1 Chronicles 10:14Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

To this, Eve should have responded: “We know that God forbade us from eating the fruit of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, but we must not question His reasons for this command.” For it is not ours to inquire into the divine will, as it stands beyond our comprehension. "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who was a counselor to Him? Or who gave Him beforehand that He should repay? For all things are of Him, by Him, and to Him. To Him be glory forever and ever, amen" (Rom. 11:34-36). Some might argue that it’s permissible to seek understanding behind God's commandments. But from whom? Certainly not from God, who alone comprehends what is truly good or merely acceptable. A servant who questions his master or a subordinate who seeks rationale from a superior risks being seen as rude or disobedient. How, then, can one presume to challenge God’s authority? God's Providence is rooted solely in His holy will and is not up for debate.

Reflect on the contrasting responses of the Samaritans, who eagerly accepted Jesus’ words and implored Him to remain, and the Gergesians, who hastily sought His departure. The faithless Jews remained impervious, unmoved despite His words and miracles; indeed, “Thy judgments, O Lord, are a great abyss!” The holy martyr Julian of Alexandria could not walk due to a leg ailment and was brought before the persecutors of Christianity by two servants. One, a Christian, denied both his faith and his master and perished in disgraceful idolatry. The other, Eun, remained loyal to both God and his master, steadfast in his faith. They were subsequently paraded through Alexandria in shame, subjected to brutal beatings, and ultimately cast into a fire, where they surrendered their souls to God in a noble confession. Witnessing their agony, a soldier named Vesa, moved by compassion for the innocent martyrs, attempted to calm the crowd but was captured, professed faith in Christ, and was sentenced to death—executed in place of the Christian who had renounced his beliefs. Thus, Vesa received the crown of martyrdom for his faithfulness.

Saint Athanasius, Archbishop of Alexandria, recounts how two monks journeyed to visit Saint Anthony in the desert. Enduring extreme thirst, one monk succumbed to dehydration while the other was gravely weakened. From a distance, Saint Anthony, prompted by divine revelation during prayer, called upon two of his monks to urgently take water to the dying men. Upon reaching the travelers, they found the deceased brother and, after providing sustenance to the other, brought him back to Saint Anthony. Athanasius wisely notes that one might question why Saint Anthony did not dispatch his monks sooner. Such a question is indeed inappropriate for a Christian, as it was not within Saint Anthony's authority, but rather the decree of God. God’s righteous judgment determined the fate of the dying and the suffering one, revealing His will for their salvation. In wonder at the mysterious ways of God, Anthony humbly acknowledged: "O Lord, my God, You sometimes grant prolonged life to those who seem unworthy, while taking from the world those who could benefit it. Some who have sinned little are punished severely, while others, despite their transgressions, live well and are emboldened to sin: ‘their eyes are rolled out of fat, their thoughts wander in their hearts’" (Psalm 72:7). In reflection, a voice cautioned Anthony, "Be careful of thyself: that which thou art considering is the judgment of God, and thou must not seek to probe or challenge it." "Oh, how great are Thy works, O Lord! Very deep are Thy thoughts also: ‘The man of no understanding knows not, and the ignorant man understandeth not these things’" (Psalm 91:6, 7). Truly, Thou art the hidden God.

In the year 1117, during an earthquake across Italy, inhabitants of Mediolanus gathered in a building for urgent repairs. A voice suddenly called out to one individual, urging him to exit. Confused, he hesitated, waiting for the summons to be repeated. Then, an unknown figure at the door insisted on his immediate departure. The moment he stepped outside, the structure collapsed, killing all inside. Why was he spared while others were not? “The judgments of the Lord are a great abyss!” One can see in this event the echoes of ancient miracles, akin to how the angel of the Lord led Lot and his family out of Sodom, leaving the others to face destruction. Throughout history, many have similarly remained unharmed amid widespread calamity.

In 1597, a disobedient man in Sicily, known for a promiscuous life, ignored the pleas of a pious monk to repent. Days after the last warning, he died in the arms of an immoral woman, accidentally stabbed with a bayonet. Meanwhile, another lawless man, upon hearing of his friend’s demise, chose to abandon his sinful lifestyle and dedicated the remaining sixty years of his life to earnest repentance. What else can one conclude than the wise acknowledgment that “Thy judgments, O Lord, are a great and immeasurable abyss!”