Gregory the Dialogist — Commentary on Scripture

Exodus 28:34

Hence in the vesture of the priest, in accordance with the divine Word, pomegranates are added to the little bells. What else is symbolized by pomegranates but the unity of faith? For as in the pomegranate many seeds within are protected by one outer rind, so unity in faith comprehends numberless people of holy church, who, though varying in merits, are retained within it.

PASTORAL CARE 2.4

Exodus 29:22

Therefore by divine ordinance the priest receives a shoulder for sacrifice, and that too the right one and separate. His conduct should be not only profitable but also outstanding. He should not only do what is upright in the midst of the wicked but also surpass the well-doers among his subjects. And as he surpasses them in the dignity of his rank, so should he in the virtue of his conduct.

PASTORAL CARE 2.3

Exodus 29:28

Again, the breast of the victim together with the shoulder are assigned to him for eating, so that he may learn to immolate to the Giver of all things those parts of himself which correspond to the parts of the sacrifice which he is ordered to take. Not only in his heart must he have right thoughts, but also he must invite those who behold him, by the shoulder of his deeds to sublime heights. He may not covet the good things of this present life nor fear any adversity. He must despise the blandishments of the world by heeding the fear they inspire in his conscience yet despise all fears in view of the sweet delights which his conscience holds out to him.

PASTORAL CARE 2.3

Exodus 32:6

But it must be carefully noted what it means that the rich man placed in the fire asks for his tongue to be cooled. For it is the custom of sacred Scripture sometimes to say one thing, but to indicate another by that same saying. Now above the Lord had described this proud rich man not as given to talkativeness, but as feasting excessively. And He did not narrate that he sinned by talkativeness, but that he sinned by pride and greed through gluttony. But because talkativeness usually abounds at feasts, he who is said to have feasted wickedly here is reported to burn more grievously in his tongue in hell. For the sin of talkativeness first serves those who feast wickedly, and after talkativeness the levity of jesting also follows. For that jesting follows gluttony, sacred Scripture testifies, which says: "The people sat down to eat and drink, and they rose up to play." But before the body is moved to play, the tongue is moved to jokes and empty words.

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 40

Exodus 32:27

To put the sword on the thigh is to prefer the zeal for preaching to the pleasures of the flesh, so that when one is zealous for speaking of holy matters, he must be careful to overcome forbidden temptations. To go from gate to gate is to hasten with rebuke from vice to vice, whereby death enters the soul. To pass through the midst of the host is to live with such perfect impartiality within the church as to rebuke the faults of sinners and not to turn aside to favor anyone. Therefore it is properly added: “Let every man kill his brother and friend and neighbor”; that is, a man kills brother and friend and neighbor when, discovering what should be punished, he does not refrain from using the sword of reproof, even in the case of those whom he loves for his kinship with them.

PASTORAL CARE 3.25

Exodus 32:29

Therefore we must consider well when we desist from chiding the wicked, how sinful it is to maintain peace with the very wicked, if so great a prophet offered to God, as it were, in sacrifice, the fact that he had aroused the enmities of the wicked against himself in behalf of the Lord. This is the reason that the tribe of Levi, when it took up the sword and passed through the midst of the host and did not spare the sinners who were to be smitten, is said to have consecrated its hand to God. Hence Phinehas, spurning the favor of his fellow countrymen, smote those associated with the Midianites and by his own wrath appeased the wrath of God.

PASTORAL CARE 3.22

Exodus 33:12

Jesus says to her: "Mary." After he called her by the common word for her sex, and was not recognized, he calls her by name. As if he openly said to her: Recognize him by whom you are recognized. To the perfect man also it is said: "I know you by name," because "man" is the common word for all of us, but "Moses" is proper, to whom it is rightly said that he is known by name, as if the Lord openly said to him: I do not know you generally as the rest, but specially.

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 25

Exodus 33:17

But we must note especially how great is the order of narration in the mouth of Truth concerning the proud rich man and the humble poor man. For behold it is said: "There was a certain rich man"; and immediately it is added: "And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus." Certainly among the people the names of the rich are usually known more than those of the poor. What is it, therefore, that the Lord, speaking of a poor man and a rich man, tells the name of the poor man and does not tell the name of the rich man, except that God knows and approves the humble, and does not know the proud? Hence also to some who are proud of the power of their miracles He will say at the end: "I know you not whence you are: depart from me, all you workers of iniquity." But on the contrary, to Moses it is said: "I know you by name." Therefore He says of the rich man: "A certain man." He says of the poor man: "A beggar, named Lazarus." As if He openly said: I know the humble poor man, I do not know the proud rich man. The one I hold as known through approval, the other I do not know through the judgme…

But we must note especially how great is the order of narration in the mouth of Truth concerning the proud rich man and the humble poor man. For behold it is said: "There was a certain rich man"; and immediately it is added: "And there was a certain beggar, named Lazarus." Certainly among the people the names of the rich are usually known more than those of the poor. What is it, therefore, that the Lord, speaking of a poor man and a rich man, tells the name of the poor man and does not tell the name of the rich man, except that God knows and approves the humble, and does not know the proud? Hence also to some who are proud of the power of their miracles He will say at the end: "I know you not whence you are: depart from me, all you workers of iniquity." But on the contrary, to Moses it is said: "I know you by name." Therefore He says of the rich man: "A certain man." He says of the poor man: "A beggar, named Lazarus." As if He openly said: I know the humble poor man, I do not know the proud rich man. The one I hold as known through approval, the other I do not know through the judgment of reprobation.

