 9:1, 2).

13:1–8 In the Orthodox Church, the ark of God is seen as a type of the Virgin Mary, also called the Theotokos, the God-bearer, because she gave birth to the Son of God. Just as David and the people honor the ark with singing, so Christ and His Church honor the Mother of God with hymns of love and devotion: “More honorable than the cherubim and more glorious beyond compare than the seraphim, without defilement you gave birth to God the Word. True Theotokos, we magnify you!” On the Feast Day of the Entrance of the Theotokos into the Temple, the faithful sing, “As you are a living temple of God, let no impure hand touch you, O Theotokos!”

14:11 Here is a foreshadowing of baptism. David is remembering the cave of Adullam, where “the three broke through the camp of the Philistines” and brought him a drink of water (11:15–19).

14:13–17 The encircling of the pear trees is a powerful image, revealing to believers that angelic hosts are real, tangible forces who win the battle even before the earthly conflict has begun.

15:1, 2 The ark is carried to the City of David in the manner prescribed by Moses: on the shoulders of the Levites (Nm 4:11–15), who symbolize holiness. Because of her holy obedience, the Virgin Mary will become the living fulfillment of the ark. She will be the temple of Christ, who will be conceived in her. The Levitical priests prefigure the Christian clergy, who are ordained to minister, or serve, at the altar while the faithful worship the Holy Trinity.

15:25 Obed-Edom (lit. “red”) is symbolic of humanity enslaved to the flesh under the old covenant, but set free when joy, Christ Himself, enters the world.

15:26 The number seven in the Scriptures usually emphasizes the completion of the old and the beginning of the new.

15:27–29 Like David dancing before the ark, which contains the covenant, the unborn John the Baptist will leap for joy in the presence of Mary, whose womb will contain Christ Himself (Lk 1:41). Compare Michal, who despised David for his celebration before the Lord, to Herodias and her daughter, who danced before Herod despising the truth, and had John beheaded (Mt 14:3–12).

16:1–42 The worship described in this chapter bears many striking parallels to the Divine Liturgy; as St. Paul writes, “speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things” (Eph 5:19, 20). Christ's eternal sacrifice fulfills the burnt offerings; and David's blessing, along with the bread, prefigures the Eucharist. The musical instruments are fulfilled in the Church in the voices of the faithful, enabled in Christ to worship with clean hearts.

17:1–24 Just as the temple will not be built until David dies and Solomon is anointed king, so the Church will not be established until Christ our King ascends into heaven and sends the all-wise Holy Spirit. God's promises to David will never be completely fulfilled in the earthly Israel; but all of them will be fulfilled in the holy Church, the new Israel.

17:16 You have loved me forever: Although he may not fully comprehend it, David's prayer foreshadows God's promise of eternal life in Christ (Jn 3:16).

18:1–17 David attacks and subdues his enemies, expanding his kingdom and amassing wealth to be used in preparation for the building of the temple.

19:1–6 David's messengers were shaved at the hands of the unbelieving Ammonites, foreshadowing not only Christ's humiliation at the hands of the Gentile soldiers, who mocked Him, stripped Him, and divided His garments (Mt 27:27–35), but also the sufferings of His apostles and saints.

20:2–3 David, who in the previous chapter showed kindness to the people of Ammon and was rejected, ends up wearing their king's crown. Christ's crown of victory is the crown of thorns (Mt 27:29), given by those to whom He extended divine kindness.

20:4–8 The lesson that God “exalts the humble with salvation” (Ps 149:4) continues when Goliath's offspring, the last of whom was even bigger than Goliath (v. 6), are killed. David's great deed as a youth, accomplished with a mere sling and a stone (1Kg 17:40–50), is surpassed by his followers.

21:2 Beersheba to Dan means all of Israel from south to north.

21:9–13 David's three options can be seen as metaphors for the choices available to sinful man: (1) famine: man may choose spiritual starvation; (2) defeat: man may choose to remain captive to sin, suffering, and death; or (3) the sword of the Lord: man may decide that death with hope in God's mercies is better than death with no hope at all. David's choice shows that he has once again placed his hope in God.

21:14 Under the Law, death is the just sentence for all mankind (Rom 6:23); however, seventy thousand, a number suggesting completion, indicates hope that the Law will be overruled and death will end. Ambrose of Milan writes of this Hope, which is Christ Himself, “He who when He could take vengeance, chose instead to be sacrificed.”

21:15–16 The Lord... relented because His love overrules the law of death. At Jerusalem, the Lord Jesus also said “It is enough” to His disciples concerning the use of the sword (v. 16) for vengeance (Lk 22:38). The threshing floor represents Calvary, the place where Christ will trample down sin, suffering, and death once for all.

21:18–25 Just as David in obedience pays the full price, so the incarnate Christ will offer himself in order to end death. His death and Resurrection will create the conditions for man to receive forgiveness of sins, to die to himself, and to be raised up to newness of life.

21:26 Fire from heaven prefigures both Pentecost (Acts 2:3) and the Eucharist. In all three, the offering rises, and the Holy Spirit descends.

22:1–5 God's plan for David is to make preparations for the building of a house for the Lord under Solomon (chs. 17; 29).

22:8–10 David, a man of great wars, is a type of humanity under the Law, for God uses the law to subdue men and bring them to Christ (Gal 3:24, 25). Solomon, a man of rest, prefigures Jesus Christ, who is both Son of Man (David) and Son of God. The house for My name prefigures the Church, in which Christ's throne, the hearts of the faithful, will be established forever.

23:1–4 The Levites who will serve in the temple are numbered and their genealogy listed through v. 23.

23:30 The worshipers stood morning and evening before the Lord. Continuing this tradition, many Orthodox faithful throughout the world stand every day at Matins and Vespers, and during the other services.

24:1, 2 See text and note at 6:1–31.

25:1–31 The list of those who use their musical talents to serve the Lord fills an entire chapter. (See text and note at 16:1–42.)

26:1–32 Just as gatekeepers in David's time were needed to protect the temple and its treasury, so the faithful must constantly stand guard to keep the temple of their souls safe from the passions of the flesh.

27:1–34 These men can be seen as a type of the twelve apostles who follow Jesus. Note that the men are numbered in twelves and multiples of twelve. Even Judas is prefigured in Ahithophel and Joab, (v. 34), both of whom betray their king.

28:6 Just as David lays the groundwork for the work Solomon is to carry out, so the old covenant under the Law prepares the world for the new covenant in Christ. Like Solomon, Christ is both David's son and the Son of God. Having revealed God as Father, He will make Himself the very cornerstone of the house of God.

28:11–19 The dedicated things (v. 12): The articles used in worship and presented to Solomon represent Holy Tradition, beginning with the pattern for worship given to Moses (Ex 25:40), which was given in writing (v. 19) as Holy Scripture, and is fulfilled in the Church even to this day.

28:20 The Lord spoke these exact words to Joshua just before Israel crossed over the Jordan into the Promised Land (Jos 1:9). Joshua and Solomon are both types of Christ.

28:21 Like those who are appointed to serve Solomon, Christ's faithful followers will be with Him in service, using their talents to carry out His will.

29:1 God sometimes chooses the young and inexperienced (see 1Ti 4:12) to carry out the work of building his temple.

29:6–9 The worship described here foreshadows Orthodox Christian worship, where the faithful will offer themselves willingly and with their whole heart.

29:10–12 David's praises bear a striking resemblance to the Lord's Prayer (Mt 6:9–13). Under the old covenant, David cannot see the Trinity fully, for the Trinity has not yet been revealed. In Christ's Church, the faithful will be able to worship the Triune God “in spirit and truth” (Jn 4:24).

29:14 At one point in the Divine Liturgy, the deacon elevates the holy gifts while the bishop or presbyter speaks words very similar to David's: “Your own of Your own we offer unto You, in behalf of all and for all.”

29:15 The faithful are still strangers and sojourners on this earth, but are now in Christ, who has given us strength to run “the race that is set before us” (Heb 12:1–3).

29:21 A thousand is often a sign of abundance.

29:22 Ate and drank prefigures Communion, for the culmination of worship is partaking of the Holy Eucharist.

29:23–25 When Solomon was first made king, he prefigured Christ's entrance into Jerusalem. Now, upon the throne, he foreshadows the second and glorious coming of Christ.

1:1–17 Like Solomon, Christ will be established and magnified (v. 1); and like the king before the old altar (vv. 3–6), Christ will break bread with His disciples for the last time on earth (Lk 24:33–42). He will impart to them His own wisdom and understanding (v. 10; Lk 24:45). He will bear witness (v. 13) to them of His divinity. Then, He will ascend (Lk 24:50–53) into the heavenly Jerusalem (v. 13; Heb 12:22), bringing all creation with Him.

2:14 The wheat, barley, oil, and wine foreshadow the Eucharist.

2:16 The foreigners are types of the faithful from every nation who will be brought into the Church.

3:1 Threshing floor: See text and notes on 1Ch 21.

3:5–14 Neither in Israel nor in the Church was the second of the Ten Commandments (Ex 20:4) ever viewed as prohibiting images in worship. The warning is against false images or idols – like the golden calf. The carved (v. 7) and woven (v. 14) icons in the temple foreshadow icons in the Orthodox Church. Under the old covenant, all images in the temple are earthly except the cherubim (v. 7; see Is 37:6; Heb 9:5), which signify God's inconceivable majesty. When Christ brings heaven and earth together in His Church, the things of heaven are more clearly depicted. Until Christ comes again, icons will be used in worship as windows into heaven, for as St. Paul writes, “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face” (1Co 13:12).

3:8 Christ will fulfill the most holy place when He brings earth to heaven.

4:2–6 Christ, who is called the “lily of the valleys” (v. 5; SS 2:1), is also the sea of bronze; and the Holy Spirit is represented by the water. All who are cleansed in the basins or lavers of baptism have identified themselves with Christ's death, and have been raised up in Him into newness of life; partaking indeed of “living water” (Jn 4:10), they have “put on Christ” (Gal 3:27).

4:7–8 The lampstands and the bowls symbolize Christ and His Church. In the old tabernacle, there was one laver and one lampstand with six bowls (Ex 25:31–39); now there are ten of each and one hundred golden bowls. This signifies the “great quantity” (v. 18) of blessings in Christ's kingdom.

5:1 Solomon's finished work on the temple will be fulfilled in Christ.

5:2–13 This passage foreshadows the falling asleep of the Theotokos, the Mother of God: “The Ark of God departed from Mount Zion for the heavenly country, borne on the shoulders of the apostles. Angels overshadowed it with their wings, accompanying it, together with the whole assembly of the Church.... So is it now with the dwelling-place of the true ark, no longer of the testimony, but the very substance of God the Word. The new Solomon, the Prince of peace, the Creator of all things in the heavens and on the earth, assembled together today the supporters of the new covenant, that is the apostles, with all the people of the saints in Jerusalem, brought in her soul through angels to the true Holy of Holies” (JohnDm).

5:13 As one: In His High Priestly Prayer, the Lord prays for the faithful, “that they all may be one in Us” (Jn 17:21). Hence at Divine Liturgy the faithful pray, “And grant us with one mouth and one heart to glorify and praise Your all-honorable and majestic Name.”

5:13–2 The glory of the Lord represents the divine nature of Christ, which is joined to His human nature, the house or temple of His body, in the Incarnation.

6:2 Just as Solomon built a house, so Jesus proclaimed, “I will build My church” (Mt 16:18).

7:1 Fire came down from heaven: this foreshadows Pentecost (see 3Kg 18:30–38; 1Ch 21:26).

7:3 Here, and throughout the history of Israel and the Church, God's people worshiped and praised Him liturgically.

7:5 Solomon's huge sacrifice in the house symbolizes the power of the cross to save not only the Jews, but all humanity through the Church.

7:14–16 God's promise is to hear from heaven the prayers of His people.

9:17 Solomon's throne is a type of the Virgin Mary. “Thou art the royal Throne which angels surround, seeing upon it their very King and Lord” (JohnDm). “She is not merely a companion but she also stands at God's right hand, for where Christ sat in the heavens, that is, at the ‘right hand of majesty’ (Heb 1:3), there too she also takes her stand, having ascended now from earth into the heavens. Not merely does she love and is loved in return more than every other, according to the very laws of nature, but she is truly His Throne, and wherever the King sits, there His Throne is set also. And Isaiah beheld this Throne amidst the choir of cherubim and called it ‘high’ and ‘exalted’ (Is 6:1)” (GrgPal).

9:18 The six steps symbolize the completeness of Christ's work in overcoming the flesh.

9:19 The lions symbolize the apostles, saints, and martyrs.

9:22–28 Christ's heavenly kingdom is foreshadowed in Solomon's earthly kingdom.

10:1–11 Rehoboam's foolishness was used by the Lord for His purposes (v. 15).

11:1–4 God allowed the schism between Judah and Israel so that He might gather together and strengthen all those in Israel whose heart was set towards Him (16:9).

11:13–17 Those with right worship were rejected (v. 14) by Jeroboam because they served and worshipped God according to the traditions established by God through their fathers (v. 16). St. Paul speaks of the importance of holding steadfastly to “the traditions which you were taught, whether by word or our epistle” (2Th 2:15).

12:1 Note that Rehoboam and all Israel turned away from God (v. 1), but Judah is not mentioned (see v. 12).

12:5–8 Although the people forsook God, after they repented He did not destroy them, but rather allowed them to be brought under servitude by the enemy (v. 8). Only Christ, who alone is righteous (v. 6), will be able to bring complete deliverance to all who humble themselves before Him.

12:9–12 The gold shields are now bronze, a symbol of how the proud glory of Solomon's kingdom has been reduced by sin in just one generation.

13:4–20 Abijah testifies that those who keep the command of the Lord (v. 11) are those who hold fast against the enemy, and do not cease to worship God according to the ways and traditions of those who came before. True worship of God will be realized in the Church, for as Christ says, “the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him” (Jn 4:23).

13:5 A covenant of salt: Salt is a symbol of an indissoluble covenant (see note on Lv 2:13).

14:7–10 Asa was outnumbered by the Ethiopians almost two to one, but he knew the Lord could give him victory with the many or with the few.

15:2 From the time Adam first walked the earth (Gn 2:16, 17), God has been laying out the conditions for salvation: He will be found by all who seek Him.

15:3 In Israel and in the Church, the teaching ministry of the priest is of utmost importance (see Eph 4:11). Without it, the people will not know the true God.

15:7 The prophet admonishes Asa to be strong in the Lord, for His “strength is made perfect in weakness” (2Co 12:9).

15:8–15 The great numbers represent those who seek God with all their heart and soul, for they will find rest (v. 15) in Him, just as He promised, in the “city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb 12:22), which is His body, the Church.

16:1–10 Asa holds a valuable lesson for all believers. After trusting in the Lord for a decisive victory over the Ethiopians (14:7–10), he now seeks victory over Syria by taking silver and gold from the temple to buy off the Syrian king. “Are you so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are you now being made perfect by the flesh?” (Gal 3:3).

17:1–19 Jehoshaphat, like his father Asa (15:1–19), starts out well. He resists Israel, which is steeped in idolatry, and he took delight in the Lord. But he forms an alliance with King Ahab (18:1). This will lead to tragic consequences that will almost destroy the Davidic line (4Kg 11:1).

18:1–3 Assuming that ethnic rather than spiritual ties make the people one, Jehoshaphat allies Judah with Israel.

18:4 Though he doesn't seem to realize the depth of idolatry and darkness that has overtaken Israel, Jehoshaphat's conscience is sending up warning flags that will later save his life (v. 31).

19:1–3 “When we are unwarily joined in friendship with the wicked, we are bound in their sins.... Those who are at peace are to be admonished not to be afraid of disturbing their temporal peace, if they break forth into words of rebuke. And again they are to be admonished to keep inwardly with undiminished love the same peace which in their external relations they disturb by their reproving voice” (GrgGt).

19:4–11 God helped and saved Jehoshaphat because even though he acted foolishly, he has also shown he wants to do what is good (v. 11). Jehoshaphat finds mercy and forgiveness in God, who then inspires him to spearhead a spiritual revival in Judah.

20:3 Earlier, Jehoshaphat allied himself with evil because his pride had blinded him (18:1); but now he has learned to put his trust in God.

20:10–12 The sons of Ammon, Moab, and Mount Seir represent the powers of darkness, which are being allowed by God to remain in the world until the Last Judgment. These enemies bring hardships to men in order that through them God might strengthen the faithful and humble the proud. As the Lord Jesus says, “in the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (Jn 16:33).

20:15–22 The Lord is with you (v. 17): This is the key to salvation (see Eph 6:13). For the faithful, every spiritual battle has already been won by God the Father in His Son through the Holy Spirit.

21:1–20 The account of Jehoram serves to warn the Jews, and indeed all men, not to reject God's calling.

21:8–10 Edom revolts under Jehoram. Under Jehoshaphat, whose heart was towards God, Edom was kept under control (4Kg 3:12). Libnah, which means “white tree,” is a Levitical city in Judah (Jos 21:13). Its revolt against Jehoram reveals how holiness is repelled by the presence of evil.

21:18–20 The tragic demise of a sinful man.

22:1–9 Ahaziah's is yet another story of a life without God.

22:10–12 As a usurper of power, Athaliah reigned six years but receives only brief mention.

22:11–12 Joash was raised up in the house of God under the influence of the priests, and thus escaped the evil influence of his parents. In a similar way, God intends for righteousness in the heart to grow and mature within the Church.

23:1–11 Jehoiada the priest and those who help him are obedient to God, though evil around them would seem to be insurmountable. In the end, they prevail.

23:12–15 Athaliah is overthrown. Once again, Holy Scripture portrays the enemy being defeated by trickery, reminding us the devil is unfaithful even to his own.

24:1–27 Joash was faithful to the Lord until the priest Jehoiada died. The passage suggests that Joash relied on the faith of Jehoiada, but did not make that faith his own.

25:1–4 Amaziah... did what was right insofar as he followed the letter of the law (v. 4), but he did not love the ways of the Lord with a loyal heart. Note how he spares the children of those who killed his father, according to Dt 24:16, yet sets a bad example for his own son Uzziah, who, like his father, will one day lift up his heart in pride (26:16).

25:11–14 Amaziah falls into sins of greed, murder and idolatry. He believes he has defeated the Edomites, when in fact, their false gods have defeated him and taken his disloyal heart captive.

26:1–23 Uzziah... did what was right by following the commandments, and he sought the Lord with the help of the prophet. But like his father before him, he turned away from God, and he was stricken with leprosy. He was a contemporary of the prophet Isaiah (Is 6:1).

27:1–9 Prophecy is restored under Jotham, for Isaiah receives his heavenly vision at the beginning of his reign (see Is 6:1). Though the king was righteous, the people acted corruptly. The phrase he did not enter the temple most likely means he did not enter there to burn incense as his father had wrongly done (26:16–20).

28:1–27 Ahaz and the people of Judah have allowed themselves to be taken spiritually captive by their own sins (v. 19; Is 5:13). Therefore, in order to deter their blasphemy, God delivered them physically into the hands of the kings of Syria and Israel (v. 5).

28:9–15 Righteous men from Samaria treat the captives of Judah with kindness. Note the striking parallels in this passage (see v. 15) to the story that Jesus told of the Good Samaritan (Lk 10:30–37).

29:1–11 Hezekiah prefigures Christ, who opened the doors (v. 3) to heaven, gathered the faithful, and set the captives free (see 4Kg 18:1–8).

29:12–30 The Levites (v. 12) and priests (v. 16) prefigure the apostles and evangelists, who will restore right worship under Christ's leadership. The Brook Kidron (v. 16) is a type of baptism, which will sanctify (v. 17) the faithful.

29:34 The desire of the Levites to be sanctified exceeds that of the priests, showing that it is the state of the heart, not the office held, which determines true holiness.

29:36 God had prepared the people: Christ warns His followers to watch, for you do not know when the master of the house is coming – lest coming suddenly, he find you sleeping (Mk 13:35, 36; see also Mal 3:1).

30:1–21 Because Judah had fallen deeply into sin, the first week of the Passover feast was not kept to the letter of the law (vv. 3, 17–19). Yet God heard Hezekiah's prayer, gave the people singleness of heart (v. 12), and healed them (v. 20). Hezekiah prefigures Christ, who will do the same for all who follow Him with contrite hearts in the midst of a broken world.

30:23–27 Great joy: The second seven days of the feast foreshadow Pentecost.

31:1–1 After the feasting comes the work. The events described in this chapter will be fulfilled by the faithful of the Church, who have been hard at work since Pentecost, each called to his or her appointed task according to his or her abilities, performing deeds of faithfulness (32:1) in service to the Lord.

32:24–33 Hezekiah's sickness, the sign he was given, his subsequent sin, and his repentance are discussed at length in 4Kg 20 and Is 38:1–39:8.

