And hath not eaten upon the mountains, nor lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel: and hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, nor come near to a menstruous woman:
אֶל־הֶֽהָרִים֙ לֹ֣א אָכָ֔ל וְעֵינָיו֙ לֹ֣א נָשָׂ֔א אֶל־גִּלּוּלֵ֖י בֵּ֣ית יִשְׂרָאֵ֑ל וְאֶת־אֵ֤שֶׁת רֵעֵ֙הוּ֙ לֹ֣א טִמֵּ֔א וְאֶל־אִשָּׁ֥ה נִדָּ֖ה לֹ֥א יִקְרָֽב׃
3 Church Fathers comment on this verse
Presenting a comprehensive and nuanced understanding of virtue, which comprises distinct elements, he illustrates the character of the righteous individual. He begins by attributing piety to this individual, stating that he does not partake of food on the mountains because it is there that idolatrous practices occurred. Next, he addresses the subject of purity, affirming that he will not dishonor his neighbor's wife and will not come near a woman during her monthly cycle.
And if a man is just, practicing justice and righteousness, refraining from consuming food on the high places, avoiding the sight of the idols associated with Israel, not defiling his neighbor's wife, nor approaching his own wife during her time of purification, causing no harm to anyone, returning what he has pledged to a borrower, and not engaging in theft, he gives his sustenance to those in need and provides clothing to the naked. He does not charge interest or increase his wealth through dishonest means, but he refrains from any form of inequity and delivers fair judgment between individuals. He acts in accordance with My commandments and adheres to My statutes to uphold the truth. This man is righteous; he will have life, declares the Lord God.
It must be understood that the phrase "I will punish the iniquities of the fathers to the third and fourth generation" does not imply what many believe, nor does it align with such interpretations: "The fathers ate sour grapes, and the children’s teeth are set on edge." Indeed, hear what I shall add: if a father is righteous, following these principles, and has a wicked son who abandons his father's virtues for vice, will the righteous father not live because of his righteousness, while the son perishes due to his own actions that the father avoided?
Let us contemplate the father's virtues, which I see can be categorized into seventeen principles. The first is executing judgment; the second is combining justice with judgment; the third is not consuming food on the high places; the fourth is not turning his eyes to idols or, as the LXX states, to the thoughts of Israel; fifth, he does not dishonor his neighbor's wife; sixth, he avoids his own wife while she is in a state of purification; seventh, he does not oppress anyone; eighth, he returns the pledge to the borrower; ninth, he does not steal forcefully; tenth, he gives his bread to the hungry; eleventh, he covers the naked with garments; twelfth, he does not lend at interest; thirteenth, he accepts no more than he has given; fourteenth, he turns away from evil; the fifteenth is making righteous judgments between individuals; sixteenth, he adheres to the commandments of the Lord; seventeenth, he observes My statutes and judgments.
What each of these specifically entails shall be discussed subsequently. If the husband is righteous and administers justice, it is written in Proverbs that "The thoughts of the righteous are right" (Proverbs 12:5). He who possesses this virtue does nothing without considering it carefully. He can proclaim the prophetic saying: "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth" (Psalm 25:10), and when he delivers just judgments—showing no hypocrisy in the courts—he fulfills the command of the Lord: “You shall judge fairly between the young and the old” (Proverbs 18). Boldly, he may affirm: "My soul longs for Your judgments at all times" (Psalm 119:20). He knows the judgments of the Lord, which are profound, and with the Apostle he may exclaim: "O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and His ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33). In prayer, he will state, "Thy judgments are good" (Psalm 119:39).
