Ephrem the Syrian — Commentary on Scripture

Whence then cometh wisdom? and where is the place of understanding?

These words suggest that even though Christ is presented through a simile, he is, however, above any simile or figure or type and is by no means comparable to the saints. He is said to be similar to the hidden and superior powers, but it is well known that they cannot even direct their looks to him.

Job 29:13

The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow's heart to sing for joy.

“The blessing of the one about to die will come upon me,” that is, the blessings of the poor, who, being without a coat, was about to die, will come upon me, as I provided him with a garment. In a different sense, you may suggest that the person about to die is he who is dead to the world and its wealth; when the world is dead together with the things that are in it, the one who said, “Whoever lost his soul for me will find it” will come to him. The blessing of this poor, Job says, will come upon me.

Job 30:18-20

By the great force of my disease is my garment changed: it bindeth me about as the collar of my coat.

“I have become like dust and ashes,” that is, I have been rendered contemptible to them as if I were dust, and I appear to be similar to vile mud. Emmanuel too, even though he was God, was thoughtlessly considered to be unworthy when he was clothed with flesh, so that the impure Jews said, “Even though you are a man, you make yourself God.”

Job 31:26

If I beheld the sun when it shined, or the moon walking in brightness;

“If I had looked at the sun when it shone or the moon moving in splendor,” that is, if I had seen the rising sun and worshiped it or had embraced the moon and kneeled down before it, I would have certainly erred in worshiping them.

Job 32:20-22

I will speak, that I may be refreshed: I will open my lips and answer.

“I must speak so that I may find relief,” like a woman in labor, who, after bringing forth her offspring, is relieved from the pain of giving birth. And again, “my belly is in pain and does not open,” that is, I was in pain and could not find any respite, because I strongly desired to speak, but I abstained from it. Now I will break my voice and will make a revelation.

Job 33:19-22

He is chastened also with pain upon his bed, and the multitude of his bones with strong pain:

These words mean that the soul of the wicked will never rejoice in the sins that it has committed or in the justice that it has never reached.

Job 34:18-19

Is it fit to say to a king, Thou art wicked? and to princes, Ye are ungodly?

“Who says to a king, ‘You scoundrel!’ ” These words are referred to God, who is the King of kings and rulers, and exercises his power on everyone, so that no rich or poor is privileged.

Job 35:12-13

There they cry, but none giveth answer, because of the pride of evil men.

“Because of the pride of humanity,” that is, they are reproved for the pride and arrogance that they show before their neighbors. And God will not hear the vain cries of proud people.

Job 36:22-23

Behold, God exalteth by his power: who teacheth like him?

And you certainly, he says, were tested so far in the furnace of correction. But God will indeed restore you and will bring you back to your former wealth and dignity.

Job 37:19

Teach us what we shall say unto him; for we cannot order our speech by reason of darkness.

“Teach us what we shall say to him, so that we may not rejoice at the sight of darkness,” that is, take heed that you do not hide anything from us.

Job 38:6-7

Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof;

“And who created at the same time the morning stars?” that is, those stars that also rise and appear in the evening. But in a different sense [we may intend], when we refer to these stars to the substances that are separated from our senses, their generation does not agree with the nature of angels. Therefore, we say that Christ is signified through the term morning and the apostles through stars; and the teachers, sons of the angels, are defined as participants in the angelic nature.

Job 39:9-12

Will the unicorn be willing to serve thee, or abide by thy crib?

“Is the unicorn willing to serve you?” This animal, as is reported, is similar to an ox and is found in the austral regions, armed with a single horn. In the unicorn, whoever is not subjected at all to the bondage of the world is covertly represented. It is said to be provided with a single horn, because there is only one truth for the righteous. Again the human soul is compared with the unicorn, and it must be defined as endowed with a single horn if it is led by a single movement to the top. Moreover, it is said that the unicorn cannot be caught as its strength and dangerousness are extreme. However, the virgin hunter can win it, after being captured by the pleasure of beauty. So the soul is caught by the things that it has loved.

Job 39:13-18

Gavest thou the goodly wings unto the peacocks? or wings and feathers unto the ostrich?

The sort of wings described here appears to signify the synagogue of those who led Christ to the cross. Indeed, who is that mother who generated many children but whose children are not hers? It can only be the one who gave birth to the prophets and brought up the apostles, who are not hers though. Indeed both prophets and apostles, after being adopted into the church, abandoned it.