33:1–20 Manasseh is a king who began as evil and ended as good.

33:13 Manasseh prayed to Him. “The Lord God for a while punished him that was addicted to idols, and had slain many innocent persons; and yet He received him when he repented, and forgave him his offenses, and restored him to his kingdom. For He not only forgives the penitent, but reinstates them in their former dignity” (JohnChr).

“Now if, looking to the magnitude of his own iniquities, he had despaired of restoration and repentance, he would have missed all which he afterwards obtained: but as it was, looking to the boundlessness of God's tender mercy instead of the enormity of his transgressions, and having broken in sunder the bonds of the devil, he rose up and contended with him, and finished the good course” (Dion).

34:1–13 True reform has to do with both the purging of what is false and evil (vv. 3–7) and the repairing of what is true and good (vv. 8–13). Josiah did both.

34:14–28 The Book of the Law here discovered is likely the whole Pentateuch, and it is unclear where it had been. Significantly, when parts of it were read to the king, his heart was turned and he humbled himself before the Lord (v. 27). The Scriptures are indeed “profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness” (2Ti 3:16).

34:29–33 Not only does the king attend to the reading of the Book of the Covenant, but he makes sure the priests and the Levites and all the people hear it as well. As a result, the hearers make a commitment to follow the Lord.

35:1–6 That Josiah kept the Passover shows not only his obedience to the Lord, but also his solidarity with the instruction of David (v. 4) and the writings of Moses (v. 6). This is a veritable rebirth of faith for the people.

35:28 The Jews mourned for Josiah because their righteous king was a victim of the finality of death under the old covenant. But Christ will fulfill the old covenant of death with a new covenant of love, forgiveness, and eternal life.

36:1–6 Judah's downfall is imminent with the brief ascension of the evil King Jehoahaz to the throne.

36:7–16 The Pharaoh of Egypt establishes the evil king Jehoiakim as ruler of Judah. He is then carried off to Babylon (v. 14) by King Nebuchadnezzar and briefly replaced by his son Jehoiachin.

36:22–29 God's judgment on Judah is justified, for the priests and the people have gone beyond the point of no return and will not repent (see 4Kg 25:8–21). Seventy years (v. 29) is the approximate time of the exile in Babylon (see also Jer 25:9–12; 27:6–8; 29:10; Lv 26:34–43).

36:30–31 These verses parallel the opening verses of Ezra. Although he is a Gentile, Cyrus is called by God to look after His people.

1:1–31 The Passover under Josiah and the account of his death (vv. 26–31). Josiah was the last king of Judah to seek truth (v. 21). As such, he is a figure of Christ, who is the embodiment of truth (Jn 14:6). From Exodus 12 we learn that the Feast of the Passover is an OT type of the NT paschal feast (1Co 10:23–26), in which the Church celebrates the death and Resurrection of Christ.

2:1–4 Just as Josiah was the last Jewish king to seek the truth of God, so Cyrus was the first Gentile king to find truth in the Lord of Israel. And just as God used Cyrus, a Gentile king of Persia, to rebuild the physical temple and set the Jews free, so He will use Christ, King of the Jews, to build His Church and set the Gentiles free.

3:1, 2 This great banquet is also an icon of creation, which is itself a symbol of Christ's work in His Incarnation. The Feast of Passover described in 1 Ezra also images the heavenly banquet (Rev 19:7–9), and both are experienced today in the Holy Eucharist. As the psalmist writes, “But God is our King before the ages; / He worked salvation in the midst of the earth” (Ps 73:12).

3:4–5 These three young men who speak as one are, like the three men at the trees of Mamre (Gn 18:2), another OT symbol of the Holy Trinity. Their role as the king's bodyguards illustrates the way in which the unknowable, inconceivable God reveals Himself in His creation as Triune.

3:6 Purple denotes royalty and equality with the king (see note on Est 6:6–9); the gold cups symbolize Christ's cup of salvation; sleep in a gold bed foreshadows His rest in the tomb; the chariot – like Elijah's chariot of fire (3Kg 2:11) – foreshadows the Ascension; the linen head covering points both to the OT priesthood and to the linen in which Christ's body was wrapped (Jn 20:7); and the necklace symbolizes virtue (Pr 3:3, 22; 6:21; SS 1:10; see also Dan 5:7).

3:7 Christ is the personification of wisdom. He sits next to the Father and is called His Son, His kinsman.

3:10–12 Wine, the king, and women, which prevail, and the truth, which conquers, are all illustrations of the divine attributes of God revealed in Christ and His Church. As these are explained to the king's court by the three bodyguards (3:15–4:41), so Christ, full of the Holy Spirit and in obedience to the Father, will reveal the three Persons of the Godhead when He is manifest to the world.

3:17–24 The strength of wine symbolizes the “new wine” of the new covenant (Mt 9:15–17): the Holy Spirit uniting with and dwelling within men. St. Paul writes, “And do not be drunk with wine... but be filled with the Spirit” (Eph 5:18).

4:1–12 The second man's speech about the king illustrates the manner in which God revealed Himself to man under the old covenant. He was known as their master (v. 3), a God who is to be obeyed by his people and his army (v. 10). The phrase one man (v. 7) is notable because the God of Israel is “One God,” who did not reveal Himself as Trinity until the advent of Christ.

4:13 The third, named Zerubbabel, is the only one of the three bodyguards who is named. He is of Christ's lineage (Mt 1:12), a leader in the rebuilding of the temple, and a figure of Christ.

4:14–15 Women prevail, for women fulfill man's purpose. God intended for men and women to be united in love, just as Christ and His Church are united in love (Eph 5:22, 23). Thus, as Zerubbabel describes women, we see Christ describing His relationship with His Bride.

4:16–17 Vineyards and wine (v. 16) symbolize the Eucharist, and clothing (v. 17) points to being clothed with Christ in baptism. As woman is the glory of man (1Co 11:7), so the Church is the glory of Christ (Eph 5:21).

4:20 This is a paraphrase of Gn 2:24. According to St. Paul, the union of man and wife in marriage is an image of Christ and His Church (Eph 5:30–32; see note at 4:14, 15).

4:29–31 The concubine is often an OT figure of fallen humanity. She has received God's crown, that is His divine image and likeness, on her own head in creation (Gn 1:26). On the other hand, she has struck the king – indeed, killed him – that she might be reconciled with him, that is, with Christ.

4:33–34 God and man looked at one another when Christ revealed Himself in truth to men.

4:35–40 Note especially the striking resemblance between this passage concerning truth and St. Paul's discourse on love (1Co 13). This passage is quoted extensively by the Fathers.

4:41 Echoing the voices of all the people in the king's court, the faithful sing at the end of the Divine Liturgy, “We have found the true faith, worshiping the undivided Trinity, who has saved us!”

4:42 Ask what you will: As the Father gives all things to the Son, so Christ gives all things to those who ask according to His will (Mt 21:22; Jn 14:14; 1Jn 5:15).

4:43–45 The request of Zerubbabel, echoed in the prayer of the repentant thief (Lk 23:42), reveals the will of God for the world: rebuild Jerusalem, that is, “the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” (Heb 12:22). Send back all the vessels (v. 44) and rebuild the temple (v. 45) in a spiritual sense means to restore holiness in the hearts of men, which have been laid waste by sin.

6:1–15 This passage chronicles the completion of the temple under the leadership of Haggai and Zechariah. The building of the earthly temple is a type of our deification – becoming like God by His grace (1Co 6:19).

8:1–7 Ezra was one appointed by God to study and know the Law of Moses (v. 3), that he might teach it to others.

8:65–67 The law reveals the truth about the sins of the people, and transgression of the law is punishable by death (8:24).

8:68–92 Ezra is seen to be a man of prayer who repents for the sins of the people. Seeing his piety (v. 89), the leaders call a fast, and the people begin to repent and pray with one voice, for without repentance there can be no mercy (v. 75) and no salvation. Thus, as through one man's prayers Israel is saved, so through Christ's prayer (see Jn 17) the world is saved and the law fulfilled.

9:3–4 This was a compulsory gathering where the people would listen to Ezrás exhortation (v. 7).

9:6–15 The cold weather prompts the people to request that dealing with the problem of foreign wives (v. 9) be handled in the local settlements.

9:42 Ezra read the law from a judgment seat, a place of authority erected for him (see 3:14).

9:55 That the hearers of the law were inspired by the words of the Scriptures brings to mind the response of the disciples (“Did not our heart burn within us?”) as the Lord Jesus Christ opened to them the Holy Scriptures (Lk 24:32).

1:1 The word of the Lord came in fulfillment of Jer 29:10.

1:3 He is the God... in Jerusalem: Deities were generally seen as belonging to a specific location, yet this statement is also prophetic in that it points as well to the New Jerusalem, the eternal city over which God reigns and in which all nations will dwell (Rev 21).

1:1–4 The kings of the earth, who receive authority from the Lord (Jn 19:11; Rom 13:1–7), are used by God to fulfill His plan.

1:5 Unlike the exodus from Egypt, in which all Jews fled bondage, only those Jews whose spirits God stirred up fled from Babylon. Because life had become relatively comfortable, many were content to forsake Jerusalem and live under foreign rule.

1:7–11 The return of the sacred vessels was to furnish the temple. The water basins and wine bowls look ahead to the sacraments of baptism and the Eucharist.

2:1 Judea was a province of Babylon. Though most of the people taken in the Babylonian Captivity had died in Babylon, still there was an effort by their descendants to return every man into his city of Judea.

2:63 This command prefigures the New Testament Eucharist, of which none may partake without the presence of the bishop or his priest. The Lights and Perfections are the Urim and Thummim, part of the high priest's vestments used to discern God's will.

2:68–70 Freewill offerings for the house of God are an indication of faithfulness and show that worship was a high priority for the Jews who had returned.

3:1 The people assembling as one person is fulfilled at Pentecost (Acts 2:1) and in the Church when we assemble in unity for the Eucharist as the one Body of Christ.

3:2–6 Just as the burnt offerings of the Jews were offered on the altar at all the Jewish festivals, so in the Church, the sacrifice of Jesus Christ is commemorated at the Eucharist throughout the liturgical year. Notice the priorities these faithful Jews had in their restoration project. First, theyes tablished their worship (v. 6). Second, they built their temple (6:1). Last, they rebuilt the city.

3:7 Starting with Abraham (Gn 14:18–20), the tradition of God's people for giving money to the Lord is to give a tithe (Mal 3:8–12) plus freewill offerings. This is how the temple was built, and also how the Church is built.

3:8–11 The young Levites together with the sons of Judah begin to lay the foundation for the temple. This is fulfilled through Jesus Christ and His apostles in the building of the Church (Mt 21:42; 1Co 3:9–17; Eph 2:19–22).

3:12–13 The beginning of the temple restoration was a time of bright sadness. Some wept with a loud voice while others were shouting for joy. The sadness was over the loss of the first temple – Solomon's glorious temple – and the memory of the sin that led to its downfall. The joy was in the hope of the completion of the templés foundation.

4:1–5 “He who is not with Me is against Me,” said Christ (Mt 12:30), and the neighbors of the Jews turned quickly against their efforts to rebuild God's house. When we serve the Lord, we can be almost certain to meet opposition.

4:12–16 The claim that the work of God is rebellion and harmful to kings whom God Himself has established is a standard ploy of Satan in his attempts to destroy God's obedient ones (Est 3:8, 9). This culminates in the charge that would be leveled against Christ Himself (Jn 19:12).

4:17–24 The discontinued work under Artaxerxes is reminiscent of the temporary captivity of Israel in Egypt when a new king arose who did not know the goodness of the people of God (Ex 1:8).

5:1, 2 The prophets of God constantly speak of the restoration of the house of God, just as the prophets throughout the Old Testament collectively point to the Resurrection of Christ. In this way, the restoration of the temple is itself a type of Christ (Jn 2:19–22).

5:5 Unless He allows it, the purpose of God cannot be stopped by earthly authorities or by the devil (Mt 16:18).

5:7–17 The appeal to search the king's treasure house to find the king's decree parallels the Church's readiness to search the Scriptures (Jn 5:39; Acts 17:11). Appealing to the Scriptures is how Jesus and His apostles demonstrated His genuine claim to be the Christ, the incarnate Son of God (Lk 24:27; Acts 17:2, 11; 18:28). Interestingly, the appeal to the Scriptures was also one of the ways Jesus' enemies tried to malign Him (Mt 4:6; Jn 7:52). In both cases, the reliability and authority of what has been written, accepted, and handed down as Holy Scripture is unquestioned.

6:1–3 The decree of Darius affirms the authority of the earlier decree by King Cyrus. In the same way, within the Church, the traditions of the faith and true doctrine are reaffirmed in every generation (2Th 2:15).

6:8–10 God's house will be built at the expense of even His enemies, for His glory, in order that they may offer sacrifices to God for the benefit of all the people. At each Divine Liturgy we re-present the once-for-all sacrifice of Christ “on behalf of all and for all.”

6:14 The earthly kings and Zechariah fulfill the prophecies of Haggai.

6:15 The restoration of the temple on the third day of this month certainly suggests the resurrection of Jesus Christ on the third day (Jn 2:19–22).

6:19–21 The unity at the Passover meal between the children of Israel and those who would seek the Lord from the nations points forward to the Eucharist, to which all people, both Jew and Gentile, are called.

7:1 After these things: Over one hundred years elapsed between the events of ch. 6 and those of ch. 7.

7:10 Ezrás journey and mission were the product of a faithful heart. His process was to (1) seek the Law, (2) do it, and (3) teach it. Though the Jews had protection and economic security in Babylon, Ezra led many to a future that was uncertain by earthly standards, but divinely protected. In the same way, Christian believers are called to escape the fleeting security of this world in order to build up the kingdom of Jesus Christ (Mk 8:34–38; 10:28–31).

7:12 Artaxerxes, using the title king of kings, becomes a picture of Christ, sending Ezra to rebuild Jerusalem. The Lord would later send His apostles to build the Church. Just as Artaxerxes gave all the articles needed (vv. 15–22), so Christ provides the grace of the Holy Spirit and His power to His disciples (Acts 1:8).

7:25–26 Ezra is commanded by the king to appoint magistrates and judges to determine the peoplés obedience to the law of... God, just as Peter and the other apostles would be given authority to bind and loose the sins of the people (Mt 16:19; Jn 20:23). Ezra is further commanded to teach the uninformed, just as the apostles would be commanded to do (Mt 28:18–20).

7:27–28 Ezra is encouraged by the way a pagan king would expend his resources to beautify the house of the Lord. If an unbeliever has enough faith to build the Lord's house, all the more is the believer called to offer of himself or herself to build up the Church of Jesus Christ!

8:16–18 Ezra recruits men of understanding and servants in order that a proper sacrifice may be offered, for the worship was the highest priority of the returning Jews (3:2–6).

8:21–23 A fast by the faithful has tremendous power in helping to discern the right way of God, and in securing His power against the enemy (Est 4:16; Joel 2:12–17; Mt 17:17–21).

8:28–29 When a priest is ordained in the Orthodox Church, the bishop hands him a precious vessel called a diskos, on which is a portion of the eucharistic bread, and he is sent behind the altar. He is charged by the bishop to watch and keep the sacrament in holiness until the day he gives account for his priesthood before the throne of Christ.

9:1, 2 Mixed marriages had not always been prohibited (e.g., Boaz and Ruth), but were now seen as detrimental to the purity of the Jewish people. St. Paul warns, “Do not be unequally yoked together with unbelievers” (2Co 6:14). The imagery of marriage is one of faithfulness between God and His people. Marriage between a Jew and a practicing pagan was seen as a serious violation of that faithfulness, as shown by Ezrás reaction and subsequent solution of putting away all pagan wives (10:3).

9:7 Defeat by the enemy was seen as being the result of sin. God had warned the Jews not to be led astray by foreign wives or they would face quick destruction (Dt 7:3, 4).

9:8 Here is the Gospel in foretaste. Grace has been shown to undeserving people (Rom 5:8).

9:11–12 This specific commandment has a source outside the Scriptures. It is not found in the Law of Moses, which warns not against taking a foreign wife per se, but against marrying a foreigner who will not convert from idols to the Lord (Dt 7:3, 4). This latter situation is what Ezra was facing (v. 14).

10:1–4 Repentance is more than confession of sin and even weeping over it. It is also taking the necessary steps to put away the sin.

10:10 Unlike a one-time sin for which a person might readily repent, taking pagan wives is making a way of life in opposition to God. For the Jew and for the Christian, it is a complete and utter compromise with the world.

10:19 The ram as a trespass offering prefigures Christ, who will take away the deepest sins and guilt of man.

1:1 Nehemiah means “comforted of God.” Shushan is Susa, a provincial capital in Persia, its most prominent city and winter residence of King Artaxerxes (Est 1:2). Chislev is late November/early December. The twentieth year is that of the reign of Artaxerxes I, dating this account at 445 BC.

1:2 Hanani, a presumed blood brother of Nehemiah, is later made ruler of Jerusalem (7:2). He accompanies some men from Judah on an 800-mile journey to Persia to tell Nehemiah the status of (a) the survivors of the captivity now back in Judah and (b) the city of Jerusalem.

1:3 The returned exiles are in great distress, for the wall and gates of Jerusalem are destroyed. Addressing these two problems – the wall and the gates – is key to understanding the Book of Nehemiah.

1:4 Nehemiah, as would Christ (Mt 23:37), laments prayerfully for the people of Jerusalem, acknowledging they were guilty of sin and disobedience. Moreover, though a layman, he stands with the prophets in interceding with God for the sake of the chosen people and striving to renew the peoplés obedience to the Law. Throughout Scripture, fasting and praying go together. For Orthodox Christians, the Church offers additional services of worship and intercession during seasons of fasting, especially Lent and Advent.

1:5–11 No indeed is Nehemiah's way of saying, “Ím not putting up with the damaged state of the walls and gates of Jerusalem.” Nehemiah's prayer reflects his devotion to the words of Scripture. The phrase great and awesome God is from Dt 7:21. Verses 8 and 9 quote Dt 30:1–5. This man... the king is Artaxerxes I, under whom Nehemiah held the office of cupbearer (v. 11). He it is who would grant Nehemiah's request to return to Jerusalem (2:6–8).

2:1 In ancient times, a ruler's demise was often brought about through the poisoning of his food or wine. So before King Artaxerxes was served, Nehemiah would first sample his food and drink. Typically, a cupbearer was in the king's presence more than any of his other subjects and often was held in high confidence. On this day, no one else was present but his queen (v. 6).

2:3 May the king live forever! was the common way to greet a king (see Dan 2:4; 5:10; 6:7, 22), in the same spirit as greeting the bishop with “Many years to you, O Master,” or, “Master, bless.”

2:4 Nehemiah continues in prayer, silently and in brief, to the God of Heaven, for Artaxerxes had decreed that Jerusalem not be rebuilt unless by his order (2:19).

2:5 Nehemiah moves from intercessor to mediator. It was crucial for him both to be prayerful and to act.

2:7–8 Sensing there would be opposition, Nehemiah asks for letters to give him safe passage and timber to complete the work of rebuilding the wall and the gates of Jerusalem. The good hand of God had touched the heart of the king, who came to understand the benefits of a loyal Jewish ally in Judah.

2:10 Sanballat and Tobiah, together with Geshem the Arab (v. 19), will be Nehemiah's constant detractors throughout the rebuilding of the wall. According to an ancient papyrus, Sanballat later became governor of Samaria.

2:11–16 Jesus warned His servants to be “wise as serpents and harmless as doves” (Mt 10:16). Being a man of wisdom, Nehemiah secretly inspects the wall of Jerusalem by night (v. 13). Not even the sentries knew what he was up to (v. 16).

2:17–18 I said to them: With the survey completed and the mission now clear, Nehemiah calls together the officials of Jerusalem and the workers (v. 16). Here he moves from mediator (2:5) to motivator: Let us rise up and let us build (v. 18).

2:19–20 Whenever God's will is being carried out, expect the critics to step forward. Jesus had the scribes and Pharisees, St. Paul had Demas and Alexander the coppersmith (2Ti 4:9–15), and Nehemiah had Sanballat, Tobiah, and Geshem, who laughed at the project. The prophet, not arguing, said, “God... will... prosper us” (see Ex 14:14; 1Th 5:24).

3:1–32 The work to rebuild Jerusalem and restore Israel within the land God promised to their ancestors begins at once. The laborers are a veritable “Whós Who” of Jerusalem and the surrounding communities. They include the high priest and the priests (v. 1), and the men of Jericho (v. 2), who are likely returned exiles from that city. The Tekoites (v. 5), from Amos' hometown of Tekoa (Am 1:1), did repair work (their nobles probably sided with Sanballat), along with the sons of other district leaders (vv. 12, 14, 16) and some Levites (v. 17) – the cooperation is stunning. The Nethinim (v. 26) are a group or order of temple servants. Even the merchants took part (v. 32).