Judgment is followed by truth, and he who possesses it surely has Christ, who, according to the Apostle, is our truth, holiness, and redemption (1 Corinthians 1:30), enabling him to embody genuine truth and not be insincere in his judgments. The third principle refers to abstaining from eating on the high places, which the Jews associate with idolatry. The Scriptures frequently depict the people offering sacrifices on the high places despite commands to destroy them (1 Kings 22:43; 2 Chronicles 20). Thus, he who eats upon these high places is likened to the Pharisee who boasts before God. In contrast, the tax collector, moved to humility, did not even lift his eyes to heaven while praying (Luke 18:11). Those who elevate themselves above the simplicity of the Church ignore the truth spoken of them: "God resists the proud but gives grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
The fourth principle involves not turning one's eyes to the idols of Israel, which the LXX translates as "thoughts." These idols, crafted from the heart, are manufactured by heretics who mistakenly embrace their falsehoods as truths. The fifth principle explicitly forbids dishonoring one's neighbor's wife, which clearly prohibits adultery. The term "neighbor" encompasses all humanity, as illustrated by the Good Samaritan parable; when asked "Who is my neighbor?" the Lord teaches that anyone who shows mercy qualifies as a neighbor. Symbolically, the wife may also refer to wisdom, which Solomon encourages us to cherish (Proverbs 4:6). To desire to defile wisdom is to tarnish the pure and holy.
The sixth principle states that one should not approach a woman during her cycle of purification. This period is marked by physical changes in women; if a husband unites with his wife during this time, their offspring might inherit defects due to unclean conditions. Therefore, husbands must practice discernment regarding when to be intimate with their wives, as Paul advises us to honor one another (1 Thessalonians 4:4).
The seventh principle stresses that a man shall not afflict others, which the LXX translates as "not oppressing with force." This sin is not unfamiliar; even the Egyptians oppressed the Israelites. Furthermore, spiritual leaders can inflict harm through pride, contrary to what the Savior taught—that the greatest should be the servant (Matthew 20:27). The Hebrew text calling for no affliction aligns with acknowledging the Holy Spirit's presence among us (Ephesians 4:30).
The eighth principle emphasizes giving back pledges to debtors, particularly to those in need, as the law prescribes return before nightfall (Deuteronomy 24). It underscores the importance of returning pledges with compassion, fulfilling both our love for the borrower and following the command to serve the needy. The ninth principle, related to theft, prohibits forceful stealing. The Apostle warns against association with thieves (1 Corinthians 6), for any theft typically involves some level of violence. Holy endeavors, however, may involve drawing others to righteousness.
The tenth principle entails giving food to those who are truly hungry. Alms should provide real sustenance rather than be wasted on the satisfied. The righteous must not share bread acquired through wrongdoing; instead, they ought to share what they can do freely, reflecting divine generosity.
The eleventh principle instructs covering the naked with garments, indicating both material clothing and offering others the spiritual garment of Christ—through baptism, we are clothed with Him (Galatians 3:27). The twelfth principle articulates avoiding any return on lent money, consistently maintaining fairness.
The thirteenth point is receiving no more than what is given; this applies universally, not just to money. The divine calling encourages us to lend without the expectation of gain (Luke 6:35). The fourteenth principle is to avoid all unrighteousness.
The fifteenth principle emphasizes administering just judgments between individuals. This reflects an advanced virtue. Following this, adherence to the commandments of the Lord characterizes the sixteenth virtue, and finally, observing His statutes and judgments captures the seventeenth point.
This proclamation illustrates that the righteous will live due to their virtues, and thus, will not bear the punishment for their father's iniquities.
The individual who is upright and practices justice, meaning one who maintains the balance of fairness with integrity, shall not partake of the feasts on the high places; this signifies that he will distance himself from idol worship, as such pagan temples were established on elevated ground. Furthermore, he shall not allow his hair to be raised in desire for the idols of the house of Israel, which indicates that he will not entertain the sinful inclinations of Israel; thus, he illustrates the union of wickedness and unrighteousness.
Moreover, he must not violate his neighbor’s wife, nor approach a woman during her menstruation; this means he will not covet another man’s spouse, nor come near a woman who is experiencing a flow of blood, as these actions are also forbidden by the commandments.
Passages read together with this verse.
THEOSIS