Volume 13 · pp. 622–624
Sermon LIV. On the Same Feast of Dedication
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SERMO LIV.
IN EODEM FESTO DEDICATIONIS.
Egressus Jacob de Bersabee, pergebat Haran. Viditque in somnis scalam stantem super terram, et cacumen illius tangens cœlum: Angelos quoque Dei ascendentes et descendentes per eam, et Dominum innixum scalæ dicentem sibi: Ego sum Dominus Deus Abraham Patris tui, et Deus Isaac. Gen. XXVIII, 10, 12 et 13.
Quatuor occurrunt hic notanda:
I. Quis sit Jacob a quo scala videtur? II. Quæ sit scala quam vidit? III. Quare Angeli per ipsam ascendere et descendere videantur? IV. Cur etiam Dominus scalæ innixus videatur?
I.
De primo nota: Per Jacob quilibet fidelis qui salvari desiderat, cum ipso intelligitur. Jacob enim supplantator interpretatur, ut scilicet supplantet illum colubrum tortuosum, qui navigantes in hoc magno mari, id est, in hoc mundo, nititur degluttire, et qui eum supplantabit: necesse est ut egrediatur Bersabee,
Footnotes:
None.
SERMON LIV.
ON THE SAME FEAST OF DEDICATION.
Jacob, having gone out from Beersheba, was going to Haran. And in dreams he saw a ladder standing upon the earth, and its top touching heaven; the Angels of God also ascending and descending through it, and the Lord leaning upon the ladder, saying to him: I am the Lord God of Abraham your Father and the God of Isaac. Genesis 28:10, 12 and 13.
Four things here occur to be noted:
I. Who is Jacob by whom the ladder is seen? II. What is the ladder that he saw? III. Why are Angels seen to ascend and descend through it? IV. Why is the Lord also seen leaning upon the ladder?
I.
Concerning the first, note: By Jacob any faithful person who desires to be saved is understood with him. For Jacob is interpreted supplanter, namely so that he may supplant that twisted serpent, who tries to swallow up those sailing on this great sea, that is, in this world; and he who will supplant him must go out from Beersheba,
Footnotes:
None.
et pergat Haran. Bersabee interpretatur puteus satians, sicut dicitur hoc sæculum mundus, quasi minime mundus. Hic est puteus, de quo Psalmista in Psal. LXVIII, 16, deplorat liberari dicens: Non me demergat tempestas aquæ, nec absorbeat me profundum: neque urgeat super me puteus os suum. Aqua hujus putei non satiat: quia qui bibit ex hac aqua, sitiet iterum. Haran interpretatur mons vel sublimitas, et exprimit nobis patriam æternæ lucis, quæ est in monte omnium montium constituta.
De Bersabee igitur pergit Haran, qui gaudium mundi perniciose satians contemnit, et hæreditatem patriæ cœlestis desiderat adipisci: sed talibus necesse est, ut ad montem illum per scalam ascendant.
II.
De secundo nota: Scala ista per quam ascendendum est, sunt decem præcepta Moysi data: latera sunt dilectio Dei et proximi. Primum mandatum est 1: Ego sum Dominus Deus tuus, qui eduxi te de terra Ægypti, de domo servitutis. Non habebis Deos alienos coram me corde, neque adorabis eos ore, neque coles eos opere. Ego sum Dominus Deus tuus, fortis, zelotes, visitans iniquitatem patrum in filios, usque in tertiam et quartam generationem eorum qui oderunt me: Et faciens misericordiam in millia his qui diligunt me, et custodiunt præcepta mea. Secundum est: Non assumes nomen Dei tui in vanum: nec enim habebit insontem Dominus eum qui assumpserit nomen Dei frustra. Tertium est: Memento ut diem sabbati sanctifices. Sex diebus operaberis, et facies omnia opera tua. Septimo autem die sabbatum Domini Dei tui est: non facies omne opus in eo, tu, et filius tuus et filia tua, servus tuus et ancilla tua, jumentum tuum, et advena qui est intra portas tuas. Quartum est: Honora patrem tuum et matrem tuam, ut sis longævus super terram quam Dominus Deus tuus dabit tibi. Quintum est: Non occides manu, vel dente, vel consensu. Sextum est: Non mæchaberis, id est, non commiscearis alicui, excepto matrimonio. Septimum est: Non furtum facies, nec rapies. Octavum est: Non loqueris contra proximum tuum falsum testimonium, vel omne mendacium. Nonum est: Non concupisces domum proximi tui. Secundum Augustinum, « hic prohibet concupiscentiam rei alienæ immobilis. » Decimum est: Non desiderabis uxorem ejus, non servum, non ancillam, non bovem, non asinum, nec omnia quæ illius sunt.