3:36 Nehemiah's response to those openly opposed to God's will is not anger but prayer, that God will bring vengeance against them (see Gn 12:1–3; Jos 1:5; Dt 32:35; Rom 12:19).

4:1–3 Not only verbal ridicule, but here also armed conspiracy becomes a tool of those opposed to God.

4:7–8 A wonderful picture of synergy – working together with God. Nehemiah strategically positioned men to fight, while promising the people that God will fight for them.

4:10 Judah is the people in general. Note how half played offense, doing the work, and half played defense, protecting the project.

4:13–15 As with these workers, we often need to endure sacrifice and discomfort not only to complete God's work but also to sustain over time the project God gives us to do (12:27, 28).

5:1–5 The great outcry was over grain shortages (vv. 2, 3), having to borrow money to pay the king's tax (v. 4), and having to sell children into slavery (v. 5).

5:7–11 After serious thought shows yet another facet of Nehemiah's brilliant leadership. Not acting impulsively, he prays, plans, and thinks things through before issuing his rebuke. Usury, the charging of interest, is permitted, but not when both parties are Jews (Ex 22–25; Lv 25:35–38). This rebuke, including the touchy issue of slavery (v. 8), worked. The nobles and rulers were speechless.

5:14–15 Typically the governor lived at taxpayer expense, but not Nehemiah. Because of the fear of God he provided for himself, as did St. Paul hundreds of years later (1Co 9:1–18), setting a servant example for others.

5:19 Those with a sincere faith in God who act with righteous motives may seek a blessing from Him (Dt 28:1–14; Mk 10:29, 30).

6:1, 2 The plain of Ono is near Judah's border with Samaria, a two-day journey. In meeting there Nehemiah would not only risk his own life, but would jeopardize the rebuilding of Jerusalem.

6:5 Having previously failed to thwart him, Sanballat delivers an open letter to Jerusalem to discredit Nehemiah and through rumor bring dissension among the faithful.

6:7 The king who would get this report is the King of Persia, Artaxerxes (2:1).

6:9 With great leaders, the more people say the job will not be done, the greater the leaders' resolve becomes. With God's help, Nehemiah's hands only get stronger!

6:10–12 Shemaiah, an apparent prophet whom Tobiah and Sanballat had hired (v. 12), was revealed as a false prophet, for his words were in disobedience to God. The reference to Noadiah (v. 14) indicates others had been hired as well.

6:15–16 The enemies lost out and God's will prevailed as the wall was finished in just fifty-two days – less than two months! Disheartened, even Sanballat and Tobiah were forced to admit the work was done by... God.

6:17–19 Though defeated, the well-connected Tobiah continued his letters of assault. Jesus called this kind wolves “in sheep's clothing” (Mt 7:15).

7:1–3 With the wall rebuilt, Nehemiah, as governor, appoints his brother Hanani, who feared God, as ruler of Jerusalem. Hananiah became the leader of the citadel (or fortress). This helped ensure the safety and well-being of Jerusalem.

7:6–73 This list of names confirms the remnant Jews who, due to their faithfulness to God and steadfast obedience to the Mosaic Law, were allowed to return to Jerusalem.

8:1 The public proclamation of the Scriptures – the reading and preaching of the Word of God – is essential to the evangelical mission of the Church. The sacrifices were offered only in the temple, but here the message of the Book is heard in the open square.

8:2 This assembly gathered on the first day of the seventh month because it was the Feast of Trumpets, or Jewish New Year.

8:5 All the people stood up for the reading of the Scriptures. To this day in the Orthodox Church the people stand for the reading of the Gospel.

8:6 They bowed their heads: A symbol of humility and reverence in worship.

8:7–8 The foundations of apostolic ministry are found in helping the people to understand the Scriptures and in building them up in the knowledge of the Lord. (See Acts 2:37–39; 8:30, 31.)

8:10 True feasting includes caring for the poor (see Est 9:21), those for whom nothing is prepared.

8:14–17 Living in booths is a reminder that the faithful are but sojourners in this world, moving toward a true home in God's kingdom (see Lv 34–42).

8:18 The assembly on the eighth day points us to the Kingdom of heaven. In the Church, the seven-day week reflects God's creation and work in this world, while the eighth day is the day without end, the day beyond this world when all is fulfilled.

9:1–3 Having heard the word of God, the faithful are convicted of their sins and moved to repentance, fasting, confession, and prayer. Note they confessed not privately, but in the midst of those assembled together (see Jam 5:16).

9:6–38 The prayer of Ezra follows the classic biblical pattern of praise, remembrance of God's works, and petition. This same pattern is followed in the eucharistic prayers of the Divine Liturgy.

9:38 The sure covenant, recorded in ch. 10, is a pledge to “not neglect the house of our God” (see 10:39).

10:1 Those who sealed (signed) this covenant to protect God's house were the priests (v. 8). Later (vv. 29, 30) the covenant was accepted by the people. This prefigures the New Covenant of Jesus Christ, affirmed by the apostles and accepted by the Church.

10:29 The curse was an agreement to accept punishment on oneself if the oath was broken.

10:39 The oath or covenant is summed up in the words, we will not neglect the house of our God.

11:1, 2 The majority sent to dwell in other cities could be seen to prefigure the apostles being sent out to evangelize the nations. These may also be understood to image those called to live faithfully in this world, while the blessed minority remaining in Jerusalem signify men and women who can accept the monastic life of serving God in separation from this world.

11:3–21 These inhabitants of Jerusalem are grouped as follows: the laypeople (vv. 3–9); priests (vv. 10–14); Levites (vv. 15–17); and gatekeepers (v. 18). In the Church, there is also a great variety of God's servants (1Co 12:4–6).

12:28–37 A description of antiphonal singing, which is still the traditional way the Psalms are sung during the Orthodox Liturgy in many countries of the world. The two thanksgiving choirs that went to meet each other in the house of God (v. 37) prefigure the two covenants which are united in Jesus Christ. In this way, the choirs also serve as a type of the unity of Jew and Gentile in Christ. The two choirs can also be understood as the departed faithful (the Church triumphant) and the living faithful (the Church militant) being united in the Kingdom of heaven.

12:41–44 As in the temple, so in the Church, faithful servants of God are appointed to assume responsibility for detailed tasks.

13:1–31 This could be called “the chapter of hard choices.” Nehemiah reminds his readers that it is better to be pure than popular. (a) After hearing the Scriptures read, the people gained the courage to separate the heathen, the mixed multitude (v. 3), from the congregation of Israel (vv. 1–3). (b) Nehemiah tossed... all the household goods of Tobiah (v. 8) out of his rooms in the temple. Why did Eliashib the priest (v. 4) move him in? In 13:28, we find that Eliashib has family ties to Sanballat, the co-conspirator to stop the rebuilding of the walls of Jerusalem (vv. 4–9). (c) Nehemiah put the Levites and the singers (v. 10) back on the payroll. He confronted the rulers of the temple and set them in their place (v. 11). (d) The people of Judah had secularized the Sabbath (v. 15), making it a day of commerce and not a day of rest. Nehemiah makes an unveiled threat to the merchants (vv. 20, 21) and appoints guards to sanctify the Sabbath day (v. 22). (e) Finally, Nehemiah put a stop to Israelites marrying pagans (vv. 23–27).

13:30 This verse could be Nehemiah's epitaph: I cleansed them of every pagan thing.

1:1 Tobit means “the Lord is good.”

1:2 Thisbe is in modern-day Lebanon (ancient Phoenicia), north of the Sea of Galilee. Naphtali (v. 1) was led captive to Assyria under the predecessor of Shalmaneser (4Kg 15:29).

1:3 Nineveh is on the east bank of the Tigris River, which is in ancient Babylon and modern-day northern Iraq. Nineveh was the capital city of Assyria.

1:6–8 Tobit reminds us to be faithful to the Lord even when it is inconvenient. The everlasting ordinance (v. 6) is recorded in Dt 12:11–14.

1:9 Anna means “grace.”

1:10–11 The bread of the Gentiles is described in Dt 14:3–21 as unclean food for the people of God.

1:14 Media was an area south of the Caspian Sea, part of modern-day Iran.

1:17 Not to bury the dead was seen as a curse, the ultimate in disrespect (4Kg 9:10; Jer 8:2; see also 2:3–8).

1:22 Ahikar, the nephew of Tobit, carries the name of a hero popular in ancient literature. He becomes second in command under the new king.

2:1 The Jewish Feast of Pentecost (lit. “fifty”) comes seven weeks or fifty days after Passover. These events are fulfilled (1) in the death, burial, and Resurrection of “Christ our Passover” (1Co 5:7) and (2) at the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost.

2:6 See Amos 8:10.

2:11 Some scholars speculate Anna was a weaver.

2:14 Anna reproaches Tobit, suggesting his acts of charity and his righteous deeds have failed him. This is similar to the rebuke by Job's wife (Job 2:9).

3:2 Having had his own works judged (2:14), Tobit confesses it is the Lord who is righteous, as are His works.

3:6 In his pain, Tobit asks that he might die and enter into the eternal place.

3:7 Ecbatana is the capital of Media (see note at 1:14).

3:8 Asmodeus means “the destroyer.” Jesus said of Satan, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy” (Jn 10:10).

3:11 Blessed are You, O Lord: These are the opening words of numerous Jewish and Christian prayers. Many services in the Orthodox Church begin with, “Blessed is the Kingdom” or “Blessed is our God.”

3:16–17 God answered the prayer of both Tobit and Sarah, sending the Archangel Raphael (meaning “God heals”) to heal them.

4:5 A father could not give a son better counsel.

4:7 The word almsgiving is used repeatedly throughout the Book of Tobit. It simply means to give of oneself above and beyond what is due (see also 4:16).

4:12 In Jewish tradition, to take a foreign woman as a wife was seen as an offense to God (Ezra 10:2).

4:20 Tobias is sent by his father to Gabael in Rages (near modern-day Teheran, Iran) to retrieve ten talents of silver held by him for safekeeping. Tobit even has the receipt! (See 5:3.)

5:3–6 Raphael is hired to accompany Tobias on his journey to Rages. But the archangel identifies himself as Azarias (meaning “God helps”), a relative of Tobit (5:13).

5:17 May His angel journey with you: Tobit is unaware that his request has already been granted (see also 5:22). Tobias's dog goes with them, and commentators puzzle over its significance.

6:1–9 The fish not only provided food (v. 5), but its liver and heart (v. 7) were set aside to cast out a demon (v. 8). Gall is bile used as a medicine; it would later bring a cure to Tobit's eight years of blindness (11:11–14).

6:13 According to the rule of Moses is likely a reference to Nm 36:8 (though there is no mention there of a death penalty), in which it is stated that a daughter with an inheritance must marry within her father's tribe.

6:14–15 Tobias is concerned that Sarah's first seven husbands all died on their wedding night. He knows his death, as the only child, would bring grief and sorrow to his parents.

6:16–18 The angel appeals both to (1) the words of Tobit to take a wife from their tribe (Naphtali) and (2) to the merciful God who will cause the demon to flee (see Jam 4:7).

7:3–6 Though Raguel and Edna knew of Tobit, it appears they did not know of Tobias.

7:10–13 Raguel is honest about the fate of Sarah's seven previous husbands, but blesses Tobias to receive her.

8:2–4 The demon is exorcized both by the incense and by prayers to the Lord. The psalmist connects these two actions when he writes, “Let my prayer be set forth before You as incense” (Ps 140:2).

8:6 See Gn 2:18.

8:7 Though they are young, Tobias prays that he and his bride will grow old together. In the Orthodox wedding service, the priest prays over the bridal pair: “Grant them to lead an upright and blameless life even unto a ripe old age.”

8:10–14 During the night Raguel rose up and dug a grave for Tobias, fearing he may have died. This was not the case.

8:15–17 Raguel is careful to bless God for His abundant mercy in sparing Tobias' life.

8:19–21 Normally a wedding feast lasted seven days (see 11:18). Raguel also contributes half of his possessions as his gift.

9:1–6 Tobias entrusts Raphael to find Gabael and bring him and the silver to the wedding feast. Likewise, at the end of the ages, the hosts of heaven will call the faithful to “the marriage supper of the Lamb” (Rev 19:9).

10:1–7 The extended fourteen days of the wedding feast (v. 7) cause friction between Tobit and Anna because Tobias has not returned home. They try to hush each other up (vv. 6, 7).

10:8–10 Raguel wants the newlyweds to stay even longer, but Tobias prevails. They depart with a blessing.

10:13 Ednás request to see your children from my daughter Sarah is echoed by the Orthodox priest at the crowning service, praying that the wedded couple will “see your children's children.”

11:1–3 Raphael and Tobias decide to leave Sarah at the city gate of Nineveh see (11:16) and run ahead to meet the worried parents.

11:11–12 Following Raphael's instructions (11:7), Tobias dabbed the gall on the eyes of his father. Tobit was healed of his blindness.

11:16–17 Tobit did four things en route to the gate of Nineveh which are instructive for all fathers, and for all believers: (1) he rejoiced, as St. Paul so often encouraged the Philippians to do; (2) he blessed God for his son's new bride; (3) he publicly gave thanks for his restored eyesight; and (4) he blessed his family. God loves a grateful servant.

12:1–5 Note the spirit of generosity in Tobit and Tobias. Whereas many modern believers hesitate to return even ten percent to God, these men offered God's servant half of everything they brought!

12:8–9 The Archangel Raphael's exhortation is remarkably similar to one section of Jesus' Sermon on the Mount. In Matthew 6, Jesus spoke of fasting (6:16–18), almsgiving (6:1–4), prayer (6:5–13), and righteousness (6:33).

12:12–14 Raphael's ministry to Tobit's family is that of a guardian angel. Note he carries Sarah's prayer before the Holy One, he is present with those he serves, and he is sent by God to bring healing. “Angel” means “messenger.”

12:15 Raphael reveals himself to Tobit and Tobias as one of seven holy angels who appear before the glory of the Holy One (see Rev 1:4). These seven are also called archangels. The names of four of them are revealed: Raphael, Gabriel (Dan 9:21; Lk 1:19, 26–38), Michael (Dan 10:21; Jude 9) and Uriel (2 Esdras 4:1).

12:20 Raphael is ascending to God to appear “before His throne” (Rev 1:4).

13:1 As with many Old Testament prayers, the prayer of Tobit resembles many of the psalms.

13:2 Blessed is the kingdom is how we begin the Sunday worship of the Church.

13:3 The nations are the Gentile nations where God's children are scattered.

13:6 This promise is repeated to Israel throughout the Old Testament.

13:11 His tabernacle is the temple in Jerusalem.

13:13 The author of Tobit understands that one day many Gentiles will come to the King of heaven and that generations of generations of them will worship in what will be called the One Holy Church (see Jn 1:12).

13:17–18 This passage also has in view the New Jerusalem (see Rev 21:1–3, 10, 11).

14:4 Scholars agree that Nineveh was overthrown in 612 BC. Jonah warned of the fall (Jon 3:3, 4) and Nahum, in his book, records it.

14:5 The temple will be rebuilt, but not as it was before. The second temple, not as glorious, was completed in approximately 515 BC (see Hag 1:1–15).

14:10 Ahikar: See 1:21.

14:11 Almsgiving and righteousness: See 12:8, 9.

1:1 This opening verse is anachronistic in that the father of Nebuchadnezzar, Nebopalassar, destroyed Nineveh in about 607 BC.

1:2–5 These verses are a parenthetical description of the massive fortifications of Ecbatana, which in turn implies the great power of Arphaxad, with whom Nebuchadnezzar waged war (v. 5).

1:6 The sons of Chaldea are the central power of the alliance that defeats the great army of Arphaxad (1:13). The irony is that these “sons” will prove powerless before a “daughter of the Hebrews” (10:12). The Euphrates, the Tigris, and the Hydaspes (a river in India) alludes to a large territory ruled by Artaxerxes (see Est 1:1).

1:10 From Ethiopia to the Hydaspes (v. 6) gives the full breadth of Nebuchadnezzar's proclaimed authority.

1:11 Building on 1:6, the author here introduces the supreme irony of this story: “the lord of all the earth” (Nebuchadnezzar) (2:5) will be shown as but one man, and “men confident in their strength” (2:5) will be sent away empty-handed and dishonored.

1:12 The borders of the two seas is parallel to the “boundaries of Ethiopia” (1:10). Great rivers are sometimes called seas in ancient Hebrew literature.

1:15 The mountains of Ragau are some two hundred miles east of Ecbatana and away from the direction of attack; thus Arphaxad was captured while fleeing from defeat.

1:16 They returned to Nineveh.

2:1 The first month is Nisan (March–April) and the twenty-second day is the day after the end of the Feast of Unleavened Bread on the Hebrew calendar.

2:5 The titles the great king and lord of all the earth are further claims of divinity by Nebuchadnezzar (see Jos 3:11; Ps 47:3).

2:7 Prepare the earth and water “after the manner of the kings of Persia to whom earth and water were ceremonially given by custom as acknowledgment that they were lords of land and sea” (Herodotus 6:48, 49). This may be an indication of surrender.

2:8–9 Just as Christ “descended into the lower parts of the earth” (Eph 4:9) to defeat the enemy of His people, the captives, so Judith will descend to the valley to defeat the enemy of her people (10:10).

2:12 It is not Nebuchadnezzar's hand that will be decisive in the end, but Judith's (8:33; 13:14).

2:17 The Pharisee-like piety of the author is demonstrated here by his inclusion of only clean animals as part of the food supply of the Assyrians, who were notable for their unclean preferences (Hos 9:3).

2:20–21 The journey here covers some three hundred miles in only three days, an impossible accomplishment given the size of the army and its composition. This hyperbole, along with the simile, like a swarm of locusts (v. 20), calls to mind the dramatic words of another prophet (Joel 2:4, 5).

2:24 The region intended here is uncertain, but perhaps it refers to Upper Mesopotamia towards Ararat and Lake Van.

2:26 These are the Ishmaelite Midianites (Gn 37:27, 28), who were nomads of the desert northeast of the Jordan valley (Jdg 6:33; 7:25).

2:27 The time of the wheat harvest would have been about June, a short span of only three months for such an expansive campaign.

3:6 For their surrender, the people of the seacoast are given favorable treatment, though their traditions and gods will be put down (3:8).

3:7 These garlands would have been crowns of leaves or flowers (see WSol 2:8) with dancing and timbrels in the fashion of Jephthah's daughter (Jdg 11:33).

3:8 To cut down their sacred groves strips them of their gods, thereby asserting the supremacy of Nebuchadnezzar over the land and the people.

3:9 Ridge is literally “saw,” which suggests a serrated horizon (see 1Kg 14:4, 5). Also Esdraelon, a valley, “saws” the mountain range of Judea in two.

4:4 Samaria was returned to Judea by Demetrius I Soter (reigned 162–150 BC; see 1Mc 10:30, 38) and annexed by John Hyrcanus in 107 BC. Its inclusion here as part of Judea suggests this story was written sometime during the reign of John Hyrcanus (135–104 BC).

4:6 Bethulia and Betomesthaim are unknown places and appear only in Judith. Bethulia is a word-play on Bethuel (a city of Simeon). Both are consistent with our Simeonite heroine (see 9:2) and the Assyrian messengers who bring this assault on Israel (see 1:11; Is 37:24). Betomesthaim (Hebrew: Beth-Moutemah) means “house of enmity” and is likely a scornful allusion to the city of Samaria.

4:11 Casting ashes on their heads is a sign of contrition and lamentation.

4:14 Served here is a liturgical term (see also Lk 1:23, “service”; Acts 13:2, “ministered”; Heb 8:6, “ministry”). St. Clement writes, “We ought to do all those things the Master has ordered us to perform at the appointed times. He has commanded sacrifices and services to be performed.... Thus, to the high priest has been appointed his proper services, to the priests, their own place assigned, upon the Levites their proper duties imposed; and the layman is bound by the rules for laymen.” We see here in Judith the oft-repeated practice of God's people gathering together in worship and prayer to seek divine mercy and grace.

5:1 These barricades consisted of camouflaged pits containing sharply pointed stakes meant to lame horses or impale infantry.

5:3–4 Canaan is used here in its archaic sense (see Gn 10:15–19) and includes all those dwelling in the west (v. 4).

5:5–21 The Protomartyr Stephen gave an account (Acts 7) similar to this.

5:6, 7 The Chaldeans were a Semitic people (Gn 10:21–31) who settled the area just north of the Persian Gulf (Gn 10:30). Ur of the Chaldeans (Gn 11:27, 28) was just outside of Mesopotamia (Greek for “between the rivers”) just south of the Euphrates River. The Chaldean city of Ur was the site of a major temple of the moon-god Sin. Such was the Chaldean penchant for worshiping the heavens, and the name became a proverbial term for astrologers (see Dan 2:2).