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 40

Exodus 34:34

When Moses comes forth from the sanctuary of God, he veils his shining countenance when in the presence of the people, because he is not going to reveal to the multitude the secrets received in profound enlightenment. Hence God speaking through him enjoined that if anyone dug a pit and neglected to cover it over, then if an ox or an ass fell into it, he should pay the price of the animal. So when a man who has arrived at the deep streams of knowledge does not cover them up before the unlearned hearts of his hearers, he is judged liable to punishment if by his words a soul, whether clean or unclean, takes scandal. Hence it is said to blessed Job: “Who gave the cock understanding?”

PASTORAL CARE 3.39

Exodus 37:16

We know that in God’s tabernacle not only bowls but ladles too were made at the Lord’s bidding. The bowls signify a more than sufficient teaching, the ladles a small and limited knowledge. One full of true teaching fills the minds of his hearers and in this way provides a bowl by what he says. Another cannot expound what he perceives, but because he proclaims it as best he can he truly offers a ladle to taste. You who are in God’s tabernacle, in his holy church, if you cannot fill bowls with the wisdom of your teaching, give to your neighbors ladles filled with a good word, as much as you have from the divine bounty. Draw others as far as you consider you have advanced. Desire to have comrades on your way toward God.

HOMILY 5

Exodus 38:8

Moses put there a bronze basin in which the priests had to wash themselves and enter the Holy of Holies, because God’s law prescribes that we first wash ourselves by compunction, that in our uncleanness we may not be unworthy to enter the cleanness of the secrets of God.

HOMILY 19

Exodus 38:8

But then we truly preach right things to others if we show our words by deeds, if we ourselves are pierced with divine love, and wash with tears the daily stains of human life, which can in no way pass without fault. But then we are truly pierced with compunction about ourselves if we carefully consider the deeds of the fathers who went before, so that from beholding their glory, our own life may become vile in our own eyes. Then we are truly pierced with compunction when we diligently search the commandments of the Lord, and through these we ourselves strive to advance, through which we know those whom we venerate have already advanced. For hence it is written of Moses: He placed also the bronze laver in which Aaron and his sons were to wash when they entered the holy of holies, which he made from the mirrors of the women who kept watch at the door of the tabernacle. For Moses places the bronze laver in which the priests ought to be washed and enter the holy of holies, because the law of God first commands us to be washed through compunction, so that our uncleanness may not be unwor…

But then we truly preach right things to others if we show our words by deeds, if we ourselves are pierced with divine love, and wash with tears the daily stains of human life, which can in no way pass without fault. But then we are truly pierced with compunction about ourselves if we carefully consider the deeds of the fathers who went before, so that from beholding their glory, our own life may become vile in our own eyes. Then we are truly pierced with compunction when we diligently search the commandments of the Lord, and through these we ourselves strive to advance, through which we know those whom we venerate have already advanced. For hence it is written of Moses: He placed also the bronze laver in which Aaron and his sons were to wash when they entered the holy of holies, which he made from the mirrors of the women who kept watch at the door of the tabernacle. For Moses places the bronze laver in which the priests ought to be washed and enter the holy of holies, because the law of God first commands us to be washed through compunction, so that our uncleanness may not be unworthy for penetrating the purity of God's secrets. Which laver is rightly said to have been made from the mirrors of the women who ceaselessly kept watch at the door of the tabernacle. For the mirrors of the women are the commandments of God, in which holy souls always behold themselves, and detect if there are any stains of defilement in them. They correct the faults of their thoughts, and as if arranging resisting countenances, they compose them as from a reflected image, because while they diligently attend to the Lord's commandments, in them they doubtless recognize both what pleases and what displeases the heavenly spouse in themselves. As long as they are in this life, they can in no way enter the eternal tabernacle. But yet the women keep watch at the door of the tabernacle, because holy souls, even while they are still weighed down by the weakness of the flesh, nevertheless with continual love await the entrance of eternal entry. Therefore Moses made the laver for the priests from the mirrors of the women, because the law of God provides the washing of compunction for the stains of our sins, while it presents for our contemplation the heavenly commandments through which holy souls have pleased the heavenly spouse. If we diligently attend to these, we see the stains of our inner image. But seeing the stains, we are pierced with the sorrow of repentance; and being pierced with compunction, we are washed as in the laver made from the mirrors of the women.

Forty Gospel Homilies, Homily 17