and go to Haran. Beersheba is interpreted a satisfying well, just as this age is called world, as if scarcely clean. This is the well from which the Psalmist in Psalm 68:16 laments to be freed, saying: Let not the tempest of water drown me, nor the deep swallow me; and let not the well press its mouth over me. The water of this well does not satisfy, because he who drinks from this water will thirst again. Haran is interpreted mountain or height, and expresses for us the homeland of eternal light, which is established on the mountain of all mountains.
Therefore he goes from Beersheba to Haran who contemns the joy of the world as perniciously satisfying, and desires to attain the inheritance of the heavenly homeland; but it is necessary for such persons that they ascend to that mountain by a ladder.
II.
Concerning the second, note: That ladder by which one must ascend is the ten precepts given to Moses; the sides are love of God and of neighbor. The first commandment is 1: I am the Lord your God, who led you out of the land of Egypt, from the house of servitude. You will not have alien gods before me in heart, nor will you adore them with mouth, nor worship them in work. I am the Lord your God, strong, zealous, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children, unto the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, and making mercy unto thousands for those who love me and keep my precepts. The second is: You will not take the name of your God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who has taken the name of God in vain. The third is: Remember to sanctify the sabbath day. Six days you will work and do all your works. But on the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord your God: you will not do any work on it, you, and your son and your daughter, your male servant and your female servant, your beast of burden, and the stranger who is within your gates. The fourth is: Honor your father and your mother, that you may be long-lived upon the earth that the Lord your God will give you. The fifth is: You will not kill by hand, or tooth, or consent. The sixth is: You will not commit adultery, that is, you will not be joined with anyone, except in marriage. The seventh is: You will not commit theft, nor seize by force. The eighth is: You will not speak false testimony against your neighbor, or any lie. The ninth is: You will not covet the house of your neighbor. According to Augustine, "here he prohibits covetousness of another's immovable thing." The tenth is: You will not desire his wife, nor male servant, nor female servant, nor ox, nor ass, nor all the things that are his.
III.
De tertio nota: Per hanc scalam videntur Angeli descendere, homines in ipsam elevando: ascendere etiam dicuntur homines per ipsam opportunius devehendo. Angeli enim hominem ad bonum excitant et elevant, et in bono elevatum de virtute in virtutem deducunt spiritus. Unde Propheta in Psalm. CXLII, 10 et 11: Spiritus tuus bonus deducet me in terram rectam: Propter nomen tuum Domine vivificabis me, in æquitate tua.
IV.
De quarto nota, quod Dominus scalæ stat innixus, ut ascendentes per virtutes tamquam pius pater hilariter recipiat, et receptos pro mercede laboris gloriosissime coronet corona æternæ gloriæ. Quod, etc.
Footnotes:
1 Cf. Exod. XX, 2-18.
III.
Concerning the third, note: Angels are seen to descend by this ladder by raising human beings onto it; human beings are also said to ascend through it by being carried more suitably through it. For Angels stir and raise a human being to good, and lead the spirit, raised in good, from virtue into virtue. Hence the Prophet in Psalm 142:10 and 11: Your good Spirit will lead me into the right land; for your name, Lord, you will make me live, in your equity.
IV.
Concerning the fourth, note that the Lord stands leaning on the ladder, so that as a pious father he may cheerfully receive those ascending through virtues, and may crown those received, for the reward of labor, most gloriously with the crown of eternal glory. Which, etc.
Footnotes:
1 Compare Exodus 20:2-18.
Notes
- Compare Exodus 20:2-18. (Cf. Exod. XX, 2-18.) ↩
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