5:8 Had come to know is an active-voice verb in Greek: knowing God requires that we diligently seek Him (Pr 8:17; Heb 11:6). Abraham came to know the God of heaven by looking beyond the heavens to seek his Creator. He thereby received the true inheritance (Heb 11:8–10, 16). That the Chaldeans cast them out we find only at this place in Scripture, and in Jewish tradition.

6:2 The mention of mercenaries is an allusion to Is 28:1.

6:9 Holofernes is now exalting himself as equal with King Nebuchadnezzar, and even with God Himself.

6:15 Since Uzziah is of the tribe of Simeon, as is Judith (11:2), apparently we are meant to understand the entire city as being of Simeon, a noted avenger of Israel (Gn 34:25–27; 49:5).

6:21 This feast would have been a solemn occasion in order to call on the God of Israel (see Joel 1:14; 2:15–17).

7:3 Knowing the locations of Dothan and Esdraelon, the description given here points to the entire valley of Jezreel being occupied by the allies (7:1).

7:6 The point of bringing forth all his cavalry against the Israelites, who had no such forces, is to intimidate them.

7:11 Ironically, the one man who will fall is Holofernes himself (13:4–8).

7:20–21 Their water containers would be those which were usually filled at the now inaccessible springs. The cisterns went dry, leaving the people with rationed water.

7:24–32 These verses form the foil of faithlessness against which the faith of Judith will stand.

8:1 A genealogy such as this establishes one as a legitimate member of a community, in this case Israel. It is significant the author leaves out Judith's tribal affiliation. The message is to all Israel and not only to one person, city, or tribe.

8:5 A tent... on the rooftop provided Judith with solitude from the daily activities of a household (see Pr 21:8).

8:6 Judith's fasting every day of her widowhood does not mean she practiced complete abstinence. Rather, according to Jewish tradition, she would have abstained from morning until evening, eating a meal only after sundown.

8:10 Judith wisely calls the elders of the city to her home to avoid publicly shaming them for their unwise decision.

8:17 This is the crux of the author's message in this book.

8:32 Hear me means, “Give heed to what I have said.” Judith's speech here is the foundation for her decisions that follow.

9:1 That Judith uncovered the sackcloth in which she was clothed after the elders had left (8:36) demonstrates her true humility: she did not present herself with a sad countenance.

9:2 See Gn 34 for the account of this tragic incident.

9:12 Heaven, earth, and waters comprise the visible world and thereby express the full scope of the rule of the Creator and King.

9:13 Judith wisely understands that the intent of the enemy is the removal of the religion of Israel.

9:14 This is the purpose for Judith's story.

10:2 Judith arose from being prostrated in prayer (9:1).

10:4 This short list of feminine jewelry is comparable to the longer list in Is 3:16–23.

10:7–8 This passage brings to mind the words of Pr 31:28.

10:9 Judith bowed down to God before them, for in such veneration “God is honored, as a king is honored through the honor given to a beloved servant. They are honored as servants in attendance upon their Master, as valued friends, but not as the king” (JohnDm).

10:12 Judith identifies herself as a daughter of the Hebrews since foreigners commonly identified Israelites as Hebrews (see 1Kg 4:6; Acts 6:1).

10:21 Holofernes' canopy, worthy of a great king (see Est 1:6 and SS 3:7, 9, 10), reveals his inflated opinion of himself.

11:4 Although no one will harm Judith, she will be the destruction of Holofernes (9:13).

11:5–8 In considering the deceitful flattery of Judith's words, the author is following an ancient standard of morality: there are no rights for an alien enemy (Dt 23:3–6). Christ, however, has called us to a more perfect way: “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you” (Mt 5:44).

11:6 Judith's words are deliberately ambiguous. Holofernes pridefully understands my lord to refer to himself, but Judith is actually saying, “my Lord shall not fail in His pursuits.”

11:17 Night and day reflects the ancient method of reckoning time in which a new day begins at sunset (Gn 1:5).

11:23 There is betrayal in Holofernes' vow, your God will be my God, because he acknowledges King Nebuchadnezzar as god (3:8; 6:2).

12:2 Judith's polite but firm refusal to eat from the table of Gentiles is akin to the piety later found among the Pharisees (Gal 2:12).

12:5 The morning watch is from about two a.m. until dawn.

12:7 That Judith washed in the water from the spring was ceremonial, not merely practical. Jewish places of prayer were usually located near water (Ps 136:1; Ezk 1:3; Acts 16:13).

12:10 The officers were excluded so as to limit the feast to a private household affair.

12:12 Passions (in this case, lust) can affect moral judgment to the point that evil is considered good (Is 5:18–23). Holofernes is so enmeshed in his passion he considers it a disgrace if we do not seduce her.

12:14 Again, Judith's words are deliberately ambiguous (see 11:6, note). Bagoas understands my lord to refer to Holofernes, but Judith means “my Lord.”

12:15 Holofernes' intent upon Judith had been made plain by the lambskins. They were used for bedding, not to recline on to eat a meal.

12:16 Ravished does not mean filled with joy. Rather, it here indicates a violent seizing of onés senses which results in senselessness, even insanity.

13:2–3 Holofernes' being unconscious from the wine explains why Bagoas unquestioningly accepts Judith's words that she would go out to pray. Of course, she was preparing for her unhindered departure.

13:4–5 Judith prayer was said in her heart to keep this final petition for blessing between herself and the Lord and away from prying ears.

13:6, 7 Holofernes' sword and Judith's plea O Lord... strengthen me brings to mind Ps 36:15, 17, 39.

13:13 Her return was incredible to them because, in their weakness of faith, they thought her departure had meant her certain death.

13:14 Praise God contains an allusion to the etymology of the name Judith, which means “Jewess” or “praise” (see Gn 49:8).

13:15 That Holofernes died by the hand of a woman emphasizes the shame associated with his being so weak as to have succumbed to such a death.

13:16 Judith here offers evidence that her act was consistent with God's will.

13:18–20 This blessing is a prototype of the blessing and veneration the Church gives to the Theotokos.

14:1 This public display of the head (or body) of a fallen enemy leader was done to reveal his disgrace (Dt 21:22, 23).

14:5 The canopy (13:15) is a single witness to the identity of the head. Achior is a former ally of Holofernes who provides confirmation of the identity of the head.

14:10 For an Ammonite to be membered with the house of Israel is in contradiction to the law (Dt 23:4, 5). So also is the salvation of all Gentiles.

15:8 They would have greeted her with words similar to St. Paul's salutation to the Thessalonians, “Now may the Lord of peace Himself give you peace always in every way. The Lord be with you all” (2Th 3:16), a typical Jewish greeting.

15:13 The songs of praise would likely have included the Psalms of Ascent (120–134).

16:2 This verse alludes to Ps 17:48.

16:3 The mountains of the north was the typical path of advance against Israel by the kingdoms of the east in order to avoid a march across the Arabian desert.

16:5–6 See Is 57:13.

16:6 The Titans' sons are likely Goliath and his kin (2Kg 21:18–22).

16:10 The Persians and the Medes are a reminder that this story is set in the time after the return from captivity.

16:14 This verse is a paraphrase of Ps 32:6.

16:19 In imitation of Abraham (Gn 14:22, 23), and Elisha (4Kg 5:16), Judith took nothing for herself, but dedicated all the property to the Lord.

16:22 Judith maintained her widowhood until the end of her life, a common practice in Israel (Lk 2:36, 37) and in the Church (1Co 7:8, 39, 40; 1Ti 5:5). The phrase was buried with his people is indicative of the Hebrew practice of burying succeeding generations of the family in a common grave site (Gn 49:29).

1:1a-1r These verses occur only in the Greek LXX manuscripts and appear there as an addition to the Book of Esther.

1:1d-1j The dream (which is interpreted in 10:1–3k) prepares Mordecai for the test he will face and reveals that God is behind the course of human events.

1:1m-1r This plot, recounted in 2:21–23, serves to describe the animosity between Haman and Mordecai.

1:1–6 Artaxerxes is imperfect, passionate, and self-indulgent. Nevertheless, by virtue of his office and by reigning over many nations, he functions as a figure for God. The dignity of an earthly office is not diminished by the failings of the person holding it (see Jn 11:51; Acts 23:1–5).

1:7 The various cups were likely plunder from conquered nations.

1:12 Queen Vashtís refusal to attend the king's festival, being preoccupied with her own, serves as a warning to those who see themselves as followers of the King but whose heart is self-centered, as in Christ's parable of the wedding feast (Mt 22:1–14; Lk 14:15–24).

1:16 As with Queen Vashti, our actions may have consequences that go far beyond ourselves.

1:22 Note that the king's decree was distributed to all people according to their own language, so that all could understand and follow. This is why in the Orthodox Church throughout the world it is imperative that the gospel be preached (Acts 2:4–11) and the liturgy be celebrated (1Co 14:1–25) in the language spoken by the people (see also 3:12).

2:1 After these words: The events in this chapter take place about four years after those in ch. 1 (compare 1:3 with 2:16). A war against Greece, in which Persia was soundly defeated, took place during this span of time.

2:7 Mordecaís relation to Esther is that of both guardian and husband, a necessary social and legal arrangement and not unusual at the time. This would also be the relationship between Joseph and the Virgin Mary. In this situation, there was no sexual relationship, as demonstrated by Esther's virginity.

2:12 The twelve months were days of preparation and training. If these are the preparations to visit an earthly king, all the more should the faithful prepare to meet Christ the King through prayer, fasting, and confession as we encounter Him in the services of the Church.

2:18 Granted a release indicates a national holiday and a remission of taxes (see 10:1). The coronation banquet of seven days for a new queen would raise morale after the defeat in war.

2:20 Though in a pagan palace, Esther did not change her manner of life nor cease to fear God. God calls us to faithfulness in whatever situation He places us.

2:23 The good will of Mordecai was recorded, but not yet rewarded. Faithfulness to God is never forgotten by the Lord, even if it appears to go unnoticed (Heb 6:10). The true reward is glorification, not in this life, but in the Kingdom to come (Heb 11:39, 40).

3:1–9 The extreme animosity between Haman and Mordecai quite possibly is rooted in an old tribal feud. Mordecai was a Benjamite (1:1a). According to the Hebrew text, Haman was a descendant of Agag, whose nation was utterly destroyed by King Saul (1Kg 15:8), also a Benjamite. Haman sees the situation as an opportune time not only to destroy Mordecai, but to vengefully destroy all the Jews (v. 6).

3:7 The month of Adar was eleven months away. Delays occur frequently in this book, giving time for the divine plan of God to unfold.

3:8 They disregard the king's laws: Haman's accusation against the Jews is the same as the authorities' accusation would be against Jesus (Lk 6:6, 7) and His followers (Acts 6:11–14).

3:13a-13g These verses do not occur in the Hebrew manuscripts, but only in the Greek LXX, and are considered by many to be an addition to the Book of Esther. The demonic pride of Haman is evident in the letter. As author of the letter (v. 12), Haman attempts to glorify himself in the name of the king, while slandering the people of God.

4:1–3 Mordecai is consistently seen by the fathers as a Christ-figure (see 8:12m, where he is referred to as “deliverer and constant benefactor” to the Jews). Consistent with this typology, Mordecai leaves the courtyard of the king, removes his fine garments, and goes out among his people to share in their sufferings (see Php 2:5–7).

4:4 In Esther's attempt to help Mordecai, she tries to take his sackcloth away and give him new garments, but he would not accept them. This is fulfilled when Peter would try to dissuade Jesus from accepting the Cross (Mt 16:22). Because His mission was to completely identify with His people, Jesus also would not be dissuaded.

4:13–14 God's plan of salvation involves the cooperation of His people. If someone God calls is unwilling to cooperate, two things will happen: (1) God will find willing participants elsewhere, for God's plan can never be thwarted; and (2) those who were not willing will perish with the unfaithful (see Mt 21:41). Mordecaís question, who knows whether it is for this occasion you reign as queen? is a call to all believers to courageously discern the will of God for their particular moment in life in order to

fulfill God's plan. Note Mordecaís unswerving trust in God in spite of the seemingly hopeless circumstances.

4:15–17 Esther's fast and her courageous act of mercy for her people reveal her resolve and her character. This fast of Esther and the whole community marks the turning point in the events of the story and the beginning of the downfall of Haman.

4:17a-17x These verses do not occur in the Hebrew manuscripts.

4:17a-17h Mordecaís prayer, not included in the Hebrew text, follows a classic pattern of praise, remembrance of God's works, and petition.

4:17e One of the devil's unsuccessful temptations of the Lord was to try to lure Christ to bow down before him (Mt 4:9, 10).

4:17j-17x The prayer of Queen Esther includes repentance on behalf of the people and rejection of the glories of this world. Faithful Jews realized that inevitably, the evils inflicted on their nation resulted from their abandoning God's way. Their difficulty was overcome only through genuine repentance.

5:1 Esther comes forth from her chamber on the third day, giving a resurrectional tone to her subsequent victory over Haman.

5:2 Appealing to the all-seeing God and Savior: Esther's apparel is appropriate not only for the king, but for her Almighty King and God. Thus, we understand there is appropriate dress for coming before the Lord in worship. Likewise, our baptismal garment is given by the Lord and is the only garment worthy of the King's palace (see Mt 22:11–14).

5:3 Esther's heart shrank with fear because the lives of her people were at stake. St. Paul admitted to the people of Corinth, “I was with you in weakness, in fear, and in much trembling” (1Co 2:3).

5:11 Up to half my kingdom: A figure of speech. This royal courtesy magnifies the generosity of the king and gives opportunity for the petitioner to appear modest when the actual request is made (see Mk 6:23).

5:12 Esther's request is most noble – she asks to be permitted to serve the king. This stands in contrast to Vashti, who prepared a banquet for herself and those who would serve her (1:9).

5:16 The delay until tomorrow allows events to unfold in which the Lord will not only save the Jews, but will bring down Haman (see note at 3:7).

5:17–21 Haman's pride will not allow him to be content. His rage towards another person prevents him from continuing in all the blessings from the king.

5:22 Hanged on the tree: A gallows tree was used for various means of public execution, including hanging, impaling, and public display of a corpse. This was the Persian precursor to Roman crucifixion. Fifty cubits is approximately 75 feet (23 meters), and indicates Haman's intention to put Mordecai to death with extreme humiliation.

6:1 The Lord made it difficult for the king to sleep: The fathers understand this verse to show that it is the Lord who directs the plan of salvation, even through unbelievers.

6:6–9 Haman unwittingly defines the honor of his enemy. The honor of being clothed with the royal robe the king wears makes the recipient, Mordecai, share in the royalty of the king himself, just as Christ fully shares in the divinity of the Father (see also Is 63:1–5).

6:11 This is Mordecaís second journey through the city. The first journey was in sackcloth and ashes (4:1), but this one is in glory and honor.

7:1 Not everything we need must be gained immediately! In this case a crucial deadline is approaching, but the queen is patient, awaiting the right time to gain the desired result, literally the salvation of her people.

7:4 Accuser (lit. “devil”): The unambiguous identity of Haman.

7:9, 10 St. Jerome writes, “Haman was burned in the fire of his own kindling.”

8:5–8 With Haman executed and Mordecai and Esther delivered, there is still an edict in force for the destruction of the Jews throughout the kingdom. Esther asks the king to revoke the death sentence against them. However, an order of a Persian king was irrevocable (see 1:19). Such an order can, however, be superseded with a new decree (v. 8), which is actually to the Jews' advantage. If the first decree could have been revoked, the Jews would have been saved, but their enemies would also have lived on to persecute them another day. This new decree makes possible the final destruction of these enemies.

8:12a-12k This section is in the Greek LXX text; it does not appear in the Hebrew manuscripts.

8:12c They undertake to plot against their own benefactors: To plot against the Jews, from whom the Savior of the world would come, is to plot against hope for oneself. The same can be said of persecutors of the Church, where the Savior dwells.

8:12r This new decree gives royal authority to the Jews to destroy those under Haman's influence and those who would destroy the Jews (see Eph 6:12).

8:12s Est 8:12s, 12t: Victory is already assumed, and deliverance will be received by both the Jews and the well-inclined Persians.

8:16 And there was light and gladness: This recalls the prophetic dream of Mordecai (1:1j).

8:17 Gentiles were circumcised: It is remarkable how much power of persuasion there is in the works of God!

9:1–16 What is done in secret is shouted from the housetops (Lk 12:3). Haman's plot was made in secret, but now the bodies of his sons are exposed (v. 13) as was his secret plot (see also Lk 8:17).

9:19 It is often noted that the Hebrew version of Esther never mentions the name of God. Since the story was copied and sent to the Jews, both near and far, the name of God would inevitably be omitted, for this name was too sacred to write. It follows that the account Mordecai wrote in a book would not necessarily be worded the same as letters that were widely circulated. Furthermore, with the help of Mordecai, Esther wrote down her own account of the events (v. 30). Thus, there were at least three distinct accounts of this story.

9:25 These days were called Purim – on account of the lots (because in their language they are called pur): In 3:7, Haman casts lots to determine the day for the Jews to be massacred. The word pur is not a Hebrew word in origin. It comes from the Persian or Assyrian and means lot. Thus, it was Haman's lot that established the date for the great Jewish celebration of Purim, which commemorates the deliverance recorded in this book.

10:3a-3k Mordecai interprets his dream recorded in the introduction to ch. 1. This dream was likely on his mind continually as the circumstances unfolded, for not one detail of them has failed (v. 36).

10:3k This indicates the source of the Greek translation of this passage. The fourth year of the reign of Ptolemy would date the translation of this passage from Hebrew to Greek around the year 114 BC.

1:1 Alexander is Alexander the Great.

1:8–9 According to the historian Josephus, Alexander's generals divided his empire into several dynastic houses: Ptolemy in Egypt, Seleucis in Babylon, Lysimachus in Hellespont, Cassander in Macedonia, and Antigonus in Asia.

1:11–15 Those sons of Israel who wanted to introduce Greek culture into Jewish life were called Hellenists. They sought to overthrow the legitimate high priest Onias III and succeeded in having one of their own, Onias' brother Jason, appointed high priest by Antiochus IV (2Mc 4). Jason built a gymnasium where young Jews competed alongside the Greeks. Many Jewish men underwent painful operations to hide their circumcision.

1:16–19 Antiochus IV campaigned against Ptolemy IV (reigned 180–145 BC) in Egypt from 170 to 168 BC.

1:20–24 Antiochus entered Jerusalem, pillaging the temple to pay his war debts.

1:29–35 Apollonius the Mysarch, a commander of Mysian mercenaries, erected a citadel (v. 33) known as the Acra (lit. “Acropolis”) on the temple mount, just north of the temple itself, where he installed a Phrygian named Philip as governor (Josephus).

1:41–53 Antiochus the king abandoned his dream of rebuilding Alexander's kingdom for the more modest goal of consolidating his own empire. He decreed that the Jews were to abandon their religion (v. 42) because it was considered politically disruptive. Any Jew who refused to sacrifice to the Greek gods on behalf of the emperor (vv. 44–49) was tortured and killed (v. 50).

1:54 Inside the temple, Antiochus erected the abomination of desolation (Dan 9:27), either a statue of Zeus sculpted in the likeness of the emperor or some cultic stones. Until that time, the temple had been the focal point of the Jewish nation and faith. Jews made three pilgrimages there each year, at the feasts of Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles.

1:62–64 Unclean food involved the sacrifice of swine to Zeus. Josephus the historian notes that while the Jews were being persecuted, their Samaritan neighbors lied to Antiochus, calling themselves a colony of Medes and Persians, not Jews. He reports they even went so far as to have their temple on Mount Gerizim dedicated to Jupiter Hellenius.

2:1–5 Mattathias of the House of Hashmon fled the Hellenizing evils of Jerusalem with his five sons (later known as the Hasmoneans). They moved to Modein, a rural town seventeen miles northwest of Jerusalem. It was common for Jews of the time to have both a Jewish and a Greek name. Judas was also called Maccabeus, hence the family was called “the Maccabees.”

2:15–18 The king's officers sought to induce Mattathias to sacrifice first. They reasoned that the others from Israel would surely follow his lead.

2:24–26 Elsewhere in Israel, Jews had either been compliant or faced death willingly (1:63), so it is very possible Mattathias and his allies surprised and overcame a small troop of Antiochus' soldiers. Their sense of security as an occupying force may have made them careless; and they certainly did not expect a rebellion from the “docile” Jews.

2:27–28 Mattathias and his sons fled to a retreat in the Gophna mountains, located in southern Samaria. In this way, they avoided the jurisdiction of the Seleucid commander of Judea and could remain unmolested for a time.

