Amos 2:12Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The regulations surrounding them carry a profound significance. However, God honored some of these individuals with the privilege of prophecy and a special form of sanctification. Yet, they turned away from this esteemed calling and consumed wine with others who had committed to a holy vow, leading them to forsake their sanctity. They proclaimed that there was no divine law and that striving for holiness was futile. While the law may have cast shadows, it was not bereft of truth; it reflected the essence of godliness through its archetypes. The very prohibition imposed by the holy prophets indicates a people who dismiss God’s law, unable to bear its guidance and failing to perceive the honor they receive when allowed even to commune with the Divine. In the midst of this discussion, a question is posed: “Are there not these, O children of Israel? Will you see falsehood in such evident matters?” And does God require witnesses to confront those who perpetrate such blatant deceit? Therefore, let us pursue holiness and remain steadfastly committed to God, steering clear of the influences of the wicked, for “the customs of good are corrupted by evil conversations” (1 Cor. 15:33), and the words of those given to pleasure divert us from holiness and all that is good. On the contrary, let us be dedicated to the teachings of those who speak with divine wisdom, of whom our Savior testified: “Ye shall not be ye that speak: but the Spirit of your Father speaketh in you” (Matt. 10:20).

Is it not so, O children of Israel, declares the Lord? You provided the Nazoreans with wine to drink and instructed the prophets, saying, "Do not prophesy." Having granted you numerous blessings—defeating your enemies and giving their land to you—I chose prophets and Nazoreans from among your sons and appointed them for my divine service. Can you claim that I have not done these wonderful acts or withheld my goodness, which sustains your lives? You have strayed so far that you have intoxicated my Nazoreans, who are commanded by the law to abstain from all that can lead to drunkenness (Num. 6), and you have silenced the prophets, prohibiting them from proclaiming in my name. Amos, the prophet before you, faced such commands from Amaziah the priest of Bethel, just as Jeremiah was ordered by the king to cease delivering the words of the Lord, resulting in his prophecies being burned.

In this context, Tatian, leader of the Enkratites, attempts to construct his heretical views by declaring that drinking wine is sinful because the law forbids it for the Nazoreans and that those who offer wine to them face the prophet's condemnation. Hence, those who rigidly adhere to the letter of the law and introduce Jewish myths into Christ's churches must also follow other Jewish customs strictly. This includes unnecessary restrictions like avoiding grapes and attending to deceased parents, which, if done out of human frailty or necessity, would require them to shave their heads, rendering their period of consecration void. However, should they not adhere to these strictures and struggle to mix wine with water, representing the blending of law and gospel, they must instead recognize worldly distractions as the true intoxication that undermines spiritual vigilance. Those who silence the prophets and hinder knowledgeable speakers from imparting truth, despite the Lord's command to share His message (Is. 6:9), act against those who teach out of noble intentions rather than for selfish gain or recognition.