A "Up to seven generations." Note that he counts the generation here as a span of ten years.
V. 6. "For my angel is with them." Clearly, an angel also defends those in captivity, so that they might not perish in total destruction at the hands of their enemies.
V. 7. "For their tongue." That is, of the idols—or clearly, of the false teachers—the tongue becomes voluble for falsehood by the devil, the artificer of evils.
"And they are overlaid with gold." False teachers who put on the appearance of piety, but deny its power.
"But they are false." Since a lie does not speak the truth.
V. 10. "They will even give of these to the harlots who are under the roof." In this place, he calls a brothel a roof.
V. 11. "But these are not delivered from rust." The gods of the nations; but neither are the false teachers delivered from diabolical rust.
V. 15. "Therefore, fear them not." This is against the weakness of idols, because they are not able to bring aid to themselves.
V. 16. "Their eyes." He says this indeed of the idols, but no less so of the heresiarchs, or of those who are wholly occupied with earthly things; the eyes of their mind are full of diabolical dust, not being able to look upon the truth because of the diabolical operations that enter into them.
B V. 18. "They light lamps." After the idols, understand also those who, having been deceived, cannot fix their eyes upon the law of God, concerning which it is written: "Thy law is a lamp to my feet" (Ps. CXVIII, 104). Nor indeed upon the prophetic word, as upon a lamp shining in a dark place.
V. 20. "They are black." The worshipers of idols are like the idols; for it is written: "Let those who make them become like them" (Ps. CXIII, 4). Everyone who is agitated by demons has the face of their soul darkened, being obscured by the diabolical smoke that is in their heart.
V. 21. "Upon their body." And he says their soul, and the ruling part, which is the mind, or indeed their church, and those who are set over them, are beaten by demons because they do not have God as their shield.
V. 24. "In which there is no spirit." After the idols, understand also those who are swayed by them, being devoid of the Holy Spirit.
V. 27. "Nor to the beggar." This is also an indication of diabolical inhumanity.
V. 28. "Their sacrifices are menstruous." It must be noted, therefore, that a woman who has recently given birth, or one who is menstruating, ought not to approach the divine sacrifices; for the law had commanded this. Spiritually, however, it prohibits unclean souls from performing sacred rites.
D V. 29. "For the women place them." Note that it is forbidden for women to perform sacred rites. Mystically, however, that the
souls of the priests must not be dissolute, but manly and generous.
V. 30. "Whose heads are uncovered." Not having the helmet of salvation.
V. 40. "He calls the idol that is without voice, silent." The Greeks also worshipped Bel and Jupiter.
V. 42. "But the women, girded with cords." He calls the girdles cords; for by covering only the shameful parts of the body, they left the rest bare, inviting lovers.
"Burning bran." Perhaps for Venus, or some other deity that presides over prostitution. Perhaps the miserable ones were doing this even for their own ritual cleansing.
V. 43. "Because it was not counted worthy." Because it was not worthy to be visited by God. How, then, could things fashioned by them be gods, since that which is made by another is not God?
V. 50. "It will be known hereafter that they are false." Which also came to pass through the advent of the Savior.
V. 53. "For as among crows." The crow is an unclean bird. The demons, therefore, are unclean, being neither heavenly—because they are full of ignominy—nor earthly, because they are of a false name; and besides, they were cast out by God from the heavenly vaults, and from the earth they are driven away by holy men through the help of Christ. In a mystical sense, the Savior also ascended the cross, cleansing the air of their uncleanness; and He went down into the underworld, destroying their tyranny there. B
V. 62. "But these things are not in their forms." Idols, he says, neither shine like the sun and the moon, nor are they active like fire and wind. But if these things, which are incomparably superior to them in form and power, are not gods, how are they themselves to be thought of as gods?
V. 66. "And signs among the nations." For this reason perhaps the Pharisees also asked the Savior, saying: "What sign do you show us from heaven?" Yet the star alone was enough to show that He who was born is God; and the things that happened at the cross proved His divinity, when the sun withdrew its own rays and the voice was let down from heaven: "This is my beloved Son." Behold, therefore, signs from heaven as well. C
V. 69. "Probascanium." In the Greek tongue common terms for these are *probascania* and *cerambela*, which the guardians of the fields erect D for the frightening of birds or even of men; these are also called scarecrows.
V. 71. "And they themselves shall at last be eaten." By time, obviously. Following the boundaries of the divine commandment.
V. 72. "A righteous man is therefore better." "Better" is not said here by way of comparison, but in the sense of one approved by God, not having idols, not only sensible ones, but not even bearing within his soul the idols of sin.
V. 72. "For he shall be far from reproach." For he who
pure in both deed and mind, he will stand on the right hand A in the day of judgment with those who will be blessed, and not with those who are cursed. Let us therefore also entreat God, the Lord of all, to become our guide, so that walking in the light of his countenance according to the prophetic song, we may not turn aside to the right or to the left; but may walk the royal road which leads to eternal life. May we attain to this by the grace and loving-kindness of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, with whom to the Father be glory, honor, and power, together with the most Holy Spirit, now and always, and unto the ages of ages. Amen.
FRAGMENT ON LUKE
(Angelo Mai, *Vet. Script. nova Collectio*, vol. IX, p. 666.)CAP. VI, v. 25. Just as in the body one who is healthy and happily robust prides himself on that very fact because of his firm health, rejoicing in the pleasure born of a sound body, and as neither intemperance of the air, nor heat, nor cold, nor a frugal table, nor anything else of this kind could disturb him—for his good health repels these injuries—so too it happens in the case of the soul. B Therefore also Paul, suffering countless terrible things, rejoiced, saying: *I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake*, not only in the kingdom of heaven, where the reward of virtue is laid up, but also in the sufferings themselves, since this too is a very great reward—to suffer something for the sake of the truth. For this reason also the chorus of the apostles came out from the assembly of the Jews rejoicing, not only because of the kingdom of heaven, but because they were considered worthy to be disgraced for the name of Jesus; and this very thing, and for this very reason, is the greatest honor and crown and prize and cause of immortal pleasure. It is no light conflict, but a violent conflict of calumny. Therefore Solomon, when he contemplated the troublesome struggle, says: *I saw the calumnies that are done under the sun, and behold the tears of those who are calumniated, and there was no one to comfort them*. If then the conflict is great, as it is in reality, it is manifest that the crown proposed for it is great; therefore Christ commands those who are struggling in this way to rejoice and exult, [G] with the fitting patience.