2:32–38 It was forbidden for Jews to fight on the Sabbath (Ex 31:12–18), and Antiochus' soldiers took full advantage of this fact (v. 38).

2:39–41 Mattathias and the Jews realized they would be slaughtered if they chose not to defend themselves on the Sabbath. In a truly radical statement for their day, the Maccabees foreshadowed Jesus' words, “The Sabbath was made for man, and not man for the Sabbath” (Mk 2:27).

2:42–48 The Hasideans were Jews who strictly upheld the law. Together with Mattathias they began cleansing Israel of impurity, attacking both Gentiles and Jewish traitors.

2:65–68 Mattathias designated his son Judas Maccabeus as his military successor. Judas had likely developed a natural instinct for guerrilla warfare while hunting and herding in the Judean hill country.

3:32–41 Lysias sent three generals (v. 38) to camp at Emmaus (v. 40 – today's Imwas, next to Latrum) where they could send out spies to avoid Judah's traps.

3:42–44 In addition to his hand-picked soldiers, Judas operated a large militia system, whereby men could be called from their everyday tasks through an intricate network of runners. These “spies” also kept him informed as to the words of the king and the whereabouts of the Seleucid army.

4:8–11 Beyond his military prowess, Judas was the spiritual leader of his people as well.

4:52–59 Judas and his followers celebrated the first Festival of Rededication, which the historian Josephus calls the “Festival of Lights.” The celebration lasted eight days, beginning on the twenty-fifth of Chislev (December). Today the festival is called Hanukkah (lit. “dedication”) and is celebrated with the lighting of the Hanukkah lamp. According to the Babylonian Talmud, the Hasmoneans found only one undefiled container of oil left in the temple. Miraculously, it lasted for eight full days.

5:1–8 Judas and company marched out to rescue those Jews under heavy persecution by the Seleucid sympathizers in Judea. For consolidation purposes, Judas waged war on the Idumeans at Acrabattene, the sons of Baean, the Amalekites under Timothy, and the people of Jazer.

5:28–34 Judas encountered Timothy again, struck him a great blow, and captured his engines of war. Later, Judah used the siege equipment to tackle the Acra fortress.

5:55–62 Joseph and Azariah failed because they did not belong, nor were they divinely sanctioned members of the Hasmonean family (v. 62). Instead of following God's appointed leaders, they proudly sought their own glorification (v. 57).

6:1–4 Antiochus tried to steal the famed temple treasures of the Alexandrians but was thwarted by the men of Elymais, the part of Elam not controlled by the Seleucids. He was after his hero Alexander the Great's armor, said to be housed in the temple.

6:34–37 Lysias chose elephants not only for their innate ability as fighters, but for use in frightening the Jews, who had not encountered them before. In v. 35, phalanxes are heavily armed troops marching in close array, and coats of mail refers to flexible armor consisting of a mesh of interlinked metal rings used defensively in battle.

6:43–46 Eleazar bravely tried to kill Antiochus and overcome the Jews' fear of the elephants.

6:53 Some of the Jewish forces remaining in Judea barely held out for lack of food. God had commanded them to leave the earth fallow every seventh year (Ex 23:10, 11), so they had little surplus.

7:1–4 Demetrius I (reigned 162–150 BC), the son of emperor Seleucus IV (assassinated by Antiochus IV), was sent to Rome under the Treaty of Apamea and kept there by the Senate after they repeatedly refused to let him return home (Polybius). He escaped to the Syrian coast with the help of Polybius and his friend Menyllus, an envoy of Ptolemy VI Philometer of Egypt. Once in Tripolis, Demetrius set himself up as the true Seleucid emperor (Josephus).

7:5 High priest Alcimus was accepted by the Hasidic Jews for his Aaronic background and elected by Demetrius (or possibly earlier by Lysias) for his Hellenistic sympathies.

7:23 Judas refused to recognize a high priest appointed by Demetrius.

7:26–49 Nicanor was one of those who had escaped from Rome with Demetrius (Josephus). His death occurred on the thirteenth day of Adar (v. 49; roughly March) in 161 BC and is still observed as the Day of Nicanor.

8:1–16 Polybius (c. 160 BC) claimed that by his time the Romans had cleared the people of Gaul (Celtic migrants) from the Po valley up to the Alps. Rome then assumed the domain of Alexander the Great following their victory over Philip of Macedonia (v. 5) at Cynoscephalae in 197 BC, and his son Perseus at Pydna in 168 BC. Under Scipio, the Romans took Spain from the Carthaginians after the Second Punic War (202 BC) and the final defeat of Hannibal.

9:28–30 The Jews elected Jonathan as their new military leader in 159 BC. When Bacchides found out about the election, he tried to have Jonathan assassinated (v. 32). When that failed, he marched after the Jews on the Sabbath, thinking that he would take them by surprise (v. 34).

9:35–42 One of the remaining brothers, John, was killed by the sons of Jambri, apparently a local tribe, while journeying to the Nabateans in the Transjordan (Josephus).

9:54 The wall of the inner court of the temple had multiple functions. First, it separated the priests from the laity. Secondly, it divided the men from the women. Lastly and most importantly, it kept Gentiles from entering the sacred areas of the temple.

9:71 Bacchides finally realized that the Maccabees were the controlling force in Judean politics, so he made peace with them.

10:84 Dagon (lit. “a fish”) was one of the gods of the Philistines, a seafaring people, and was represented by a man's torso with the tail of a fish. Dagon had two temples mentioned in the Bible, one at Gaza (Jdg 16:21–30) and one at Ashdod (1Kg 5:5; 1Ch 10:10).

10:88–89 Alexander recognized Jonathan as an equal – a far cry from the Jews' rebel days in the Gophna hills.

11:67–74 The foreign army was from a conglomerate of tribes trying to take advantage of the struggle Jonathan faced against Demetrius.

13:1–11 The last of the original Maccabees, Simon was elected to take Jonathan's place as military and spiritual leader of Judea.

13:12–19 When Simon learned that Jonathan was still alive – they had thought he was dead – and being held captive, he negotiated with Trypho, who double-crossed him.

13:22 A providential snow storm stopped Trypho short of crushing the Maccabees.

13:23–30 Jonathan was killed at Bascama in 142 BC (Josephus). Simon recovered the body and buried it at Modein with the rest of their family.

13:31–32 Trypho was the first king not of the Seleucid house. According to Josephus, Trypho had his physicians tell the public Antiochus had died during surgery while they were trying to remove “a stone.”

13:42 Historians consider Simon the first ruler of the Hasmonean dynasty. After years of warfare, the Jews were finally freed from the yoke of the Seleucids.

13:43–53 Simon defeated Gazara and set up his son, John, as commander of forces (v. 53) and as high priest (16:24) from 134–104 BC. The citadel garrison, half starved, also gave in to Simon, who entered triumphantly (vv. 49, 50). This fortress was the final Seleucid stronghold, and its overthrow symbolized the hard-won freedom of the Jewish people.

14:26 The bronze tablets served as a national declaration of independence for the Jewish nation and as a kind of constitution for the Hasmonean government.

16:1–3 John was the third son of Simon. He reigned from 134–104 BC.

16:21 Ptolemy tried to kill John as well, but John's informers reached him first.

16:23–24 Later, after Antiochus besieged Jerusalem, he and John struck a treaty of peace. During the siege, Antiochus became known as “the pious” when he halted the war with the Jews for seven days and sent two adorned bulls into the city during the Feast of Tabernacles (Josephus).

1:1 Greek letters normally began with greetings, and Jewish letters began with the word peace. Though written entirely in Greek, 2Maccabees employs both words. This is a letter from Jews in Jerusalem to Jews in Egypt concerning the celebration of Hanukkah.

1:7 The date refers to the year 143 BC (see 1Mc 10:67).

1:9 The true Feast of Tabernacles (or Booths) was an autumn event wherein water and wine were added to altar sacrifices commemorating Israel's deliverance from Egypt and then finding a homeland given by God. The feast commemorating Judas Maccabeus's restoration of the temple (10:3) is joined to that one. Today the feast is called Hanukkah or the Feast of Lights. During this feast torches were lit in the temple, and around them the people sang and danced. It was the feast (see Jn 7:2) at which Jesus stood and said, “I am the light of the world” (Jn 8:12). The date identified is 124 BC.

1:10 The section that follows (1:11–2:18) is a second letter from the Jews in Jerusalem to the Jewish teacher and scholar Aristobulus, who lived in Egypt.

1:13 Nanea is a pagan goddess, probably Aphrodite.

1:16 The author sees justice in divine retribution (3:27, 28; 9:28; 15:32, 33; see also 9:2 and 1Mc 6:1–4).

1:18 It is noteworthy that an eighth day was added to this celebration (see Neh 8:13–18). This section of 2Maccabees is referring to the feast of Hanukkah, which celebrates fire and light (see note at 1:9).

1:20 The liquid is probably naphtha. Regardless, the story of the fire does not appear in Nehemiah, but in the rabbinical writings there is an account of a miracle wherein a small amount of oil burned for an extended period.

1:21 The prophet Nehemiah was to rebuild the walls of Jerusalem that had been destroyed by fire (Neh 2:11–18).

1:24 This begins the prayer of Nehemiah (1:24–2:18). See also Neh 1:5–11.

2:1 These records are unknown today.

2:5 According to 3Kg 8:4, Solomon brought the ark as well as the tabernacle (or the tent) and its contents to Jerusalem. Afterward, there is no further mention of the tent in Scripture. There is a tradition in which Jeremiah took the ark from Jerusalem and hid it when the temple was destroyed in 587 BC.

2:10 The two incidents are recorded in Lv 9:23, 24 and 2Ch 7:1.

2:19–23 2Maccabees is a shortened version of five books of Jewish history written by Jason of Cyrene (v. 23), which have been lost. This section explains the purpose of the book.

2:29–32 An apologetic for the brevity of narrative (v. 31) or short summary of Jason's five books (2:19–23) by the author.

3:1 Onias III was high priest before 175 BC. He is mentioned in WSir 50:1.

3:2 Throughout the book, the place is the temple.

3:3 Seleucus IV ruled from 187–175 BC. The events of 3:1–4:6 take place under his reign. During this period, there is a complicated political struggle involving Egypt and Syria and the family of the high priest.

3:5 Another famous son of Tarsus is the Apostle Paul (Acts 11:25, 26).

3:18 Onias probably had withheld tax money, and the time of relative peace was drawing to an end. The entire city was being pulled into the turmoil.

3:20 The people stretched out their hands to pray. Perhaps the earliest account of the lifting of hands for intercession is in Moses' role in Israel's victory over Amalek (Ex 17:8–13). St. Paul instructs the Church to pray “lifting up holy hands” (1Ti 2:8).

3:25 The scene calls to mind the rider in Rev 6:2.

3:26 This is reminiscent of the two angels in dazzling apparel in Lk 24:4 and Acts 1:10.

3:34 The angel in Acts 5:19, 20 gives similar instructions.

4:7 Seleucus is replaced by Antiochus, who rules from 175–164 BC. Epiphanes means “god is manifest.”

4:8 A talent is a weight, here in silver, equal to approximately 3000 shekels, or about $385.

4:10 The Greek way of life included the worship of pagan gods.

4:12 This particular Greek cap is linked to the Greek god Hermes.

4:13 Jason no longer kept the Mosaic Law, but instead foreign customs. Ethnic tradition must never take precedence over apostolic tradition in the Church.

4:17 God gave the Law to Moses, and for a Jew not to obey divine laws was ungodly, equivalent to apostasy.

4:22 Phoenicia is on the Mediterranean coastline just north of modern-day Beirut, Lebanon. The ancient ruins of this kingdom still exist there.

4:26 Evil divides. It picks allies only for the moment and is undermined when pride causes new rifts. Thus, Jesus warns, “Every city or house divided against itself will not stand” (Mt 12:25).

4:33 In ancient days a safe place was provided for people in certain religious sites. This particular haven is a pagan temple dedicated to Greek gods. Daphne was a suburb outside of Antioch, Syria.

4:38 Being stripped before being put to death added to the humiliation.

5:2 Forty days is a biblical number of completion or fullness. The Flood lasted forty days and nights (Gn 7:12); Jonah declared Nineveh would be destroyed in forty days (Jon 3:4).

5:6 One is reminded of Herod's destruction of the innocent children without mercy at the time of the birth of Jesus (Mt 2:16–18).

5:11 The city here is Jerusalem.

5:15–20 Antiochus was permitted by God to carry out this insane desecration of the most holy temple because of the sins of the people. It was not just because Antiochus was bent on destruction, but because the Lord allowed it for the good of His people (vv. 17, 18).

5:19 Because the Lord chose the nation Israel, the place (the temple) was located there.

5:25 Jews did not work or take up arms on the Sabbath.

6:2–5 A pagan statue or altar (v. 5) was erected in the temple in Jerusalem and a sexual fertility cult was instituted. In addition, swine and other unfitting things (v. 4) were sacrificed in the temple.

6:7 Dionysus is the pagan god of wine who rules over a celebration of drunkenness.

6:11 This is another example of the Jews piously keeping the seventh day, the Sabbath. In the same spirit, Christians are urged to assemble for worship (Heb 10:25).

6:12–16 This short treatise on divine discipline is very similar to the teaching, “whom the Lord loves He chastens,” in Heb 12:5–11. (See also Is 54:7, 8.)

6:24–31 Eleazar is willing to die for God's holy laws (v. 28). This is a mystery to the pagan-minded, who only see blind fanaticism in the righteous. St. Paul explains why unbelievers do not understand (1Co 2:14).

7:1 Like 6:18–31, ch. 7 bears a likeness to the early Christian accounts of the deaths of martyrs for Christ. The details of each death serve to portray the depths of faith in the story of the seven brothers and their mother. St. Cyprian, in a letter designed to strengthen one who was on the verge of martyrdom, wrote extensively of the martyrdom of each of these seven men and their mother.

7:6 Shortly before his death, Moses sings to Israel in Dt 32. The quote here is from Dt 32:36.

7:9 The King of the world is the Son of God, who is the source of resurrection and eternal life for those who follow His commandments.

7:14 In the Gospel of St. John, Jesus speaks of two paths for the resurrected: eternal life for those who have done good and condemnation for those who have done evil (Jn 5:29).

7:20 A basic hymn and prayer of the Orthodox Church is “Memory Eternal” – that the righteous departed will be kept in God's memory for all eternity. The mother and the seven brothers bring to mind the fullness of God's mercy and love.

7:22 It is the Spirit of God who gives breath and life to all people who come into the world (see Gn 2:7).

7:24–31 The tactics of Antiochus were often used by executioners to tempt Christian martyrs to reject Christ.

7:28 That God created the universe out of nothing is a fundamental teaching of the Holy Scriptures (Gn 1:1; also see Heb 11:3).

7:29 The mother clearly confesses the bodily resurrection from the dead.

7:37–38 While condemning King Antiochus' actions, the youngest brother also hopes that he will eventually repent and confess that He alone is God.

8:1–7 The lowest point of the book has been reached, and now the people of Israel begin to revolt against the Gentiles under the leadership of Judas Maccabeus.

8:16 The revolt gains momentum and the early successes attract six thousand Jews, who form an army in order to enter full-scale warfare against the Gentiles.

8:23 The outmanned army of Jews with its watchword is not unlike the army of the Emperor Constantine, who fought in the name of Christ to defeat a superior foe in the early fourth century.

8:26–27 Even in the heat of battle, keeping the Sabbath took precedence over all else.

9:8 There is a song of peace in Isaiah wherein no one but the Lord can weigh the high mountains (Is 40:12); but Antiochus is so absorbed in superhuman arrogance he is seen as making himself equal to God (see 9:12).

9:9 Note that Herod was inflicted with a similar condition (Acts 12:23).

9:11–18 Antiochus' repentance is a classic case of too little too late. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Heb 10:31).

10:5 The twenty-fifth of Chislev on the Hebrew calendar corresponds with December 25, bringing to mind the coming of the Son of God in the flesh for the purification of mankind.

10:6 The Feast of Tabernacles is a September Jewish feast, mentioned in Lv 23:43 as the Feast of Booths, when the Jews would live in booths constructed out of palm branches.

10:7 The scene is reminiscent of Palm Sunday (Jn 12:13).

10:10 Antiochus Eupator inherits the kingdom in 9:25. He is a young boy who reigns for only two years before being murdered (see 14:1, 2; 1Mc 7:34).

10:29 See Rev 9:17.

10:38 The Jews begin (10:16) and end their task in prayer.

11:3 It was a pagan Greek practice to sell the high priesthood annually in order to raise money for the government.

11:8 See 3:25.

11:16 The name of Judas Maccabeus is conspicuous in its absence from these letters, an obvious snub by Lysias.

11:21 December, 164 BC.

12:2 Timothy: See 8:30–33.

12:8 Jamnia is just south of Joppa.

12:15 See Jos 6:1–21.

12:22 A manifestation of God, who sees all things.

12:31 This is a wheat harvest feast celebrated seven weeks after Passover when men were required to be present in Jerusalem.

12:32 Pentecost is used here as another name for the Feast of Weeks.

12:40 These tokens are pagan charms that are idolatrous to the Jews.

12:42 This is a clear statement that the righteous Jews prayed for the departed so that the sin they had committed might be blotted out.

12:43–44 It is hope in the resurrection of the departed that forms the basis for prayers for them. In Christ all are alive. The power of these verses clearly indicates the depth of belief the Jews had in both the resurrection and the power of prayer for those gone before us to their rest.

12:45 Judas Maccabeus leads the Jews in praying for the release of their compatriots who had sinned.

13:4 The King of kings is the Eternal Son and Word of God ( see Rev 19:13, 16).

13:12 To pray in a prostrate position was a sign of great need to be freed from acts of sacrilege (see 3:15; 10:4). The fact that they made prostrations for three days and then arose reminds us of the third-day resurrection of Jesus Christ.

14:1 This is about the year 161 BC. The invaders kill both Antiochus and Lysias (see 1Mc 7:2–4).

14:4 By offering the crown of gold Alcimus concedes that Demetrius is the new king, and the palm branch is an emblem of his victory. Our Lord is offered palm branches in Jerusalem emblematic of His Kingship (Jn 12:13).

14:6–10 The parallels between Alcimus and Judas Iscariot are noteworthy. Alcimus attempts to destroy Judas Maccabeus as Judas Iscariot betrays Jesus.

14:15 Sprinkling earth on the head is a sign of humility and a recognition of God the Creator (see Gn 3:19 and also Jos 7:6).

14:33 Since the Jews had recent memory of the cult of Dionysus, this oath would have had profound impact (see 6:7).

14:35–36 This petition reflects the traditional patterns of Jewish liturgical prayer.

15:1 Nicanor was aware the Jews would not fight on the Sabbath.

15:2 These Jews were conscripted into Nicanor's army and wished to keep the Sabbath (see Ex 20:8–11).

15:12 Onias is the high priest recorded in 3:1–4:1.

15:14 The Jews believed departed saints like Jeremiah were alive before the general resurrection. This is clearly revealed in the New Testament when Moses and Elijah appear with Christ on Mt. Tabor (Mt 17:1–4).

15:18 The Jews' main concern is to protect the temple (see 14:33).

15:22 See 4Kg 19:35.

15:26 One of the prayers the Jews may have used in battle is Ps 68, the verses of which the Orthodox Church uses to begin Paschal Matins, Liturgy, and Vespers. They announce Christ's defeat of death and the devil.

15:30 This is Nicanor's right arm, which he used to point at the temple sanctuary and threaten to level the altar and erect a shrine to Dionysus (see 14:33; 15:32).

15:39 Delights the ears indicates this work was meant to be read aloud.

1:1 Philopator is Ptolemy IV (see 3:12). The battle near Raphia is dated by most at 217 BC. Arsinoe was the sister of Philopator, who married her and later had her murdered.

1:2 Theodotus had led the Egyptian army into Syria.

1:4 Antiochus III ruled Syria in the years 223–187 BC.

1:9 The Almighty God can also be rendered “God Most High” (1:16; see also 4:16) or even “the Greatest God.” The place is a reference in late Jewish antiquity to the temple (v. 10) at Jerusalem.

1:10–11 Inner sanctuary is a reference to the holy of holies. For a Gentile to enter this area would ritually defile it and be a great offense against God. Israel and especially the priests would be held accountable.

1:12 Evidently, Ptolemy thought the Jews were making up the law to keep him out. They read him the law to try to convince him (Ex 30:10; Lv 16:2, 11, 12, 15, 34). The king feels slighted and sees the high priest as beneath him.

1:13 The other shrines are various places in the temple.

1:16 The response of the Jews to Ptolemy's plan is telling. The priests, caring nothing for appearance, immediately supplicate God Most High for help, and do so loudly with cries and tears. The priests were fully vested for sacrifice and thanksgiving; sackcloth and ashes were for penitence.