Job 39:27-30

Doth the eagle mount up at thy command, and make her nest on high?

The eagle is Christ. The high rock is the cross. The young ones licking the blood are the souls of the saints, who feed on Christ’s blood flowing from his side, that blood that also the nations of the believers enjoy like young ones of the heavenly eagle.

Job 40:15

Behold now behemoth, which I made with thee; he eateth grass as an ox.

The Behemoth is a dragon, that is, a land animal, just as the Leviathan is an aquatic sea animal.

Job 41:10-12

None is so fierce that dare stir him up: who then is able to stand before me?

“All that is under heaven belongs to me. And I will not be silent.” These words indicate the devil, whose prodigious nature is described in these two beasts, who is destined to be conquered by the power of Christ when the fullness of time will come.

Job 42:16-17

After this lived Job an hundred and forty years, and saw his sons, and his sons' sons, even four generations.

Scripture reports God increased by half all of Job’s things, except for the children. It is evident, therefore, that the length of his life was also increased by a half. If he had lived 170 years when he was delivered from that calamity, it appears that he lived for 85 years more to the end of his life, that is, for the number of years that is the half of 170. Now, if you add 85 years to the 170 years he had lived before, you have a sum of 255. Actually Scripture declares that Job lived 248 years, therefore those 7 years that are not included in the sum were the years of his temptation. And with good reason they were not counted, because they appear to belong to a period of death more than life.

John 1:1

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The things that were hidden were revealed through him [our Lord], just as the secrets of the heart are made known by a word.

John 1:14 · 2 passages

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Why did our Lord clothe himself with our flesh? So that this flesh might experience victory and that [humanity] might know and understand the gifts [of God]. For if God had been victorious without the flesh, what praise could one render him? Second, so that [our Lord] might show that, at the beginning, he experienced no jealousy toward him [who had wanted] to become God. For he in whom [our Lord] was abased is greater than he in whom he was dwelling when [Adam] was great and glorious. This is why [it is written], “I have said, ‘You shall be gods.’ ” Thus, the Word came and clothed itself with flesh, so that what cannot be grasped might be grasped through that which can be grasped, and that, through what cannot be grasped, the flesh would raise itself up against those who grasp it. For it was fitting that our Lord be the haven of all good things to whom [people] might be gathered together, the end of all mysteries toward whom they would hasten from everywhere, and the treasure of all the parables so that everyone, lifted up [as though] on wings, might rest in him alone.[See] the wisdo…

Why did our Lord clothe himself with our flesh? So that this flesh might experience victory and that [humanity] might know and understand the gifts [of God]. For if God had been victorious without the flesh, what praise could one render him? Second, so that [our Lord] might show that, at the beginning, he experienced no jealousy toward him [who had wanted] to become God. For he in whom [our Lord] was abased is greater than he in whom he was dwelling when [Adam] was great and glorious. This is why [it is written], “I have said, ‘You shall be gods.’ ” Thus, the Word came and clothed itself with flesh, so that what cannot be grasped might be grasped through that which can be grasped, and that, through what cannot be grasped, the flesh would raise itself up against those who grasp it. For it was fitting that our Lord be the haven of all good things to whom [people] might be gathered together, the end of all mysteries toward whom they would hasten from everywhere, and the treasure of all the parables so that everyone, lifted up [as though] on wings, might rest in him alone.[See] the wisdom [of God], that in the fall of him who fell, there fell with him the One who was destined to raise him up. Because the body of Adam was in existence before his [evil] passions, [our Lord] did not assume the passions with which [Adam subsequently] clothed himself, since they were a kind of additional weakness to a healthy nature. Our Lord clothed himself therefore with a healthy nature that had lost its health, so that the original health of this nature might thereby be restored.

On this day on which the Lord of all came among servants, let the lords also bow down to their servants lovingly.On this day when the rich One was made poor for our sake, let the rich man also make the poor man a sharer at his table.
On this day a gift came out to us without our asking for it; let us then give alms to those who cry out and beg from us.…
This Lord of natures today was transformed contrary to his nature; it is not too difficult for us also to overthrow our evil will.
Bound is the body by its nature for it cannot grow larger or smaller; but powerful is the will for it may grow to all sizes.
Today the Deity imprinted itself on humanity, so that humanity might also be cut into the seal of Deity.