1:17 This is an activity repeated in 2Mc 3:20–30.

1:20 Mothers and nurses caring for infants left them to entreat God for protection from Ptolemy's sin.

1:22–23 Aggressive citizens is likely a reference to young men filled with zeal for the Lord and the traditions of their fathers. They were barely restrained by the older and wiser men who prevailed over them. The older men convinced the younger to join in prayer instead, knowing their uncontrolled fervor would result in the slaughter of all present.

1:25 The elders were Ptolemy's guides in the temple as well as his advisors.

1:27 Even those accompanying the king now joined together in prayer to God.

1:28 The cacophony is so intense that it seems even the temple walls themselves rebel against such blasphemous action.

2:1 Simon was the son of Onias II and high priest from 219–196 BC. According to Sirach, he was a great spiritual leader of the Jews who repaired and fortified the temple at Jerusalem (WSir 50:1–21). His prayer follows Jewish tradition, beginning with praise and doxology, glorifying God as the ruler of the universe. Then follows a commemoration, calling to remembrance God's past mighty deeds on behalf of His people. A fervent petition for divine favor and action punctuates its closure.

2:2 References to God as King of the heavens include Dan 4:37; 1Ez 4:46, 58; Jdt 9:12; Tb 13:7, 11.

2:5 Sodom: See Gn 13:13; Dt 29:23; WSol 10:6–8; 2Ez 2:8; Lk 17:29; 2Pt 2:6; Jude 1:7.

2:6 Punishment on... Pharaoh: See Ex 5–12; Rom 9:17.

2:7 The sea: See Ex 14:21–28.

2:9 Chose this city: Jerusalem is specifically mentioned throughout the Old Testament as having been the city God has chosen for His name (see 3Kg 8:44, 48; 11:32, 36; 14:21; 4Kg 23:27; 2Ch 6:34, 38; 12:13; WSir 49:6).

2:13 Simon does not excuse the Israelites' responsibility for their current situation, but rather acknowledges their plight is the result of their manifold sins. Israel is lying in helplessness if they face Ptolemy without God's help.

2:15 The heaven of the heavens is a superlative indicating the true dwelling place of God is beyond the temple, in the highest of all heights, the most heavenly heaven.

2:16 Your glory is a reference to the shekinah, or the manifest glory of God to Israel, who dwells in the tabernacle and the temple, showing His presence among the people. For Christians, the manifest glory of God to Israel is none other than our Lord Jesus Christ, who before His Incarnation made Himself present among the Israelites (Ex 24:16, 17; 40:34, 35; Lv 9:23; 2Ch 5:14; 7:1–3).

2:18 The final indignity to a defeated people was to destroy their houses of worship.

2:22 Ptolemy, because of his arrogance before God, shook and became as powerless as the idols of vanity (see also 2Mc 3:27–29 for God's similar treatment of Heliodorus).

2:24 Ptolemy slinks away, humiliated but unrepentant.

2:25 Returning to Egypt only served to strengthen Ptolemy's resolve to get revenge on the Hebrews.

2:28 The battle lines are drawn in this unseen warfare. The Jews must not worship their God, and everyone in Alexandria must sacrifice to Dionysus. (For a similar battle of powers, see Dan 3.) The census is of slaves and servant classes, seemingly unique to Alexandria. The Jews are effectively becoming the property of the state.

2:29 Those registered are those who willingly comply. They will be branded, and this mark of allegiance will be permanent. Some people in ancient times would mark or brand themselves with the symbol of their god, here the ivy leaf. St. John predicts a similar mark of the beast (Rev 13:16, 17) in the end times.

2:31 Worshipping the one true God was fine, but not if it involved suffering.

2:32 Like Jacob, who struggled with God and prevailed (though he did not “win” the fight with the angel), the Jews are prevailing because they will not abandon their faith. They also paid bribes to save their lives.

2:33 These dissenters have not only denounced their God, but are considered betrayers to the whole nation of Jews.

3:1 King Ptolemy IV was well known for his profanity and rage.

3:2 The pretext for destroying the Jewish nation will be their alleged oppression of others – which is also an excuse set forth by those opposing Christians today.

3:8 The Greeks in Egypt understood that if the Jews, who had done nothing wrong, have fallen under tyranny, surely no one else is safe either. They act honorably to defend the Jews and aid them.

3:11 King Ptolemy IV is living off his father's political and material capital and reveling in it.

3:12–29 The king's anger and spite are clear from the self-justifying style of the letter.

3:21 For many years, Jews had been entrusted with positions of authority, influence, and management in Alexandrian society because they were trustworthy and honest fulfillers of their duty. Many faithfully manned the fortresses that guarded Ptolemy's kingdom (see 6:25).

3:23 Citizenship in Alexandria could not be purchased, as could later Roman citizenship, but instead was granted as a royal favor.

3:25 The king is calling for the destruction of fathers.

3:27 Now genocide is being advocated, and Ptolemy expects the cooperation of his people.

3:30 Rather than putting forth an exact copy of the actual letter, the author states this is a paraphrase, containing the manner and tone of the original letter.

4:1 A public ceremony was held in Ptolemy's typical style, allowing inhabitants to drink heavily and revile the Jews.

4:4 Death and the great fragility of human life carries a spiritual, emotional, and psychological uncertainty for men (WSir 7:36).

4:5 The easiest Jews to identify and arrest would be the elders with gray hair, who were to be led away first.

4:7–8 The Jews cannot even protect their newlyweds from seizure and arrest, a terrible disgrace. The whole scene gives the impression of incredible despair.

4:11 Schedia is a small peninsula not far from Alexandria, about three miles. There are so many Jews, they must be interred in the enormous hippodrome or stadium at the east gate of Alexandria.

4:13 Up until now, the Jews of Alexandria have been spared such shameful treatment.

4:14 Such an unusual command can only demonstrate Ptolemy's irrational rage at the Jews. Recall that at the time of the Nativity of Christ, the Jews were called to be registered and enrolled, each with his own tribe (Lk 2:1–4).

4:15 Forty days: A traditional time of preparation, mentioned with great frequency and rich symbolism in Holy Scripture.

4:17–18 The job was too big to complete. This failure was due to God's providence (4:21).

5:1 War elephants usually were associated closely with their trainers, and watching over this group would be the master trainer, Hermon.

5:2 Five hundred elephants would ensure that not one Jew in the hippodrome would escape a frightful death. Ancient war elephants were specimens of extraordinary size and power. They were used not only for battle, but also as beasts of burden. Wine in ancient times was thick and potent, like a syrup, which was mixed with water to give it a drinkable consistency. Frankincense was a medical remedy for poisoning. To keep the elephants healthy, Ptolemy ordered that they be given this antidote to the wine so they might not later suffer the effects of inebriation.

5:7 References to God as Father exist several times in the Old Testament (2:21; Ps 88:26; Tb 13:4; WSol 2:16; WSir 23:4; 2Ez 1:29).

5:11 According to WSir 31:20, healthful sleep depends on moderate eating. This deep sleep is a godsend for the Jews and a blessing for Ptolemy.

5:13 Their execution should have taken place in the morning.

5:14 This would be 4:30 p.m. The king has slept away the entire day.

5:20 Phalaris was the ruler of sixth-century BC Agrigentum. His savagery and cruelty were legendary. The godless Jews were those who did not sacrifice to the official gods of Greek or Roman cities. They were considered atheists by the locals.

5:22 Ptolemy's friends are preparing to revile those whom the king clearly wants destroyed in order to gain his favor.

5:24 Even the pitiful sight of a horrific death is still entertainment for pagans of the ancient world.

5:27–30 Through riotous feasting, Ptolemy is not only still drunk, but he cannot recall his former commands. The king is exhibiting more than his characteristic impulsiveness. God is at work, first bringing the king sleep and now removing his memory of his vicious orders.

5:31 The king himself declares the Jews innocent. He has not forgotten the loyalty they have shown as faithful citizens of Egypt for generations.

5:34 Ptolemy's drinking friends have no desire to stay and bear the brunt of his anger. The party is over, and one by one they take leave.

5:35 Someone reports to the Jews what is happening. They give praise to God.

5:36 The king has sobered up enough to begin the whole cycle of revelry as before.

5:39–41 Finally, the royal family administrators speak up, warning that the city is in chaos. These episodes of Ptolemy's are riling up the growing crowds.

5:43 Ptolemy is now adding his characteristic promises to utterly destroy his enemies. It borders on royal hyperbole because he never fulfills his threats.

5:50–51 The Jews have bade each other farewell (v. 49), but still call on the Lord for help even against all odds and cry out for mercy. In the Gospels, there are seven instances of someone calling on Jesus for mercy (Mt 9:27; 15:22; 17:15; 20:30, 31; Mk 10:47, 48; Lk 17:13; 18:38, 39). In every case, they receive it.

6:1 The name Eleazar means “God has helped.” His prayer follows the pattern of Simon's earlier prayer (see notes on 2:1–20).

6:2–5 Eleazar likens Israel to that portion of the sacrifices which was set aside for Aaron and his sons (the priests) as their perpetual due from Israel (Lv 7:34, 35; Nm 18:8–18). The Jews have become the inheritance of the Lord (Ps 27:9; 32:12; Is 19:25). More than a chosen nation, they have been set apart for holiness. Sennacherib (v. 5) was the king of Assyria during the reign of Hezekiah, king of Judah. The episode noted is the occasion when, at the supplication of Israel, God sent an angel who in one night slew 185,000 of Sennacherib's forces, sending him home to Nineveh in humiliation and defeat. He was assassinated shortly afterwards (4Kg 18:13; 19:35–37; WSir 48:18–21).

6:6 Hananiah, Mishael, and Azariah (their pagan names were Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego) are the three young men in the fiery furnace recorded in Dan 3.

6:7 The deliverance of the Prophet Daniel here is a type of the Resurrection.

6:8 Jonah is well known as a typological prophecy of the Resurrection of Christ. For the Lord, upon His Resurrection, was given back to His people, His disciples, His kin, and His mother.

6:15 The statement You are with us (Is 8:10) is of such importance that it is repeated at Great Compline services. The ultimate experience of this reality is Immanuel, “God with us,” our Lord Jesus Christ.

6:18 Almighty in Greek is pantocrator. In Orthodox theology the title Pantocrator is reserved for Christ, the Ruler of all Creation. Manifested in Greek is epifanas, from which we get the English word “epiphany.” The heavenly doors open to reveal angels or heavenly mysteries. These angelic powers are usually arrayed for battle. They terrify the enemy and strike with impunity those adversaries God sent the angels to destroy (see 2Mc 3:25, 26; 10:29, 30).

6:21 The fate intended for the Jews has been visited upon their enemies, just as it was with Pharaoh's army in the Red Sea.

6:23 A great number of Ptolemy's armed men were slain. Ptolemy has repented of attacking the innocent Jews, not of his cruel and arbitrary behavior.

6:26 They differed in that they worship only the one true God.

6:31 The Jews are being given the seat of honor at feasts in honor of their deliverance.

6:32 Ode of their fathers: Undoubtedly a psalm or the song of the three young men in the fiery furnace (Dan 3:23–91). This would have become a regular feature in Jewish liturgical practice. How much more appropriate at such a celebration – and everyone would know the words!

6:35 See Col 3:16; Jam 5:13.

6:38 The number forty represents a period of preparation, exercise, and readiness. Here the Jews were waiting for their salvation. In light of this pattern, both Advent (Nativity fast) and Great Lent (Paschal fast) are periods of forty days, in preparation respectively for the Incarnation and Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ.

6:41 Unlike the previous letter (3:12–29), which was paraphrased in content and tone, the author states that this letter has been copied.

7:2 The children are Ptolemy's family and friends at court. Ptolemy had only one child and heir.

7:3 Though changed, Ptolemy still does not take full responsibility for his own actions, perhaps in order to make his previous royal order not seem ridiculous.

7:5 The Scythians were infamous for their savagery and brutality.

7:9 God the most High: Another ancient way of referring to the God of Israel, and one frequently used in localities where non-Jews abound (see Gn 14:19–22; Dan 3:26; Mk 5:7; Lk 8:28; Acts 16:17).

7:10 While living under Gentile dominion, the Jews had to ask permission of the king to enforce their own laws with regard to putting someone to death (see Jn 18:31).

7:13 Alleluia is the Greco-Roman version of the Hebrew hallelujah, meaning “praise the Lord.” Even after aggrandizing the king, the Jews give praise to God for all that He in His power has accomplished on their behalf.

7:14 The Jews now seek out, punish, and publicly humiliate the apostate Jews who dared to receive the branding mark of Dionysus (see note at 2:29).

7:17 The coastal city of Ptolemais, southwest of modern-day Cairo, was an easily defensible harbor on the Egyptian coast and a popular anchorage for the Alexandrian fleet. (There were many cities named Ptolemais, one near Thebes in Egypt and even one in Israel, the modern city of Akko on the Mediterranean Sea, on the north coast of the Bay of Haifa.)

7:20 A column: A common commemorative to memorialize a military victory or other exceptionally significant event.

7:22 In their absence, their possessions were plundered. No one expected them to be reclaimed. This was unprecedented.

1:1 The Man in Ps 1 is the Lord Jesus Christ (JohnChr, AmbM, Eust, CyrAl, Aug, and Cass). Thus, the Incarnation sets the tone of Psalms, and in the Psalms the Incarnate Lord teaches His Church how to pray. This is why Psalms is the prayer book of the Church.

Ps 1 presents how Jesus lived His life in this world by showing the contrast between His godly life and the life of the ungodly. The Church, then, is to follow His example: His behavior in relation to the ungodly (v. 1); His zeal for the truth (v. 2); and His holy and virtuous life (v. 3).

2:1 The Lord in Ps 2 is God the Father, and Jesus is called His anointed (v. 2), which means “His Christ.” Jesus is also called King (v. 6), which is declared by the Father's eternal decree. Jesus is King without beginning and without end, and He is King over His holy hill of Zion, which is the Church. Jesus is also the Son of God the Father (v. 7), for He was begotten from the Father outside of time and “before all worlds” (Creed). He was also begotten in these last times by the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, “for us men and for our salvation” (Creed). Then again, He was begotten in the sense of His Resurrection from the dead (Acts 13:32, 33). But Jesus is also the King over the nations (v. 8), which in due time, He will shatter like a potter's vessel (v. 9) when He restores heaven and earth, and reigns eternally with His saints in “the world to come” (Creed). Therefore, the rulers of the nations are called to serve this King, or they will be judged; but blessed are all who trust in Him (v. 12).

3:1 The historical account in Ps 3 is that of King David fleeing from his son, Absalom (2Kg 15–18). But prophetically, Ps 3 is speaking of Jesus as the Son of David according to the flesh (Mt 1:1; Rom 1:3). Thus, Jesus is praying to the Lord, who is God the Father (vv. 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 9). And the many... who rise up against me (v. 2) are the fallen angels, of whom Absalom and his army were a type. These angels, which number ten thousands (v. 7), always lie in their denial of man's salvation through Christ (v. 3). But just as Jesus always rejected their lies (vv. 4–9), so He is teaching His Church to do the same.

4:1 Ps 4 emphasizes the End (vv. 1, 2). Christ “is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes” (Rom 10:4), and He is “the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End” (Rev 1:8). He exhorts people not to be slow of heart, and not to love vain things, nor to seek after lies (v. 3). Rather, they should realize that the Lord, who is the Father, has made His Holy One, who is Christ, to be wondrous (v. 4) in His death and Resurrection (v. 9).

5:1 Ps 5 is similar to Ps 4, again emphasizing the End (v. 1). Christ is the End concerning the inheritance (v. 1), which is the Church and the world to come (Creed). For Christ and His inheritance are the end to which God's eternal purpose is moving (Eph 3:11). And in His prayer to the Father, whom He calls Lord and King and God (vv. 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13), He is teaching the Church how to pray and worship in her morning prayers (v. 4) as she travels through this present lawless world (vv. 5–13).

6:1 Ps 6 teaches the Church the spirit of humility the faithful should have when they pray, “Lord, have mercy,” for this petition is repeated again and again in the services of worship. This spirit of humility is characterized by (1) a request for mercy, rather than a stern reproof and discipline because of our sins (v. 1); (2) a recognition of the weakness and frailty of our mortal nature (vv. 3, 4); (3) a request for deliverance and salvation (vv. 5, 6); (4) a contrite spirit, characterized by tears and the need for help with respect to sinful passions (vv. 7, 8); and (5) a firm stand against the fallen angels and the Lord's needed help in this warfare (vv. 9–11).

7:1 The historical background of Ps 7 is Absalom's rebellion against his father, King David. This history is found in 2Kg 14–18. King David and his army prefigure Christ and the Church, whereas Absalom and his army represent the devil and his angels.

Thus, Ps 7 teaches the Church how to pray in this warfare: (1) The faithful place their hope in God for deliverance from the enemy, that is the devil, called a lion (v. 3; see also 1Pt 5:8). (2) Personal virtue in the Church is essential for successful warfare against this enemy (vv. 4–17). (3) The credit for any victory achieved goes to the Lord (v. 18).

8:1 Ps 8 speaks of the Incarnate Lord: (1) His name is wondrous... in all the earth, and He is exalted far beyond the heavens (v. 2; see also Php 2:9–11). (2) He brings forth praise from His humble people, who are likened to little children (v. 3; see also Mt 18:1–4; 21:15, 16). (3) He is the Creator of the universe (v. 4; see also Heb 1:10–12). (4) He remembered man and his mortal nature, for example, his fall into death and decay in the grave, and thus, became incarnate to redeem him from death and to crown him with glory and honor (vv. 5–9; see also Heb 2:6–10). (5) Because of the things mentioned above, the incarnate Lord's name is wondrous in all the earth.

9:1 At Ps 9 the numerical divergence begins between the Septuagint (LXX) and the Masoretic Text. In the LXX, Ps 9 and 10 are combined.

Ps 9 is concerning the hidden things of the Son. Now this Son is the Only-begotten Son of the Father, and He is the judge of all mankind. As the Creed says, “He shall come again in glory to judge the living and the dead.” And at the End, that is, in the coming judgment, He shall reveal “hidden things.” Thus, the theme of judgment runs throughout the psalm (vv. 5, 8, 9, 17, 20, 26, and 39), and things now hidden will be revealed, some of which are prophesied by David in this psalm. For example, all the deeds of the ungodly will be remembered, exposed and judged (vv. 32–35), for everything will be brought into the light. However, the godly now give thanks to the Lord with a repentant and grateful heart (vv. 1, 2), for they know the Lord will reign over His kingdom forever (v. 37). For His “kingdom shall have no end” (Creed).

10:1 Ps 10 shows what it means for the Church to trust in the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 1), for He is the End. (1) Trusting in the Lord overcomes cowardice (Flee to the mountains like a sparrow, v. 1). (2) Trusting in the Lord overcomes the devil and his angels (vv. 2, 3; see also Eph 6:16). (3) Trusting in the Lord makes the Church a dwelling place of God (v. 4a; see also 1Co 3:16, 17; Eph 2:21, 22). (4) Trusting in the Lord keeps one poor in spirit (v. 4b; see also Mt 5:3). (5) Trusting in the Lord helps one love virtue and hate vice (vv. 5–7; see also Heb 1:9; 1Pt 3:10–12).

11:1 Ps 11 presents a contrast between the godly who live in light of Christ (the End, v. 1) and the eighth day (v. 1), that is, “the coming of Christ, the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed); and the ungodly, who walk in a circle (v. 9), that is, who live only within the confined vision of their seven days each week. And as the godly journey through this present world, (1) they pray for deliverance from the ungodliness around them (vv. 2, 3); (2) they ask the Lord to destroy the ungodly attitudes and behavior around them (vv. 4, 5); and (3) they groan to the Lord in the midst of their suffering (v. 6a). And because of their prayers and groaning in this way, the Lord, through His Resurrection (I will arise, v. 6), (1) boldly establishes them in salvation (v. 6); (2) purifies them in virtue with His words (v. 7); (3) guards and preserves them from the ungodly generation (v. 8); and (4) through His Ascension (exaltation, v. 9b), highly exalts His godly ones (v. 9b; see also Php 2:9–11; Eph 2:6, 7).

12:1 Ps 12 teaches the Church how to attain to an exceedingly joyful heart in singing to the Lord (v. 6b), who is the End (v. 1): (1) by godly sorrow and repentance over sins committed, lest the devil and sinful passions (my enemy) be victorious (vv. 3, 5; see also 2Co 7:10); (2) by petitioning the Lord to enlighten the eyes of the heart, lest the sleep in death overtake one (v. 4; see also Eph 1:18; 5:14); and (3) by hoping in the Lord's mercy (v. 6a).

13:1 Ps 13 describes both Jews and Gentiles who say in their hearts, “There is no God” (v. 1; see also Rom 3:9–18). For although they may claim to know God, nevertheless, they are actually denying He exists, because of (1) their total involvement in a state of moral depravity (vv. 1, 3); (2) their refusal to seek God (v. 2); (3) their persecution of God's righteous people (vv. 4–6); and (4) their denial of the Incarnate God, the Lord Jesus Christ (v. 7).

14:1 Ps 14 teaches the Church the transfigured life the faithful are to live (v. 1), as they “look for the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed). They are (1) to be holy inwardly and outwardly (v. 2); and (2) to love their neighbor (vv. 3–5). And those who live this way shall never be shaken (v. 6), either in this world or in the world to come.

15:1 Ps 15, similar to Ps 14, teaches the Church the transfigured life in the Person of God Incarnate, who assumed the weakness of mortal flesh (but without sin) for the sake of the inheritance (vv. 5, 6), which is “the world to come” (Creed). And as Man, He interceded to the Father on behalf of the Church, (1) to preserve those who hope in the Father (v. 1, 2); (2) to magnify His will in them amid the fallen world (vv. 3, 4); (3) to enlighten them (v. 7); (4) that they should keep their eyes on the Father (v. 8); (5) that they should hope in the resurrection from the dead, because the soul of Jesus was not left in Hades, nor did His body decay in the grave, and therefore, they should not fear death (vv. 9, 10; see also Acts 2:25–31; 13:35–37); for He was raised from the dead for the sake of their life (v. 11) “in the world to come” (Creed).

16:1 Ps 16 was prayed by the Lord Jesus to the Father, to teach the Church to pray righteously and not with deceitful lips (v. 1); for the Lord gives ear to those praying in truth (vv. 1, 6). And we (1) see things the way the Lord sees them (v. 2); (2) pass the test in the furnace of obedience to the Lord's words (vv. 3–5); (3) hope in the Lord in the face of adversity (v. 7); (4) experience protection from enemies, such as the devil and his angels (vv. 8–14); and (5) are satisfied by beholding the Lord's face, that is, His glory (v. 15).

17:1 Ps 17 is set in the historical background of David's deliverance from the hand of all his enemies and from the hand of Saul (1Kg 19–31). However, this psalm is forecasting and magnifying the salvation (v. 51) of the Father's King, who is called Christ (His anointed) and David, for He is the Son of David. The seed of the Son of David is the Church.

Man's enemies were death and the decay of the body in the grave, Hades, and the devil. And these held man in great fear and dread and in bondage to sinful passions (vv. 1–6; see also Heb 2:14, 15). But in His Incarnation, Christ descended from heaven (v. 10) and destroyed these enemies (vv. 7–16), and brought everything into the light (v. 29; see also 2Ti 1:10). He ascended on high and called the Gentiles (vv. 17–50).

18:1 Ps 18 reveals God the Word (the End, v. 1) becoming Man in the womb of the most holy Mother of God. For on His Nativity, all creation bore witness to the glory of God revealed in His Incarnation (vv. 1–5). And in His birth from the womb of the Virgin, He was likened to the sun rising from the east, to a bridegroom coming from his chamber, and to a strong man ready to run a race, to bring salvation to the world (vv. 6–15).

19:1 Ps 19 is a royal psalm, for it is a prophecy made on behalf of Jesus Christ the King (v. 10), who is the End (v. 1). Also, v. 7 identifies Jesus as God's Christ (His anointed) and as His right hand. For the name “Christ” shows the Father anointed the human nature of Jesus with the Holy Spirit (see Heb 1:9; Lk 1:35; Is 61:1); and the names “right hand” and “King” show Jesus is one in essence with the Father and coequal with Him.

This prophecy is first a prayer to the Father, who is called the Lord and the God of Jacob (v. 2). Numerous petitions are made on Christ's behalf (vv. 2–5), one of which regards His death and Resurrection (vv. 4, 7; see also Heb 5:7). Secondly, the prophecy reveals the response of the Church to His salvation (vv. 6–10), one element of which is great joy (v. 6).

20:1 Ps 20 is also a royal psalm, because it is a prophecy of the King's triumphal Ascension, in which He is also the End.

The Father is identified as the Lord (vv. 2, 8) and as the Most High (v. 8); and the King is also called the Lord (v. 10), who is exalted (v. 14) in His Ascension, as well as the Father's hand and right hand (v. 9). In being called by these names, Jesus is shown to be one in essence and coequal with the Father.

Jesus asked the Father to raise Him from the dead and to enthrone Him at His right hand for the sake of our salvation (vv. 1–8; see also Heb 5:7–9). And in His death, Resurrection and Ascension, He destroyed all the enemies, namely, the devil and his angels (vv. 9–13). So, in response to all the Lord's mighty deeds, the Church sings and praises Him (v. 14).

21:1 Ps 21 is a prophecy of the Lord's death and Resurrection, and of His Church. Thus, this psalm may be outlined as follows: (1) the Resurrection (v. 1); (2) the Crucifixion (vv. 2–22); (3) the Church (vv. 23–33).

(1) Christ is the End, and He was resurrected early in the morning (v. 1; see also Mk 16:2; Lk 24:1). (2) The New Testament quotes several verses from this psalm in relation to the Crucifixion: for example, v. 2, quoted in Mt 27:46 and Mk 15:34; v. 9, quoted in Mt 27:43; and v. 19, quoted in Mt 27:35. (3) The New Testament also quotes v. 23 in Heb 2:12, referring to the “one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church” (Creed).

22:1 Ps 22 is the Church speaking about the Lord Jesus (vv. 1–3) and to the Lord Jesus (vv. 4–6). In speaking about the Lord, the Church (the sheep; see also Jn 10:1–5) identifies Him as my shepherd (v. 1; see also Jn 10:14), thus indicating a close relationship with Him. And in this relationship of Shepherd and sheep, the Church lacks nothing, for example, the green pastures of kingdom life (v. 2; see also Jn 10:10); the still waters of baptism (v. 2; see also Jn 3:5); and the conversion of the soul to the paths of righteousness (v. 3; see also Jn 10:3, 4, 7). And in speaking to the Lord, the Church is grateful to Him (1) for deliverance from the fear of death (v. 4; see also Heb 2:14, 15); (2) for the Eucharist (v. 5; see also Lk 22:14–20); and (3) for a lifetime of mercy (v. 6; see also Lk 1:50, 54).

23:1 Ps 23 is a prophecy of the Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (the first day of the week, v. 1; see also Mt 28:1; Mk 16:2; Lk 24:1; Jn 20:1).

His Resurrection proves (1) He is the Creator of the world, which He owns (vv. 1, 2); (2) He is worthy to ascend on high as the Forerunner of the Church (vv. 3–6; see also Heb 6:19, 20; 7:26; 9:24); (3) He is the King of glory, who destroyed death and Hades (vv. 7–10; see also Rev 1:18; 4:8–11).

24:1 Ps 24 is a priestly intercession by the Lord Jesus Christ on behalf of His Church, which is the Israel of God (v. 22; see also Gal 6:16). He identifies Himself as only-begotten and poor (v. 16), for He was the Virgin Mary's only Child, and He was born into poverty. And although He was hated unjustly (v. 19), nevertheless, He established the New Testament (His covenant, vv. 10, 14). So in His New Testament, He intercedes for the Church in prayer, and by lifting up His soul to the Father (v. 1), He also lifts up the Church to Him in priestly intercession (see also Heb 7:25). And because of His intercession, the Church is taught the ways of the Father (vv. 2–21).

25:1 Ps 25 is a priestly intercession of Jesus Christ to the Father at the heavenly altar (v. 6; see also Heb 7:25) on behalf of His churches (v. 12). And since this Priest is innocent (Heb 7:26), He intercedes on behalf of His churches, so they, too, will be innocent through God's merciful redemption (v. 11), as they worship around His altar (vv. 1–11).

26:1 Ps 26 is a prophecy concerning baptism, which is a declaration of war (v. 3) against the devil and his angels. This war is declared by the Church in the prayers at the reception of catechumens. In this psalm, these fallen angels are called the wicked (v. 2), my enemies (vv. 2, 6, 11), an army (v. 3), and unjust witnesses (v. 12). And in this war, St. Paul describes them as “principalities,” “powers,” “the rulers of the darkness of this age,” “spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Eph 6:12).

Therefore, in baptism, the Lord Jesus Christ becomes my light, my savior, and my defender in relation to this war (v. 1). And with the Lord's help, these enemies are overcome in battle (weakened and fell, v. 2). So as a result, the fruit borne in the Church is freedom from the fear of death (my heart shall not be afraid, v. 3; see also Heb 2:14, 15); a strong relationship with the Lord (vv. 4–12); and an earnest expectation for the land of the living (vv. 13, 14), which is “the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed).

27:1 Ps 27 is a prophecy concerning the death and Resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ and the inheritance He won for Himself (v. 9), which is the Church. Thus, in His death on the cross, Jesus destroyed death and Hades (the pit), for He is God the Word, to whom the Father was not silent (v. 1). And on the cross, the Lord's outstretched hands were lifted up toward the Father's holy temple (v. 2), which is the inheritance. Also, His death destroyed the devil and his angels (vv. 3–5). Therefore, blessed is God the Father (v. 6) for raising Christ (His anointed, v. 8) from the dead (my flesh revived, v. 7), and for protecting the salvation of His people (v. 8), and also for shepherding them in this world and resurrecting them into the world to come (forever, v. 9; see also Creed).

28:1 Ps 28 is a prophecy concerning the baptism of Jesus Christ in the Jordan River, celebrated in the services of Theophany (Epiphany). Both words, epiphany and theophany, mean “manifestation” or “revelation,” and theophany has the additional meaning, “revelation of God.” The God who is revealed in Christ's Baptism is God the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Thus this event also reveals that Jesus Christ (the Son) is one of the Trinity.

Ps 28 reveals the Father as the voice speaking from heaven at Jesus' Baptism (vv. 3–5, 7–9; see also Mt 3:17; Mk 1:11; Lk 3:22). It also reveals the Son (His beloved, v. 6) and the Holy Spirit (fiery flames, v. 7; see also canticles four and five of Compline in the Forefeast of Theophany). Unicorns (v. 6) are often symbols of purity.

29:1 Ps 29 speaks of the Resurrection of Christ, who is the End (v. 1), and together with Him, the resurrection of the Church. Man's dilemma is the death and decay of his body in the grave (v. 10) and the dwelling of his soul in Hades (v. 4). As a result, these enemies rejoiced over him (v. 2), and his life was filled with weeping (v. 6), trouble (v. 8), lamentation and sackcloth (v. 12), and sadness (v. 13). But through Christ's Resurrection (lifted me up, v. 2), (1) the Church will be healed (v. 3), that is, the body will be raised in beauty and power (v. 8) to immortal life forever (vv. 7, 13) at “the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed); (2) the souls of the righteous in Hades were brought out from there at His Resurrection (v. 4); and (3) the Church is filled with praises (vv. 5, 13), thanksgiving (vv. 5, 13), great joy (v. 6), dancing and gladness (v. 12).

30:1 Ps 30 is a revelation (ecstasy, vv. 1, 23) of Christ (the End, v. 1) in relation to the extreme humiliation (v. 8) He suffered before the Father on the cross for mankind. For example, v. 6 is quoted by Him as His last words to the Father on the cross just before He died (Lk 23:46). Verses 2–23 describe this humiliation, and vv. 24, 25 emphasize the fruit His humiliation bears in the Church, e.g., love for the Father. And v. 24 also speaks of those who act with great arrogance, that is, who reject the Lord's extreme humiliation with their extreme arrogance.

31:1 Ps 31 is a prophecy concerning enlightenment (understanding, vv. 1, 8), which is fulfilled in the Sacrament of Baptism. For this sacrament is known as the Sacrament of Enlightenment, in which sins are forgiven (vv. 1, 5). And on the Day of Pentecost, St. Peter urged those listening to “be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Thus, the Creed also says, “I acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins.”

Verses 1, 2 emphasize the blessings of baptism; vv. 3–7, the responsibility of the one baptized; and vv. 8–11, Christ's response to the faithfulness of the one baptized. This explains why Ps 31 is read when the newly baptized are brought up out of the water and given their white garments.

32:1 Ps 32 is a prophecy revealing the Trinity as the Creator of the world. The Lord refers to the Father (vv. 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 18, 20, and 22). The Word of the Lord is the Son of the Father (vv. 4 and 6), and the Holy Spirit is the breath of His mouth (v. 6). Therefore, the Father created the world through His Son and His Spirit, who are His coequals. And v. 9 reveals that the Father spoke and commanded the words in Gn 1, and the Son and the Holy Spirit fulfilled that which was commanded.

Therefore, the saints (righteous ones) worship the Trinity (vv. 1–3) as the Creator of the world (vv. 4–17), and they hope in the Trinity to raise them from the dead in the world to come (vv. 18–22; see also Creed).

33:1 Ps 33 is a prophecy teaching how Holy Communion (v. 9) is to be received in the Church: (1) with a gentle spirit (v. 3); (2) as a sojourner in the world (v. 5); (3) with a poor, broken, and humble spirit (vv. 7, 19); (4) with the fear of God (vv. 8, 10, 12); (5) with hope in the world to come (vv. 9, 23); (6) with clean lips and a peaceful heart (vv. 13–17; see also 1Pt 3:10–12).

34:1 Ps 34 is a prophecy regarding the Lord's sufferings and death on the cross in Holy Week. For example, v. 11 refers to the false witnesses at the Lord's trial. He endured these things on behalf of and with His Church in mind (My only-begotten, v. 17; the great church and a mighty people, v. 18). And His people greatly rejoice and magnify Him (v. 27) because of what He did for them.

35:1 Ps 35 reveals the right and wrong uses of free will and the fruits that result in either case. First, it shows that sin or evil is an action of man's free will (says within himself, v. 2; acts deceitfully, lest He discover, v. 3; is unwilling, v. 4; devises, sets himself, and does not abhor, v. 5). Therefore, sin or evil is not a part of human essence or nature, for God created human nature good in itself. Sinning is altogether the wrong use of free will, and the most dangerous wrong use is arrogance, which often comes against the saints (v. 12). But such a wrong use ultimately brings down the lawless (fall there and unable to stand, v. 13).

Second, this psalm reveals the proper use of free will, which is to seek out and hope (v. 8) for God's mercy (vv. 6, 11), His truth (v. 6), His righteousness (vv. 7, 11), and His judgments (v. 7). Also with free will, the upright in heart (v. 11) may be intoxicated by drinking the abundant water (v. 9) that flows from the fountain and by seeing the light which is in light (v. 10). The fountain is the Father, and the Son is the water, the light, and the life that goes forth from this fountain. Those who willingly drink of this water in baptism, and who see this light, partake of life and light (see also Jn 1:4), and also become intoxicated with the Holy Spirit (the fatness, v. 9; see also Jn 7:37–39; Acts 2:13–17; Eph 5:18).

36:1 Ps 36 shows why the martyrs were willing to die (v. 32): they were “looking for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed). The world to come is the theme throughout this psalm (vv. 3, 9, 11, 18, 22, 27, 28, 29, 34, 39, 40). Prior to their martyrdom, the martyrs lived a godly life in light of the new world (vv. 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 11, 16, 19, 21, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 30, 31, 37). Therefore, they are the best examples to encourage God's people to live the Christian life in the same anticipation of the world to come. But the ungodly shall not inherit that world (vv. 2, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 20, 22, 28, 34, 35, 36, 38).

37:1 Ps 37 reveals the great love of Christ for mankind in His sufferings and death on the cross, especially v. 18: For I am ready for wounds, and my pain is continually with me. And although He was “separate from sinners” (Heb 7:26) and “knew no sin” (2Co 5:21), yet out of His great compassion for sinners, He prays this prayer in a relative sense as though He were one of them. Thus, He takes the place of sinners as one of them, and intercedes to the Father for their salvation in the midst of His sufferings and death on the cross.

38:1 Ps 38 reminds the Church of its pilgrim status in the present world (a sojourner and a stranger, v. 13; see also 1Pt 1:1). For God's people are “to look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed). For Christ is the End (v. 1). Meanwhile, (1) the tongue is to be kept from sinning (vv. 2, 3); (2) the heart is to be on fire with meditation on the things of God (v. 4); (3) man, made by God (v. 10), is to grow in divine knowledge, so as not to lack (v. 5) or be deadened (v. 3) by transgressions (vv. 9, 12). Rather, he is to revive before he departs in death (no longer here, v. 14). A handbreadth (v. 6) is an ancient unit of measure of about 4–1/2 inches, here used to show the brief span of our lives.

39:1 Ps 39 is a prophecy of the Incarnation (vv. 7–9; see also Heb 10:5–7). In His Incarnation, the Lord assumed a mortal body (v. 7) and a rational soul. But here the body is emphasized, because man's body is mortal and subject to death and decay in the grave (a miserable pit, v. 3). So by His death in the body, Christ destroyed death, and by His Resurrection (brought me up and a rock, v. 3), He overcame the decay that held man's body in the grave. He was able to do all this because of the two wills in His one Person. For He willed (v. 9) by His human will and energy. And the phrase Your will (v. 9) shows that He possessed within Himself the same will and energy as God the Father, because He is “one in essence” with Him (Creed). Therefore, by means of His two wills and energies, He destroyed death and decay, and put a new song in the mouth of the Church (v. 4).

40:1 Ps 40 is a prophecy of Christ (the End) and of His death and Resurrection, which brings healing to the Church (from sickness to wholeness, v. 4, and heal my soul, v. 5). When the Lord Jesus says, for I have sinned against You (v. 5), He is taking our part, although He Himself is sinless (innocence, v. 13; see also Heb 7:25, 26).

Verse 10 speaks of the betrayal by Judas (see also Jn 13:18); vv. 6, 9 of Christ's sufferings and death; and vv. 2, 3, 11–14 of His Resurrection.

41:1 Ps 41 speaks of Christ (the End, v. 1) and His Baptism in the Jordan (from the land of the Jordan and Hermon, v. 7). His Baptism is celebrated in the Church as the Feast of Theophany. It is celebrated as a festival with great joy and praise (v. 5). His Baptism in the Jordan is our salvation (vv. 6, 12), which produces (1) a longing and thirst for union and communion with God (vv. 2, 3); (2) tears of joy in the midst of suffering (vv. 4–6, 10–12); and (3) enlightenment (understanding, v. 1) concerning the unsearchable riches of Christ (vv. 8, 9; see also Rom 11:33; Eph 3:8).

42:1 Ps 42 is a prayer of Christ on behalf of His Church for enlightenment in the midst of the ungodly (an unholy nation, v. 1; my enemy afflicts me, v. 2). For He Himself is light and truth (v. 3), who was sent into the world in His Incarnation (see also Jn 8:12; 14:6). Thus He guides (v. 3) the Church to the heavenly holy of holies (the altar of God, v. 4). So this enlightenment puts joy in onés face (v. 5). In hymns of the Church, Your holy mountain and Your tabernacles (v. 3) are seen as referring to the Mother of God and to the saints.

43:1 Ps 43 describes (1) the daily praise and thanksgiving (v. 9) the Church offers God in the midst of sufferings and persecution (vv. 2–17); the steadfastness of the Church in the midst of sufferings and even martyrdom itself (vv. 18–26; see also Rom 8:36); and (3) the Church's hope in the Lord to be raised from the dead at the general resurrection (v. 27).

44:1 Ps 44 is a prophetic description of the Word Incarnate, the Lord Jesus Christ (the End), and His Church, composed of both Jews and Gentiles. The Beloved One is the Word Himself, and His Incarnation brought about changes (things that shall be changed, v. 1). For He established His Church (the peoples), and even changed His enemies into friends (v. 6). Thus, vv. 2–9 describe Him (see also Heb 1:8, 9); and vv. 10–18 describe His Mother, the Mother of God, who is both His queen (v. 10) and His daughter (vv. 11, 14). These verses also describe the Church begotten from her (daughters, v. 10; the daughters of Tyre, v. 13 – the Gentiles; the virgins, v. 15; sons, v. 17). Myrrh and stacte (v. 9) are sweet-smelling fragrances or incense. Cassia was used in ancient medicines, a reference to healing.

45:1 Ps 45 is about hidden things concerning the End, who is Christ. These hidden things are “the treasures of wisdom and knowledge in Christ” (Col 2:3), which are now revealed in His Incarnation and made known among the Gentiles (Col 1:26, 27). Here, before His Incarnation, the earth was troubled with fear (vv. 3, 4, 7), which was the fear of death. But after His Incarnation, the Church no longer fears death (v. 3), because His works (v. 9), that is, His death and Resurrection (early in the morning, v. 6), opened up the torrents of the river of God's grace to the Church (v. 5). Thus, hatred (wars) ceased among the Gentiles to the ends of the earth, and the Church was established among them. For stillness in prayer replaced the tumult of hostility between them (vv. 10–12).

46:1 Ps 46 is a prophecy of Christ (the End) and His ascension to the Father (v. 6). And the Man who ascended is called God (vv. 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10), Lord (vv. 3, 6), Most High (v. 3), and King (vv. 3–5, 7, 8–10); therefore, Jesus Christ is coequal with the Father. Also, the ascended Christ is worshiped by the Church both as God and Man (vv. 2, 7, 8), and with joy (rejoicing, v. 2), with fear (fearsome, v. 3) and with intelligence (understanding, v. 8).

47:1 Ps 47 is a prophecy of the Church as heaven on earth (see also Heb 12:22, 23). In this respect she is described as a city (vv. 2, 3, 4, 9, 14), as Mount Zion (vv. 2, 3, 12, 13), and as a temple (v. 10). And Jesus Christ is called Lord (vv. 2, 9, 12), King (v. 3), and God (vv. 2, 4, 9, 10, 11, 15).

48:1 Ps 48 is a prophecy that presents a contrast between the children of the body and the children of the kingdom (prayers at the reception of catechumens). Children of the body live under the reign of death and the fear it instills in them; therefore, in an attempt to overcome this fear, they become occupied with objects of the senses, especially wealth and the power it brings with it (v. 7). But their riches cannot redeem their souls and bodies from the grave and decay, and from death and Hades (vv. 8, 9, 11–15, 18–21). Therefore, all peoples should hear this and give ear (vv. 2–5) to the End (v. 1), who is Christ our God. For He became incarnate to ransom mankind from slavery to sense objects and to the reign and fear of death (v. 16). However, by way of contrast, the children of the kingdom are delivered by Him from this slavery (vv. 6, 10, 17).

49:1 Ps 49 is a prophecy of the awesome Second Coming of the Lord Jesus Christ and the Day of Judgment. It is awesome, as emphasized in the phrases beauty's splendor (v. 2), a fire and a mighty storm (v. 3), and it is awesome because heaven and earth will be present (vv. 1, 4). But most of all it will be awesome because Christ's divinity will be fully shown to the universe (openly, v. 2). In contrast to this, at His First Coming, He did not show Himself “openly” but remained hidden by His humility, as for example, He lived in poverty and lowliness. However, the full splendor of His glory will be seen by all at His “coming to judge the living and the dead” (Creed). For He will come as God in the flesh (vv. 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 14, 16, 22, 23) and judge all, including the Jews (vv. 7–22).

50:1 Ps 50 teaches the nature of genuine repentance, which is the reason it is used so often in the services of the Church. Historically, King David committed the sins and transgressions of adultery and murder (vv. 1, 2; see also 2Kg 11; 12). However, He obtained mercy from God because of his repentance. Yet many fall into sins but never come to repentance; therefore, no one can use David's sins as an excuse to sin. For sins and transgressions in themselves do not draw down the mercy of God. Genuine repentance, however, does attract His mercy, for He sees it and responds accordingly (v. 3). So genuine repentance is characterized by such things as confession to God (vv. 4–8); inward purity (vv. 12–16); and inward humility (vv. 17–21).

51:1 Ps 51 reveals who will be in “the world to come” (Creed), which belongs to Christ (the End, v. 1). It is also called the land of the living (v. 7), that is, the land occupied by the resurrected righteous ones (vv. 8–11). And that world is also said to be forever and unto ages of ages (vv. 10, 11). But the unrighteous, such as Doeg, will not be there (vv. 2–7).

52:1 Ps 52 revolves around two questions, both of which relate to Christ (the End, v. 1). The first question asks: Do all the workers of lawlessness not know? (v. 5), and the second, Who will grant from Zion the salvation of Israel? (v. 7). The answer to the first question is yes, for they willfully reject Christ as God, and therefore are fools (v. 1). But, in answer to the second question, their rejection cannot prevent Him from granting salvation to the Church (“Israel,” v. 7; see also Gal 6:16).

53:1 Ps 53 is a prophecy concerning the betrayal of Christ. For just as the Ziphites betrayed David (see 1Kg 23:15–21), so also Judas and the Jewish leaders betrayed Christ. These leaders are called strangers and the powerful (v. 5). Nevertheless, Christ's sufferings and sacrifice on the cross were voluntary (v. 8), for no one could take His life from Him without His consent (see also Jn 10:18; 18:6). And He thanked the Father (O Lord, v. 8) for His Resurrection (v. 9), to teach us to do the same.

54:1 Ps 54, similar to Ps 53, is a prophecy concerning the betrayal of Christ, who is the End. In the midst of His sufferings and betrayal by Judas (vv. 13–15), He prays on behalf of the Church. For within the Church there is suffering and betrayal, sometimes even to death. For example, when He prayed, And the terror of death fell on me (v. 5), He was not saying this because He Himself feared death. Rather, He intercedes for us, for our fear of death fell on Him, that we might not fear it. Therefore, when death fell on Him on the cross, He, in turn, destroyed it once for all by the power of His divinity.

55:1 Ps 55 describes the war between Christ (the End) and the devil (he, v. 2). Christ fought and won this war as a Man on behalf of the Church, and this victory is inscribed like a pillar in the Church's memory (v. 1). Through this inscription, the Church is able to wage a successful war against this same enemy. (This same phrase, pillar inscription, is used to introduce Ps 55–59, in v. 1 of each.) Now this war is not only against the devil but also against his angels (those who war against me from on high, v. 3; see also Eph 6:12). Verses 4–14 tell the Church how to fight the enemy; for example, the faithful will not fear death when facing the enemy (vv. 4, 5, 12, 14).

56:1 Ps 56 prophesies the death and Resurrection of Christ (the End, v. 1). He did not corrupt (v. 1), that is, His holy body did not decay in the grave (the cave, v. 1; see also Ps 15:8–11; Acts 2:25–32; 13:34–37). Verses 2–12 give the Church the hope of “the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed).

57:1 Ps 57 concerns Christ (the End). It underscores the reality that Christ's holy body did not corrupt in the grave (v. 1). For with His incorrupt body, He destroyed death, the devil, and sin (vv. 2–10). Realizing these things, the Church is glad and bears fruit for God (vv. 11, 12).

58:1 Ps 58 is also concerning Christ (the End, v. 1). For the Church remembers that Christ's holy body did not decay in the grave (corrupt not, v. 1), and the Father raised Him from the dead (vv. 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 17, 18). In contrast to the Lord's sinless life, which is the reason He was raised up by the Father (vv. 4, 5), those who work lawlessness are not shown mercy (vv. 6–9, 12–16).

59:1 Ps 59 is also concerning Christ (the End, v. 1). For the Church remembers the changes (things yet to be changed, v. 1) brought about by the cross (a sign, v. 6), and the teaching (for teaching, v. 1) it brings to the Church. For the Incarnation brought about the mystery hidden before time, namely, that Christ would burn down (he burned, v. 1) the dividing wall between Jew and Gentile (vv. 1–14), and form them into one body (Eph 3).

60:1 Ps 60 reveals Christ (the End, v. 1) as the King (v. 7) and Great High Priest leading the Church in hymns of praise to the Father, and therefore, to the Trinity (see also Heb 2:12, 13).

61:1 Ps 61 is a prayer of Christ (the End, v. 1). He is praying this prayer on behalf of the Church, which is His body (congregation of people, v. 9; see also Eph 1:22, 23). He is encouraging His members to be submissive to God (vv. 2, 6), and the psalm gives numerous good reasons to do so.

62:1 Ps 62 is a prayer of Christ the King (v. 12), instructing His Church in morning prayers. For this world is like the desert of Judea (v. 1), which is desolate, impassable, and waterless (v. 2). And the soul that remembers God during the night on his bed will also learn to meditate on Him in the morning (v. 7). Such a soul will be filled (v. 6) and cannot be injured by the devil and his angels (they, v. 10).

63:1 Ps 63 is a prayer of Christ (the End, v. 1), instructing the members of His Church how to wage a good warfare against the devil and the fear of death (fear of the enemy, v. 2) in times of persecution and martyrdom.

64:1 Ps 64 is a prophecy concerning Christ (the End, v. 1) and concerning His Church in relation to the theme of sojourning in this world (the situation of the sojourners, when they were about to depart, v. 1). See 4Kg 24 for the historical background, when Jerusalem was carried away captive to Babylon. These two cities focus attention on the theme of sojourning, for the Church is, so to speak, sojourning in the city of Babylon. Babylon means confusion, as can be seen from Gn 11, for the Church is sojourning in a confused world. But Jerusalem means peace, for the Church is looking for the resurrection from the dead and the life of the world to come (Creed). For peace will inhabit the new world, and this psalm instructs the Church in how to sojourn in anticipation of this world to come.

65:1 Ps 65 prophesies the Resurrection of Christ (the End, a psalm of resurrection, v. 1). All the earth is invited to worship the risen Christ (vv. 1–4). All are invited to come and see the works of God (v. 5), which He wrought in abolishing death and rising again from the dead, as typified by the Exodus in Israel's history (v. 6). And His Resurrection demonstrates that He will rule in His power forever (v. 7) over His Church, consisting of both Jews and Gentiles who believe in Him (vv. 7–20).

66:1 Ps 66 prophesies the Resurrection of Christ (the End, v. 1). Verses 3 and 5 in particular emphasize the incorporation of the Gentiles into the Church through the Resurrection.

67:1 Ps 67 prophesies the Resurrection of Christ (the End, v. 1) and His Ascension into heaven (v. 19; see also Eph 4:8). In hymns of the Church, the mountain of God (v. 16) is seen as referring to the Mother of God. Throughout the psalm, the blessings given the Church by the Resurrection are enumerated. For example, Christ trampled death (v. 21) and crushed the satanic hordes of fallen angels (v. 22).

68:1 Ps 68 prophesies the Passion of the Lord Jesus Christ (the End, v. 1) and the changes it would bring about (concerning things that shall be changed, v. 1). The changes His Passion would bring are noted throughout the psalm. Examples are: (1) the Church would become a house of prayer for all peoples (v. 10; see also Jn 2:19; Mt 21:13; Mk 11:17; Lk 19:46); (2) the cross would bear our reproaches against God (v. 10; see also Rom 15:3); (3) the cross would destroy death (gall and vinegar, v. 22; see also Mt 27:34, 48; Mk 15:23, 36; Lk 23:36; Jn 19:28–30); and (4) the Jews would be rejected for their unbelief, and the believing Gentiles brought to salvation (vv. 23, 24; Rom 9:9–11).

69:1 Ps 69 is a prayer of the Lord Jesus Christ (the End, v. 1). Prayer is the ascent of the heart and mind to God (in remembrance, v. 1). In this ascent, prayer focuses a person on the Lord and His salvation (that the Lord may save me, v. 1). The early Desert Fathers used v. 2 as a text of ceaseless prayer (O God, make haste to help me, v. 2), thereby living out the exhortation of St. Paul in 1Th 5:17 to “pray without ceasing.” Also, this prayer, “O God, make haste to help me,” is often seen as the precursor to the Jesus Prayer: “O Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me a sinner.” Verses 3–6 show some results of receiving God's help.

70:1 Ps 70 teaches the Church about deliverance from captivity (taken captive, v. 1) to the devil and his angels (my enemies, v. 10; see also Eph 6:12). For these enemies ensnared mankind in the fear of death and the lifetime of bondage it engendered (see Heb 2:15). But from birth to death, we are delivered by the Lord Jesus Christ from this fear (from birth, v. 6; to old age and to my last breath, v. 18). For we are delivered and set free in His righteousness (v. 2), on which we meditate... all the day long v. 24).

71:1 Ps 71 is a prophecy concerning Solomon, who is Christ Himself, the King of Peace, for the name “Solomon” means “peace.” And the Father (God) gave all judgments to Him (v. 1; see also Jn 5:22), and in the world to come (forever and unto ages of ages), all the earth shall be filled with His glory (v. 19).

72:1 Ps 72 teaches the upright in heart (v. 1) not to be jealous of people who prosper in this life but who have no vision of “the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come” (Creed). For their vision of life is limited to this present world, and they have no upward gaze of the judgment hanging over them at their death (v. 4). But the upright have a vision of God in their heart (O God of my heart) and of the world to come (forever, v. 26). Therefore, they cling to God and put their hope in the Lord (v. 28).

73:1 Ps 73 is a prophecy for understanding (v. 1). An understanding of what? That all human history is incarnational in nature. Therefore, human history may be called “the history of the Incarnation of the Word.” For this history, from the beginning (v. 2) to the end (vv. 1, 3, 10, 11, 19), speaks of the Word of God Incarnate and His lordship throughout history. And this Incarnate God is our King before the ages (v. 12) and the Creator of the world (You created, v. 16). He worked salvation in the midst of the earth (v. 12) through the cross, and crushed the heads of dragons (vv. 13, 14) at His Baptism. He also arose from the dead (Arise, O God, v. 22).

74:1 Ps 74 is a prophecy concerning the Judgment Seat of Christ (the End, v. 1; see also 2Co 5:10, 11). Therefore, all men are commanded not to corrupt (v. 1), that is, do not transgress the law, nor exalt yourselves in sin (v. 5). For God Incarnate is judge (God is judge, v. 8), and the Lord's cup of judgment is in His hand (vv. 8, 9). Then the horns of corrupt men shall be crushed, but those of the righteous man shall be exalted (v. 11). And this man shall greatly rejoice forever in the world to come (v. 10; see also Creed).

75:1 Ps 75 is a prophecy contrasting two opposing kingdoms. The Assyrian (v. 1) is the devil, who leads his kingdom: the fallen angels (v. 4; see also Col 2:15) and fallen people (vv. 6–9, 13). The End is God Incarnate (vv. 2, 7, 8, 10, 12, 13), who leads His kingdom: the holy angels (vv. 5, 9) and holy people (vv. 3, 10, 11, 12). The final outcome in this battle is obvious: Who shall stand against You? (v. 8).

76:1 Ps 76 is Christ (the End, v. 1) teaching the importance of using the memory, especially in the day of affliction (v. 3). For one is to remember God (v. 4), the eternal years (v. 6), and the Lord's works (v. 12). Verses 5–21 describe the numerous benefits of this remembrance.

77:1 Ps 77 concerns understanding (v. 1). What needs to be understood is that Christ is speaking to His Church (vv. 2, 14; see also Mt 13:34, 35; 1Co 10:4, 14), called children yet to be born (v. 6), His sanctuary... founded forever on the earth (v. 69), and His people... His inheritance (v. 71). The content of His instruction is the entire psalm itself, an overview of the history of Israel.

78:1 Ps 78 is a prophecy concerning the suffering and martyrdom (vv. 1–4) that would face the Church in this present age (to the end, v. 5; from generation to generation, v. 13). It also shows the Church's response to all this (vv. 5–12), because the Church knows herself to be the people of God and the sheep of His pasture, and also has her eyes on the world to come (forever and “from generation to generation,” v. 13).

79:1 Ps 79 is a prophecy of the Incarnation and the changes (things that shall be changed, v. 1) that it would bring about. For Christ (the End, v. 1), who sits upon the cherubim (v. 2), will reveal Himself (vv. 2, 3, 4, 8, 20) in the Incarnation for our salvation (v. 3), and establish His vineyard, the Church (vv. 9–17). This vineyard would consist of those who are changed through conversion to Him (vv. 4, 8, 15, 20) and who are saved from the Assyrian (v. 1), who is a wild swine and a solitary wild beast (v. 14) – that is, the devil.

80:1 Ps 80 is a psalm regarding Christ (the End) and His Church (the winepresses, v. 1). For His Church is the new wine (the new covenant), formed in the Sacrament of Baptism (Mt 9:16, 17; 1Co 12:13). And Israel's deliverance from Egypt (vv. 1–11) is a type of baptism (1Co 10:1, 2). However, after baptism, the Christian is to be careful to walk in God's ways and heed His voice (vv. 12–17).

81:1 Ps 81 reveals Christ God as present and judging in the midst of His Church (v. 1). This prophecy calls church members gods, which is the same thing as calling them sons of the Most High (vv. 1, 6). For they were made gods and the sons of God by the new birth in baptism. However, these gods are warned by their God to take care of the poor and needy (vv. 2–7). For Christ rose from the dead (v. 8), and “He shall come again with glory to judge the living and the dead” (Creed).

82:1 Ps 82 prophesies that all who hate Christ (v. 3) will also persecute His saints (vv. 4–9; see also Jn 15:18; 2Ti 3:12). Various nations mentioned (vv. 7–9) represent the kinds of persecutors who seek to destroy the Church. Even avowed enemies find a common ground of unity in order to persecute the Church (v. 6). But the Church is taught how to pray in times of persecution (vv. 10–19), and even some of these enemies are converted to the Lord (v. 17).

83:1 Ps 83 regards Christ (the End) and His Church (the winepresses, v. 1). For His Church is the new wine (the new covenant), formed in the Sacrament of Baptism. And those who keep their baptism (walk in innocence, v. 12) long to see God and the world to come (vv. 2–9). As the Creed says, “I look for the resurrection of the dead and the life of the world to come.” For one day in this new world and its life is better than a lifetime (a thousand) in this present fallen world (the tents of sinners, v. 11).

84:1 Ps 84 is a prophecy of the Incarnation (the End, v. 1). His Incarnation (vv. 10–14) gives His holy ones (v. 9) deliverance from captivity (v. 2), the remission of sins (v. 3), deliverance from God's wrath (vv. 4–6), joyous life (v. 7), mercy (v. 8), and peace (v. 9).

85:1 Ps 85 reveals the prayerful spirit of a servant of God (vv. 2, 4, 16), for the Lord will incline His ear and hear him (v. 1). This spirit is characterized by humility (v. 1), hope (v. 2), ceaseless prayer (v. 3), a lifting up of the soul to the Lord (v. 4), the glorification of God (vv. 5–10), godly fear (v. 11), and thanksgiving with onés whole heart (vv. 12–17).

86:1 Ps 86 is a prophecy regarding the meaning of the Nativity. This connection is found in the Incarnation of the Most High (v. 5) and the City of God (vv. 2, 3). The city's inhabitants, consisting of both Jews and Gentiles, are those who were born again in her (vv. 4–7).

87:1 Ps 87 is a prophecy concerning Christ (the End) and His death, burial, and Resurrection (v. 14) on man's behalf. The prophecy focuses especially on His burial, for when He was buried, His body was placed in a grave, and His soul descended into Hades (v. 4). Both the grave and Hades are described as the pit (v. 5), the dead (vv. 5, 11), the grave (vv. 6, 12), the lowest pit, the shadow of death (v. 7), darkness, a forgotten land (v. 13), and despair (v. 16). From all this, Christ, in His great love for man, saves all who respond to Him and understand (v. 1) what He did for them.

88:1 Ps 88 concerns understanding the Lord's mercy and truth (vv. 2, 3, 6, 9, 15, 25, 29, 34, 50). This mercy and truth is in the new covenant He made with the Church (vv. 4, 6, 29, 35, 40). In His Incarnation, the Lord is called “the seed of David” (see vv. 4, 21, 50; see also Mt 1:1), the Lord God (vv. 7, 8, 9; see also Jn 20:28), the Firstborn of God the Father (vv. 27, 28; see also Heb 1:6), and the King (v. 19; see also 1Ti 6:15). His throne is established in the Church through the works of His Incarnation – for example, through His Transfiguration on Mt. Tabor (vv. 6–19), through His sufferings and death (vv. 39–46), and through His Resurrection (vv. 47–52).

89:1 Ps 89 is a morning prayer (vv. 5, 6, 14) designed to keep one focused on the Lord rather than on this temporal life and its hopelessness (vv. 5–11). For He exists outside time, and is therefore our only refuge (vv. 1, 2). Every morning is an opportunity to return to Him in repentance (Return, you sons of men, v. 3), and He is very patient, because a thousand years in His sight are like yesterday, which passed, and like a watch in the night (v. 4; see also 2Pt 3:8). He is very patient, because He does not will that anyone should perish (2Pt 3:9). Therefore, when we focus on the Lord every morning, we look for His return at the Second Coming (v. 13), and for His mercy, joy, enlightenment, and prosperity throughout each day (vv. 14–17).

90:1 Ps 90 describes the intensity of spiritual warfare the Church wages against the devil and his angels, both in life and in death. These enemies are called hunters (v. 3), things moving in darkness, mishaps, demons of noonday (v. 6), sinners (v. 8), evils, scourges (v. 10), asps, lions, and dragons (v. 13). They seek to ensnare us with every troubling word (v. 3). These words are like arrows that try to pierce the soul with unnatural fears (v. 5), especially the fear of death. Their numbers are many (a thousand and ten thousand, v. 7).